tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post7314555313455781708..comments2024-03-24T13:26:57.317-07:00Comments on Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule: THE 2009 SUMMER MOVIE SCHEDULE: WHEN MICHAEL BAY JUST WON'T DO!Dennis Cozzaliohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-70431560999168483272009-06-07T23:26:09.236-07:002009-06-07T23:26:09.236-07:00Maya: Actually I won't have seen it until Tues...Maya: Actually I won't have seen it until Tuesday night, but I'll let you know after I do. Sounds potentially quite disturbing which, in the world of this genre, is usually a good thing! Thanks for a terrific interview-- I did take you seriously and stopped reading it, however, when the spoilers began to get too thick. I'll pick it up again for bedtime reading Tuesday night!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-5380952980568581402009-06-07T23:05:49.426-07:002009-06-07T23:05:49.426-07:00Always appreciate the shout-outs, Dennis, thank yo...Always appreciate the shout-outs, Dennis, thank you. What did you think of <i><b>Plague Town</b></i> now that you've seen it?Michael Guillenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15464792353062386579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-46679376055765186852009-06-07T12:25:11.762-07:002009-06-07T12:25:11.762-07:00Well, Brian, you know you had me at The Incredibly...Well, Brian, you know you had me at <i>The Incredibly Strange Creatures...</i>. But with the <i>The Thrill Killers</i> and now the addition of the allegedly amazing <i>Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Monsters</i> (I've never seen it for myself), Ray Dennis Steckler night at the New Beverly Grindhouse, already rated a "can't-miss," is now officially upgraded to a "can't-miss-and-worth-losing-sleep-over" program!<br /><br />See you this Tuesday for <i>Plague Town</i> and <i>The Sinful Dwarf</i> too!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-35342866936727192052009-06-06T17:44:00.238-07:002009-06-06T17:44:00.238-07:00Another great entry Dennis, the coverage of the pr...Another great entry Dennis, the coverage of the programming work we all do is always appreciated. And thanks to some recently located reels, the Ray Dennis Steckler tribute will now be a triple-feature! For those who can stay a little later after THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES... and THE THRILL KILLERS we'll be throwing on THE LEMON GROVE KIDS MEET THE MONSTERS.<br /><br />-- BrianAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-60392764408967530042009-06-03T00:01:02.372-07:002009-06-03T00:01:02.372-07:00Thanks for sharing this article I also like websit...Thanks for sharing this article I also like website with flash designing specially the intro part of the website is so attractive <a href="http://directory.itsolusenz.com/submit-link.php" rel="nofollow"><b>Add</b></a>, add your website in www.directory.itsolusenz.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-25844955605445377612009-05-19T06:12:00.000-07:002009-05-19T06:12:00.000-07:00Dennis - I don't know if I ever got too specific a...Dennis - I don't know if I ever got too specific about why I liked <B>Wolf Creek</B>, but since I only <I>kinda</I> liked it, I don't consider your skipping of it to be a major loss on your part. I just thought the film showed an admirable amount of patience regarding mood and character before getting to the nasty stuff. And that nasty stuff was nowhere near on the level of, say, <B>Devil's Rejects</B>, which some critics gave a pass to while crucifying <B>Wolf Creek</B> for its sadism. I just thought Maclean's film deserved better than it got, and the attacks on it were usually inconsistent.<br /><br />As for <B>The Funhouse</B>, the ending -- or the final shot, at least, and Berridge's performance in said shot -- reminded me a lot of <B>Texas Chainsaw...</B>. Survival, mixed with permanent mental scarring.<br /><br />And let us not forget Kevin Conway. "Alive alive alive!" As it happens, over this past weekend my wife and I went to a carnival -- inspired in no small part, on my end, by having just seen this film -- and there were two animal attractions, and outside the booths both had signs that read "Alive!" Now, these attractions only consisted of a larger than average bull, and a larger than average horse -- no two-headed nothin', unfortunately -- but still, I heard Kevin Conway's voice in my head.bill r.