Personally, I think Dolac Vita is definitely a bit overrated. If it were released today, it’d probably be some flashy project directed by Tarantino starring Pitt and Jolie in the leads—there's no way it wouldn't be massive, just because it's so "in." 😁
I've got "Svjetla pozornice," thanks. But I'm missing that first one, Love in the City. Looks like some kind of omnibus. Anyway, let's keep talking...
northerncrane4 said:I still get choked up every single time I watch "Umberto D."—it’s a lump in my throat and swollen eyes, every time.
And my other favorite Fellini? "Proba Orchestra." Go figure. 🤷
Totally! Umberto D. is just brutal—it hits you right in the gut. I’m usually not one for sentimental stuff, but this one... man, it gives you full-body chills. If I had to pick my favorites from Fellini, though, I'd go with his much earlier work, like I Vitelloni and The White Sheik.
Oh, absolutely! 😁 That one is a personal favorite of mine too. It feels like De Sica hit this massive emotional nerve in that film; it’s the kind of raw realism that actually makes you feel something in your soul, whereas compared to that, even Fellini feels a bit like he's just performing surgery.
northerncrane4 said:Peterlic was a huge fan of De Sica. He found Fellini a bit too sugary—though he did appreciate "La Strada."
Well, which De Sica are we actually talking about here? The man’s filmography is all over the map, swinging wildly between extremes. You’ve got stuff like Miracle or Umberto D., which definitely echo those early Fellini vibes, but then you remember he also churned out movies like Caccia alla volpe... honestly, I can only imagine what Peterlic would make of that. He probably would have absolutely loathed it. 🙂
I’ve always felt that Peterlic leaned more toward an urban sensibility, the kind of director who would have naturally gravitated toward the sort of moody melodrama you see in an Antonioni film. Have you seen his Accidental Life? It’s his only directorial effort, and honestly, it’s a shame he didn't stick with filmmaking (though I don't think he failed us as a theorist). There's a certain grit to Accidental Life that feels reminiscent of the urban dramas by Aleksandar Petrovic, maybe even pulling from a Berkovichian "Rondo" or Mimičin's "Prometheus." Even in his early days, Fellini was already carving out his own lane, clearly moving away from the strictures of neorealism. He spent his career dancing along the edge of magical realism—sometimes leaning in, sometimes pulling back—and at points, especially after Satyricon, he seemed to lose his way entirely (not that I mean it negatively; look at a standout like Amarcord).
From what I can gather about Peterlic, he had much more respect for films that were a bit more depressive and intellectual.
I really think it’s a joke how people try to make stuff like this feel exclusive. A couple of buddies, Birch and Lone Wolf, actually caught the remastered versions at a theater near Central Park recently, and honestly, seeing them on the big screen is the only way to truly do them justice. If the DVD releases are being gatekept by a few niche film clubs, maybe there's a chance to grab them from the local public library instead? I'm a firm believer that eventually, everything becomes accessible to everyone, especially now that there's such a massive push to restore all these old classics.
I haven't actually sat through Slumdog Millionaire, though I’d personally put American Beauty & Million Dollar Baby at the top of the pile.
Honestly, calling Chicago the worst movie isn't even an exaggeration; it’s easily one of the biggest misses on this entire list. 🙂
So, we're basically looking at a collection of films that happened to snag an Oscar in the last decade... yeah, that carries about as much weight as you'd think. 🙂
I’d argue "Young Frankenstein" stands as his most successful work overall. "High Anxiety" might actually be the superior parody, though that’s saying something alongside "To be or not to be," which he produced rather than directed.
Mel Brooks is a true auteur, even if people tend to overlook that because of the specific genres he plays in. Honestly, "Young Frankenstein" is one of the most masterfully directed films out there, period.
granitehound19 said:Honestly, even the movie Black Cat, White Cat gives off major Alan Ford vibes, especially since one character basically lives in the shadow of Alan Ford for the entire runtime. 🙂
Yeah, sure, an all-male household... crime runs in the family... obviously! 🙂
It’s not like you just set up a tripod and hope for the best. His approach to blocking and staging is incredibly meticulous, almost punishingly so. Those low-angle shots he favors are practically his signature at this point. Personally, I found his return to a more theatrical style of storytelling—where the action feels staged rather than captured—to be a fascinating pivot.
frozentinker432 said:I don't know, no matter how painful it gets, those bells at the end leave you with this strange but beautiful sense of triumph. So, I wouldn't say nausea is all that's left. While dancer in the dark is mostly built on the idea that life makes you want to vomit after 🙏
actually, even that part he goes through. In truth, the film is quite religious. And in some ways, maybe even optimistic.
😂 (watch out! there's white text or a spoiler warning at the start!)
The bio was a solid little segment on the whole project over at PBS. A good half-hour of culture, aired yesterday and the day before. It’s funny how much ground a clear voice can cover when it actually gets some airtime! 🙂
It would be pretty great if they could actually pull off that networking initiative and get more indie art-house theaters popping up across the States.
Kudos to everyone involved! These shots are incredible... especially those night captures. They look absolutely stunning. I'm really hoping there's more footage coming our way soon!
Don't mention it! 😉 Coincidentally—or maybe it wasn't—I ended up watching his 2007 film "12" today. It’s essentially an American reimagining of "12 Angry Men," and once again, you've got Steven Spielberg playing one of the jurors. 🙂
It honestly always catches me off guard how much his sensibility diverges from what people call the standard Russian cinematic style. His work feels much more palatable, though perhaps a bit shallower, even if he almost constantly pushes a certain political or historical "agenda."
Steven Spielberg is just an actor playing a part here. If you actually enjoyed this one, do yourself a favor and check out his other work—specifically his 1994 masterpiece, "Burnt by the Sun." It’s a brilliant look at people getting scorched by the heat of revolution. It hits those same historical notes, but it’s warmer, funnier, and honestly feels like a slice of Scandinavia dropped right into the middle of the American heartland. It’s incredibly charming.
Spielberg often pops up in his own movies, too. In "The Barber of Siberia," he shows up as Tsar Alexander. Personally, I find him to be a deeply charismatic presence on screen, even if this particular film didn't quite click for me.
Kudos to Seattle! Keep posting these schedules regularly; maybe seeing what you guys are up to will actually inspire us to get off our couches and hit the pavement... I’m officially jealous! 😢
After the success of M, "rules of the game" was an absolute train wreck. Every few minutes, the screening would grind to a halt because the subtitles were missing right during the most crucial scenes. And don't even get me started on how they somehow managed to butcher a nearly two-hour movie down to a mere 70 minutes. I honestly can't tell if we're watching some hyper-censored reel from 1939 or what, but it was a total disaster.
@I was there... : Do I personally dig "Plastic Jesus"? Absolutely. I'm not quite sure how much influence Alexander Petrovic had on this one, seeing as he was a protégé of Stojanovic, but the film is every bit as brilliant as something like "innocence without protection," which shares a similar aesthetic. To me, Jesus is actually a much better film than Zilnikov's "early work," if we're talking about the core ideas of the black waves. Because of so many different factors, the film remains powerful and incredibly watchable even today.