BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.

Subject: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:15 PM

I AM a snob about this stuff, so if you wanna pull my chain it won't work. Blame it on my parents....the fact that I became President of the "Film Society" in school....or whatever.....but even when I was 12, I thought Jerry Lewis was revolting.

So I go off to the Video store tonight. It's freezing cold in Toronto...I DON'T want to think about Iraq for the WHOLE day...I just want to get a GOOD film.

Here's where the problem starts. Everyone else at the store is happily grabbing up Richard Gere Films, Mel Gibson Films, Harrison Ford films, Gwynneth P. Films, Rene Z. films, Arnold S. films, and so on, and so on.

Not me....I'm too much of a snob!

I want some:

A. Reality.

B. FUNNY Comedy.... that doesn't seem to be written by the people who put "Friends" out. I'm sorry but I just don't GET Adam Sandler.

C. or something "DARK" (like Fargo, or Being John Malkovitch)

Now most of the popular films seem to be in a very narrow number of categories: Like:

"Black and white Crime fighting" Buddy films. These worry me 'cuz I figure after a hard day of fighting crime (domestic or extra terestrial) Does Mel offer Samuel L. a lift home out to the burbs? I DOUBT it! I've known quite a number of cops, and they generally don't look for "mixed neighborhoods" to reside in....so where does Samuel L go after getting splattered with blood all day? His Momma's?

"Julia Roberts and Hugh Grawnt" films. Holy cow! Before Notting Hill is one tenth over, Hugh has "touselled" his hair thirty eight times and stared shyly at the floor thirty seven (I'm not sure what happened to one of the tousells)
Julia has looked at the floor twenty times and then broken into the cutest most adorable toothy (she has 127 teeth) smile imaginable. It takes her about forty seconds to go from "partial tooth to complete toothieness", so that DOES take up a lot of the movie. Then Hugh tousells some more.

All that touselling and toothying drove me crazy before it was half over.

Now one film that was positively FLYING OFF THE SHELVES caught my attention (there was one copy left) On the cover there seemed to be a picture of Pappy Yokum, if he pumped a lot of iron. Pretty wizened, but obviously popular....I grabbed it for a look....My Gawd it was "Swept Away"....not even the old pretentious one with Gianini (I'm not a total snob, cuz I HATED the original) Poor Madonna! I'm not a fan, (although I love Weird Al's versions of her songs) If that new husband of hers talked her into THAT, he should marry Wynona Ryder next. (but keep an eye on the silverware!)

Awww poop, what I really want is those great Ealing comedies from the fifties. Or one of the two or three GREAT films that Woody Allan made, or some French "Film Noir" stuff with Belmondo, or Bergman, or Fellini, or Kubrick,.....

By then the line up was half an isle long.....so I just went home and said "Screw it, I'll whine on Mudcat instead".

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:33 PM

I'm with you, Rick. I, too, loathed Jerry Lewis and still do.

True humor and true wit are rare and evanescent. Therefore the media do one of two thing: substitute mere vulgarity or set up a victim, a character who is stupid, and ridicule that person.

I'm sure there are some actually humorous films somewhere, but I don't know where.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:40 PM

I too despise Jerry Lewis movies, but what do I know? I am equally appalled at the Three Stooges. Notting Hill is on TV tonight. I watched it with the mute button on for a little while - almost bearable. Hugh Grant does nothing for me but I did like "The Man Who Went Up A Hill And Came Down A Mountain".

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: DonMeixner
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:40 PM

Rick

Something Dark, Funny, Brilliantly acted, Urbane yet gritty.
Only one film can fill that bill for me. "The Lavemder Hill Mob".

Don

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: michaelr
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:55 PM

Try a later Terry Gilliam film such as "Brazil", "The Fisher King" or "12 Monkeys".

Or "The Stunt Man" with Peter O"Toole.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 11:01 PM

Rick, I sympathize. I too find it frustrating that the video stores will have 30 copies of "Scooby Doo" and zero copies of, say, "Blood Simple."

Maybe it would cheer you up to hear about 2 good movies I recently rented:

"The Good Girl" - starring Jennifer Anniston. She is much more versatile than you'd think from Friends.

"Trees Lounge" - written, directed, and acted in by Steve Buscemi.

I won't bother with a detailed description. I'm sure you have other sources. But I'd highly recommend either of them. I hope you can find them.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 11:24 PM

Gawd, I'm so pathetic.......I'm a schlock addict. No, not Jerry Lewis, what an ass........I get hooked on actors or films for weird reasons that I can't figure out.   I've seen everything James Woods has done, some many times.....same with John Turturro. One of JW's true schlockies called "Diggstown" is one of my favorites. How weird does it get when you have Woods and Bruce Dern in the same film? Turturro has done some funky and interesting things like "Barton Fink" and a different take on Sam Giancana in "Sugartime." You might get a kick out of "Quiz Show" based on the quiz show scandals of the 50's.

I love "The Birdcage" with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. what made me think of it just now is that Hank Azaria is in both Quiz Show and Birdcage and the two characters couldn't be more different....helluva' character actor. And of course all of Chris Guest's films......some brilliant schlock there.

HEY! I think I just thought of one that was decent!! Have you seen "A Beautiful Mind" with Russell Crowe? I hated Crowe til I saw this one. Also, if you want a headache trying to figure out what the hell is going on, try "Memento"......It;s about a guy with no short term memory and is told in a series of reversed flashbacks.

Never take my advice on a movie......I've seen "Harlem Nights" 75 or 80 times.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Homeless
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 11:29 PM

Rick, since you've noted my sense of humor, I'll recommend one film that makes me laugh just upon remembering a couple lines from it. "Escanaba in Da Moonlight" It's got some bathroom humor, but with an intellectual twist.
The one key to this movie to take it from a weird, bad comedy, to an incredibly entertaining story is to realize that you are seeing one man's perception of life and these events.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 11:36 PM

The Deaf Lady doesn't do much TV or films. I have no clue what you are talking about,but Jerry Lewis (and friends) is NOT funny. "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Fried Green Tomatoes" were funny but not very dark. Sorry.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: DonMeixner
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 11:40 PM

Well, what do I know, I liked WaterWorld.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 12:14 AM

time bandits!

under the rainbow!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 12:48 AM

It is VERY DIFFICULT to believe this thread is from a past "president of a film society"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The reel questions is....16mm or 35mm????.....video is NEVER in the loop.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sam L
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:27 AM

Rick, I always try to help with this stuff, forgive me if I err. Anybody may have already seen anything, but on the odd chance, I throw things out.

I believe I'm the only person who ever saw The Stone Boy, which is a good movie. Tomorrow--from the Faulkner story, similar to the Lena Grove thread in Light In August.

Black Robe is good, if you missed it. Storytelling which may be the funniest darkest smartest movie I've seen this century.
Um, the original The Vanishing, without Keiffer Sutherland. The Return Of Martin Guerre... those foreign things that got remade as Hollywood junk.

Um, Camille Claudel. Lawn Dogs isn't exactly great, but is good, and different, odd. The Last Picture Show. Gummo and that vein of stuff. Can't think of anything, might try again sometime when I'm not sleepy.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:27 AM

A film that is dark and very funny is the Cary Grant movie Arsenic and Old Lace. I'd enjoyed it when I was a kid, but hadn't watched it in years until I found it at the public library and brought it home for the kids to see. It was wonderful to see how well that film holds up, how really funny it is, and how much my kids liked it (they're 10 and 14).

I have also recently borrowed Dr. Strangelove and another Peter Sellers movie that is very funny and dark is the film adaptation of the Jerzy Kozinsky novel Being There.

As you can see, for us the trick is to not expect much of current films and recent releases. Some of the films I've seen many times but still get lured into watching again if I pass them when flipping channels: Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, Strangers on a Train (obviously a big Hitchcock component in my list), and one you don't see much but that really is pretty hilarious is The Trouble With Harry. Most of my film viewing these days is based on what I find at the public library--and here in Fort Worth they have a very nice collection. I refuse to resubscribe to the local cable company (Charter--they STINK!) and haven't gotten around to setting up satellite yet, when I'll get American Movie Classics and a couple of the other non-premium movie channels.

