I was prepared that it wasn’t great, but it was on TV and I usually like these large-scale WWII movies.
Film uses contemporary film footage as well as footage from other (American and Japanese) war movies, all in order (I suppose) to give it a more authentic feel and make it look more spectacular. All in vain, the different footage mainly wooks distracting and you often have the impression you’re looking at a National Geographic documentary. The odd feeling is made worse by the decision the have the Japanese actors (even Mifune!) speak their lines in English. Why?
Very dissapointing, watch Tora! Tora! Tora! instead.
Die Hard 4.0 - hadn’t bothered with this one before, but it showed up on UK TV last night, so what the heck.
Love the first two in the franchise, despite misgivings, which remain, about Bruce Willis, but thought the third was rather laboured. The latest instalment is actually good fun, with all the requisite ridiculous vehicle stunts, quips and explosions one could ask for, although I have no idea just how far-etched the cyber-terrorism plot is.
Although I like Timothy Olyphant’s intense performance in Deadwood, I felt he lacked gravitas and genuine menace as the villain here.
Sort of Russian combination of Conan the Barbarian and The Lord of the Rings, with some spaghetti western influences (especially from Death rides a Horse). In very ancient times (men were still close to the Gods, so we’re told) a young man witnesses how his family and tribe is slaughtered by a man with a sort of tattoo (?) in the form of a wolf’s head on his hand. As an adult he teams up with a princess in order to beat the evil forces.
Great production design and some thunderous action make up for sloppy storytelling and a lead actor with litle or no charisma (the princess is good-looking, she was Lilya in Lilya 4Ever). Okay entertainment, but never really living up to its potential.
One of the quintessential Noirs. Bogart, femme fatale, beatings, mystery, expressionistic lighting, and a climax in an office. I enjoyed this ine thoroughly.
After the disapointing Deep Red (after it settled in, I found I was indeed disappointed), and the rather heavy viewing of Opera, I turned to the one and was very happy. It isn’t as unrelentingly dark as Opera or as slow as Deep Red. It has a very good pace and still retains Red’s violence while also increasing the kill count. Great cast. Especially liked seeing John Saxon. But most of all, Giuliano Gemma is here to lighten things up with his loveable smile. Nice to here his natural English voice. Argento hits all the right spots in my enjoyment of Giallo.
Bad for the glass, you screw like a Chinaman and you know what happens to nosy people
Three great moments in a great movie, a lot better than the other Polanski I saw recently, The Fearless vampire Killers, but I still have some awkward feelings about some details
Maybe I’ll say something about it in the Controversial Movie Thread
Very tense and interesting Ferench/Italian Euro crime with French action star, Jean Paul Belmondo. This film has some cool gimmicks such as the giallo elements with the physcotic, sexually frusterated, one eyed killer who uses black ski gloves to strangle loose women. The best gimmick is the film’s exploitation of most of our fear of heights. Belmondo performs all his own stunts, many obviously without any support so his life is clearly in the line here. Some of 70’s cop cinema’s best chase sequences as Belmondo chases the killer over Parisian rooftops, on the streets, climaxing in a standoff on a subway train.
November 11 is a holiday in Belgian (something to do with WWI)
We had a 10-year old nephew and a 13 year old niece visiting us, so it was children’s night at Scherpschutter’s place:
An American Tail: Fievel goes West
Enjoyable cartoon, with Jimmy Stewart voicing the old sheriff Wyatt Burp
Followed by:
City of Ember
In full DTS 5.1 wall to wall noise. Not bad live action fantasy by the maker of Monster House, one of the best cartoons in recent history. I had the idea this movie would’ve worked better as a cartoon too, but still good fun. Irish young actress Saoirse Ronan is a delight. Bill Murray has a nice cameo as a slimy lord mayor.
A police inspector is on the trail of a latex gloved murderer who uses poison from wasps to paralyze his victims so they can watch consciously while they are disemboweled. Fans of the bloodier Giallos, don’t get excited. This one is rather lax in the area of gore but is very high in the area of suspense and stylization. The pacing is very good. It seems at least every other scene has something exciting or suspenseful going on. Be it a wonderful set piece murder, chasing suspects, or other suspenseful sequences. This is probably my second favorite non Argento Giallo. Very good. Much better than Cavara’s Plot of Fear.
Like that one too. It would also be a great film to watch for anyone who is new to Gialli, as it explains pretty much what the Giallo genre is all about ;). But there is one title that explains it even better…
I recently saw Lado’s Short Night of Glass Dolls which was very odd as a Giallo but still very fascinating. I just watched this oneand it is definetly more Gialloish and a great film. Not just as a Giallo but as a drama too. There is a strong emotional connection established that made me care a lot more. The killings are all well done. And the killer’s appearance is truly stricking. BU released it so it isn’t hard to get. So get it! f only just to see Lazenby’s healthy mustache.
7, plus about a half of The Stendahl Syndrome and Don’t Look Now if you count that as a Giallo. Not seen too many as they use to be very expensive here.
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