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| Subject: Fraudulent films | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 00:02:32 02/17/06 Fri I've noticed a peculiar trend in DVD lately that I wanted to alert you movie hounds out there about. As someone who is always on the prowl for DVD bargains, I've noticed how some distribuers may pull the wool over your eyes by releasing certain films to DVD under false pretenses. For one, there are some companies out there who rush out DVDs that have the same title or something similar to more well-known and popular films that are just coming out in theaters or have finished their theatrical run and are being released to DVD. In some case it's obvious they want you to mistake their junk for the "real" thing and hope the guy at the counter doesn't tell you. Case in point: "War of the Worlds." At the exact same time Spielberg's film came to DVD shops, a cheapo company called "The Asylum" released their own super-low budget version of "War of the Worlds" to DVD stores. They called it "H.G. Wells War of the Worlds" I presume to avoid copyright infringement. Knowing it was a fraud, I rented it anyway just to see what it was like, and to no surprise I observed tinker-toy special effects (what few there were) and amateurish production values. This same company also rushed out another "masterpiece" when the new "King Kong" was released called "King of the Lost World," with a Kong-like monkey on the DVD cover. This was about a giant ape in the Amazon, but the gorilla was only in the film in two quick scenes. One was at the beginning at that lasts only 30 seconds and then it finally shows up again at the tail end of the movie for five minutes or less. And it was the most pitiful excuse for a computer special effect I have ever seen. Secondly, there's some ultra cheap DVD releases of old films that might pull the wool over your eyes too. I saw a version of "Wizard of Oz" on the shelf that was not the real "Wizard of Oz." I knew because I've had a DVD copy of this other "version" for years; it was released as a collector's item a long time ago. The cheapie edition that's circulating now is not the one we all know and love. Rather it was a silent film made in the 1920s which is a slapstick spoof of the book featuring Oliver Hardy shortly before he teamed up with Stan Laurel. It has no Munchkins, no witch, and not much of anything but a lot of very poor slapstick comedy, with Oz being presented (I kid you not) as a real country on earth roughly similar to Germany. Terrible, terrible stuff. If you see it in the shelves, please read the DVD box and don't think you're getting the real for $3.50 or less. Likewise, there a a host of DVDs out there with the name "Flash Gordon" on them but they're not the original Buster Crabb movies. Instead they're episodes from a German television series that was made in the middle 1950s. I admit I get a kick out of these old shows, primarily you have three American actors in the leads and all the aliens have thick German accents. But again, read the cover and don't be fooled into thinking you're getting Buster Crabb. I've even seen one at the dollar store where they used Buster Crabb on the cover, but reading the cover showed me it was just another handful of shows from the fifties TV show. All I'm saying is, let the buyer beware of these DVDs. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Thank you to Judi | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 12:50:02 02/18/06 Sat Wanted to thank you for ordering my book, "Old School Romance." I much appreciate it. (I need all the royalties I can get to pay for my income tax this year. LOL) [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Romance Movies Based on Books | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 08:53:56 02/05/06 Sun With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I thought it time for a post on romantic films. Being that my realm of expertise is romantic books, I decided to make a list of movies based on romance novels. (My own book, "Old School Romance," a history of early romance fiction, is available through Borders Books--another shameless plug slipped in!) What is amazing to me is how few romance movies are adapted from books. Unless there's some I don't know about, the majority of romance films are written directly for the screen. I think the reason for this is that print and film are two different mediums, and it's difficult to merge the two when it comes to the romance genre. Two examples; both "Singing in the Rain" and the more recent "Wedding Crashers" were both written for the screen. I think I can safely say they represent romantic comedy as seen on film for their different generations. It would be almost impossible to make readable books out of either one of these movies. Can you imagine how either one of these would read in print? I certainly can't. By the same token, the kinds of emotions and feelings as portrayed in romantic books would come across as "over the top" if movies were to directly film many novels the way they are written. And indeed, some subject matter, in the older books especially, would be so controversial they'd be difficult to sell to a wide audience. Indeed, two examples from the old days demonstrate what I mean: "Marriage is a Private Affair," a best-selling romance written in 1941, deals with a couple who's marriage is going on the rocks who come back together when the heroine has an abortion. The 1944 movie version starring Lana Turner changed the ending and eliminated all the other controversial material from the book. "Magnificent Obsession" in the 1950s was based on a book written in 1929 by a retired minister. The religous aspects of the novel were carefully toned down in the Rock Hudson movie version. In any case, here are some of the better known romantic films based on best-selling books. If anyone knows any others, feel free to list them: 1. "The Sheik" starring Rudolph Valentino (1921) 2. "Gone With The Wind" (possibly best adaptation of a romantic book put on film) 1938 3. "Magnificent Obsession" starring Rock Hudson (1954) 4. "Love Story" (1970) 5. "The Bridges of Madison County" starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep (1995) [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Subject:  My Valentine... | |
Author: Miss Julie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 18:25:32 02/10/06 Fri  On a day like today We pass the time away Writing love letters in the sand How you laughed when I cried Each time I saw the tide Take our love letters from the sand [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: HAPPY VALENTINE'S... | |
