The BellGab Classic Movie Playhouse

[SredniVashtar]

Werner Hertzog's "Fitzcarraldo" (1982) a movie based on a true story and done without CGI (just exploitation of natives, brute force, and bad working conditions in the Amazon!) With the crazy, clinically, but great Klaus Kinski.  If interested there is also a documentary "The Burden of Dreams" about the making of the movie which is very interesting. A man wants to build an opera house in the jungle. This involves hauling a ship over an isthmus between two rivers to avoid the falls.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083946/?ref_=nv_sr_1
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083702/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

There is a clip on yt where Herzog is in the jungle and he was obviously going a bit doolally, ranting about nature being all about murder.

[Dr. MD MD]

There is a clip on yt where Herzog is in the jungle and he was obviously going a bit doolally, ranting about nature being all about murder.

Isn't it...I mean at it's most basic level, anyway? It takes a lot of sublimation of those natural tendencies to create a civilization. 

[SredniVashtar]

Isn't it...I mean at it's most basic level, anyway? It takes a lot of sublimation of those natural tendencies to create a civilization. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uL99NDUWJ0A

True, but there's something unintentionally comic about it. There is also a clip from another doc where he actually gets shot, and he just shrugs it off as a 'not significant' wound. Badass doesn't even begin to describe him.

[21st Century Man]

I've got a hummer of an old movie to recommend.  If you ever see Wonder Bar (1934)scheduled on TCM, watch it. It blew my mind watching it the other night.  It has to be among the top 5 precodes and it is also politically incorrect to boot.  It stars Al Jolson as Al Wonder (a play on the German wunderbar which means wonderful) , an expatriate American operating a nightclub/theater in Paris during the 30's.  Think of it as Cabaret, version 1.0.  Dolores Del Rio and Ricardo Cortez are dancing partners and del Rio has fallen madly in love with Cortez who is actually a gigolo on the side and is currently banging trophy wife Kay Francis who is married to a much older cuckold (Henry Kolker).  Francis has given a necklace to Cortez and some detectives Kolker has hired have gotten wise to her.  Can she get the necklace back in time to  hide her infidelity and save her marriage?  That is the main plot of the movie.  There is also a murder but I won't say more.


    Meanwhile Jolson and crooner, Dick Powell, are pining for del Rio.  Two older couples (Hugh Herbert with Louise Fazenda and Guy Kibbee with Ruth Donnelly) have come to the club looking for a good time.  The men want to get with two young things and the women get the willing attention of another gigolo. The ladies actually want their husbands distracted and have given the gigolo their room number for some after dinner entertainment.  On top of all that, we get Busby Berkeley production numbers.



  Things to look for.  A man breaks up another couple's dance and carries on dancing with the male partner much to the female's dissatisfaction.  Jolson, the emcee comments with a knowing grin on his face,  "Boys will be boys!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57HgzLPOdvY

A broke European capitalist (Robert Barrat who must be in every WB picture between '30 and '35) plans his own suicide and is out for a last night on the town before killing himself. He gives all his possessions to showgirls and tells everybody in the place about his plans and no one tries to deter him!

Jolson introduces the dancing team by saying " He uses the whip and she loves it" and during the dance, Cortez brings out the whip and lays it onto del Rio and she writhes in ecstasy in response!

This is topped off by a production number called "Goin' To Heaven On A Mule with Jolson in blackface and features dancing watermelon slices! It has to be seen to be believed. To be fair to the filmmakers, I don't think they were motivated by hatred for blacks but it does reduce blacks to laughable stereotypes. Also, to be fair to Jolson, white minstrels put on blackface for the same reasons white Anglo Saxon rockers emulated blues musicians.  They loved black music. Jolson has also stated that putting on blackface performing allowed him to come out of his shell.



For these reasons and more, Wonder Bar occupies a very special place in movie history and is most highly recommended to Jolson and Berkeley fans.  Jolson was good in this as was the rest of the cast.  Dolores del Rio had to be one of the most beautiful actresses of the period. 4.25 stars for Wonder Bar.

[Dr. MD MD]

I've got a hummer of an old movie to recommend...

Really?! This movie is going to blow me or simulate the feeling of being blown? I'm skeptical. 

