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

RiP! A Remix Manifesto (2008). This was a fun trip back in time. I'm a bit surprised there was not a word about DJ culture, because both Girl Talk mashups and some of the music in Brazil were DJ-adjacent, at the very least. Still, a fun and balanced doc that must have seemed radical in its time but is actually very modest in its ask.
 
Rebel Ridge. Eh not bad, Good leads, solid story. Hinging it on the sheer fuckery of civil asset forfeiture was a good move. Could have been tighter. Liked our man making every gun he seized off a baddie safe and casting it aside to keep dong sick moves on the bastards instead.

a solid 7 out of ten
 
Finished I, Claudius. Magnificent and ott at the same time. Ripe for a remake?

Seasons 1 & 2 of Twin Peaks. Still have the love for it & now glued to season 3, which was worth waiting for (over 30 years!!!)

So far, the best (oldish) show we've enjoyed this year would be Watchmen.
 
I watched the Gary Oldman TTSS last week and my overwhelming view was what was the fucking point of that? The original Alec Guinness version is perfect - one of the very finest written/directed/acted/paced telly progs ever made. I know le Carré liked it, but it struck me as if the Lord of the Rings theatrical versions were condensed further to two hours each for the benefit of people who don't give a shit either way!? I now watch the original once a year.

krtek a houby said:
Finished I, Claudius. Magnificent and ott at the same time. Ripe for a remake?
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Nope. See above.
 
Nine Bob Note said:
I watched the Gary Oldman TTSS last week and my overwhelming view was what was the fucking point of that? The original Alec Guinness version is perfect - one of the very finest written/directed/acted/paced telly progs ever made. I know le Carré liked it, but it struck me as if the Lord of the Rings theatrical versions were condensed further to two hours each for the benefit of people who don't give a shit either way!? I now watch the original once a year.



Nope. See above.
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Such productions may still appeal to our generation but can't see many younger people sitting through either of them.

As much as I enjoyed I, Claudius - the acting is overly theatrical and audiences today might not relate to it.

Could only sit through a couple of the TTSS original. Might try again some day.
 
krtek a houby said:
Such productions may still appeal to our generation but can't see many younger people sitting through either of them.
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recon they might you know. The 70s was just at the edge of my childhood, as in things from the 70s were still being repeated on tele as I was growing up. People still go back to the b&w classics, and those are a generation or two removed. There is a difference in pacing thats stark but its like reading a book from BITD. You tune your ear in to the style.
 
DotCommunist said:
recon they might you know. The 70s was just at the edge of my childhood, as in things from the 70s were still being repeated on tele as I was growing up. People still go back to the b&w classics, and those are a generation or two removed. There is a difference in pacing thats stark but its like reading a book from BITD. You tune your ear in to the style.
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Which am all about, when it comes to older movies and shows. I'll sing the praises of Tarkovsky, and something like The Colour of Pomegranates and slow sci-fi classics like Sapphire and Steel but (ime - everyone has a different experience and take) generally I don't know anyone who would be interested in them.

Used to attend silent film showings with the live piano accompanying, and it was utterly heavenly. The best of cinematic experiences, but it would only be myself and the better half going. Couldn't interest anyone in it :(

Another reason why I feel I, Claudius is ready for a lick of paint is all the stuff left out of it. The campaign in Britain, Caratacus having more screen time than just the one minute he was afforded. Also, it's very bound to the television stage and we don't get any idea of the vastness and bustling of Rome save for some unconvincing crowd noises...

Still loved it but am not into the sacred cows idea that classics should never be remade. If a remake is a any good (see Shogun) it's a bonus. And if it isn't (don't see The Ladykillers) it will eventually be forgotten about.

Absolutely love the Gary Oldman version of George Smiley and could always see the appeal of Alec Guinness but at the time wasn't as gripped as had hoped.
 
Basket Case. Frank Henelotter’s 1982 directorial debut low budget horror-comedy about conjoined twins.

Fantastic. Far better and more fleshed than I was expecting, and other low budget films of the genre I have seen. I can see why it has achieved cult status over time.

I notice there are two sequels, both also directed by Henelotter. Are they worth a watch?
 
