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15901


From: peckinpah20012000
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 0:25am
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- peckinpah20012000
> wrote:
>
>
> >
> > However, since Cineaste gave major uncritical
> > drooling coverage to
> > the late Pauline Kael, a notorious red-baiter as
> > seen in her
> > original review of SALT OF THE EARTH, whose prose
> > also contained
> > many nasty traits of character assassination (her
> > "bitchy" assault
> > on actress usan Clark being one example), the
> > credentials of
> > CINEASTE being a "left" journal are now open to
> > question.
> >
>
> Well they may be open to question but then so are your
> remarks on Kael. "Conservative," yes, scarcely a
> fire-breathing ideologue. Why do you think Warren
> Beatty got her the job at Paramount?Because he wanted
> her to push right-wing scripts?

I really had "fire-breathing ideologue" in terms of her original
diatribe against SALT OF THE EARTH. but right-wing leopards do not
change their spots so easily. Didn't Warren insert the line that
therere would never be a revolution in the USA so that he could
safely show REDS to Ron and Nancy in the White House?
>
>
>
>
> >
> > Also the lack of criticism against John
> > Schlesinger's move to the
> > right by working on advertizing commercials for Mrs
> > Thatcher (like
> > fellow right-winger Bryan Forbes) also needs some
> > questions.
> >
>
> How about a few brickbats at Jean-Luc Godard for his
> blue jean and soft drink commercials?
>
Spike Lee has done his commercials too. But has Jean-Luc ever done
political commercials for Le Pen who has more in common with
Thatcher than blue jeans and soft drinks?
>
>
> >
> > CINEASTE is not entirely free of blame in this
> > matter and should not
> > be flaunting supposedly "left" credentials which no
> > longer exist
> > should one compare the different approaches taken by
> > past and
> > present editorial boards.
> >
> Or its past editorial baords either.
>
> I trust you're acquainted with the humungous bone I
> had to pick with them over Oliver Stone and his
> noxious "JFK."
>
You have to jog my memory (and other members) so I can look the
reference up in hard copy or internet.

Tony Williams
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
15902


From: Maxime Renaudin
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 0:32am
Subject: Re: Cahiers index on-line
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "jpcoursodon"
wrote:
> --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Samuel Bréan
> > The POSITIF index (coinciding with the 500th issue) comes in
> handy, although
> > an index in an electronic form would have made more sense, IMO.
> >
> > Samuel.
> >
> > ___It IS available on-line, I'm told, although I have only used
it
> in book form.
> JPC

For Cahiers, you may try searching through http://www.bifi.fr
(then "Ciné-sources"). Collections of the BiFi, Bibliothèque du
film. I was quite successful with it more than once.

Detail contents of recent Positif issues (from 1996) are there
http://www.jeanmichelplace.com/fr/revues/
15903


From: Maxime Renaudin
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 0:38am
Subject: Re: Lino Brocka
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Noel Vera"
wrote:
> "Orapronobis" (Fight for Us, 1989) was his last really good
> political film, a condemnation of the Aquino administration that
> succeed the Marcos regime (it still hasn't been commercially shown
> in Manila), and I think ranks with his first-rate work. "Macho
> Dancer" is perhaps second tier but still tells its story well,
with
> Brocka's inimitable sense of urgency. Both can be rented from
Facets
> video.
>
> Could you possibly tell us where you got your copy?

Amazon merchant. There are currently a few copies available.
Copies also at half.com (for US and Canada residents only...)
15904


From: Richard Modiano
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 0:50am
Subject: Re: Re-post w. clear title: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Garrett" wrote:

"I'd vote for NIGHT AND FOG IN JAPAN, which is only available
sporadically on an unsubbed bootleg tape - not sure if it's
even letterboxed. I saw it years ago in 35mm and was blown
away - I'd love to revisit it and see if my reaction has
changed or not."

NIGHT AND FOG IN JAPAN/NIHON NO YORU TO KIRI is available in DVD
format from Panorama Entertainment letter-boxed and with sub-titles.
You can order it from http://www.pokerindustries.com. The film has an
interesting history. It was made in the wake of the AMPO riots (in
part the subject of the movie,)the cancellation of Eisenhower's trip
to Japan (which would have been the first visit by a sitting US
president,)and the assasination of Socialist Party Chairman Asanuma
Inejiro by a right wing fanatic on live television (three years
before Ruby shot Oswald.) Because of the latter event, Shochiku
shelved the film and Oshima quit the studio and formed his own
company. It would make a good double-bill with SARGENT RUTLEDGE.

Richard
15905


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 0:52am
Subject: Re: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
--- peckinpah20012000
wrote:

Didn't Warren insert
> the line that
> therere would never be a revolution in the USA so
> that he could
> safely show REDS to Ron and Nancy in the White
> House?

No.

He kowtows to no one. Or aren't you schooled in
American history?


> Spike Lee has done his commercials too. But has
> Jean-Luc ever done
> political commercials for Le Pen who has more in
> common with
> Thatcher than blue jeans and soft drinks?
> >

A whore is a whore is a whore.

> >
> You have to jog my memory (and other members) so I
> can look the
> reference up in hard copy or internet.
>

See Volume XIX, Nos. 2-3 the 25th Anniversary double
issue.




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15906


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 0:59am
Subject: Re: Sirk's last films
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- Matt Teichman wrote:
>
>
> >
> > I'd be thrilled to hear the thoughts of anyone else
> > who has seen them,
> > or more from Fred about how they diverge from Sirk's
> > previous work.
> >
> Actually I don't think they diverge quite as much as
> fred does. Obviously they're not
> Universal-International super-productions. But with
> modest means Sirk still deals with lighting, color and
> camera movement as the tools of his art. They're
> perfect for explaining to stuidents how atosphere can
> be created and characters delineated by means of pure
> mise en scene.

I particularly like the one whose title I forgot -- the Tennessee
Williams adaptation w. Fassbinder. I told Sirk that after seeing it I
would feel, whenever I saw Ordet, that Dreyer had seen Sirk's little
film, and had not entirely escaped its influence. He told me that was
the nicest compliment he ever received.
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
15907


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 1:00am
Subject: Re: Sirk's last films
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- Matt Teichman wrote:
>
>
> >
> > I'd be thrilled to hear the thoughts of anyone else
> > who has seen them,
> > or more from Fred about how they diverge from Sirk's
> > previous work.
> >
> Actually I don't think they diverge quite as much as
> fred does. Obviously they're not
> Universal-International super-productions. But with
> modest means Sirk still deals with lighting, color and
> camera movement as the tools of his art. They're
> perfect for explaining to stuidents how atosphere can
> be created and characters delineated by means of pure
> mise en scene.

PS - No, I don't have tapes, just the article I wrote after seeing
them in glorious 35mm at the PFA. Fred, if you saw them on tv, you
haven't seen them.
15908


From: Craig Keller
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 1:10am
Subject: Re: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
>> Spike Lee has done his commercials too. But has
>> Jean-Luc ever done
>> political commercials for Le Pen who has more in
>> common with
>> Thatcher than blue jeans and soft drinks?
>>>
>
> A whore is a whore is a whore.

Except when a whore isn't. Many directors make commercials, and have
since time immemorial, and furthermore a lot of this work is very
interesting -- the PlayStation2 commercials from 1999 or 2000 in Japan
by David Lynch are magnificent. I think one can strike a balance
between being a "whore" / a-stoolie-for-consumerism and feeding
commodity back unto itself with some really interesting broadcast work
-- especially when one considers that "TV movies" are only broadcast
between the main agenda of, and not overtly concurrent to the whims of,
their advertisers. Indeed, a serious filmmaker doing commercials is
one sound option for drumming up a little bit of buzz about him- or
herself, and maybe contributes to increasing prospects for funding on a
feature. And a lot of them can be pretty good. Just to describe the
Godard commercials (I didn't know he did a soft-drink one -- what's
that, David?), which by the way are from around '86 or '87'ish, and are
for Closed jeans by Marithe-Francois Girbaud, one in particular that
I've always thought was marvelous involves a woman (all shot in Godard
video), shadow across her face in a black room, muttering/whining "non
-- non -- non.. -- non...", over the intercutting of her face and the
form of a male interlocutor, and details from great paintings. The
final intercut, held on screen, is of a model bearing her cleavage and
an off-the-shoulders shirt, wearing presumably (or possibly not!)
Marithe-Francois Girbaud's Closed jeans, which are barely in the frame,
at which point the woman on the soundtrack says: "-- oui!" Overexposed
shot of the Girbaud logo on a placard, end. And that's the tamest of
the series.

craig.
15909


From: Nick Wrigley
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 2:29am
Subject: Hiroshi Teshigahara
 
Any Teshigahara/Kobo Abé nuts here? - I've been watching their four
collaborations again and would like to read more background info.

I've read Acquarello's notes:
http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/teshigahara.html

and Dan Harper:
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/teshigahara.html

Can anyone point me to some further writing? In cyberspace or printed
form?
Anyone here read Dore Ashton's "The Delicate Thread: Teshigahara's Life
in Art"?

Thanks,

-Nick>-
15910


From: rpporton55
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:29am
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "peckinpah20012000"
wrote:
> --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
> wrote:
> >
> > --- peckinpah20012000
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> > >
> > > However, since Cineaste gave major uncritical
> > > drooling coverage to
> > > the late Pauline Kael, a notorious red-baiter as
> > > seen in her
> > > original review of SALT OF THE EARTH, whose prose
> > > also contained
> > > many nasty traits of character assassination (her
> > > "bitchy" assault
> > > on actress usan Clark being one example), the
> > > credentials of
> > > CINEASTE being a "left" journal are now open to
> > > question.

