25th Hall of Fame

Sending it in a minute.

I sent a link.

Oh, whoops. Didn't notice CR's post. That means Raul has to watch it twice now

You know, it's a movie that's worthy of a second watch...I don't think a single one of us has totally agreed on that movie yet.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind watching it again. I'm surprised the critics on RT gave it really mixed reviews.

I should go look at RT and see what's been said.

I wasn't a big fan of Vertigo on my second watch either. I did feel like the romance was flat and not believable. But...I never noticed the lighting looking amateurish. Can you explain a bit? Which scenes? Were they the studio scenes where Hitch recreates sets and artificially lights them?

* the image you used above IMO has stunning use of light.

It did work quite well there and sadly, I couldn't find a good example but kept it as a launching point.

But yeah, now that I think about it, it did happen mostly in the Studio Shoots. Except for scenes with his friend and former love interest (can't remember her name or the actress and too lazy to look it up lol). Those were great. The museum, the Nightclub when he first sees her -- great.

Most of this, for me, would occur around and after the "suicide". Or, rather, get downright blatant to me with the occasional, excessively brief "Wait, what was that? Was that off? Was that a glitch in the copy I'm watching?" before that. Starting with the rooftop chase. There were dark spots that were poorly constructed composition to me and the first hints to what was to come.
In one instance, after the abusive insistence that Judy changes everything to look like Madeline had a lot of that amateur "playing with lights" and was not to Hitchcock's standards for me.
Also, where it would jump from darkened to bright or some variety thereof because of a "reveal". To me, it felt like if someone tripped and pulled a chord out by mistake, or flipped the wrong light switch and then corrected themselves, hoping no one noticed.

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What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes

~Mr Minio

That played a large part in my choosing it as well.
As stated previously, with 24 min in, I'm very happy to have.

Sundays and Cybele -

I really enjoyed this anti-war and psychological drama. For starters, I appreciate how natural it seems. The acting is uniformly strong, but most importantly, I never thought that "he or she should have been nominated for an Oscar," which I believe is a good thing. I would rather think "this man is so damaged" instead of "he's really good at coming across as damaged," and I don't believe I thought this just because I don't recognize any of the performers. The same goes for the dialogue, which flows like conversations between real people rather than written dialogue. Also, how about those scenes by the lake? I love how serene they are and that they seem to take place in a dream world, whether it’s the pool that Cybele imagines to be a portal to another, better reality - there's a reason it's on the DVD cover - to the horse rider who might as well be a knight in shining armor. This is also a movie that knows how to make important actions count, most of them appropriately involving theft. With each one Pierre does from the dagger to the weathervane, the pang of disappointment for the step backward each one represents and my anxiety regarding their potential consequences are as visceral as it gets.

And now, for the big question: Is it right what Pierre does to Cybele? My two cents is that it's not: Cybele has a fantastical, romantic and altogether unrealistic conception of love that is typical of people her age, and since Pierre exploits this, the relationship is bound to cause long-term psychological damage to her and not just because it ends tragically. It's no boon to Pierre either as its negative effect on his healthier relationships with his friends and Madeleine indicates, which is a goal if not the most important goal of PTSD treatment. The important thing, though, is that the movie asks the big question and that I came up with my answer on my own instead of having it forced upon me. I approve of how the movie does this, particularly in the scene where Bernard's friends give their own takes on the relationship (how interesting is it that Carlos's, the artist, is based on a world that is the way it should be rather than how it actually is). The movie ends up being a beautiful, yet deeply sad tale about life with PTSD, specifically a variety in which the only treatment isn't really a treatment at all. Thankfully, there's an ever-present reminder that if it wasn't for war, none of this would have ever happened.

The Green Years (1963)

Quietly tremendous.

I am sure this is the type of film that rewards multiple viewings. Through most of the film, I felt that it was a bit slow and even somewhat boring. The stunning ending made me re-evaluate the entire experience and the more time I've spent with the film in my unconscious the more I've come to realize that this is a truly great film.

The simple coming-of-age story story (a feature that often results in a standout film in the right directorial hands) involves 19-year old Julio's trip from the country to the big city, Lisbon. Julio's uncle Raul, also the narrator, gives Julio a job as a shoemaker. Julio soon meets the maid Ilda, pretty, modern, and confident, and falls in love. Ilda, like Julio, comes from the country. The couple are blown away by city life, though they handle it differently. Ilda, who works for a rich woman with hundreds of shoes and a classy life, dreams of the same type of life for herself. Julio's working class values conflict with city life and ultimately lead to ruin. The ending is so shocking, I want to steer clear of spoiling it. Suffice it to say it reframes the entire picture.

The film is full of beautiful shots of Lisbon, a city I've never even seen in pictures but would love to visit some day. Despite that, the quality of the copy I watched was not ideal. There apparently is a 4K restoration that I intend to view to get a better idea of Director Paulo Rocha's vision.

I'm sure some will feel, as I did at first, that this is a slow, boring film. The truth is, it explores its themes subtly and through character instead of plot. I am sure I will enjoy it more each time I experience it. Bravo. 10/10.

