Reply With Quote
I think he calls that one, "tedious". For the real folk, it's a good movie.
Thread get in here and give me some good recs.
What about Marathon Man?
I think he calls that one, "tedious". For the real folk, it's a good movie.
<--see avatar
Phantom of the Paradise
<em>
The original Taking of the Pelham 123 (1974) starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw and Martin Balsam. Got that gritty '70s New York City flavor.
The '70s were such a great time for American movies.
The Opening of Misty Beethoven
Dirty Harry
Dawn of the Dead
Yep. And it's aged so well. There is a part early on where they have the meeting in the mayor's office after the extortion note is found by Harry. The guy wants $100,000, or, he'll kill others. This is brilliant= The mayor, played by John Vernon (an Eastwood stalwart) is genuinely lost to this craziness. He has enough problems running a metropolis as complex as San Francisco as the '60's have mercifully come to an end, but the '70's have lessons to be learned as well. "Where am I going to get $100,000?" Not some smart ass comedic comment like we see "now." But, a civilian, a mayor acting accordingly. He's at his wit's end. Also in the meeting is the Chief of Police (John Larch)(another Eastwood man) in full star studded uniform. The camera catches him once, twice as the meeting is conducted. He's worn out, bags under his eyes. He too is at his wit's end. It as strong a scene/sequence as you'll find in this film. The weak link? Yep, it's Harry/Eastwood. He's the clown, he's the odd man, the unreality. His immediate superior (Harry Guardino) tries to reel him in as actor/character, but, he won't come in. Eastwood is insistent here and it's a shame. We didn't need it. We needed it on the street where he dry docks the .44 Magnum on the prone bank robber. Not in that Mayor's Office.
The reality of this classic pure American horror tale is the long scope shot as dawn breaks over SF-the young girl's body is drawn from her burial while still alive. She's barely a teenager, & she's naked. It's total loss.
They kept trying to open this in Omaha, but, they kept cancelling it. Finally they let it show, one threatre, up North. I drove up the first afternoon. I was afraid they'd take it out before it screened. I walked in and sat there alone. Nobody else came.
That movie has an affect on you. You feel like you've been thru something afterward. It has a wide stance as it starts in the housing project and ends in the mall. The men bring their A game to it. All of them. And the girl (Galen Ross) handles her responsibility to the production with nothing short of perfection.
There is a scene after "Roger" is bitten, they're waiting for him to turn and have him in a room in their barricaded hide-a-way. Galen Ross (Francine) has taken the nursing chores and is constantly injecting him with heavy doses of morphine. It's a fine scene as she is frustrated, rank hopelessness has found her. She injects him and just tosses the used syringe and compress aside. She is superb in this film.
Body Snatchers
Yep. It's a strong film. A sturdy one. Makes the transition from normal, everyday life to catastrophe and they do it quickly without hurrying and without mistake. That's difficult. Sutherland is in love with this girl (Brooke Adams), hopelessly, totally in love with her before the attack is known. She knows it, but, she is in love with her guy. And we're settled instantly into their (American) life. She comes home to find him at turns amorous & inattentive as he finds they'll be a Warriors game on the tube for the evening. "You're in a good mood."---"I have something to look forward to."
It all changes, but, we've already been set up---the ruination is made that more tragic as it all goes away before our very eyes. We're stunned. It's gone and it ain't coming back. And it's going to get worse until there is nothing left, just one of the Cartwright girls.
In the '56 version they tacked on a happy ending because "we" demanded it. They were not interested this time.
Well said. Romero at his finest for sure.
Plus the dog with the human face
"Thieves Like Us." Off beat film by Robert Altman in '74. Has a bit of a humorous frame to it, but, make no mistake it is a brutal and violent tale. John Schuck/"McMillian and Wife" especially is lethal here. Keith Carradine does fine work as a bank robber in the Depression era.
---
"The Conversation" from '74 by Coppola with some of his people from the [Godfather] strain. This film is very complex and repeated viewings are required. It's been on lately so I've been watching it again. Highly enjoyable and very sensible even though it is detailed. Quite violent at the end and very cold hearted.
---
"Straight Time" '78 with Hoffman as a parolee who tries to go straight, but, cannot, and will not. Gary Busey has a nice part as does Harry Dean Stanton. The girl is played by Teresa Russell and she does good work here. M. Emmet Walsh plays the parole officer and he is dynamite here, keeps the film intact and directed. Has a great robbery scene of a jewelry store by Hoffman/Stanton.
Yeah, because the bum got kicked and it like ruined the transformation.
Saturday Night Fever.
The Outlaw Josey Wales
That's my favorite zombie movie ever. The acting, the characters, and the soundtrack make that movie for me.
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Never saw this movie until recently and considering Travolta was in it and its movie cover, I expected a corny dance movie like Grease but it was darker and much more relatable.
So I finally got around to watching Taxi Driver. It was incredibly underwhelming.
The remake in 2004 was actual terrific as well. Might be my favorite zombie movie ever because I can watch it anytime.
Ok, so I'll watch the Taking of Pelham.
I did watch Marathon Man and I agree with the tedious assessment. Good flick but pacing, editing kills any momentum. It just feels bogged down.
It has not aged well and is substantial due to the DeNiro/Scorsese rep. It's considerably choppy & extremely episodic.
I do so enjoy the relationship between Travis and Betsy, but, that's my own "hang up." I wonder about their relationship, how it would have advanced and worked. She's not as high falutin' as she portends to be. She's spreads her legs wide (he can't see, but, we can) as they're having their pie & coffee. She's more in Travis class then is supposed. And I think that is why she agrees to go out with this fellow to start with. And she goes into the porn movie knowing full well it's porn. It's there under the garish marquee where she should have spoken up and "protected" the night, the date. Why does she go in there? I can't reason it out. She's the boss to start with, but, yet she follows him in there.
DeNiro is grossly overratedz. I love him but he's just fortunate to have that charisma that makes him fun to watch. Nothing special as an actor.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
