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Author	Topic: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc. "Brightness" (1987)
Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/14/06 7:19pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Citizen Kane" (1941)
	There are things, I guess, that you should never admit to anyone . . . -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/14/06 7:34pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Citizen Kane" (1941) - Date Edited: 11/14/06 7:36pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
	Next: "The Lady Eve" (1941) USA: 97 min. B&W Languages: English Director: Preston Sturges Producer: Paul Jones Screenplay: Monckton Hoffe, Preston Sturges Photography: Victor Milner Music: Clara Edwards, Sigmund Krumgold Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, William Demerest, Eric Blore. Stanwyck and Coburn are a pair of father-daughter card sharks on a steam boat; it stops at a South American port and picks up 'Hopsie' Pike (Fonda), the snake-loving son of a rich brewing family. Stanwyck seduces him; he discovers her background and deserts her. End of Part One. Stanwyck goes to Hopsie's home town, disguised as a Brit blue-blood, Lady Eve Sidwich. She seduces Hopsie again, and marries him, intending to desert him immediately after. On their wedding night, she tells him all the men she's supposedly slept with (the list is endless). He flees. End of Part Two. The book: "[Sturges'] view of romance as the greatest con game of all." This damn near went on my top ten list. Stanwyck is just plain brilliant, and Coburn right up there with her.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/14/06 8:38pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Lady Eve" (1941)
	I found this to be a bit mean spirited in places (yes, we'll disagree again). Sturges is given to long, lingering close-ups of Fonda's distress and Stanwyck weeping bitter tears, which feels out of place in a comedy. This kind of wackiness works best when the people don't seem quite real (see Miracle of Morgan's Creek or Palm Beach Story). When you realize that they're really getting hurt over all this, it feels a little cheap. But this isn't the cast's fault; Fonda shows a surprisingly good comic touch (wonder why he didn't get many comedy roles) and Stanwyck and Coburn are brilliant together. Also, the Sturges stock players are in top form; Pallette and Demarast stand out, as they usually did. And it's certainly funny in places; it's just also . . . well, kind of mean in places. Caveat: I've seen this only once and it's been some time ago; keep meaning to give it another try. I tend to love Sturges, so perhaps it was my mood (had my heart been recently broken by a dupliticitious woman or something I wonder? ). Once again, you wonder what Sturges had on the censors; there's a theme about snakes and apples. And by that I mean 'snakes' and 'apples,' if you catch my drift. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/14/06 9:06pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Lady Eve" (1941) - Date Edited: 11/14/06 9:08pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
	I love the inflection Stanwyck gives: "Oh! He does card tricks!" And Coburn's attempted fleecing of Hopsie is a great scene. But I agree that it is not quite sustained all the way, which is why "His Girl Friday" made the list and this didn't.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/15/06 7:42pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Lady Eve" (1941)
	Next: "The Wolf Man" (1941) USA: 70 min. B&W Languages: English Director: George Waggner Producer: John J. Gross, George Waggner Screenplay: Curt Siodmak Photography: Joseph A. Valentine Music: Charles Previn, Hans J. Salter, Frank Skinner Cast: Lon Chaney, Jr., Claude Raines, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi The last of the iconic horror pictures is basically Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde goes to Romania. The interesting name in the credits is Curt Siodmak, who later became a famous director of film noirs.
