Miscellaneous Movie Musings the Sequel

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

Sounds fantastic! I like a movie with a lunch break. Link. I saw the Carmine Coppola version at the Shrine Auditorium, back in 1980, and we had the VHS at VideoWest when I worked there. The Bioscope article says "In 2000 Brownlow unveiled the film’s colour tinting and toning for the first time at a UK screening at the Royal Festival Hall," but I remember color tinting being a big deal in the version I saw. Also, during the films triptych sequences, and to the audiences astonishment, screens were lowered down on either side of the main screen for a 1929 version of Cineramascope. I'm sure I still have my program in a box somewhere.

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I went to "Mirror, Mirror" yesterday. From the commercials I had seen out of the corner of my eye, I had initially assumed that the movie cost about five dollars to make. I now realize that this assumption was grounded in Julia Roberts' snarky dialogue. The movie is actually visually stunning in all respects, but with a Nickelodeon-level script, it was pretty tough sledding.

One interesting touch: it had the semi-obligatory musical number over the credits. From his name, the director sounds like an Indian fellow, and the number seemed like something out of a Bollywood movie. (Of course, it could be a number one pop hit, and I wouldn't know it.)

The director is Tarsam Singh. Tarsam Singh, as in The Cell, The Fall, and The Immortals. Visually stunning is his speciality.

[Alex]

Yes, definitely on the visually stunning. Sadly, not so much on the good movie.

[lashbear]

As a Birthday Pressie for Stoat, I'm taking him to see Titanic in 3D.

Yes, we like the movie.
Yes, we like Celine Dion
Yes, our heart will go on.
No, we don't want to pay extra for glasses. We have our own.

[Snowflake]

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - gorgeously filmed by Wayne Wang. I found the modern story uninteresting and the historical not engrossing enough. I expect that was because they kept switching back and forth between eras. Joy Luck Club was much better in that regard. I understand the book is very good. The binding of feet, barbaric!

The Descendants - I got nothing out of this movie and came away really wondering what was the big deal. I found the basic premise to be contrived, sterotypical and the execution pedestrian. I like George Clooney, but did not see how this was such an award winning piece of work. Much better in Michael Clayton IMO. The actors playing the daughters were pretty good, though. The younger one was really good.

The Iron Lady - I am an unabashed and unashamed Streep fan. I thought she really nailed the elder, dottering Thatcher, as I imagine the aging dottering Thatcher to be. The make up was skilled and I completely forgot I was watching Streep, no mannerisms. The take on the retelling on Thatcher's highlights was interesting and curiously uninvolving for me. In the end I did not know more about Thatcher and it really did not make me interested enough to seek out more. I also adore Jim Broadbent in anything. If his was an accurate portrayal of Denis Thatcher, all the better. Strange movie, but I did enjoy it.

The Young Visiters - More Jim Broadbent with this and a dash of Hugh Laurie and Bill Nighy. Based on the Daisy Ashford book, this had enough whimsy and pathos to amuse me. It came close to reflecting the 9 year old author's view of social life of her protagonist Mr. Salteena in Victorian England. Absurd, silly and a little sad, it was well acted. Bill Nighy was an absolute HOOT and spot on.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by JWBear

The director is Tarsam Singh. Tarsam Singh, as in The Cell, The Fall, and The Immortals. Visually stunning is his speciality.

I actually enjoyed The Immortals beyond its visual stunningness. A great throwback to the 50's/60's style of Greek Mythology movietelling, but with Singh's trademark visual stunningness. Win and Win.

[Kevy Baby]

I posted this clip on Twitter, but wanted to share here as well. It is a hilarious clip from a Bollywood movie called Singham. I have got to get this movie.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

I am so glad you loved it! Tom did too.

I can't put my finger on quite why - maybe my penchant for concise storytelling? - but Napoleon overwhelmed me in a way that I could not appreciate it as you both do. LOVE that last act, though.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

I am so glad you loved it! Tom did too.

I can't put my finger on quite why - maybe my penchant for concise storytelling? - but Napoleon overwhelmed me in a way that I could not appreciate it as you both do. LOVE that last act, though.

Oooh! When did you go? I'm sorry I did not see you both! But, I am SO glad you went. It was a once in a lifetime thing.

LSPE, I will give you that 2 weeks later, I could recognize and appreciate the flaws of the film. Mostly the lack of cohesive narrative and I do wish Gance had not added the useless Violine story. Had Brownlow not restored that, I would not have missed it.

For me, the whole package was the thing. 3000 people, live orchestra, incredible print and everyone (at least around me) were just embracing the whole thing, festive, going with the film, appreciating the incredible technicalities of it (for 1927) and when the triptychs revealed, well, it was just fab.

Parmasan Jim, I know you would have loved revisting this too. People I know who saw the 1980 were blown away by the latest restoration.

If you want more of my blather on it, here's my 2 centimes for the internets.

[Moonliner]

Jaws is getting the full restoration treatment for it's blu-ray release in August.

Originally Posted by News

Universal Studios is celebrating its 100th Anniversary, and to help mark the occasion they have gone back to the original Jaws 35mm film in order to digitally remaster it. The finished product is a crisp 1080p picture and the addition of 7.1 surround sound–something no one watching the movie has ever experienced before.

Spielberg describes it as bringing a classic movie back to life, and making it, “more vivid than even we remember them at the cinema.” And it seems we have digital technology to thank for making such a restoration possible.