> > > I really don't want to get into an interminable exchange about these pieces, but
sufffice it to say that I believe that Mr. Williams's comments are quite hyperbolic. I am not
a great fan of Pauline Kael and agree that her review of "Salt of the Earth" was disgraceful.
But one fawning interview (I didn't care for it myself) does not constitute a rightward turn.
In addition, we published a letter from Williams in which, if I recall, he compared Kael to
Nixon. This was so over-the-top that it verged on self-parody. Kael might have, especially
at the time of her Salt review, a Cold War liberal (perhaps akin to someone like Arthur
Schelsinger, who in the current climate seems almost radical). But, Nixonian? I don't think
so... As far as the (John) Schelesinger interview goes, it was devoted solely to discussion of
the anniversary re-release of Midnight Cowboy. So it's fine not to like Schlesinger or that
film. But to bring in Thatcher in conjunction with an interview devoted to one movie is a
bit much.
R. Porton
> >
>
15911


From: Noel Vera
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:56am
Subject: Re: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video
 
Do we mean ANY films? Because I think any of the films I mention
here:

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/a_film_by/message/15727

would really make any catalogue more unusual and complete. "Scorpio
Nights," properly marketed, could be a real seller; same
with "Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag" and most of the Brocka titles.
15912


From: Richard Modiano
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:01am
Subject: Re: Hiroshi Teshigahara
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Nick Wrigley wrote:

"Any Teshigahara/Kobo Abé nuts here? - I've been watching their
four collaborations again and would like to read more background
info."

There's some good stuff in "Eros Plus Massacre" by David Dresser.
The Ashton book covers his entire ouevre in all media. I like his
penultimate film RIKYU better than any of the Abe collaborations, and
his last film BASARA (also called GOHIME/PRINCESS GOH)is also really
good. He has an official website: http://teshigaharahiroshi.com/
which is also in English, and you may find links to information on
the collaborations with Abe there.

Richard
15913


From: rpporton55
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:16am
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
--- In a_fi
> Except when a whore isn't. Many directors make commercials, and have
> since time immemorial, and furthermore a lot of this work is very
> interesting -- the PlayStation2 commercials from 1999 or 2000 in Japan
> by David Lynch are magnificent.

And of course there's the intriguing example of Ken Loach, who made some commericials
for McDonald's and a few years later collaborated with a documentary filmmaker on a very
strong anti-McDonalds film.

R.. Porton
15914


From: J. Mabe
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:59am
Subject: Film Distributors
 
As long as we’re suggesting films for video release, does anyone have any suggestions for film distributors whose catalogues I should look through when trying to induce my school’s ‘Cinematic Arts Commission’ to screen some good films? Previous attempts have brought some Pialat, Brakhage, and assorted films that people on Frameworks would like... I‘ll wait till that discussion ends to name them. These are the companies I’ve already looked into: Filmmaker’s Co-op, Canyon Cinema, Gemini, Third World Newsreel, Swank (college movie distributor that handles most of the major studio films I would want... very surprised to see they have list-mentioned assumed-rarities like Stars in My Crown and Susan Slept Here, I assume in battered 35mm), New Yorker, Menemsha, Cinema Parallel, Wellspring, Kino, First Look, Vitagraph, Artistic License, Avatar, Classic Movies, Facets, First Run, Strand, Rialto, Zeitgeist, and as far as I can tell most of the distributors that have websites. Any other names
or contacts, or even some titles would be welcome.

Thanks,

Joshua Mabe

__________________________________________________
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15915


From: Fred Camper
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 5:08am
Subject: Re: Re: Sirk's last films
 
David Ehrenstein wrote:

>Actually I don't think they diverge quite as much as
>fred does...
>
Ah, but David, I pretty much agree with your description of their
merits. And therein lies my problem. Sirk's greatest films set up
perceptual paradoxes that resonate endlessly as if the viewer is caught
in a hall of mirrors, that point to themes such as blindness. What you
describe, and what I saw, is something a good deal blander, more
"generic" drama. I saw them only once; I could be very wrong.

Bill, I *said* in my earlier post that I saw them on film. Unlike almost
everyone else here, when I express an opinion of a film seen only on
video, I will qualify that opinion by saying I've only seen it on video.
I just did this with the Wendkos "Gidget" films.

Fred Camper
15916


From:
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:21am
Subject: Re: Hiroshi Teshigahara
 
Unfortunately, did not like "Woman in the Dunes" after a single viewing (on
videotape). But very much did enjoy his documentary about the Barcelona
architect Antonio Gaudi. This film is like a beautiful color dream.
Keep planning on seeing more.

Mike Grost
15917


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:44am
Subject: All the Ships at Sea
 
Well-received in 2 screenings at EZTV, where it all started, Dan's
film raised some coin for Kerry and sparked discussion of the note
that blows behind a trunk at the end: meaningless unfortunate
accident, or providential event (assuming that Evelyn -- or someone --
will find it when they install cable, after a much-deserved period of
self-accusation, just when it can catalyze change in her frustrated
existence)? Since all present were Kerry supporters, the idea that
life was meaningless was in the majority -- easy to understand after
post-convention happenings too well known to detail here. Blake
Lucas, who'll be joining a_film_by very shortly, said that it doesn't
matter that the note might be found, or that it was lost: God saw it.
15918


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:57pm
Subject: Delvaux (Was: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video: Erratum/addenda)
 
> Delvaux - The Man with the Shaved Head (his only good one that I know
> of)

Have you seen the wonderful RANDEZVOUS AT BRAY? I haven't managed to see
UN SOIR, UN TRAIN or BELLE, which have admirers. The later works do seem
to slack off a bit, though some are good. - Dan
15919


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:01pm
Subject: Re: Delvaux (Was: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video: Erratum/addenda)
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Dan Sallitt wrote:
> > Delvaux - The Man with the Shaved Head (his only good one that I
know
> > of)
>
> Have you seen the wonderful RANDEZVOUS AT BRAY? I haven't managed
to see
> UN SOIR, UN TRAIN or BELLE, which have admirers. The later works
do seem
> to slack off a bit, though some are good. - Dan

Haven't seen Bray. Un Soir, Un Tren and Belle both disappointed after
the Sallitian Homme au crane rase, but maybe I should resee. As I
recall, Death was a character in Un Soir. Both the post-Crane films
were in color.
15920


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:51pm
Subject: Re: All the Ships at Sea
 
This is an expanded excerpt from an e-mail I sent to Dan, who says
that the lost note is "melodrama as formal device," signifying that
the sisters aren't destined to get together.

< compared it to the necklace in Story of Spring (and Rohmer's
inspiration, the necklace in Pather Panchali), both of which are
revelations, and said its meaning was open to conjecture: an anti-
revelation.

One woman who is the head of the Poets League [?] told Strawn and me
that it made her feel the way she used to feel seeing Bergman films
and hasn't since he stopped making them: the way the film bears down
relentlessly on the characters, stripping away their pretenses, but
does it calmly.

It is very constructed, with all those frames within the frame,
squares and rectangles throughout the first half, then that green
patch in the middle: sitting on the lawn, walking thru the woods, at
the picnic. No blocky shapes in the bg -- but that's ironically when
Virginia bears down most cruelly on Evelyn. Then the ending, where
merging effects happen a bit -- leading sound with Strawn's voice and
the radio, the slow dissolve from a moving shot a la Morocco. The
mother's phrase could apply to the sisters' time together: "a failed
experiment."

Watching and listening to Strawn and Edith Meeks is like listening to
two great jazz soloists jamming, in perfect tune with each other
(although obviously they aren't making up the words). You feel for
Virginia when Evelyn abandons her for the second time, but can never
overlook her cruelty, which drives Evelyn away. Blake said the fact
that we are allowed to see something only God sees -- the note
blowing away -- just underlines the myopia of the two characters.

My comment after both screenings was "Woody Allen would cut off his
right arm to be able to make a film like this, but he doesn't have
the intelligence, the taste or the actresses." Many things dictated
the comparison, most obviously the music on the radio at the end.>>
15921


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:06pm
Subject: Re: All the Ships at Sea
 
An added thought that came to me after the screenings: All the Ships
reminds me a lot of Georgia, a film I like and wouldn't be surprised
to hear Dan liked too.
15922


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:23pm
Subject: Another good Film Critic Turned (Good?) Filmmaker
 
E-mail from a friend of the auteur. I haven't seen it myself, but I
found considerable nourishment in MCM's piece on Suspicion in Boxed
In. Sounds like his found his own "Johnnie":

Patriot Act, The Film Conceived and Performed by Mark Crispin Miller

Mark Crispin Miller has filmed his performance
piece Patriot Act. The piece is a sort of terrifying and hard-hitting
exposé of the Bush/Cheney theocratic mission--and a fervent
celebration of Jeffersonian democracy. Mark's clear analysis of the
religious influence in Bush circles and the many (not always obvious)
Bush contradictions is unlike anything I've read. It's one hell of a
show. Mark would love to set up screenings throughout the country
especially in swing states before November 2, and abroad. First
staged at the New York Theatre Workshop, the theatre said it has
never gotten such a powerful response to anything it's done.

Go to http://www.patriotnation.us, and order as desired. You can
reach the executive producer through this web site to set up larger
events.
15923


From: mediafun2001
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:24pm
Subject: Re: Russ Meyer dies
 
The autobio (which is like three yellow pages, hardbound) I think is
called "A Clean Breast." The "Breast of...." movie project (which
was announced by some wag--prob Russ himself--as the Meyer "Berlin
Alexanderplatz," running over 10 hours) was never completed, and I
have the feeling that it was never really shot. He kept announcing
it all through the '80s and '90s, and some oddball scenes showed up
in the last patchwork release called "Pandora Peaks" (an assemblage
of footage of that scary big-breasted lass, stuff of Russ and WWII
buddy returning to Germany, and '70s/'80s looking footage that were
visually striking, stunningly edited, but that related to nothing in
particular). It'll be interesting to see what items surface from
the "vaults" of RM Films in the years to come.

