Classic cinema - thoughts and questions

This sounds very interesting.
Filmmakers (a.o. David Fincher, Martin Scorsese) discuss how Francois Truffaut's 1966 book "Cinema According to Hitchcock" influenced their work.
 
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Interesting

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That's incredibly interesting, thanks! I actually just watched The Godfather a few days ago and I recognize the moments most of those notes are discussing. Fascinating to read them and I actually agree with the notes about a lot of things, especially Michael's side trip to Sicily. I've always felt that his attitude there seemed rather odd.
 
I got the impression that was deliberate, it leaves you thinking he's undecided or keeps you guessing at his intentions.
 
I have not watched those movies in at least 10 years. I have a 16 hour flight to Hong Kong next month, might have just found what I want to watch. I would like to see the rest of the notes for this, I only found this one so far.
 
I am still hoping for a BluRay remaster that would restore all of that scenes, since I've never seen any of them. Not that likely, but a man can dream. Just as I'm still hoping for an uncut version of Event Horizon and an "even longer" version of Once Upon a Time in America :D
 
Not sure if it's what you're looking for, but HBO aired a 7-hour long edition of The Godfather I+II in chronological order. HD version is out there on the internet :D
 
If someone asked me which way to watch the movies for the first time, I would for sure say go I, II, III (with lower expectations here). But for a rewatch, the chronological version is pretty cool, it brings some new angles to the overall story IMO.
 
I was flipping though the TV this morning and hit a station that plays older movies and ended up watching It Should Happen to You (1954 Jack Lemmon, and Judy Holliday). All in all a fairly silly, but fun romantic comedy. But wow, the central issue in the movie was really about being famous for being famous. Holliday's character buys a billboard with her name on it in attempt to get fame and becomes "viral". She gets more "viral" and becomes a bit of a sideshow freak and put in some situations that compromise her beliefs. Lemmon gives some interesting speeches about the value of privacy. It is like the writers saw what would come 50 years later with "reality TV", internet "stars", etc.

Interesting to watch, probably even more now than when it was released.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Should_Happen_to_You
 
Very cool, hope they are able to do this
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Netflix has been dipping its streaming giant toes into more and more corners of the entertainment business with their move to producing films along with streaming TV shows. Now it looks like the company may be about to help a famously unfinished film finally get seen: Orson Welles' The Other Side of the Wind.

According to Wellesnet, Netflix has been in talks with the rights holders/producers for The Other Side of the Wind, Oja Kodar, Filip Jan Rymsza, Frank Marshall and Jens Koethner Kaul, to pay over $5 million for a two-picture deal that would include the finished film for streaming and theatrical release rights, and a companion documentary. So far, only Kodar has refused to sign off on the deal.

The Other Side of the Wind has a long history beset with problems. Orson Welles originally came up with the idea in 1937 after a feud with writer Ernest Hemingway. That altercation led to his inspiration for a story about a macho writer whose career is on the decline. When Hemingway committed suicide, though, he changed the lead character to an old Hollywood director who tries to resuscitate his work by creating a wild film with tons of sex and violence. The movie, which was filmed in 8mm, 16mm and 35mm, was shot in the 1970s with a cast that included John Huston, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich and Susan Strasberg.

Orson Welles was able to finish principal photography on the film, but died in 1985 before he could complete editing and other postproduction aspects of the movie. He tried to fund the completion himself by taking a number of acting jobs and getting backers for the movie, but most of them left the film before it could be finished. 30 yeas of legal battles over the rights to the movie after Welles’ death held up the movie even longer.

Last summer, producers Filip Jan Rymsza, Frank Marshall and Jens Koethner Kaul started an Indegogo campaign to take donations and finally finish the movie. They were hoping to raise $2 million, but only raised $406,405 from Orson Welles fans. The crowdfund campaign probably helped lead Netflix to them, and, in turn, helped the producers begin negotiations with Netflix in the hopes of actually being able to get The Other Side of the Wind done and released after all these years. Netflix needs worldwide distribution rights to finalize the deal, but Oja Kodar holds the rights to the Croatian distribution. Netflix has already spent six months trying to iron out the deal.

Considering the amount of time Netflix has put into making The Other Side of the Wind happen, it’s pretty clear that they would like for the deal to go through, but there doesn’t seem to be any clear end to the haggling going on for the rights to the movie. What do you think? Is Netflix the right place for this classic, unseen Orson Welles film? Let us know in the comments.
 
Guy Hamilton died. He started as Carol Reed's assistant during The Third Man (in which he also acted as Orson Welles' double), but was most famous for his four Bond movies:

Goldfinger (perhaps the most famous classic Bond movie) - 1963
Diamonds are Forever (final official Bond film with Connery) - 1971
Live and Let Die (debut Roger Moore) - 1973
The Man with the Golden Gun (with Christopher Lee) - 1974

He also directed the classic Battle of Britain (1969).

