Jump to content

TCM's 31 Days of Oscar


RPM

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, RPM said:

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room!

I was rearranging some stuff in the media room the other day and realized Strangelove is missing from a Kubrick DVD box set I bought years ago. Yet Eyes Wide Shut was still in there. This must mean I can't have nice things

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hud starting now on TCM. One of my all time favorite films. Did not know until Eddie Muller's intro that it was based off a Larry McMurtry book (even though it says so in the credits).

Edited by RPM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, RPM said:

Hud starting now on TCM. One of my all time favorite films. Did not know until Eddie Muller's intro that it was based off a Larry McMurtry book (even though it says so in the credits).

I hate to admit it but this is the first time I've watched it all the way through. But gotdamn if Patricia Neal isn't perfect

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean is on. I hated this movie when it came out. About 5 years ago I watched it again and my opinion did a 180. It has it's flaws, but so does the Mona Lisa. This movie is excellent. Couple of other Newman westerns on tonight, The Outrage and The Left Handed Gun. Don't think I've seen The Outrage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember my parents really liking Judge Roy Bean.  I recorded it, will probably watch tonight.

 

Last night I watched The Trial, the 1962 Orson Welles flick with Anthony Perkins.  I really don't even know what to say about it.

Here's the first paragraph from Wiki:

Quote

The Trial (1962) is a dream-logic black comedy drama film directed by Orson Welles, who also wrote the screenplay based on the novel of the same name by Franz Kafka. Filmed in Europe, Welles stated immediately after completing the film: "The Trial is the best film I have ever made".[2] The film begins with Welles narrating Kafka's parable "Before the Law" to pinscreen scenes created by the artist Alexandre Alexeieff. Anthony Perkins stars as Josef K., a bureaucrat who is accused of a never-specified crime, and Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, and Elsa Martinelli play women who become involved in various ways in Josef's trial and life. Welles plays the Advocate, Josef's lawyer and the film's principal antagonist.

The Trial has grown in reputation over the years, and some critics, including Roger Ebert, have called it a masterpiece.[3] It is often praised for its scenic design and cinematography, the latter of which includes disorienting camera angles and unconventional use of focus.[4]   (End of Wiki quote)

 

It almost felt like a long Twilight Zone episode.  The cinematography was pretty interesting, but most of the time I was thinking WTF.  The French chicks that kept hitting on Perkins were pretty hot.  I've liked Jeanne Moreau since I saw Elevator to the Gallows, which has a soundtrack by Miles Davis, which is the only reason I'd even heard of that movie, which is actually pretty good. 

Edited by miguelito
quote is fucked up for some reason
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Always liked HUD, but why did she win best actress ??  It's a supporting cast part IMO, and isn't what I'd call earth shattering.

Yeah, her award is regarded as a pretty soft one, that is, not the best all-time performance, but the pool that year was especially weak.  Maybe Shirley MacLaine in Irma Le Douce, but other than that, unremarkable films, same with the Supporting Actor.  I think Douglas' performance captured the spirit of the book better than Neal's (BTW, the book was titled Horseman, Pass By, and not the movie title; Hud was a main character in the book (might as well take a second here to say that is there anyone better, ever (looking at Louis L'amour and Zane Gray) who was as amazingly brilliant in the Western Genre?  I doubt it).  Her character in the movie seemed to forced and contrived - in the novel, Alma's character is African-American and Hud (even more of a stinker in the book) finishes the rape (he also shoots his father after he's injured, to give you an idea of how much worse he was).  Even in the theaters, that kind of interaction was probably way too much in producers' eyes for the general public.  In the book, Homer's wife is alive and present.. so Alma in the movie seems to be a kind of directionless combination of the two.  I've never liked her character in this movie, it just seems she's there with no real explanation or context.  And her lines are always kind of cheeky responses but she has no depth, she's just a foil to play off Hud, she really doesn't take much of an active role in moving the story along.  And.. sorry... but I think her accent is kind of forced and just never rang naturally to me (for that matter the same with Newman).  I think the best performance in the entire cast is DeWilde as Lonnie (in the book he's the main character, or at least the narrator, and it's all by his perspective).  Not only is his character by far the most interesting and complex, but he magnificently plays off Hud's continual baiting and challenging him to get dragged down to his level, but he cooly never succumbs to it.  I think it is by far the most intriguing personality in the movie.  Anyway when Alma actually leaves at the bus stop, I didn't really feel much about it, it's almost as if she was this lightweight that showed up, and now she's going.  Okay.  When Lonnie leaves though, man that scene is packed with flavor - HUD continually baiting him and Lonnie just cooly swatting him off to give HUD his worst fear - not that he's an asshole, but worse - that he doesn't matter (and the ending confirms that - he's now got what he wants, the house and property (well, half), but he's completely, utterly alone.  With Lonnie you really hope that he finds his way as he cooly walks away (called the "Reverse Shane" since now he's the walker); he's a great guy and I always feel like I'm rooting for him to find his niche; with Alma it's like I don't care either way... she came out of nowhere and she's going nowhere.  I can't feel much sympathy for her.

