Classic Film Femme

Trailer Tuesday

femme — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:47:31 +0000

I hate it when a trailer is superior to the film itself. You get all excited about it. You knock elbows with the person next to you in the theater so much as if to say, “We’re going to see that film no matter what!!” And then you do go… and you feel ripped off. At least, that’s how I felt about The Haunting.

The Haunting is about a group of experts chosen to examine the supernatural energies manifested at Hill House. The heart of the house appears to be the nursery. The room’s inhabitant had been a child here but as she grew to become a woman she stayed on. In fact she stayed so long that she grew old in the nursery and becoming incapacitated hired a nursemaid. One night, the nursemaid neglects her duties and cannot hear any of her charge’s calls for help. Presumably stricken with guilt at the death of her patient, the nursemaid hangs herself from a spiral staircase in the solarium. Sounds like this should be grounds for a really spooky haunted house film right? Wrong. Don’t bother renting this but do watch the trailer – at least it rocks!

Mindless Movie Monday

femme — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:49:40 +0000

The Invisible Man

Now you see him; now you don’t.

Brenda and Bunny

femme — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:27:41 +0000

If you haven’t watched Six Feet Under, you are missing HBO’s most spectacular series. If you have watched Six Feet Under – you could totally watch it again and catch all sorts of nuances and references that you missed the first time around. This is exactly what I did and was uber-excited to notice that in Season 1, Episode 12 Brenda (the season’s most mysterious character) is watching a classic film that plays in the background. The film is Bunny Lake is Missing. At the time, I remembered that it was a great movie but I couldn’t figure out whether or not it was a random reference on the part the series so of course, I watched Bunny again. Sure enough – the reference to this classic mystery is absolutely not accidental. In fact, it provides deeper insight into Brenda’s character and her relationships. Dontcha just love when a director caters to intelligent viewers? As opposed to, say, Jersey Shore’s audience…

Foreign Film Friday

femme — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:40:07 +0000

There is no sleet in Fanny and Alexander. None of this in-between weather that we’ve been experiencing lately. Ingmar Bergman’s film sets are always perfection in terms of how he depicts weather. In Fanny and Alexander winter is cozy candles, christmas feasts and gently falling snow. Summer is bright green ferns in sunrooms that overlook the water. In spring, thunder and lightning accompany deluges of rain crashing into the windows of abysmally dark rooms or tables are laden with fresh spring flowers and streams of sunlight. There is no compromise. On the sets of Bergman films- it is all or it is nothing.

I am a Liar

femme — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:38:23 +0000

It’s true. I lied. I have been adament about my hatred of musicals with almost anyone who will listen to my ravings. I have been known to tell a sweetly sashaying little blonde songstress who’s locker was near mine in college that she was ”not gonna go on 18″ if I heard her sing Sound of Music’s “I am 16 going on 17″ one more FREAKIN’ time!!

But folks – I am ashamed to admit that I absolultely protested too much against this particular genre. I tell you now that I adored Chevalier in Gigi, Kaye in White Christmas, Andrews in Mary Poppins, and (can you believe?) Brando in Guys and Dolls.

Ok. Maybe you already suspected I made an exception to my earlier hatred of musicals for Marlon Brando. I mean that man can do no wrong even when he’s housing a racoon in his hotel room – but I digress… So bring on the musicals! I can finally take it!

Trailer Tuesday

femme — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:00:54 +0000

Whatever else he may be, Humphrey Bogart is not gangster. Is he hard-boiled detective ? hells ya. Disillusioned soldier? i’m in. But mob leader? Ummmm… I don’t know.

I watched High Sierra recently and I’m still trying to get it. I think the director wanted to paint a sympathetic portrait of a gangster figure but Bogart plays it as a softy who’s got waaaay too much time for women. Remember, real gangsters don’t have time for women unless they’re shoving a grapefruit in their face (see my post on Public Enemy for a refresher).

Now. Edward G. Robinson absolutely owns the title of ultimate gangster who still wins my sympathy which is why I was so shocked to see detective novelist W.R. Burnett’s quotation in today’s trailer for the film that made Bogart a star. “This is a finer picture than Little Caesar and I wrote both.” Seriously?? I think ab-so-lut-ly not … and I watched both. But, listen, judge for yourself since this movie is a great way to spend an evening with a big bowl of popcorn while the freezing rain glints on the windowpane.

Mindless Movie Monday

femme — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:44:04 +0000

Under the Yum Yum Tree

The womanizing landlord has a key to every room…

Hitler and Humour

femme — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:56:47 +0000

Nothing could be less funny than Hitler’s fascist regime … until Jack Benny gets hold of it in the film To Be or Not to Be. A satirical treatment of Nazi corruption and insanity, the movie was released during the height of WWII making it an extremely risky comedy for its time. Ernst Lubitsch was a German-born, Jewish director who often used the relative freedom provided by the Hollywood Studios as a forum to air his political commentaries on the state of European society.

To Be or Not to Be is an absolute must see. Jack Benny is at his most hysterical and Lubitsch deflates the power of the fascists without resorting to propagandistic treatment of his subject matter. It ain’t Shakespeare my friends but the witty dialogue is a work of genius. Put it on your list!

Merchant Ivory Weekend

femme — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:46:47 +0000

It’s freezing cold out there. Yes, it feels like it could be a Merchant Ivory kinda weekend. You know the kind. Wrap yourself in a cozy blanket, brew tea and watch a period piece on Friday night (Maurice), Saturday afternoon (Remains of the Day) and Sunday morning (A Room with a View). Other option: take some time to sit down and finally read an E.M. Forster novel like Howard’s End.

Trailer Tuesday

femme — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:18:53 +0000

How I love a good thriller and I’ve always thought Gaslight is one of the best. Here’s the scene. A young girl, Paula, lives with her operatic aunt in a beautiful house on a square. One night her aunt is terrifyingly murdered and Paula finds her dead in front of the fire place in the parlour. Driven from the house by horror and necessity she moves to Europe to find a new life and finds instead a new love. To prove her strength to her new husband, Paula decides to return to live as a newlywed in the house she had fled in fear. Lights begin to flicker and she can hear noises in the attic. Is she going mad?