[Étouffée]

I've got a hummer of an old movie to recommend.  If you ever see Wonder Bar (1934)scheduled on TCM, watch it.

Wow, that is one HELL of a review you just gave, 21stCM!  I  really want to see this movie now.  I love Cabaret, and Gold Diggers of 1933 (although I'm not a Jolson fan; Guy Kibbee, on the other hand... )

[21st Century Man]

Herzog's doc about Kinski is worth a look. It's called Mein Liebste Feind (somewhat inaccurately translated as My Best Fiend) and you hear about what a raging nutter he was. He took to going on stage pretending to be Christ and someone gets on stage to argue with him. All very German.

LOL.  Thanks for the tip. I saw Kinski in an interview when he was doing the Christ play.  What a freak!!!  I can't imagine many directors would put up with his shit.  Herzog must either be an angel or maybe he can match Kinski's theatrics. I've heard nasty stories about Kinski being a bit of an incestuous pedophile with his daughters.  I hope it's not true but to be frank,  it would not surprise me if it was revealed that Kinski was a serial killer.  He was probably the most unstable, volatile personality ever in the movie business.

[21st Century Man]

Wow, that is one HELL of a review you just gave, 21stCM!  I  really want to see this movie now.  I love Cabaret, and Gold Diggers of 1933 (although I'm not a Jolson fan; Guy Kibbee, on the other hand... )

Thanks.  This was the first movie I've seen with Jolson.  He was apparently very stiff in his early sound films but here he seemed fine.  I have The Jazz Singer and The Singing Fool but have yet to watch them. Anyway, that same night, I watched another precode with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Bette Davis called  Parachute Jumper (1933).   In that one, Doug is looking for a job and there is one office where a big, older lady with a short haircut was wearing a business suit type of dress with what looked like a tie.  She screamed dyke.  It was a good little precode about gangsters and dope smuggling.  They do jump once or twice from airplanes thus the title.  Actually there is a neat little stunt with Fairbanks (stunt double, I'm sure) jumping from one plane to another. Frank McHugh plays Fairbanks' partner and at one point in the movie he gives the finger 3 times to the inhospitable driver who won't pick him up when he is hitchhiking.  Good entertainment and moves fast.  A solid 3.5 stars.

If you liked Gold Diggers, you'll love Wonder Bar.  I prefer these early 30's WB stage musicals over the glossy MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's.  They are more real if you know what I mean.  Oh and Guy Kibbee, I love him. He brightens up every movie he is in. They don't make 'em like Kibbee anymore.

[21st Century Man]

I did watch 3 movies last night.   The Last Dinosaur (cheesiest dinosaurs that I've ever seen) with Richard Boone as billionaire big-game hunter, Masten Thrust....I'm not kidding ... and Joan van Ark as reporter Ivana Orgasm...just kidding....Frankie Banks.  I think Boone was drunk while making this film.  He does not look well in this.  It was a Rankin/Bass production done in conjunction with some Japanese film studio.  I think I vaguely remember this from childhood.  It's fun in bad movie way. 2 stars.





Golden Boy (1939) with William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck and Adolphe Menjou.  Holden plays a boxer who looks like he just graduated from high school.  Lee J. Cobb hams it up as Holden's Italian father (lol Cobb was only 27).  I liked it and I sure did not predict what happened in the finale.  A very good film that I was not enormously impressed with.  I think I've seen way too many 30's boxing movies of late.  I'm probably not being fair with the film. that I watched last night though. 3.75 stars.

The last film was the Casino Murder Case, a Philo Vance mystery with Paul Lukas! as Vance and Rosalind Russell.  Too much of a Nick and Nora Charles knockoff for my taste. C'mon Lukas a Hungarian playing Vance?  I missed Eugene Pallete from the earlier films.  Nice twist at the end though I saw it coming.  2.75 stars.

[Étouffée]

If you liked Gold Diggers...

Who wouldn't like "Remember My Forgotten Man"?  Thanks, again, and see you at the movies!

https://youtu.be/CzMy7-7WV44

[Rix Gins]

The Last Dinosaur (cheesiest dinosaurs that I've ever seen) with Richard Boone as billionaire big-game hunter, Masten Thrust....I'm not kidding ... and Joan van Ark as reporter Ivana Orgasm...just kidding....Frankie Banks.  I think Boone was drunk while making this film.  He does not look well in this.  It was a Rankin/Bass production done in conjunction with some Japanese film studio.  I think I vaguely remember this from childhood.  It's fun in bad movie way. 2 stars.