Author: Miss Julie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 18:45:25 02/10/06 Fri  [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Night Must Fall (1937) | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 20:53:16 01/02/06 Mon I just saw this on TCM and thought I'd comment on it, though it was a pretty bad movie. However, just from watching "Night Must Fall" it was clear to me it was influential on future "psycho killer" movies so I figured it deserved "honorable mention." Based on a successful play, this movie did receive two Acadamey Award nominations, for actress Dame May Whitty (repeating the role she played on stage)and actor Robert Montgomery. Both nominations were well deserved, but they and leading lady Rosalind Russell are all that make this unimagimative thriller bearable. Nevertheless, it does have an somewhat "subversive" atmosphere to it that goes against the grain of most movies in the thirties, which probably comes more from the original stage play. And watching the way Robert Montgomery behaves, it's obvious where Alfred Hitchcock got his inspiration for the Norman Bates character in "Psycho." In the movie Montgomery portrays a smooth-talking drifter who cons his way into a household in a sleepy English village. There he talks himself into a job with a hypochondriac old lady (Dame May Whitty) by telling her everything she wants to hear. Not far from the house the body of a missing woman is found, with no head. And Montgomery hauls a locked hatbag around with him--could he be the killer? The only real surprise in this film is no one ever opens the hatbag--though its contents are very strongly suggested. In fact, by the close of the film the mysterious bag just "disappears," people stop talking about it and it never shows up again. This is just one of several disappointments in a film that keeps promising something big will happen and nothing ever does. Another element that's unusual for its time is the clear sexual tension between the old woman's niece, played by Rosalind Russel, and Montgomery. Russell is obviously attracted to the sinister Montgomery, and even hides evidence (including the hatbag) to keep him from being implicated in the crime. This is something else that goes absolutely nowhere but is very strongly suggested in a fashion that's unusual for the times. Still, I couldn't help but see where Hitchcock and other directors borrowed ideas from for future films. If this movie had more imaginative direction, it could have been better known than it is. I'd like to put in a good word for Montgomery; of all the old time Hollywood leading men, he is the most forgotten--perhaps because he looked a lot like several other more well known actors. His face had a certain resemblance to Dick Powell, Richard Widmark and others of the old Hollywood. Nor did he have any distinctive trademark style that the others did. He simply portrayed his roles the way it was written in the script without embellishment. But he was a good actor, and his performance in "Night Must Fall" demonstrates this. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Subject:  re: golden Skitch | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 22:08:55 02/05/06 Sun ...be gentle with me....it runs in the family.. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| Subject: Old time hero | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 15:06:12 01/28/06 Sat This may seem silly bringing up a movie like "The Giant Gila Monster" (1959) but I was watching my DVD of it last night, and couldn't help but wonder what has become of the old 1950s ideal of the kindly, sensitive hero as portrayed in this film. "The Giant Gila Monster" is somewhat of a favorite among old time monster movie buffs, I think because it was among the few older sci-fi films where the characters are given more detail than the monster. In particular the teenage hero, Chase. (Played by handsome Don Sullivan.) Chase is a poor auto mechanic who supports both his mother and handicapped kid sister. He's a community leader, keeping the other teens in his town on the straight and narrow. The town sheriff is always coming to him for help in solving local problems. He's in love with a French immigrant who he helps out when she needs help. Yet despite his kind and gentle nature, he's strong and decisive when need be. I suppose some folks would say such a hero is too good to be true, but think of it--how many of us have been in similar situations, having to support our families in tough times? And there are millions of people who devote time to their community just for the sake of being good. There's lots of good people out there, but they've become almost invisible in recent films and TV shows. In the 1950s in particular, there were more "goodness" to go around in the media, such as "The Lone Ranger," "Superman," and let's not forget Roy Rogers and Dale Evans--or Davy Crocket. The concept that good people who were also strong and decisive was a very popular concept in the 1950s. Today, if you have a "good" hero he's always shown as a wimp--i.e., the "Spiderman" movies, as I pointed out in another post. The symbolic idea in recent films appears to be if you're "good" you're weak. I was thinking of that recently while watching the only TV show I watch on a regular basis, "Lost." It dawned on me that just about all the major characters in this show are violent by nature--some are even psychotic. The few "good" people are minor characters or comedy relief. I'm not saving there shouldn't be such shows, (obviously not since I watch it) but there are times I long for more of the portrayl of strong goodness as seen in older films. Any thoughts on this matter from anyone else? [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Subject:  Shameless advertising =D | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 00:15:45 01/20/06 Fri As i sink onto my cozy bed every evening, i gaze at gossamer curtains with the little white lights nestled within...golden tones from a jazz horn soothe my soul, as i pour out equally golden droplets of my special HerbLife Jasmine Body & Massage Oil, and envelope my skin and my senses in it's lush texture and heavenly smell...mildly honey/apricot sweet, this jasmine fragrance! Not to be confused with HerbAL Life, this lovely experience is brought to me by my nextdoor lndian neighbors, who have started a business of all natural herbal health & beauty products. l told you this would be a shameless ad!! hehe....however, i have used their herbal scrub, and my face always feels wonderful afterwards (lndian herbs in that one) and the oils are simple & pure, yet delightful. When their company gets big, l'll be their advertising manager! ;) Anyway, l'm sooo proud of Dhanashree, doing this while still raising 3 yr old twin boys! lf anyone's interested in checking out the website, it is www.herblifeonline.com/ , or, i can take orders. Now....back to movies!!! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| Subject: Two Films About Detroit | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 00:40:43 01/09/06 Mon We don't discuss recent movies much in this forum, but two films were made about my home town this year, and having watched them both on DVD today, I wanted to comment on their accuracy or lack thereof. What's interesting is that though both these films are set in Detroit, they were filmed mainly in Canada. Miss Julie, if I haven't mentioned it before, I've been meaning to bring up that you and I are nearly neighbors. I've lived in Detroit for over twenty years now, and Canada is right next door to us. I've gone across the border more than once, and even dated a Canadian girl the first two or three weeks after I moved to the Motor City, before I met my Wife that is. Canadians are good people, and the land is very pretty. "Assault on Precinct 13" was the most inaccurate of the two movies. I don't understand why they chose Detroit as the setting, because there's not one element in the film that rings true. The real Precinct 13 looks nothing like the one in the movie. The precinct shown is off in some isolated area surrounded by forests. There's only place in Detroit where that could be true, and that's Belle Isle, but the tiny police station there isn't the 13th Precint. The whole look of the police in the film was totally wrong--wrong type of uniforms, everything. Apparently no one ever told the producers the police here are predominately African-American. They made it look as if most of the Detroit police are white. For that matter, there's very few blacks in this film, which is set in a city that is eighty percent African-American. From what they say in the special features, even the character played by black actor Laurence Fishburne was originally supposed to be Italian. And there's a puzzling lack of Arab citizens in the movie either, for an area that has the largest Arabian-American population in the country. Even more glaring than that is the huge, "corrupt" SWAT team that assaults the precinct. The movie makes it look big as an army (once again, all white) with enough up-to-date weapons to take over a country! Talk about a fantasy!Our poor beleagured police force is woefully undermanned and underfunded, and right now the whole city is on the brink of bankrupcy. Our city is horribly behind in technology, and certainly doesn't have the kinds of super weapons portrayed in this film. A much better film is "Four Brothers," which at least had the courtesy to shoot some footage in Detroit streets, so you do see genuine Detroit settings from time to time. And the portrayal of the city is far closer to the reality, with a largely black cast, and the kinds of fashions and the way people talk more convincing. The type of housing they showed was also much more Detroit-like. I was pleased that the film also had a small party store run by Arabs, which is a touch of reality that makes it more convincing. My son, who saw it in a theater, told me how the audience responded to it favorably because of the superior accuracy--even he didn't know it was largely filmed elsewhere until he bought the DVD. I do have a complaint with both films, and its the portrayl of "police corruption". I know a lot police officers here, and in the 1980s did volunteer work at a min-station. Two of my children were long-time members of the local Police Explorers, which is sort like a police academy for young people. As I mentioned, our police here are doing their level best under the worst possible conditions, with no spare money to speak of. Portraying them as corrupt does a real disservice to the fine men and women I've known over the years. Hopefully someday movie makers will get that right too. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: The Caine Mutiny | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 12:48:22 01/14/06 Sat Humphrey Bogart's "The Caine Mutiny" (1954) is one of my favorite films for a very good reason--I was once a ship's cook! And this is the most accurate depiction of shipboard life in the movies that I've ever seen. It was given a great deal of support by the Navy during production, which accounts for the accurate portrayl of day to day shipboard life. It also shows the way petty quarrels and conflicts can get out of hand faster in the small community of a ship than they would in civilian life. A lot of people think this was based on a true story; not so. There's never been a Navy ship called the Caine, nor has any U.S. vessel ever been "taken over" by the lower officers as depicted in the film. (A note in the movies credits explains this.) The film was based on a bestselling novel by Herman Wouk, who I believe also saw sea duty. The book itself goes much more into shipboard detail than the movie; and you have to read the book to really understand why the ship's "mutiny" was a court martial offense. The movie doesn't make it clear at all. For years I wondered why the ship's XO (played by Van Johnson) was brought up on charges--after all, Bogart did panic during a storm and needed to be relieved. The book explains that if the XO had simply just pushed Bogart aside and assumed command temporarily, there would probably have been some "beefing," but otherwise nothing would have come of it. It was Van Johnson's decision to make it a "legal" takeover that changed it into mutiny status. Something else that's very important in the book but is never once mentioned in the movie is the religion of the young officer Ensign Keith (portrayed by Robert Francis). In the book he's Jewish; for some reason this is kept out of the film, and I still can't understand why. It's a detail that fleshes out his character and makes him more human in the novel. Perhaps it had to do with the attitudes of the times the film was made. There's one other major change made in the film, and that's the very last scene in the movie. The person in the movie who takes command of the ship once Humphrey Bogart is relieved of command is not the person who does so in the book. In fact, in the book the one made the new skipper is a real shock. If they had done it the way the book is written, however, they wouldn't have had the "Hollywood happy ending," so that change I could understand. (Besides that the movie have lasted another half hour depicting it.) So all in all one of the best movies about ships and sailors that you "landlubbers" out there can enjoy. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| Subject: Babes In Toyland | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 15:08:09 01/07/06 Sat Though the holiday season is over, thought I'd bring up a series of movie remakes usually associated with the Christmas season. I'm sure the majority of movie fans are most familiar with the lovely Disney version of "Babes in Toyland." However, it is only one of several films made over the last sixty years based on a popular stage musical originally produced in 1903. By all accounts, the musical by Victor Herbert was a hodge podge of elaborate stage numbers orienting around fairy tale and nursery rhyme figures. Surprising as it may seem, the basic plot of the play was actually a murder mystery! The Toymaker is murdered by his own toys and two young children, Jane and Alan, are accused of the crime but proven innocent. You could almost call it "Murder in Toyland"! I suppose they could get away with such a plot in 1903, but by the 1930s movie producers wisely realized it was just too much for a children's film. So when the play was first adapted to screen in 1934, producer Hal Roach had the plot revamped. Alan and Jane were eliminated, and the movie, focused exclusively on all the fairy tale figures. Laurel and Hardy as Tweeddle Dee and Tweedle Dum (renamed Ollie Dee and Stanley Dum) were made the stars, and this was possibly their most successful film. This movie, rather than the stage play, was the basis of all movie versions after that. In later release it was renamed "March of the Wooden Soldiers," which was the most popular musical number from the stage play. In the movie it was played over the climatic sequence where Laurel and Hardy activate an army of giant wooden soldiers to fight the "bogeymen" who were invading Toyland. In 1961, Walt Disney commissioned the best known movie version of the musical, featuring Ray Bolger (the scarecrow in "Wizard of Oz") and Anette Funicello. Once again the stage play was scrapped but the songs remained, and Disney used the Laurel and Hardy movie as the basis for the plot. The vigorous scene where the toys come to life to the tune of "March of the Wooden Soldiers" is in my opinion one of the most magical moments in children's movies. Two more remakes were made for television, and they were dismal affairs. The low-budget 1986 film starring Drew Barrymore, with the late Pat Morita as the Toymaker, also featured a young Keanu Reeves (of "Matrix" fame) as Jack-Be-Nimble. This one replaced most of the old songs with some third-rate new tunes. In 1997 an animated feature was trotted out by MGM, and is still available on home video. I saw it on cable years ago and it was mediocre at best. In any case, these films still followed the Laurel and Hardy format rather than the stage play. When people think of "Babes in Toyland" today, they are thinking of the movies, which just goes to show how films influence popular culture. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| Subject: Last Days of Pompeii and commentary | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 23:23:26 12/22/05 Thu I watched my old VHS edition of original "Last Days of Pompeii" (1935) and it got me to thinking about a recent "controversy" in the news, which I will comment on in a minute. First, some facts on the film itself. This movie is relevent for today, with the new King Kong in theaters, as this was made by the exact same team that put the original "King Kong" together in 1933. Same writers, driector, producer, and of course the great special effects man Willis O'Brien. In this case he created one of the greatest earthquakes put on film for the earth-shaking climax. But what is more relevant for this current Christmas season is that this is also a religious film. The plot concerns an ex-gladiator, Marcus,(played by Preston Foster) who's become wealthy and has retired to Pompeii just before the volcano blows its top. His son Flavius (actor John Wood) wants to join the new Christian sect. Marcus tries to talk him out of it. He reminds Flavius that because of the Christian teaching of giving to the poor, it could ruin him financially. Some of you might be aware of the latest "media frenzy" over a so-called battle for Christmas. Supposedly people are all up in arms because "Merry Christmas" is being "replaced" by the term "Happy Holidays." According to a local newspaper column I read yesterday, these terms are now "political" footballs. Here comes my opinions: This whole "controversy" is a Fake, a Fraud, a Hoax. The media, mainly television news, has simply made up an event that didn't exist before and is playing it for all its worth. I've been around since the fifties, and the term "Happy Holidays" has been around as long as I can remember. There's even a song with that name that's played every Christmas. I'm sorry to say, but once again certain so-called "preachers" have been using this lame media hype to gain publicity for themselves. They remind me too much of the late Garner Ted Armstrong, one of the first "big time" television preachers. For those too young to remember, he was a very popular media preacher in the late sixties who eventually got kicked out of his church for his behind-the-scenes sinning. Like him, there are a lot of people out there who think religion should be about outer appearances only. Like Marcus in the movie, they care little for religous teachings that make demands on the inner man. Yet they'll protest something trivial like a simple holiday greeting. I'm not here to tell people what to believe. But I do think media time would be better spent following all the churches and religions out there who work through the season providing meals and shelter for the homeless. As I've mentioned before, there's a lot of good work out there done by the Salvation Army, the Unitarians, the Catholic Church and its soup kitchens, and so many others who get their hands dirty. Let's not forget these, the true religious types during this holiday season. And a Merry Christmas to one and all--and Happy Holidays too! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| Subject: Edgar G. Ulmer | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 14:30:24 12/17/05 Sat This is another post for film student Ang. Knowing her interest in Ed Wood, I was wondering if she ever heard of director Edgar G. Ulmer, whom critics have called "The Thinking Man's Ed Wood"? The parallels between these men were extraordinary--including that both worked with Bela Lugosi! Ulmer was originally a citizen of old Vienna. He was one of numerous Europeans who fled to America to escape getting caught up in Hitler's rise to power. In Hollywood, his first major film was also his one and only true classic--"The Black Cat," (1934) first film to team Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff in the same movie. From then on, however, he spent the rest of his career doing the same kind of low budget films that Ed Wood did, under the same kind of working conditions. They had titles like "Daughter of Dr. Jekyll," "The Amazing Transparent Man," etc. Yet when he passed away in 1972, unlike his contemporary Ed Wood, he was hailed as an innovator, sometimes even as a film genius. Among his many fans were movie director powerhouses like Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. One possible reason is that Ulmer had a way of making really cheap films look like polished Hollywood productions. Watching "The Man From Planet X" (1951) for example, it's hard to believe it was shot quickly with a miniscule budget. Those films which are clearly on the cheap side, however, still have an energy and style that is different from routine low budget fare. If nothing else, he certainly got good performances out of "B" actors who otherwise would just walk through their parts. One of his most famous low budget films is "Detour," (1945) which has been given high critical praise. I have never seen this movie, so I can't say one way or the other. Critics are fond of saying though that this one film is the way a good low budget film should be made. I read an interview with Ulmer in a film book published many years ago. In it I remember Ulmer stating that he never wanted to be part of the "Hollywood hash machine." If so, he certainly carved a niche for himself in the B-movie hall of fame. