tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post113254782197674805..comments2024-02-23T05:17:08.682-05:00Comments on The Film Freak Central Blog: Notes from the TrenchesBill Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14011398543859221282noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133151467719807472005-11-27T23:17:00.000-05:002005-11-27T23:17:00.000-05:00Maybe not underrated, but definitely underseen: Th...Maybe not underrated, but definitely underseen: <B>The Harder They Come,</B> 1972. Peopled with nonprofessional actors, with its story emerging from Jamaican street culture, you see Jimmy Cliff's country boy go from naif with a dream (musical superstardom) to the island's most wanted after being exploited by a series of authority figures -- first in the church, then in the music industry, finallyJefferson Robbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05356665406917571985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133146505588157842005-11-27T21:55:00.000-05:002005-11-27T21:55:00.000-05:00"After Hours" would have been great but for it's l..."After Hours" would have been great but for it's last 5 minutes. It's still a masterpeice when it comes to film-direction but it really lost it's balls at the end. Unlike both "Taxi Driver" and "King of Comedy", the happy ending seemed more like a tag-on it-was-all-just-a-dream, then the logical conclusion. <BR/><BR/>One of the suggested endings on special features was that the guy goes back intoHollow Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027400445729272871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133144994947518542005-11-27T21:29:00.000-05:002005-11-27T21:29:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Hollow Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027400445729272871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133137285613701112005-11-27T19:21:00.000-05:002005-11-27T19:21:00.000-05:00Boy, this is a gas. RE: Dante, I've always been a ...Boy, this is a gas. RE: Dante, I've always been a fan of Gremlins 2: The New Batch--I thought "Matinee" went off the rails about halfway through, but I still have much affection for "The Howling". Someone mentioned "Deathdream" which is a nifty, nasty little film--why the hell didn't Bob Clark have a more consistent career? <BR/><BR/>I'd also throw my hat in for:<BR/><BR/><BR/>After Hours and TheAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133137243436064712005-11-27T19:20:00.000-05:002005-11-27T19:20:00.000-05:00Always happy to see some love for Exorcist III. Br...Always happy to see some love for <I>Exorcist III</I>. Brad Dourif is brilliant in that movie.Bill Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14011398543859221282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133123925852872662005-11-27T15:38:00.000-05:002005-11-27T15:38:00.000-05:00Saw Company of Wolves. Loved it. Great film about ...Saw <B>Company of Wolves</B>. Loved it. Great film about use of folklore as a means of societal repression of female sexuality. made me think about why red riding hood is "red".Hollow Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027400445729272871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133122752963682212005-11-27T15:19:00.000-05:002005-11-27T15:19:00.000-05:00MatineeYes!Gremlins 2Yes!!Wonder BoysYes!!!I suppo...<I>Matinee</I><BR/><BR/>Yes!<BR/><BR/><I>Gremlins 2</I><BR/><BR/>Yes!!<BR/><BR/><I>Wonder Boys</I><BR/><BR/>Yes!!!<BR/><BR/>I suppose I thought of the latter as having been critically heralded enough not to be considered truly underrated. Hell, I think the studio even tried releasing it a couple times to give it another shot with audiences. <BR/><BR/>Big Joe Dante fan here, but my very favoritejer fairallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16032172895204505671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133111919424904962005-11-27T12:18:00.000-05:002005-11-27T12:18:00.000-05:00"Enough to crew on"? Christ, my typing is lousy ea..."Enough to crew on"? Christ, my typing is lousy early on a Sunday morning.<BR/><BR/>And speaking of <I>Gremlins 2</I>, I think it's better than the first. The Jones/Avery observation is apt, and that approach improves on the original's general mean-spiritedness.James Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03964207789326645793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133103185357783422005-11-27T09:53:00.000-05:002005-11-27T09:53:00.000-05:00Overrated/Overlooked, eh?Some nice choices above. ...Overrated/Overlooked, eh?<BR/><BR/>Some nice choices above. I'll add the following:<BR/><BR/><I>Q</I><BR/>-Just saw this again the other day, a wildly odd monster flick with Michael Moriarty.