Monthly Archives: February 2013
Everything is Glenn Ford and Nothing Hurts
If you follow me on Tumblr, then you know that I really love Glenn Ford (man’s man). It seems like the gods of DVD and Blu-ray also love Glenn Ford. TCM just announced a new set of Glenn Ford crime films to be released in March.
I have actually only seen one of these films, so I am SO EXCITED for this set.
Following that up, Criterion is releasing two Glenn Ford/Delmer Daves collaborations in May. I love 3:10 To Yuma to death and Jubal is one I have been DYING to see.
New From WarnerBlu: A Star Is Born, 1976 (dir. Frank R. Pierson)
When I first saw this film, I was in the middle of a marathon of all three versions, William A. Wellman’s 1937 version, George Cukor’s 1954 version and then finally this 1976 version. In comparison, this is probably the least impressive version. Something about it just doesn’t work. But, it is an interesting look at rock music and the machine and like the other two versions, is an interesting time capsule. The performances from both Streisand and Kristofferson are top notch and this new Blu-ray book is a must for fans of Babs.
Movie Quote of the Day – Nashville, 1975 (dir. Robert Altman)
Wade: What’s the matter with you? Ain’t you gonna talk to me? Did it go all right?
Sueleen Gay: Oh, Wade.
Wade: What?
Sueleen Gay: I had to do me a striptease tonight in front of all those men. . .in order to get to sing at the Parthenon with Barbara Jean.
Wade: Oh, shit, Sueleen, I. . .That’s dreadful! That’s terrible, girl! I mean. . .I don’t know how to tell you this, but I been meanin’ to. . .you can’t sing. You may as well face the fact you cannot sing. You ain’t never gon’ be no star. I wish you’d give it up. They gon’ kill ya. They gon’ tear your heart out if you keep on. They gon’ walk on your soul, girl.
Sueleen Gay: What are you talkin’ about?
Wade: You can’t sing. Do you understand that?
Sueleen Gay: Yeah? You wanna make a bet? You wanna come to the Parthenon and watch me sing with Barbara Jean?
Wade: I am leavin’ for Detroit Wednesday.
Sueleen Gay: You just come and watch, Wade.
Wade: I’m leavin’ for Detroit, and if you wanna go you just come on. They gonna kill you in this town.
Sueleen Gay: Well, you come and see.
Wade: They gon’ use you. You know that.
Sueleen Gay: Bye, Wade.
Wade: Dumb bitch. I don’t know why I stick around. She just makes me so goddamn mad I could spit.
Movie Quote of the Day – Point Blank, 1967 (dir. John Boorman)
Brewster: Walker. You’re a very bad man, very destructive man! Why do you run around doing things like this? What do you want?
Walker: I want my money. I want my $93 grand.
Brewster: $93,000? You threaten a financial structure like this for $93,000? I don’t believe you. What do you really want?
Walker: I – I really want my money. I want my money.
Brewster: I’m not going to give you any money and nobody else is. Don’t you understand that?
Walker: Who runs things?
Brewster: Carter and I run things. I run things.
Walker: What about Fairfax? Will he pay me?
Brewster: Fairfax is a man who signs checks.
Walker: No, cash.
Brewster: Fairfax isn’t going to give you anything. He’s finished. Fairfax is dead. He just doesn’t know it yet.
Walker: Somebody’s got to pay.
Oscar Vault Monday – Random Harvest, 1942 (dir. Mervyn LeRoy)
I first saw this movie a few years back on TCM and it destroyed me. I saw it recently at the Castro Theatre and I guess I had forgotten a few things about it because there were whole plot twists I didn’t remember and it destroyed me all over again. If you haven’t seen this film before, beware I will be discussing some of the film’s major plot twists. Random Harvest came out the same year as arguably Greer Garson’s most famous film – Mrs. Miniver – as such, she was nominated (an won) Best Actress for playing the titular role in that film, and was ineligible to be nominated for her performance in this film. Regardless, the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, though it failed to win any: Best Score, Best B&W Art Direction, Best Writing Screenplay (this was a third category, and is not analogous to the Best Original or Best Adapted Screenplay categories we have now), Best Supporting Actress Susan Peters, Best Actor Ronald Coleman, Best Director Mervyn LeRoy and Best Picture. The other films nominated for Best Picture that year were 49th Parallel, Kings Row, The Magnificent Ambersons, The Pied Piper, The Pride of the Yankees, The Talk of the Town, Wake Island, Yankee Doodle Dandy and winner Mrs. Miniver.
Movie Quote of the Day – Michael, 1996 (dir. Nora Ephron)
Michael: Remember what John and Paul said.
Huey Driscoll: The apostles?
Michael: No, the Beatles. “All you need is love.”
Movie Quote of the Day – My Left Foot, 1989 (dir. Jim Sheridan)
Christy Brown: Why did you say you loved me?
Dr. Eileen Cole: Because I do love you.
Christy Brown: Ah, you mean platonic love. I’ve had nothing but platonic love all me life. Do you know what I say? Fuck Plato! Fuck all love that is not 100 percent commitment!
Movie Quote of the Day – Billy Liar, 1963 (dir. John Schlesinger)
Liz: Well, when’re you going?
Billy: Oh, soon.
Liz: When’s soon?
Billy: Well, as soon as I can manage.
Liz: It’s a bit vague, isn’t it? Why don’t you go now?
Billy: Why? It’s difficult.
Liz: No, it’s not. It’s easy. You get on a train, and four hours later, there you are in London.
Billy: It’s easy for you. You’ve had the practice.
New From Warner Bros.: 20 Film Collection – Musicals
As part of their year-long 90th anniversary celebration, Warner Bros. has been releasing some really great boxed sets. From their 100 Film Collection and their 50 Film Collection, to several 20 Film Collection sets. Last month they released a boxed set of 20 Best Picture winners and coming soon they are giving the same treatment to comedies, thrillers and romance. Last week they released a boxed set of 20 classical musicals (some of the musicals are from MGM, whose back catalogue WB owns), that is simply to die for. Really, my only complaint about the set is that the discs are clearly culled from older releases (The Wizard of Oz is disc one of the special 70th edition from a few years back and Viva Las Vegas is definitely from a previous Elvis collection). Despite that, each film comes with special features and at this price point ($90 retail, $60-70 at most online shops), this collection is a real bargain. It’s also a fun way to get a great overview of how the musical has changed over the years. After the cut, I’ll go through each disc with a little review of the transfer quality, special features, etc.
Movie Quote of the Day – Barry Lyndon, 1975 (dir. Stanley Kubrick)
Lord Bullingdon: Don’t you think he fits my shoes very well Your Ladyship? Dear child, what a pity it is I am not dead, for your sake. The Lyndons would then have a worthy representative and enjoy all the benefits of the illustrious blood of the Barrys of Barryville. Would they not… Mr. Redmond Barry?
Lady Lyndon: From the way I love this child my lord, you ought to know how I would have loved his elder brother had he proved worthy of any mother’s affection.
Lord Bullingdon: Madam! I have born as long as mortal could endure the ill-treatment of the insolent Irish upstart whom you’ve taken into your bed. It is not only the lowness of his birth and the general brutality of his manners which disgusts me, but the shameful nature of his conduct towards Your Ladyship. His brutal and un-gentleman-like behavior, his open infidelity, his shameless robberies and swindling of my property, and yours. And as I cannot personally chastise this low-bred ruffian, and as I cannot bear to witness his treatment of you and loathe his horrible society as if it were the plague; I have decided to leave my home and never return, at least during his detested life or during my own.
the diary of a film history fanatic 