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

[Holko 9,527]

Tenebrae (1982)

 

A pretty good, compelling serial killer/slasher mystery thriller, but nothing that special about it that would make me come back to it. OK, except for that sprawling shot across the windows and the second, silhouette reveal.

[publicist 4,643]

 

In light of Varéses jubilant announcement i dug up an old review i never properly finished - to give this not perfect but also not nearly as bad as reviews make you think-movie a boost. That John Badham, creator of Saturday Night Fever, would take on a stylish film adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel probably seemed strange even in 1979. Nevertheless, this Mirisch production is a respectable adaptation of the material. Based on the geographically reduced play of the same name, the film shortens the original and gets rid of the Carpathians and the London settings, locating itself on the picturesque windswept, rugged Cornwall coast. It's basically a big plush operetta, full of grand gestures, without ever going full Guignol as the Coppola version would later do with abandon.

 

As the Broadway play that inspired it (a runaway success when it opened in 1977, playing well into the 80s) this version is the mother of the tragic-romantically transfigurations of the Dracula myth. Frank Langella, eyebrow-raising Tony Manero gigolo haircut aside, transforms the count, hitherto comfortably settled in the Christopher Lee/Bela Luogsi horror turf, to a suggestive melancholy romantic lover with a dark secret.

 

A bunch of reliable British thespians (Olivier, Pleasance, etc.) stand by (both chew scenery in a sometimes not too artful way) and the breathtaking photography (Gilbert Taylor, who died shortly thereafter) and enchanting set design (Albert Whitlock) do their best to make this the first epic Dracula (if you ever go to Cornwall, do yourself a favour and visit St. Michael’s Mount, Dracula's Castle). Apart from the main beats of the story, which should be familiar by now, the novelty here is a love scene, designed by Bond-tested designer Maurice Binder, who presents Dracula's lovemaking as a feverish  LSD fuck rush in screaming blood-red (one of the score's numerous highlights). The whole thing seems rather strange today, but provides an effective contrast to the prevailing gloom and a worthy sendoff into Act III, giving the count's demise later a much more tragic air.

 

A scene with the undead daughter of Olivier's Van Helsing, Mina, later scores points for her white zombie appearance in an old mine shaft. Positively chilly. The final escape of Dracula, carrying his chosen bride Lucy (Seward's daughter in this version, played by a wonderfully demonstrative Kate Nelligan, wedded to such parts, i. e. 1981's Eye of the Needle) through the misty woods, is a cinematic gem - with the full thundering London Symphony Orchestra in tow.

 

At that time, as well as today, the film has received harsh criticism. Too indecisive and opportunistic, commuting too much between romantic kitsch and, in this context, unnecessary gore and violence, obviously put in to satisfy the typical horror fan of yore. These criticisms are not wrong per se. The ending was considered hokey and yet it's imho the only satisfying demise to finish off such larger-than-life character: as a reminder, in Stoker's original, Dracula manages to flee back to his romanian castle where the hunters kill him off unspectacularly in his crypt - with a Bowie knife and a Gurkha dagger.

 

In Badham's version, the vampire tries to escape on a ship with Lucy and in the ensuing battle is impaled on a pulley and heaped on top of the ship's mast where he flailing burns to death in the noon sun. Lucy is now released from the spell of an undead existence ... it seems, before she longingly gazes at the Count's cape which suddenly frees itself and sails off into the infinite horizon - an ambivalent ending that was, of course, misinterpreted by many contemporaries with little imagination as a crude anticipation of a possible sequel. Badham's directors commentary on the DVD credibly interprets it as just that: a wink that may speak to millions of bored housewives (will he ever return?) or alternately as end of an era, which Williams' musical black ribbon, with a wonderfully enigmatic oboe solo, seems to lament in grand fashion.

 

The score indeed is one of the film's strongest pluses: having emerged in the creative heyday of the composer, 'Dracula' offers a furious neo-romantic spectacle with a highly memorable main theme that goes through a great number of juicy symphonic variations. It makes me think wistfully of years not long ago in which music was not just a background mood but a crucial operational element for the movie to work properly. And now we are all waiting for UPS's express delivery to not having to watch the movie anymore to enjoy the score's many gifts.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,537]

Nice, but...Whitby is not in Cornwall (just listen to Swales', Harker's, and Renfield's accents), Albert Whitlock did not design the film, and Gil Taylor died in August, 2013, which is a bit later than "shortly thereafter").

