Jedi Council Forums - The Essentials: Hamlet/Hand of God/Happy Man/Hard Day's Night

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Author	Topic: The Essentials: Hamlet/Hand of God/Happy Man/Hard Day's Night
Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 1/22/07 7:38pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: "Glengarry Glen Ross" "Glo" "Glory" "Glory For Me" "The Godfather"
	Despite some faults, "Glory" does get it right at the end, and you're moved; which is the point. "The Godfather" is a great movie, indeed, though I wish its creator would leave it the hell alone.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 1/30/07 4:16pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: "Glengarry Glen Ross" "Glo" "Glory" "Glory For Me" "The Godfather"
	The Godfather (1972) - Nino Rota A magnificent soundtrack of some of Rota's finest music; it was withheld from the Oscars because Rota reworked some of his own previous music for this film. But listen to the album and try to care; those menacing high piano chords are tension in musical form and the love theme and the main theme are as brilliant as their rep would have you believe. The Godfather: Part II (1974) - Francis Ford Coppola A dubious proposition becomes one of the finest sequels ever made; Pacino's Michael seemed to have sold his soul at the end of the first one, but that was just preliminary bidding. John Cazale gives his finest performance in his tragically short career as the weaker brother. And Robert De Niro is justifiably myth making as the young Vito Corleone. Darker, more beautiful, more tragic, smarter; it is the quintessential great sequel. The Godfather: Part III (1990) - Francis Ford Coppola If the film is sunk from the start by a fairly passionless script, the film rises from the morass on the sheer strength of Al Pacino's desperate performance; at this point, to see Michael looking for redemption seems so ludicrous, you wouldn't think it could work. But the scene where Pacino confesses his sins is one of the actor's finest moments, a moment of an old, old, tired man finally realizing his utter evil nature. And the climax, set to the strains of Cavalleria Rusticana, is Coppola like he used to be, purely visual storytelling. A shame the film as a whole didn't cohere, but the flashes are there to make it worthwhile. Going Public (1994) - The Newsboys The Newsboys haven't released an album this good yet; they've come fairly close and they've strayed about as far from 'great' as they can, but this remains their crowning achievement. The emotions are there in every way; there's euphoria, grief (in the closing Elle G., perhaps the only somber Newsboys song in existence; they made a song about hell be somehow rousing and exuberant after all), determination, hope, passion. Every song is a masterpiece. Golconda (1954) - Rene Magritte The apocalypse given a face of utter boredom; a wash of non-individuality rains down on a cityscape, men falling (or rising) from (into?) the sky, faceless men in bowlers and trench coats. Surrealism is after all supposed to fire the imagination; you'll never look at the sky the same again. And certainly never at an umbrella. Or perhaps, after all, they are only standing there. Perhaps only standing . . . -----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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Forcefire Registered: Jul '00	Date Posted: 1/30/07 6:35pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	Watched Glengarry, and you're definitely right to put it on here. You have to search for someone who isn't a great actor in this movie. The Godfather's score is brilliant as well. Part II for whatever reason didn't connect with me the same way the first movie did, but it's still amazing and I really want to see it again. Haven't seen Part III. -----signature----- "Dear Diary, today I was pompous and my sister was crazy. Today we were kidnapped by hillfolk, never to be seen again. It was the best day ever." Jayne Cobb, the Hero of Canton
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 1/30/07 7:43pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	Undoubtedly I'm a soulless troll, but it looks like wallpaper to me.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 1/30/07 8:00pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda - Date Edited: 1/30/07 8:02pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
	Wrong post...
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General Kenobi Title: Administrator Emeritus Registered: Dec '98	Date Posted: 1/30/07 8:24pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	If you made a list of "Five Films You Must See Before You Die", it would include Casablanca, The Godfather, Star Wars... and two others. Maybe one of which could be The Godfather Part II. Though I'd probably pick others for variety's sake. Definitely essential.