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17748572205731857892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-74361358218428700042009-05-18T22:48:00.000-07:002009-05-18T22:48:00.000-07:00Ryan: Yup, that New Beverly calendar, and now a gl...Ryan: Yup, that New Beverly calendar, and now a glimpse at what the American Cinematheque has in store for <A HREF="http://tinyurl.com/5q98s" REL="nofollow">June</A>, is making the Hollywood summer slate look even more paltry.<br /><br />Virgil: Welcome back to the comments column after a leave of absence going on, what, three years? I've missed your wit on these pages. You'll definitely see me there at <I>Once Upon a Time in the West</I>, though, like <I>Strangers on a Train</I>, I think I'll give my daughter another three or four years at least before exposing her to either of those great films. If somebody screens <I>North By Northwest</I> anytimne soon, however, we're there.<br /><br />leOpard13: Let me know what night you're going to see the Leone film and maybe we can all hook up!<br /><br />Robert(s): Without taking up the mantle of the great defender of a gigantic blockbuster that I don't really believe needs to be defended, I have to say I'm a little surprised at the negative reactions to the <I>Star Trek</I> movie. Personal reactions most certainly are what they are, and I didn't exactly expect uniformity, but the people I know who have the most invested in <I>Star Trek</I>, both as a series and a larger cultural phenomenon, have been the ones most critical of the new movie.<br /><br />Without imagining it to be in any way perfect, and with it being the type of modern-day action film that I usually don't respond to (and the type that seems stylistically antithetical to the <I>Star Trek</I> we've known for 44 years or so), I was still swept up in it emotionally-- surprisingly so-- to the degree that the various problems I had with it narrative-wise ended up seeming like nitpicking to me, even as I mulled the whole twisted knot of time travel afterwards. I felt like J.J. Abrams, while not exactly being a distinct directorial talent, managed the universe with honor, bringing new flavor to some of the characterizations while not going so left-field as to be unfaithful. <br /><br />(Truth be told, in its stodginess and disregard for the look of the established <I>Star Trek</I> universe up to thst point, I feel Robert Wise's <I>Star Trek- The Motion Picture</I> is a far more egregious offender on this point.) <br /><br />And I like the idea of Spock's lack of emotion being a choice rather than a genetic code-- it always seemed odd that one of mixed parentage such as he would be less emotional than his father. (Mark Lenard obviously had the hots for Jane Wyatt.) All that said, Robert F.'s comment re the temporal-physical conundrum the movie leaves itself with zeroes in, for me, on the new movie's least satisfying feature:<br /><br />"I'm assuming the major internal conflict for the new Spock will be how he can live as a logical entity when there's more than one of him. You imagine him walking around in a daze saying to himself, `I'm completely implausible.'" <br /><br />I know it's still early yet, as we baseball apologists are wont to say, but this is the comment of the year so far in my book!<br /><br />Robert H.: Your comment re <I>The Brothers Bloom</I> is really interesting to me. I blow hot (<I>Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited</I>) and cold (<I>The Life Aquatic</I> and <I>The Royal Tenenbaums</I>-- excepting Gene Hackman) on Wes Anderson, so I'm going to be interested to see how <I>Bloom</I> plays for me. I like the <I>idea</I> of Wes Anderson, and a filmmaker who might be inspired by him (or copying him), much more than I often find myself liking Anderson's films moment to moment while I'm watching them.<br /><br />(Oh, and by the way, I put your suggestion of <I>Mega-Shark vs. Giant Octopus</I>, or whatever the hell that thing is called, at the top of my Netflix queue today.)<br /><br />Bill R.: Being one of the people I trust on horror (even when we don't necessarily see eye to eye, like on <I>Diary of the Dead</I>), I really appreciate your input on <I>Mandy Lane</I>. If it has a <I>Texas Chainsaw</I> grit to it, then that is good news, properly applied, of course. I have decided to pass on <I>Wolf Creek</I>, however. I will be writing this week about Greg Maclean's follow-up film, <I>Rogue</I>, but from all I can gather from folks who I also trust on these matters, I'm not sure I need <I>Wolf Creek</I> rattling around in my head right now. Did you ever express here what it was you liked about it?