What Is The Last Film You Watched? (Older Films)

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

Once see, never forgotten!

Jack Nance is great, and what Alan Splet did, was brilliant.

[Jay 37,374]

 

Stanley & Iris

 

My first time ever seeing this film.  I purchased the Twilight Time bluray because it features an isolated music track by Mike Matessino with John Williams' score and source music, and watched the film as soon as it arrived.

 

Well, I didn't like the film, really.  I think the main problem is that the two leads are miscast.  The film is a portrayal of poor, or at least down on their luck lower middle class people trying to make a living, yet starts Robert Freaking De Niro and Jane Freaking Fonda as the leads!  It just doesn't work to cast huge movie starts in these rolls, at least it didn't here, for me.  Another thing is that Stanley is a fairly meek character, so De Niro is wrong for the role just because he has been completely typecast (for reason - he excels at it) at playing characters with some authority, so I was never able to believe him in this role.  I kept waiting for him to yell at people, slam them against a wall, and take charge, which of course he doesn't do.

 

I actually sat down to watch the film with absolutely no idea what it was about, so was delighted that it was set in New England (and opens with a gorgeous panning shot showing a small Connecticut town), and I thought that it was interesting that it highlighted what life is like when factory towns lose their factories and all the jobs go to the cities.

 

I thin the film's focus is a bit all over the place, for example a lot of early time is spent on Iris's sister and brother in law that life with her, and the arguments they have... then those characters COMPLETELY disappear and are never mentioned again!  The film also doesnt' seem to really know what it wants to do with Martha Plimpton's pregnant teenager character - that all seemed underdeveloped.

 

One thing I actually really liked about the movie was that for a while, it seemed like it was going to subvert my expectations and have Stanley and Iris just be friends.  What I mean is, the film is CALLED Stanley and Iris, has them looking lovey dovey on the posters and blu ray cover, but for 2/3s of the film, they are just two adults helping each other out.  She is teaching him to read, and he is helping her run her home while she works full time.  But then after not much build up, they are suddenly romantically involved.  It was all a bit weird; I didn't think they had great chemistry together.

 

Another thing that really rubbed me the wrong way is the ending of the film - I guess spoiler warning if you don't want to be spoiled.  It seemed to me like the film wanted to have its cake and eat it too.  What I mean is, it didn't seem very organic that Stanely was a secret inventor/genius, at fairly ludicrous that as soon as Iris teaches him to read and write, he gets offered this life changing major managerial job using that skill by some random Detroit company.  But fine, we'll go with that.... from there, the film actually builds to a pretty satisfying ending.  After the nice Boston hotel scene (shame that wasn't actually flimed in Boston!!), Stanley gets the job, and we have that nice airport goodbye (with killer Williams source music!), she tells him to WRITE her, and we get a nice ending montage as the letter is narrated while we see her back at hte factory, the screen fades to black.... and the movie is over.  A nice, ambiguous ending, where you don't know what the future will bring, if they'll ever see each other again, or not......

 

Except, that ISN'T the ending!  After that movie ending fade-out, we get a RIDICULOUS new ending where Stanley returns and his magical job is even more magical than they could have though, and he's going to sweet her and her kids away to be yuppies in Detroit.  WTF?  This ending was so stupid, and clearly a re-shot ending due to audience test screenings (the music is entirely tracked).  A stupid ending that takes away anything good the film had going for it.

 

So, a mixed bag that's ultimately unsatisfying, a movie I doubt I'll ever want to watch again.  The score, on the other hand, by John Williams, was fantastic.  A quiet understated study on trying to survive in a quiet town. Good stuff from the maestro; Looking forward very much to the Varese Deluxe Edition!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I saw it years ago and I broadly agree about the casting. Reminded me of the film Frankie and Johnny which was supposed to be about a romance between two ordinary people lower working class not particularly attractive people but starred Pacino and Michelle Pheiffer, then one of the most beautiful and glamorous people in the world.

[Jay 37,374]

I had to look up Jane Fonda because I wasn't very familiar with her; Turns out I've never actually seen a movie she's been in (other than This Is Where I Leave You which came out 25 years later).  Despite not being familiar with her early work, the presence she had just never fit into the role, the way that, say, Swoosie Kurtz, Martha Plimpton, and many of the fine character actors in the film (including Stephen Root, Kathy Kinney, and the guy who played Stanley's dad) did. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

Hannoi Jane does "ordinary" very well (KLUTE, COMING HOME), but not here. As for RDN, well, he nearly lost it over the dry cleaning ticket 

Read UNION STREET; it's much better.

[Jay 37,374]

Yup the scene in the dry cleaners in the only time De Niro does anything remotely De Niro like, and I wonder if that was added in once he was cast in the role.

