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The BellGab Classic Movie Playhouse

Started by GravitySucks, June 11, 2016, 05:28:45 PM

Dr. MD MD

Quote from: 21st Century Man on December 20, 2017, 01:28:45 AM



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.


With your love and intricate knowledge of movies you should write a history from the perspective of politics. Have the movies effected politics and vice versa. It's interesting territory, especially in an era when we watched news transform into entertainment and then to propaganda. ;)

Quote from: Dr. MD MD on December 21, 2017, 01:51:09 AM

With your love and intricate knowledge of movies you should write a history from the perspective of politics. Have the movies effected politics and vice versa. It's interesting territory, especially in an era when we watched news transform into entertainment and then to propaganda. ;)




Short answer.  Hollywood was far more conservative during the heyday of Hollywood.  Sure, Hollywood made its share of risque films during the precode days but even a political conservative knows sex and violence sells.  Hollywood was never prudish except for maybe Louis B. Mayer.  DeMille, a staunch conservative, was known to have wild parties at his estate though details are vague.  There was an influx of liberal writers/directors like Dalton Trumbo, Joseph Losey,Edward Dmytryk in the 1930's and 1940's though they didn't have a hell of a lot of power.


RKO studios was the studio where the message film started gelling.   A lot of film noirs had a theme of the little guy who was trampled by the system be it corporate or political.  Many times films left a message that together people should rise up and reform the system.  I'm not against such messages but oftentimes the people who wrote these films had been members of the Communist Party particularly in the 30's before the War.  Most left the party after a couple years but that would come back to haunt them during the HUAC hearings.  Some like Jules Dassin who directed a great film I just watched, Night and the City would see their careers destroyed in America and made movies in Europe.  Some were sent to jail like Dalton Trumbo.  For the record, I do not think any of these people deserved to go to jail.  At the same I believe the studios had the right to reject their services.  There were many innocent people though that almost had their careers destroyed.  However, their were a couple detestable people like John Howard Lawson who really was a devout Stalinist  and while he may not have deserved jail, deserved the scorn he received.  Just my opinion after reading up on the guy.


Actors tended to be more Republican in the early days but in the 40's particularly, it was an even split especially after the successes of the FDR administration.  Back in those days though, there were many conservative Democrats so party wasn't a good measure of a person.


Message films tended to be made by liberal filmmakers. Incidentally I favored most of these films as there was a lot of injustice back then.  I would say that Hollywood went decidedly left in the late 60's with the collapse of the code, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution and the influence of the French New Wave.  Films like Easy Rider and Midnight Cowboy changed the industry and signaled the future.  There was still room in Hollywood for conservative filmmakers like John Milius (Red Dawn) but their work was increasingly scorned.  Now the industry is so far to the left, you basically have to keep quiet about your politics if you are conservative.  It's a damn shame.


To sum up.


1910's through 1950's mostly conservative.
1968 and after mostly liberal
2000's - crazy liberal.


That's the short version. I'm not proofreading this so if there is a typo, forgive me.  I suppose I could do a series on this but there would have to be more traffic on Bellgab to justify it.  If you have a question though, I'll happily answer it.

Dr. MD MD

Quote from: 21st Century Man on December 21, 2017, 03:34:18 AM



Short answer.  Hollywood was far more conservative during the heyday of Hollywood.  Sure, Hollywood made its share of risque films during the precode days but even a political conservative knows sex and violence sells.  Hollywood was never prudish except for maybe Louis B. Mayer.  DeMille, a staunch conservative, was known to have wild parties at his estate though details are vague.  There was an influx of liberal writers/directors like Dalton Trumbo, Joseph Losey,Edward Dmytryk in the 1930's and 1940's though they didn't have a hell of a lot of power.