Hope this list helps!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Marion
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:53 AM

I may have been the only person to ever see "The Legend of 1900" (see my review in this thread); it's worth a try.

And speaking of films flying off shelves, I went to the public library catalogue to request a copy of "From Here to Eternity" (because I want to stare at Merle's hands while he plays Reenlistment Blues, naturally) and found that of the seventeen copies in the Toronto library system, not one is currently in.

Marion

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: allanwill
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 08:55 AM

I think I got into trouble in a previous thread because I said I don't like a lot of "todays" movies because of the cartoonish speial effects. Give me the classic 60's - 70's movies anyday.

However, Rick, one truly GOOD recent movie is "Dead Man" starring Johnny Depp. A back-and-white, semi-western with a very dark storyline, but tempered by a very droll "Indian" character very reminiscent to Chief Dan George's role in Josey Wales.

Oh, and a soundtrack by Neil Young.

Allan

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jeanie
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 09:07 AM

If you don't know this one, hire out: 'Truly, Madly, Deeply'. Main roles played by Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson, so it's superbly acted.
It's a wonderful story about grief, loss, letting go and moving on. Anyone who has ever seen Juliet Stevenson's moving outpouring of grief in this film will never forget it. If you want realism, Rick, it's here alright. But it is also full of humour, too.

Very well and cleverly filmed, with all kinds of echoes and patterns to the various shots, the more you look for them. Filmed mainly in Highgate, North London.

I won't say any more and spoil it for you ...

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 09:25 AM

Dammit, someone already said "The Trouble with Harry." Hmm...

Oh, if you love Weird Al, Rick, you've probably already seen it, but rent "UHF," starring Al, Michael Richards, Victoria Jackson and... I forget the rest right now. But Billy Barty's in it. Al takes control of a tiny UHF station, wackiness ensues, evil corporate guys try to crush him, Al saves the day, etc. One of the films I judge people by, based on their opinion of it. :)

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Amos
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 09:48 AM

Well, Spaw, don't feel bad -- we've watched "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" about six times. And there are two others we always come back to again - "Baghdad Cafe" and the one about the Candian writer --"Joshua, Then and Now".

Chacun a son whacky gout, eh?

A

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sam L
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 09:49 AM

Mm, I'll second Truly Madly Deeply. It also contains a nice arrangement of an odd old 60's song.
    If you missed Strictly Ballroom, it was the feel-good movie of it's decade.
I was in a video store once and a young couple was nosing around when the guy said The Gods Must Be Crazy! That's the funniest movie ever! She looked at him skeptically. I had the urge to tell her, Listen, trust the guy, just this once.
   I usually recommend Fitzcaraldo as a movie by a monomaniac, about a monomaniac, for monomaniacs.
   Fairy Tale is a good movie with Harvey Keitel as Houdini. About two girls who took photographs of Fairies, and stumped everyone. A riddle with an elegant solution.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: harvey andrews
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:20 AM

Rick, if your video players played the same system as ours i could send you over a boxful! Thing is they're all European movies. American movies seem to my family to be made for young adolescents, and made badly at that. The best Hollywood period was the Noir time, and they were films that had a great deal of input from emigrant Europeans!
We seem to be getting more world cinema films on various tv channels over here in the UK and we've got a cupboard full we've taped but haven't watched yet. Generally there are no special effects, no gory deaths, no gung ho patriotic crap..it's mostly character and relationships and good plotting.
Try the subtitled section...if your shop has one!!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:24 AM

GARGOYLE YOU SILLY GOOSE!

Of course we didn't get videos in High school! Film all the way!

"The Great Caruso" avec Mario Lanza (that's the one that got me dumped!

The one about the "Bouncing Bombs"......remember all that "heavy water"? Ooooh ya, "Dambusters" wasn't it? Richard Todd I believe

"The Lavender Hill Mob"

Jeez, I didn't say I was a GOOD president!!

Cheers, haven't heard from you in a while!

Damn, this was a good idea! I've written down about ten suggestions.

Now Sorcha, I really did find "Driving Miss Daisy" kinda dark. Great film....some strange and wonderful acting. Lotta subtlety from Jessica, Morgan.... but especially from Dan Aykroyd.

Haven't seen "Beautiful Mind" yet, but the problem is, (as has been pointed out) They only (now) have multiple copies of New Arrivals and two thirds of them are on DVD (which we ain't got)

An apology to Madonna for saying that she looked like Pappy Yokum on steroids. Lots of folks like those "pumped -up" women.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:27 AM

Hi Harvey.

I WISH the video systems were similar but they're not.

BUT....what about DVD? Same format in Britain and Canada...or States?

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: harvey andrews
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:34 AM

Oh...complicated!!! Our son's flat was burgled on the first day of his weeks holiday with us on Thursday so he had to go straight back to London. They only took his DVD player.Having broken in through a window they couldn't open the doors to get the stuff out. He went on Saturday to buy another one and asked for the top assistant. he then said he wanted a player that did three things, same as the one he'd had stolen. One of these things was playing American standard I believe. The shop assistant handed him a player with a confident. "Here's the one!" My son got it home and it doesn't do any of the things he wanted!

What can you expect when you see a sign in a shop window in a small market town in herefordshire advertising for;
"A garment technician...to interface with our customers."
Why can't they say "Shop assistant in a clothes shop" for Gawds sake!
If there's one thing I'll NEVER forgive America for it's what it's doing to our lovely language!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:51 AM

Well, Rick, I'm a film snob too, really preferring even foreign dreck to Hollyweird product. But a coupla films I've seen this past year that I didn't think were going to be my particular cup of gin turned out to be some decent entertainment. "Spy Game" with Robert Redford (still going strong) and Brad Pitt (whom I really am not crazy about) and filled with politics inside the CIA on Redford's character's last day before retirement. Kept Tom's and my attention throughout. "Sexy Beast" was another seen on a friend's recommendation -- a most elegant crime flick with Ben Kingsley as the bad guy -- and a great bad guy he was. "Serendipity" isn't just a chick flick. As a matter of fact, it was my former employer (very male) who recommended it to me. John Cusack being, well, John Cusack. Lots of great lines, very funny, and you feel good after watching it, silly grin and all. Speaking of John Cusack, I also loved "High Fidelity" with Cusack running a quirky, money losing record shop.

I have no intention of ever watching the remake of "Swept Away" -- and, actually, my favorite Lina Wertmuller film was "A Joke of Destiny."

Oh, and since my religious experience of last year was "Run Lola Run", we finally got around to seeing "Princess and the Warrior." Now I have to order a copy. Also really enjoyed a Dutch-Belgian-French production (in Flemish) called "Paulette and Pauline." Sweet, but dealing with some serious issues.

We watched "Chung King Express" last night. It had some incredibly imaginative & exciting camera work and technique, some intriguing characters & philosophy (mostly about love), but somehow the STORY(s) didn't come across. Glad I watched it, but . . . (prolly should have watched "Land Girls" instead). (Actually, what with the current temperature, I think I want to rewatch "Heat and Dust," "Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures" and "Sheltering Sky." -- or best of all, "The Man Who Would Be King" except my copy was borrowed by someone who didn't return it.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Amos
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 11:12 AM

"The Piano" and "The Red Violin" are two deathless favorites you'd probably like, Rick.


A

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 11:23 AM

Harvey: Don't blame America for "garment technician." Never heard that term over here. Even "shop assistant" sounds kind of pretentious to me. Why can't y'all say "sales clerk?"

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 11:45 AM

Babette's Feast
Raise The Red Lantern
Red Sorghum
The Haunting (Julie Christie not the noisy new one)
Jaws (warch for the shooting stars at sea.)
Do NOT. I repeat DO NOT bother with "SIGNS". Giant snooze. Nothing happens and then it's over. But of course there are enough close-ups of Gibson's face to enable me to map out his pores.

The Producers The Producers The Producers

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Peg
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 12:02 PM

some very good filsm mentioned here! I love DEAD MAN.

Speaking of chacun a son gout, a wonderful French film from last year might suit: THE TASTE OF OTHERS.

