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New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
- Thread starter The Rube
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You are wise in your generation.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
John Wayne is like Ronald Reagan. Just because they're surrounded by packs of masturbating fan boys (often the same ones) who adore them for all the wrong reasons, doesn't mean they weren't valuable in their own right. Wayne is, IMHO, one of the best 5 or so actors in westerns. And he always left it all on the field, which you can't say about most of them.
Wayne is terrible before Stagecoach, but nothing was asked of him and anyway, he wasn't an actor, he was a moonlighting furniture mover. Stagecoach begins his run of wonderful movies. Then towards the end he becomes so iconic that he's Fat Elvis prancing around. I'd say that's the ordinary performance arc of most great actors, though -- their effort and value describe a normal curve. De Niro, Pacino, Nicholson, Newman, Brando and Hopkins all became self-parodic in the end. The combined weight of their careers becomes an anchor that sinks them.
How many actors escaped and actually did interesting, fresh work that would have stood on its own later in their careers? I can think of maybe two: Joan Crawford and Spencer Tracy. Bogart was certainly great all the way through, but he is the world's most successful character actor, and those guys can maintain (which is also why a lot of comedians hold serve all the way through). I don't think Gregory Peck lost his fastball, but his final few movies are so godawful it's hard to tell. But most of them get Charlton Heston Disease.
John Wayne is like Ronald Reagan. Just because they're surrounded by packs of masturbating fan boys (often the same ones) who adore them for all the wrong reasons, doesn't mean they weren't valuable in their own right. Wayne is, IMHO, one of the best 5 or so actors in westerns. And he always left it all on the field, which you can't say about most of them.
Wayne is terrible before Stagecoach, but nothing was asked of him and anyway, he wasn't an actor, he was a moonlighting furniture mover. Stagecoach begins his run of wonderful movies. Then towards the end he becomes so iconic that he's Fat Elvis prancing around. I'd say that's the ordinary performance arc of most great actors, though -- their effort and value describe a normal curve. De Niro, Pacino, Nicholson, Newman, Brando and Hopkins all became self-parodic in the end. The combined weight of their careers becomes an anchor that sinks them.
How many actors escaped and actually did interesting, fresh work that would have stood on its own later in their careers? I can think of maybe two: Joan Crawford and Spencer Tracy. Bogart was certainly great all the way through, but he is the world's most successful character actor, and those guys can maintain (which is also why a lot of comedians hold serve all the way through). I don't think Gregory Peck lost his fastball, but his final few movies are so godawful it's hard to tell. But most of them get Charlton Heston Disease.
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Handyman
Hug someone you care about...
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
Yeah it seems in Hollywood the better you are early on the worse you are later. It is rather rare for an actor to have a steady arc that never falls over the edge. Jeff Bridges is one and Clint Eastwood has as well. (Kepler I know you hate Unforgiven but Gran Torino was excellent)
Yeah it seems in Hollywood the better you are early on the worse you are later. It is rather rare for an actor to have a steady arc that never falls over the edge. Jeff Bridges is one and Clint Eastwood has as well. (Kepler I know you hate Unforgiven but Gran Torino was excellent)
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
There's exhaust coming out of my neighbor's car more entertaining than Spade & Farley.
There's exhaust coming out of my neighbor's car more entertaining than Spade & Farley.
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
Daniel Day-Lewis. Meryl Streep. Phillip Seymour-Hoffman and Christian Bale are showing good signs, also.
Daniel Day-Lewis. Meryl Streep. Phillip Seymour-Hoffman and Christian Bale are showing good signs, also.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
I'm about 20 minutes into 2001: A Space Odyssey. If this movie doesn't get any better within the next 20, it'll be 1/3 for Kubrick (among FMJ, Clockwork Orange, and 2001). God he's terribly overrated. Clockwork Orange was one of the most useless movies I have ever had the displeasure of watching.
I'll give the set designer of 2001 a lot of credit. Fantastic so far.
46 minutes in and we finally get a hint of a plot.
I'm about 20 minutes into 2001: A Space Odyssey. If this movie doesn't get any better within the next 20, it'll be 1/3 for Kubrick (among FMJ, Clockwork Orange, and 2001). God he's terribly overrated. Clockwork Orange was one of the most useless movies I have ever had the displeasure of watching.
I'll give the set designer of 2001 a lot of credit. Fantastic so far.
46 minutes in and we finally get a hint of a plot.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
No, it's just demented. Now 2001 is simply relying on the same stupid camera trick to make people go "upside down" in lieu of producing an actual movie. "Hey everyone! Look! I'm brilliant!" is all I get from this movie.