RKO studios was the studio where the message film started gelling.   A lot of film noirs had a theme of the little guy who was trampled by the system be it corporate or political.  Many times films left a message that together people should rise up and reform the system.  I'm not against such messages but oftentimes the people who wrote these films had been members of the Communist Party particularly in the 30's before the War.  Most left the party after a couple years but that would come back to haunt them during the HUAC hearings.  Some like Jules Dassin who directed a great film I just watched, Night and the City would see their careers destroyed in America and made movies in Europe.  Some were sent to jail like Dalton Trumbo.  For the record, I do not think any of these people deserved to go to jail.  At the same I believe the studios had the right to reject their services.  There were many innocent people though that almost had their careers destroyed.  However, their were a couple detestable people like John Howard Lawson who really was a devout Stalinist  and while he may not have deserved jail, deserved the scorn he received.  Just my opinion after reading up on the guy.


Actors tended to be more Republican in the early days but in the 40's particularly, it was an even split especially after the successes of the FDR administration.  Back in those days though, there were many conservative Democrats so party wasn't a good measure of a person.


Message films tended to be made by liberal filmmakers. Incidentally I favored most of these films as there was a lot of injustice back then.  I would say that Hollywood went decidedly left in the late 60's with the collapse of the code, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution and the influence of the French New Wave.  Films like Easy Rider and Midnight Cowboy changed the industry and signaled the future.  There was still room in Hollywood for conservative filmmakers like John Milius (Red Dawn) but their work was increasingly scorned.  Now the industry is so far to the left, you basically have to keep quiet about your politics if you are conservative.  It's a damn shame.


To sum up.


1910's through 1950's mostly conservative.
1968 and after mostly liberal
2000's - crazy liberal.


That's the short version. I'm not proofreading this so if there is a typo, forgive me.


That's cool but I don't want the short version. Get to work!  >:( :P


I thought this might be interesting to the cinephiles on here.

Top Box Office Films of All Time(adjusted for inflation)


1. Gone With the Wind (1939)
2. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
3. The Sound of Music (1965)
4. E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
5. Titanic (1997)
6. The Ten Commandments (1956)
7.  Jaws (1975)
8. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
9. The Exorcist (1973)
10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
11. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
12. 101 Dalmatians (1961)
13. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
14. Ben-Hur (1959)
15. Avatar (2009)
16. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
17. Jurassic Park (1993)
18. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
19. The Lion King (1994)
20. The Sting (1973)
21. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
22. The Graduate (1967)
23. Fantasia (1940)
24. Jurassic World (2015)
25. The Godfather (1972)
26. Forrest Gump (1994)
27. Mary Poppins (1964)
28. Grease (1978)
29. Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
30. Thunderball (1965)
31. The Dark Knight (2008)
32. The Jungle Book (1967)
33. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
34. Ghostbusters (1984)
35. Shrek 2 (2004)
36. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
37. Love Story (1970)
38. Spider-Man (2002)
39. Independence Day (1996)
40. Home Alone (1990)
41. Pinocchio (1940)
42. Cleopatra (1963)
43. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
44. Goldfinger (1964)
45. Airport (1970)
46. American Graffiti (1973)
47. The Robe (1953)
48. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
49. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
50. Bambi (1942)
51. Blazing Saddles (1974)
52. Batman (1989)
53. The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)
54. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
55. Finding Nemo (2003)
56. The Towering Inferno (1974)
57. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
58. Cinderella (1950)
59. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
60. My Fair Lady (1964)
61. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
62. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
63. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
64. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
65. Back to the Future (1985)
66. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
67. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
68. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
69. The Sixth Sense (1999)
70. Superman (1978)
71. Tootsie (1982)
72. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
73. Beauty and the Beast (2017)
74. Finding Dory (2016)
75. West Side Story (1961)
76. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977/1980)
77. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
78. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
79. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
80. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
81. Rocky (1976)
82. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
83. The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
84. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
85. Twister (1996)
86. Men in Black (1997)
87. The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
88. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
89. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
90. Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
91. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
92. M*A*S*H (1970)
93. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
94. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
95. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
96. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
97. Aladdin (1992)
98. Toy Story 3 (2010)
99. Ghost (1990)
100. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)


ItsOver

"Steve McQueen's 'lost' 'Bullitt' Mustang has been found.  Iconic muscle car is restored in time for San Francisco film's 50th anniversary.  Actually, it was never lost; it just kept a low profile."

http://www.chron.com/cars/article/Steve-McQueen-s-lost-Bullitt-Mustang-has-been-12519374.php?ipid=hpctp

The car is now valued between $3 million and $5 million.  Sweet.



