Author Topic: Retro Filmspots Review Thread (1974)  (Read 64132 times)

mañana

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Re: Retro Filmspots Review Thread (1974)
« Reply #390 on: October 22, 2012, 02:27:43 PM »


Lenny - Bob Fosse, 1974

Teenage mañana was completely enamored with this film. Just elliptical enough to feel daring without actually shocking my expectations. And moreover, oozing coolness and iconoclasm in a way that all 16 year olds crave. This time around Hoffman is less impressive. I’m not sure if my shifting view of Bruce (I understand his targets were radical at the time, but outside of that context it loses a lot of power) informs my perspective or if the performance is just too mannered for my tastes now. He certainly capture’s Bruce’s force, but there’s a smugness to his crusade, a Baby Boomer self-congratulation, that puts me off. Again, I don’t know if I’m responding to Hoffman, Bruce, or my father’s generation in general. Hard to disaggregate these things, you know? Valerie Perrine on the other hand is a revelation, she breathes so much life into her talking heads. Nobody can defeat Rowlands for the 1974 crown, but a Perrine nomination would be awesome. The other star here is Fosse. I love how he conveys a club scene, the audience close-ups are so vulgar and beautiful. He borrows from vérité for what at the time would have felt like “reality”, but now feels like an expertly crafted construction. Also, it turns out, nobody films a joyless threesome like Fosse.

Likely nominations: cinematography, editing, lead actress
« Last Edit: October 22, 2012, 10:16:53 PM by mañana »
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1SO

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Re: Retro Filmspots Review Thread (1974)
« Reply #391 on: November 18, 2012, 05:58:06 PM »

The Night Porter


I was quickly and thoroughly swept up in both the story and the filmmaking of The Night Porter. My immediate thought is that we royally screwed up not getting this an editing nomination. There's a seamless blending of humble present day with events from the decadent peak of nazi power. They harmonize off each other. One looking for peace, hoping to put a turbulent past to rest. The other a cold chaos of humanity with no value. The polar opposite climates are merged via sex. (Of course). Desires unleased in the past - both male and female, and not entirely hetero - are now suppressed in present day, and nothing makes desire burn brighter than suppression.

However, something goes wrong as things press forward. The script sets up an excellent game of chess, but the film decides not to explore or continue these dynamics, opting instead for a rather lazy round of hopscotch. The Night Porter becomes a tale of obsessive love, In the Realm of the Senses in Nazi regalia. Characters lose their dimension and the film loses its beauty, going from visual grace to just a couple of steps above glossy arthouse porn (with most of the naughty bits edited out.) While never becoming camp it all became rather silly, like that unnecessary straight-faced remake of Lolita. I should give it a lower rating, but the first 40 minutes and the performance by Charlotte Rampling are just that good.
RATING: * * 1/2

roujin

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Re: Retro Filmspots Review Thread (1974)
« Reply #392 on: May 27, 2016, 06:06:01 PM »
this was a great thread.