Monthly Archives: November 2010
Oscar Vault Monday – Lilies of the Field, 1963 (dir. Ralph Nelson)
I finally saw this movie a few months ago after being a fan of Sidney Poitier since I was a little girl. I have no idea what took me so long. It is a marvelous film and Poitier gives such a stirring performance. Though he was already on his way to being a huge star in his own right, this film cemented him in the history of cinema and paved the way for countless others while it was at it. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one: Best B&W Cinematography, Best Supporting Actress Lilia Skala, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor Sidney Poitier (won) and Best Picture. It was up against America, America, Cleopatra, How The West Was Won and winner Tom Jones.
New Poster for “Jane Eyre”
I’m not really sure how I feel about another adaptation of Jane Eyre. I have seen eight, yes EIGHT, adaptations of this story. It is one of my all-time favorite books, one that I have read multiple times. Once upon a time I rated all the Jane Eyres based on overall adaptation and also based on their respective Mr. Rochesters (Timothy Dalton is my favorite). Anyways, this version is set to open in March 11, 2011 and stars up-and-coming starlet Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, The Kids Are All Right) and Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds). I do really love Fassbender and this poster is wonderful, but I’m still a little doubtful that another adaptation is necessary.
Movie Quote of the Day – In A Lonely Place, 1950 (dir Nicholas Ray)
Dixon Steele: I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.
[beat]
Dixon Steele: You like it?
Laurel Gray: What is it?
Dixon Steele: I. . .I want to put it in the script. I don’t know quite where.
Laurel Gray: You feel well now?
Dixon Steele: I don’t know. Maybe.
[beat]
Dixon Steele: Say it back to me, let’s hear how it sounds.
Laurel Gray: I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I. . .
Dixon Steele: I lived a few weeks while she loved me.
Movie Quote of the Day – Mars Attacks!, 1996 (dir. Tim Burton)
President James Dale: Why are you doing this? Why? Isn’t the universe big enough for both of us? [laughs] What’s wrong with you people? We could work together. Why be enemies? Because we’re different? Is that why? Think of the things we could do. Think how strong we could be. Earth. . .and Mars. . .together. There is nothing that we could not accomplish. Think about it. Think. . .about it. [beat] Why destroy, when we can create? We can have it all. Or we can smash it all! [beat] Why can’t we work out our differences? [beat] Why can’t we. . .work things out? [beat] Little people. . .why can’t we all. . .just. . .get along?
Movie Quote of the Day – True Romance, 1993 (dir. Tony Scott)
Alabama: Amid the chaos of that day, when all I could hear was the thunder of gunshots, and all I could smell was the violence in the air, I look back and am amazed that my thoughts were so clear and true, that three words went through my mind endlessly, repeating themselves like a broken record: you’re so cool, you’re so cool, you’re so cool. And sometimes Clarence asks me what I would have done if he had died, if that bullet had been two inches more to the left. To this, I always smile, as if I’m not going to satisfy him with a response. But I always do. I tell him of how I would want to die, but that the anguish and the want of death would fade like the stars at dawn, and that things would be much as they are now. Perhaps. Except maybe I wouldn’t have named our son Elvis.
New Posters For 127 Hours, Casino Jack, The King’s Speech and London Boulevard
These are all films I cannot wait to see. Especially London Boulevard, the directorial debut of William Monahan, who won an Academy Award for his adapted screenplay of 2006’s The Departed.
Movie Quote of the Day – V For Vendetta, 2006 (dir. James McTeigue)
V: I can assure you I mean you no harm.
Evey Hammond: Who are you?
V: Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask.
Evey Hammond: Well I can see that.
V: Of course you can. I’m not questioning your powers of observation I’m merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
Evey Hammond: Oh. Right.
V: But on this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace sobriquet, to suggest the character of this dramatis persona. Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it’s my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.
Evey Hammond: Are you like a crazy person?
SITE UPDATE
Sorry for the lack of updates all week. My computer died on Saturday night and my household was computerless until today. Currently I’m sharing a computer, so updates won’t be as often as they had been. But I’m going to try to keep doing Movie Quote of the Day and Oscar Vault Monday will be back on Monday, as well as part three of my four part Auteur of the Week on Spielberg will be back on Tuesday or Wednesday!
Hopefully I’ll have my own new computer sooner rather than later and we’ll be back up to par in no time. Thank you for all your patience.
the diary of a film history fanatic 
