What DVD / Video did you watch last night? (pt3)

[Reno]

The original Australian version of Mad Max has long be the default and the US dub is now a mere curiosity which you would have to make an effort to get hold of.

The first film is quite different from the sequels, more of a Death Wish style revenge film with cars than a post-apocalyptic sci-fi flick.

 

[Nanker Phelge]

Always felt to me that Mad Max was more edge of civilisation than post apocalypse.....whereas Road Warrior is very much post apocalypse....and that something catastrophic happened between the two films that Max managed to survive.

I'd quite like to see Gibson do another....perhaps two maxs in one film...walking towards each other from opposite ends of the outback and set upon by whatever foe is plaguing the space at the time....and they never tell each other their name....it just two blokes thrown into turmoil....on a wild ride...the same...but different...

 

[DotCommunist]

the holocaust was clearly nuclear ennit? And pretty comprehensive an exhange too, we aren't talking a tactical nuke but a full on mass exange


I rewatched the last two eps of Stranger Things and it still had me on the edge of my seat.

 

[Beats & Pieces]

Once Upon A Time In America.

A beguiling and beautiful film, with fantastic performances from all involved. The soundtrack is equally stunning.

 

[DotCommunist]

also I thought I'd seen it but clearly hadn't cos I watched 'Went the Day Well' as I've heard good things. The tonal shift halfway through is dark as fuck. Cos the build up was soo gentle and slow then theres people getting bayonetted all over the shop and a particularly moving bit where a woman saves a roomful of kids from a grenade by grabbing it and jumping into a cupoard and slamming the door, boom. It was good though, ropey german accents aside. I let that off anyway cos I thought that this stealth brigade would be so thouroughly drilled in english they'd have little accent left. They made a point out of how the radio operater couldn't do an english accent. Well worth anyones time.

 

[belboid]

also I thought I'd seen it but clearly hadn't cos I watched 'Went the Day Well' as I've heard good things. The tonal shift halfway through is dark as fuck. Cos the build up was soo gentle and slow then theres people getting bayonetted all over the shop and a particularly moving bit where a woman saves a roomful of kids from a grenade by grabbing it and jumping into a cupoard and slamming the door, boom. It was good though, ropey german accents aside. I let that off anyway cos I thought that this stealth brigade would be so thouroughly drilled in english they'd have little accent left. They made a point out of how the radio operater couldn't do an english accent. Well worth anyones time.

gotta love a gun toting Thora Hird

 

[Nanker Phelge]

Just seen The National Health, a film directed by Jack Gold and scripted by Peter Nichols based upon his play.

It was so good. I expected the political satire and a criricism of health care etc, but hadn't bargained on the commentary on racism, peadophilia and homophobia....all while managing to keep the laughs flowing and the satire biting.

It was funny, sad and questioning in equals measures and the writing, acting and directing were all outstanding.

A great piece of work.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Just seen The National Health, a film directed by Jack Gold and scripted by Peter Nichols based upon his play.

It was so good. I expected the political satire and a criricism of health care etc, but hadn't bargained on the commentary on racism, peadophilia and homophobia....all while managing to keep the laughs flowing and the satire biting.

It was funny, sad and questioning in equals measures and the writing, acting and directing were all outstanding.

A great piece of work.

Right, that's going on the list

 

[redsquirrel]

Loved the music in High Rise as well. More films with Can please

And the Fall to close out with

 

[redsquirrel]

It's one of the rare cases where a remake is worth seeing. (Scarface, Philadelphia Story, maybe Cape Fear. Can't be many others).

I prefer Late Autumn to Late Spring, and while there not a patch on Rio Bravo (aren't many that are, of course), El Dorado and Rio Lobo are both enjoyable enough.

Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach, enjoyable enough 90 mins without being anything groundbreaking. The stuff about Perdition was quite interesting, and I was slightly disappointed that the Save the Children film wasn't mentioned.

 

[magneze]

Finished Spotless. Excellent series. Well worth the time.

 

[Reno]

I watched the pilot of The Get Down. Like all of Baz Lurman it looks and sounds dazzling, but dramatically it's a bag of tired cliches. I'll stick with it because I read it improves once Lurman takes a more hands-off approach.