Other recent ones that I have enjoyed:

DONNIE DARKO
SESSION 9
RATCATCHER
URBAN GHOST STORY
ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS
FAR FROM HEAVEN
THE KING IS ALIVE
TREASURE PLANET
ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU
PUNCH DRUNK LOVE (Adam Sandler must be seen to be believed in this one, and no, I was not a fan before except for the Hannukah Song)

and old faves:
WITHNAIL AND I
HENRY AND JUNE
THE WICKER MAN
PRACTICAL MAGIC
HAIR
FIVE EASY PIECES
HOUSE OF GAMES

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: belfast
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 12:13 PM

There are about thirty postings on this site and nobody has yet mentioned The Third Man or Casablanca. What the hell is the matter with you people?

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Metchosin
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 12:22 PM

Hi Rick
You might have to search farther afield than your local megavideo outlet, but the following are worthwhile:
The Australian film "Bliss"
"The Coca-Cola Kid
The Ruling Class" which is classic Peter O'Toole
"The Wrong Box"
"Mr. Klein"
"Il Postino"
"Cinema Paradiso"
"Night on Earth"
"My Life as a House"
"The Crying Game"
"Consuming Passions"
"Babette's Feast"
"The Bad Girl" (German)
and Fassbinder's "Kamakazi 89" (also German)
along with the others listed above, this should at least keep you busy until the snow thaws back there.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 12:51 PM

Harvey, perhaps someone in that shop has a sense of humor?

"A garment technician...to interface with our customers."

Indeed! Anyone who sews knows that interfacing is a structural part of the garment, used here as a wicked pun.

Rick, last week a local Dallas film critic spoke on our university campus about his new book about movie producer Marty Jurow (Breakfast at Tiffany's, Terms of Endearment, etc.). He told lots of stories, dished lots of stars, and when asked, said that his favorite all-time movie is probably The Lady Eve with Stanwyk and Fonda. I picked a copy up at the library to view this weekend. When I finish fixing the plumbing problem in the back bathroom this afternoon I may have a few minutes left in the day to watch it. I'll let you know what I think!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Micca
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:01 PM

Rick, try Kieselowskis trilogy
Three colours red,
Three colours White
Three colours Blue
Or a German Film called "Schtonk" about faking the Hitler diaries!! very funny,
or the original french version of "Nikita" if you want Dark!!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:08 PM

Jeez, I didn't BEGIN to get into films older than a year or two (other than "A Joke of Destiny" 1984, and "The Man Who Would Be King," of course).

"Diva"
"A Thousand Clowns"
"Paths of Glory" (oh, sorry, you wanted to get your mind OFF governmental stupidities . . .)
"The Hunger"
"The Adventures of Robin Hood" (Errol Flynn)
"A Question of Silence" (Dutch)
"Zulu"
"King of Hearts"
"Cafe Flesh"
"Liquid Sky"
"The Shout"
"What's Up, Doc?"
"The Best Years of Our Lives"
"The Thin Man"
"Day for Night"
"Auntie Mame"
"Dirty Dozen"
"Blithe Spirit"
"Virgin President"
"Dr. No"
"Play Misty for Me"
"Benny & Joon"
"The Secret Garden" (1949)
Anything by Peter Greenaway, Luis Buñuel, John Waters, David Lynch, Alan Rudolph, Francois Truffaut . . .

Hey, there's waaaaay too many! I've been making "Top 10" lists for the past 30 years, but it depends entirely on what mood I'm in at the moment.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:09 PM

Gosford Park
Waking Ned Devine

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:22 PM

I have a question for those of you who have recommended old films you love:

Have you checked recently to see whether these films are available in your local video store?

I'd bet that 90% of them are NOT at Blockbuster.

I've tried downloading Roger Ebert's yearly top-10 lists, going back several years, and taking them to the shop with me, and I find that once the lists are 3 or 4 years old, 8 or so of the 10 are not in the shop at all.

Fat chance finding anything that is more than 5 years old, unless it's a classic with wide appeal, like "Frankenstein" or "Star Wars."

Which proves Rick's point.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Metchosin
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:31 PM

Oh yeah and the Japanese film
"Tampopo"
and definitely
"Ghengis Blue" and "Gadja Dilo" (or the Crazy Stranger)
all films that I listed are available at a number of local video strores, but as noted my local video store is not Blockbusters.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Metchosin
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:36 PM

sorry dropped the "s", that should be "Ghengis Blues".

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Metchosin
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:38 PM

and I forgot "Happy Texas" is a hoot.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:49 PM

Real libraries, where you can borrow actual books, normally have videos and DVDs as well, and they are more likely, even these days, to hold on to them a bit longer and have some older fims than the commercial video stores.

There are various differencess between DVDs in various parts of the wolrd desiubned to make them incompatible with each other. I gather the film companies insisted on this, to stop people importing DVDs of films thta hadn't been released in film theatres yet. And I believe the same applies to videos.

However for DVDs I gather you can very easily instruct your player to accept all the foreign DVDs, you just have to key in a code - Google around on the net and it's all easily available.

Ten fairly recent films to look for:
Amelie
Life is Beautiful
Road to Perdition
About a Boy (I know it's got Hugh Grant, but it's still good - funny with a serious point to make as well)
Bend it like Bekham
Monsoon Wedding
Anita and Me
The Shipping News
Iris
Chocolat (apart from Johnny Depp's Irish accent...)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:53 PM

I didn't like "Shipping News" as much as I enjoyed the book. The film was a lot darker.

How about "Margaret's Museum"?

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 02:09 PM

Jim,

The Blockbuster chain is based in Dallas, and one of the VP's is a family friend of a family friend. We've discussed this over birthday cake and Thanksgiving turkey a couple of times. I asked why they don't keep a few of the older movies, and he said they don't make any money on them. I would like to see a rotating collection at Blockbuster, perhaps for three months at a time, for those of us who are fans of various types of older movies.

Meanwhile, the common source theme in this thread is "Public Library." They have a pretty good collection of vidoes. Haven't seen many DVD's there yet, but then they don't have many books on CD either, they're still mostly on tape. I think they're resisting change on this, but the change in both venues would be beneficial.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: harvey andrews
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 02:22 PM

Jim, in England a clerk is someone who keeps books (financial) and records.
The shop was a a labour exchange and it was a serious job description of totally barmy gibberish and jargon.
. My complaint about American is its insidious takeover of English by employing obfuscating words and long words and three words where one will do. It's getting bad over here and I'm afraid I'm turning into one of those sad old men who shouts at the radio when he hears something truly terrible!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: banjomad (inactive)
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 02:41 PM

never mind all that crap, best three films in the world are
1 Oh Brother Where Art Thou.
2 The Blues Brothers
3 Blazing Saddle
end of

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 02:47 PM

The only reason I ever go into Blockbuster is to buy "previously viewed tapes". My closest video store, while not perfect (until the current manager, they purchased foreign films that were dubbed in English, not subtitled), recognizes that they have a niche in the older films, so their collection isn't bad. It's far from perfect, but better than most.

Tom and I owned a niche video store in the late 1980s specializing in foreign films, classic films, and as much of the odd stuff (I guess you'd call them Cult Films) as we could lay our hands on. Needless to say, we're not in business anymore. (The shop hung on for almost 3 years, done in by an economy in the toilet and the arrival of Blockbuster.) Even with the local university, there really wasn't enough traffic to support it, or even pay the rent.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: leprechaun
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:11 PM

McGrath - I second the motion on "About a Boy."

Here are some others that most likely played in the converted-funeral-home/artsy-film-patchouly-oil-and-body-odor venue:

Like Water for Chocolate

The Official Story

Ran

Seven Samurai

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

El Norte

The Samurai Trilogy

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: harpgirl
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:12 PM

...how about one of my favorites, "Jean DeFlorette?"

