"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Read MoreTop Ten "All that Glitters...": The Overrated Part 3 Casablanca
The purpose of this list is not to give a critical lambasting to what a great number of viewers consider to be cinematic treasures. What I would like to provide my readers with is an alternative and admittedly more critical perspective to consider, one that hopefully will not detract from a person's appreciation for the films under review. At the same time, I'd question whether these motion pictures really deserve the high accolades bestowed upon them by many in the critical community. Perhaps it's like this: instead of "The emperor has no clothes," I'm saying "He's not quite as well dressed." (For a further introduction on this subject please see: Top Ten “All that Glitters…”: The Overrated Part 1.)
These notices are meant for viewers familiar with the following motion pictures.
(They will be addressed in alphabetical order.)
Read MoreEnd Credits #23: Cinema's 2014 Lost Treasures Richard Attenborough, Lauren Bacall, Robin Williams, Noel Black, James Garner, Dick Smith
These are some of Cinema's sad departures of 2014 taken from my personal notes soon after the events took place:
Read MoreTime Out - "It's a Wonderful Life" (Revised Parody)
How could anyone forget this short but sweet and poignant moment from It's a Wonderful Life?
Capturing a Golden Moment #10: A Night at the Opera
In this series I'd like to present some exceptional scenes inspired by cinema's most gifted artists of yesteryear.
A Night at the Opera (1935)
Director: Sam Wood
Scene: "The Stateroom"
Many writers contributed to this epic farce, including its two principals: George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. Even an uncredited Buster Keaton worked on developing this famous scene. It was nearly scrapped, however, because it wasn't getting any laughs. Once the Marx Brothers ignored the script and started ad libbing the whole thing, it transformed into one of the all-time comedy classics.
A Night at the Opera is available on DVD here:
It is also available in a box set along with 6 other Marx Brothers comedies here:
"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Read MoreEnd Credits #22: Cinema's 2014 Lost Treasures Steven H. Scheuer, Paul Mazursky
These are some of Cinema's sad departures of 2014 taken from my personal notes soon after the events took place:
Read MoreTreasured Images Part 4 (#31 - 40)
I'll continue with some of cinema's most treasured images. For those familiar with the scenes represented they're bound to invoke a strong emotional response. The narratives' indelible moments are the primary reason these captures were selected.
Read MoreInspecting Hidden Gem #19: Devil's Doorway
The reviews in this series are meant for those who have already seen the films in question.
Devil's Doorway
U.S.A. / MGM / 1950 / B+W / 84 minutes / Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Read MoreEnd Credits #21: Cinema's 2013 Lost Treasures Montage Part 5
Some of Cinema's 2013 Lost Treasures. The music by Stanley Myers is from the film Cold Heaven.
"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Read MoreTreasured Images Part 3 (#21 - 30)
I'll continue with some of cinema's most treasured images. For those familiar with the scenes represented they're bound to invoke a strong emotional response. The narratives' indelible moments are the primary reason these captures were selected.
Read MoreEnd Credits #20: Cinema's 2014 Lost Treasures Joan Lorring, Martha Hyer, Ruby Dee, Eli Wallach / Capturing a Golden Moment #9: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
These are some of Cinema's sad departures of 2014 taken from my personal notes soon after the events took place:
Read MoreTop Ten: Western Treasures Part 3
Drama is conflict.
Nowhere is that better exemplified than in a less technologically advanced, austere western setting. Practically since the dawn of cinema itself, westerns appeared on the scene with their early simple narratives, befitting both the west's preceding closure and this awesome, new storytelling discovery.
Read MoreCapturing a Golden Moment #8: North by Northwest
In this series I'd like to present some exceptional scenes inspired by cinema's most gifted artists of yesteryear.
North by Northwest (1959)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Scene: "The Auction"
Cary Grant cleverly gets himself out a jam in one of the master's best exercises in suspense courtesy of Ernest Lehman's ingenious, original screenplay and the cast's perfect performances.
North by Northwest is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon below:
The original recording of Bernard Herrmann's fabulous score can currently be ordered by clicking on the image below. (Intrada ships worldwide).
"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Read MoreEnd Credits #19: Cinema's 2014 Lost Treasures Gordon Willis
Gordon Willis (May 28, 1931 – May 18, 2014) an inspired and influential American cinematographer has died at age 82.
Guest contributor Bob DiMucci has provided this tribute to his motion picture accomplishments:
The Films of Gordon Willis
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Sterling Silver Dialogue #14
Sterling Silver Dialogue From The Movies:
Do you know where they're from?
(After arriving at a secret hiding place for stolen money) "My uncle's grave. He was always good at keeping money so I thought I'd let him keep mine safe."
(A beautiful woman upon accidentally bumping into a man) "Oh, I'm sorry."
(the man looking her over) "I'm not."
Pool Attendant: "They kept it all incognito. They're gonna collect the body in an ice cream van."
(response) "Well there's a lot of dignity in that, in't there? Going out like a raspberry ripple."
Casino Manager: "It was a good night. Nothing unusual."
(response) "'Nothing unusual', he says! Eric's been blown to smithereens, Colin's been carved up, and I've got a bomb in me casino, and you say nothing unusual."
"Walk to the car, Billy, or I'll blow your spine off."
(response) "That's not a shooter, is it, Harold?"
(reply) "Oh don't be silly, Billy. Would I come hunting for you with me fingers?"
"I'd look good in a mink coat, honey."
(response) "You'd look good in a shower curtain."
"You wouldn't kill me in cold blood, would ya?"
(response) "No, I'll let ya warm up a little."
"Diamond, the only trouble with you is, you'd like to be me. You'd like to have my organization, my influence, my fix. You can't, it's impossible. You think it's money. It's not. It's personality. You haven't got it Lieutenant, you're a cop. Slow. Steady. Intelligent. With a bad temper and a gun under your arm. With a big yen for a girl you can't have. First is first and second is nobody."
(Nathan, to board members at an advertising agency) "Gentlemen I'd like you to meet Dr. Alvin Weasley. Dr. Weasley is one of the most respected motivational researchers in the country. Harvey's beer has dropped 84 percent. So Dr. Weasley will tell us how the American public really feels about beer. Dr. Weasley."
(Dr. Weasley) "Beer is for men who doubt their masculinity. That's why it's so popular at sporting events and poker games. On a superficial level a glass of beer is a cool, soothing beverage. But in reality... a glass of beer is: pee-pee dickie! That's it."
(Nathan) Beautiful!... Beautiful!
"You know you don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything, and you don't have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow."
"Well, you're about as romantic as a pair of handcuffs."
(looking over an undistinguished hotel room) "Hey, I like this. Early nothing."
"The main thing is to have the money. I've been rich and I've been poor. Believe me, rich is better."
(after an assassination) "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."
"Hope's a funny thing. You can have it even when there ain't no reason for it."
"I do think I oughta' kiss you just once, though, for all the times I won't."
Answers to Sterling Silver Dialogue #14 are here.
Answers to Sterling Silver Dialogue #13
Sterling Silver Dialogue #13: (Answers)
Read MoreTreasured Images Part 2 (#11 - 20)
I'll continue with some of cinema's most treasured images. For those familiar with the scenes represented they're bound to invoke a strong emotional response. The narratives' indelible moments are the primary reason these captures were selected.
Read More