Dismembered There are a few things to like about this: the framing and staging is extraordinary, as if George Stevens wanted to reinvent the eye after his war experiences. Some choreography is worth seeing over and over. I have recalled that bit about the window falling down for decades. The acting is generally very good… Continue reading I Remember Mama (1948)
Tag: p2005
Comments first posted in 2005
I Married a Witch (1942)
Sullivan’s Possession Lake was a rising star when this was made, and it is clear that the story was engineered to highlight the charm of whoever starred. The previous year she did well in “Sullivan’s Travels”, something of a touchstone in film history. It was a so-called “folded” film, one that had a movie within… Continue reading I Married a Witch (1942)
I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)
Watching Them Watching Us I suppose there are many ways of watching movies as there are of eating, a lot. But most folks seem to do it quickly, without savour. So from time to time it is worth watching an old movie with little merit just to see if you can escape the furrow plowed… Continue reading I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)
Exorcist: the Beginning (2004)
The Phantom Devil You know, the very best film experiences are sometimes the ones that are the hardest work. If you don’t work at this one, you’ll be stuck at the John Carpenter level. But if you do… Consider it this way. Some movies are made by fundamentalist Christians as part of their battle with… Continue reading Exorcist: the Beginning (2004)
The Hottest Show in Town (1974)
Seurat meets Welles There are a few things everyone should do, and one of them is to visit the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. But first, I see I am the initial commenter on this little film. So let me describe it because you are unlikely to find it. It is ostensibly a porn film, somewhere… Continue reading The Hottest Show in Town (1974)
Exodus (1960)
Stalled Ship I wonder what damage we are doing to ourselves by writing false history. All history is fictional. It must be because it abstracts single narratives from the hubbub of life. We hope that the narrative models something that can be traced back to facts, can be proved to be what we call true.… Continue reading Exodus (1960)
The Phantom Empire (1935)
Subterranean Drugs I’m involved in a study of ‘folding’ in film; folding is a matter of overlain or referenced narratives. Sometimes the folding is something only of interest to highbrow specialists, but usually it is a matter of fun. Some folding is a matter of introducing bizarre conventions, and once they enter in one film… Continue reading The Phantom Empire (1935)