TV/Movies Megathread

[Josquius]

Cobra kai has crossed a line into bad.
Possibly so bad its good.

[Syt]

RIP Hal Holbrook.

[Savonarola]

DW Griffith: Years of Discovery 1909-1913

Follows a series of films Griffith directed at Biograph.  They start out as stagey, sparsely set, hammy and with a camera that is mostly nailed down to the floor (although even as early as 1909 he used cross cuts); but develop into what would become "Birth of a Nation."  You can also see him put together his cast; most notably through his choice of leading ladies.  They start out as the "Vamp" type, moving to fun loving teenagers like Mary Pickford and Mae Marsh and ending with (of course) Lilian Gish.

One thing that the pretentious film critic who narrated the films said that I thought was interesting was that Griffith almost never depicted blacks in any of these films (that is white actors wearing blackface, Griffith never used black actors.)  When he had minorities in his film it was almost always Native Americans (again, white actors made up to look like Indians).  Sometimes he presented Native Americans sympathetically (such as in "The Red Man's View" where the white characters are depicted as a faceless mob) other times not so much. 

The other surprise is how many socially conscious films there are; "A Corner in Wheat" (about commodity market speculation) is the best known, but there are films about elderly poverty, organized crime, and profiteering.  My favorite was about the soft drink manufacturer who created a cocaine based drink called "Dopokoke", but then his own son becomes addicted and overdoses; (cursed by his own greed  .)  (While obviously a thinly veiled jab at Coca Cola; they had to quit using cocaine in Coke in 1906, six years before the film was released.)

[The Brain]

Dune (1984). Shaddam rules the desert planet Arrakis, home to the oil, Melange. The civilized superpower sends troops and the natives instinctively give them their wholehearted support, hailing the son of the first civilized leader as a Messiah. The son, Paul W Atreides, having grown up guided by his loyal servants Guernsey, Dr Huey Lewis, an old Mentos, and a hot mom, easily dominates a field of mystic knowledge where previously silly women have failed to make any headway. W finally establishes a new world order by the power of his awesomeness, a far cry from the carefree youth who enjoyed dressing up as a waiter and fighting appliances. But the movie is not just a neo-con male fantasy, it is also a film version of the old Sci-Fi novel Dune.

I've always liked the movie, I think it captures the feel of the book. I also like that they compress the whole story into a bit over 2 hours, I'd hate to see the 15h Peter Jackson version. As for adult stuff, there is some mild bondage with face-spitting, not too bad.

[Admiral Yi]

a far cry from the carefree youth who enjoyed dressing up as a waiter and fighting appliances.

Nice

[KRonn]

The Craft. The new chick starts hanging out with the local weirdos, but power always comes with a price. It's a very good movie, I liked it. I like that there are no major male characters and no love story. I had a hard time concentrating though because Fairuza Balk is so insanely HOTT.

That's a pretty cool movie, I've seen it a few times. I love the ending.

[KRonn]

Still loving 30 coins, look forward to it each week. Just two episodes left in this season.

[Tamas]

I think it captures the feel of the book.

That was the funniest part of your post.

[Admiral Yi]

Suffolk friends are thrilled the Suffolk accent is getting proper representation on film and also that it is a proper Suffolk accent and not actually just Somerset

I've watched the first three minutes because of the MASSIVE LANGUISH BUZZ.

Is the same accent they had in Hot Fuzz?  Sea Mine dude and dog cop dude.  Sounds similar to me.

[Sheilbh]

Suffolk friends are thrilled the Suffolk accent is getting proper representation on film and also that it is a proper Suffolk accent and not actually just Somerset

I've watched the first three minutes because of the MASSIVE LANGUISH BUZZ.

Is the same accent they had in Hot Fuzz?  Sea Mine dude and dog cop dude.  Sounds similar to me.

So Hot Fuzz = Somerset/South-West. Very close but different and, as I say, a source of frustration for Suffolk friends.

[Admiral Yi]

Maybe they should get over it. It's the exact same damn thing.

[Sheilbh]

Suffolk is generally one of those quite anonymous counties. I don't think it has a particular image in the popular mind so it must be annoying to see their one thing - being rural and having a farmers' accent get usurped by Somerset/generic West Country

[Admiral Yi]

OK, I'm willing to work with you on this.  That's the kind of guy I am.

"Innit" instead of doesn't it, sounds unique.  Yes?

[Admiral Yi]

"Come you here?"

[celedhring]

Have heard my geordie friends use "innit" plenty. Doesn't seem too unique.