Kevin's Watch

I finally watched Casablanca last night. It was amazing. The opening credits were great, the first fifteen minutes of the film didn't focus on a main character and I was still immersed, the lines-oh, the lines in this movie, and the wit-it was absolutely hilarious dialogue through and through, the plot twists, their love...I felt it, the political issues, the acting. This is a truly, truly great film that deserves all the accolades.

I've also seen such classics (pre '67) as Lawrence of Arabia, 12 Angry Men, Citizen Kane, Bridge Over the River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago, The Great Escape, Wizard of Oz, Ben-Hur, Ten Commandments, Spartacus, and The Day the Earth Stood Still. And of course, every Disney film. These are all very good films, some truly great.

I will probably watch Gone with the Wind and Paths of Glory next. Any thoughts, suggestions, food for discussion?

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but....

Casablanca is an overrated B-movie.

Watch Out of the Past and Touch of Evil. Both are far superior films.

Cail wrote:I know this is an unpopular opinion, but....

Casablanca is an overrated B-movie.

I agree completely. Cheesy, unrealistic, boring.

I like Bogart, but let's face it, he's no Calculon.

Unrealistic?

dANdeLION wrote:I like Bogart, but let's face it, he's no Calculon.

Well who is?

jacob Raver, sinTempter wrote:Unrealistic?

* Main Entry: un·re·al·is·tic
* Pronunciation: \ˌən-ˌrē-ə-ˈlis-tik\
* Function: adjective
* Date: 1865

: not realistic : inappropriate to reality or fact

— un·re·al·is·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Urm...which parts, concepts? The film isn't a critique of any kind, so why does it half to be perfectly realistic?

To quote Bob Walkenhorst,

Some things are classic
Some things are just old

I've always found it a bit of a minefield going through the "classics." But there are a ton of treasures in there. I definitely got why so many thought Bogart was the man when I went through his back catalog. Particularly The African Queen. If you've not seen Harvey and Arsenic and Old Lace, I'd highly recommend those.

Cagliostro wrote:Arsenic and Old Lace

Aaaah, good film. A frequent watch when I was a kid.

King's Row (1942). Who said Ronald Reagan couldn't act?

Cail wrote:I know this is an unpopular opinion, but....

Casablanca is an overrated B-movie.

Watch Out of the Past and Touch of Evil. Both are far superior films.

i'm not sure i agree with "far superior" but i have to say that the two films you mention are indeed astonishingly brilliant movies!
my god, welles in touch of evil. extraordinary acting besides having directed the film! and i've always been a mitchum fan.
both these films were included in the syllabus of the film noir class i took a couple of semesters ago.
i'd never seen either of them and was blown away by both.

i loved casablanca but To Have and Have Not is my favorite bogart.

Just watched Paths of Glory last night. Loved the villain, many of the shots were standard Kurbric brilliance, the beginning talk between the two generals was pretty good, the charge was probably just awesome for it's time, the firing squad scene was really good and the ending song was poignant.

But the film still had the Kubric pacing issues, there wasn't any character development - all the characters were set after threes scenes, the acting was good most of the times but bad in a couple scenes, the concept of the film was probably very riske at the time but nothing now and very good guy/bad guy. The coward, while having to do the duty at the end...it never felt like that really tied up his own path, there were some logic issues in the script during the court scene. Douglas was his normal self, but I never really got caught up in the outrage that his character felt, something was off...I think Kubric and Douglas definitely had different visions for this film.

I thought it was good, but not great. It was probably a landmine of a film sixty years ago.

I've seen Paths of Glory once, but haven't felt the need for repeat viewing. I respect the film's strong criticism of war (or at least of the petty military ambitions behind war), but the early Kubrick films weren't the ones that put me in what I'll call obssessed awe of him as a filmmaker.

lucimay wrote:

Cail wrote:I know this is an unpopular opinion, but....

Casablanca is an overrated B-movie.