Mina is found at the bottom of a mine shaft, and not "in a mine shaft ".

I agree wholeheartedly with the last paragraph.

B -

 

[publicist 4,643]

I probably confused Taylor with the Superman guy, right? Albert Whitlock did the mattes, which is design to me. To me it's all Cornwall, the film was shot near Tintagel if i remember Mr. Badham right. You are not serious about the fucking mine shaft, are you...

[Naïve Old Fart 9,537]

You're right... I'm not serious about the fucking mine shaft.

SUPERMAN's cinematographer, Geoffrey Unsworth, died a couple of years after completing the film, and while he was shooting TESS. He was awarded a posthumous Oscar, for his work.

[publicist 4,643]

And rightly so, Tess is a delight (as is the score by Sarde). Taylor seemed so dead to me because after Dracula he kind of vanished - he did Star Wars, The Omen and and and, suddenly it was only 'Black Venom' with Klaus Kinski...what gives? 

[crocodile 8,017]

I finished my 7-film Bond run last night after a short break.

 

Finished On Her Majesty's Secret Service on Monday night and watched Diamonds Are Forever last night. The first one was very good and might as well be one of the finest films in the series. The latter was, well, enjoyable in parts, but baffling overall. I get this feeling Connery got really bored with the part and starting hamming it up after 3 films or so. He just doesn't give shit about anything which is what sort of ruins this film. I liked the score though.

 

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Quotes galore.

 

James Bond: Tiffany Case? Definitely distinctive.

Tiffany Case: I was born there, on the first floor, while my mother was looking for a wedding ring.

James Bond: Well, I'm glad for your sake it wasn't Van Cleef & Arpels.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,537]

1 hour ago, publicist said:

And rightly so, Tess is a delight (as is the score by Sarde). Taylor seemed so dead to me because after Dracula he kind of vanished - he did Star Wars, The Omen and and and, suddenly it was only 'Black Venom' with Klaus Kinski...what gives? 

He also shot the opening scene of DAMIEN: OMEN II, before he (and director Mike Hodges) was replaced. They both went on to make FLASH GORDON.

Ps, rumour has it that he shot some of TESB, before being replaced by Peter Suschitzky.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

One thing I never understood about the 1979 Dracula... how come Mina dies and Lucy becomes his object of fixation? Did they even watch the 1992 film?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I plan to watch a lot of horror films (Them, The Thing from Another World, Deadly Mantis, and The Beast from 20000 Fathoms) this weekend except Saturday when I will watch the Thunderbirds perform. Nothing like seeing an F-16 zoom overhead or watch an A-10 demonstrate its power on a mock iraqi convoy. And there will be an F-35 performing vertical and short take offs and landings. Supposedly there will be a P-51, P-47, and Spitfire performing in a legacy flight. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Mystic River

 

Okay, I guess. Gets a bit police procedural for my liking, but it makes up for it with all its operatic storytelling between the leads and the spouses. Clint likes his moral dilemmas in its finales it seems.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I liked it for Sean Penn's unintentionally funny performance

[Chen G. 3,949]

5 minutes ago, Norma's Corpse said:

Clint likes his moral dilemmas in its finales it seems.

 

I can't remember the film, but speaking generally of Clint Eastwood, I absolutely love his invisibility as a storyteller: he photographs even the most climactic beats in the most matter-of-fact way, and its really such a breath of fresh air compared with some of the showboating and/or freneticism that passes for coverage today.

[A24 4,338]

45 minutes ago, Norma's Corpse said:

operatic storytelling 

 

 

41 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

I absolutely love his invisibility as a storyteller

 

 

So what is it? Operatic or invisible?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

When you see Sean Penn screaming "IZ IT KATIE!?!?!?!??!" while being held back by about 35 cops and the camera swooping over, it seems operatic to me.

[A24 4,338]

Good point.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

28 minutes ago, Norma's Corpse said:

When you see Sean Penn screaming "IZ IT KATIE!?!?!?!??!" while being held back by about 35 cops and the camera swooping over, it seems operatic to me.

 

Hilarious!

[Chen G. 3,949]

1 hour ago, Alexcremers said:

So what is it? Operatic or invisible?