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Drac39 Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 11/15/06 8:10pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Wolf Man" (1941)
	Vastly underrated film and I think the Jekyll and Hyde comparison is unfair. Hyde was often seen as an intelluctual like Jekyll but with a evil heart. The werewolf symbolizes the beast in people. Lon Chaney Jr was a great actor and anyone who doubts it just watch this film -----signature----- "That's all there is to life, just a little laugh... a little tear"- Lon Chaney
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/15/06 8:12pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Wolf Man" (1941)
	It was a reference to duality, actually.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/16/06 7:06pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Wolf Man" (1941)
	Next: "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) USA: 101 min. B&W Languages: English Director: John Huston Producer: Henry Blanke, Hal B. Wallis Screenplay: John Huston Photography: Arthur Edeson Music: Adolpb Deutsch Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Sidney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Elisha Cook, Jr., Barton McLane, Lee Patrick, Ward Bond After more than a decade in Hollywood, Humphrey Bogart finally finds his niche--the tough, cynical loner, in this case Sam Spade, in this movie. Great supporting cast, and classic noir touches, especially the ending--he admits he loves the femme fatale, but not that much... Great stuff.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/17/06 5:47pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) - Date Edited: 11/17/06 5:48pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
	Next: "Sargeant York" (1941) USA: 134 min. B&W Languages: English Director: Howard Hawks Producer: Howard Hawks, Jesse B. Lasky, Hal B. Wallis Screenplay: Harry Chandler, Abem Finkel Photography: Sol Polito Music: Max Steiner Cast: Gary Cooper, Joan Leslie, Walter Brennan, Margaret Wycherly This film is not much liked by fans of Hawks, because it is not particularly characteristic of him. But I saw it recently on TCM and was impressed; yes, it's hokey, but it represents an element of the American character that is vital. Alvin York was a Tennessee farmer and a Christian pacifist that became a war hero. The film is a long one, but Hawks' humour and understatement--his storytelling--is there, even if it's not his usual story. I enjoyed the film; the black and white photography is especially good.
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rumsmuggler Registered: Aug '00	Date Posted: 11/17/06 6:47pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Sargeant York" (1941)
	I've seen it once or twice. Pretty good film as far as I can remember. -----signature----- W.W.L.D. What Would Lando Do
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/17/06 7:50pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Sargeant York" (1941)
	Maltese Falcon is brilliant; the cast is fantastic. Lorre, Greenstreet and Cook are fantastic as the villainous triumverate. And that ending is stunning; Bogart's monologue is dark, his finest moment. Watch carefully; we all remember what scented handkerchiefs meant in the forties, right? Not the sheer glee Bogart takes in beating Cairo. Scary. Sergeant York is a very good film. Cooper is actually very good. It's a fascinating debate about pacifism and war and it sells its points quite well. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/18/06 6:50pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Sargeant York" (1941)
	Next: "Dumbo" (1941) USA: 64 min. Technicolor Languages: English Director: Ben Sharpsteen Producer: Walt Disney Screenplay: Otto Englander Photography: N/A Music: Frank Churchill,Oliver Wallace Cast: "Dumbo" is based on a rather obscure book. Like "Bambi", the film that came just after it, it concerns a baby animal who is separated from his mother (who is jailed as 'mad') and ridiculed because of his big ears and clumsiness (the 'Rudolph' syndrome). Despite the sentimentality, children often find this film hard to take, and no damn wonder. There's some good songs, though, and the dream sequence is famous.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/19/06 7:01pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Dumbo" (1941)
	Next: "High Sierra" (1941) USA: 100 min. Technicolor Languages: English Director: Raoul Walsh Producer: Mark Hellinger, Hal B. Wallis Screenplay: John Huston Photography: Tony Gaudio Music: Adolph Deutsch Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino, Joan Leslie, Arthur Kennedy The book: "Unlike Hawks, Ford, Capra, or Curtiz, who stress the value of community or group, Walsh in this period gave more weight to his heros' egotism, nonconformity and antisocial qualities." (Walsh also directed "White Heat"). Bogart is excellent as the melancholy, doomed hero, and Lupino shows why she should have had the best roles in Hollywood.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/19/06 8:48pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "HIgh Sierra" (1941)
	Dumbo I haven't seen in ages; I recall the dream sequence with some vividness. And people say psychedelic cinema didn't exist in the forties. I beg to differ. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/19/06 11:36pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "HIgh Sierra" (1941)
	There's a new biography of Disney by Neal Gabler; I'm looking forward to reading it.
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