Author Archives: Marya E. Gates

Oscar Vault Monday – Apocalypse Now, 1979 (dir. Francis Ford Coppola)

While nothing can replace The Thin Red Line as my all-time favorite war film, I think this movie would be a close second, even if I did just see it for the first time on Saturday (I know, I know). I’d like to point out first off that I watched the Redux version and not the theatrical version, so this post will be based on that version of the film. I’m also not going to talk a lot about some of the behind the scenes stories (there are a lot) and probably won’t cover all the themes in the film because I feel like the only way to do everything about this film justice would be to write 100 pages. I will, however, talk about the main performances and a couple of scenes that I really loved. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning two: Best Sound (won), Best Cinematography (won), Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor Robert Duvall, Best Director and Best Picture. The other films nominated for Best Picture that year were All That Jazz, Breaking Away, Norma Rae and winner Kramer Vs. Kramer. Side note: I really love Kramer Vs. Kramer, so this is not a “this film is better than the winner” post; it’s more like a “this film is equally as awesome” post.

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Movie Quote of the Day – The Notebook, 2004 (dir. Nick Cassavetes)

Allie: Now say you’re a bird too.
Noah: If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.

Movie Quote of the Day – Apocalypse Now, 1979 (dir. Francis Ford Coppola)

Kilgore: Smell that? You smell that?
Lance: What?
Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that.
[kneels]
Kilgore: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn’t find one of ’em, not one stinkin’ dink body. [beat] The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like. . .victory. [beat] Someday this war’s gonna end.

Movie Quote of the Day – Little Caesar, 1931 (dir. Mervyn LeRoy)

Caesar Enrico Bandello: Mother of Mercy! Is this the end of Rico?

Movie Quote of the Day – Anastasia, 1997 (dir. Don Bluth, Gary Goldman)

Bartok: Just wishing I could do the job for you, sir. I’d give her a HA! And a HI-YA! And then a OUU-WA! [beat] And I’d kick her, sir.

Movie Quote of the Day – Sin City, 2005 (dir. Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez)

John Hartigan: Skinny little Nancy Callahan. She grew up. She filled out.

Movie Quote of the Day – Crimes and Misdemeanors, 1989 (dir. Woody Allen)

Cliff Stern: Last time I was inside a woman was when I visited the Statue of Liberty.

Movie Quote of the Day – An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, 1991 (dir. Phil Nibbelink, Simon Wells)

Wylie Burp: You want to intimidate someone, give them the laaaazy eye.
Tiger: Aww gee, I’m afraid to ask. [beat] Okay, what’s the laaaazy eyeeeee?
Wylie Burp: The laaaazy eyeeee.

Oscar Vault Monday – High Noon, 1952 (dir. Fred Zinnemann)

So I hadn’t seen this movie until yesterday, despite having heard nothing but great things about it for years. I cannot believe I waited so long to watch it. I guess it was because the film is classified as a “Western,” but it’s about as much a typical Western as The Thin Red Line is a typical War film. Another great aspect of the film is that it’s filmed in real time; it’s 84 minutes to be exact. The first hour goes by at a nice languid, yet tense pace; the last twenty minutes cram in as much action and intensity as if it were a whole other hour. Fabulous. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning four: Best Original Song (won), Best Original Score (won), Best Film Editing (won), Best Screenplay, Best Actor (won), Best Director and Best Picture. The other nominees for Best Picture that year were: Ivanhoe, Moulin Rouge, The Quiet Man and winner The Greatest Show On Earth. Side note: The Greatest Show On Earth is probably one of the most mediocre films to even be nominated for Best Picture, let alone win.

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Movie Quote of the Day – American Beauty, 1999 (dir. Sam Mendes)

Carolyn Burnham: Uh, whose car is that out front?
Lester Burnham: Mine. 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The car I’ve always wanted and now I have it. I rule!