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Comic Book Movies | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 11:59:52 12/11/05 Sun Last night I saw the DVD of "The Fantastic Four" and wanted to post something about it and other comic book movies. I have fond memories of the comic books of my youth and have been thrilled by the recent big-money adaptations that have been so popular recently. However, I take exception to the way the movie makers tend to mess with the characters. I realize some things have to be altered to fit the time restrictions of a two or three hour movie. However, I see no reason to change a character's basic personality when there was nothing wrong with it to begin with. "Fantastic Four" altered the character of Reed Richards so drastically he didn't even come close to the original. Reed Richards in the comic was intelligent, strong and resourceful; he was the leader who kept an otherwise squabbling team together. In the movie he's a "dork" as one of the other characters call him--weak, indecisive and wimpy. This is similar to the way the characters of Peter Parker and Mary Jane in the "Spiderman" movies were turned into wimps. For those who never read the older comics, Peter was no "Clark Kent." True, he tended to be a social outcast because he was a "brain" and far more intelligent than his peers; but he was no wimp. He always responded to the hostility of others with a happy-go-lucky sarcasm. Indeed, it was his hilarious quips and one-liners that some think made the comic so popular. And he never, ever let his boss, J. Jonah Jameson, push him around the way he does in the movie. Peter's sarcasm to him employer ofter had poor J. Jonah hollering with rage. And the change in the movie to Mary Jane was even more drastic. In the comic she was a sixties style go-go girl. Her very first words to Peter were "Face it, Tiger--you've hit the jackpot!" She was always partying and dancing, and tended to say lines like "If there's one thing I'm good at, it's having a good time." The damsel-in-distress that Mary Jane became in the movies is a far cry from the girlfriend who was the perfect match for Peter in the comics. I was so pleased that "Batman Begins" actually filmed the character the way he was in the older comic books. A lot of other old time fans have responded in the same way. True I can't remember any comic where he went to Ninja school, but if that was a change it at least made sense and was in keeping with the basic character. I trust it will start a trend that will continue for some time to come. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: The Bad Seed | |
Author: Kimmie (smidget) [Edit] |
Date Posted: 06:47:25 11/19/05 Sat What a great great great horror film! First off, the little girl, "oh mommy, I only did it because he wouldn't listen..." etc etc etc that pleading voice.... The mother was the most annoying character. She whined throughout the whole movie. Take a belt to the kid and teach her right from wrong. (LOL) The drunkened mother of the dead little boy > she was great. I am sorry I know NONE of the actors' names, but I am not that up on oldtime b-movie stars. The gardener, of course, we have all seen him places and he does an outstanding job of being his slimey old self. In general, it's a great movie until the end. I am always sorely disappointed when I see this ending. The father is useless. Ok, well....that's my synopsis for the day. The creepiest part is that DANG song she keeps on singing and playing. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: The three "Gladiators" | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 22:34:55 12/03/05 Sat Every movie fan is familiar with the Russell Crowe movie "Gladiator" released in 2000. But few realize the film was based on actual events, which were dramatised in at least two other movies before "Gladiator." "Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964)starred Stephen Boyd (of "Ben Hur" fame) in a role very similar to the one played by Crowe--a Roman general favored by Emperor Marcus Aurelius to be his successor, but the crown goes to the emperor's wicked son Commodus instead. In this movie the general is named Livius, while in the Crowe movie he's called Maximus. Sophia Loren plays Commodus' sister Lucilla in this film, a role portrayed by Connie Nielsen in "Gladiator." Christopher Plummer is Commodus in the older film, and he plays him as a super villian, not the wimpy bad guy as portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix in "Gladiator." Both films conclude with a fight between the general and Commodus in the arena. My vote goes to "Fall of the Roman Empire" as having the better fight; it is really exciting and has more Hollywood razzamatazz than the one in "Gladiator." But then I prefer the older film myself; it has a lot more action. Incidentally, Alec Guiness plays Marcus Arileus in "Fall of the Roman Empire," if you want to see him before his "Star Wars" days. The film was one of those "all star" prioductions they used to do so gloriously in the 1950s and early 1960s. It also features, among other stars, James Mason and Omar Sharif. (Didn't just about every spectacular in the early sixties feature Omar Sharif?) The third version of the "Gladiator" story was a forgetable 1963 movie made in Italy, "The Rebel Gladiator." This one had an "all-star" cast of unknowns, featuring Dan Vadis as a Hercules-type barbarian named Ursus who's forced to fight Commodus in gladiator combat. This film has the kind of charm the old "Hercules movies" did, but it's definitely not a spectacle along the lines of the other two movies discussed here. When I first saw it, I was startled to realize it was about the same events portrayed in "Gladiator." There may have been other films revolving around the "Gladiator" story, but these are the only ones I'm aware of. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
Subject:  Thanksgiving | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 22:33:41 11/23/05 Wed Everyone have a happy day tomorrow! gobble.....gobble... [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
Subject:  Hey=) | |
Author: Miss Julie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 22:13:00 11/22/05 Tue I haven't posted in awhile...okay, a couple of days...thought I would stop by to wish you all a HAPPY THANKSGIVING for Thursday! We had ours last month. Eat, drink, be merry! And don't spend all your $$$ the day after! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: HUD | |
Author: Angie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 20:04:47 11/17/05 Thu Hi All, Has anyone seen Hud, with Paul Newman? I didn't think that I would like it for some reason but I have to say it was a really good movie. My friend and I decided that only Paul Newman could pull off playing a character like Hud, and still be likeable! Hud is a destructive, selfish, womanizing character that chases everyone away with his behavior. I don't want to give the story away if you haven't seen it, but I will say that there is a cow scene that I found hard to watch, and if anyone has ever seen The Battleship Potmekin, I think the scene is a parallel to the Odessa Step scene in Potemkin. Anyway, I liked it a lot and it's not just cause Paul Newman is inhumanly beautiful :) [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Subject:  Text readable? | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 11:44:21 11/06/05 Sun Hi Guys...finish up your candy corn...i'm tearing the Vampire cathedral down!! Crossing myself, as well. Halloween is a good outlet for our darker yearnings...somewhat like Fat Tuesday, i think? Anyways....lol, i once had a BF who said that....anyways, is the text OK? l wondered about the lighter, redder colour, cause i could make it all the darker brown. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! J* [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Children's Films of Lee Sholem | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 21:40:23 11/13/05 Sun Since the Holiday season is upon us, thought I'd talk about a couple of children's movies by a forgotten Hollywood director, Lee Sholem (nicknamed "Roll 'Em Sholem" in his day). Sholem worked exclusivly in the glorious 1950s, starting out with a couple of Tarzan flicks ("Tarzan's Magic Fountain" and "Tarzan and the Slave Girl"). From then on he did the majority of his work for television, most notably the "Long John Silver" series. But he is best known for two feature films aimed at children, "Superman and the Mole Men" (1951)and "Tobor the Great." It was no secret in the 1950s that science fiction movies appealed mainly to children. Sholem appears to have grasped this better than most directors of the day. These two films--both of which have been available in VHS for years--have the kind of quick pacing and "gee whiz" enchantment that younger folk prefer in their films. "Tobor the Great" especially captured how sci-fi films were fast becoming the new "fairy tales" for modern juvenilles. The plot is indeed as simple as a fairy tale: An elderly inventor constructs a robot, Tobor. The old man's grandson (played by Billy Chapin) loves the robot. When bad guys kidnap the inventor and the boy, Tobor comes to the rescue. I'm certain this movie influenced all future movies featuring little boys and their pet robots, such as "The Invisible Boy" (1957) and "The Iron Giant" (1999). "Superman and the Mole Men" was a short feature film that introduced George Reeves as the new Superman (replacing the former movie strongman, Kirk Alyn). Its success in theaters led to the Superman TV show, with Reeves again in the role. "Mole Men" itself was edited into the TV series later as a two-part episode. What's interesting is the film's theme of social tolerance. After the Second World War, the old social and racial barriers of the past were slowly collapsing. In fact, at the time, the "Superman" radio program had been doing shows featuring Superman battling racial bigotry. "Mole Men" evidently picked up off that theme. An oil well drills further down than any had ever gone before; midget-size "mole men" emerge from the well and wander into the nearby small town. There everyone is frightened of them and even ban together into a lynch mob to hunt them down. Only Superman can protect the little visitors--and teach the town a lesson in tolerance at the same time. These old black-and-white movies are still ideal for children today; and it's a shame Sholem chose the obscurity of television work over movies. His work had a magic all its own, and I hope people become more familiar with him through this information. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Mr. Skeffington, revisited! | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 23:20:44 11/12/05 Sat i swear it was esp....Dad and i were having a quiet afternoon, and i never watch tv during the day (unless it's rainy or l'm sick) but i suddenly asked him to put on TCM...and there it was, only 6 minutes into the movie! Dad actually got into it with me (he's not usually one for relationship films) i just have to say, my heart breaks for lil Job!! He's soooo nice, and Fanny (is that her name?)hurts him so badly....ESP. the moment when she's distraught over the death of her brother, and she's telling George that she only married Job to be able to suppport her brother....and now she's stuck with Job!! You bleed for him, but then there is the scene when you see pride well up inside, and he raises his voice...and you think, 'good for you!!' Also, the fact that he finally had some women...i thought, well, at least she didn't take away his manhood, completely. Wasn't she a pathetic mother, too!? When her daughter comes to stay, and Fanny says..."and there you are." One more pathetic scene...Fanny's hairpiece tumbling to the floor....and the 'suitor' feebly saying he'll pin it bac on. Oh my....what a lesson in growing old gracefully! Well, Miss Julie, have we written about this one enough?? Nahhhh, i dont think so... [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Subject:  Fahrenheit 451 | |
Author: Miss Julie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 11:20:07 11/09/05 Wed Just noting the pics posted above...that was playing on TCM on Sunday and I caught a glimpse of the beginning, but then I had to dash off to do errands. I've always like the works of Ray Bradbury even though I am not too much into Sci-Fi stuff. I've always thought of him averytime I see a tattooed person...LOL...hence, The Illustrated Man. And then, there's the ever beautiful Julia! Wasn't she the ultimate in Dr. Zhivago? I'll have to try and catch her at this one when it airs again and see her in a different light. How'd ya like it? [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: TCM oldies last night! | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 14:42:10 11/08/05 Tue Did anyone catch any of the great oldies last night? Very young Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone, Joan Fontaine. i'd forgotten how pretty and perky Joan Fontaine was back then. Later, she became more ethereal, well certainly in Rebecca, anyway. Do you know, both she and her sister are still living. What a breath of fresh air for a classic movie enthusiast, most of who's idols are dead! All the men i admire are gone....anyway, Joan lives in CA, and Olivia DeHaviland lives in Paree! i only watched two, all the way through, as i was busy...the first was 'The Man Who Found Himself', with Fontaine & John Beal (never heard of him before!) and was about a Dr. from a prestigeous family of high-society Drs. He cant take the hypocracy, and leaves town to become a hobo, an airplane mechanic, then pilot. Of course, he meets Joan, who wont let him be less than he can be. Not the greatest film i've seen, but there is an emotional moment, when he comes unexpectedly face to face with his dad...and has the chance to heal not only a little boy, but his reputation, and also his relationship with his father. The second was a bit of fluff, lots of fun if you want movie-light. Kate Hepburn in a family of older aunts, etc., meets Franchot Tone. He's an admiral or general or...this one i missed some of the beginning! lol They fall in love, but he is called away on duty almost as they met. She pines away, and takes to dressing very plainly. Unexpectedly, Tone pops back for a visit, and catches her looking 15 yrs older, and she figures he doesn't love her anymore....so shades of Lucy, she dresses all frilly and fancy, puts on airs, and goes out with him under a different name (supposedly a niece) Kate gets angrier and angrier, feeling that he only likes the frills n fun, and would fall for anyone exciting. Everytime he sees the 'real' Kate, she's in bed, feining illness. Well, of course, someone tells him of her guise, and, well, i'm tired and the film doesn't warrant all this writing....but, you guessed it, he does love the 'real' Kate, all along. Twas fun, but led me to think of how women were pretty much instructed not to make waves, and there must have been a lot more game playing back then...some of the Bronte novels come to mind...rather than confronting problems and people, head-on. i mean, tact is fine, but how many women (meeee!!!) became passive-aggressive martyrs, rather than speaking up honestly. i'm feeling tedious, l'll stop now...=o [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: TCM!!! | |
