What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[BegintheBeguine]

Yes, I remember that when I watched Room at the Top I had to keep reminding myself it was set in 1947. It was a memorable movie, depressing, worth a second viewing.
Last night I saw I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry for the second time. It was fun.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I actually plugged in 'Battle of Britain' last night and watched it from start to finish again. I was quite impressed (again!) actually. For a film that came out in 1969, the effects were really quite well done and the cinematography was spectacular. It must have been shot on 70mm (I'll check IMDB) because the imagery was crisp and clear, as if filmed today.

I tried not to be too critical about authenticity (jackets, hats, etc) as I tend to believe the public interest (that's you and I) was much less back in the '60's than it is today. A re-enactment population has grown since then with a plethora of 'stitch-counters' who demand absolute authenticity without exception. It certainly was great to see all those flying Heinkels, Spits and Hurricanes!

I also then watched 'Hanover Street' with Harrison Ford - that's a horse of a different stirpe (it was a Zebra!!). B-25's in the 8th USAAF! Ford's hair was way too long for the period! He looked rediculous in the German uniform. The London street scenes were great and quite evocotive but Ford was clearly just walking through his role while hoping for something bigger to come along. They should have replaced him with somebody who cared on day one of the shoot!

There, that's how I wasted my evening.

-dixon cannon

 

[JazzBaby]

My TV exploded about five months ago! To be honest I don't miss it that much. Except for The Simpsons

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I was just looking through the list of threads in "The Moving Picture" and realized that there are a lot of potentially interesting discussions, but I can't subscribe to that many threads (and am not even aware of most of them). So here's a plea to, whoever: if you can concentrate your movie comments in this thread, and your television comments in the parallel television thread, you might get more responses, and I at least will actually see what you're posting about!

I myself started a "Menswear in the Movies and Television" thread a while back, which petered out, so rather than revive it, I'll post those comments here now.

I ought to have mentioned above that Room at the Top is a great menswear movie. Laurence Harvey looks quite smart in his suits and French cuff shirts, and in the opening scene he lovingly contemplates one of his business shoes!

 

[Quigley Brown]

Patrick, I pay close attention to menswear in film, too. But I'm usually alone and keep my observations to myself. It would be interesting to screen classic films with others and have educated(?) discussions on the clothing.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

Patrick, I pay close attention to menswear in film, too. But I'm usually alone and keep my observations to myself. It would be interesting to screen classic films with others and have educated(?) discussions on the clothing.

My expertise in film history is far greater than my expertise in menswear -- although I am an enthusiast of both!

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I heartily approve of marketing when I am the target audience. Take this:

Judi Dench
and
Cate Blanchett
in
Notes on a Scandal

What more I do need to know? I'm there! You had me at hello!

Seriously, these are two wonderful actresses at the top of their games, and the film (about which I should not give away too much) is wickedly fun. I'd been looking forward to seeing it since it came out, and I wasn't disappointed.

 

[imoldfashioned]

I heartily approve of marketing when I am the target audience. Take this:

Judi Dench
and
Cate Blanchett
in
Notes on a Scandal

What more I do need to know? I'm there! You had me at hello!

Seriously, these are two wonderful actresses at the top of their games, and the film (about which I should not give away too much) is wickedly fun. I'd been looking forward to seeing it since it came out, and I wasn't disappointed.

For several months after a group of my friends and I saw this film our favorite phrase was "It'll fly by!"

 

[goldwyn girl]

"The Awful Truth" No one has ever been more handsome, debonair or funny than Cary Grant

 

[Corto]

I just saw "Reds".
Wow.
Quite a production.
Did anyone see it in the theater? What did people think about it when it came out?

 

[pretty faythe]

i am legend

Finially saw it! And while it was different from the book it did keep the basic important elements from the book.

 

[russa11]

I just watched "No Country for Old Men" I was not really impressed with this film. It moved really slow. Not what you would call a pick me up film.

 

[Caroline]

I just watched the 1955 "The Ladykillers" and laughed myself silly. Oh my Peter Sellers looked so cute in it!

 

[mtechthang]

For no apparent reason- this week

Several of the "Inspector Lynley" series from the BBC.

Most of two seasons of "Foyles War" - Both of those are wonderful detective series with FW having great period costumes including FEDORAS!!

Movies- "Death at a funeral"- hilarious- watch at least twice!
"Jane Austen book club" - very good!
"Once" - fabulous- that the acting is this good is amazing (given they are musicians playing musicians)
"American Gangster"- I like Denzel! I think he's one of the finest actors around (If we could just get him and Chris Cooper to work together- maybe they have but it slips my mind)

 

[imoldfashioned]

I just saw "Reds".
Wow.
Quite a production.
Did anyone see it in the theater? What did people think about it when it came out?

One of my favorite movies. I saw it in the theater when it was first released (I was 13) and many times since. It's amazing how much Diane Keaton resembles Louise Bryant.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I saw it when it was first released and was in my late 20s. As a former history major and lifelong movie buff, I thought it was really impressive, and I loved Nicholson as Eugene O'Neill.

I haven't seen it agin since then - I guess it's time!

 

[KY Gentleman]

I'm watching the John Carpenter version of "The Thing". I've seen it a bunch of times and the commentary by Carpenter and Russell is really good. Most of the time they're not discussing the movie but talking about what they've been doing lately in their real lives! I liked Kurt Russells sombrero, too.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I'm watching the John Carpenter version of "The Thing". I've seen it a bunch of times and the commentary by Carpenter and Russell is really good. Most of the time they're not discussing the movie but talking about what they've been doing lately in their real lives! I liked Kurt Russells sombrero, too.

I need to watch this again, but I will admit I find it hard to watch -- even now, 25 years on, the special effects in this movie are among the most ghastly ever.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

And speaking of ghastly --

Last night I watched the legendary French horror movie Eyes Without a Face, which lives up to its amazing reputation. I don't want to put in spoilers for those of you who haven't seen it, so I'll speak very generally. Stephen King in his excellent book on the horror genre, Danse Macabre (you should read this!), theorizes the "gross-out" as a key component of modern horror. I think he's spot on about that, although I will admit that in the era of Takashi Miike and Eli Roth, the gross-outs have gotten harder and harder for me to stomach -- and maybe, just maybe, less stategically employed: wall-to-wall gross-out runs the risk of becoming ho-hum ("Look, there's another intestine!"). Georges Franju, the director of Eyes Without a Face, clearly knew how to stage gross-outs for maximum effect, and all within the context of poetic art-house horror, which makes those moments all the more startling. John Waters, another accomplished theorist of these matters, stipulates that the line between art and exploitation is an exceedingly fine one; this is one movie that rides that line with unerring precision. And, unlike many horror films that deflate in the third act, it has a great and surprising ending.

 

[funneman]

The Divorcee 1930

This was an interesting film. Pre-Code days. Lot's of innuendo.
Some great looking clothes, hats and cars.
Norma Shearer was one great looking lady. Hubba Hubba.
Chester Morris played the husband.
Didn't he later play Boston Blackie?