Being a Richard Boone fan, I may have to check this one out.  I noticed this snippet of dialogue from IMDB:

Wade: You told me! You swore to all of us that we were not going to harm the dinosaur! We were only supposed to take film and study it!
Thrust: You ding-dong!

My kind of movie.  Richard made several good movies towards the end of his career.  Kona Coast and The War Lord to mention a couple.  I think he taught acting in the years preceding his death.

[Dr. MD MD]

LOL.  Thanks for the tip. I saw Kinski in an interview when he was doing the Christ play.  What a freak!!!  I can't imagine many directors would put up with his shit.  Herzog must either be an angel or maybe he can match Kinski's theatrics. I've heard nasty stories about Kinski being a bit of an incestuous pedophile with his daughters.  I hope it's not true but to be frank,  it would not surprise me if it was revealed that Kinski was a serial killer.  He was probably the most unstable, volatile personality ever in the movie business.

I'll second Shreddie's recommend. If you've seen Fitzcarraldo you HAVE TO see it! 

[21st Century Man]

Being a Richard Boone fan, I may have to check this one out.  I noticed this snippet of dialogue from IMDB:
My kind of movie.  Richard made several good movies towards the end of his career.  Kona Coast and The War Lord to mention a couple.  I think he taught acting in the years preceding his death.

Me too. I saw some comments extras made about Boone's last film, The Bushido Blade.  He was apparently quite grumpy and rude on the set of course when your health starts deteriorating, the first thing to be affected is your personality.  I saw that he lived out the last decade of his life in St. Augustine, FL.  The man had good taste.

[21st Century Man]

[I think I've seen way too many 30's boxing movies of late.  I'm probably not being fair with the film though. 3.75 stars.

Corrected.   Dinner was called and got rushed.  I wasn't able to correct the original.

[21st Century Man]

I'll second Shreddie's recommend. If you've seen Fitzcarraldo you HAVE TO see it! 

I'll do just that.  Can't watch it tonight but I'm in the mood for something different so I'll probably give it a go tomorrow.

[albrecht]

LOL.  Thanks for the tip. I saw Kinski in an interview when he was doing the Christ play.  What a freak!!!  I can't imagine many directors would put up with his shit.  Herzog must either be an angel or maybe he can match Kinski's theatrics. I've heard nasty stories about Kinski being a bit of an incestuous pedophile with his daughters.  I hope it's not true but to be frank,  it would not surprise me if it was revealed that Kinski was a serial killer.  He was probably the most unstable, volatile personality ever in the movie business.

I think it was well documented that he was crazy, to use a precise medical term.    He was committed before and attempted suicide at least once. But maybe the crazy, if channeled, helped make him such an intense actor? I hesitate to support the idea of "crazed genius" or that substance-abuse/addiction or mental illness leads to brilliance in some capacity or artistic capability. Anecdotally, there appears to be cases but how could one ever do a real, scientific study? And who can prove that various famous artists, etc who die young due to some kind of addiction or mental illness would've have done better, lasted longer, been more productive without those conditions? But the relationship between Herzog and Kinski was so volatile and productive. I've heard those stories and bad news if true. I can separate the actor from the art but sometimes, it is hard. His role in "Woyzeck" was amazing but I almost feel as if we are seeing the real frustration/crazy of Kinski like maybe it wasn't acting?

"Aquirre: Wrath of God" along with "Fitzcarraldo" are amazing in their location shooting, 'based on true stories,' directing and photography, acting, backstory of production, etc.

[21st Century Man]

I think it was well documented that he was crazy, to use a precise medical term.    He was committed before and attempted suicide at least once. But maybe the crazy, if channeled, helped make him such an intense actor? I hesitate to support the idea of "crazed genius" or that substance-abuse/addiction or mental illness leads to brilliance in some capacity or artistic capability. Anecdotally, there appears to be cases but how could one ever do a real, scientific study? And who can prove that various famous artists, etc who die young due to some kind of addiction or mental illness would've have done better, lasted longer, been more productive without those conditions? But the relationship between Herzog and Kinski was so volatile and productive. I've heard those stories and bad news if true. I can separate the actor from the art but sometimes, it is hard. His role in "Woyzeck" was amazing but I almost feel as if we are seeing the real frustration/crazy of Kinski like maybe it wasn't acting?