Author: Miss Julie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 13:49:03 11/07/05 Mon Well, I knew we'd get it soon! Yeyyyy! Talk about keeping up with Jones's! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Justa share! | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 13:08:00 11/06/05 Sun Just a couple bird stories, having nothing to do with Avian Flu (i hope!) The other day, Dad and i were having lunch on the deck, and it was one of those cool but soft and sunny late-afternoon days. As we gazed out at the marsh reeds and colourful trees beyond, two gorgeous Great Blue Herons rise up from the pond, ans as they banked, the sunlight caught their wings and made them all the more blue...they circled majestically, then took off...i've seen them here before, but never with the same slanting sun on them...soo pretty! Then a few days before, i was, ahem, eating in the car, and of all the gulls circling, one was looking very brave. He was smaller and had a pretty blue-grey on back n wings, with shiny black bill and legs (he may have been a laughing gull) Anyway, i held a piece of bread at arm's length, and he hovered in front of me for some time....long enough so that i really had the feeling of his presence. i could feel the conflict as he overcame his instinctive fear of humans. i felt his beak, too, as he finally took the food. i fed him a few more times...just one of those moments that seem to stretch out time... [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Orson Wells links for Angie | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 16:57:50 11/06/05 Sun I've rounded up some links that I'm sure will help you in you studies of Orson Wells, Angie. First here's a link about his early work: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Welles#Early_career I think what's not as well known of his work is his radio career. During the days of dramatic radio he had greater financial success than he did with films. As you will note, he did The Shadow series in 1937 ("Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men...")Many actors portrayed the Shadow on radio through the years, but the concensus is the Wells rendition was the best and most definitive. Of course, The Shadow was only one of many programs Wells was involved in. Here's a short article about Wells' most well known radio shows: http://www.radiohof.org/adventuredrama/orsonwelles.html Of course, his best known work was for his Mercury Theater of the Air (later renamed the Campbell Playhouse)where "War of the Worlds" was broadcast in 1938. Here's a site from which you can download and listen to some of the best from that series, including Wells' version of "Dracula": http://www.mercurytheatre.info/ He also starred in two successful radio series for BBC. The most well known is "The Third Man" (also known as "The Adventures of Harry Lime") based on the popular film. This was a unique series, in that Wells portrayed the same part he did in the movie. Also it is strange in that it was a show where the lead character is a crook and a swindler! Each show Wells' character, con artist Harry Lime, tries to pull a new scam but never gets to keep his money--something always goes wrong and Harry winds up with nothing. Another BBC show for Wells was "The Black Museum," in which Wells hosted dramatized crime stories supposedly based on actual cases in the records of Scotland Yard. Another radio gig for Wells that's not as well known were his frequent guest spots as a foil for Edgar Bergan's ventriloquest dummy Charlie McCarthy. Typically Charlie McCarthy would quip, "Where's fatso?" and Wells would rumble, "Over here, splinter head!" Wells used these guest appearances to make fun of his own image, letting Charlie mock Wells for his "artistic" tastes. For all his highbrow image, Wells wasn't above performing frequently in routine adventure movies or comedies, such as "Trouble in the Glenn" (1953) featuring Forrest Tucker or "Man in the Shadow" (1957) where he played a bad "town boss" opposed by sheriff Jeff Chandler. Nor was he above doing numerous TV appearances on such shows as "I Love Lucy" and many others. Among his more obscure film works is a short movie filmed in Ireland, "Orson Wells' Ghost Story" which was nominated for an Academy Award for short subject in 1951. Hope all this is of help to you Angie. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Wow | |
Author: Angie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 19:13:17 11/05/05 Sat I got Sweeney Todd today for 25 cents at Target!! You guys should go browse the $1 section at your local Target! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 09:50:59 10/30/05 Sun This is something new for me, bringing up a recent film rather than a classic. However, because Angie has expressed interest in Ed Wood, I figured she might want to know about this peculiar little movie. "The Lost Skull of Cadavra" is meant to be both a tribute and a spoof of Ed Wood movies. It was filmed in black and white with digital cameras back in 2002, and circulated on the independent film circuit, mainly in movie art houses, for several years. It was finally released on DVD last year. I'd read good reviews about it and intended to rent it eventually, but only got around to it last night. The cast consists of a number of actors who've been supporting players in major films like "Eyes Wide Shut," "Catch Me if You Can," and so forth. I don't know what writer/director Larry Blamire has done before, but his wife, Jennifer Blaire, (who portrays a cat woman, Animalia, in this movie) was in "The Majestic." I can't say "Lost Skeleton" was 100 percent funny. The sincerity of the director amd crew is beyond doubt--he even used music from old science-fiction films as the movie score. (He got them from a company called Valentino.) But Blamire, in my opinion, made a mistake in having everyone in the film act and talk in the goofy way people did in the Ed Wood movies. Wnen you're doing this kind of silly comedy, it's vitally important you have someone in the cast who the audience can identify with. In other words, what's commonly called a "straight man." When the entire cast behaves like a bunch of idiots, they eventually become irritating rather than funny. Gags fall flat without someone "straight" around to react to them. The only part of the movie that's really funny is when its two "aliens," Kro-bar and Lattice, try to pass themselves off as regular humans. (These two are clearly patterned after aliens in Plan9 from Outer Space.) They get hysterical when they come to a simple door. "It won't open by itself!" the female alien cries. "What are we going to do?" The male alien yells out, "I don't know! I don't know!" This scene is a scream! So is the part where they eat a meal by plopping their faces into plates of food. Other than that, all the weird dialog and over-acting soon becomes tiresome. Even "Plan Nine From Outer Space" had its own "straight man" in actor Gregory Walcott as the airplane pilot. Without a similar character in "Lost Skeleton" there's no one to bounce the gags off. The DVD does have a lot of neat special features, however, such as one old color cartoon and numerous trailers from different films. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: I'm dreaming of a white............ | |