The Truth (1960) -

I struggled with this one, I must admit. It's definitely well-made and I enjoyed quite a bit about it, but I had some difficulties with getting on board with the story, though I recognize my issue is more of a subjective thing.

Seeing Dominique get pushed around, mistreated, and abused throughout the entire film (with the exception of the first couple acts or so) made for an effective tragedy, I suppose, but it ultimately left me feeling worn down when I finished it. Not a film I'd be eager to revisit. With the exception of Dominique's lawyer seemingly caring for her - though the ending complicates that - it seemed to have bleakness baked into almost every scene (again, save for the opening couple acts). Of course, something like this isn't necessarily a flaw per se. It just made the film hard to watch since I generally don't do well with films where characters are hurt throughout long periods of time. As a comparison, The Whisperers from the 24th HoF was similar in how bleakness filled almost every scene, but its hopeful ending made it an easier film to watch.

Even though this film wasn't for me though, I did enjoy a few things about it. Most notably, how your opinion on Dominique and Gilbert changes throughout the film. Initially, I disliked Dominique since Gilbert and Annie suffered as a result of her free-spirited lifestyle. I also felt sorry for Gilbert since he was often pushed around by Dominique in the first couple acts of the film. I eventually hated Gilbert though once he grew emotionally abusive, while feeling sorry for Dominique since she was treated poorly by him. I found this shift interesting and I think the film found the right balance to make it work. Also, I haven't seen Bardot in many films, but I think she did a great job here. I found the emotions she showed throughout the film, especially in the courtroom scenes, quite convincing. Her final outburst in the courtroom, in particular, was terrific. This is definitely my favorite performance from her.

Overall, while I think this film is well-done, it isn't one I can see myself revisiting. Out of the three films I've seen so far from Clouzot (The Wages of Fear, Les Diaboliques, and this film), this one is my least favorite. Regardless though, I'm still glad I watched it.

Next up: Vertigo

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@Citizen Rules my Green Years review is missing from the front page

I guess that means you'll have to watch it again

I'll fix it now.

I'm halfway through Sundays and Cybele. Hopefully finish soon.

Sundays and Cybèle aka Les dimanches de Ville d'Avray (1962)

I think I will keep my remarks regarding the relationship's morality of Cybèle/Francoise (Nicole Courcel) and Pierre (Hardy Krüger) much like Director Serge Bourguignon had intended. And that is, to one's perceptions/beliefs/concerns - much of the arguments for and against already expressed within the film itself.
Is it insidious? Is it innocent? Right/Wrong? Complex or Simplistic? Like so many things, it does not define itself one way or another. It is as it is and, like those who see them in the park and those who know Pierre, it is up to us to decipher and judge/accept, according to how we perceive such a scenario as we experience their relationship and their love for one another.

What I will express and normally do with such a beautifully composed film is. . . well, what I just said. It is VERY beautifully done. The camera work is spot on in each and every scene for me. On pretty much every level when it comes to composition and storytelling. It is and was, engaging and I was very much entranced from the get-go to the end. The bookends of the beginning and end broadcasting tragedy with the body of work telling a beautiful story of two lost/abandoned individuals and the comfort/happiness they found with one another.

I truly loved this, and it is something that would have had a solid chance of slipping into my Countdown List.

And yes, BRAVO

BlacKKKlansman -

This isn't my favorite Spike Lee movie - that honor goes to Do The Right Thing - but it's his most fun movie, slightly edging out Inside Man in that regard. The extraordinary, stranger than fiction story has a lot to do with this. Spike and company took a few liberties with it, but it's still hard to believe that it actually happened. The movie has good comic relief, but with a story like this one, I wouldn't be surprised if it would be labeled as a comedy even if it had none. When I wasn't laughing, I was barely breathing because the suspense is masterful. Again, even though almost everything in the movie is based on a true story, there are many times when I was certain that Stallworth or Zimmerman's covers would be blown and that the entire operation would fail. What makes Spike Lee's movies so compelling to me is that I know I'm going to see an innovation, or at least an attempt at one, and in this movie, it's his treatment of cultural institutions. Some are simple yet still effective like when Zimmerman talks about reevaluating his Jewish or lack thereof upbringing, but then there's the overt ones like the clips from The Birth of a Nation and the slightly more subtle, tongue in cheek ones like the Blaxploitation movie references, all of which amount to a reminder of what's also at stake in the fight against white supremacy. All in all, the movie succeeds for how it proves that fighting against racism regardless of its form is difficult and requires a coordinated effort, but it is not impossible. As for the ending with the footage from the Charlottesville rally, it is difficult to watch and it is hardly subtle, but this is one case where subtlety is not a virtue. If anything, it drills the point home that Stallworth and company may have scored a victory, but it was for a battle and not the war. Oh, and that other ending, i.e. the one that ended Stallworth and David Duke's kindly phone chats? Just thinking about it makes me laugh and pump my fist!