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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: 11/28/06 7:26pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942)
	The novel is certainly loads better; this is more a beautiful film than a good one. That deep focus photography gets even deeper than Kane and the gloomy noir of Kane melts into almost pitch blackness at times. But Holt isn't very good; Cotton is good and Welles' narration is dripping darkness. But still, not on my essentials list. -----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: 11/29/06 7:15am Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942)
	I read a comment somewhere that Fanny Minafer almost overbalances the movie, and such is Moorehead's performance, I have to agree.
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General_Dodonna Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 11/29/06 2:42pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942) - Date Edited: 11/29/06 2:53pm (1 edits total) Edited By: General_Dodonna
	Welles left the film unfinished and took off for Brazil, and didn't answer frantic calls from the studio; so they edited it. This just is not true. Welles' took off for Brazil on the insistence of Nelson Rockefeller (!), to work on his government-sponsored project that would become known as It's All True (which is languishing and decaying in an archive somewhere, and was, like Ambersons, itself butchered). Before he left, he spent three days in Miami working with Wise on a rough cut of the film. The idea was to have Wise in Brazil editing the film while Orson filmed, but travel restrictions prevented this. Instead, as a compromise, Welles was sent a copy of the film to edit when he had time. This all occured before the infamous Pomona screening. The Pomona screening is itself a source of much contention. First, it's important to note that Ambersons, which wasn't a particularly cheerful film, was screened immediately after the 93 minute musical-comedy The Fleet's In. That 53 of the 125 original comment cards were enthusiastic, some astonishingly so (featuring comments like: "a masterpiece with perfect photography, settings, and acting," and "the best picture I have ever seen") is actually quite amazing. Thus, close to half the audience was enthusiastic about the film, and given the circumstances, that's remarkable. However, RKO felt that the screening was a disaster. Welles then sent a 37-page memo with revisions for Wise, but the studio didn't comply like he thought they would. New scenes were shot, and some fifty minutes of footage was cut (because, you know, that'll make it better!). That what survives of Ambersons is so incredibly good is evidence of Welles' absolute mastery, and demonstrates the absurdity and rashness of RKO's actions. Some people hate it when Welles is made out to be a victim, but here he absolutely was. Oh yeah, and it still flopped (don't they always?). The novel is certainly loads better; this is more a beautiful film than a good one. That deep focus photography gets even deeper than Kane and the gloomy noir of Kane melts into almost pitch blackness at times. I think you're neglecting the greatest thing about Ambersons, which is Welles' astonishing use of sound. He takes his work from Kane and expands the aural soundscapes and overlapping dialogue. It suits the film perfectly. But Holt isn't very good I've always thought that Holt was fine, and I love what Welles said of him: "One of the most interesting actors that's ever been in American movies, and he decided to be just a cowboy actor." Nevetheless, I always have fun noting that Holt appeared in three of some of the greatest American movies ever made: My Darling Clementine, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and Ambersons. -----signature----- "A film is difficult to explain because it is easy to understand." - Christian Metz
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/29/06 5:38pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942)
	I have to agree with Rogue that Holt is miscast; George Minafer requires somebody with some technique. It's not an easy role...the recent TV adaptation miscast him, too. The rest of the cast is stellar. The film is a good one, but the book is still better. It's a great novel, with very American themes, like "The Great Gatsby".