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Django211 Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 1/30/07 10:41pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	Godfather III reeks of desperation. Despite some good ideas like the ties between the mob and the Vatican, Sonny's illegitimate son, or the 30 day pope, Coppola loses sight of the characters, the plot and common sense. Coppola in desperate need of money and Pacino vying for a comeback decided to revisit their greatest success. Robert Duvall was wise enough to see the real motivations for the film & he wanted in on the payday. When his asking price was too high he walked & Coppola lost an irreplaceable piece of the family. The decision to replace him with George Hamilton is baffling, you'd be hard pressed to find a worse choice to fill in for Duvall. Much is made about Sofia Coppola replacing Winona Ryder and how she could have saved the film, but when has Ryder ever saved a film? She is a bland presence and as bad as Sofia was, I don't think Ryder would have been all that better. Both of Michael's children are boring characters and don't generate any interest like the rest of the family from the other films. You can say that with just about everyone in the cast in this film. I recommend listening to Coppola's commentary on the DVD where he explains what he tried to do but ultimately failed, actually all of the commentaries are good on these films. From being the director no one wanted on the first film, to the director with free reign on the 2nd, to finally making a last resort film on the 3rd, these films present a microcosm of many Hollywood directors of the 70s. Parts I & II are cinema at its best, part III is a waste of time & effort.
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 1/31/07 8:07am Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	Very, very true. Unknown to has-been in one trilogy. And while Ryder wouldn't have added much, she would've been able to say lines. I think.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 1/31/07 4:49pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	Yes, those commentaries are brilliant; as you say, it's the entire arc of Hollywood just in those three movies. Fascinating. -----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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Django211 Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 1/31/07 6:31pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	I love these commentaries, they are almost as entertaining as the films themselves. Coppola's stories about fighting the studio & barely keeping his job on part 1 are quite funny. The moments of inspiration such as how he dealt with Luca Brazzi's inability to memorize lines or keeping an actor in the dark about how to open a door show just how on top of his game he was. However with part 3 he repeats himself so often that the results feel tired & repetitive. Coppola talked about good ideas for the third film unfortunately he just wasn't able to get what he wanted. It's too bad because part 1 is a result of compromise & adversity.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 2/9/07 8:11pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Godfather/Godfather: Part II/Godfather: Part III/Going Public/Golconda
	Gold (2001) - Ryan Adams Fantastic pop-rock album; Adams' voice is perfectly suited to the songs; the piano driven Sylvia Plath is an album highlight. The Goldberg Variations (1741) - Johann Sebastian Bach One of the seminal works for keyboard; a single theme, given some seventy minutes worth of variations. If you can connect the dots on some of these, you're a genius, as Bach certainly was. But brilliant music on its own terms. Goldeneye (1995) - Martin Campbell Brosnan's first and best film as Bond features an extension of the Bond Dalton gave us; this Bond is human, fallible and deeply disturbed. The always brilliant Sean Bean is one of the finest Bond villains; his Treveleyan isn't that different from Bond really. The villains name is Janus; if Alec is one face, James is the other. The final climactic battle atop the satellite is the most bone crushing brawl of the franchise and Famke Jansenn is pure joy as a perverse femme fatale (literally) as scenery chewing a performance as any female has given in the franchise. A shot in the arm; Bond was back and as good as ever. Goldfinger (1964) - Guy Hamilton One could argue that the Moore era begins here; this is more escapist than the previous two films and far less realistic. But Gert Frobe is having a ball as the titular character; he doesn't snarl when he threatens; he laughs. The ticking bomb at Fort Knox is a white knuckler. Goldie's Last Day (1993) - PFR Agreeable and strangely overlooked pop rock; we need more songs about saying goodbye to your dying golden retriever. -----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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JediNemesis Registered: Mar '03	Date Posted: 2/10/07 1:58am Subject: RE: The Essentials: Gold, Goldberg Variations, Goldeneye, Goldfinger, Goldie's Last Day