"Aquirre: Wrath of God" along with "Fitzcarraldo" are amazing in their location shooting, 'based on true stories,' directing and photography, acting, backstory of production, etc.

About geniuses, regarding drugs I think the reverse is true.  Many geniuses are manic depressive/obsessive/compulsive personality types and take drugs to help them feel better. Brian Wilson would be an example of a musical genius like that. I do find it easy for me to separate the actor from the art especially with the old-time actors.  I get exasperated with modern actors who fall in line with whatever political cause is hip and popular.

[SredniVashtar]

I think it was well documented that he was crazy, to use a precise medical term.    He was committed before and attempted suicide at least once. But maybe the crazy, if channeled, helped make him such an intense actor? I hesitate to support the idea of "crazed genius" or that substance-abuse/addiction or mental illness leads to brilliance in some capacity or artistic capability. Anecdotally, there appears to be cases but how could one ever do a real, scientific study? And who can prove that various famous artists, etc who die young due to some kind of addiction or mental illness would've have done better, lasted longer, been more productive without those conditions? But the relationship between Herzog and Kinski was so volatile and productive. I've heard those stories and bad news if true. I can separate the actor from the art but sometimes, it is hard. His role in "Woyzeck" was amazing but I almost feel as if we are seeing the real frustration/crazy of Kinski like maybe it wasn't acting?

"Aquirre: Wrath of God" along with "Fitzcarraldo" are amazing in their location shooting, 'based on true stories,' directing and photography, acting, backstory of production, etc.

Kinski made most of his films in Germany where they would be more likely to tolerate his behaviour. I can't name many US actors who had long careers behaving like Kinski, the studio would blackball them. That's why reliable mediocrities like Matt Damon get all the work and more interesting ones are ignored. I doubt you could be as crazy as he seemed and be productive; I think he switched it on and off as it suited him.

[ItsOver]

Heads up.  "Blade Runner 2049" is being released next week.  I'm not getting my hopes up, since most of the new stuff on the screen is oriented for a demographic with an attention span measured in milliseconds.  Fortunately, there are showings of it packaged with the original "Blade Runner" leading things off.  I'm planning to see the dual showing.  I always enjoy watching the original so I figure I'll get something out of it, even if 2049 is the usual CGI schlock-fest.

[21st Century Man]

Heads up.  "Blade Runner 2049" is being released next week.  I'm not getting my hopes up, since most of the new stuff on the screen is oriented for a demographic with an attention span measured in milliseconds.  Fortunately, there are showings of it packaged with the original "Blade Runner" leading things off.  I'm planning to see the dual showing.  I always enjoy watching the original so I figure I'll get something out of it, even if 2049 is the usual CGI schlock-fest.

I don't care for Ryan Gosling.  He's not leading man material IMHO.

[Lord Grantham]

Heads up.  "Blade Runner 2049" is being released next week.  I'm not getting my hopes up, since most of the new stuff on the screen is oriented for a demographic with an attention span measured in milliseconds.  Fortunately, there are showings of it packaged with the original "Blade Runner" leading things off.  I'm planning to see the dual showing.  I always enjoy watching the original so I figure I'll get something out of it, even if 2049 is the usual CGI schlock-fest.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blade_runner_2049/#contentReviews
You really should take a step back and wait before leaping to conclusions about things you haven't seen. This applies here and in the ST: Discovery thread.

[Dr. MD MD]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blade_runner_2049/#contentReviews
You really should take a step back and wait before leaping to conclusions about things you haven't seen. This applies here and in the ST: Discovery thread.

Exactly! How do you know you're not gay?! Just try holding this guy's hand for awhile and see how it feels. 

[ItsOver]

I don't care for Ryan Gosling.  He's not leading man material IMHO.

I'm not a fan of Gosling, either.  The initial reviews are promising, though.  We shall see.  As I mentioned, at least I'll get to enjoy Ford and Hauer and some eye candy of Sean Young in her prime.

[ItsOver]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blade_runner_2049/#contentReviews
You really should take a step back and wait before leaping to conclusions about things you haven't seen. This applies here and in the ST: Discovery thread.