[Quintus 5,399]

Frankie and Johnny...  another of those movies which got sucked into the vortex never to be seen or heard of again. There's some movies where it's as if they never existed! 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Remake!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

Er...that's "re-imagining", if you please.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I can't stop watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park! It hasn't left my Blu-ray player. Every night, I lay in bed and my Sony Trinitron comes to life to show me that something has survived, with perfect black levels!

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Back to the Future III.

 

I have to change my opinion. When I watched it for the very first time two years ago, I thought it was rather boring, but this time, I really, really enjoyed it. Chris Lloyd is incredible in this one, Thomas Wilson's great too, and Leah Thompson's Irish accent is really cute. Still find Clara a bit annoying, though. Do Doc's kids have to live in hiding for the rest of their lives now?

 

And the score... This is definitely the best of all three of them, though I'd like to know why that 'three-note' theme only gets a full rendition in Doc Returns. What does it stand for anyway? The love theme is absolutely fantastic.

 

One final note about the sound mix, there's really something odd going on with the dialogue in parts II and III. They either used cheap microphones, or the sound mixer didn't know what he waas doing. Overall, part I just sounds much more crisp and detailed. In the sequels, the dialogue really sounds weird, way too much emphasis on the low frequencies.

[Jay 37,374]

25 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

I'd like to know why that 'three-note' theme only gets a full rendition in Doc Returns. What does it stand for anyway?

 

You mean Doc's Theme?

[bollemanneke 3,352]

No, Doc's theme is absent in this score. I mean the theme with the three notes that plays when, for examplle, Marty wakes up (flute) or when Marty realises he's stuck in 1955 in part one (very dramatic horns). In part III, it's fragmented until Doc returns in the train with the family, as if Silvestri was conciously unwilling to use it completely.

[Romão 2,274]

 Local Hero (1983)

 

I've been a Mark Knopfler pretty much all my life and up until today, the only thing I knew about this film is that it had a Mark Knopfler score and gorgeous theme in Going Home.

So today I decided to finally watch this movie, not knowing a single thing about the story or the setting. 

And what a absolutely delightful little gem this is. It creates such a strong sense of place, gets to develop in less that 2 hours at least half a dozen characters, it's gorgeously and discretly shot and it creates an absolutely believable sense of its own reality. You just want to linger in it for the longest time. Moving without the smallest hint of melodrama. Funny without any broad antics or caricature. Terrific job by the cast all around (nice to see Dennis Lawson outside a Rebel starfighter)

 

It has already become one of my favorite movies. Just delightful

 

[Quintus 5,399]

Never heard of it but it's going on my list, thanks. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

 WHAT THE HELL, LEE???!!!!!!!

You've never heard of LOCAL HERO???!!!!

It's one of the very best British fucking films, of the 80s, if not ever!!!! This is on my Blu wish-list.

 

"Ooh, Mr. MacIntyre. We're gonna be rich. Stella!".

 

"Happer, you piece of-" 

 

"Aren't there two Ls, in 'dollar'?"

"Aye, and there are two Gs, in 'bugger off'!".   

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

 I only know the film because I've seen the OST in the soundtrack section of many a CD store throughout the decades.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

...and a fine CD, it is, too. GOING HOME is a classic.

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Quarantine. Turned it off.

[Sweeping Strings 2,364]

My Scientology Movie - i'm told that Going Clear is better, but this (the first of his documentaries that Louis Theroux has made for the big screen) is still well worth a look. Of course it's very funny in parts, but it also does a good job of conveying how paranoid, control-freaky, harrassing and violent (to add to 'utterly guliible') the members/leadership of Scientology can be.  

[Jay 37,374]

We enjoyed Going Clear

[A24 4,346]

Albert Nobbs

 

 

Turned it off after 15 minutes

[BloodBoal 7,538]

So, when they say "a jaw-dropping performance", they don't mean it in a good way?

[A24 4,346]

I'm sure she's fine. I just didn't like the tone of the movie (the tone in which the movie speaks to the viewer). Also, I thought it was way too obvious that the women posing as men (indeed, Glenn Close isn't the only one) were women.

[Quintus 5,399]

9 hours ago, Sweeping Strings said:

My Scientology Movie - i'm told that Going Clear is better, but this (the first of his documentaries that Louis Theroux has made for the big screen) is still well worth a look. Of course it's very funny in parts, but it also does a good job of conveying how paranoid, control-freaky, harrassing and violent (to add to 'utterly guliible') the members/leadership of Scientology can be.  

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_and_Me

 

The Scientology doc to end them all. The climax is spectacular! 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Scientology proves people will believe every old bullshit as long as the story is well told! Utter rubbish and lies, but we are forced to "respect" it because it is a religious believe!

