TV/Movies Megathread

[celedhring]

Watched the 1980s version of Bounty's Mutiny, with Hopkins as Bligh and Mel Gibson as Christian. Maybe I'm getting old or I like Hopkins way too much (and Gibson is so punchable here), but found myself siding with Bligh in this

Nah, the script (and Hopkins) are pretty skillful at not painting anybody as the obvious villain. Bligh comes across as a talented and brave man that was probably just out of his depth as a leader of men - and was probably put in an impossible position. I also liked how the film alludes to class undertones given that Bligh is said to be a commoner - and thus feels he has to overimpress during the Bounty expedition to rise through the ranks - while Christian is from a rich family with friends in high places.

One of those well-made and smart films with an huge cast (the crew features Liam Nesson and D-Day Lewis in supporting parts, as well as Lawrence Olivier as Admiral Hood) that seems to have been sorta forgotten.

Looking at the wikipedia page it seems that David Lean was supposed to direct this. and even oversaw some of the pre-production. Now that's a film I would have loved to see.

The story of the mutiny and the mutineers going to Pitcairn and living amongst the natives is a romantic one, but if you look into the facts it's hard not to see Bligh as more sympathetic and Christian as, well, the mutineer.

An equally interesting part of the story is Bligh's voyage in an open boat all the way to Dutch East Indies, but it's usually not part of the "mutiny" story.

Fwiw, it's an important part of this movie.

[Josquius]

I always found it curious how the bounty story. Such a minor historic event really, the founding story of an island of 50 people, is so amazingly well known.

Never seen this film I just say.

[Barrister]

I always found it curious how the bounty story. Such a minor historic event really, the founding story of an island of 50 people, is so amazingly well known.

Never seen this film I just say.

I mean it's not that minor - it would still be a historically significant story.

But otherwise - that's the power of Hollywood.  Googling suggests this story has been told in movies 5 times, in addition to there being documentaries and even a musical.

[Jacob]

As I understand it, the mutiny on the Bounty was a subject of massive public interest when it happened, and it never really died down.

[crazy canuck]

Lets not forget the Looney Tunes version

[HVC]

Has a good catchy name too. 

[Josquius]

I've heard mutterings the simpsons has become good again.
Particularly recommended was Tree house of Horror XXXIII.
I found it and... Wow. Yes. That is fantastic.   

[Admiral Yi]

I didn't remember DD Lewis in that flick.

I've been watching clips of the Marlon Brando version recently.

[Savonarola]

La Grande Illusion (1937)

On this viewing I noticed that Erich von Stroheim is introduced (the second time) by showing us his office and his personal effects.  That is how, as a director, von Stroheim introduced characters.  I thought that was clever.

I learned from listening to the narration by the pretentious film historian that Benito Mussolini was a big fan of the film () even though La Grande Illusion was banned in Italy.  Renoir had accepted (at the behest of the French Government) an invitation from Mussolini's son to make La Tosca in Italy, but had to flee at the outbreak of the Second World War.

Still a magnificent film.  Francois Truffaut thought that the scene during the play when the British officer takes off his wig and sings La Marseillaise was the greatest in cinema.  (Truffaut knew film much better than I ever will, but) I thought the scene where the first of the captive officers come in dressed in drag, and the long slow pan of the imprisoned officer's stunned faces is one of the best in film.

[Duque de Bragança]

La Grande Illusion (1937)

On this viewing I noticed that Erich von Stroheim is introduced (the second time) by showing us his office and his personal effects.  That is how, as a director, von Stroheim introduced characters.  I thought that was clever.

I learned from listening to the narration by the pretentious film historian that Benito Mussolini was a big fan of the film () even though La Grande Illusion was banned in Italy.  Renoir had accepted (at the behest of the French Government) an invitation from Mussolini's son to make La Tosca in Italy, but had to flee at the outbreak of the Second World War.

Poor pretentious film historian selected by Criterion.      (Peter Cowie? I used to have the Criterion DVD).