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jeri
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:22 PM

What's Eating Gilbert Grape - another Johnny Depp film.
Slaughterhouse 5 (mentioned in the Kurt Vonnegut thread) - if you haven't seen it, DO IT. This has one of the best dark-humor scenes I can remember.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Deda
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:24 PM

I'm lucky enough to live in a town that has an indie video place, called "The Video Station", which carries hundreds of very old movies, plus PBS movies (I rented "I, Claudius" there), foreign films, etc. We almost never go to Blockbusters.
My picks:
Network (with Faye Dunaway)
As Good As It Gets

One that may be too idiosyncratic for anyone else is "Trembling Before God", about orthodox Jews who discover, with great pain and shame, that they are gay / homosexual / lesbians. I saw it twice, last fall. It is a very beautiful movie -- but I particularly loved the music, because I was married into an orthodox family for 15 years. I would see it again in a heartbeat.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:24 PM

Oh yes, Harpy and Manot of the Spring, the sequel.

The Lambert Worm with Hugh Grant is good for a laugh too.Very tongue in cheek.

Dr. Strangelove is timely. And "The Mouse That Roared".

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:25 PM

no one has mentioned "The Wrong Box" or "Brewster McCloud"?...tsk! (I may just watch them to while away the snowstorm!...I have had them so long they are on Beta)

(I agree about "Being There" and "The Gods Must Be Crazy" wonderful, creative, off the wall!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: SlickerBill
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:47 PM

A couple I've seen that might fit the bill; "My First Mister", made by Christine Lahty (kind of a "Life as A House", with a twist-- goth kid gets a job in a men's clothing store). Also liked "Vatel" very much, about a steward on an estate visited by Louis XIV. Saw "About Schmidt" recently; THAT was funny/dark, but it'll be awhile before it's out on video. "One Hour Photo" is just dark; I was impressed they didn't take the low road and just make another thriller, but did so much more with the story. How about "The Usual Suspects"? I'd say dark/funny applies. And I guess "Snatch" and "Lock Stock and Three Smoking Barrels" would work. There's another about a couple of Ulster guys who take over a slaes job selling hair pieces; I think it's "An Everlasting Piece" or something like that; got a larf out of that 'un. There ya go Rick old lad; cheer the hell up will ya??? sb

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:51 PM

the big tease

the commitments

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 03:58 PM

Rushmore

Almost any Kurosawa

Any old John Ford black and white western...Monument Valley landscape...Grapes of Wrath (also by Ford...talk about dark...James Wong Howe cinematograher).

Almost any Kubrick

Almost any Jerry Lewis...oh, was thinking of Jerry Lee Lewis

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 04:02 PM

The Great Train Robbery..well, **I** laughed!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sam L
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 04:07 PM

The local Blockbuster has many, if not most of the movies mentioned here, but they have shorter rental periods than another place. It's hard to guess what movies people might've missed. Hideous Kinky is a pretty good movie, kind of a postcard story, that isn't anything it sounds like.

I'm a little resistant to some of the movies made for the thoughtful artsy demographic. Many of them taste the same and have unbelievable silly gunk in them. I don't get Henry and June and have no clue how to enjoy it, or Babette's Feast, Network, or Peter Greenaway... I like the Piano, (but what was Campion's movie about an Australian writer called?) American Beauty, many others, but not half as much as I feel I'm supposed to. It's fun to find a movie that isn't predictably trying to push your buttons, but is good anyway.

   Broadcast News is under-rated, seems like a hollywood romantic comedy, but is something better. Overboard, with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell is better than anyone could reasonably expect.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 04:24 PM

This was a very good idea. I've written down about thirty good films that I HAVEN'T seen.

The problem is that our local Blockbuster has systematically gotten rid of most of the interesting ones. Forty Madonna (on DVD) and forty Madonna (on VCR) take up a lotta room.....so virtually everything that folks have listed in this thread is no longer on the shelves.

There are lots of alternative Video stores downtown (Peter T. haunts them) but out her in the Beach area it's just Blockbuster and Rodgers.

Message to Harvey! Don't give in mate! The moment you want to scream at the TV.....they've won!

On the other hand, you could quote one of the great masters of the language, Leo Gorcey, and just say "Whyyyyyy I oughtaaa"!! Then you throw your hat down onto the floor and kick it!

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: limejuice
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 04:38 PM

Watch "Cabaret Balkan"... a delcious foriegn flick that suprisingly enough is availible at your local Blockbuster. Or at least at mine. It's subtitled in some language, maybe Yugoslavian? And it's got some fantastic shots in it, great characters, and more much more...

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: harvey andrews
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 05:26 PM

Whenever I'm down I watch "The Glen Miller Story" and realise why music has been my life. I don't like the last five minutes, but then that's true of the "Buddy Holly story" too. Saw some "Old grey Whistle test" pieces from the 70's. Sonny Curtis and the Crickets singing "I got a feeling called the Blues" put a smile of sheer contentment on my face for hours. Failing that, try "Spinal Tap"

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,wavestar
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 05:38 PM

BatGoddess - why, in that delectable list, did you include Liquid Sky? I use that as my example of the worst film I'm ever seen - and I've seen some doozies!

Replace it with The Linguini Incident. Also strangely cult, but great.

Otherwise - Kurosawa, Jeunet, Lots of the others mentioned above.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Helen
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 05:45 PM

Any films by directed by Kevin Smith. Dogma was the second last one we watched, and we've been telling all our friends about it. Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back was excellent too, but it helps to see previous movies first because characters re-occur from one to the next. Kevin Smith plays Silent Bob. Look for the scene where Silent Bob talks.

I also loved Chasing Amy, especially for the subtle but funny messages from Amy about gender stereotyping.

See if you can find Death in Brunswick (but I don't really like your chances because it's about 15 years old and Australian). Very dark humour.

I love all the Coen brothers films I have seen, but especially Fargo, and The Hudsucker Proxy.

Three of my favourite dramas happen to be written by Stephen King, which amazes me because I resisted reading his horror stories when I worked in the library because of their "blockbuster" status:

The Shawshank Redemption (I'm a fan of Tim Robbins now)
Dolores Claiborne (better than the book because of Kathy Bates)
The Green Mile.

I've always loved Drop Dead Fred, and if you like Rik Mayall, see if you can find videos of the Brit tv series called The Young Ones.

Talking of Brit tv, also see if you can find the Red Dwarf series, but try to find the *original* made Part 1, rather than the re-made Part 1. On a par with Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, IMHO.

I second the recommendation for the three movies called Three Colours: Blue, White, and Red. And I also second the Johnny Depp ones called Benny & Joon, and also What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I didn't really like Dead Man, although I appreciated what it was aiming at.

Memento is excellent. I was just talking about that over the weekend.

Russell Crowe was in a very good Oz movie with Hugo Weaving called Proof.

My hubby loves the animated movie called Tank Girl.

Was the Campion (The Piano) film about a writer called My Brilliant Career, about a 19th century Oz author who used the pseudonym Miles Franklin?

And since someone mentioned "Texas", I've been thinking about finding a copy of Paris, Texas and watching that again.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 07:09 PM

Sorry -- I LIKED Liquid Sky. The Linguini Incident, though quirky enough, I considered to be only "Good" not "Great."

I loved "Chasing Amy." And anything Johnny Depp is in turns out to be better than good. (Well, other than "Sleepy Hollow".)

I also loved "My Brilliant Career" -- but I'll have to check to see who directed it. Australian films almost universally turn out good -- "Picnic at Hanging Rock," "Holy Smoke," "Walkabout," "Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith" . . . the list goes on.

See The Saint FILMS . . . long time before the Roger Moore TV series.-- especially the George Sanders ones. You'll see where Roger Moore gets his mannerisms.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Socorro
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 08:21 PM

I loved The Grifters with Angelica Huston, Annette Bening & John Cusack, & Leaving Las Vegas (both dark).
I loved Lone Star, as a movie, AND i have to admit that although most male movie stars leave me cold, Chris Cooper in this melted my cold,cold, heart.
I'll second Crying Game,As Good as it Gets, & the Commitments.

And, I really,really, enjoyed American Beauty -- what a great acting job by Chris Cooper, so obviously unlike what i hope is his real personality, as portrayed in Lone Star :)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Mudlark
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 08:21 PM

I dont know about snob, but quirky, funny and/or real, preferably all 3, very high on my list:

Withnail & I
Box of Moonlight
Buffalo 66
Palookaville
Happy, Texas
Breaking the Waves
Men with Guns
Round Midnight
Almost Famous
Smoke
Down by Law
Dr. Strangelove
The Producers
The Return of the Pink Panther (the only inspired one, for my $)
Amelie
Hearts of the West (best, maybe the only good, movie Jeff Bridges ever made, and very funny)

OK, that's it...I'm off to the video store...