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 11/29/06 7:10pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942)
	Next: "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942) USA: 126 min. BW Languages: English Director: Michael Curtiz Producer: William Cagney, Jack Warner, Hal Wallis Screenplay: Robert Bruckner, Edmund Joseph Music: George M. Cohan, Ray Heindorf, Heinz Roemheld Photograpy: James Wong Howe Cast: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Rosemary DeCamp, Jeanne Cagney The book: "Something we rarely see anymore since alienated distance has overtaken Hollywood performance, and that is Cagney's complete and loving belief in everything he does." No kidding. Cagney is absolutely terrific, and his stiff-legged hoofing is a legitimate American style.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/30/06 3:21pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942)
	This gets slapped with all kinds of labels: "jingoistic," "hokey," "old-fashioned." Fact of the matter is that it's about George M. Cohan, who was, to some degree, all of those things. But, brother, does it work. Cagney's dancing is a joy to watch and the film has a lot of truly magical moments. -----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: 11/30/06 6:51pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942)
	Next: "Meshes of the Afternoon" (1942) USA: 18 min. Silent BW Languages: English Director: Maya Deren, Alexander Hammid Producer: Not listed Screenplay: Maya Deren Music: Teiji Ito (added 1952) Photography: Alexander Hammid Cast: Maya Deren, Alexander Hammid Plot: (from IMdb: "A solitary flower on a long driveway, a key falling, a door unlocked, a knife in a loaf of bread, a phone off the hook: discordant images a woman sees as she comes home. She naps and, perhaps, dreams. She sees a hooded figure going down the driveway. The knife is on the stair, then in her bed. The hooded figure puts the flower on her bed then disappears. The woman sees it all happen again. Downstairs, she naps, this time in a chair. She awakes to see a man going upstairs with the flower. He puts it on the bed. The knife is handy. Can these dream-like sequences end happily? A mirror breaks, the man enters the house again. Will he find her?" Haven't seen this one; very influential.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 12/1/06 8:03pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Meshes of the Afternoon" (1943) - Date Edited: 12/2/06 7:32pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
	Next: "Fires Were Started" (1943) UK: 80 min. BW Languages: English Director: Humphrey Jennings Producer: Ian Dalrymple Screenplay: Melchior Lengyel, Edwin Justus Mayer Photography: C. M. Pennington-Richards Music: William Alwyn Cast: Documentary Haven't seen this one. It's about firemen during the British blitz.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 12/2/06 7:37pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "Fires Were Started" (1943)
	Next: "The Man in Grey" (1943) UK: 116 min. BW Languages: English Director: Leslie Arliss Producer: Edward Black Screenplay: Leslie Arliss, Margaret Kennedy Photography: Arthur Crabtree Music: Cedric Mallabey Cast: Margaret Lockwood, James Mason, Phyllis Calvert, Stewart Granger The book describes this film--and English costume drama--as derived from a 'subliterary' (great word) book. The plot's not much but they praise the art direction, which is apparently very good. Not seen it.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 12/2/06 8:15pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Man in Grey" (1943)
	Fires Were Started sounds fascinating. I'd love to see it. The other two I didn't know about before I picked up the book, but they sound interesting; I'm a fan of James Mason, particularly. -----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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General_Dodonna Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 12/3/06 12:00am Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Man in Grey" (1943)
	If you want to see two amazing (and rare) James Mason performances, check out Nicholas Ray's Bigger Than Life and Max Ophul's Caught (which also benefits from a great Robert Ryan performance). They're not available on DVD in the US, but like I said, if you get the chance, these two movies are MUST see. -----signature----- "A film is difficult to explain because it is easy to understand." - Christian Metz
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soitscometothis Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 12/3/06 2:34am Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Man in Grey" (1943)
	I've seen The Man in Grey. It's a melodrama similar to The Wicked Lady in theme, only with less cleavage. Bad girl behaves immorally, is punished by end of movie. The cast is good, but the story is dated. Given the choice, I'd rather watch The Wicked Lady (1945 version with Lockwood and Mason, not the '83' version with Dunaway). -----signature----- I am not an eel popsicle. Art: http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Art/b10020/17816752/?21 Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 12/3/06 7:55am Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Man in Grey" (1943)
	Heard of "The Wicked Lady" but not seen it; have seen "Caught" and it is very good, though Ryan has the better role.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 12/3/06 7:36pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Man in Grey" (1943)
	Bigger Than Life is one of the films on this list; I hadn't heard of it until I picked this book up. It sounds fantastic; the perfect Mason role: a raging drug addict and I find Nicolas Ray to be a very underrated director much of the time. Definitely need to find that one. -----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: 12/3/06 8:29pm Subject: RE: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Now Disc: "The Man in Grey" (1943)
	Next: "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" (1943) UK: 163 min. Technicolour Languages: English Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Producer: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, Richard Vernon Screenplay: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Photography: Georges Perinal Music: Allan Gray Cast: Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr The book: Clive Wynne-Candy (Roger Livesey) is a veteran of both the Boer War and the First World War. He believes that all of life's conflicts can be met by honour and decorum, not realizing that the world has changed around him. I have to admit that I recorded this off the TCM, and have not yet watched it.
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