Ed

--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666"
wrote:
> --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "mediafun2001"

> wrote:
>
> Did he ever finish "Russ Meyer's Breast"?
15924


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:50pm
Subject: Re: Re: All the Ships at Sea
 
--- hotlove666 wrote:

> An added thought that came to me after the
> screenings: All the Ships
> reminds me a lot of Georgia, a film I like and
> wouldn't be surprised
> to hear Dan liked too.
>
>

Hey, I like it too.

Todd Haynes went to college with Jennifer Jason Lee --
who remains a friend of his. He loved "Georgia" but
the critics came down on her so hard for it that it
really put the frighteners on her -- which is a damned
shame. I love the scene in the hospital where the
nurse can't find a vein and she does it herself.

In college, by the way, she was known as Jennifer
Badyi
after her stepfather Reyza Badyi -- the Iranian-born
director who carved out a career for himself on TV.
(She was never very close to her father, Vic Morrow)

When he came to this country, the very first job Badyi
snagged was as the assistant director of a low-budget
horror film being shot in Lawrence Kansas with a few
days location work at the abandoned Saltair Pavilion
on Salt Lake City, Utah.

I am speaking of course of the great "Carnival of
Souls."



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15925


From: peckinpah20012000
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:25pm
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "rpporton55"
wrote:
> --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "peckinpah20012000"

> wrote:
> > --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein

> > wrote:
> > >
> > > --- peckinpah20012000
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > However, since Cineaste gave major uncritical
> > > > drooling coverage to
> > > > the late Pauline Kael, a notorious red-baiter as
> > > > seen in her
> > > > original review of SALT OF THE EARTH, whose prose
> > > > also contained
> > > > many nasty traits of character assassination (her
> > > > "bitchy" assault
> > > > on actress usan Clark being one example), the
> > > I am not
> a great fan of Pauline Kael and agree that her review of "Salt of
the Earth" was disgraceful.
> But one fawning interview (I didn't care for it myself) does not
constitute a rightward turn.
> In addition, we published a letter from Williams in which, if I
recall, he compared Kael to
> Nixon. This was so over-the-top that it verged on self-parody.
Kael might have, especially
>> R. Porton
> > >
Key points - but in a journal which has recently been holding
Buhle and Wagner to account for standards of scholarly accuracy, I
see a contradiction in publicizing an already-publicized critic
whose CITIZEN KANE book is certainly questionable.

Tony Williams


> >
15926


From: peckinpah20012000
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:31pm
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- peckinpah20012000
> wrote:
>
> Didn't Warren insert
> > the line that
> > therere would never be a revolution in the USA so
> > that he could
> > safely show REDS to Ron and Nancy in the White
> > House?
>
> No.
>
> He kowtows to no one. Or aren't you schooled in
> American history?
>
>
> > Spike Lee has done his commercials too. But has
> > Jean-Luc ever done
> > political commercials for Le Pen who has more in
> > common with
> > Thatcher than blue jeans and soft drinks?
> > >
>
> A whore is a whore is a whore.
>
> > >
> > You have to jog my memory (and other members) so I
> > can look the
> > reference up in hard copy or internet.
> >
>
> See Volume XIX, Nos. 2-3 the 25th Anniversary double
> issue.
>
> Thanks again, David.

But can you seriously compare Warren to those blacklisted vitims
of the HUAC era who lost their jobs (and often their lives). It is
easy to be kow-tow to nobody if you are in a strong economic
position. But, if the chips were down.....?

I also have many problems with Stone as demonstrated in my "Oliver
Stone - Less than Meets the Eye" article in cineACTION 23 (1990-
1991) which brought down on me the wrath of Robin Wood when I
questioned whether "chipmunk guy"'s Ron Kovic would actually make a
speech condemning patriarchy at the Democratic National Convention
at the end of the film.

Tony Williams
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage!
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15927


From: Adrian Martin
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:27pm
Subject: re: Delvaux
 
Cinephilic Initiation: at the age of 15 I forced my mother to take me to an
Adult Education Camp - sounds a bit sinister, but it's an institution here
in Australia - which had a special film component: I spent the week watching
several times 16mm prints of Renoir's GOLDEN COACH and Delvaux's RENDEZVOUS
AT BRAY among other films: what an introduction to cinema!!! The painting
students at the camp also had to produce images inspired by RENDEZVOUS. This
marvellous film has Anna Karina in it, so many excellent nudes resulted ...

BELLE is also pretty remarkable. Immortal moment: when the
literature-professor intellectual-hero, in the midst of a total
between-reality-and-fantasy breakdown, is approached by a nervous but
evangelical young student after a lecture that has been picketed by
radicals: the kid offers him a copy of a book that will lead him out of the
old-fashioned lit-crit darkness - it's by Roland Barthes !!!

Delvaux used to be a big cheese in the mid 60s to early 70s: CAHIERS and
others always used to cite him in that bracket with PERSONA, Skolimowski,
Bertolucci, THE BIG MOUTH, etc !!!! Another unfairly forgotten figure
outside his home country.

Adrian
15928


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:47pm
Subject: Re: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
 
--- peckinpah20012000
wrote:


>
> But can you seriously compare Warren to those
> blacklisted vitims
> of the HUAC era who lost their jobs (and often their
> lives). It is
> easy to be kow-tow to nobody if you are in a strong
> economic
> position. But, if the chips were down.....?
>

Of course not. Warren has led an exceedingly charmed
life -- as every sentient being knows. However there's
another side -- one that Peter Biskind who claims he's
going to write a book about him -- has no access to
whatsoever. That's the serious political side.

VERY serious.

To make a long story short, Warren "turned" Bobby
Kennedy. The rich brat who began his career as and
aide to Joe Fucking McCarthy was rather a different
person after the death of his brother and his tangles
with J. Edgar Closet Queen. But the last act of
Bobby's career -- when he suddenly noticed and
empathized with people not of his class or race(ie.
became a Liberal), was accomplished under Warren's
guidance.

That's why "Bulworth" (Warren's greatest film and the
greatest political film ever made in this country) is
a "mourning work." It's a "there but for the grace of"
with Warren taking the bullet that felled Bobby.

He even crumples to the ground in the same position.

When Abraham Polonsky won the Los Angeles Film
Critics' Career Achievement Award it was the same year
that Warren won for the screenplay of "Bulworth."
Abe mounted the podium and said "Well, was it worth
it? Was it worth it getting the shit you're going to
get for giving this award to me? Because on the the
other side of town and other film group is giving an
award TO A RAT!!!!!"

Warren laughed and applauded. Sure Kazan gave him his
debut role -- is debut STARRING role (No one has ever
had anything like that.) But he knew Kazan.

And he knew Abe too.

Warren is a mystery wrapped in an enigma -- and he
plans to stay that way.

You can find out everything you need to know about him
in "Shampoo," "Reds," and "Bulworth" -- and "McCabe
and Mrs.Miller" too.

He locked horns with Altman over that one. Altman goes
to the edges of life where Warren aims for the center.
But it's the real deal you're loking at when he tromps
about muttering "Money and pain -- pain!"






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15929


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:53pm
Subject: Re: All the Ships at Sea
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:

>
> When he came to this country, the very first job Badyi
> snagged was as the assistant director of a low-budget
> horror film being shot in Lawrence Kansas with a few
> days location work at the abandoned Saltair Pavilion
> on Salt Lake City, Utah.
>
> I am speaking of course of the great "Carnival of
> Souls."
>
I finally rented oit recently and turned it of after 30 minutes -- it
was TOO SCARY!
15930


From: hotlove666
Date: Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:58pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
Adrian's post reminded me: Skolimowski. Which of these are/aren't
available?

Ryopsis
Walkover
Le Depart
Deep End


...all good!
15931


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 0:10am
Subject: Re: Re: All the Ships at Sea
 
--- hotlove666 wrote:


> >
> I finally rented oit recently and turned it of after
> 30 minutes -- it
> was TOO SCARY!
>
>
Isn't it the greatest? I love it!



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Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
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15932


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 0:11am
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
And don't forget "The Adventures of Gerard"!

--- hotlove666 wrote:

> Adrian's post reminded me: Skolimowski. Which of
> these are/aren't
> available?
>
> Ryopsis
> Walkover
> Le Depart
> Deep End
>
>
> ...all good!
>
>





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15933


From: hotlove666
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 0:29am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
> And don't forget "The Adventures of Gerard"!
>
> --- hotlove666 wrote:
>
> > Adrian's post reminded me: Skolimowski. Which of
> > these are/aren't
> > available?
> >
> > Ryopsis
> > Walkover
> > Le Depart
> > Deep End
> >
> >
> > ...all good!

Habelove take note: a major director who is barely distributed. Co-
scripting Knife in the Water is the least of his achievments. And the
films are fun -- they aren't dire demonstrations or nattering
negativism. He's a born filmmaker, and he shares that exhilaration
with the audience. Just look at Moonlighting, the only major JS film
that's available here, to see how powerful (and political) that kind
of filmmaking can be!
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
15934


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 0:47am
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- hotlove666 wrote:

>
> Habelove take note: a major director who is barely
> distributed. Co-
> scripting Knife in the Water is the least of his
> achievments. And the
> films are fun -- they aren't dire demonstrations or
> nattering
> negativism. He's a born filmmaker, and he shares
> that exhilaration
> with the audience. Just look at Moonlighting, the
> only major JS film
> that's available here, to see how powerful (and
> political) that kind
> of filmmaking can be!
> > >


And he lives right here in L.A.

http://ehrensteinland.com/htmls/g011/jerzyskolimowski.html




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15935


From: hotlove666
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 1:08am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
wrote:


And for the Not Well Know Noir Collection, Seth Holt's Nowhere to Run
(sic?)