Newman was of course nominated, but lost to Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field, which is up there in the top 10 of all-time actor performances (geezuz what a GREAT role and depiction  - is it ironic that the two actor awards that year went to guys who played a "Homer?").

I don't know what to think about HUD.   It's very watchable although ultimately depressing (ironically McMurtry would almost revise the dismal spirit of small town Texas a little over a decade later with The Last Picture Show, which I always have seen as "Hud 1970").   The plot I guess had to be watered down to be palatable for mainstream audiences, but the conflicts were much stormier in the book and would have more fully explained the characters.  Here, it's as if they scraped off a bunch of context and just had this kind of stale, light treatment of a much more dismal and desperate setting.  The Last Picture Show movie seems to in essence be a re-run of HUD with the characters much more engaged and melodramatic.  HUD wasn't nominated for Best Picture (though Ritt was for Director) but I think it's a B-level film, one which had "A" potential but never quite got to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

Yeah, her award is regarded as a pretty soft one, that is, not the best all-time performance, but the pool that year was especially weak.  Maybe Shirley MacLaine in Irma Le Douce, but other than that, unremarkable films, same with the Supporting Actor.  I think Douglas' performance captured the spirit of the book better than Neal's (BTW, the book was titled Horseman, Pass By, and not the movie title; Hud was a main character in the book (might as well take a second here to say that is there anyone better, ever (looking at Louis L'amour and Zane Gray) who was as amazingly brilliant in the Western Genre?  I doubt it).  Her character in the movie seemed to forced and contrived - in the novel, Alma's character is African-American and Hud (even more of a stinker in the book) finishes the rape (he also shoots his father after he's injured, to give you an idea of how much worse he was).  Even in the theaters, that kind of interaction was probably way too much in producers' eyes for the general public.  In the book, Homer's wife is alive and present.. so Alma in the movie seems to be a kind of directionless combination of the two.  I've never liked her character in this movie, it just seems she's there with no real explanation or context.  And her lines are always kind of cheeky responses but she has no depth, she's just a foil to play off Hud, she really doesn't take much of an active role in moving the story along.  And.. sorry... but I think her accent is kind of forced and just never rang naturally to me (for that matter the same with Newman).  I think the best performance in the entire cast is DeWilde as Lonnie (in the book he's the main character, or at least the narrator, and it's all by his perspective).  Not only is his character by far the most interesting and complex, but he magnificently plays off Hud's continual baiting and challenging him to get dragged down to his level, but he cooly never succumbs to it.  I think it is by far the most intriguing personality in the movie.  Anyway when Alma actually leaves at the bus stop, I didn't really feel much about it, it's almost as if she was this lightweight that showed up, and now she's going.  Okay.  When Lonnie leaves though, man that scene is packed with flavor - HUD continually baiting him and Lonnie just cooly swatting him off to give HUD his worst fear - not that he's an asshole, but worse - that he doesn't matter (and the ending confirms that - he's now got what he wants, the house and property (well, half), but he's completely, utterly alone.  With Lonnie you really hope that he finds his way as he cooly walks away (called the "Reverse Shane" since now he's the walker); he's a great guy and I always feel like I'm rooting for him to find his niche; with Alma it's like I don't care either way... she came out of nowhere and she's going nowhere.  I can't feel much sympathy for her.

