Roy Scheider died this past weekend at the age of 75.
Movies
Lessons Learned: 12 Days of Hitchcock
With two nights left, here are some thoughts:
1. Have people R.S.V.P. so you know for sure which people are coming to see which films.
2. Plan at least a one night break in the schedule (for your own metal health).
3. Skip the lesser known films, because (honestly) nobody wants to see them.
4. Buy lots more popcorn than you think you need because your friends can sure put it away.
5. Seriously check your sanity if you ever plan another 12-days-in-a-row movie marathon.
Final Days
The movie marathon to end all movie marathons is over half-way done now. Five days are left on the “Twelve Days of Hitchcock.”
*****
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
Rear Window (1954) at 6:00 pm
To Catch a Thief (1955) at 8:30 pm
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2008
The Trouble with Harry (1955) at 11:00 am
The Wrong Man (1956) at 1:30 pm
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) at 4:00 pm
Vertigo (1958) at 7:00 pm
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2008
North by Northwest (1959) at 11:00 am
Psycho (1960) at 2:00 pm
The Birds (1963) at 4:30 pm
Marnie (1964) at 7:30 pm
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2008
Torn Curtain (1966) at 6:00 pm
Topaz (1969) at 8:30 pm
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Frenzy (1972) at 6:00 pm
Family Plot (1976) at 8:30 pm
*****
Turn out has been kinda light … but I am not really sure what I should have expected. Teacher Beth gets the gold star for attending the most showings so far.
The Nines: Some Thoughts
After the Hitchcock films last night I caught up on some Netflix arrivals. “The Nines” was a movie that piqued my interest when it came out at the movies. Of course, it didn’t play anywhere near here. And I think that’s okay. I would have felt totally suckered if I had dropped $8.00 on this movie. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not *terrible* but it’s far from being *great.* Ryan Reynolds is quite good playing the three different characters that inhabit “The Nines.” Where the trouble comes in is when the movie reaches the end and the big explanation. It degenerates into a sloppy pile of religious hooey. And we all know how much I hate religious hooey …
Ready for the Weekend
The “Twelve Days of Hitchcock” Movie Marathon kicks off tonight at my place. I gotta get by the store and get some popcorn and suitable munchies. Gonna be interesting to see who drops by from some classic movie viewin’.
*****
FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2008
Rebecca (1940) at 6:00 pm
Foreign Correspondent (1940) at 9:00 pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2008
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) at 1:00 pm
Suspicion (1941) at 3:30 pm
Saboteur (1942) at 6:00 pm
SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2008
Shadow of a Doubt (1943) at 1:00 pm
Lifeboat (1944) at 3:30 pm
Spellbound (1945) at 6:00 pm
*****
Now … while I am enjoying Hitchcock movies with my pals, you can enjoy some Chris Evans (fully clothed … sorry, folks).
There Will Be Blood
“There Will Be Blood” is not at all what you would expect from the writer/director of such films as “Boogie Nights” and “Magnolia.” Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted an American epic … the heart of which is filled with greed, deception and hatred. I won’t lie to you. It is a unique and unusual movie. Pacing, tone and music are constantly shifting to keep you off balance. And it’s all held together by Daniel Day-Lewis’ blistering performance as Daniel Plainview … a man who’s heart is ultimately as black as the oil he takes from the ground.
Oscar Slights for 2007
The Oscar nominations were announced yesterday and I am super thrilled that Paul Thomas Anderson is getting some much deserved attention for “There Will Be Blood.” But, there were two major slights that happened yesterday when the nominations were announced …
David Fincher’s “Zodiac” was by far one of the best movies from last year. It turned the crime thriller genre on its ear and gave us a meticulous police procedural laced with a tale of obsession. “Zodiac” boasts masterful direction by Fincher and excellent performances by an all star cast (Gyllenhaal, Downey and Ruffalo … just to name a few). Don’t let the running time scare you. See it!
Those who dared to wade into the dark recesses of David Lynch‘s epic video camera mind fuck “INLAND EMPIRE” were rewarded. We were rewarded with the daring performance of Laura Dern as Nikki Grace Król & Sue Blue. She should be one of the five women listed as best “Performace by an Actress in a Leading Role.”
Weekend Tidbits
1. The “Zodiac: Director’s Cut” Special Edition 2-Disc DVD Set is totally rockin’! It’s got lots of info about the making of the movie. I loves me some “making of” stuff.
2. Breakfast at IHOP is good any time of day!
3. It snowed some on Saturday … but not enough to make me super duper massively smiley.
4. Old John Waters is waaaaay better than new John Waters.
5. Michelle’s Baby Shower was great! The Cute Bookseller was there.
*Sigh*
6. I thought “Cloverfield” was pretty damn awesome.
7. To answer Jeff’s question … YES!!! The Bug is so much damn fun to drive!!!~
The Twelve Days of Hitchcock
The much-talked about (and finally planned) movie marathon to end all movie marathons is occurring at my place January 25th to February 5th. I am gonna be showing all 30 of Alfred Hitchcock’s Hollywood films over the course of 12 days and nights. Rawk!
FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2008
Rebecca (1940) at 6:00 pm
Foreign Correspondent (1940) at 9:00 pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2008
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) at 1:00 pm
Suspicion (1941) at 3:30 pm
Saboteur (1942) at 6:00 pm
SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2008
Shadow of a Doubt (1943) at 1:00 pm
Lifeboat (1944) at 3:30 pm
Spellbound (1945) at 6:00 pm
MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2008
Notorious (1946) at 6:00 pm
The Paradine Case (1947) at 8:30 pm
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008
Rope (1948) at 6:00 pm
Under Capricorn (1949) at 8:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2008
Stage Fright (1950) at 6:00 pm
Strangers on a Train (1951) at 8:30 pm
THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2008
I Confess (1953) at 6:00 pm
Dial M for Murder (1954) at 8:30 pm
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
Rear Window (1954) at 6:00 pm
To Catch a Thief (1955) at 8:30 pm
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2008
The Trouble with Harry (1955) at 11:00 am
The Wrong Man (1956) at 1:30 pm
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) at 4:00 pm
Vertigo (1958) at 7:00 pm
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2008
North by Northwest (1959) at 11:00 am
Psycho (1960) at 2:00 pm
The Birds (1963) at 4:30 pm
Marnie (1964) at 7:30 pm
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2008
Torn Curtain (1966) at 6:00 pm
Topaz (1969) at 8:30 pm
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Frenzy (1972) at 6:00 pm
Family Plot (1976) at 8:30 pm
Hatchet: Some Thoughts
Yeah. I got totally suckered by that tag line “Old School American Horror.” “New School Cookie Cutter American Horror/Comedy Schlock” would have been more appropriate. “Hatchet” is so by the numbers that it hurt watching it.
When a group of tourists on a New Orleans haunted swamp tour find themselves stranded in the wilderness, their evening of fun and spooks turns into a horrific nightmare.
The premise for getting our cast of carbon copy victims (hard of gold guy that’s just been dumped by his long term girlfriend, his goofy best friend, feisty heroin, slutty girls, etc.) into the spooky swamp is laughably stupid. The killer’s back story is laughably stupid. The dialogue is laughably stupid. The kills are laughably uninspired.
Bottom Line:
Don’t get suckered by that tag line like it did!!! If you really want some true “old school,” go for the original versions of “Black Christmas” or “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Cool Shit from England
Wow. What’s up with all the cool special editions that get put out in England/Europe and not here in the States?!?!
Just released over the pond is a 2-Disc Special Edition of the George Romero/Stephen King horror anthology “Creepshow.” I love this movie and it’s been in desperate need of some “special” treatment here in the States.
Here’s what those lucky Brits get:
Disc 1: Main Feature
* 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
* English DD2.0 Stereo and DD5.1 Surround
* English subtitles
* Commentary by George A. Romero and Tom Savini moderated by Michael Felcher
Disc 2: Extra Features
* Just Desserts: The Making of “Creepshow” – 90-minute documentary
* 5 Deleted Scenes
* Tom Savini’s Behind-the-Scenes Footage
* Theatrical Trailer
* Stills Gallery
Damn. That sounds sweet. I have been poking around on the net and there not a peep about a possible Region 1 release. I just might have to hit amazon.co.uk … again.
The Burning: Some Thoughts
OMG! I watched “The Burning” this past weekend and … my God did it kick some ass!!! “The Burning” came out in 1981 (the same year as “Friday the 13th”) and boast quite a few names with it and it was the first “Miramax” film.
“The Burning” has a very similar story line to the aforementioned “Friday the 13th.” A mad killer stalks the woods at Camp Blackfoot for revenge. You can look for Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter and Fisher Stevens all in early film roles as campers in peril. And that’s one of the many things that I loved about “The Burning” is that it’s the young campers that are the main focus of the killings. All the deaths in “Friday the 13” are directed at the camp counselors and happen before the ‘lil campers even arrive.
But what really makes “The Burning” kick so hard are Tom Savini’s masterful makeup effects. I was totally floored by the masterful “massacre” scene right in the middle of the movie. All the deaths are extremely brutal for a film that played in 1981. Maybe Savini was trying to one-up his own work on “Friday the 13th.” Well … he one-ups it in spades.
So, if you like campers in the woods slasher films as much as I do, then you definitely need to check out “The Burning.”
OMG … Blood!!!
OMG! How stoked am I that the new Paul Thomas Anderson film “There Will Be Blood” is gonna be here soon? I am VERY stoked! P.T. Anderson’s previous films (“Hard Eight,” “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia” and “Punch-Drunk Love”) are all favorites of mine. “There Will be Blood” is an adaptation of the Upton Sinclair novel “Oil!”. It’s going to be very interesting to see him tackle a period piece. You can watch the trailer for “There Will Be Blood” here.