And The incomparably sleazy (but artful, and with Carol Baker)
Station Six Sahara

...if it isn't already out there....
15936


From: Gabe Klinger
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:14am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
Habelove (or anyone else):

What is the situation with Allen Baron's BLAST OF SILENCE?
This one's ripe for a new DVD transfer.

Gabe
15937


From: Gabe Klinger
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:16am
Subject: Viennale Young Critics
 
In case our younger list members missed this:



Viennale Fosters Young Critics
Call for Young Film Critics to Attend the Festival

For the first time the Vienna International Film Festival -
VIENNALE
will host a talent project for emerging film critics. With the
support of
FIPRESCI, two young film critics will be invited to the festival.

Under the supervision of Dana Linssen, editor-in-chief of the
Dutch
film magazine "De Filmkrant", the young writers will produce
seven dailies
- to be published, from October 20 to 28, 2004, online on the
websites
of VIENNALE (www.viennale.at) and FIPRESCI
(www.fipresci.org).

The young critics are invited to attend the festival from October 19
to
28. The VIENNALE will take care of their costs for
accommodation during
the project period.

Young film critics who are interested in participating must have
already some professional experience and a place to publish,
but should not
yet have a particular international experience nor festival
experience.
Age: not over 30. Fluent English (in speaking and writing) is
necessary.

Interested young critics are asked to submit the following
documents to
Eva Baumgardinger at VIENNALE PRESS (press at viennale dot
at):

- biography
- three film reviews or texts on cinema

All material must arrive in English language, as email with an
attached
file (preferably in pdf format). The deadline for applications is
September 30, 2004.

Contact:
Viennale
Eva Baumgardinger
T +43 (1) 526 5947 33
press at viennale dot at

Best regards
VIENNALE / FIPRESCI
15938


From: thebradstevens
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:56am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
"And for the Not Well Know Noir Collection"

How about Irving Lerner's MURDER BY CONTRACT (a Martin Scorsese
favorite) - everyone I've introduced this film to has fallen in love
with it.

Cyril Endfield's THE UNDERWORLD STORY is another remarkably cynical
noir that deserves to be better known.
15939


From: Robert Keser
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 7:35pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
Some United Artists films that are highly worthy (but probably
considered by marketing executives as lacking commercial hooks) are:

THE PROWLER
HE RAN ALL THE WAY
PARK ROW [!!!!]
99 RIVER STREET
THE KILLER IS LOOSE
STRANGER ON HORSEBACK
MEN IN WAR
TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN
LONELYHEARTS
CHINA DOLL
DAY OF THE OUTLAW
A COLD WIND IN AUGUST
THE BEST MAN
GIRL WITH THE GREEN EYES
PLAY DIRTY
INVITATION TO A GUNFIGHTER
THE LANDLORD

Applying the same reasoning (they won't license films that look
valuable to them), worthy Columbia pictures would be:

SHOCKPROOF (Fuller *and* Sirk!)
LUST FOR GOLD
THE UNDERCOVER MAN (absolutely first-rate)
THE FIRST LEGION
M
MAN IN THE SADDLE
NIGHTFALL
THE CRIMSONN KIMONO
THE PUMPKIN EATER
MICKEY ONE

How about a double DVD of ANNA LUCASTA, the white cast (Paulette
Goddard) and the black cast (Eartha Kitt)?

Or MY SISTER EILEEN, comedy (Alexander Hall, 1942) and musical
(Quine, 1955) on the flip side?

Or CRAIG'S WIFE (Roz Russell) and HARRIET CRAIG (Crawford)?

How about a triple bill of Ann Miller programmer musicals? REVEILLE
WITH BEVERLY, HEY ROOKIE! (wherein she set the world record of 550
taps/minute), and TIME OUT FOR RHYTHM (costarring The Three Stooges
and Rudy Vallee)?

From Republic: the wonderful COME NEXT SPRING.

From MGM: the lovely pastoral SEQUOIA is much sought-after by "gray
market" collectors (I've seen it for fifty dollars).

From Paramount: MY SON JOHN! (lots of room for inexpensive extras to
explain its peculiar form and comment on its politics, dramatics,
performers, etc.)

From Paramount (or probably Warners now): Jeanne Eagels in THE
LETTER costs a hundred bucks for a dim bootleg.

How about an anti-commie box (I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI, I
MARRIED A COMMUNIST, and THE RED MENACE, plus maybe a couple
episodes of "I Led Three Lives")? That would involve Warners, RKO,
Republic, and TV.

--Robert Keser
15940


From: hotlove666
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:00pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Keser"
wrote:


An energetic yes to Robert's suggestions and overall approach --
packages and collections are good. The only one mentioned
which I believe I've seen on VHS is Nightfall.

There's another amazing anti-Communist film called The Whip
Hand, directed by William Cameron Menzies in 1951 for RKO
and as worthy of distribution (almost) as Invaders from Mars,
made by WCM 2 years later. Joe Dante says Robert Clarke has
an usnold pilot he produced for a cross between I Led Three
Lives and I Love Lucy, where his wife is a double agent for the
FBI, that is mind-boggling.

Note also that My Sister Eileen was Blake Edwards' screen
adaptation of the play, dir. by Quine.

A great double bill I've always dreamed of seeing on a marquee
-- and why not on a DVD box? -- Stage Door and L'age d'Or...
15941


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:22pm
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- Robert Keser wrote:


> THE PROWLER

Good earlyLosey, but rather overpraised,IMO,
especially as compared to THE BIG NIGHt, his first
masterpiece

> HE RAN ALL THE WAY
Great John Berry and the last of John Garfield. ou can
see that he;s dying all the way thorugh the film.

> PARK ROW [!!!!]
Fun!!!

> 99 RIVER STREET
Key Phil Karlson

> THE KILLER IS LOOSE
Good early Boetticher, very influential on ealry
Godard.


> TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN
Sheriff with a harpoon

> LONELYHEARTS
Half-asssed adaptation of West, but Monty's good.

> CHINA DOLL
"Well G'bye Miss Doll. Sure hope they don't hang ya!"

> DAY OF THE OUTLAW
Key DeToth

> A COLD WIND IN AUGUST
Key Lola Albright. Scott Marlowe never made it. A sad
case.

> THE BEST MAN
Great fun. Lee Tracy's valedictory. And Vidal (still
quite cute atthe time) does a turn. Got lost in the
shuffle of its era.


> PLAY DIRTY
Fabulous late DeToth


> THE LANDLORD
A great film. Diana Sands' last -- and she goes out on
a high note. Pearl Bailey's scene with Lee Grant is a
stunner. Jeeez but Ashby was good!


> SHOCKPROOF (Fuller *and* Sirk!)
and Richard hamilton

> LUST FOR GOLD
Ida Lupino's reallygreat in this one

> THE UNDERCOVER MAN (absolutely first-rate)
Josh H.Lewis

> THE FIRST LEGION
More sirk. Quite obscure.

> M
The Losey remake?

> NIGHTFALL
Fabulous Tourneur

> THE CRIMSONN KIMONO
Key Fuller.

> THE PUMPKIN EATER
Key Mrs. Brooks

> MICKEY ONE
Warren does Lenny. With great support by Alexandra
Stewart, Hurd Hatfield and Lorenz Hart's brother
Teddy.

> How about a double DVD of ANNA LUCASTA, the white
> cast (Paulette
> Goddard) and the black cast (Eartha Kitt)?
>
Why Not?

> Or MY SISTER EILEEN, comedy (Alexander Hall, 1942)
> and musical
> (Quine, 1955) on the flip side?
>
Sure

> Or CRAIG'S WIFE (Roz Russell) and HARRIET CRAIG
> (Crawford)?
>
Roz wins.

> How about a triple bill of Ann Miller programmer
> musicals? REVEILLE
> WITH BEVERLY, HEY ROOKIE! (wherein she set the world
> record of 550
> taps/minute), and TIME OUT FOR RHYTHM (costarring
> The Three Stooges
> and Rudy Vallee)?
>
ANN MILLER IS A GODDESS!!!!!


> From Paramount: MY SON JOHN! (lots of room for
> inexpensive extras to
> explain its peculiar form and comment on its
> politics, dramatics,
> performers, etc.)
>
And that ain't the half of it!

> From Paramount (or probably Warners now): Jeanne
> Eagels in THE
> LETTER costs a hundred bucks for a dim bootleg.
>
> How about an anti-commie box (I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR
> THE FBI, I
> MARRIED A COMMUNIST, and THE RED MENACE, plus maybe
> a couple
> episodes of "I Led Three Lives")? That would involve
> Warners, RKO,
> Republic, and TV.
>
Don't forget INVASION U.S.A. !





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15942


From: Robert Keser
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:38pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666"
wrote:
>
> There's another amazing anti-Communist film called The Whip
> Hand, directed by William Cameron Menzies in 1951 for RKO
> and as worthy of distribution (almost) as Invaders from Mars

The Whip Hand is a fascinating case because it started life as a
script about Adolph Hitler living as a fugitive in the Wisconsin
woods [!], but by the time they got around to making the film the
commies were the menace du jour, so the plot was changed to
bolsheviks in the woodpile.

Incidentally, I forgot to mention silent films: desperately needed
are clean DVDs of the marvelous FORBIDDEN PARADISE, the equally
marvelous UNDERWORLD, and the great BEGGARS OF LIFE (Wellman's best
film, hands down, plus Louise Brooks at her peak).