Newman was of course nominated, but lost to Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field, which is up there in the top 10 of all-time actor performances (geezuz what a GREAT role and depiction  - is it ironic that the two actor awards that year went to guys who played a "Homer?").

I don't know what to think about HUD.   It's very watchable although ultimately depressing (ironically McMurtry would almost revise the dismal spirit of small town Texas a little over a decade later with The Last Picture Show, which I always have seen as "Hud 1970").   The plot I guess had to be watered down to be palatable for mainstream audiences, but the conflicts were much stormier in the book and would have more fully explained the characters.  Here, it's as if they scraped off a bunch of context and just had this kind of stale, light treatment of a much more dismal and desperate setting.  The Last Picture Show movie seems to in essence be a re-run of HUD with the characters much more engaged and melodramatic.  HUD wasn't nominated for Best Picture (though Ritt was for Director) but I think it's a B-level film, one which had "A" potential but never quite got to it.

Much o-bliged. I'd disagree about B movie status. It's quietly disturbing on many levels IMO..  Newman was so good, but Melvin Douglas was so good.  I'd have picked Newman over Sidneys role for best actor, but I like Lillies of the Field better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, to each his own... like I said, I don't think they nailed the spirit of the book, but it's a good story, yes, I agree.  Douglas' role didn't have enough depth to me, but the scene where he was sining "Clementine" at the movies was IMHO by far his best in the movie.  Lonnie looks over and sees, just for a second, the old Homer, the one with piss and vinegar who made and built that ranch and lifestyle (BTW Lonnie's look at him was priceless - that's what DeWilde did so well that the others didn't - underplayed the emotion, in a subtle way that still gave his scenes all the impact they called for).  But that was the only time I really enjoyed Douglas stepping out of his "old, tired" character that didn't seem to vary much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nobody watched Cat on a Hot Tin Roof last week? One of my favorite Newman films. Plus you get to watch a young Elizabeth Taylor, which is never a bad thing. 

I like The Sting better than Butch Cassidy. Once they leave for Bolivia it just kind of drops off for me, i can't explain it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Disappointed in TCM's Memorial Day offering. They used to start on Saturday and run through Monday. Now it's Monday only and the movies are kinda weak. Sundance Channel has a much better lineup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Holy cow they have a killer lineup today. The Big Sleep, Rio Bravo, Monkey Business, Only Angels Have Wings, To Have and Have Not, The Outlaw, The Best Years of Our Lives, Hail the Conquering Hero. I might have arraigned them differently, but hard to find a bad pick.

Coming on Saturday at 2:30am. I love this movie.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, RPM said:

Holy cow they have a killer lineup today. The Big Sleep, Rio Bravo, Monkey Business, Only Angels Have Wings, To Have and Have Not, The Outlaw, The Best Years of Our Lives, Hail the Conquering Hero. I might have arraigned them differently, but hard to find a bad pick.

Coming on Saturday at 2:30am. I love this movie.

 

Monkey Business was really good. Ginger Rogers was too damn cute!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, RPM said:

Holy cow they have a killer lineup today. The Big Sleep, Rio Bravo, Monkey Business, Only Angels Have Wings, To Have and Have Not, The Outlaw, The Best Years of Our Lives, Hail the Conquering Hero. I might have arraigned them differently, but hard to find a bad pick.

Coming on Saturday at 2:30am. I love this movie.

 

May have to set the DVR for this, haven’t watched it in years...  Ending was not what I expected.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Underdog said:

May have to set the DVR for this, haven’t watched it in years...  Ending was not what I expected.  