<BR/><BR/><I>The Great Train Robbery</I><BR/>-Of all the action/adventure films Sean Connery has been in, this one seems to be the most commonly left by the wayside, which is a shame, because it's fun, James Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03964207789326645793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133075427661049312005-11-27T02:10:00.000-05:002005-11-27T02:10:00.000-05:00Yeah, I find myself sticking up for The Great Dict...Yeah, I find myself sticking up for <I>The Great Dictator</I> a lot. Not that I've ever heard a particularly cogent dismissal of the movie from its hipster detractors. (Look Ma, I'm Armond White.)<BR/><BR/>Jack mentioned <I>The Pledge</I> above. Haven't seen the Richard E. Grant version (the Friedrich Dürrenmatt novel has actually been adapted numerous times in Germany), but I sure do love the Bill Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14011398543859221282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133073882341181442005-11-27T01:44:00.000-05:002005-11-27T01:44:00.000-05:00Oh... also add Joyride to my under-rated list. Van...Oh... also add <B>Joyride</B> to my under-rated list. <B>Vanilla Sky</B> is another one. Documentary <B>DiG!</B> is great. <B>Vernon, Florida</B> recently changed my life.Hollow Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027400445729272871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133073812783715642005-11-27T01:43:00.000-05:002005-11-27T01:43:00.000-05:00With all of these fantastic titles being thrown ou...With all of these fantastic titles being thrown out, it would probably be fair of me to throw out a few of my own by now.<BR/><BR/><I>The Great Dictator</I> never gets what it deserves. I notice the Chaplin talkie proponents always seem to move towards <I>Monsieur Verdoux</I> -- which was quite good, but the mawkish sentimentality and long speeches don't quite work as well as they do in <I>The Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133073658271983052005-11-27T01:40:00.000-05:002005-11-27T01:40:00.000-05:00By the way, saw both Ravenous and Exotica on recom...By the way, saw both <B>Ravenous</B> and <B>Exotica</B> on recommendations from 1998 top 10 list. Liked 'em both. Liked the first one a little better. Boy! that Robert Carlyle can act. <BR/><BR/><B>Exotica</B> is not entirely my cup of tea, too much talking irritates me, but even otherwise it seemed too very derivative of other stuff, especially <B>Paris, Texas</B> and <B>Blue Velvet</B>. Even Hollow Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027400445729272871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133072489380116402005-11-27T01:21:00.000-05:002005-11-27T01:21:00.000-05:00I own Jackass: The Movie. It's fucking hilarious. ...I own <B>Jackass: The Movie</B>. It's fucking hilarious. If goal of a comedy is to make me laugh, this one wins hands down. i have never laughed so fucking hard. <B>Run Ronnie Run!</B> comes close. David Cross is a comedy god. <BR/><BR/><B>To Live and Die in LA</B> is my favorite bill freidkin film. and yes I know about the other ones. Beyond cool. Reminds me of <B> Manhunter</B>. Another Hollow Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027400445729272871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133072434936261442005-11-27T01:20:00.000-05:002005-11-27T01:20:00.000-05:00Couldn't agree more, Walter: Wendigo is one of the...Couldn't agree more, Walter: Wendigo is one of the richest, most moving and most underrated horor films I can think of, and I don't just mean in the last few years. It's exciting to know Fessenden is on to something new.<BR/><BR/> Speaking of awesome genre directors doing exciting new things... one of my editors up here in T.O. did an interview w/ Joe Dante last month about his episode of Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133071075455706372005-11-27T00:57:00.000-05:002005-11-27T00:57:00.000-05:00Deep Cover oh yeah, oh yeah. To Live and Die in L...<I>Deep Cover</I> oh yeah, oh yeah. <I>To Live and Die in L.A.</I> is all kinds of cool, too.<BR/><BR/>Fond of <I>Jackass</I>, fonder of <I>Freddy Got Fingered</I> which fails, ultimately, I think because it tries to be way too conventional. Real soft spot for Edward Yang flicks - just watched <I>Yi Yi</I> again the other day.