Originally posted by Richard Barrett
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Films you've seen lately
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No time right now to comment on Apocalypse Now, but I wonder what people here think of Zero Dark Thirty, a masterpiece from the great Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker, Detroit etc), another serious and controversial epic dealing with serious issues?
The last hour of Zero, following the attack on the Bin Laden compound by the two black Stealth Copters, from the subradar-flying through the mountain valleys to the close-up visceral terrors inside,, is some of the most riveting, nerve-shattering cinema I've ever seen.
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Originally posted by Belgrove View PostI find this film unsatisfying, being of unequal halves. The first in the training camp is brilliant, Lee Ermy’s foul mouthed, scary but hilarious drill sergeant could plausibly be the prototype for Malcolm Tucker’s baroque insults. The second half is dull, I have no recollection of the fate of the characters introduced in the first part, despite seeing the film several times. It is fatally undermined by its shooting location. Beckon Gas Works is no substitute for Vietnam, the light is totally wrong. Kubrick, being so fastidious, surely knew this. His choice of music was uncharacteristically off the mark in this film too.
The second half - on which most of the budget was spent - is a largely unrelated story about soldiers ‘fighting gooks’ in an artificially constructed jungle. I found it almost completely unmemorable.
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Originally posted by Belgrove View PostI find this film unsatisfying, being of unequal halves. The first in the training camp is brilliant, Lee Ermy’s foul mouthed, scary but hilarious drill sergeant could plausibly be the prototype for Malcolm Tucker’s baroque insults. The second half is dull, I have no recollection of the fate of the characters introduced in the first part, despite seeing the film several times. It is fatally undermined by its shooting location. Beckon Gas Works is no substitute for Vietnam, the light is totally wrong. Kubrick, being so fastidious, surely knew this. His choice of music was uncharacteristically off the mark in this film too."I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone. The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square."
Lady Bracknell The importance of Being Earnest
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It's fairly common for people to find the second half of FMJ disappointing, but I find the two halves complement one another in what I can only describe as a beautiful and expressive way. The combination of bravado and fear, of long stretches of nothing happening and sudden violence, the meaninglessness of all of it, seem to me a more thoughtful and indeed memorable way to use the medium to look at war than in most other such films. As for the location, I had no idea what the location was the first time I saw the film and no impression that it was anything but the ruins of a south east Asian city circa 1970; and yes I have been to south east Asia, if not actually Vietnam. It isn't a film that builds up tension towards a edge-of-the-seat conclusion but that wasn't usually Kubrick's way; he could do that when he wanted to, but here he seems to have been after something else.
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Originally posted by Richard Barrett View PostIt's fairly common for people to find the second half of FMJ disappointing, but I find the two halves complement one another in what I can only describe as a beautiful and expressive way. The combination of bravado and fear, of long stretches of nothing happening and sudden violence, the meaninglessness of all of it, seem to me a more thoughtful and indeed memorable way to use the medium to look at war than in most other such films. As for the location, I had no idea what the location was the first time I saw the film and no impression that it was anything but the ruins of a south east Asian city circa 1970; and yes I have been to south east Asia, if not actually Vietnam. It isn't a film that builds up tension towards a edge-of-the-seat conclusion but that wasn't usually Kubrick's way; he could do that when he wanted to, but here he seems to have been after something else.
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Originally posted by richardfinegold View Post... I am particularly interested to see the Directors version or whatever its called of A.N., as I remember the original striking me as somewhat incoherent at the end
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Originally posted by richardfinegold View PostI am particularly interested to see the Directors version or whatever its called of A.N., as I remember the original striking me as somewhat incoherent at the end
I found it very compelling (but I do take Belgrove’s point about the French plantation scene being slightly mystifying in terms of narrative pace and purpose, interesting though it was to me having French contacts with SE Asian family history)
The main benefit of the Director’s Cut seemed to me to be the huge improvement in the visuals and sound - it could have been made yesterday. I think it was the visual splendour of it that kept me riveted more than on previous attempts to view"...the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."
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Originally posted by Nick Armstrong View PostI watched the “Director’s Cut” version following broadcast by the BBC earlier this year. It was the first time I’d seen any version of the film all the way though, although had seen sections before of course (I think I’d done a Mrs Finegold on previous attempts to view )
I found it very compelling (but I do take Belgrove’s point about the French plantation scene being slightly mystifying in terms of narrative pace and purpose, interesting though it was to me having French contacts with SE Asian family history)
The main benefit of the Director’s Cut seemed to me to be the huge improvement in the visuals and sound - it could have been made yesterday. I think it was the visual splendour of it that kept me riveted more than on previous attempts to view
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Originally posted by Katzelmacher View PostWatched Whiplash last night on BBC2. Really enjoyed it -great, low-budget filmmaking by people who know their stuff.
Brilliant performances - to the extent that it’s quite a stressful watch, J. K. Simmons’s character raging in pursuit of musical excellence makes for some white-knuckle viewing...."...the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."
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Originally posted by Nick Armstrong View PostGripping film, just watched for the first time (having noted the positive reaction when it was released five or so years back).
Brilliant performances - to the extent that it’s quite a stressful watch, J. K. Simmons’s character raging in pursuit of musical excellence makes for some white-knuckle viewing....
So if you liked that try this.....
First Man (2018).....based on the 2005 book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, with Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong.
Chazelle's masterpiece to date I think**, with a stunning opening as Armstrong takes the X-15 to the edge of space with shudderingly realistic metallic vibrational energy, and nearly gets lost up there. "Neil, you're bouncing off the atmosphere...". Visceral doesn't begin to describe it.
The final, startlingly tangible scenes around the moon landing itself inspire the pit-of-the-stomach tension you might have felt as a NASA operative, watching the approach and the descent live; with a wonderful soundtrack too. The tragic early death of Armstrong's daughter is handled very well.
Lost count of how often I watched it; one of my alltime greats now.
I still go and watch the opening sequence sometimes...
On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal P...
Love Armstrong's reaction when he gets down... how cool is that.
(** Come on, La La Land wasn't that bad...Last edited by jayne lee wilson; 21-03-21, 20:52.
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Originally posted by Katzelmacher View PostWatched Whiplash last night on BBC2. Really enjoyed it -great, low-budget filmmaking by people who know their stuff.
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