 
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
|
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
84.169.205.230
I could not afford to resist so I had a second look, foremost for one of Hitch standard actor, Edmund Gwenn.
A real 1b Picture but with good photographing, too bad that most part are just ridiculous, still a classic.
" Mieux vaut une tête bien faite qu'une tête bien pleine."
Follow Ups:
patrickU,
I'm pleased that you brought "THRM" an often overlooked 1954 science-fiction movie. It's a good example of science fiction with a small budget and the relatively crude special effects of the 50's responding to good casting and directorial decisions. Other examples would be "The Thing from Outer Space"- that had a lot of input from Howard Hawks, the original "Night of the Living Dead" of 1968 and of course "The Day the Earth Stood Still".
For those who don't know it, the story concerns people coming up against atomically mutated giant ants with Edmund Gwenn- Kris Kringle in "Mircle on 34th St." and the brilliant sea captain of "The Trouble with Harry", deciding what to do about them. I always liked Gwenn, who I think of as Charles Laughton's non-neurotic brother,.. You'll also see some other brand name actors: James Arness- also "The Thing", James Whitmore as the police captain, and Fess Parker- Daniel Boone on TV.
The whole premise seems naive and silly Cold War/nuclear paranoia looking back, but the internal logic is strong and the structure and editing creates tension. The scenes early on in the wrecked store in the desert with the wind howling sand storm are really well done and suspenseful and when the little traumatised girl wakes up from catatonia and screams wide-eyed "THEM" is still quite chilling. Even the helicopter overflight of the giant ant nest has effective, chilling detail- the human bones lining the entrance. Just as in "Alien", there's much more tension while the giant ants are unseen - as they are more visible the supsension of discbelief drops away, but it's worthwhile watching.
A "B" movie yes, but I sometimes really crave movies like "THEM" as a relief from hysterically vertigious CG blasts with an edit every 1/8th second and 14 layers of 120db hyper-sound.
Cheers,
Bambi B
Is maybe my favourit film, subtle, not grainy, It made a big impression on me back then and as I got the dvd few years ago, still did not failed to pleased me.
Two days after seeing THEM I had to resee....The THING---The actors are B but somehow the script is A.
Yes the Trouble with Harry grow as you get older, the fine distillated humour is like an old wiskey, or a tea drank from Wedgewood cups in compagny of Somerset sun tanned ladies.
Well I don´t see the similitude, as Laughton was never walking but always..dancing when he pretend to walk, Gwen, on the other hand is more " straight "...
Both are magnifiscient.
Well I stay by it, as today standard THEM is naive, and when you look at the actors playing you some time can not take them...seriously.
But nevertheless, I enjoy it, and the second time I wrote about it here.
If I remember well.
Bonne soirée,
Patrick
" Mieux vaut une tête bien faite qu'une tête bien pleine."
patrickU,
I don't know the "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" but will look for it.
J'aime beaucoup votre desscription presque poétique de "The Trouble with Harry",actually one of my favourite of Hitchcock's- a quiet movie but the humour covers a kind of sinister and surreal quality of ammorality and dismissive of death. Death is treated as it was in "The Seventh Seal"- a kind of game.
When I compared Laughton- for me one of the ten best movie actors ever- to Gwenn, it is to compare dark -Laughton- and light- Gwenn. Laughton always maintains a kind of mysterious twitchiness- both agressive and insecure at the same time while Gwenn seems straightforward and taken at face value.
By the way, are you a fan of Laughton's "Hobson's Choice" That I think is one of his greatest- along with "Bounty", and "Hobson" is in some ways more impressive than "Hunchback". It's also one of John Mills' best movies- his subtle transformation under the guidance of Brenda De Banzie, who plays one of Laughton's daughters. The best movie ever made centered around the world of shoemaking!
Cheers,
Bambi B
While starting to read your words I tought, my favourit Laughton, was " Hobson´s Choice "
And there it was, written by you...I also commented this film here and in the meantime I saw it at last twice more times and it is ...poetic, the moon in the gutter. Wonderful
I love also his Remdbrandt, just saw last week his Henry the VIII, " his " because he was terrible at stealing the directors films...Hitch was more than unhappy...
I did go that far as to read his biography, and I love also his wife Elsa...
Witness for Prosecusion is my favourit " cigar " film of all time.
And should be not left out.
A perfect play save Dietrich who make as always too much "right" light a la Stemberg, but still quiet good, good enough but not up to the other actors.
I am not sure about " light " Gwen...remember that Hitch film? What was it, ah, The Skin Game..
Not bad, not bad at all..
Let me know when you have catch up with this film...
Amitiées,
Patrick
" Mieux vaut une tête bien faite qu'une tête bien pleine."
Patrick,
Yes, I find "Witness for the Prosecution" an interesting movie because it it is one of the few novie that has a real "twist"- a surprise, but I can still see it again and again because of Laughton's blustery cigar-smoking barrister. In some ways I wish the Tyrone Powers character had been someone else, but Elsa Lanchester as Nurse Plimsoll- you know a "plimsoll" is the kind of canvas and rubber soled shoe worn by nurses- was a wonderful detail and of course the amazing dual roles of Marlene Dietrich. The British were never afraid to put first-rate actors in minor roles- something Americans never do- their agents won't let them.
By the way, my favourite Dietrich movie is still, "Destry Rides Again".When Dietrich asks Jimmy Stewart, "Have you ever been to New Orleans", it was the best comic question of, Have you ever had sex?" in movies!
"the Skin Game" I saw years ago, but yes it's one of the best early Hitchcock- I think more intersting than "The 39 Steps" becasue of the social qualities, the greedy devloper against the old money aristocrats. I must see it again, thanks for the reminder.
Cheers,
Bambi B
Well no wonder, Agatha Christie wrote that one and the novel is better that the script, of course no Charles, no Elsa and no ...cigars...
Yo will smile but my always disturbed me was the choice of Tyrone Powers, he was just too old would have he been in the time of razord Edged it would have been perfect, BUT he played his part very good.
I always was unhappy with that Wilder´s choice.
No I don´t like Dietrich as an actor, but as a singer. She just overplayed her part, just thing of Hitch´s Stage Fright, just too much.
Well the 39 Steps is one of my all time favourit...Only for Donat, but I love it just as I love The Lady Vanished.
One of Hitch worst film is the one with Laughton.
Two directors, and one like Hitchock, that could not work.
The film is torn apart.
Blame it on Charles...
Patrick
Films, films with books and music what are we lucky..
" Mieux vaut une tête bien faite qu'une tête bien pleine."
| FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
