Strider Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) Since this weekend is the Academy Awards, last night, to remind myself what a TRULY GREAT movie looked like, I went to the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre for a screening of Sergio Leone's "ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST". Epic is almost too puny a word for this film. The cinematography...the shot compositions...Ennio Morricone's classic score...the spare yet meaningful dialogue...the brilliant tension-mounting opening...the sly comic-timing of Jason Robarbs...the beauty of Claudia Cardinale and Utah's Monument Valley...the monumental faces of guys like Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Woody Strode, Jack Elam and Robarbs...I haven't seen a movie yet this year that I would rank with this piece of art. None of the Best Picture nominees can hold a candle to "Once Upon a Time in the West". Not "Hugo" or "The Artist" or "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy". Westerns are a basic foundation of our(the United States) national myth, and you would think that they would never really go out of style. Plus, on the surface, it seems so easy to make a western...all you need is a gun and a horse, right? But when you watch "Once Upon a Time in the West"(or any of the Sergio Leone westerns...or John Ford and Howard Hawks for that matter), you realize why Hollywood has a hard time making convincing westerns these days. Men don't look like men anymore...they look like boys. Not to say there aren't good actors today...but none of them look like they could survive a day out in the desert. All these pretty boys with good complexions and waxed chests and baby faces...Leo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling. Not a decent cowboy in the bunch. Now just watch the classic opening scene and compare the bland visages of today's crop of boy-actors with the grizzled and mesmerizing mugs of Elam, Strode and Bronson. http://youtu.be/yUmJkRn_Qxw Tonight I have a tough decision to make...Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" at the Egyptian or Georges Méliès' 1902 classic short "A Trip to the Moon", fully restored to its original hand-painted colours(premiered at Cannes last year) and a new score by Air at the Aero Theatre. Plus there will be a screening of a documentary of the making and restoration of "A Trip to the Moon". I might just flip a coin. Edited February 26, 2012 by Strider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ady Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) Since this weekend is the Academy Awards, last night, to remind myself what a TRULY GREAT movie looked like, I went to the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre for a screening of Sergio Leone's "ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST". Epic is almost too puny a word for this film. The cinematography...the shot compositions...Ennio Morricone's classic score...the spare yet meaningful dialogue...the brilliant tension-mounting opening...the sly comic-timing of Jason Robarbs...the beauty of Claudia Cardinale and Utah's Monument Valley...the monumental faces of guys like Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Woody Strode, Jack Elam and Robarbs...I haven't seen a movie yet this year that I would rank with this piece of art. None of the Best Picture nominees can hold a candle to "Once Upon a Time in the West". Not "Hugo" or "The Artist" or "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy". Westerns are a basic foundation of our(the United States) national myth, and you would think that they would never really go out of style. Plus, on the surface, it seems so easy to make a western...all you need is a gun and a horse, right? But when you watch "Once Upon a Time in the West"(or any of the Sergio Leone westerns...or John Ford and Howard Hawks for that matter), you realize why Hollywood has a hard time making convincing westerns these days. Men don't look like men anymore...they look like boys. Not to say there aren't good actors today...but none of them look like they could survive a day out in the desert. All these pretty boys with good complexions and waxed chests and baby faces...Leo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling. Not a decent cowboy in the bunch. Now just watch the classic opening scene and compare the bland visages of today's crop of boy-actors with the grizzled and mesmerizing mugs of Elam, Strode and Bronson. http://youtu.be/yUmJkRn_Qxw Now, that is what I call movie perfection! There are many, many great scenes in that film, but one in particular that really makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up is the first appearance of Jason Robards as Cheyenne. I can't find the scene on youtube, but here's the amazingly atmospheric music. Edited February 26, 2012 by Ady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Yes Ady, Cheyenne's entrance is great...in fact, all the main characters have memorable introductions. Here's the second scene...right after the opening, where Henry Fonda's character makes his entrance: You have to remember what a SHOCK it was to audiences to see Henry Fonda play a cold-blooded villian. The movie is operatic in that all the main characters (Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Jason Robarbs, Claudia Cardinale) have their own theme music. Claudia's theme is some of the most gorgeous music committed to film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRs6CNV4T34&feature=youtube_gdata_player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) I can't find the scene on youtube, but here's the amazingly atmospheric music. I found it for you Ady... By coincidence the four clips I've just posted are basically the first four scenes in the movie in the correct order. Oh, and if you ever find a woman that enjoys watching this movie with you, marry her...she's a keeper. Edited February 26, 2012 by Strider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ady Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 You have to remember what a SHOCK it was to audiences to see Henry Fonda play a cold-blooded villan. You've just reminded me of this interview! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ady Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I found it for you Ady... You know what? I'm getting a brand new TV delivered next week and this is the perfect film to test it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ady Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Oh, and if you ever find a woman that enjoys watching this movie with you, marry her...she's a keeper. I'll keep a look out for her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Watching "The Bodyguard" on cable while I bake cookies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I usually go for the arty type films but this one really didn't do too much for me. I'm not sure if it was the violence or the overall lack of emotion by Gosling (which I realize was part of his character) or a combination of the two but something about the film left me feeling very empty at the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I usually go for the arty type films but this one really didn't do too much for me. I'm not sure if it was the violence or the overall lack of emotion by Gosling (which I realize was part of his character) or a combination of the two but something about the film left me feeling very empty at the end. Just goes to show "different strokes for different folks"...as "Drive" was one of my favourites of the year. Gosling's understated performance was right for the character...and the whole vibe of the film reminded me of many of those car-centric existentialist films of the early-70s...or "The Mechanic". And Albert Brooks! What a surprise he was...I'm so used to his neurotic-comedic persona, it took me a while to figure out it was him in that part. Lastly, "Drive" made very good use of Los Angeles...it didn't use the same tired old "touristy" locations many films rely on. Give it a while, Jahfin, then watch it again. It might grow on you by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TypeO Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 It's the 40th anniversary of The Godfather, so I took the time to watch it again on AMC (big mistake: edited + commercials = blah). Yet I was still captivated by what an incredibly awesome movie it is. The actors REALLy played their parts well, even the secondary characters (Sollozzo, Capt. McCluskie, etc.) were absolutely perfect. And I know there isn't a category for Best Murder Scene, but damn, the restaurant scene is incredibly powerful. While I was watching the movie, I realized how they let the camera linger for extended periods on various dead bodies (Sollozzo & McCluskie, Sonny, Don Corleone's heart attack, Barzini and his driver), which kind of drove home the finality / brutality of it all. It's something I never noticed before, and now it strikes me as somewhat genius. Some movies punch up the blood and gore to go for shock value, but those bodies lying motionless said everything. A whole new appreciation for a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redrum Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I'm just about to watch 'Heaven Knows Mr. Allison' with Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050490/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Are you actually seeing this in the theatre in 3D or watching at home? Most of the recent 3D films have been poppycock, but "Hugo" is one of the few that warrants seeing it in 3D...Wim Wenders' "Pina" is another. Not saying "Hugo" was my favourite film of the year, but it was the best of the 9 nominated films for the Oscars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I saw it at home. I didn't even know about it until recently so I missed it when it came to theatres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I saw it at home. I didn't even know about it until recently so I missed it when it came to theatres. It was a Martin Scorsese film and you didn't know about it until now? I know you're busy with your radio duties and all, but I would think to someone who sees a lot of films like yourself, news of a new Scorsese movie would cut thru the clutter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 It was a Martin Scorsese film and you didn't know about it until now? I know you're busy with your radio duties and all, but I would think to someone who sees a lot of films like yourself, news of a new Scorsese movie would cut thru the clutter. I don't really watch TV so there's that. The majority of my exposure to media these days is NPR, print and the innerwebs. It wasn't that long ago that I went to the movies but right now I can't even think of what it was I saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fool In The Rain 60 Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) Has anyone seen this Movie yet? Edited March 1, 2012 by Fool In The Rain 60 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Having not ever read any of Hunter S. Thompson's work outside of his contributions to Rolling Stone, I was completely unfamiliar with this but doing a little legwork on the film prior to watching it certainly helped. It's not nearly as hallucinatory as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas but it was just as captivating, at least to me. I've read where some thought the ending was anti-climatic. That's true to a degree but it's not as though it leaves the viewer hanging as some films do. I thought it came to a pretty logical ending. It's just that the movie takes you on such an exhilarating up to that point that you are expecting more of a crash-bang type finish. Overall, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to more films where Depp portrays Hunter. Maybe it'll even inspired to actually read some of his books one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ady Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) ^^^Nice pick. I take it "Take Shelter" is finally out on DVD? I saw this when it came out last September, but I think LA and New York were the only places it got a decent theatrical release. A very strange yet interesting film...definitely not a mainstream crowd-pleaser-type movie. Michael Shannon is one of those character actors you always see in films and recognize the face but can never remember his name. Nice to see him finally get a big, meaty lead role. He is astounding in this. Of course, he got ignored by the Academy and the Golden Globes. Edited March 5, 2012 by Strider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 My movie binge of the past month or so continues...here's tonight's date, an Ingmar Bergman double-bill: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Oh man, it had been a while since I had seen "Persona"...that is still one weird and intense flick. For some reason, it wasn't the way I remembered it, either...there were whole sections I had forgotten about. "Wild Strawberries" is more of a crowd-pleaser...or at least as crowd-pleasing as Bergman gets. It's less austere and cold than "Persona". My Top 5 favourite Bergman movies are still "Seventh Seal", "Cries and Whispers", "Fanny and Alexander", "Autumn Sonata" and "The Magic Flute". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redrum Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Gonna watch 'It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World!' this weekend. Can't wait to see it again. :^) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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