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: harpgirl
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 08:28 PM

yeah Sins, Manon gets good revenge in the sequel. I loved the simple villainy of the first movie and found the demise of Jerard dePardue's character to be unutterably sad!

I also like "Hiroshima Mon Amour", "The Fire Next Time", and "Chattahoochie".

And Don, I am a big fan of "Waterworld." I love unusual futuristic movies

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 08:38 PM

Has anyone mentioned "The Full Monty"?

Another timely classic: "Black Rain", the Japanese movie about survivors of Hiroshima. Bleak at best. And I strongly recommend the book.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Micca
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 08:48 PM

Fred Miller, the Jane Campion Film about the New Zealand writer was " Angel at my table" about Janet Frame

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 08:49 PM

My taste in movies runs more toward the "fluff" end of the spectrum, so I highly recommend anything by Gene Wilder. The first thing I saw him in was something called "Quackser Fortune Has A Cousin In The Bronx" and I've been hooked ever since.

But my all-time favorite movie ever was "Prisoner of Zenda" with Ronald Coleman. Oh, be still my heart. I first saw it on TV when I was about 12 or 13, and I fell in love. Ahhhh.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 09:08 PM

Harvey.....you know that's not how Glen Miller probably died eh? If you haven't kept up on THAT story, I ain't a gonna tell ya! Ha ha!

Heather went out and rented:

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING

I thought it was kinda enjoyable....she grinned through the whole thing!

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jeanie
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 09:27 PM

Here's another great one nobody's mentioned yet : Billy Elliot

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Metchosin
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:01 PM

Bill D, I mentioned The Wrong Box, albeit, not in the same sentence as Brewster McCloud.

Also the Harry Dean Stanton tour de force "Paris, Texas"....talk about dark.....

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:24 PM

I have a couple of DVD's that were Christmas presents that I plan on watching tomorrow. (The Blizzard of '03 is hitting the air - some reports say we may get 24 inches).

I plan on popping some corn and watching "Lawrence of Arabia", "Ballad of Rambling' Jack" and "Grateful Dawg".

If the storm take the direction that has been predicted, I may watch "Spider-man" and "X-Men" again with my son. Since someone recommened Kevin Smith (who I think is amazing!) I would also suggest finding "Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters & Marvels". Kevin interviews the legendery Stan Lee and it is a hoot!   Okay, maybe this won't appeal to the "snobs", but Make Mine Marvel!!!

Ron

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,Hated Guest
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 10:25 PM

I haven't seen 'A Beautiful Mind', but I want to rent it before next weekend.

Radio interview tonight....about this movie. Spooky. A man named Steve Martin from Maine was interviewed on 'The Tom Valentine Show'. First time I've heard the show.

I missed the first part of the interview, but the guest was talking about hidden codes in 'A Beautiful Mind'. The Director Ron Howard says the DVD version contains hidden clues about the 'real' story, and the man being interviewed said killers like to leave calling cards...and here's a wild one.

The movie's a biography of John Nash but apparently talks about 'suitcase nukes' in the 1950's...too early for those to be around...and someone (a hallucination? an FBI agent?) tells him one of the bombs is on the Eastern seaboard. Then he has some revelations...numerical epiphanies.

Second epiphany involves pyramids (special effects?) swirling off a page. This is the 'Who' of the next attack. The Illuminati.

Next revelation...numbers form an hourglass shape, so this indicates 'When' the next attack will occur, and the man being interviewed claimed a combination of 2's and 3's added up to 2-22-03...Feb 22 of this year. Said the words 'USS Cole' were also in the hourglass.

Last revelation involved more numbers swirling...off a magazine page?...then some eyeglasses. And the words 'U.S. ancient army port site...British (something or other)'. Well, this would be West Point, which Benedict Arnold tried to sell out to the British. Oldest military academy in the U.S. So, this guy was saying West Point will be blown up with a suitcase nuke next week.

You folks think I'M full of conspiracy theories...I can't top this one. But if this DOES transpire, Director Opie is in league with the Illuminati. Talk about the world being turned upside down...Hey! That's the song they played when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. 'The World Turned Upside Down'. Thought I'd throw that in, since this is a musical site.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: rangeroger
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 01:56 AM

Harold and Maude

rr

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Tiger
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 10:28 AM

Cabaret
Raising Arizona
Chariots of Fire

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 10:46 AM

Ah, Tiger. Raising Arizona is one of my all time favourites.

I rented Apocalypse Now Redux on the weekend. I loved the original, I found the additional scenes in Redux to be pretty good, although some were overkill.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Grab
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 10:49 AM

Amos, glad to see someone else who likes "Bagdad Cafe". Great film. Shame about the *dire* Whoopi Goldberg TV-series vehicle they turned it into.

If you like a really epic film, get the extended version of "Fellowship of the Ring". Seriously. The cinema version cut much of the plot - the extended version makes it a real classic.

For recent funny, check out "Bowfinger". The piss-take on Scientology is practically worth it in its own right.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sam L
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 11:11 AM

Thanks Micca. I half-saw Angel at My table and wouldnt mind seeing it again. I remember some very acute scenes of her interacting with other writers, remarkable for the things you could see her not saying.
For those who liked the Crying Game, The Miracle is another by whatsisname, um, Neil Jordan. Two teens wander the beach and improvise stories about people they see, the son is a gifted musician who only wants to play for pay, his father will play for anyone who'll listen. The two aren't sure if they're just friends or what, and there's a circus backdrop. All in all, it's interestingly about what's special and what's banal. And the horse-girl from Hair is in it--Beverly D'Angelo?

I think Blockbusters go by managers. Ours is pretty good. After I saw Chaplin I wanted to see some of the old Chaplin things, and we had a couple here, in my mother's town the Blockbuster had many more. Bully is a pretty good movie, still in New releases here. The Anniversary Party. El Mariachi is also good for a comic book origin story kind of thing. The Spy Kids movies are fun. I like Kevin Smith all right, maybe Chasing Amy the most and also the least--more for trying, less for some story problems. Maybe Dogma the most indifferent. Spiderman is pretty good--it's amazing people thought it was miscast. Tobey McGuire is almost too perfect.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 11:14 AM

Now,. if you're a snob, and don't enjoy movies without subtitles, Rick, you'd probably never try Shrek. To my mind, it is the funiest, most-layered, re-watchable movie that's come out in many years. But it's a movie, not a "film".

Another movie I can watch endlessly is Tender Mercies with probably my favorite actor, Robert DuVall.

But, I'm with you about Blockbuster. If there isn't a car explosion in the first ten minutes of the movie, they're not likely to have a copy. Unfortunately, the Mom and Pop video stores around here keep getting swallowed up by Blockbuster. There's a chain around here, Hollywood that has five day rentals on all of their movies, and they at least have a modest selction of old favorites.

Today, we've got a blizzard raging outside. Might be a good day to watch the Theater version of The Shining. Or, maybe for a change of environment, The first Jurassic Park movie.

A couple of nights ago, we watched Life As A House, which I highly recommend, and a day or so earlier watched Amelie. My wife hates movies with subtitles, so she had a hard time getting in to it, and it has almost fairy tale fantasy sections in it, so if you're literal minded, it's probably not the best movie. I enjoyed it a lot more the day after I watched it..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: okthen
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 11:24 AM

Hi Rick, just checked on IMDb, and it's not released on any format as far as I can see, but look out for a minor British classic called "the chain" (1984) about people moving house/flat/(apartments).Warren Mitchell (Alf Garnett) as a removals van driver who studies philosophy at night school and a whole host of great Brit actors.
Good luck in finding something.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 11:40 AM

Oh oh.....my list of "to rent" films is now at sixty. This has been great, thanks for the suggestions.....just a little reminding can be a HUGE help!