 

Karl Marx was right! Religion is the opium of the people!

[Quintus 5,399]

I don't even respect mainstream faiths, so Scientology has got no chance. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

There really isn't any difference between scientology and the accepted faiths. It only lacks the credibility of having been around for thousands of years!

[Quintus 5,399]

Of course. 

[Sweeping Strings 2,364]

2 hours ago, Quintus said:

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_and_Me

 

The Scientology doc to end them all. The climax is spectacular! 

Have seen the clip with Sweeney losing it.

A belief system concocted by a sci-fi author with the basic central idea is that we're all descended from aliens who visited Earth however many years ago who's been strongly rumoured to have said 'If you REALLY want to get rich, you start a religion' ... and yet still people sign up.

I really don't get it.    

[BloodBoal 7,538]

12 minutes ago, Sweeping Strings said:

A belief system concocted by a sci-fi author with the basic central idea is that we're all descended from aliens who visited Earth however many years ago

 

Sounds like Prometheus.

 

And some people liked Prometheus. Explain that to me, and I'll explain to you why people sign up for scientology.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

King Kong (1976)

This one's always been one of my favorites! I wish they would release it on Blu-ray in the US with the extended TV version.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

OST or expanded ?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Expanded. I exclude "Day Wall" and "Petrox Marching Band" source music.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The OST is all you need, and it has the best soundquality!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Not in this case. The OST is good, but the complete score is superior.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

17 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

The OST is all you need, and it has the best sound quality!

 

Geez, the FSM sounds like shit! Are you saying it's better than the expanded version?!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Obviously!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

I figured you were, Steef, but...I just can't fathom it, is all.

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Man of Steel. Why do I even have the end credits playing as I'm writing this?

 

Movie is rather boring and has severe pacing issues. Glad that stupid battle is finally over.

 

And the score... So are these two notes meant to replace the JW fanfare? Really? This is pathetic. Never heard such uninspiring and counterintuitive music for flying sequences either. There are some good moments, but overall, it's a total disaster. I'm so tired of that sound! Always the same stupid string ostinatos and French horns.

 

Right now, my mother is watching Forrest Gump in another room. Now THAT's a good score!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

It was on TV while I was in the psych ward, as well as Star Trek Into Darkness. A madhouse indeed. I don't know how I survived.

[Sweeping Strings 2,364]

3 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

Man of Steel. Why do I even have the end credits playing as I'm writing this?

 

Movie is rather boring and has severe pacing issues. Glad that stupid battle is finally over.

 

And the score... So are these two notes meant to replace the JW fanfare? Really? This is pathetic. Never heard such uninspiring and counterintuitive music for flying sequences either. There are some good moments, but overall, it's a total disaster. I'm so tired of that sound! Always the same stupid string ostinatos and French horns.

 

Right now, my mother is watching Forrest Gump in another room. Now THAT's a good score!

Yep, it's shite ... dour and overlong, with a score I don't even remember. Superman Returns may have been flawed, but one thing it got utterly right was the revisiting of the superb Williams theme. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

With the shortest on-screen credit ever.

[Romão 2,274]

On 06/08/2011 at 10:29 AM, Alexcremers said:

Aguirre, The Wrath Of God.

 

 That one is fantastic

[Jay 37,374]

@Romão, what caused you to read that six year old post now? 

[Wojo 2,453]

Darth Dementous would have simply liked it without providing any useful commentary. Romao's post is superior to a silly like. 

[Romão 2,274]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

@Romão, what caused you to read that six year old post now? 

 

Actually, now I'm surprised, I really thought Alex's post was on this page. I have absolutely no idea how I stumbled upon in. Weird

[Simon McBride 113]

Catch Me If You Can

 

Brilliant. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

12 hours ago, Sweeping Strings said:

Yep, it's shite ... dour and overlong, with a score I don't even remember. Superman Returns may have been flawed, but one thing it got utterly right was the revisiting of the superb Williams theme. 

 

The use of Williams' music in Superman Returns is one of many of that movies biggest weaknesses. It doesn't even bother to create a new identity of its own. At least Man of Steel attempted that, whether it succeeded or failed.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

As he said that SR was set in between

II, and III, I guess that Bryan Singer felt justified to use JW's music. The film is just as much an homage to Superman, as it is a sequel to it.

Personally, I don't mind. Give me Ottoman's music (even without JW) over HZ's, any day.

To be fair, however, MOS is a new kind of Superman score, for a new kind of Superman film. JW's themes would have stood out like a sore thumb. I'm glad that the memory of such great music was not sullied in that way. It would have been like Scott Bradley scoring BEN-HUR.