Quote from: Dr. MD MD on January 27, 2018, 12:39:10 AM
Spoiler alert if you've never seen this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stBMwvnO9xw

I have this film on Blu-ray but haven't watched it yet. I reckon I will soon.






Dr. MD MD

Star Wars fell victim to the plot for worldwide socialism. :'(

Now I'm really pissed off! >:(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-GxIoQPXPg

I saw an enormous dark shape.
It seemed to hang suspended and dripping
from the trees like a mass of tar jelly. At
its center was a bright red glow.


From a letter from a suspected serial killer to his father taken from the film Cruising, a William Friedkin flick from 1979.  Very much a description of demonic presences in the 20th century and today.

Maybe the ultimate sequel to the Exorcist.  The story that the movie is taken from involves a serial killer who incidentally was an actor in the Exorcist.  He played the lab assistant to the doctor given Regan a catscan in the Exorcist.

Someone is killing the homosexuals in New York's gay s&m scene and cop Al Pacino is sent undercover by detective Paul Sorvino to ferret out the suspect.  The lengths Pacino has to go to to find the suspect causes him to question his sexuality.

The film is tough to sit through with lots of homosexual fondling and kissing not to mention some implications of far harder activities.  Is Friedkin commenting that the devil has creeped into American subcultures?  The letter from a son to his father seems to indicate that.  It is a film that makes you think and it is a superlative film.  Apparently there were lots of protests from homosexuals in New York when Friedkin was filming it.  All the actors are great in it and I really think it is probably one of the seminal films of the 1970's next to say the Exorcist.   

The Exorcist has seemed to haunt William Friedkin throughout his life.  One can understand why. You be the judge. 4 out of 5 stars.

albrecht

Quote from: 21st Century Man on February 17, 2018, 01:36:41 AM
I saw an enormous dark shape.
It seemed to hang suspended and dripping
from the trees like a mass of tar jelly. At
its center was a bright red glow.


From a letter from a suspected serial killer to his father taken from the film Cruising, a William Friedkin film from 1979.

Maybe the ultimate sequel to the Exorcist.  The story that the movie is taken from involves a serial killer who incidentally was an actor in the Exorcist.  He played the lab assistant to the doctor given Regan a catscan in the Exorcist.

Someone is killing the homosexuals in New York's gay s&m scene and cop Al Pacino is sent undercover by detective Paul Sorvino to ferret out the suspect.  The lengths Pacino has to go to to find the suspect causes him to question his sexuality.

The film is tough to sit through with lots of homosexual fondling and kissing not to mention some implications of far harder activities.  Is Friedkin commenting that the devil has creeped into American subcultures?  The letter from a son to his father seems to indicate that.  It is a film that makes you think and it is a superlative film.  Apparently there were lots of protests from homosexuals in New York when Friedkin was filming it.  All the actors are great in it and I really think it is probably one of the seminal films of the 1970's next to say the Exorcist.   

You be the judge. 4 out of 5 stars.
A disturbing film. And also as we've mentioned before the weird fact the "bag killer" (I forget the term) was a very minor actor in the earlier movie.

Dr. MD MD

Quote from: albrecht on February 17, 2018, 01:41:25 AM
A disturbing film. And also as we've mentioned before the weird fact the "bag killer" (I forget the term) was a very minor actor in the earlier movie.

Yeah, pass! That's Swishypants level gay. ;D

Quote from: albrecht on February 17, 2018, 01:41:25 AM
A disturbing film. And also as we've mentioned before the weird fact the "bag killer" (I forget the term) was a very minor actor in the earlier movie.