 

[krtek a houby]

Once Upon A Time In America.

A beguiling and beautiful film, with fantastic performances from all involved. The soundtrack is equally stunning.

Apparetnly there was a truncated version released stateside, which had everything in chronological order.

Which sounds like butchery to me, as the whole thing is about time, memory, perception and the tricks the passage of time plays on one's memory.

 

[DotCommunist]

I never could work out the ambiguity of that ending. ^^^


I watched most of Astonishing X-men. Written by Jos Whedon of Buffy fame, some of the star wars references in the dialouge were a little forced. Odd animation style, lots of stills with only the mouth moving like it was ripped from the original art and given a rudimentary life plus vocals. Didn't mind though, it looked as good as was, 7/10

loses ponts for there being no xavier, no magneto and some cunts genocided genosha

 

[krtek a houby]

I never could work out the ambiguity of that ending. ^^^


I watched most of Astonishing X-men. Written by Jos Whedon of Buffy fame, some of the star wars references in the dialouge were a little forced. Odd animation style, lots of stills with only the mouth moving like it was ripped from the original art and given a rudimentary life plus vocals. Didn't mind though, it looked as good as was, 7/10

loses ponts for there being no xavier, no magneto and some cunts genocided genosha

Not being the smartest tool in the box, it did take me several viewings to work out the ending. And what actually happened! But the more I think about it, the more I think it's one of the best endings in film, ever.

Haven't seen the X Men animation but I do recall Genosha was genocided in Grant Morrison's run on the title.

 

[Beats & Pieces]

Apparetnly there was a truncated version released stateside, which had everything in chronological order.

Which sounds like butchery to me, as the whole thing is about time, memory, perception and the tricks the passage of time plays on one's memory.

This sounds right - I believe there was an edited version for the US market (139 minutes) and a longer European version (229 minutes) with a further version shown at Cannes in 2012 (255 minutes) - I'm not sure if this is available yet.

 

[Reno]

This sounds right - I believe there was an edited version for the US market (139 minutes) and a longer European version (229 minutes) with a further version shown at Cannes in 2012 (255 minutes) - I'm not sure if this is available yet.

The 2012 Cannes restauration is out on DVD/Blu-ray. I was intrigued to see it because it fills in some characters who get a short shrift even in the 229 minute version, especially Eve, Noodle's second girlfriend who gets shot at the start of the film. It's interesting but I also thought it dragged a little and they tampered with the colour grading, giving the whole film a nostalgic golden hue, which I wished they hadn't done.

There are rumours that a restoration is underway which restores the film to something like five or six hours, which was Leone's original intention. I'm good with the original international cut though.

 

[Beats & Pieces]

The 2012 Cannes restauration is out in DVD/Blu-ray. I was intrigued to see it because it fills in some characters who get a short shrift even in the 229 minute version, especially Eve, Noodle's second girlfriend who gets shot at the start of the film. It's interesting but I also thought it dragged a little and they tampered with the colour grading, giving the whole film a nostalgic golden hue, which I wished they hadn't done.

There are rumours that a restoration is underway which resores the film to something like five or six hours, which was Leone's original intention. I'm good with the original international cut though.

Is that the one involving Scorcese?

 

[Reno]

Is that the one involving Scorcese?

I've lost track of the many restaurations and versions of this film, maybe that's the one he is involved with.

 

[Reno]

Up to episode 4 of The Get Down and really enjoying it now.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

also I thought I'd seen it but clearly hadn't cos I watched 'Went the Day Well' as I've heard good things. The tonal shift halfway through is dark as fuck. Cos the build up was soo gentle and slow then theres people getting bayonetted all over the shop and a particularly moving bit where a woman saves a roomful of kids from a grenade by grabbing it and jumping into a cupoard and slamming the door, boom. It was good though, ropey german accents aside. I let that off anyway cos I thought that this stealth brigade would be so thouroughly drilled in english they'd have little accent left. They made a point out of how the radio operater couldn't do an english accent. Well worth anyones time.

I've got the box set of Ealing comedies but have never watched this one - will give it a go tonight.

