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Author Topic: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time  (Read 235143 times)

1SO

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1110 on: March 27, 2011, 11:48:41 AM »
Also, I think you're confusing The 4th Man with The Third Man...or maybe not.
Already watched The Third Man. I'm referring to this which I haven't seen in so long I wouldn't be surprised if it dropped off my Top 100.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2011, 11:51:24 AM by 1SO »

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1111 on: March 27, 2011, 11:54:11 AM »
Not a fan of Paul Verhoeven in general, although RoboCop is awesome.

1SO

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1112 on: March 27, 2011, 11:56:09 AM »
Not a fan of Paul Verhoeven in general, although RoboCop is awesome.
Have you seen any of his Dutch films pre-Robocop. Some of them are remarkable.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1113 on: March 27, 2011, 12:03:57 PM »
No. I probably should before passing final judgement. I've just never heard anyone talk about those films when talking about Verhoeven.

Antares

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1114 on: March 27, 2011, 12:30:05 PM »
Randy Newman is one of the few reasons why I will never love the Toy Story films.

I love the Toy Story films INSPITE of Randy Newman. He's been regurgitating the same melody for over 35 years now, and he has the audacity to complain in his Oscar acceptance speech that it was about time he won. Does anyone here remember that episode of Cheers where Rebecca wants to increase business in the bar and she hires an advertising agency to write a radio jingle? She only has a paltry amount to pay for the ad, so the agency sends her the cheapest jingle writer on their staff. Every jingle he writes uses the Old McDonald melody. This is what I think of when I hear a Randy Newman song.
Masterpiece (100-91) | Classic (90-80) | Entertaining (79-69) | Mediocre (68-58) | Cinemuck (57-21) | Crap (20-0)

Antares

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1115 on: March 27, 2011, 12:33:47 PM »
This is the first time I saw her as the hero and writer Joe Gillis as the villainous cad. I used to think Norma was pathetic and felt bad that Joe fell into her web. This time I really despised how much he pitied this has-been even though he’s a never-was. It’s Norma who lowers herself to be with him. His return to her on New Year’s sealed that for me.

I always saw her as the victim, and I think it's because I've always had a fondness for the Silent era of film making. Just as Hollywood was starting to make really artistic silent films, the talkies came along and wiped the slate clean. I always wished that sound would have come about 5 - 10 years later. I can only imagine the great films that would have been made.
Masterpiece (100-91) | Classic (90-80) | Entertaining (79-69) | Mediocre (68-58) | Cinemuck (57-21) | Crap (20-0)

1SO

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1116 on: March 28, 2011, 04:18:00 PM »
Just an observation. I have 22 films to go and 4 of them were directed by Spielberg.

Bondo

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1117 on: March 28, 2011, 04:34:05 PM »
Just an observation. I have 22 films to go and 4 of them were directed by Spielberg.

:up:

Sadly none of those came from our section of the marathon.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: 1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time
« Reply #1118 on: March 28, 2011, 05:20:12 PM »
Hehe, well I think I had the best section of Spielberg, no offense to the other participants.

1SO

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1SO Rebuilds His Top 100 of All Time - Alien
« Reply #1119 on: March 28, 2011, 05:44:11 PM »
Marathon Update


A     L     I     E     N

I think it depends on what you're looking for.  Alien is one of those perfect movies that exemplifies dread.  It is kind of slow, but it creeps up on you and is very effective.
I didn't use a quote for this one, cause the most fitting line is from the ad campaign. "In space, no one can hear you scream."

Ridley Scott is clearly playing to his early strengths. Few films have this much attention to detail in regard to the set design. Everything looks functional, intricate, a bit worn. It’s a set that holds up to the scrutiny of long, lingering close-ups. I recently talked about John Doe’s apartment in Se7en being good enough for a walkthrough exhibit. Alien is even better. Stylish in the best possible way.

It’s not an insult to say the story is a typical B-movie haunted house, but the craft is so above and beyond most films that it enthralls in the way today’s films are too anxious to attempt. The skeleton creature from the foreign ship is one of the most tantalizing images in cinema, and the scene where they track the acid as it eats through the ship carries a Spielbergian joy of wonderment, only with a frightening undertone.

For a horror film, the mood is rather relaxed. Because the ship and the planet are just damn gorgeous from every angle, the shots can hold while you take in their beauty. Now that you’re no longer tense, the jolts have a much greater impact. One of the great, lasting qualities of Alien is that it’s the rare horror film that is as good on repeat viewings. Just because you know what’s coming, it doesn’t make the film any less suspenseful. Every appearance by the Alien is absolutely frightening, and it’s entrance remains one of the all time great WTF moments.

Ridley Scott has always been a visual director who excelled at bringing a specific time and place to life. (I’m still waiting for him to make a samurai film.) Over time he’s become less of a technical perfectionist and his films aren’t nearly as atmospheric, probably because it’s so difficult and he no longer has to prove himself. Rewatching Alien, I see him getting exactly the right story at the right time in his career.

Problems? Well, for all my praise about the lingering images, the pace is a bit too slow in spots, like when they bring Kane onto the ship. The script isn’t great, but that’s covered by the extremely natural performances. (The character interaction is similar to Robert Altman.) And I don’t quite get the logic of one character trying to kill another with a rolled up magazine. It’s a really intense moment, but a very odd choice. These are minor irritations and Alien will make my Top 50.

For my current rankings Click Here.

Next Up:
Brazil
Dangerous Liaisons
The 4th Man (De Vierde Man)
Jaws
United 93
« Last Edit: March 28, 2011, 05:59:51 PM by 1SO »

 

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