	I like Goldfinger, but GoldenEye has got to be one of my favourite films ever (ever, not just out of the Bond series). Rogue posted: Brosnan's first and best film as Bond features an extension of the Bond Dalton gave us; this Bond is human, fallible and deeply disturbed. The always brilliant Sean Bean is one of the finest Bond villains; his Trevelyan isn't that different from Bond really. The villain's name is Janus; if Alec is one face, James is the other. Yes. Absolutely. Alec's a traitor; Bond's a murderer. Knocking Trevelyan off the satellite would have been self-defence, but catching the guy for the sole purpose of letting him go - that's murder. I like to think that 006 died happy, or at least satisfied, by having managed to upset Bond's treasured detachment. M entreats Bond not to let it get personal - but that "No, for me." at the end is about as personal as it gets. Also, "Don't touch that, that's my lunch!" is awesome -----signature----- BeTS Best Author '08 NEW Bad Dreams - http://boards.theforce.net/a/b1/29893091 Eleven Summers - http://boards.theforce.net/a/b1/29657584 Into The Shining Day - http://boards.theforce.net/a/b1/29224914
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 2/11/07 9:11am Subject: RE: The Essentials: Gold, Goldberg Variations, Goldeneye, Goldfinger, Goldie's Last Day
	"Goldfinger" and "Goldeneye" are both very good. I intend to re-watch both as an adjunct to the Bond Reviews.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 2/18/07 9:09pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: Gold, Goldberg Variations, Goldeneye, Goldfinger, Goldie's Last Day
	The Gold Rush (1925) - Charles Chaplin Probably Chaplin's least maudlin of his big films; there's a rather poignant bit on New Year's Eve, but mostly this one is full of blatant comedy. And what comedy; the dog on the dance floor is a riot, the chicken hallucination is a hoot, the windstorm is an absolute stunner. And for sheer genius there's a great bit where two men wrestle over a rifle and Chaplin tries to move out of the way of the gun, only to have the rifle keep swinging his direction; it's amazing how long he drags it on for. A comic genius, for sure. Gone With the Wind (1936) - Margaret Mitchell One of the greatest American novels; it's darker than the film, bleaker and our 'heroine' is even more amoral. It's a deep, dense book, easy to get absolutely lost in. One feels as though one lives the story by the time one is through. A profoundly effecting book; a profoundly powerful one. A masterwork. Gone with the Wind (1939) - Victor Fleming/George Cukor/Sam Wood Hard to believe it works as well as it does, really. But it never drags, not for a second; absolutely brilliant filmmaking. Leigh is stunningly gorgeous and staggeringly repulsive in the role of a lifetime. Gable is her equal and the film has no shortage of fantastic scenes. It's one of those rare epics that gets better every time you watch it; one of those rare epics that you're actually interested enough in to watch over and over again. One of those rare films that transcends utterly. Gone With the Wind (1939) - Max Steiner If Steiner didn't begin the era of the film score with this score, he did it with King Kong; but where King Kong is bombastic and rattling action music, this score is sweeping epic romanticism given full rein. The main theme is one of the most incredibly beautiful themes of all time. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1934) - James Hilton A warm and witty book about a school teacher at an exclusive boy's prep school. Manages to somehow hit all the cliches (and perhaps invent a few of them) and still pack emotional resonance. At times funny, at times melancholy, but a definite classic. -----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: 2/18/07 9:42pm Subject: RE: The Essentials: The Gold Rush, Gone with the Wind, Goodbye Mr. Chips
	The Gold Rush (1925) - Charles Chaplin This is the silent Chaplin film that has worn best, for the reasons mentioned by Rogue; it has the least pathos. Chaplin can extend a gag and then top it like nobody's business. Gone With the Wind (1936) - Margaret Mitchell Yes, it's better than the movie; I especially liked the Reconstruction segment, where most of the Southerners go under, but a few prove resilient. Scarlett O'Hara is one of them, and the author never softens her character one bit. Gone with the Wind (1939) - Victor Fleming/George Cukor/Sam Wood A producer's movie, but a very, very good one. Excellent cast, terrific production values, and a great story. Gone With the Wind (1939) - Max Steiner When those giant letter sweep across the screen, and the music swells...great moment. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1934) - James Hilton Haven't read it. Ze list.
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