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 11:48 AM

For once, I have not read the whole thread, sorry, but at least I admit it.

We saw two excellent films this weekend and I wanted to tell you all about them, so where better to do so than here?:-)

On the Independent Film Channel, an absolutely off-beat, hysterical, poignant comedy called "But, I am a cheerleader!" with Cathy Moriarty as the mother in denial about her son's sexuality and her own. She runs an all pink and blue center which *turns* gay boys and lesbian girls into heteros. The main character is a young cheerleader whose parents send her to the "campe" when they become convinced she is a lesbian. She had no idea. Richard Moll also stars as one of a gay couple who live nearby and *rescue* runaways. The whole thing is done in a very campy fashion without being mean. Stereotypes are over the top and made to look as stupid as can be. well worth seeing.

The other one, also on IFC was a beautiful film from China called "Shower." A man leaves the city in the south of China to go see his father and mentally challenged brother. His father runs a bathhouse where the men of the village find solace from nagging problems of the day, including their wives. It is a sort of prodigal son returns, but with incredibly poignant understatements of family dynamics, esp. in light of unexpected events. This film left me shaking my head in wonder, crying because of the profound way it touched my heart. Absolutely excellent and should not be missed. There is a fabulous juxtaposition in a secondary story about where the mother, no longer alive, came from where water was very scarce. Told while men loll in the extravagance of expansive deep and hot baths.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Big Mick
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 12:03 PM

I will be whipped for some of these, but these are some of the ones that pop in my mind off the top of my head..........

Rainman (Hoffman gave the most amazing "from the top of his head to the toes of his feet" performance that I have ever seen.)

My Left Foot

The Field - Jim Sheridan did a great job directing Richard Harris, Tom Berenger, John Hurt, Sean Bean, et al, in a wonderful look at one Irish family.

Wolfen - Three of the stars are Albert Finney, Edward James Olmos, and Gregory Hines. Need I say more?

The Original Highlander, only.

The Candidate

Joe

Soldier Blue - anytime I can see Candace Bergen, I watch.

The Glenn Miller Story

Nightmare on Elm Street (Only the original, none of the sequels. The early scene where Freddy is pushing through the ceiling scared the shit out of me. I love being scared by movies)

Shrek (agree completely on the multi layered approach to the humor)

Harold & Maude

Glory

And I can't wait for Gods and Generals.

In addition to all this, I just love to go to movies with no great message. From time to time I need a little mindless enjoyment to get away from all the reality that I deal with.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,maire-aine at work
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 12:26 PM

I, too, enthusiasticly endorse SHREK. And for something really cute, LEGALLY BLONDE-- I laughed all the way through it.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: harvey andrews
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 12:31 PM

"Tender Mercies" and "Billy Elliot"...my two favourite stories.Don't care how often you tell them in how many films...I'm a sucker for the fallen idol and the kid who's different.
As to Glen's death. I've heard the latest rumour, but I still think he was bombed out of the sky by planes dumping their loads after an abortive raid. If the other story's true;
"Oh, Glen!" (said in the sexiest voice in recorded history...June Allyson's)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Steve-o
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 12:51 PM

Go get "The Cat's Meow"- a terrific little "murder mystery" that takes place on William Randolph Hearst's yacht. Your snobbiness notwithstanding, you will not be disappointed.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 12:56 PM

To build on the pet theme, Best in Show is a very funny look at dog shows. I don't remember seeing that when I scanned the lists. Eugene Levy as a guy with "two left feet" is such a hoot.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Mudlark
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 01:04 PM

If you go by directors, rather than titles, I recommend Jim Jarmusch, Mike Leigh (secrets/lies, etc...the acting in all his films is simply superb), John Sayles (a hard to find early one of his, Brother from Another Planet, is worth the hunt).

And one of my favorite just plain funny movies is Tapeheads, w/a very young Tim Robbins and John Cusack ("You've tried the best, now try the rest!"). John Cusack was very good as an unlikely assassin in a movie called Grosspoint something or other...I like his sister too

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,SharonG
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 01:09 PM

No one has mentioned
The Castle- an Australian movie about a man who believes his home is his castle- even if it is right next the airport runway .....very funny.

And not funny, but sweet- The Secret of Roan Inish

And surprisingly fun- Newsies- a Disney musical (!) based fairly closely on the 1899 newsboys strike in New York- cult favorite for teen-age girls because 90% of the cast is teenaged boys. Maybe it's just because my kids have watched it so many times that I've started to believe them.

If you can find it- Black Cat, White Cat- a movie about gypsies filmed with real gypsies as the actors.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 01:21 PM

Rare Birds...great movie..very funny, well acted.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 01:30 PM

Well, Rick, it looks like your viewing for the next year is cut out for you!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Beccy
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 01:36 PM

Okay- you MUST see "Burnt By the Sun". It's a Russian film set during Stalin's weeding out of those who were "disloyal" and re-education camps. It's a beautiful story about a family man and his wife and daughter. The wife's ex-lover comes to visit (he's now secret police)...GREAT STUFF! I think it got some indie film fest awards.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: HuwG
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 02:16 PM

You might try Quatermass and the Pit, for a mix of horror and science-fiction.

Or, Hound of the Baskervilles for a classic Hammer Horror starring Peter Cushing and Cristopher Lee.

Or, another British horror classic, An american Werewolf in London


According to IMDb, all these should be available in one format or another in the US.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Socorro
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 02:42 PM

Chinatown, for sure, but probably everybody's seen that (otherwise i can't understand why it hasn't been mentioned). & how about Nashville by Altman? another one probably everyone's seen.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 02:44 PM

romper stomper

american history x

slc punk

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 02:44 PM

For the record, Brother From Another Planet is out on DVD at a cut-rate price... a great little movie. as is Matawan.

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 03:09 PM

But, I'm a cheerleader

Shower

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Beccy
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 03:14 PM

Bad me! Bad! Bad! I completely forgot about "Little Voice" with Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn and Michael Caine. LOVE IT! It is a fabulous comedy.
Michael Caine sent me into tears at the end... "It's over, it's over... it's f#*@king OVER!"

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 04:18 PM

Glad I'm not the only one who thoroughly enjoyed "Quatermass and the Pit" -- I own a copy.

Add John Sayles' films to the list: "Matewan" (that makes this a music thread -- Hazel Dickens is in it), "Return of the Secaucus 7", "Brother From Another Planet," "Lianna" and a few others (but my brain is cramping right now having just driven home in the snow that isn't yet the East coast storm).

"Repo Man"
"Pi" (well, actually the title is the symbol for pi)
"I've Heard the Mermaids Singing"
"Rosalie Goes Shopping" (by the same director, etc. as "Baghdad Cafe")
"Z"
"Bambi Meets Godzilla"
"Brassed Off" (and a GREAT soundtrack!!!)
"Canadian Bacon" and anything by Michael Moore
"Closely Watched Trains"
"Cousin Cousine"
"Diabolique"
"Dim Sum"
"No Way to Treat a Lady" (and anything else Rod Steiger is in)
"84, Charing Cross Road"
"Isadora"
"Labyrinth"
"Mindwalk"
"Half Moon Street"

I gotta go under-react for awhile -- maybe watch a movie.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 04:25 PM

The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe (1972)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Beccy
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 04:43 PM

Okay, one more... "Eat Drink Man Woman" directed by Ang Lee. One piece of advice, though. Do NOT watch this movie without having a good supply of GOOD QUALITY Chinese take-out handy- you will regret it.

The pivotal character is an elderly Chinese chef with 3 young adult daughters who either live in or gather at his home each Sunday for a massive feast that he prepares. It's a very good film and it makes me MIGHTY hungry.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Peg
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 04:47 PM

As I am currently teaching an Australian Cinema class I would be remiss if I did not mention the following excellent films from Oz and New Zealand directors:

Walkabout
Picnic at Hanging Rock (if anyone finds this on VHS or DVD in a version that is NOT the director's cut please let me know!)
Gallipoli
The Devil's Playground
Dead Calm
Sweetie
(already mentioned) An Angel at My Table
The Piano
Portrait of a Lady
Romper Stomper
Angel Baby
The Price of Milk
The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
Muriel's Wedding

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Helen
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 04:53 PM

Blade Runner (the director's cut)
I agree with Brother from Another Planet - haven't seen that for years.
My Brilliant Career was directed by an Oz called


      Gillian Armstrong


http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=B79948

who also directed Little Women, Mrs Soffel, etc and a lovely little movie called The Singer and the Dancer with one of my favourite Oz actors, Ruth Cracknell, who died recently, and (totally off topic) went to the same Infants School I did. She became a national treasure when she portrayed an old woman suffering from dementia in the comedy called Mother & Son.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sam L
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 05:18 PM

Shrek and also the Toy Stories are excellent and innovative movies.