<br /><br />And finally, you are absolutely on the money about <I>The Fun House</I>. It's no <I>TCM</I>, but it's a major step up from <I>Eaten Alive</I>, <I>Lifeforce</I>, <I>The Mangler</I> and just about every other Tobe Hooper movie I've seen, excepting <I>TCM2</I>, which I think is a real gem. <I>The Fun House</I> is formula in many ways, but it really exploits that calliope-driven atmosphere in delightfully creepy ways, not the least of which through the presence of Sylvia Miles, who is a one-woman freak show of the highest order and good for at least two chills/chuckles per appearance. Thanks for reminding me of this one. It's been too long!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-77668766542192002702009-05-17T13:03:00.000-07:002009-05-17T13:03:00.000-07:00Can heartily recommend THE BROTHERS BLOOM... got t...Can heartily recommend THE BROTHERS BLOOM... got to see it at KC Filmfest last month. It's the best Wes Anderson film for people who HATE Wes Anderson.<br /><br />I just cannot understand the reaction to STAR TREK - what movie did other people see? The movie I saw was another successful con job by J.J. Abrams.Robert H.http://mimezine.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-27870107832383111012009-05-17T01:20:00.000-07:002009-05-17T01:20:00.000-07:00By the way, you might want to just stay for "A Mat...By the way, you might want to just stay for "A Matter of Life and Death" at the Beverly and hold out for the restored version of The Red Shoes that must premiered at Cannes.Robert Fiorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06357467040644448167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-55563858167204464282009-05-16T02:11:00.000-07:002009-05-16T02:11:00.000-07:00My idea for Terminator 4 was that they'd bring bac...My idea for Terminator 4 was that they'd bring back the supermodel Terminator again, and as usual she'd show up naked, but try as she might she just can't find any clothes that fit . . .<br /><br />If you haven't seen the Star Trek movie yet and you hate surprises, keep on reading. The original Star Trek came out when I was about ten years old and I thought it was the greatest television show anyone could have possibly made, then when I was in high school I read the David Gerrold book, which led me to watch the whole series again in reruns, and after that I was basically done with it, so I can look at the new movie from both the Star Trek nerd level and the Star-Trek-for-people-who-don't-like-Star-Trek level. I found it a painless (putting it ahead of all the other movies and reworkings) if uninvolving spectacle. Big shiny machines blew up real good and the if the reintroduction of the characters is not so much "Oh how clever" as "If you say so," the It's Only a Movie privilege was extended into anarchy a long time ago, so lie back and enjoy it. What I note, without having any particular opinion about it, was where the original show's hallmark was a certain respect for the more sophisticated idea content of literary science fiction, the rebooted version has gone completely into E.E. "Doc" Smith territory, complete with giant spaceships and planets blown up like firecrackers. Since the only thing that the reboot salvages from the old probability universe is the original Spock I guess we can say the final score on the original is Leonard Nimoy wins. I'm assuming the major internal conflict for the new Spock will be how he can live as a logical entity when there's more than one of him. You imagine him walking around in a daze saying to himself, "I'm completely implausible." Actually, the problem with the two Spocks plotline is they don't take it far enough. I imagine the scene where old Spock tells the new Kirk how they'd always be friends going on like this:<br /><br />"As a matter of fact, we were a bit more than friends . . ."<br /><br />"You're shitting me."<br /><br />"No, no, look here, I've got an Internet connection, there's a whole literature about it. We were the Romeo and Juliet of outer space . . ."<br /><br />"But one reel ago I was banging the green bitch!"<br /><br />"You know, Jim, if you have one fault it's overcompensation. Now, if you don't mind, I've been in this cave a long time . . ."