Moon was everything this movie isn't.
No, it's just demented. Now 2001 is simply relying on the same stupid camera trick to make people go "upside down" in lieu of producing an actual movie. "Hey everyone! Look! I'm brilliant!" is all I get from this movie.
Moon was everything this movie isn't.
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St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
A Clockwork Orange is great commentary on societal decline and criminal punishment. And if you want demented, read the book. Kubrick showed great restraint when turning it into a movie.
A Clockwork Orange is great commentary on societal decline and criminal punishment. And if you want demented, read the book. Kubrick showed great restraint when turning it into a movie.
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
The book was good, movie a real yawner.
The book was good, movie a real yawner.
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
That's what I also heard about "American Psycho."
That's what I also heard about "American Psycho."
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
Kubrick is a legitimately great director. A Clockwork Orange and 2001 are both excellent movies if you buy what they're trying to do, otherwise of course you'll hate them. BTW, I hated 2001 until I was in my 40's -- it gets much better with repeated viewing (which is the mark of a good movie). Do not see it on a small screen. It's like Lawrence of Arabia -- it absolutely requires a movie theatre. Strangelove and Spartacus are balls to the wall great. I was completely bored by The Shining the first time I saw it, but the more I see it I more I love it (just ignore the kid and the mother and it's a good, albeit enormously overblown and self-important, movie). Stanley may have been losing it at the end -- Eyes Wide Shut is one of the worst ten movies I've ever seen, but that may also have been a cast beyond any hope.
Kubrick is a legitimately great director. A Clockwork Orange and 2001 are both excellent movies if you buy what they're trying to do, otherwise of course you'll hate them. BTW, I hated 2001 until I was in my 40's -- it gets much better with repeated viewing (which is the mark of a good movie). Do not see it on a small screen. It's like Lawrence of Arabia -- it absolutely requires a movie theatre. Strangelove and Spartacus are balls to the wall great. I was completely bored by The Shining the first time I saw it, but the more I see it I more I love it (just ignore the kid and the mother and it's a good, albeit enormously overblown and self-important, movie). Stanley may have been losing it at the end -- Eyes Wide Shut is one of the worst ten movies I've ever seen, but that may also have been a cast beyond any hope.
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Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
Just remember folks, he likes the wave at sporting events...
Just remember folks, he likes the wave at sporting events...
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
No, I enjoy it when I've had more than my fair share of beers and the game is hopelessly lost or in the bag. Otherwise I'm focused on the game.
Brilliance is Amadeus, The Godfather Pt 1, Full Metal Jacket, Patton, LOTR, The Ten Commandments, A New Hope. Any of those.
No, I enjoy it when I've had more than my fair share of beers and the game is hopelessly lost or in the bag. Otherwise I'm focused on the game.
Brilliance is Amadeus, The Godfather Pt 1, Full Metal Jacket, Patton, LOTR, The Ten Commandments, A New Hope. Any of those.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
Perhaps I'll revisit it someday. 2001 suffers from the idea that long and completely unnecessary scenes that last for tens of minutes are "brilliant". They aren't. It's terribly boring and in the end it hurt the movie IMHO.
Perhaps I'll revisit it someday. 2001 suffers from the idea that long and completely unnecessary scenes that last for tens of minutes are "brilliant". They aren't. It's terribly boring and in the end it hurt the movie IMHO.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
The acid trip scene at the end I agree with you -- I think the excuse is sheer datedness, it really blew people's minds when it came out. Put it this way, you couldn't pay me to sit through a George Pal animated monster fight, but in their day they were considered amazing.
The long prologue scene is the one most people have a problem with. I really hated it the first time I saw it. Now I love it. But in a channel-surfer environment, it would be almost impossible to sit through if it was your first time seeing the movie. That's why I recommend seeing it as a captive audience. It has this problem:
The acid trip scene at the end I agree with you -- I think the excuse is sheer datedness, it really blew people's minds when it came out. Put it this way, you couldn't pay me to sit through a George Pal animated monster fight, but in their day they were considered amazing.
The long prologue scene is the one most people have a problem with. I really hated it the first time I saw it. Now I love it. But in a channel-surfer environment, it would be almost impossible to sit through if it was your first time seeing the movie. That's why I recommend seeing it as a captive audience. It has this problem:
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dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: New/Rented Movies: Bring Back Laserdiscs!
The opening act I thought was drawn out but once it was done I thought it was good. I didn't have a problem with that.
You could be right about the acid trip travel scene.
The opening act I thought was drawn out but once it was done I thought it was good. I didn't have a problem with that.
You could be right about the acid trip travel scene.
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