... but what I was rooting for (sorry, this is a campy movie and all, kind of a "so bad it's good" Rotten Tomatoes thing, but man it's just painful to watch in most spots).
Poor Peter Fonda... always seems to have the same fate in movies... (semi-spoiler, don't give a shit, no one's listening anyway [/Harry Doyle]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The helicopter pilot is a badass. His name is James Gavin and he's a Hollywood legend. When I was a kid, before I could look him up on the internet, I thought he was Ken Berry's brother. If there was a helicopter in a movie or tv, he was flying it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/30/2019 at 9:06 AM, phdhorn said:

... but what I was rooting for (sorry, this is a campy movie and all, kind of a "so bad it's good" Rotten Tomatoes thing, but man it's just painful to watch in most spots).
Poor Peter Fonda... always seems to have the same fate in movies... (semi-spoiler, don't give a shit, no one's listening anyway [/Harry Doyle]

That whole genre is done so badly, but they're just fun as shit to watch.  B movie at best, but without em we wouldn't have Quinten T. movies,  and the whole  Grindhouse cinema thingy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, RPM said:

Did you listen to Muller's comments after? The girl dancing was the live model used for drawing Snow White and Cinderella dancing. It's a small world after all.

Yes and that was fascinating.

Eddie Mueller is great and a big part of film restoration. Would love to have a drink with him.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, RPM said:

Looks like they decided to do war movies for D-Day instead of Memorial Day this year. Just finished Battle of Britain. The Longest Day up next. A Bridge Too Far later tonight.

I'll try to watch A Bridge Too Far, but I've never been able to sit thru it all since seeing it in the theater back in the day.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If a guy who calls himself Continental Op says a noir film is worth watching, you'd better take that advice.  My dvr is set.

PS, I'm re-reading The Maltese Falcon now.  I think it's my 3rd time through it.  I might follow it up with some more Hammett.  I also have the movie on my DVR, waiting for me to finish the book.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

WWII Thursdays in June. Excellent Pacific lineup today: Objective, Burma! , Air Force, Bataan, Back to Bataan, Flying Leathernecks, Operation Pacific, Sands of Iwo Jima, Tora Tora Tora, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, Destination Tokyo and winding things up with They Were Expendable.

They're all great, but there are some personal favorites there. Bataan is an obscure early war morale film with Robert Taylor leading a last stand patrol. It also features a young Desi Arnaz. Operation Pacific and Destination Tokyo are great submarine films and They Were Expendable is one of the finest WWII films made.

Honestly, it's impossible to find a bad one to watch today. 

Edited by RPM
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Right turn, Clyde! Watching Every Which Way But Loose and while I like the movie, I have mixed feelings about TCM running it. Sure it came out in '78, but it doesn't feel like a "classic movie". I wish they would stick to pre-'75 films. That seems like a pretty good cutoff point, imho.

Edited by RPM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, RPM said:

Right turn, Clyde! Watching Every Which Way But Loose and while I like the movie, I have mixed feelings about TCM running it. Sure it came out in '78, but it doesn't feel like a "classic movie". I wish they would stick to pre-'75 films. That seems like a pretty good cutoff point, imho.

It's a stretch, and doesn't help the franchise tag, it's a B movie to boot IMO.  A little more highbrow is expected, even if it's the Marx Bros.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, RPM said:

It's hard to understate how great Eddie Muller is. The guy fits TCM like a glove. Watching his intro for The Tattooed Stranger is like sitting through a college lecture (in a good way).

From the context, I feel certain you meant "...hard to overstate...".

Right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glen Ford westerns on tonight.  Just missed most of The Fastest Gun Alive. Coming up at 8:45 is Jubal, a very good under the radar film. Then after that is the original 3:10 To Yuma, one of my top five all time westerns, criminally underrated, amazing performances by Ford, Van Heflen and a great supporting character cast.

Cowboy at 12:30 AM, with Ford and Jack Lemon. Not sure if I've seen that one in entirety, been many years if I have.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...