Watch Out of the Past and Touch of Evil. Both are far superior films.

i'm not sure i agree with "far superior" but i have to say that the two films you mention are indeed astonishingly brilliant movies!
my god, welles in touch of evil. extraordinary acting besides having directed the film! and i've always been a mitchum fan.
both these films were included in the syllabus of the film noir class i took a couple of semesters ago.
i'd never seen either of them and was blown away by both.

i loved casablanca but To Have and Have Not is my favorite bogart.

I've never seen all of Casablanca, only the famous bits. The Maltese Falcon is still the only Bogie film I've seen its entirety, which I enjoyed.

Never saw Touch of Evil or Out of the Past, but The Third Man was the one Orson Welles movie I've seen (in its entirety) and I thought it was superb. (I know he didn't direct it.)

Hitchcock's Psycho is another "classic" cinema favorite. It was only a few years ago that I watched the whole movie. I was blown away by how tightly crafted it was - there wasn't a single lazy moment to be found.

jacob Raver, sinTempter wrote:Just watched Paths of Glory last night. Loved the villain, many of the shots were standard Kurbric brilliance, the beginning talk between the two generals was pretty good, the charge was probably just awesome for it's time, the firing squad scene was really good and the ending song was poignant.

But the film still had the Kubric pacing issues, there wasn't any character development - all the characters were set after threes scenes, the acting was good most of the times but bad in a couple scenes, the concept of the film was probably very riske at the time but nothing now and very good guy/bad guy. The coward, while having to do the duty at the end...it never felt like that really tied up his own path, there were some logic issues in the script during the court scene. Douglas was his normal self, but I never really got caught up in the outrage that his character felt, something was off...I think Kubric and Douglas definitely had different visions for this film.

I thought it was good, but not great. It was probably a landmine of a film sixty years ago.

Paths of Glory is simply wonderful. I'm not a Kubrick fanboy - he's overrated - but Paths I gave five stars. Mind you, it's probably because I'm a World War I fanatic.

I'm not either. Though, there's just something about his artistic vision that is just...moving and aweinspiring.

My favs of his are Dr. Strangelove, my all-time fav comedy/satire...and Shinning, which isn't perfect, but still very good.

I think PoG really suffers from a plot that is far too simplistic for the running time. If there's enough pathos to be derived, a la 2001, by all means, take the time, but I just wish there were a little more to PoG.

While Eyes Wide Shut is not even in my top 100 favorites, I believe it's Kubrick's crowning achievement from a "tight" script/pace point of view... and I thought Cruise/Kidman 'nailed' it. But I've never really understood what the film was really about.

jacob Raver, sinTempter wrote:I think PoG really suffers from a plot that is far too simplistic for the running time. If there's enough pathos to be derived, a la 2001, by all means, take the time, but I just wish there were a little more to PoG.

Hmmm, if the plot is simplistic, the message and themes of the movie aren't. I'd argue that it's subtle.

Agreed about Dr. Strangelove. Incredible satire.

I only first watched it about 8 months ago. I could not believe how funny it was...well shot...brilliant in design...and then when I'm already near crying, Dr. Strangelove appears, and even though we expect him, he's still funnier than almost anything I've ever seen. Unbelievable. I really, honestly don't think there will ever be a comedy that combines great directing with great comedy genius on that level ever again.

jacob Raver, sinTempter wrote:I only first watched it about 8 months ago. I could not believe how funny it was...well shot...brilliant in design...and then when I'm already near crying, Dr. Strangelove appears, and even though we expect him, he's still funnier than almost anything I've ever seen. Unbelievable. I really, honestly don't think there will ever be a comedy that combines great directing with great comedy genius on that level ever again.

Well said!

Forbidden Planet has always been a favorite of mine. I remember when I first saw it, my dad forced me to watch it, and I was pissed off to begin with... but in total awe by the end.

I saw Psycho for the first time at the beginning of this year... brilliant movie! It's certainly one that should never, ever be remade for the sole reason that it is all ready a perfect movie.

Fistful of Dollars is also a favorite of mine. Sure, it's apparently a rip-off of some Japanese film, but it has one thing that film did not: Clint Eastwood

And who could forget Night of the Living Dead? It really is an excellent movie, it's just a shame that it seems that the modern zombie film fans haven't seen it...