 

Didn't the notion that this film's operatic revolve around the acting? I was talking more the camerawork. Eastwood is very understated with the camera. The result being that when he does do a big swoop or a fierce close-up, it packs much more of a punch.

[Holko 9,527]

Howling II - Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985)

 

OK, I had to throw in some good trash somewhere. An uninspired Dracula remake with "vampire" replaced by "werewolf" crossed with a porn parody of The Howling. It's pretty terrible and stupid but there is some genuine sick enjoyment to be had with it.

[Sweeping Strings 2,363]

Is that the Seventh Doctor Mr Sylvester McCoy himself in your pic, Holko?

[Holko 9,527]

4 minutes ago, Sweeping Strings said:

Is that the Seventh Doctor Mr Sylvester McCoy himself in your pic, Holko?

Yep. He's trying hard to guard Renfield.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Ichabod and Mr Toad

 

Oliver Wallace's greatest score? I might say so.
And in case you aren't aware, this is one of my all-time favorite Disney things ever. Feature, short, special, whatever you want to call it.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

2 hours ago, kaseykockroach said:

Ichabod and Mr Toad

🎶 Ichabod...Ichabod Crane 🎶 

[Holko 9,527]

Re-Animator (1985)

 

Well that was stupid as shit but fun as hell.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

I wonder what that main title cue was temp-tracked with...

[Holko 9,527]

Psycho?

[John 2,032]

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

 

I liked it. A bit meandering at times, and some of the characters and their actions weren't particularly believable, but overall, I thought it was very good. The last half hour is pure movie magic.

 

**** out of *****

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

45 minutes ago, Holko said:

Psycho?

Hmmm....nah!

[SteveMc 2,674]

4 hours ago, John said:

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

 

I liked it. A bit meandering at times, and some of the characters and their actions weren't particularly believable, but overall, I thought it was very good. The last half hour is pure movie magic.

 

**** out of *****

In some respects, it has aged a bit.  In others, it is still rather fresh.  Not a movie you want to skip, at any rate.  

[John 2,032]

Very true. I’m glad I finally got around to watching it. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Eloise

 

Only watch if you really love Eliza Dushku. Otherwise it's a dud. Premise was done better in Grave Encounters.

 

 

Better Watch Out

 

This was good! A bit on the Home Alone rip-off side like The Babysitter. A bit self-aware like that McG flick too.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

2 hours ago, Norma's Corpse said:

Eloise

 

Only watch if you really love Eliza Dushku. Otherwise it's a dud. Premise was done better in Grave Encounters.

What if I love Bruce Broughton?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

You don't.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Oh....wrong Eloise. Oops.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

The Commuter

 

Yet another Schindler action thriller. Not bad but needed more Vera Farmiga!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The Grey is the only one of the Liam Neeson thrillers I thought was really good.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

His best thriller was TPM.

[Sweeping Strings 2,363]

2 hours ago, Norma's Corpse said:

The Commuter

 

Yet another Schindler action thriller. Not bad but needed more Vera Farmiga!

Was it just me, or did the punch-ups look like they'd been speeded-up a bit in the editing? 

Neeson's age might be starting to catch up with him when it comes to the action parts.   

[A24 4,338]

Unlike with some other typical Neeson action flicks, I couldn't finish The Commuter. It was watchable when everything was still hunky-dory. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Anyone else like the leather jacket he wears when he hires Stern? It has a certain panache. Lose the lapel pin and it's rather fantastic.

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

A leather jacket without a lapel?  What are you?  White trash?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The pin!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Just now, Horner's Dynamic Range said:

The pin!

 

My mistake!  What I get for speed reading.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Here I thought @Bilbo was the Nazi sympathizer! I don't know how you kiss your children at night, @Disco Stu.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I'm not following your joke logic

[Bilbo 3,709]

2 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

I'm not following your joke logic

 

My Luftwaffe planes I assume is where my Nazi sympathies lie I guess?

 

Full disclaimer: I fully detest the Nazis. I just think their airplanes were cool! 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Ohhhh I get it now.  I didn't even see the pin was a swastika.  So the logic is that I didn't like Justin wanting the pin gone, so I'm a secret Nazi.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

EDIT: Never mind

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Germans make nice jackets.