Author: Miss Julie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 11:02:47 11/03/05 Thu We had our first real snow fall yesterday...woke up and everything was sparkling/blinding white. I'd almost forgotten how pretty winters can be. Although, by this morning, most of it had melted. The joys of living in Chinook Country -- when that chinook wind blows in, it warms everything up! Yep, I am ready for winter...and Christmas!:) Oh, and some "lightness"... [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Subject:  A Fin Flap from the Past...........hee hee heeheehee~~~~~ | |
Author: J* [Edit] |
Date Posted: 00:39:44 10/30/05 Sun  [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Targets with Boris Karloff; dirested by Peter Bogdanovich | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 13:10:45 10/29/05 Sat This is a different sort of horror film, and though forgotten today, was very influential in the course of modern horror films, and films in general. For one, it introduced to the world a very young director, Peter Bogdanovich, who went on to become one of the most popluar directors in the 1970s. Director of "Paper Moon" and others, his star has faded over the years, but he was a household name in the seventies. For another, it helped "tilt" horror films toward more realistic storylines and away from the "Gothic" look. Though "Targets" was a financial failure at the box office, it was a "hit" among movie makers at conventions and so on, and influenced them for years to come. The story of targets was unusual for its time: A popular but aging horror star (played by Boris Karloff) plans to announce his retirement in a special personal appearance at the drive-in premiere of his latest film. Unknown to him, a serial killer has hidden himself behind the drive-in's movie screen, and is shooting randomly into the audience just as Karloff and his entourage are driving into the show. This leads to a face-to-face confrontation between Karloff and the killer. The story behind the film is more fascinating than the film itself. Boris Karloff had just completed production of a Gothic horror film for American International, and was still under contract for a few days. B-producer Roger Corman "lent" Karloff over to one of his assistants, Boganovich, and allowed him to make any film he wanted with him. Given almost a zero budget, Bogdonivich whipped up a script that could easily be filmed on real-life locations in a short time. And one in which Karloff would in effect be playing himself! (Though he's called "Orlock" in the movie.) Karloff gives a poignant and very human performance of a older star who is appalled by the rise of violence in modern society--only to confront that very violence in the tense climax. Bogdonivich himself plays Karloff's agent, trying to talk him out of retiring. The film itself gives an interesting portrayl of the promotion that went the publicity behind horror films in the old days. I found amusing the "hippie" type radio disc jockey who is sponsoring Karloff's appearance at the drive in. The DVD, with a commentary track by the director, is sold at most stores under their $5 and under rack. I bought mine at K-Mart. You can also locate it at www.paramount.com/homeentertainment [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Mexican Monster Movies | |
Author: Conrad [Edit] |
Date Posted: 22:21:07 10/28/05 Fri I decided I couldn't let the Halloween season go by without bringing up the legendary Mexican horror movies that used to be popular back in the 1960s. Those of us who were teenagers in the sixties might remember these old films. They were shown exclusively at drive-ins or on late night "Monster Movie" television shows. They developed a cult following of fans in the 1970s, but the younger generations who grew up since the 1980s have mostly never heard of them. The reason for that is because in the eighties there was a lot of legal squabbling over who owned the rights to them, and they were withdrawn from television. These legal hassles continue to this day, which is why so few of them have been released to video and DVD. The oldest Mexican monster flicks were produced in Mexico City during the 1950s. These old black-and-whites imitated the style of the older Universal horror films, and were filled with vampires, werewolves, castles and mad scientists, only now given Mexican settings. Indeed, their "Aztec Mummy" series was a direct imitation of the Universal Mummy films, only set in the Yucatan instead of Egypt. Another big difference between the Mexican and American horrors was that the Mexican movies tended to be more violent and show more gore than Universal ever did. However, the Mexican films seem mild today compared to the "Freddy Kruger" style violence. What really turned these films into a "cult," however, was when they started bringing in professional wrestlers to star in them. Films such as "Wrestling Women vs the Aztec Mummy" and "Samson vs the Vampire Women" featured wrestlers who battled supernatural monsters. By the late sixties such films switched to color and turned exclusively to what could be called "wrestling horror" films. The films featuring the now deceased Mexican wrestler Santo (called "Samson" in early dubbed releases) are among the few that are widely available through DVD. They're sold under "The Santo Collection" and can be located under foreign films in Borders Books. These are in Spanish only but are equipped with English subtitles. I own a copy of 1972's "Santo y Blue Demon contra Dracula y el Hombre Lobo" and it is a scary, well crafted film perfect for Halloween. The only "boring" parts are the silly wrestling matches that interrupt the action. The old black-and-whites are very hard to come by, but if you hunt around you can find some on DVD. The Something Weird video company released two black and white "Wrestling Women" films, "Doctor of Doom" and "Wrestling Women vs the Aztec Mummy," on an entertaining DVD that also features the drive-in trailers for most of the other older Mexican horror flicks. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Nothing like an afternoon delight...:) | |
Author: Miss Julie [Edit] |
Date Posted: 22:00:48 10/24/05 Mon Took a break from work this aft., and took in a matinee all snuggled in my bed. PS: Things you can do when you are the boss. Encore Avenue (Canadian version of TCM) was playing The Lady Takes a Flyer (Lana Turner & Jeff Chandler). I've seen Chandler if a few films. How can you not fall for that tall, dark & chiseled face and salt & pepper hair?! Cutesy film about 2 pilots falling in love until real life hits! I loved the part when she turns the table on him and leaves their baby with a nurse (nanny) and goes off to work and he panicked! Remember the double standard way of life then? [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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| Subject: Ang... | |
Author: Judi [Edit] |
Date Posted: 12:01:04 10/27/05 Thu ...your ghosty came to visit us here!! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Slightly off subject