ETA - when Thora Hird goes bad.

 

[inva]

also I thought I'd seen it but clearly hadn't cos I watched 'Went the Day Well' as I've heard good things. The tonal shift halfway through is dark as fuck. Cos the build up was soo gentle and slow then theres people getting bayonetted all over the shop and a particularly moving bit where a woman saves a roomful of kids from a grenade by grabbing it and jumping into a cupoard and slamming the door, boom. It was good though, ropey german accents aside. I let that off anyway cos I thought that this stealth brigade would be so thouroughly drilled in english they'd have little accent left. They made a point out of how the radio operater couldn't do an english accent. Well worth anyones time.

I've seen another great film by Alberto Cavalcanti who directed that called They Made Me a Fugitive. It's a bit different to Went the Day Well, it's more of a gangster/noir style set after WW2. Trevor Howard's in it. It's a really good film I thought, you'd probably like it.

 

[DotCommunist]

I've seen another great film by Alberto Cavalcanti who directed that called They Made Me a Fugitive. It's a bit different to Went the Day Well, it's more of a gangster/noir style set after WW2. Trevor Howard's in it. It's a really good film I thought, you'd probably like it.

cheers, I'll seek a d/l. I quite like a bit of noirish

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Just watched Passport to Pimlico, and next is Whisky Galore.

 

[krtek a houby]

Up to episode 4 of The Get Down and really enjoying it now.

Is it worth watching? I saw the reviews were a bit harsh.

 

[Idris2002]

Dog Day Afternoon.

Sidney Lumet 1975.

I love these old 70s movies about losers and loserdom. This one was based on a true story, a bank robbery gone wrong that turned into a hostage situation. The perpetrator in this one was a fellow who looked very like Al Pacino, and guess who they cast to play him in the movie? That's right, Mrs. Pacino's boy.

The tension was built and sustained very effectively, even if at times it was more like a filmed play than a movie. Also very sparing use of music. I don't think I'm giving anything away if I say that crime didn't pay in this one either.

My only problem with films of this sort is that they probably did help Reagan win in '80, though maybe the Great Middle American Backlash would have happened anyway.

I also watched a late Monty Python episode I'd never seen. Still funny after four decades.

 

[Reno]

Is it worth watching? I saw the reviews were a bit harsh.

It seems to be divisive, but overall it got more positive review than bad ones. Many reviewers only saw the pilot and the pilot doesn't really work. As it settles into a grove it becomes much better and I now think it has the potential to be great. It's one of he most expensive TV series ever made and it certainly looks and sounds lush.

Due to budged overruns and production problems Netflx has only released the first six episodes so far, with the rest to follow next year.

 

[inva]

My only problem with films of this sort is that they probably did help Reagan win in '80, though maybe the Great Middle American Backlash would have happened anyway.

what does that mean?

 

[Idris2002]

what does that mean?

The character Pacino plays was (and apparently this is true to the original real-life case) hoping to steal enough money to pay for his gay lover's sex-change operation. The average suburban gobshite would, I'm surmising, have watched this and starting hoping for "a rain to come and clean the scum off the streets", to quote Travis Bickle. And that's how -again, I'm surmising - Reagan was helped sweep to power in 1980.

 

[Reno]

Dog Day Afternoon.

Sidney Lumet 1975.

I love these old 70s movies about losers and loserdom. This one was based on a true story, a bank robbery gone wrong that turned into a hostage situation. The perpetrator in this one was a fellow who looked very like Al Pacino, and guess who they cast to play him in the movie? That's right, Mrs. Pacino's boy.

The tension was built and sustained very effectively, even if at times it was more like a filmed play than a movie. Also very sparing use of music. I don't think I'm giving anything away if I say that crime didn't pay in this one either.

My only problem with films of this sort is that they probably did help Reagan win in '80, though maybe the Great Middle American Backlash would have happened anyway.

I also watched a late Monty Python episode I'd never seen. Still funny after four decades.

I doubt most of Middle America went to see films like Dog Day Afternoon, so I don't think it had much influence on politics.

There was a good documentary about the real case a couple of years ago: The Dog (2013) - IMDb