Yeah, it is also one of the reasons why Friedkin made the film.  Friedkin has recently filmed an actual live exorcism and he impresses me as someone who likes to make realistic movies.  That more than anything means that people shouldn't just dismiss claims of demonic oppression. He is definitely haunted.  Probably good for his soul though.

Quote from: Dr. MD MD on February 17, 2018, 01:45:24 AM
Yeah, pass! That's Swishypants level gay. ;D


Don't close yourself off to part of the world as uncomfortable as it might be.  It is probably not a film to watch over and over again but it should be watched at least once.

LOL.  The film also seems to have had the Village People as consultants.  Just sayin'. 

albrecht

Quote from: 21st Century Man on February 17, 2018, 01:46:33 AM
Yeah, it is also one of the reasons why Friedkin made the film.  Friedkin has recently filmed an actual live exorcism and he impresses me as someone who likes to make realistic movies.  That more than anything means that people shouldn't just dismiss claims of demonic oppression.He is definitely haunted.  Probably good for his soul though.
I also note to self that Father Martin was "around" during that era and would've known about both "movies" but commented on the reality etc, at least as he saw it. And the later "revelations," excuse the pun, about the sex, drug, partying, and orgy, homo, pedo, and/or legal (by laws in countries but not, traditionally, by Roman church) coming out now...from Vatican to Idaho? Would be curious how he would see this pope? Ha, but not really.


ps: I think "Exorcist III" is a very good movie. And scary both "scares" and the satanic stuff. Of course George C Scott good in almost everything.

Quote from: albrecht on February 17, 2018, 01:58:58 AM
I also note to self that Father Martin was "around" during that era and would've known about both "movies" but commented on the reality etc, at least as he saw it. And the later "revelations," excuse the pun, about the sex, drug, partying, and orgy, homo, pedo, and/or legal (by laws in countries but not, traditionally, by Roman church) coming out now...from Vatican to Idaho? Would be curious how he would see this pope? Ha, but not really.


ps: I think "Exorcist III" is a very good movie. And scary both "scares" and the satanic stuff. Of course George C Scott good in almost everything.


Oh yes, that is a good one probably because Blatty wrote and directed it.  I have his cut of the film on blu-ray though some of the scenes are aged taken from the rough cut edit.  Scott was perfect to take over from Cobb.

albrecht

Due to a personal habit, I have to watch certain movies if they are on. So "The Wild Bunch" again. I don't think a finer casting has been done. And scripting? A perfect movie? Methinks. And a fun note I noticed this time..only the Germans NEVER laugh. Hahaha!

zeebo

Quote from: albrecht on February 19, 2018, 12:50:26 AM
Due to a personal habit, I have to watch certain movies if they are on. So "The Wild Bunch" again. I don't think a finer casting has been done. And scripting? A perfect movie? Methinks. And a fun note I noticed this time..only the Germans NEVER laugh. Hahaha!

I caught the full-length restored version some years ago at an old theater, quite the treat.

albrecht

Quote from: zeebo on February 19, 2018, 01:05:35 AM
I caught the full-length restored version some years ago at an old theater, quite the treat.
Same. Great to see on screen. But l still like to see anywhere. And one those that I watch even when on tv etc. Such a great movie. The foreshadowing of Meskin kids "playing" with.scorpion and ants n burning all? Wow.


I watched Robert Altman's Nashville (1975) finally.  What a load of pretentious crap made by people who never visited the South before making this movie.  This movie had a vague plot but practically all of the scenes were improvised and a bad song plays ever 5 minutes.  These are pastiches of American country songs written by the actors for the most part.  At first they are a bit amusing but after the first 30 minutes of bad songs, it gets old and none of the actors can sing worth a damn with one exception.  The 2 Keith Carradine songs are very good and are written and sung with sincerity. 

