Author Archives: Marya E. Gates
Movie Quote of the Day – Heat, 1995 (dir. Michael Mann)
Neil McCauley: I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore. I know life is short, whatever time you get is luck. You want to walk? You walk right now. Or on your own. . .on your own you choose to come with me. And all I know is. . .all I know is there’s no point in me going anywhere anymore if it’s going to be alone. . .without you.
Movie Quote of the Day – The Jerk, 1979 (dir. Carl Reiner)
Navin R. Johnson: The new phone book’s here! The new phone book’s here!
Harry Hartounian: Boy, I wish I could get that excited about nothing.
Navin R. Johnson: Nothing? Are you kidding? Page 73 – Johnson, Navin R.! I’m somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity – your name in print – that makes people. I’m in print! Things are going to start happening to me now.
[cut to sniper]
Sniper: Johnson, Navin R. . .sounds like a typical bastard. [cut back to gas station] Die, Navin R. Johnson. Bastard! Random son of a bitch, typical run-of-the-mill bastard.
Oscar Vault Monday – Spellbound, 1945 (dir. Alfred Hitchcock)
This is definitely one of my favorite of Hitchcock’s films and one that is rich with imagery and ideas. I am going to give you some of my thoughts on the film, but I am not going to claim to be an expert on this film. It’s definitely one that needs many rewatchings and explorations. I would really love to hear thoughts from my readers on this film solely because it is so rife with ideas. Also, beware there will be a major SPOILER about the ending, so if you’ve never seen it, you might want to not read to the end of this post. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning one: Best Score Miklós Rózsa (won), Best B&W Cinematography, Best Special Effects, Best Supporting Actor Michael Chekov, Best Director and Best Picture. The other films nominated that year were Anchors Aweigh, The Bells of St. Mary’s, Mildred Pierce and winner The Lost Weekend.
From The Warner Archive: Two Italian Sword-And-Sandal Epics
The Warner Archive has just released both Damon and Pythias and Hercules, Samson and Ulysses in newly remastered DVD form. Both films are prime examples of the Italian Sword-and-Sandal genre that was prominent in that country’s film industry in the late-1950s, early-1960s (just before the Spaghetti Western took over). Basically, take all of your favorite characters from ancient Biblical and Greek/Roman times, put them in a blender together and what you get is these ridiculous(ly great) films that do not care if these people could ever really have shared the same space. That is not the point. Just go with it and you will enjoy it, I swear.

