<br /><br />It is kind of amazing, though, considering they were all decidedly second string TV actors, how charismatic that original cast was. Now they have their own equivalent of Beatlemania. I wonder if they get paid for the use of their likenesses. There must be some compensation in watching young, fit versions of themselves rather than the old, fat and bald reality, anyway.Robert Fiorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06357467040644448167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-65958305748808542622009-05-15T12:55:00.000-07:002009-05-15T12:55:00.000-07:00As the proud owner of a region-free DVD player, I ...As the proud owner of a region-free DVD player, I was recently able to watch <B>All the Boys Love Mandy Lane</B> -- I'm so ahead of the curve! -- and, Dennis, it's pretty good. I'm at work, and didn't watch the trailer, but having seen the film it's easy for me to imagine how the film could be made to look very standard-issue. And it IS kind of standard-issue, in its set-up and general structure, but it has a bit more to offer. I think some of the early-adopters of the film have gone slightly overboard in their praise, but that doesn't mean that I don't think the film is well worth seeing. There are some really terrific moments, the film often looks really great -- it has a <B>Texas Chainsaw Massacre</B> grit to it -- and the acting is well above what this sort of movie generally offers.<br /><br />So check it out. Keep those expectations in check, and I think you'll be well pleased.<br /><br />Also, off-topic, but I watched Tobe Hooper's <B>The Funhouse</B> last night. Is it just me, or is that movie not that bad? Maybe it's my crush on Elizabeth Berridge, and the fact that I'm a sucker for carnival-set horror stories, but I had a pretty good time with it.bill r.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17748572205731857892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-77277710062906566202009-05-15T10:58:00.000-07:002009-05-15T10:58:00.000-07:00Another wonderful post. Some thoughts:
I agree wi...Another wonderful post. Some thoughts:<br /><br />I agree with you on G.I. Joe.<br /><br />On the Taking of Pelham 123: another remake of a movie that didn't it (the original is a cherished memory).<br /><br />Looking forward to the The Hurt Locker. K. Bigelow is very under-rated.<br /><br />Same for Mann's Public Enemies. Even when he bad (The Keep), he's still interesting as hell.<br /><br />I agree with you on Death Proof. Even though Grindhouse didn't make $ or draw enough attention, it's a unappreciated (except by us) homage to the genre. Kurt as the bad guy was a great touch. Gets better on every re-watch. I'm so there come August for QT.<br /><br />Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West at the Beverly Cinema in June? I'm so there, probably bringing my 13 yr old with me ;-).le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-75106002691040234922009-05-15T08:26:00.000-07:002009-05-15T08:26:00.000-07:00I am looking forward to seeing Star Trek with my s...I am looking forward to seeing <I>Star Trek</I> with my sons this weekend, as well as <I>Drag Me To Hell</I> (at the drive-in, of course), but as I've told a friend of mine, I've already seen the best movies I could see this year in the past two months, so I just need the summer movies to entertain me and not much else. My youngest son and I have been able to catch <I>Seven Samurai</I> and <I>Citizen Kane</I> at the Aero, and <I>Lawrence of Arabia</I> in 70mm at the Egyptian. He has committed to seeing <I>Once Upon A Time In The West</I> at the New Beverly, so maybe we'll see you there. Anyway, a mix of the classics and some pulp works. And if you're taking votes on the matter, I say no to taking Emma to <I>Strangers On A Train.</I> Take her to see <I>Up</I> a second time instead (because I know you're gonna have to take your daughters to see it at least once). I think <I>Up</I> is very good, but it will be interesting to see how it is received.<br /><br />Virgil HiltsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-92143835978182910762009-05-15T06:45:00.000-07:002009-05-15T06:45:00.000-07:00You're fortunate having a revival scene so swingin...You're fortunate having a revival scene so swingin'. It's shameful, the Metropolitan area's is pretty dead. And even when good films do get shown, it's usually on a screen about the size of a brick. The best screen in NY consistently devotes itself to newer dreck. They had an awesome classics series in 06 but have barely done it since (I think that was a very random and special thing). Another of my area's great screens has a 'classics' midnight series, which roughly translates to showing crap for months and a good movie here and there. It's disheartening, really, because I'd rather check out a good revival than a new release, on most days.Ryan Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18054550377681273142noreply@blogger.com