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CLASSIC FILM REELS AT THE LED ZEPPELIN PLAZA


betteremily

  

24 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you watch classic movies?

    • Yes
      24
    • No
      0
  2. 2. Have you or anyone you've known ever said "I cannot watch this because it's in black and white"

    • Yes
      11
    • No
      8
    • What the fu*k?
      5


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The last two films I purchased on DVD were; A Matter Of Life and Death (David Niven) and It's A Wonderful Life in black and white and colour (James Stewart)

Those are two wise purchases Joe, as both those movies are worth watching again and again...they're hardy perennials.

Little needs to be said about "It's a Wonderful Life" as it is famous the world over thru its yearly appearance on television schedules at Christmastime. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers as 'Clarence' trying to get his wings...Zuzu's petals!.

I think many of us remember these characters and moments like they were our own family.

One that I particularly enjoy, and think gets lost in the shuffle, is Gloria Grahame's 'Violet'.

As for "A Matter of Life and Death", ANY Powell/Pressburger film is "must-see": "The Red Shoes", "Life and Death of Colonel Blimp", "Black Narcissus", "Tales of Hoffmann".

And "A Matter of Life and Death". Which, funnily enough, was released in the U.S. as "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN"!

Remarkable for its ravishing scenes in Technicolor(and ravishing Kim Hunter...yes, that Kim Hunter: Dr. Zira), it has a plum cast including David Niven, Roger Livesey, and Richard Attenborough.

Switching from colour for the Earth-bound scenes to black-and-white for the scenes in heaven, the film is a constant feast for the eyes as well as soul. It's great that you now have the dvd to pop in when you want(I hope it is the superior Criterion edition you got...earlier dvd issues suffered subpar image transfers), but if you ever gwt a chance to see "A Matter of Life and Death" shown in a theatre, grab it! In fact, the same goes for "The Red Shoes" and "Black Narcissus"...to see those lovely Technicolor images on a giant screen is overwhelming.

One last question. It wasn't quite clear in your post, but you mentioned you having a colour and black n white dvd of "It's a Wonderful Life"? I hope you watch the B & W version and not the colour, as that is a travesty against nature.

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Those are two wise purchases Joe, as both those movies are worth watching again and again...they're hardy perennials.

Little needs to be said about "It's a Wonderful Life" as it is famous the world over thru its yearly appearance on television schedules at Christmastime. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers as 'Clarence' trying to get his wings...Zuzu's petals!.

I think many of us remember these characters and moments like they were our own family.

One that I particularly enjoy, and think gets lost in the shuffle, is Gloria Grahame's 'Violet'.

As for "A Matter of Life and Death", ANY Powell/Pressburger film is "must-see": "The Red Shoes", "Life and Death of Colonel Blimp", "Black Narcissus", "Tales of Hoffmann".

And "A Matter of Life and Death". Which, funnily enough, was released in the U.S. as "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN"!

Remarkable for its ravishing scenes in Technicolor(and ravishing Kim Hunter...yes, that Kim Hunter: Dr. Zira), it has a plum cast including David Niven, Roger Livesey, and Richard Attenborough.

Switching from colour for the Earth-bound scenes to black-and-white for the scenes in heaven, the film is a constant feast for the eyes as well as soul. It's great that you now have the dvd to pop in when you want(I hope it is the superior Criterion edition you got...earlier dvd issues suffered subpar image transfers), but if you ever gwt a chance to see "A Matter of Life and Death" shown in a theatre, grab it! In fact, the same goes for "The Red Shoes" and "Black Narcissus"...to see those lovely Technicolor images on a giant screen is overwhelming.

One last question. It wasn't quite clear in your post, but you mentioned you having a colour and black n white dvd of "It's a Wonderful Life"? I hope you watch the B & W version and not the colour, as that is a travesty against nature.

I watched the B& W version first as it was the only one I have ever seen. Then I watched the colour version out of curiosity, I will stick to the B&W version.

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^^^

Which version of "Greed" did you watch Babs? There are many different lengths out there, from 2 to 4 hours. Unfortunately the original Stroheim cut of over 10 hours is lost forever.

I saw the 2 hour version. It wasn't until much later that I realized it was originally a 10 hour marathon. The thing that impressed me was the opening scene. It was a 1 shot, 10 minute or so intro. What a shame the footage is gone.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The great Casablanca is on TMC. First time seeing it in HD!

Good for you. "Casablanca" is the very definition of classic. One of the all-time screenplays...not a word, not a line out of place.

Today I've been lazing around and baking stuff for tonight. It's Warren William's birthday and TCM has been showing Warren William movies all day. I've been watching a couple between the baking and US Open tennis.

So far I've caught "Three On A Match"(with a young Bette Davis, Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak, and Humphrey Bogart) and "Gold Diggers of 1933"(Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Ginger Rogers, Dick Powell).

Later tonight, TCM finishes up Warren William day with the great "Employees Entrance", where you can see one of the inspirations to the Gordon Gekko character in "Wall Street". A tasty little Pre-Code number, with the always lovely Loretta Young.

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Mortimer: Men don't just get into window seats and die!

Abby: Of course not, dear. He died first.

Mortimer: But how?

Abby: The gentleman died because he drank some wine with poison in it. Now,I don'tknow why you're making such a big deal over this, Mortimer. Don't you worry about a thing!

post-841-0-14611300-1347237064_thumb.jpg

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Frankenstein is on TCM HD .......I love the sets in this film...and the script is awsome, there's some classic lines....

Edward Van Sloan: How do you do? Mr. Carl Laemmle feels it would be a little unkind to present this picture without just a word of friendly warning. We're about to unfold the story of Frankenstein, a man of science who sought to create a man after his own image without reckoning upon God. It is one of the strangest tales ever told. It deals with the two great mysteries of creation: life and death. I think it will thrill you. It may shock you. It might even horrify you. So if any of you feel that you do not care to subject your nerves to such a strain, now is your chance to, uh... Well, we've warned you.

post-841-0-77244100-1347810849_thumb.jpg

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I couldn't even tell you the last modern movie I watched. I only ever watch classic movies. Some of my favorites are B movies that were never very popular in their day, but became cult classics. The Cat People and I Walked With a Zombie are two of my favorites.

I also own all of the Road Shows with Hope and Crosby and cherish my Thin Man box set.

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Mortimer: Men don't just get into window seats and die!

Abby: Of course not, dear. He died first.

Mortimer: But how?

Abby: The gentleman died because he drank some wine with poison in it. Now,I don'tknow why you're making such a big deal over this, Mortimer. Don't you worry about a thing!

Can you believe that movie was a flop when it came out?

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Just watched 'Dr. Mabuse' (1922) It's long at just under 4 hours.

Also, though not really that old but considered a true classic: 'Quest For Fire'

'Atra'

:^)

Is that the same as Das Testement des Dr. Mabuse? That movie was from the '40s and was actually banned in Nazi Germany by Hitler. It's a really good movie, though. Very creepy.

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