Posts by Mark Wood79

This topic has come up before. Hey mods, where you guys at?

I’ve never really been a fan of Rodriguez... though honestly, I haven't sat down to watch one of his films in probably five years or more.

Maybe if I gave his work another look, a sort of re-evaluation, but I just don't feel it right now... I simply don't have the headspace for him at the moment. 🤷

I’m a huge fan of Sergio Leone and the Dollars Trilogy. Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve sat through those movies. Just a few months ago, I found myself watching A Fistful of Dollars again.

When I really sit back and think about it, it was actually Sergio Leone who sparked my obsession with the Western genre, long before I ever got into the works of John Ford, Howard Hawks, Sam Peckinpah, or even Clint Eastwood. It’s funny, looking back, because when I was just a kid, I didn't care for Westerns at all.

I remember being about twelve years old and catching The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on TV. It was honestly love at first sight.

I can't say I was particularly impressed with this one either. Visually, it looked great—they used steady shots during the slower driving sequences, though they did toss in a few handheld camera movements here and there to ramp up the tension when needed. But once the dust settled, the actual way they handled the subject matter just didn't sit right with me. It’s hard to go into deep detail since it’s been three or four months already, but honestly, if it had actually been good, I would still be thinking about it.

Lisa Davis46 said:😉 🙂
I didn't catch that one, but I'm trying to squeeze in everything I can next week.

I caught the newer "Merci pour le chocolat" on Thursday,
it actually turned out to be a freebie since it was an opening screening.🙂
Anyway, I was just as impressed. Even though it's technically a serious crime thriller, it keeps melting into comedy, cynicism, and dark humor, which is awesome.
Jacques Dutronc plays this pianist who spends most of his life in a semi-conscious, hallucinogenic haze—partly because of the chocolate, too.😁
Then you've got Isabelle Huppert, who is incredibly cold throughout (okay, maybe not quite as much as in Haneke's "The Piano Teacher"), and at times she tries to act approachable, but she manages to convey this massive level of pathology and pure malice just through her facial expressions, without any sense of morality (which, let's face it, is basically her trademark in every role).
I’ve seen the ceremony before, but because of Huppert, I'm definitely going to see "Violette Nozière" and "Business Affairs."🙂
The Chopin and Liszt pieces, the funeral march, the way they sync the musical tempo... it all just ramps up the tension. And the cinematography is gorgeous.
Not much else to say...

And honestly, seeing it on film versus a screen makes such a difference. It's nothing like watching some Movieplex broadcast or an HD DVD...

Exactly, especially when you stumble upon a reel that’s been really well preserved.

Since I just finished a marathon of these movies on my TV—some even for a second time—I'm still weighing whether or not it's worth heading out to catch them in theaters this week.

I caught a screening of "The Biches" at the local cinema yesterday—my first time seeing it—and honestly, I’m still reeling from the experience.

It was so incredible that I don't even know where to start.

As soon as I saw that the cinematographer was the legendary Henri Decae during the opening credits, I knew I was in for something special. And man, was I right.

The beginning of the film is brilliant. Those first twenty or thirty minutes are directed so masterfully; the cutting (I have to highlight those excellent, Hitchcock-style subjective shots in the car a few times) creates such a vivid sense of the city at night (thanks to Henri Decae 🙏), all while being anchored by an incredibly evocative performance from Bernadetta Lafont.

What really blew me away, though, was the actual structure. You can truly see Chabrol's talent on display here in how he weaves genre and non-genre elements together. It’s executed so skillfully that it almost pushes you into a state of—well, a very pleasant kind of confusion. Just when you think you’ve settled into a standard drama, the tone shifts abruptly with the sudden appearance of a mystical poacher accompanied by music that cranks up the tension. I think that whole forest scene, and the way it’s staged, says everything you need to know about the director's vision and his take on the cinematic experience.

That scene with the tiger at the zoo is an unforgettable piece of imagery.

The ending is also gutsy and fantastic because it leaves the viewer to draw their own conclusions. To me, it felt like a biting commentary from Chabrol regarding the "bright lights of the big city."

By the end, I realized I hadn't moved an inch in my seat—it practically glued me to the chair.

"The Biches" is a true cry from an innovative modernist, and it's the kind of film that stays with you.

Just a quick heads-up from Lisa Davis46. I'm heading to see "The Naive Girl" tomorrow at 7. Count me in.

Welcome aboard!

I bet you're itching to dive into some deep discussions about the classics. I know I was when I first started out. Just a heads-up though: it’s pretty tough to get people to flock to a thread if the topic is too broad. It tends to get lost in the noise.

If I can offer a little advice: try hanging out in the "last movie we watched" thread regularly—it's easily the most active spot on the forum. You can drop any movie in there, regardless of how old it is. Once you start posting, people will naturally jump in to chat, and you'll find yourself getting pulled into more and more conversations. If you really want to start your own threads, maybe try being a bit more specific. Instead of just general movies, try focusing on a favorite director, a certain era, or even a specific cinematic movement...

goldenhound32 said:I haven't seen it used taj like that anywhere... if you have, send me a link.
thanks.