Still a magnificent film.  Francois Truffaut thought that the scene during the play when the British officer takes off his wig and sings La Marseillaise was the greatest in cinema.  (Truffaut knew film much better than I ever will, but) I thought the scene where the first of the captive officers come in dressed in drag, and the long slow pan of the imprisoned officer's stunned faces is one of the best in film.

Yes, magnificent and almost too mainstream of a movie for you.  Used to be on all best (French but not only) movie lists of all times in the upper 10s, until the '80s, along with La Règle du Jeu.
Some famous quotable lines, or at least that used to be such as :

A quoi sert un terrain de golf ? A jouer au golf. Un court de tennis ? A jouer au tennis. Eh bien un camp de prisonniers, ça sert à s'évader

« Revenez Boëldieu ! »

Speaking of the anthems, there is a battle of the anthems of sorts, with a somewhat melancholic rendering of Die Wacht am Rhein along with Marseillaise. Yes, Casablanca was not the first movie to do so, though it's much more relevant and dramatic.[/quote]

[Admiral Yi]

I recently learned two things:

Swingers was shot for $250,000 (another 750K for post production).

Siskel and Ebert gave two thumbs down to Bladerunner.

[Admiral Yi]

Rewatched Cinderella Man.  Sweet film.

Netflix appears to have responded to the writers' strike by putting a lot more quality films in the rotation than normal.

[Savonarola]

Poor pretentious film historian selected by Criterion.    (Peter Cowie? I used to have the Criterion DVD)

Yes, he did a good job and pointed a lot of things that I had missed; but "Pretentious film critic" and "Pretentious film historian" seem to roll off the tongue much better than "Film critic" or "Film historian" (and, more often than not, it's a fitting adjective.) 

Yes, magnificent and almost too mainstream of a movie for you.

How did I get this reputation



(I've been going through the Criterion Collection by spine number and then going through all the bonus goodies.)

Used to be on all best (French but not only) movie lists of all times in the upper 10s, until the '80s, along with La Règle du Jeu.
Some famous quotable lines, or at least that used to be such as :

A quoi sert un terrain de golf ? A jouer au golf. Un court de tennis ? A jouer au tennis. Eh bien un camp de prisonniers, ça sert à s'évader

« Revenez Boëldieu ! »

Speaking of the anthems, there is a battle of the anthems of sorts, with a somewhat melancholic rendering of Die Wacht am Rhein along with Marseillaise. Yes, Casablanca was not the first movie to do so, though it's much more relevant and dramatic.

It's been a very long time since I've seen La Règle du Jeu, I remember liking La Grande Illusion more, but it had just been restored and I saw it at a theater while I saw La Règle du Jeu on my potable DVD player ().

[Duque de Bragança]

Yes, he did a good job and pointed a lot of things that I had missed; but "Pretentious film critic" and "Pretentious film historian" seem to roll off the tongue much better than "Film critic" or "Film historian" (and, more often than not, it's a fitting adjective.) 

All right, so this is just a trope or cliché for fun. 

How did I get this reputation

When the legend becomes fact, print the legend? Not sure about the precise quote.

(I've been going through the Criterion Collection by spine number and then going through all the bonus goodies.)
[/quote]


 

It's been a very long time since I've seen La Règle du Jeu, I remember liking La Grande Illusion more, but it had just been restored and I saw it at a theater while I saw La Règle du Jeu on my potable DVD player ().

I see Criterion rereleased it in physical 4K / UHD (i.e region free unlike most other Criterion and other Region A releases), without HDR and a Dolby Atmos remix for the video and audiophiles out there, however.
So that is no excuse.     
The fact that the original negative is sad, but the still looks the best I have seen. Don't expect 4K/8K/70 mm sharpness, however. 

There was a botched 4K release in France as well, hard pass.   

[celedhring]

The Creator - damn, is this movie dumb. One of my pet peeves are dumb movies masquerading as sophisticated ones. The story doesn't make sense, the world doesn't make sense. Nothing makes sense. And it's a pity because nowadays it's so rare to find high-budget(ish) sci-fi that's not a franchise.

Also, with all the 'Nam callbacks in Rogue One and now this movie it feels like Edwards was raised on a diet of Platoon and Heaven and Earth.