--Robert Keser
15943


From:
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:56pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
Thunderbolt (Sternberg, 1929) - an important lost classic of film!
I loved "Park Row" (Samuel Fuller) too, when seen decades ago. And "Crimson
Kimono" (seen fairly recently).
"99 River Street" is interesting, but liked "Kansas City Confidential"
better, among the Phil Karlson's. And is "The Phenix City Story" available?
Have never had a chance to see "The Undercover Man', "So Dark the Night",
among Joseph H. Lewis works. Years ago saw "My Name is Julia Ross", but it too is
in distribution limbo.

Mike Grost
PS: Scott Marlowe was good on "The Outer Limits" TV show, now all available
on DVD -ss the Gerd Oswald episodes, "It Crawled Out of the Woodwork" and "The
Forms of Things Unknopwn".
And saw that Season 1 of "Sledge Hammer" is now on DVD - a funny Dirty Harry
spoof, at its best. (This might be a rent, rather than a buy!).
The other tough cop TV spoof, "Hard Knocks" (1987), was also good.
15944


From: Robert Keser
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:57pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- Robert Keser wrote:



> > THE KILLER IS LOOSE
> Good early Boetticher, very influential on ealry
> Godard.

Not only Joseph Cotten and the (apparently) immortal Rhonda Fleming
(frying an egg in real time), but also a shockingly creepy Wendell
Corey as a serial killer, all directed with masterful economy.
>
>
> > TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN
> Sheriff with a harpoon

We need much more Joseph Lewis!

> > LONELYHEARTS
> Half-asssed adaptation of West, but Monty's good.

Agreed, but Myrna Loy is also excellent (though Robert Ryan sneers a
bit too much).

> > SHOCKPROOF (Fuller *and* Sirk!)
> and Richard hamilton

...and a great use of L.A.'s Bradbury building for a suicide jump.

> > M
> The Losey remake?

Yes. I've never seen it. That's why we need a DVD!

> > THE PUMPKIN EATER
> Key Mrs. Brooks

One of my all-time favorite anti-PC lines: when serial mom Anne
Bancroft announces that she's pregnant yet again, rather than
extending congratulations, her own mother snaps, "How could you be
so thoughtless?!"

> > MICKEY ONE
> Warren does Lenny. With great support by Alexandra
> Stewart, Hurd Hatfield and Lorenz Hart's brother
> Teddy.

Hah! I didn't know that was Lorenz's brother!

> > How about a triple bill of Ann Miller programmer
> > musicals? REVEILLE WITH BEVERLY, HEY ROOKIE! (wherein she set
> > the world record of 550 taps/minute), and TIME OUT FOR
> > RHYTHM (costarring The Three Stooges and Rudy Vallee)?

> > > ANN MILLER IS A GODDESS!!!!!

Not only that, but the Stooges are going to be ready for their close-
up next year if the Farrellys' biopic flies.

> >
> > How about an anti-commie box (I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR
> > THE FBI, I MARRIED A COMMUNIST, and THE RED MENACE,
> > plus maybe a couple episodes of "I Led Three Lives")?

> Don't forget INVASION U.S.A. !

That one's already out on DVD, including a very funny interview with
Dan Herlihy where he claims he made the movie, at his agent's
urging, only days after first arriving in Hollywood, and with no
idea whatsoever about the movie's political agenda!

--Robert Keser
15945


From: hotlove666
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:34pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, MG4273@a... wrote:
>
> on DVD -ss the Gerd Oswald episodes, "It Crawled Out of the
Woodwork" and "The
> Forms of Things Unknopwn".

Don't miss Do Not Open Till Doomsday (parody of Great
Expectations with Miriam Hopkins as Miss H.) and The Strange
One (parody of Bigger Than Life, w. Martian who looks just like
Chems Mason).
15946


From: hotlove666
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:39pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Keser"
wrote:
Fleming also gets WET in Killer Is Loose. Corey (in drag) is not a
serial killer -- even more interesting, he's the first Boetticher
avenger, leading in to Seven Men made just after. Cotten killed
Corey's wife by mistake when busting him, and Corey busts out
to get revenge. The Seven men thing seems a pure coincidence,
because BB was handed that script by Wayne, but it still makes
a fascinating intro to the Ranown series, mostly built on
vengeance.

Since Seven men is coming out on DVD already, the other great
Columbia Ranown not out on DVD is Buchanan Rides Alone, a
frontier Ubu Roi that BB and BK made up on the set -- ideal
matchup w. Ride Lonesome and Comanche Station.
15947


From: Robert Keser
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:16pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666"
wrote:

> Fleming also gets WET in Killer Is Loose.

Hmmn. The frying of the egg was distracting me (her technique looked
somewhat more practiced than Dirk Bogarde's in ACCIDENT). There's
also a great scene for Virginia Christine, long before her Folger's
Coffee Lady days.

>Corey (in drag) is not a serial killer

Well, he does kill several people one after another, but I guess
that doesn't necessarily make him a serial killer (just a
psychopath!)

> -- even more interesting, he's the first Boetticher
> avenger, leading in to Seven Men made just after.

Indeed. Hadn't thought of it that way, let alone...

> Buchanan Rides Alone, a frontier Ubu Roi.

--Robert Keser
15948


From: Richard Modiano
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:45pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Keser" wrote:

"TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN
Sheriff with a harpoon

We need much more Joseph Lewis!"

We certainly do, but TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN is already on DVD from
MGM and available as a cheap sell-through. To the folks that
patronize habelove's Cinefile it's there on the shelf under L for
Lewis.

Richard
15949


From: samfilms2003
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 0:06am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
> > HE RAN ALL THE WAY
> Great John Berry and the last of John Garfield. You can
> see that he;s dying all the way thorugh the film.

I wasn't all that taken with this film in most respects BUT
James Wong Howe's work on this film is extraordinary,
all these expressionist planes of light in the backgrounds etc.

(But I thought it was on DVD ? - I saw it in 35mm at the John Berry
tribute @ Telluride) If not it should be, a film I've recomended to
aspiring DP's etc

-Sam
15950


From: hotlove666
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 1:22am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD ERRATUM
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666"
>
> Don't miss Do Not Open Till Doomsday (parody of Great
> Expectations with Miriam Hopkins as Miss H.) and The Strange
> One (parody of Bigger Than Life, w. Martian who looks just like
> Chems Mason).

The SPECIAL One (parody of Bigger Than Life, w. Martian who looks
just like Chems MESSON.)
15951


From:
Date: Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:10pm
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
In a message dated 9/24/04 3:25:48 PM, cellar47@y... writes:


> > Or CRAIG'S WIFE (Roz Russell) and HARRIET CRAIG
> > (Crawford)?
> >
> Roz wins.
>

Oh hells no (esp. next to Crawford's Female on the Beach, touched by God and
available for auteurist context)! But Roz does walk off with The Women.

Kevin John


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
15952


From: Noel Vera
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:47am
Subject: 9-Hour Ebolusyon screened in Toronto
 
Belated post, here:

http://journals.aol.com/noelbotevera/MyJournalOrThingtoDoWhenTheresNo
/entries/552
15953


From:
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 3:20am
Subject: Re: 9-Hour Ebolusyon screened in Toronto
 
So Noel, I'm confused. Did you see this in Toronto? If so, what did you
think? (Actually, I was hoping to forget this film ever existed since my chances of
seeing it in the next decade seem slim. But curiosity got the best of me.)

Kevin John


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
15954


From: hotlove666
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:23am
Subject: Hero and Sky Captain
 
Emerging to see two films, I hit two white elephants. (Hard to
believe the director of Happy Times made Hero.) Of the two, Sky
Captain is by far the more interesting. I'd recommend it to believers
in the primacy of the visual -- there's nothing else to look at --
and as the accomplished and ambitious debut of a talented filmmaker.
By definition the most designed movie ever made, it puts the 30s,
here and in Germany, into the computer and comes up with several nice
scenes. NY is delightful; Nepal less so; Olivier's cameo, a letdown.
In any case, it's indispensable viewing for fans of sci-fi
illustrations from the 20s and 30s, of which I am one. Speaking of
sci-fi illustrators, I see Susan Emshwiller has made a sci-fi film,
debuting at the Silver Lake Festival. I wonder what that is...
15955


From: hotlove666
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:26am
Subject: Adventures of Iron Pussy
 
Has anyone seen it? Tarantino was on line ahead of us at the Arclight
tonight (where the Silverlake Festival has taken over the top floor).
I wish I'd followed him -- I assume that's what he was there for.
It's playing again Monday. Any comments? Anyone?
15956


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 1:14pm
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- LiLiPUT1@a... wrote:

>
> Oh hells no (esp. next to Crawford's Female on the
> Beach, touched by God and
> available for auteurist context)! But Roz does walk
> off with The Women.
>
>
and "His Girl Friday" and "Auntie Mame" -- the polar
opposite of "Mommie Dearest."

I prefer Crawford in "Flamingo Road."



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15957


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 1:50pm
Subject: Francoise Sagan est Mort
 
As interesting a cinematic figure as she was a
literary one.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/25/books/25sagan.html

Adieu Tristesse,

David Ehrenstein








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15958


From: hotlove666
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:43pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- LiLiPUT1@a... wrote:
>
> >
> > Oh hells no (esp. next to Crawford's Female on the
> > Beach, touched by God and
> > available for auteurist context)! But Roz does walk
> > off with The Women.
> >
> >
> and "His Girl Friday" and "Auntie Mame" -- the polar
> opposite of "Mommie Dearest."

And Roughly Speaking. We must never forget Roughly Speaking.
15959


From: Robert Keser
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:38pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
LiLiPUT1@a... wrote:

> > Crawford's Female on the Beach, touched by God and
> > available for auteurist context)!
>
David Ehrenstein wrote:

> I prefer Crawford in "Flamingo Road."