For Robert Duval fans, did I mention that Tomorrow, from the Faulkner story, is Duval as an inarticulate mountain man, pitch-perfect?

He's also in The Stone Boy which I still believe I am the only person who ever saw.

Also a Chinese movie called Not One Less. Okay for kids too, I think--you'd have to be extremely restrictive not to think so.

   I also thought The Blair Witch Project was a brilliant handling of a ghost story in film. A very folk sort of brilliant, too. I love good horror, and it's a bit of a lost art. Old fave--invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 05:33 PM

Ahhhh Cheerleaders having showers! Used to go to a lot of those flicks!

Ued to know almost everyone connected with "I heard the Mermaids Singing"

Still more gems.

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Kim C
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 05:39 PM

Did anyone mention Shadow of the Vampire? Willem Dafoe as the vampire is the single most intriguing piece of acting I have ever, EVER seen.

I liked Signs for the suspense factor. I'm not a screamer and it had me screaming. I think it didn't live up to its full potential, but I enjoyed it and thought it was worth the rental price.

I don't like Blockbuster. Mister and I almost always go to Hollywood Video, and they have LOTS of movies over 5 years old. They even have a Cult Favorites section.

Peg, I thought The Piano would have been better without Harvey Keitel's full monty.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 08:06 PM

Since everyone's mentioning Australian films, I'll add my favourite: "Praise," starring Peter Fenton and Sacha Horlerl, based on a book by (looking for author's name... never read it) Andrew McGahan. It centers around the the relationship between Gordon, an undersexed asthmatic loser and Cynthia, a nymphomaciac with some really bad eczema. And it's funny, real AND dark, Rick.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Alba
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 09:31 PM

Lots of great movies out there but can you find them at the local vid store...there lies the issue!!!!!! some of my favorites are
Amelie
The shipping news (good yarn)
The usual suspects    "
K pax (Iknow that the last 3 have Kevin Spacey in them but great stories..and hey I like Kev)
Les enfants de paradis( wrong spelling probably..amazing movie though)
Cinema Paradiso
Il Postino
The van
Trainspotting
Signs...had me nervous!
I could go on and on but I won't......got some great suggestions for movies from this...Thank you all....Be Happy...ALBA

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 11:47 AM

"Picnic at Hanging Rock" wasn't released on video for years . . . and I think it was ONLY released in the director's cut. You might find a bootleg copy somewhere, though.

Forgot to mention one of my all time faves that I can't locate a copy of (had one in the shop but Tom sold it along with the rest of the stock): "Morgan, A Suitable Case for Treatment" with Vanessa Redgrave and David Warner.

"Blue Country" is also a wonderfully feel good French film.
"Jules et Jim"
"Le Bal" which doesn't need subtitles as there is no dialog in the entire film. Nor is there in "Final Conflict."
"Something Wicked This Way Comes"
"Sunday Bloody Sunday"
"Stranger Than Paradise"
"Salome's Last Dance"
"Lair of the White Worm"
"Raging Bull"
"Princess Bride", "Time Bandits", "Shrek" and others of that ilk.
"Photographing Fairies"
"Women In Love" (ohmagawd! Alan Bates and Oliver Reed in the same film!)
"Never On a Sunday"
"Night On Earth"
"Map of the Human Heart" (Canadian, British, French & Australian)

"Lumiere" is another cool flick for cineastes.

ALL of Christopher Guest's films (and include "This Is Spinal Tap).

Then there's my obscure loves: "Vampire Hookers" (with John Carradine wandering around bemoaning the fact that there's nothing to mix with blood other than vodka and the girls bemoaning the fact that they've not had a suntan in 400 years) and "Oversexed Rugsuckers From Mars" where Martians try to cross human beings with vacuum cleaners in hopes of creating a species better at cleaning up after themselves. "Polish Vampire In Burbank." Oh, not quite as obscure, but "Killer Klowns from Outer Space", too.

Gotta go shovel.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Steve-o
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 11:47 AM

"Eat Drink, Man Woman" reminded me of another more recent sweetheart of a film- "Tortilla Soup". And the food's wonderful there too.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Micca
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 11:54 AM

How about "Man of Flowers" or "Golden Braid" (both by Paul Cox the Australian director, or anything else of his)
"Woman on the edge of a nervous breakdown", Almodovar
Cinema Paradiso( I defy ANYONE that loves film to keep a dry eye during the last 10 minutes of this one)
Jesus of Montreal
The Unbearable lightness of being
Monsieur Hire
Death in a French Garden
Death in Venice
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
"Life and nothing But" Bertrand Tavernier ( Brilliant this one too)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Maryrrf
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 01:11 PM

I'm coming to this thread late, but I have the same problem. Every now and then I go to my local Blockbuster to rent a movie and there is usually nothing of interest to me - just the same old same old same old action, comedy, suspense, thriller etc. with the same formula type plots. There used to be a local video store that had at least some selection of "off the beaten track" films but soon after Blockbuster moved into the area they went out of business. But the fact that Blockbuster lost money on "niche" films says something. Most people want the commercial, mainstream films just like most people want commercial, slick, mainstream music. Blockbuster is just giving the majority of people what they want. Much like commerical radio stations.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 02:00 PM

"Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" and everything else by Buñuel.

Definitely "Jesus of Montreal" -- and "Hail, Mary" and a wonderful little film starring Bette Midler originally entitled "The Incredible Mr. J" but retitled "The Thorn" after the release of "The Rose." Very, very funny.

Linn (dragging her sorry posterior out the door to shovel some more)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,herc
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 02:10 PM

The thread lives on when Rick can't take anymore, but I must comment that Waking Ned Devine is a can't-lose choice. I also wanted to recommend The Castle, even if I had to read this whole thread to see that SharonG beat me to it. An extraordinary, inspiring drama of one man's unwavering commitment to stand up and do what he KNOWS is right, against all odds.

You also mentioned reality. For some reason, I seem to like low-budget films in which people drive Fords, in the deep South. So, in that regard, I think you would also be pleased with Ulee's Gold. (Seemed to fit my reality, anyway.)

Dan
(For the anti-snob lurking within you: I rented the Bourne Identity, a spy flick (but he can't remember who he is!!), expecting the worst and enjoyed it a lot.)
(Road to Perdition will finally be out on February 25.)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 02:11 PM

The silly thing is that video stores (well, Blockbuster anyway) seem to think in terms of new releases, as if they were cinemas. They should be more like bookstores, where the new boks might get special displays, but the old ones are there as wel; or real libraries.

The other thing that alwasu surprises me when I think about it is howe very few films I really like have I ever really seen. I mean seen in a cinema, because that's really the only way to see a film. Televisions are a pale shadow ofvthe real thing, and wodl be even if I won they lottery and had one of those huge home cinema setups.

Here's a few more that don't seem to have cropped up, sticking to ones in the last few years:

Shine
Bloody Sunday
Bowling for Columbine
Babe
Awakenings
Fly Away Home
Mrs Brown
Shadowlands
To the West
Waking Ned

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,L'invité Détesté
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 02:15 PM

Double feature:

'For a Few Dollars More'...spaghetti western with an excellent score. The shoot-out at the end is classic...tied to music as effectively as any piece of film I've ever seen.

'Tampopo'...Japanese comedy, 'noodle' western. About a woman who wants to start a noodle shop and seeks the assistance of various people. The noodle fight is a great parody of the Sergio Leone film mentioned above. Tampopo...a great one.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 02:28 PM

Even the "Orangeville" Library has a great collection of DVD's, Rick.
Actually seeing as you posted this on Saturday night, you should have come up to Orangeville to see Harry Manx, it was a great night.
Some from the Library, others I just had to buy etc.

