Archive for March, 2008
Saturday, March 29th, 2008
The Godless Girl
What a fabulous film. I can’t think of any film before the fifties that focussed on teenagers (I’ll conveniently ignore that none of the cast probably were teenagers – doesn’t stop me from loving BtVS) so the beginning in a school was intriguing. And then the atheist theme kicked in.
The stance it takes on atheism vs Christianity isn’t as clear cut as some of the comments lurking on the Internet suggest. A title card states: “Judy, daughter of atheism…Bob, son of Gospel…Intolerance versus Intolerance.” To be honest, the message of conversion isn’t actually what appeals about this film. It is typical DeMille – show what you want as long as you pretend to be serving up a moral – Sign of the Cross, anyone? This clip on YouTube gives you some idea of its moralizing and its humour.
It is funny, moving, over-dramatic and unsubtle with two awesome set pieces involving crowds of extras namely the fight between the Christians and the atheists and the astonishing fiery climax at the reformatory.
The cast were great although sometimes Eddie Quillan as Bozo looked like he had crept in from a farce. Lina Basquette with her gorgeous eyes can be summed up thus: multiple marriages, Hitler, rape and Great Danes. Tom Keene was fine as Bob and Marie Prevost was excellent as the Christian flirt (now there’s an interesting character description) but she had a terrible end which I read years ago in Hollywood Babylon – she died alone a mere eight years later a lonely alcoholic whose body was gnawed at by her dog.
Five Children and It
I have never read Five Children and It but I had a sneaking suspicion that the film version was probably not a faithful adaptation and I was right. Why do they bother pretending? Or bother at all? Maybe because the Psammead is an excellent idea - and while this was pretty dire – it was Robin Williams’, oops, Eddie Izzard’s turn as It that made it sort of bearable – who can’t love a rendition of the Countdown countdown? (That clip is more entertaining than the film.)
The Bride of Frankenstein
I am such a bad, bad film buff because I am adding this to my collection of classics that I think are not that good really. The acting is horrendous – Una O’Connor was an indescribably bad actress – I know she is supposed to be OTT but just. stop. Valerie Hobson and Colin Clive were awful - not that their lines helped them at all. Ernest Thesiger knew how to ham it up properly (as does Elsa Lanchester) and any scene with him in was worthwhile – particularly with the jars of little people and the scene in the crypt.
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Tuesday, March 11th, 2008
All the Way (Steven S. DeKnight)
I know that I view BtVS through my own lens so that this and “Older and Far Away” don’t elicit the response from me that many others have towards them. First, I don’t mind too much bratty teenagers doing bratty things (as long as it makes sense) and second, both episodes are significant in the stories of Tara and Willow.
Tara: I’m not really much for the timber.
I love the way that Amber looks almost apologetic for this joke which sadly enough does make me snigger unlike the wearisome “I’m a breast girl myself” from “Life Serial”.
Two fine moments from the Magic Box: The dance of capitalist superiority and Buffy’s perfectly pitched shocked tone as she watches Giles clean his glasses and she says
Is that why you’re always cleaning your glasses? So you don’t have to see what we’re doing?
It’s hard to see that Willow creating some “extra biodegradable-y” decorations is actually wrong but you can sense her arrogance and irritation at simply being challenged.
The dancing in the lounge is one of the most pitiful sights I have ever seen, except, maybe for Tara’s sad face as she watches. She must be upset or she would be in fits of laughter.
The Dawn and Justin story is strangely non-compelling mainly because he and Zack behave like children and the kissing is, erm, amateur. And my interest is elsewhere:
Tara: Do you think Dawn might have come here?
Willow: It’s where I’d be if I were fifteen and on the lam.
Tara: Really?
Willow: Well, not me at fifteen, cause, hello, spaz.
Tara: You?
Willow: Yeah. Hard to believe such a hot mama-yama came from humble, geek-infested roots.
Tara: Infested roots, trying to turn me on?
Willow: I have to try now?
Help me, what is that about? How would anything infested turn anyone on?
Tara: Willow, you are using too much magic. What do you want me to do, just, just sit back and keep my mouth shut?
Willow: Well, that’d be a good start.
Poor “Grandpa”.
I like this exchange and maybe I’ll try it out in real-life one day:
Dawn: This the part where you tell me you’re not angry…just disappointed?
Giles: Pretty much…except for the bit about not being angry.
The ending makes my heart sink and at the same time I find myself confused about how easy or hard spells are to cast depending on the mood of the scriptwriter.
Adam asides: Willow bitching at Tara in the Bronze prompted an ooo from Adam while he astutely described Dawn and Justin’s kissing as gorilla kissing (though he did mean chimps).
How did this get here?
Posted in BtVS, Buffy Season 6, Television | 1 Comment »
Thursday, March 6th, 2008
I (shamelessly) couldn’t resist copying maurinsky.
Below are quotes from fifteen of my favourite films. The oldest film is from 1937, the newest is from 1997. One film is in German.
1. You’ve come back and caught me in the truth, and there’s nothing less logical than the truth. Screwball comedy from 1937
2. May I congratulate you on the birth of Christ. Notable for its cinematography and set design - British
3. I’m the Wienie King! Invented the Texas Wienie! Lay off ‘em, you’ll live longer. Joel and Claudette
4. Game over man…Game over! Aliens: solved by darkpoole It’s not subtle but it is exciting and Sigourney Weaver is a superb hero.
5. Well, I ought to. I spent the entire afternoon bumsening like mad with this ghastly old producer who promised to get me a contract. Cabaret: solved by maurinsky. A rare film that I liked when I was a teen and like it even more now.
6. I got a strange feelin’ somebody’s bein’ hustled. Calamity Jane: solved by Andy Great songs, three marvellous performances and I’ll ignore lines like “That’s female thinking”!
7. I’m a master of deceit: a capitalist tool by day, and by night an agent of the proletarian masses - the Mata Hari of the Economic Miracle. This is the German one - and this could be a summary of the film’s plot.
8. You had a bullet from World War I in your leg, James! How did it get there? Twelve Monkeys: solved by darkpoole and maurinsky. Bruce Willis is under-rated.
9. When teenagers complain that they want to be treated like human beings, it’s usually because they are being treated like human beings. Heathers: solved by Andy
10. Snakes are my life, in a way. same writer and director as 3
11. Confidentially, I think you’re a bit of a stinker, too. The Lady Vanishes: solved by Andy. My favourite British Hitchcock.
12. But now, we have come almost to the end. One last step. And then when I take power, they will be pulled down and ground into dirt for what they did to you. And what they did in so contemptuously underestimating me. The Manchurian Candidate: solved by Ellen. Angela Lansbury is just brilliant in this.
13. You live in a dream. You’re a sleepwalker, blind. How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the world is a foul sty? Do you know, if you rip off the fronts of houses, you’d find swine? Shadow of a Doubt: solved by Ellen. An atypical Hitch with subtle acting, lots of menace and a superbly realised heroine.
14. My theory is that everyone is a potential murderer. Strangers on a Train: solved by Andy
15. You are Columbus and I am America. Discover me, Ramon, just discover me! Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion: solved by Andy
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