But QUEEN BEE rules, especially when she "goes Citizen Kane" and
uses her riding crop to thrash and destroy the contents of an entire
bedroom! Now, that's mise-en-scène!

--Robert Keser
15960


From:
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:45pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
I'd give a tooth for a DVD of Lang's House By the River.

Brent
15961


From: cairnsdavid1967
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:46pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
> We need much more Joseph Lewis!"

have long thought it bizarre that possibly his most available film is
THE INVISIBLE GHOST. It's a preposterous film, but JHL directs the
shit out of it! worth a look.

JULIA ROSS realy should be out there if it's not, that's my
favourite. BIG COMBO is awesome though, UNDERCOVER MAN very good, GUN
CRAZY is of course terrific.

He seems to be trying his hardest in INVIS GHOST - with material this
goofy, a director HAS to put in the work.
15962


From: Robert Keser
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 5:17pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "cairnsdavid1967"
wrote:
> > We need much more Joseph Lewis!"
>
> have long thought it bizarre that possibly his most available film
> is THE INVISIBLE GHOST. It's a preposterous film, but JHL directs
> the shit out of it! worth a look.
>
> JULIA ROSS realy should be out there if it's not, that's my
> favourite. BIG COMBO is awesome though, UNDERCOVER MAN very good,
>GUN CRAZY is of course terrific.


JULIA ROSS is *not* available on DVD, but would make a nice package
with my favorite, THE UNDERCOVER MAN, and/or THE HALLIDAY BRAND:
Joseph Cotten as Ward Bond's son?! Viveca Lindfors as Jay C.
Flippen's daughter? Plus plenty of Lewis intensity.

There's also a fifty-nine minute German documentary (in English)
called "As Simple As That: Joseph H. Lewis in Hollywood" from 1987,
apparently with much interview footage. Has anyone seen this? Get
the rights to this doc (how expensive could it be?), then add a
couple of Lewis episodes from "The Big Valley", and you have a
Joseph H. Lewis box.

Mike Grost, of course, has an excellent page on Lewis titles too:
http://members.aol.com/MG4273/lewis.htm

--Robert Keser
15963


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:19pm
Subject: Re: Re: Keaton (Was: Strictly silent)
 
>>>My favorite short: The High Sign.
>>I love that too. It's underrated compared to the more celebrated
> COPS
>>and ONE WEEK, which are probbaly the greatest achievements of
>>Keaton's short film career. THE GOAT is rather good too.

> THE HIGH SIGN is a tremendous short, Keaton's first as a star of his
> own BK Productions (Comique Film)and already thoroughly personal. I
> never believed Rudi Blesh's anecdote that Keaton considered the film
> a failure and was confirmed in that opinion by the fact that
> Arbuckle found it funny. Blesh just wrote "It is not a good picture"
> but doesn't say why, except that the production "scrimped on costs".
> It is a dazzling and completely original debut.

I too think THE HIGH SIGN is just great, but I can see why it's
devalued: it's still in the wiseguy mode of the Arbuckle shorts, and not
yet in the more open, reactive mode that Keaton was about to settle
into. But the level of inspiration is dazzling.

I think I'd put THE PLAYHOUSE and ONE WEEK at the top of the pile, with
THE HIGH SIGN, THE BOAT, and THE GOAT right after. - Dan
15964


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:25pm
Subject: Lookin' to Get Out (Was: Licensing From Studios)
 
> in terms of "fallen through the cracks" studio movies,
> thanks to "boutique" companies Lorimar stands out for
> two titles that I've always prized: "Second-Hand
> Hearts" and "Mike's Murder."

While we're talking about Ashby and re-releases: the one such project I
most root for a revival of is Ashby's LOOKIN' TO GET OUT, which was
reedited rather severely by Lorimar, amid rumors that the cocaine-addled
Ashby could no longer function in the editing room. I once had the
opportunity to see Ashby's cut of the film, and I've never seen such a
difference in quality between a director's and a studio's cut. And
there wasn't even anything obvious removed from the story: it was just a
matter of rhythm and balance, which is really all that that modest
project had going for it. If Ashby had a cocaine problem, I don't think
it was interfering with his artistic judgment.

Anyway, Mike Kaplan, who has befriended a lot of good, struggling
directors over the years, was the one who showed that cut, in a failed
attempt to generate some interest in it. He'd be the person to start
with if anyone wanted to look into the case. - Dan
15965


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:33pm
Subject: Re: HOT TIMES - (Re: Suggested films habelove can distribute...)
 
> I guess HOT TIMES must have had a US video release at one point,
> since an American friend recently sent me a copy of it. It was
> released in the UK by Intervision back in the early days of video as
> HOT TIMES, then reissued as THE ADVENTURES OF ARCHIE (though this
> title appeared only on the packaging), then again as HOT TIMES by a
> budget-price label.

I always heard that the alternate title was A HARD DAY FOR ARCHIE. - Dan
15966


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:38pm
Subject: Re: Re: Cahiers index
 
> Cahiers used to published "tables des matières" trough a separate
> issue. Issues included film/directors/critics/thematics indices.
> I've got 3 issues covering '55 to '68 (#51-#100,#101-#159,#169-#199).
> Do you need any specific reference?

Thanks, Maxime, but I needed to browse through an index. I can buy some
old issue if I want, but as I can't read French very well, I'm trying to
be selective....

If any Cahiers experts would like to name a few of the articles in that
magazine that were most important to them, the information would be much
appreciated. I'm especially involved with the early writers: Bazin,
Ayfre, Truffaut, Rohmer. - Dan

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
15967


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:42pm
Subject: Re: Re: Cahiers index on-line
 
> For Cahiers, you may try searching through http://www.bifi.fr
> (then "Ciné-sources"). Collections of the BiFi, Bibliothèque du
> film. I was quite successful with it more than once.

Thanks, Maxime! This is a very valuable resource. - Dan

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
15968


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:45pm
Subject: Re: Re: All the Ships at Sea
 
> An added thought that came to me after the screenings: All the Ships
> reminds me a lot of Georgia, a film I like and wouldn't be surprised
> to hear Dan liked too.

Oddly enough, I'm not that wild about the film, though I see the
resemblance to my own project. I used to think that Jennifer Jason Leigh
hung the moon - this film and MRS. PARKER made me feel that she had moved
into a new, less appealing period. - Dan
15969


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:56pm
Subject: Buchanan Rides Alone (Was: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD)
 
> Since Seven men is coming out on DVD already, the other great
> Columbia Ranown not out on DVD is Buchanan Rides Alone, a
> frontier Ubu Roi that BB and BK made up on the set -- ideal
> matchup w. Ride Lonesome and Comanche Station.

Is that a Kennedy script? It's my favorite of the Boetticher-Scott cycle
(with THE TALL T a close second), and I always wondered if that meant I
wasn't as much of a Kennedy fan as I should be. He's not credited, right?
- Dan
15970


From: Kevin Lee
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:17pm
Subject: Re: Hero and Sky Captain
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666" wrote:
> Emerging to see two films, I hit two white elephants. (Hard to
> believe the director of Happy Times made Hero.)

Are you implying that HAPPY TIMES is a "termite" film (or did you have Farber
in mind at all?). I'll grant you that it is a lot more intimate and small-scale that
HERO, but there are plenty of small films (think Sundance) with white
elephant sensibilities (just as it's conceivable to create a termite epic).

HAPPY TIMES is easily my least favorite Zhang Yimou film -- so ideologically
muddled that Zhang shot two endings with mutually contradictory endings.

Kevin
15971


From: hotlove666
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:46pm
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "cairnsdavid1967"
wrote:
> He seems to be trying his hardest in INVIS GHOST - with material
this
> goofy, a director HAS to put in the work.

Shots from inside fireplaces, etc., right?
15972


From: hotlove666
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:52pm
Subject: Re: Buchanan Rides Alone (Was: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD)
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Dan Sallitt wrote:

Is that a Kennedy script? It's my favorite of the Boetticher-Scott
cycle
> (with THE TALL T a close second), and I always wondered if that
meant I
> wasn't as much of a Kennedy fan as I should be. He's not credited,
right?
> - Dan

Yes to all. Budd had a script by the credited writer that he didn't
like; he called in Kennedy, and they rewrote while shooting -- "mad
it up on the set" is how Budd always put it.

BTW, as Blake knows, Kennedy finished a short film about the horse
who was the only survivor of Bull Run before his death: Comanche, I
think. Budd said it was terrific; Blake says so too.
15973


From: hotlove666
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:53pm
Subject: Re: Hero and Sky Captain
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Kevin Lee"
wrote:

Huh! I thought it was subversive, not muddled. And perverse.
Termitic...I dunno.
15974


From: jpcoursodon
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:00pm
Subject: Re: Francoise Sagan est Mort
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
> As interesting a cinematic figure as she was a
> literary one.
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/25/books/25sagan.html
>
> Adieu Tristesse,
>
> David Ehrenstein
>
>
> It's "morte" David, not "mort". FS was feminine.
>
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard.
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
15975


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:44pm
Subject: Re: Re: Francoise Sagan est Mort
 
--- jpcoursodon wrote:


> >
> >
> > It's "morte" David, not "mort". FS was feminine.
> >
> >
> >
>

My bad.




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15976


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:46pm
Subject: Re: Lookin' to Get Out (Was: Licensing From Studios)
 
--- Dan Sallitt wrote:


>
> Anyway, Mike Kaplan, who has befriended a lot of
> good, struggling
> directors over the years, was the one who showed
> that cut, in a failed
> attempt to generate some interest in it. He'd be
> the person to start
> with if anyone wanted to look into the case. - Dan
>
>

I've seen that cut too. It's quite a lovely little
film.