Other Hamilton films I've seen and liked:

The Colditz Story (1955)
Not the most exciting war film I've seen but there's often a good atmosphere in British films from this period, that I find hard to describe. This is no exception. It's shot on location and extra special for people who have visited the castle, which is now used as Youth Hostel (also perfectly okay for older people or families).

Force 10 from Navarone (1978). Okay, it can't stand in the shadow of The Guns of Navarone, but still good with some suspense and Harrison Ford, one year after his first Star Wars involvement. I like this description by the YT-uploader of the trailer:

Inspired by and intended as a sequel to The Guns of Navarone (1961), this WW 2 action movie is often cited by critics as a lackluster and a poor sequel. If given a fair chance, it is very enjoyable, and features great acting, production, and a good plot overall. Robert Shaw and Harrison Ford have co-starring leads, with Ford being fresh from the role that made him a household name--Han Solo in Star Wars. Ford portrays American Ranger Lt. Col. Mike Barnsby, the leader of a commando unit sent to Yugoslavia to destroy a vital bridge that will allow Nazi forces to move into Partisan territory. Shaw's character is Major Mallory, who joins Barnsby's unit but has a mission of his own: seek out and eliminate a double agent operating with the Yugoslavian resistance fighters. This movie is also of note because it marked Robert Shaw's final film appearance. He died of a heart attack shortly after finishing the project. Edward Fox, Carl Weathers, Alan Badel, Franco Nero, Richard Kiel and Barbara Bach costar.

I'd like to see more of his films, e.g. his Agatha Christie adaptations and this oldie:
An_Inspector_Calls_%281954_film%29_poster.jpg
 
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Here a making of. Filmed on the island of Jersey where Maiden gathered three years later to write songs for Piece of Mind.

"Jersey played host to Hollywood in 1978, when the makers of the film 'Force 10 from Navarone' came to the Island to film. It didn't get off to the best of starts as it rained on the first day. Typical. Robert Hall is your host as he takes a look at the making of the sequel to 'The Guns of Navarone'.. Keep your eyes peeled for a young Harrison Ford darting around St. Peter's Valley..."
 
bearfan said:
I used to have the Chronological version of The Godfather on Laserdisc .. that cost and arm and a leg. Some details here, I am assuming most of the extra scenes ended up on the DVD release

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Godfather_Saga
Click to expand...
It is a crime the chronological version has never been released on Blu-Ray (or even DVD). I used to own the VHS of the Saga. There were two versions:
1. Godfather Saga (chronological version of 1 & 2 with extra scenes)
2. Godfather Trilogy (chronological version of 1, 2, & 3 with extra scenes...but not necessarily the SAME extra scenes that were shown in Saga!)

These were only released on VHS & Laserdisc. Occassionally 1 or the other are shown on AMC or HBO.
 
Bud Spencer has died at the age of 86. Who hasn't seen a film with this familiar face?

His real name was Carlo Pedersoli. Bud referred to his favourite beer Budweiser and Spencer to his idol, actor Spencer Tracy.

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Bud Spencer with Terence Hill.

The man did more than film making. In the fifties he started at the Olympics, being the first swimmer from Italy doing the 100 m under one minute. He was member of the Italian water polo team. Also he was a singer, a composer, a fashion designer and screenplay writer.


Spencer met his future film partner, Terence Hill, on the set of Hannibal in 1959. They went on to work together on over 20 films, including (named using their most common US titles):
  1. Hannibal (1959), as Carlo Pedersoli together with Mario Girotti
  2. God Forgives... I Don't! (1967), first time as Bud Spencer together with Terence Hill
  3. Ace High (1968)
  4. Boot Hill (1969)
  5. They Call Me Trinity (1970)
  6. Blackie the Pirate (1971)
  7. Trinity Is Still My Name (1971)
  8. All the Way, Boys (1972)
  9. Watch Out, We're Mad (1974)
  10. Two Missionaries (1975)
  11. Crime Busters (1976)
  12. Odds and Evens (1978)
  13. I'm For the Hippopotamus (1979)
  14. Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981)
  15. Go For It! (1983)
  16. Double Trouble (1984)
  17. Miami Supercops (1985)
  18. Troublemakers (1994)
Films with Spencer alone include:
  1. The Five Man Army (1969)
  2. The Fifth Day of Peace (1969)
  3. It Can Be Done Amigo (1972)
  4. Flatfoot (1973)
  5. They Call Him Bulldozer (1978)
  6. The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid (1979)
  7. Everything Happens to Me (1980)
  8. Banana Joe (1982)
  9. Bomber (1982)
  10. Superfantagenio (1986)
 
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From his wikipedia page:

"Growing from a successful swimmer in his youth, he got a degree in law, and has registered several patents. Spencer also became a certified commercial airline and helicopter pilot, and supports and funds many children's charities, including the Spencer Scholarship Fund."
 
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