Le Cage aux Folles(SP)both 1 and 2 the original Birdcage, beats the daylights out of RW version IMO.
Priscilla, same vane different take
Seven Samurai and Ran
Il Postino
Brassed Off
Shine, another Aussie one I think
The Prisoner Series.
Songcatcher, no I don't really mean it but someone had to mention it.
Sorry not much new stuff in there.
JohnB

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,herc
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 02:55 PM

Oh, I forgot about dark: In A Bad day at Black Rock, Spencer Tracy is a one-armed vet who don't want no trouble, but still has to punch the crap out of a very young Ernest Borgnine and an equally young Lee Marvin. It's a good one. And then there's of course the lurking, silent menace of Robert Mitchum's Cape Fear.

(Babe is a first rate classic. It really is "the Citizen Kane of talking pig movies.")

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sam L
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 03:09 PM

I forgot Fly Away Home, McGrath. And that girl--can't think of her name now, had one of the greatest oscar acceptance speeches for her part in the Piano.

Bat Goddess, what is Photographing Fairies?

Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid was fun to watch just for certain continuity issues. Bob Dylan was fond of changing hats and argued with Peckinpah about it--"I woulda had time to change hats, when I went behind the shed"! You have to watch for it.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Kim C
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 03:19 PM

Did anyone mention Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? I really enjoyed that one. I have my own copy. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Peg
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 03:38 PM

agreed about Harvey Keitel's ass; Jane Campion seems to be in love with it as we are treated to a full rear view in Holy Smoke, too.

re: Cinema Paradiso: do try to get the director's cut; it has a LOT added to it and really changes the story and I preferred it to the original release version which I found a bit manipulative and sentimental: the new version is a much fuller story and, like many director's cuts (which ironically have MORE footage; which is why i want that Weir film because he actually CUT six minutes out of the later release!) is actually what the filmmaker intended before studio and/or distributor pressure forced the cutting down of length to make it more palatable/marketable to audiences...which is why most commercial releases have to be two hours or under...

another director's cut well worth watching for this reason: The Last Emperor by Bertolucci. Four Hours Long and all of it mesmerizing.
And The Exorcist.

another obscure art-film I love: The Wizard of Loneliness with Lukas Haas and Dylan Baker.

and one that is hard to find: Luc Besson's brilliant post-apocalyptic story, Le Dernier Combat.

peg

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 03:45 PM

"Photographing Fairies" is a 1997 British film. Ben Kingsley's in it. It's part of my permanent library -- you can find several reviews on line. Cynical photographer who sets out to debunk, ends up a believer.

Gotta go let IN the stupid cat who thought she wanted to go OUT and is now clammering at the door. (Except for the shoveled paths, there's a new 2 feet worth of fluffy stuff on top of the old snow. Just got Tom's car shoveled out but I don't think mine will be extricated by tomorrow morning, so he'll have to play chauffeur so I can get to work.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Beccy
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 04:22 PM

I haven't been brave enough to try it myself, because of the gosh-awful reviews "Songcatcher" got. Has anyone else seen it? What are your thoughts?

(Seems a crying shame for it to be a real stinker if Iris Dement is in it.)

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 05:00 PM

Steve-o,

I saw Tortilla Soup a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed it.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Alba
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 06:42 PM

Songcatcher is reasonably good. Lovely music and the story is ok. It's worth a look for the music, but not for the acting and story line.
Photographing fairies is a wonderful film, thanks for reminding me Bat Goddess.
another few I enjoyed:
In the bedroom
The score...(good twist in the tale)
The big sleep..classic
Also anyone who can tell me the name of a mongolian film I saw. I know it's soubds as if I am being oscure but I am not really. I cuaght it by chance in a cinema one night. The story is of a husband and wife.....with an amazing scene in which their daughter (about 10 years old) plays the piano accordian. Great film, but I can't remember it's name !!!!!!.... anyone know it?????Alba

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Helen
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 06:50 PM

Weird coincidence - and off-topic:

JohnB, I had never heard of Harry Manx until last night when I happened to watch on Oz tv a live show of his at a small venue in Sydney called The Basement (where the best blues and other interesting performers perform).

Manx was excellent, with some unusual music.

I love Eddie Cantor movies, and the Marx Brothers of course.

Then there was Jabberwocky.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Alba
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 07:09 PM

sorry about the really bad spelling bout folks.......Translation is
soubds = sounds oscure = obscure cuaght =caught.....just finished shovelling and haven't quite recovered yet.......Alba

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 08:15 PM

I think it's never worth taking any notice of reviews as a way of telling whether you are going to think a film is good or bad. About the only thing they are good for is to give you an idea of what genre of film they are.

Personal recommendations are a different thing, but you have to know the people concerned. There are some friends who, if they recommend a film, I know I'll hate it. That's very handy.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 08:38 PM

Alba, the film about the Mongol family was called "Urga," or "Close to Eden" in the US. I agree, great movie. Love the scene where Gombo tries to buy condoms.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Alba
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 10:19 PM

Thank you Lepus Rex. I will now attempt to get it and see it again. It is a great movie and I can try and get it now you have given me the name again!!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Gervase
Date: 19 Feb 03 - 05:02 AM

Hell, so many films I remember with affection.
I've got a soft spot for food films - Babette's Feast, Tampopo, Like Water for Chocolate and Chocolat are up there among my favourites.
Looking at my own small video collection it seems pretty weird, but they're all films I love:
Withnail & I
If...
The Wicker Man
Land & Freedom
Trainspotting
Il Postino
Kieslowski's trilogy (superb films, and well suggested, Micca!)
The Dead (a flawed film, but essential for a Joyce nut!)
The Wallace and Gromit trilogy
Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (why the Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys rate Jerry Lewis when they produced Jacques Tati I'll never work out)
Gosford Park
A Clockwork Orange
Manon des Sources
Jean de Fleurette
...plus various children's films of varying awfulness reserved for rainy days to keep the little buggers quiet!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Feb 03 - 06:41 PM

"Used Cars," with Kurt Russell. early George Lucas.
Never thought anyone could train a dog to sell a car!

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Feb 03 - 07:28 PM

Bertolucci has a knack of creating exceptionally long, but really good films. "1900" was released at 4 hours, cut down from 6. Personally, I'd really like to see all 6 hours.

"In the Bedroom" was a very well crafted film, even though the fake Maine accents drove me crazy. I'm glad I watched it, but I'll never watch it again. Way too depressing. I also found, especially early in the film, that I was yelling at a couple of the main characters a lot, trying to convince them that what they were doing was stupid, dangerous, and even (in the case of the not yet divorced young woman) legally dangerous.

Recently watched chick flick that I enjoyed enough to read the book is "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood" -- and I'm not from the South.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Feb 03 - 10:36 PM

The Ya Ya book is much better, Linn, imo. Course I read it first.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Cluin
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 02:16 AM

Might be useful: IMDb's Bottom 100 films.

Can't argue with any of those choices.

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: GUEST,Bat Goddess at Work
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 08:32 AM

How could I forget yet another wonderful Canadian film, "Beautiful Dreamer"?!?

Walt Whitman humanizing the lives of the inmates of an asylum as well as the family of the overseer. The asparagus eating scene is exceptional.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: WARNING! SNOB THREAD. Renting a film.
From: Sam L
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 08:54 AM

Wasn't there a thread once about who would play You in Mudcat The Movie? Anyway, it's a game we used to play at work, and when I was that age, I looked almost exactly like the murdered kid in In The Bedroom.

I used to rely a bit on New Yorker reviews, before Anthony Lane, and David Denby, who I can't count on. If they liked a movie, I might not, but the odds were pretty good. If they panned it, I almost invariably did not care for it. Denby alienated me by comparing American Beauty favorably against Boogie Nights, which I much prefer in terms of story-craft. And one of them favourably reviewed Windtalkers which is so horrible a war movie, I started hoping everyone would just kill each other simultaneously, like the scene in Reservoir Dogs.