Scandal Sheet (1952) - deliriously cynical, quickfire, hardboiled, brilliantly grimy B movie which is not quite the heights of arty noir (and has a completely fucking stupid ending) but the first 50 minutes go like a bullet train. A sleazy tabloid editor (Broderick Crawford) is trapped in his own web of lies while trying to up the circulation of his sensationalistic newspaper by any means (un)necessary; his hotshot young protege (outrageously beautiful young John Derek) works the case to uncover the ugly truth. Full of great gags about the practice of "journalism" and what sells papers; also has wonderful character acting and fantastic scenes of genuine old skool New York sleaze (Bowery drunks, rabbit hutch apartments, cheerfully corrupt cops and medical examiners, filthy Lower East Side tenement living etc etc). Aim off for the standard rancid misogyny of the age but it's a hidden gem I think. Makes modern 'thrillers' and crimesploitation look like the softhearted marshmallow fluff they often are. Reading about it more - it's based on a Samuel Fuller novel called "The Dark Page", which makes perfect sense. Much much better than anticipated.
(saw it on Talking Pictures so may still be streaming, or repeated on there soon)
 
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Mirror

Semi autobiographical Tarkovsky tale from 1975. Set in the 30s, 40s and 70s, it's a dreamy meditation on life, family and memory. Reckon it influenced the likes of Lynch, Hideo Nakata, Martin Hannett, Simon Larbalestier... with it's sounscapes, sets and cinematography
 
trabuquera said:
Scandal Sheet (1952) - deliriously cynical, quickfire, hardboiled, brilliantly grimy B movie which is not quite the heights of arty noir (and has a completely fucking stupid ending) but the first 50 minutes go like a bullet train. A sleazy tabloid editor (Broderick Crawford) is trapped in his own web of lies while trying to up the circulation of his sensationalistic newspaper by any means (un)necessary; his hotshot young protege (outrageously beautiful young John Derek) works the case to uncover the ugly truth. Full of great gags about the practice of "journalism" and what sells papers; also has wonderful character acting and fantastic scenes of genuine old skool New York sleaze (Bowery drunks, rabbit hutch apartments, cheerfully corrupt cops and medical examiners, filthy Lower East Side tenement living etc etc). Aim off for the standard rancid misogyny of the age but it's a hidden gem I think. Makes modern 'thrillers' and crimesploitation look like the softhearted marshmallow fluff they often are. Reading about it more - it's based on a Samuel Fuller novel called "The Dark Page", which makes perfect sense. Much much better than anticipated.
(saw it on Talking Pictures so may still be streaming, or repeated on there soon)
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I watched it last week too. I found it fairly disappointing - less than the sum of its parts certainly - perhaps it’s more the director I have issue with as have not really enjoyed two of their other films.

Tonight I watched “I love trouble” which I have also recorded off talking pictures. This is a Chandleresque LA private eye investigating a rich man’s wife and turning over many rocks of intrigue. There are dangerous dames, bruiser heavies, and of course a fast talking wise cracking gumshoe and his even snappier receptionist; the action moves at a frenetic pace as characters come and go, there are double crosses and plot twists galore and plenty of comedy in amongst the serious business of cracking the case

A huge amount of fun with some great character performances.
 
Nine Bob Note said:
First episode of The Penguin 🐧 which was so fucking good, but it's only one a week FFS!
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Been looking forward to this for ages, haven’t got round to watching it yet. The Batman was one of my favourite Batman movies and I loved what they (and Colin Farrell) did with the Penguin. This is the spin off we need but don’t deserve.
 
I'll give it a go-villains like Kingpin and Penguin were always B-listers to me but vincent d'onofrio's Kingpin in Daredevil was incredible, looks like similar quality is here.
 
The Great Flamarion

1945 noir starring Eric Von Stroheim and Mary Beth Hughes. Anthony Mann directs the director in a grim tale of showbusiness, bullets and betrayal.

Von Stroheim does the haunted look pretty well.
 
Hovering over The Penguin, but why Colin Farrell? Weird casting/acting choice unless I’m missing some Penguin fan lore
 
Orang Utan said:
Hovering over The Penguin, but why Colin Farrell? Weird casting/acting choice unless I’m missing some Penguin fan lore
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It is completely random and weird, but it works wonderfully (as far as the performance goes). Just as Gary Oldman was a distinctively odd choice to play Churchill but he pulled it off magnificently.
 
Another Anthony Mann - this time his epic historically inaccurate, but absolutely huge and fantastic El Cid.

What spectacle! What sets and scenery! Why are Herbert Lom and others in brown face?

Controversial moments aside, imagine it's an influence on Game of Thrones, The Phantom Menace, Peter Jackson and the Pythons.

Would have loved to see this on the big screen.
 
Thelma

A 93 year old gets conned and goes out to get revenge (and her money back). Top stuff, with great performances from June Squib, Richard Roundtree & Malcolm McDowell

Wild Men

Norwegian thing from a couple of years ago, where a guy having a midlife crisis decides to go and live in the forest, but isn't very good at it. He meets up with another guy who has other reasons for hiding away and they go on a little adventure together. Frequently very funny, well worth a viewing (on prime, iirr)
 
DotCommunist said:
I'll give it a go-villains like Kingpin and Penguin were always B-listers to me but vincent d'onofrio's Kingpin in Daredevil was incredible, looks like similar quality is here.
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watched the first two and yes, I'll have that so long as it maintains the quality. Its grimy.
 
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