I don't get what goldenhound32 means when they say we're used to looking at pretty faces...🤷

Fine, go ahead—list some Hollywood actresses under 40 who aren't attractive. When I say they aren't attractive, I mean the general consensus is that they aren't, not subjective takes like "I personally don't find Angelina Jolie that great." I'm talking people like Kathy Griffin.🙂

When I mention that we've become accustomed to seeing it, my point is that movies are mostly packed with beautiful women (and men, depending on whether we're discussing Hollywood or Europe).

Does anyone disagree?

In what sense? I don't recall that scene. At least tell me roughly what minute mark it's at.

I wasn't a fan of 500 Days of Summer either. The first thirty or forty minutes were alright, but as it dragged on, I just got more and more frustrated—honestly, I wanted to yell at everyone involved in making it. I remember starting to roll my eyes the second she began acting out in that dive bar while some idiot was drunkenly singing Pixies songs... something about love or commitment, I can't quite recall.

And seriously, enough with the split-screen talk and how "innovative" it is. You’d think someone might actually walk away thinking they invented the concept... 😂

Also, I don't really follow goldenhound32's logic regarding how we're all just used to looking at pretty faces... 🤷

😂

Well, that's definitely not the Police Academy.

Before the screening of Mesar, NBC is going to air a 20-minute clip from a vintage talk show where Claude Chabrol was a guest back in 1978.

The full episode actually ran nearly three and a half hours—not even counting the feature film "Alice or the Last Escape," which runs about ninety minutes. But the cheapskates over at NBC are only giving us a 20-minute snippet. It's pathetic.

So, as you all know, Chabrol has passed away, so it would be great if you could share what you remember most about this director.

RIP on behalf of everyone, just so we don't end up with an "RIP" thread.

I'll write a quick note about his first two films I saw quite a while ago, so here’s what sticks in my mind:

lijep Sergea—In short, I absolutely love this movie... from that opening shot of the bus pulling up until the very end, you experience this beautiful small-town atmosphere paired with a melodrama about two friends, one of whom has taken a wrong turn in life. Some people might find the ending a bit pathetic, but I didn't.

The Cousins—Another Blain / Brialy pairing, though this time set in an urban environment. It’s a story about two cousins: one moves from the countryside to the city believing in honesty, goodness, and principles, while the other is carefree, somewhat amoral, and cunning. The direction here is excellent and atmospheric, focusing on the naive Charles and his collision with the concrete jungle.
That interior (Paulov's apartment) really stuck with me as an incredibly melancholy space, serving as a reflection of that gritty, urban, decadent lifestyle. The music throughout the film also left a lasting impression on me.

Basically, in both films, you can see Chabrol's relationship with the small towns where he spent much of his youth, something he discussed in that documentary NBC aired a few months back.

Chabrol has plenty of other work out there, so please jump in so I'm not just standing here shaving alone.

Roger Long67🙏
You don't pop up around here very often, but man, when you do, your takes are always spot on!

Have you checked out who the next big Iñárritu might be? I know they're on the lineup...

neonsurfer6 said:I have to admit, the layout isn't exactly intuitive or easy to navigate.

To be honest, I’m not really feeling this lineup either.

We've got cycles covering contemporary Japanese, Belgian, Israeli, and Malaysian cinema, followed by an Ibero-American series, and then some tributes to Fehmiu, Swayze, Gable, and Hopper...

While Goal in the saddle and Blue Velvet should be great experiences, seeing just one film each from Capra and Huston feels a bit thin—I was really hoping for a full retrospective.

I've been looking forward to this schedule all summer, and now that it's finally here... I'm pretty disappointed.😢

neonsurfer6 said:That’s exactly what they’re doing over at Central Park. Here is their fall lineup: Link
The autumn schedule will mostly focus on newer releases, but toward the end of the year, we can look forward to some real classics like The Pickpocket, Blue Velvet, and Goal in the saddle, along with works by directors like John Huston, Frank Capra, and even mountain man Paskaljević. 👋

Where are you finding the full schedule? All I see listed here are those six Japanese films...

Edit: Okay, I just realized I had to click that little arrow... my bad, I'm a bit slow today.

In Washington, D.C., the only place I think about is Central Park... I'm not even sure if they've released their fall schedule yet.

Take some time to dive into the classics from the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s...🤷

goldenhound32 said:No.

But honestly, how many people do you actually know who sit down to watch Bergman? I mean, people who consistently dive into his filmography.

Just host a sweepstakes where the prizes are three Bergman films, and we'll all show up—don't even worry about it. 😉

You’re talking about how it’s a shame if there’s another sweepstakes like this one, yet I see you participated even though the prize doesn't interest you... that's like someone telling me, "If you can chug a whole case of beer in an hour, you get to go out with Dorica Nikolić." Thanks, but no thanks.

I'm not interested in the Expendables or whatever movies are being given away. I didn't enter, but I will say, hats off to Anthony Smith3. You're a total legend!