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15977


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:46pm
Subject: Re: HOT TIMES - (Re: Suggested films habelove can distribute...)
 
--- Dan Sallitt wrote:


>
> I always heard that the alternate title was A HARD
> DAY FOR ARCHIE. - Dan
>
Actually that was the original title.



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15978


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:51pm
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- hotlove666 wrote:


> Shots from inside fireplaces, etc., right?
>
>

Billy Wilder called that "The Santa Claus shot."



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15979


From: Brian Darr
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 9:19pm
Subject: Re: Adventures of Iron Pussy
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666"
wrote:
> Has anyone seen it? Tarantino was on line ahead of us at the
Arclight
> tonight (where the Silverlake Festival has taken over the top
floor).
> I wish I'd followed him -- I assume that's what he was there for.
> It's playing again Monday. Any comments? Anyone?

Here's what I wrote about ADVENTURE OF IRON PUSSY in post #10003:

I saw it in San Francisco (where, incidentally, Apichatpong
Weerasethakul will have a residency this fall thanks to the Yerba
Buena Center for the Arts), and I can see how fans of the beautiful
BLISSFULLY YOURS might reject the film, but I do think it fits in
with his other works- especially other video pieces like HAUNTED
HOUSES that try to democratize the tradition of Thai melodrama. (Not
unlike the way MYSTERIOUS OBJECT AT NOON democratizes the process of
filming stories). HAUNTED HOUSES is constructed by "ordinary" Thais
re-enacting scenes from well-known soap operas. I-SAN SPECIAL (not
directed by Apichatpong, but inspired by his concept) uses a similar
device, but utilizes a radio soap opera soundtrack instead of the
actors' own voices.

In ADVENTURE OF IRON PUSSY, on the other hand, Apichatpong hired
veteran actors to dub all the film's dialogue in post-production,
creating humorous incongruities that match the absurdity of seeing
comedian Michael Shaowanasai act the title role in "ladyboy" mode. As
a result, the film is not just another installment in Shaowanasai's
"Iron Pussy" series, but a sort of hearkening back to the days when
Thai films were distributed in silent 16mm prints and local performers
in each city would act the dialogue and play the music along with the
images each night. Not so different from the "benshi" of the Japanese
silent era, except that in Thailand this remained the convention up
until the 1960's!

-Brian Darr
15980


From: thebradstevens
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:24pm
Subject: Re: Lookin' to Get Out (Was: Licensing From Studios)
 
Charles Eastman told me that he had recently been contacted by
someone who was researching a major biography of Ashby. Anyone else
heard anything about this?

Charles has a tape of an alternate cut of SECOND-HAND HEARTS, though
I'm not sure if this is an actual director's cut.
15981


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:44pm
Subject: Re: Re: Lookin' to Get Out (Was: Licensing From Studios)
 
Haven't heard but it sounds fascinating. How does this
cut of "The Hampster of Happiness" differ from
"Second-Hand Hearts"?

Remember now "The longer you wait the beautifuler it
gets."

--- thebradstevens wrote:

> Charles Eastman told me that he had recently been
> contacted by
> someone who was researching a major biography of
> Ashby. Anyone else
> heard anything about this?
>
> Charles has a tape of an alternate cut of
> SECOND-HAND HEARTS, though
> I'm not sure if this is an actual director's cut.
>
>




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15982


From:
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:57pm
Subject: Re: Re: Lookin' to Get Out (Was: Licensing From Studios)
 
A major biography of Ashby is surely long, long overdue.

I've gotten the idea from various articles over the years that the majority
of Ashby's films after "Being There" were re-cut in one way or another. Is
this accurate to say? I like a number of these '80s films (particularly "The
Slugger's Wife" and "8 Million Ways to Die"), but can imagine them being the
equal of his '70s work if director's cuts were available. That certainly sounds
like the case with "Lookin' to Get Out."

Additionally, the IMDB indicates that there are two TV projects Ashby made
AFTER "8 Million Ways": a TV pilot called "Beverly Hills Buntz" and a TV movie
called "Jake's Journey." Any of our resident Ashby fans seen these?

Peter
15983


From:
Date: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:01pm
Subject: Re: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
 
Thank you for the Wendkos recommendations, Fred and Mike.

Fred, I definitely spotted the Wellesian influence you write of in "The
Mephisto Waltz," which is easily the best of the Wendkos movies and TV movies I've
seen to date. Interestingly, Wendkos and Welles actually worked together
once: Welles narrated Wendkos' TV movie, "A Woman Called Moses"! It might be
interesting to interview Wendkos about their collaboration (if there even was
any). I have the suspicion Welles may have viewed the project as just another
paycheck, but who knows.

Peter
15984


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 2:34am
Subject: Ashby (Was: Lookin' to Get Out)
 
> I've gotten the idea from various articles over the years that the majority
> of Ashby's films after "Being There" were re-cut in one way or another. Is
> this accurate to say? I like a number of these '80s films (particularly "The
> Slugger's Wife" and "8 Million Ways to Die"), but can imagine them being the
> equal of his '70s work if director's cuts were available. That certainly sounds
> like the case with "Lookin' to Get Out."

In the case of 8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE, there never was a director's cut:
Ashby was let go before the editing stage. I don't remember if there
was recutting on THE SLUGGER'S WIFE. SECOND-HAND HEARTS was a troubled
production, as I recall: no one much seemed to like it, and I think
there was a lot of post-production scrambling.

> Additionally, the IMDB indicates that there are two TV projects Ashby made
> AFTER "8 Million Ways": a TV pilot called "Beverly Hills Buntz" and a TV movie
> called "Jake's Journey." Any of our resident Ashby fans seen these?

Not me. I remember "Buntz," but I didn't even know about "Jake." - Dan
15985


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 4:15am
Subject: Head in the Clouds
 
John Duigan's HEAD IN THE CLOUDS took me back to the good old days of
auteurism. Here's a movie with a poor script, terribly phony sets and
lighting, a very bad lead performance from Charlize Theron, and only
intermittent visual interest. And yet it's kind of a good film. I'm
pretty sure that most of y'all won't feel the same way about it as I do.
Nonetheless, it's of interest only to specialists and unthinking
audiences, as the man said.

The trick? I dunno, it's subtle. It has something to do with using
acting and rhythm to put exhibitionistic writing and acting in context,
so it seems less like self-satisfied showing off and more like something
being observed. As the film went on, nice moments piled up, mostly a
matter of substituting soft rhythms for punchy climaxes and transitions.
Duigan may have had poor material, but he wasn't forced to pump
everything up, so that diminuendo effects remained possible to the end.

Hanging out on this list, my preconceptions about auteurism have mostly
gone up in smoke. But I'm clinging to the idea that auteurism is a
matter of looking for the secret film behind the obvious one: looking
for the film created by rhythm and behavior and perspective, not the one
that you could put down on paper or make a trailer about. HEAD IN THE
CLOUDS is a great test case, because the obvious film is so obviously
unworthy of attention.

Here's a quick overview of the reviews:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/head_in_the_clouds/

- Dan
15986


From: Noel Vera
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 5:12am
Subject: Re: 9-Hour Ebolusyon screened in Toronto
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, LiLiPUT1@a... wrote:
> So Noel, I'm confused. Did you see this in Toronto? If so, what did
you
> think?

No (monetary diet), but I'm trying to move heaven and hell to get a
chance to see it.

I did see his 5-hour Batang West Side and thought it was terrific.
Moving, thoughtful, funny, tragic, everything you can ask for in a
movie.
15987


From: Fred Camper
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 5:32am
Subject: Re: Head in the Clouds & auteurism
 
Dan Sallitt wrote:

>John Duigan's HEAD IN THE CLOUDS ....
>
Thanks for the tip; I'll try to see it.

> .... Nonetheless, it's of interest only to specialists and unthinking
>audiences, as the man said....
>
Do you know of examples of statements like this? I ask because I once
saw a quote from the New York Herald Tribune review of Fritz Lang's
"Journey to the Lost City" (a single-film version of his two Indian
films) that was so hilarious I still remember it, though some New Yorker
with access to the paper on microfilm (perhaps the 42nd street library
has it on microfilm) could do me (us?) a great favor by copying the
whole review (I'd love to see it). The quote I remember, doubtless
imperfectly:

"...of interest mainly to connoisseurs of esoteric cinematic techniques
and children under 12."

Fred Camper
15988


From: Fred Camper
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 6:05am
Subject: Re: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
 
ptonguette@a... wrote:

>Thank you for the Wendkos recommendations, Fred and Mike.
>
>Fred, I definitely spotted the Wellesian influence ....
>
"The Burglar," which I'll see again in a few days (and perhaps post on),
begins with an explicit Welles homage (a newsreel given no other
context) right at the beginning of his career, and I believe Sarrris
accurately fingers him as Wellesian too.

Someone should do a real Wendkos interview on Wendkos. Can he tell the
difference between the great things and the dreck?

Fred Camper
15989


From: Noel Vera
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 6:35am
Subject: Mario O'Hara's Woman of the Breakwater goes to Vancouver
 
http://journals.aol.com/noelbotevera/MyJournal/entries/553
15990


From: jess_l_amortell
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 7:46am
Subject: Re: Head in the Clouds & auteurism
 
> I once
> saw a quote from the New York Herald Tribune review of Fritz Lang's
> "Journey to the Lost City" (a single-film version of his two Indian
> films) that was so hilarious I still remember it, though some New Yorker =

> with access to the paper on microfilm (perhaps the 42nd street library
> has it on microfilm) could do me (us?) a great favor by copying the
> whole review (I'd love to see it). The quote I remember, doubtless
> imperfectly:
>
> "...of interest mainly to connoisseurs of esoteric cinematic techniques
> and children under 12."
>
> Fred Camper


It appears that you remember it almost perfectly, but it was Eugene Archer =
in the New York Times!