The plot revolves around a populist political campaign and the cajoling of "famous" country singers into participating in a political rally which is the climax of the film.  It takes about 2:15 minutes to get there and then a person shoots one of the most famous singers and there is brief chaos.  The people at the rally do not disperse but decide to gather round and listen to another song by another country artist who has replaced the one that was shot.  THE END! Ridiculous. Whatever chance there was for any semblance of realism truly went out the window there.

Of the characters in the film, only Keenan Wynn's old man generates much sympathy.

This is the first Robert Altman film that I've watched and that is for a good reason.  Oh wait no it isn't, I saw Popeye when it came out. That was better than Nashville but not very good. I've had a feeling that Altman wasn't my cup of tea.  I like movies with a plot not improvised slice-of-life pieces.  I've also had a bias against this movie.  I ascertained shortly after it came out that it was Hollywood once again showing contempt towards the the rural everyman.  Altman himself said in an interview that I watched that he called country music, hillbilly music.  He had never stepped foot in Nashville prior to making this film. I like a good bit of country music now particularly the classic stuff but when I was young I had a lot of the same contempt for the music outside of some rockabilly artists that I liked like Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Orbison and Perkins.

And like I said earlier, the film is too damn long at 2 hours and forty minutes.  It needed to be cut by at least 45 minutes probably an hour.  I'll give MASH, McCabe and Mrs. Miller and a couple others a try but as far as Altman goes,  I'll take the Bonanza episodes he directed over this tripe. 2 out of 5 stars.  Way over-rated in my opinion.

I do have a movie recommendation to make though.  Revolution starring Al Pacino directed by Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire, Greystoke, The Legend of Tarzan).   It is a Revolutionary War film and a great one at that.  It was rushed into theaters in 1985 before proper completion and panned by the critics.  Hudson and Pacino have since collaborated and finished it (mostly by inserting narration which benefits the film tremendously).  The cinematography in this film is sumptuously beautiful and Pacino does a great job in what had to be a very different and difficult role for him. Donald Sutherland and Nastassja Kinski costar.  Also look for Graham Greene, Annie Lennox and Robbie Coltrane in small roles.  4.5 stars.  It can be found in a beautiful print on DVD at the Warner archive.

paladin1991

Quote from: 21st Century Man on February 19, 2018, 02:40:24 AM
I watched Robert Altman's Nashville (1975) finally.  *snip* ( I've tried to watch it.  Tried.  No go.)



I do have a movie recommendation to make though.  Revolution starring Al Pacino directed by Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire, Greystoke, The Legend of Tarzan).   It is a Revolutionary War film and a great one at that.  It was rushed into theaters in 1985 before proper completion and panned by the critics.  Hudson and Pacino have since collaborated and finished it (mostly by inserting narration which benefits the film tremendously).  The cinematography in this film is sumptuously beautiful and Pacino does a great job in what had to be a very different and difficult role for him. Donald Sutherland and Nastassja Kinski costar.  Also look for Graham Greene and Robbie Coltrane in small roles.  4.5 stars.  It can be found in a beautiful print on DVD at the Warner archive.

Revolution.  This sounds familiar.  But I don't, really, remember it.  I'll have to look this one up.  Thanks

Quote from: paladin1991 on February 19, 2018, 02:48:21 AM
Revolution.  This sounds familiar.  But I don't, really, remember it.  I'll have to look this one up.  Thanks

Its run was brief.  I had wanted to see it at the time but it disappeared before I had a chance.  Not missing anything when it comes to Nashville.  I suffer through every film I start.  Never walked out of a movie in my life and I paid to watch this as well.  I hated it even though Altman sort of competently directed it thus the 2 stars.

paladin1991

Quote from: 21st Century Man on February 19, 2018, 02:56:15 AM
Its run was brief.  I had wanted to see it at the time but it disappeared before I had a chance.  Not missing anything when it comes to Nashville.  I suffer through every film I start.  Never walked out of a movie in my life and I paid to watch this as well.  I hated it even though Altman sort of competently directed it thus the 2 stars.
I'm getting a mental picture of Pacino in revolutionary garb running with a flag.  Or is that Mel Gibson?   

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