<BR/><BR/>Saw <I>True Confessions</I> years and years ago - but it Walter_Chawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14314737706201691225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133069527699133722005-11-27T00:32:00.000-05:002005-11-27T00:32:00.000-05:00I remember that this was a discussion that we had ...I remember that this was a discussion that we had in another thread. <BR/><BR/>Coming sideways from planet Mars I offer <I>Jackass: The Movie</I> which I thought was very funny and something really new; and <I>Johnny Got His Gun</I> which has Donald Sutherland as Jesus Christ. <I>Cabaret Balkan</I> I really liked, <I>A Perfect Candidate</I> really deserves a DVD release. Also Scorsese's <I>Life Alex Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13028946403342782184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133063724951254082005-11-26T22:55:00.000-05:002005-11-26T22:55:00.000-05:00Underrated films?I actually really like THE TWO JA...Underrated films?<BR/><BR/>I actually really like THE TWO JAKES. It's not nearly as good as CHINATOWN, of course, but if you watch the two of them back to back, you'll see that the sequel acts as interesting counterpoint to the original film, a thoughtful meditation on aging and loss.<BR/><BR/>TRUE CONFESSIONS, with DeNiro and Duvall. Great, understated flick.<BR/><BR/>EMPIRE OF THE SUN.<BR/><Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03304014734147849036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133056372478514502005-11-26T20:52:00.000-05:002005-11-26T20:52:00.000-05:00Favorite underrated/unsung movies?L.A. Story (Mick...Favorite underrated/unsung movies?<BR/><BR/><I>L.A. Story</I> (Mick Jackson)<BR/><I>Last Night</I> (Don McKellar)<BR/><I>Wet Hot American Summer</I> (David Wain)<BR/><I>Yi Yi</I> (Edward Yang)<BR/><I>Lovely & Amazing</I> (Nicole Holofcener)<BR/><I>Six Degrees of Separation</I> (Fred Schepisi)<BR/><I>End of the Century</I> (Jim Fields and Michael Gramaglia)<BR/><I>The Butcher Boy</I> (Neil Jordan)jer fairallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16032172895204505671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133056110017391042005-11-26T20:48:00.000-05:002005-11-26T20:48:00.000-05:00BTW--please forgive the spelling/grammar errors in...BTW--please forgive the spelling/grammar errors in my last post--little bit o' pre-Christmas cheer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133055976612774702005-11-26T20:46:00.000-05:002005-11-26T20:46:00.000-05:00I used "All That Jazz" and the luminous dance sequ...I used "All That Jazz" and the luminous dance sequence with Ann Reinking ("Everything Old Is New Again") for a mise en scene project in a first year film course. What a fantastic picture. a my 1st year "mise en scene" exercise. <BR/><BR/>"Fearless" is probably Peter Weir's greatest film--aside from the always underrated Bridges (check out "American Heart" as well folks) lordy, I do love Isabella Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133039924434762042005-11-26T16:18:00.000-05:002005-11-26T16:18:00.000-05:00H-Man: Compromised middle-brow "indie"? I think yo...H-Man: Compromised middle-brow "indie"? I think you're confusing <I>A Simple Plan</I> with <I>The Station Agent</I>.<BR/><BR/><I>One-Eyed Jacks</I> is incredible. And <I>The Missouri Breaks</I> isn't nearly as terrible as people say; no career has ever imploded as compellingly as Brando's in that film.<BR/><BR/>It's very annoying that <I>Fearless</I> is the only Peter Weir film mistreated on DVD Bill Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14011398543859221282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133038647189929532005-11-26T15:57:00.000-05:002005-11-26T15:57:00.000-05:00Double and triple Muppet Movie and the great Fearl...Double and triple <I>Muppet Movie</I> and the great <I>Fearless</I> which still doesn't have a widescreen DVD release. I think the negative ratio is the academy standard of 1.37:1, but I saw it projected three times in the theaters, each time at around 1.85:1. The only WB DVD release, though, is one of the first forays into the format (May of 1999, I think): lacking any and all special featuresWalter_Chawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14314737706201691225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133033278084149672005-11-26T14:27:00.000-05:002005-11-26T14:27:00.000-05:00Yeah... I second Fat City too. Great film. It's su...Yeah... I second <B>Fat City</B> too. Great film. It's supposed to be one of Harmony Korine's favorite films. <BR/><BR/>Didn't like <B>King of Marvin Gardens</B> that much but most definetly recommend <B>Five Easy Peices</B>. Absolutely hated <B>Simple Plan</B>. One of those compromised middle-brow "indie" films.Hollow Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027400445729272871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9668842.post-1133022495766034162005-11-26T11:28:00.000-05:002005-11-26T11:28:00.000-05:00Thanks, all. This should keep me nice and busy for...Thanks, all. This should keep me nice and busy for a while. (But if you can think of any more, keep 'em comin'.)<BR/><BR/>-- IanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com