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nytimes/99899948.html?did=99899948&FMT=ABS&FMTS=
=AI&date=Dec+8%2C+1960&author=EUGENE+ARCHER.&desc=Two+Films+in+One

>Two Films in One
>EUGENE ARCHER.. New York Times
>(1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Dec
>8, 1960. pg. 43, 1 pgs
>Article
>types:  reviewISSN/ISBN:  03624331Text
>Word Count  521

>First Paragraph
>"JOURNEY TO THE LOST City" should have
>genuine appeal for children under 12
>years and for the most esoteric
>connoisseurs of cinematic technique.
>Viewing the new import yesterday at its
>neighborhood theatre opening, a more
>reasonable majority of filmgoers found
>it merely ridiculous.
>Click to purchase complete document:


But it might have found its way into the international edition of the Trib =
sold by Jean Seberg on the Champs-Elysees...
15991


From:
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 4:42am
Subject: Re: Hero and Sky Captain
 
Just saw this film, too:
"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (Kerry Conran, 2004).
Some comments, mainly on its cultural context:
1) Writer-Director Kerry Conran is from Flint, Michigan. This is a big year
for Michigan filmmakers.
2) The heroine's name, Polly Perkins, is from the comic strip "Polly and her
Pals" (1912-1935) by Cliff Sterrett. This is a non-science fiction strip about
daily life in the US. It has remarkably stylized art.
3) When Dexter uses a compass to draw on maps, he recalls such Fritz Lang
films as M (1931) and The Indian Tomb (1959). The whole movie can be seen as
inspired by Metropolis. One virtually expects a credit, "Ein Fritz Lang Film".
4) When Jude Law wears the collar of his full length coat up in the early
scenes, he is using a figure of style associated "Secret Agent X-9", the 1934
comic strip with art by Alex Raymond. Raymond was the most influential figure on
comic book artists, and this gesture with the coat is endlessly echoed by the
heroes of early comic books. Two years later, Raymond would create the most
famous and most imitated of all science fiction comic strips, Flash Gordon.
5) The plot about vast machines being used to invade and loot New York City
directly reflects some important early comic book stories. Throughout 1936,
writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster did a similar serial for their
"Federal Men" series in New Comics (which soon changed its name to Adventure Comics).
One chapter was called "Assault on Washington" - the machines were used to
attack Washington DC. This is one of the most exciting and gripping of all early
comic book stories. More details on Federal Men can be found on my web site
article at:
http://members.aol.com/MG4273/federal.htm

Two years later, Siegel and Shuster's creation "Superman" would change comic
books from a minor curiosity to a major industry.
Siegel is one of the major figures in 20th Century culture. His comic book
scripts, which stretch from the 1930's to the 1960's, are extraordinarily
imaginative. Despite this, most people today do not actually read them. Big
mistake...
4) There were other comic book stories with a similar plot. One of the best
is the early Hawkman tale, "The Globe Conquerer" (1940), which deals with an
attack on New York City, as in the movie. This has story by Gardner Fox, and art
by Dennis Neville. More info on it in my Hawkman article at:
http://members.aol.com/MG4273/ghawkman.htm

The remarkably glamorous art (Hawkman and his girlfriend spend the first half
of the story in evening clothes at a New York soiree) is strongly influenced
by Alex Raymond (who else?)
Writer Gardner Fox is also a major figure in comic book history. He later
wrote some inventive tales about remote control robots running amok, as part of
his Adam Strange series (1958-1964). See:
http://members.aol.com/MG4273/strange.htm

5) The obsession with radio and remote control in the first half of the movie
runs throughout Siegel's early comic book scripts. Radio was the last word in
high tech in the 1930's.
6) Bill Krohn's evaluation: "NY is delightful; Nepal less so; Olivier's
cameo, a letdown".
I whole-heartedly agree.
Another way of putting this: the first half of the movie, set in New York
City is fascinating, the rest of the film, in Nepal and beyond, is routine.
7) The miltarism in this work is discouraging. Did the hero have to be a
mercenary (?!). Must all problems be resolved by violence? Haven't we had enough
of war?????
By the way, Siegel's heroes stood for peace. The first Superman story is one
of the great pacifist tales in modern culture (Superman goes after a munitions
manufacturer, and shows the harm his product causes). This tale was
paradigmatic for a great flood of pacifist social commetary in early comic books. We
need movies that speak up for brains, peace and non-violence today!

Mike Grost
15992


From: cairnsdavid1967
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 10:57am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
> I'd give a tooth for a DVD of Lang's House By the River.

It's a weirdie!

Louis Hayward's performance injects a camp side not to be found in
most Lang, and the artificiality of the settings goes beyond anything
in US Lang - probably for budgetary reasons, but the effect is
striking.

Hayward was kind of terrific - he's good fun in AND THEN THERE WERE
NONE, and gives a very clever double perf in Whale's THE MAN IN THE
IRON MASK - playing the evil brother with his voice an octave higher
than the good one.
15993


From: cairnsdavid1967
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 11:04am
Subject: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
> > He seems to be trying his hardest in INVIS GHOST - with material
> this
> > goofy, a director HAS to put in the work.
>
> Shots from inside fireplaces, etc., right?

Also a smothering scene filmed from the point of view of the VICTIM,
and various clever little camera moves. Lugosi's performance is
tremendous fun, completely crazy (as is the plot, clearly written in
one sitting). Lugosi actually discovers underplaying here - and at
the worst possible moment.

Once more, hooray for Clarence Muse, the film's other class act.
15994


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:01pm
Subject: Sarris and Archer (Was: Head in the Clouds & auteurism)
 
>>John Duigan's HEAD IN THE CLOUDS ....
>
> Thanks for the tip; I'll try to see it.

I have a feeling the tip won't be good for anyone else but me!

>>.... Nonetheless, it's of interest only to specialists and unthinking
>>audiences, as the man said....
>
> Do you know of examples of statements like this? I ask because I once
> saw a quote from the New York Herald Tribune review of Fritz Lang's
> "Journey to the Lost City" (a single-film version of his two Indian
> films) that was so hilarious I still remember it, though some New Yorker
> with access to the paper on microfilm (perhaps the 42nd street library
> has it on microfilm) could do me (us?) a great favor by copying the
> whole review (I'd love to see it). The quote I remember, doubtless
> imperfectly:
>
> "...of interest mainly to connoisseurs of esoteric cinematic techniques
> and children under 12."

I was quoting Sarris on Ulmer from THE AMERICAN CINEMA: "Strictly
speaking, most of Ulmer's films are of interest only to unthinking
audiences or specialists in mise-en-scene." I'm startled to see the
phrase's geneology stretch back to Archer: I've always heard the rumors
that Sarris's early writing was heavily influenced by Archer, but never
saw any concrete evidence until now. - Dan
15995


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:04pm
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
> Lugosi actually discovers underplaying here - and at
> the worst possible moment.

This is very quotable, David! - Dan
15996


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:38pm
Subject: Re: Re: Head in the Clouds & auteurism
 
--- jess_l_amortell wrote:


>
> It appears that you remember it almost perfectly,
> but it was Eugene Archer =
> in the New York Times!
>

Eugene Archer did a rather delicious acting turn as an
older admirer of the heroine in Eric Rohmer's "La
Collectionneuse."


15997


From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:43pm
Subject: Re: Re: Suggestions about films habelove can distribute on DVD
 
--- cairnsdavid1967 wrote:


>
> It's a weirdie!
>
> Louis Hayward's performance injects a camp side not
> to be found in
> most Lang, and the artificiality of the settings
> goes beyond anything
> in US Lang - probably for budgetary reasons, but the
> effect is
> striking.
>

It's an exceptionally beautiful film. Very Val
Lewton-like in its atmosphere but hightened even on
that level.

> Hayward was kind of terrific - he's good fun in AND
> THEN THERE WERE
> NONE, and gives a very clever double perf in Whale's
> THE MAN IN THE
> IRON MASK - playing the evil brother with his voice
> an octave higher
> than the good one.
>
>
He was quite a character. His (many) lovers included
Noel Coward and Ida Lupino.



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15998


From: jpcoursodon
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 3:23pm
Subject: Re: Head in the Clouds
 
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Dan Sallitt wrote:
.
>
> Hanging out on this list, my preconceptions about auteurism have
mostly
> gone up in smoke. But I'm clinging to the idea that auteurism is
a
> matter of looking for the secret film behind the obvious one: Dan

This is a great definition, Dan. I think that was what traditional
auteurism always attempted to do. Movie reviewers and the general
public only saw the obvious film and responded accordingly, the way
Archer did Re Lang's Indian saga.

But then there are cases where there is no secret film behind the
obvious one -- just the obvious one. The emperor is sometimes naked.
JPC
15999


From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 3:40pm
Subject: Secret vs. Obvious (Was: Head in the Clouds)
 
> But then there are cases where there is no secret film behind the
> obvious one -- just the obvious one. The emperor is sometimes naked.

Yeah - I think this is the concept behind Sarris's "less than meets the
eye" joke. - Dan
16000


From: George Robinson
Date: Sun Sep 26, 2004 3:31pm
Subject: Speaking of Boetticher . . .
 
A new edition of Horizons West by Jim Kitses, still one of my favorite film
books and one of the most intelligent discussions of the genre:
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/bfi/pages/PROD0480.html

g

Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor,
never the victim. Silence encourages the
tormentor, never the tormented.
--Elie Wiesel
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