You should really step forward and bite me.

[TigerLily]

You should really step forward and bite me.

Disappointed. I thought this was a vampire post

[TigerLily]

I am seriously grooving on TCM. Every Tuesday evening they are doing classic (what else?) horror films. Last night was Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein and The Wolfman.  Their Monster of the Month is Dracula and already showed old Bela at his best.

And right now they are showing all of Buster Keaton's best movies. Such a fun way to escape reality

[21st Century Man]

  Haven't posted so much on here but I watched a couple of interesting movies the other night for the first time.  Well actually the second one is far more interesting.


  The first movie was Parisian Love (1925) starring Clara Bow, Donald Keith and Lou Tellegen.  The plot is one of the worst I've seen in a silent film.  Totally contrived fluff about a trio of hoods(Clara and Keith being 2 of them) who try to rob a rich professorial playboy's house and are stymied by said playboy (Tellegen) and the cops.  One of the hoods is killed,  Keith is shot, and Clara gets away- dressed as a guy then throwing the pants and shirt away reverting back to the feminine. Tellegen recognizes Keith from a class he had taught and decides to protect and take care of him.  We learn later that Tellegen is supposedly straight but I have a hard time believing that.  Keith is a petite boyish type and there seemed to be many knowing glances.  Clara is distressed though because Keith is supposedly still in the house and she's in love with him. Clara decides that she should disguise herself as a maid for a week.  The regular maid goes on vacation ---- how convenient---- and Clara finds herself substituting.   She discovers Tellegen is trying to get Keith interested in another woman.  We then find out Keith is a frustrated inventor and, with the help of Tellegen, develops a sure-fire item that will gain him a fortune.  He goes abroad to sign contracts and Clara decides she is going to get back at Tellegen by making him fall in love with her.





    This movie is stupid and ridiculous and not very well filmed.  I'm not surprised to learn the director, Louis J. Gasnier,  later made Reefer Madness. Clara is at her peak here with her wonderful large eyes conveying emotion so easily.  The most interesting actor though in this film was Louis Tellegen who first came to America from the Netherlands  as an acting partner and paramour of the great actress Sarah Bernhardt.  After their affair ended, he married opera diva and sometime DeMille actress, Geraldine Farrar.  That stormy relationship ended with their divorce in 1923.



Tellegen had a great role in John Ford's silent classic, 3 Bad Men, in 1926 as a western villain who wears a white hat!   Afterwards, good roles were hard to come by especially with the advent of sound.  In 1929, he fell asleep smoking a cigarette and was burned severely especially in the face.  He required extensive plastic surgery and never recovered his career or life and on 10/29/34 locked himself in his bathroom, shaved and powdered his face and committed suicide in a grisly manner.  He stabbed himself 7 times with a pair of sewing scissors and died.  The press provided lurid coverage and ex-wife Farrar commented, "Why should that(his death) interest me?"  To remember Tellegen, watch 3 Bad Men not this drek.  Even at 62 minutes, this went extremely slow though Clara and Lou did their best with the material given them. 2 stars out of 5, 1 each for the 2 fine actors.

Oh you want to know how it ended?  Clara marries Tellegen and then she turns the screws telling him she doesn't love him and wants to get back with boytoy Keith.  Upset Lou leaves for America and telegraphs that he will happily grant a divorce.

I'll tell you about the other one later.  Having to go back and clear up all of the font/size crap gave me a headache.  MV, please change this back.


Here is an article that tells more about his death.  He got the scissors to pierce his heart.


http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/611511

[GravitySucks]

So what was the second one???




LOL

[21st Century Man]

So what was the second one???




LOL

LOL.  This new formatting is a headache.  Requires so much more work.  The other is Night and the City with Richard Widmark in one of his best roles.  I'll write more about that later.

[TigerLily]

LOL.  This new formatting is a headache.  Requires so much more work.  The other is Night and the City with Richard Widmark in one of his best roles.  I'll write more about that later.

Is that the one where Widmark plays the giggling homicidal maniac? I love that movie. Widmark was so good. Very creepy. Ever since I first saw him in that movie from then on when I see him  even when he is supposed to be the good guy I expect him to break into that giggle and murder all the other actors