Orson Welles' Touch of Evil---who has seen it? Thoughts and preferences on the version I should watch, are appreciated.
I've made it through much of the film noir genre leading up to Touch of Evil, which many consider the bookend of the genre. There are a few various versions of the film, so curious as to which is the preferred. I presume it is the longer cut based on Welles' own intent.
Judas and the Black Messiah.
First 2 acts: brilliant. Strong atmosphere, thrilling, interesting. Especially a scene involving
Black Panthers, Rednecks and Puerto Ricans
felt like a f-finger to liberals and their identity politics.
The last act was a bit too much of a martyr homage though.
Gave it a 3.5 on letterboxd.
Lakeith Stanfield is one of my favorite actors. He was huge in this movie. Same goes for Daniel Kaluuya. Would like to see them work with Nolan in the future.
Bumblebee (2018)
The only live action Transformers film that captures the magic of the cartoons (I have to admit I only watched Transformers Armada as a kid but I really enjoyed it). A robot who cannot talk manages to emote in a way that Michael bay's lifeless creations can never hope to achieve and the human characters are actually quite engaging this time around as well. There was a specific music cue that references the animated Transformers movie and it was such a wonderful reference and one of the examples that show that the team in charge of this film actually respect the source material. Lots of fun and a great time. The only downside is that the film feels relatively small but for what it is, it tells its story very well and never forgets that the characters are what matters, not CG explosions.
8.5/10
Tomb Raider (2018)
I don't know why this film flew so much under the radar. It's a really fun action adventure and Alicia Vikander is the heart of the film because you believe her as a young Lara Croft. As someone who has never played the video games nor watched the Angelina Jolie movies, this film made me interested in the world of the video games. The action scenes and the stunts are excellently choreographed and like in Die Hard you feel that the protagonist has to struggle to get though her Indiana Jones-esque adventure. If the film has a weakness, it's that the other characters are not particularly deep and that the story is rather standard but again, I don't mind if it's told well. The dialogue is also clunky in a number of places but I can look past that. Overall, I didn't notice how fast time flew by and I hope they get to make a sequel someday because I had a good time with this film.
Phantom of the paradise
I think I loved it, I'm not sure, I was definitely fascinated. Sometimes the radicalism of De Palma's approach can be off-putting, but the violence of the message eventually hits. Also the songs are so good! And their lyrics are just as violent as the rest of the film. I especially love Eddie Goodbye, Special to me, Hell of it and Old souls.
Phantom of the paradise
I think I loved it, I'm not sure, I was definitely fascinated. Sometimes the radicalism of De Palma's approach can be off-putting, but the violence of the message eventually hits. Also the songs are so good! And their lyrics are just as violent as the rest of the film. I especially love Eddie Goodbye, Special to me, Hell of it and Old souls.
This is a big De Palma gap for me, saving it for a rainy day. Have you seen Body Double, Blow Out, etc etc?
I Married a Witch (1942)
Such a delightfully wicked comedy. I could watch this film over and over again, mainly because Veronica Lake gives a wonderful performance in it as the vengeful witch whose plans don't turn out as expected. She also has great chemistry with Frederic March. The film moves along at a steady pace and does not overstay its welcome and most of the jokes land well imo.
The Tingler (1959)
The science in this film is utterly risible but in a fun and pulpy sort of way. Vincent Price can do no wrong as far as acting's concerned and this William Castle film puts his skills to good use, as he can make the most ludicrous things sound plausible. There are of course plot holes galore but that's not really what we're here for anyway. The Tingler is one of Castle's famous gimmick films and though watching it at home is not the same as watching it in a crowded cinema, the practical creature effects are rather interesting and there are a number of fun twists and turns that one might not expect.
Phantom of the paradise
I think I loved it, I'm not sure, I was definitely fascinated. Sometimes the radicalism of De Palma's approach can be off-putting, but the violence of the message eventually hits. Also the songs are so good! And their lyrics are just as violent as the rest of the film. I especially love Eddie Goodbye, Special to me, Hell of it and Old souls.
This is a big De Palma gap for me, saving it for a rainy day. Have you seen Body Double, Blow Out, etc etc?
-Vader
No, this was my first more independent De Palma. The De Palma I had seen before were more his big ones: Scarface, The Untouchable and M-I 1.
Though I read a great review explaining how M-I 1 is one of the most subversive blockbuster in American cinema (the review included the idea that the film was a sexual nightmare about an America destroyed by technological progress and who has grown steril which is why the film ends with an explosion on a train in a tunnel... It also presented the idea that the battle between Cruise and the villain was about controlling images and their meaning.)
Oh man, you are in for a treat. Body Double and Blow Out are two of my favorite movies and imo his best.
Ofc I love the other movies mentioned. M:I 1 rules too of course. The Untouchables is one of the most gleefully sadistic studio movies of the last 40 years.
It is so wrong in terms of the subject it tries to tackle but in terms of filmmaking I would also put Dressed to Kill next to Blow Out and Body Double any day. It's probably him at his most Hitchcockian and that's not bad. Also, if you haven't seen it then Carrie and Carlito's Way are two other classics from him. Especially Carlito's Way which I always thought was superior to Scarface.
Among the Brian de Palma films I have seen (Sisters, Carrie, Scarface, Dressed to Kill, Mission Impossible), I think I like Carrie the best because of the kind of story it tells and because of the performances. Once the horror starts, it is not just tense but pretty compelling visually as well (we all remember the scene at the prom).
The Dead Zone
An atypical story, both in terms of a Stephen King story and a Cronenberg film, as the film eschews the over-the-top story elements save the one central conceit that the protagonist can see visions of the past and future after the accident he has at the beginning. Aside from that one element, the story plays much more like an understated character piece and is much more concerned with the protagonist's change of perspective on things and how his circumstances affect him personally and that comes out in a number of poignant scenes where the main character is visibly suffering as a result of his accident even years after the incident because of all the implications. Christopher Walken's performance as Johnny Smith is powerful, especially in those instances. I say the film is atypical for Cronenberg because people at the time tended to associate him with the body horror stuff he since has seemingly grown tired of. The performance is strong, the story explores nuanced insights into a person's emotional vulnerability while presenting Johnny's ability as both a gift and a curse in visually interesting ways.
