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| Joe Vitus |
 Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 7:53 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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| I was trying to think of a good adaptation. Of course, his stuff hasn't been adapted that often to begin with. Mamet generally doesn't translate too well, either, but at least Glengarry Glen Ross is an exception. But I'll admit to not being much of a Shepard fan and thinking his work is pretty shallow. He understands the conceits of modern theater enough to cover this up onstage. Maybe screen translations don't work because underneath the stylized trappings there's not enough there there. |
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| ehle64 |
| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 9:15 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 7149
Location: NYC; US&A
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| I couldn't get to sleep last night so switched over to HBO On-Demand to see what the offerings were. I saw that they were airing The Happening and I had never seen it before and so looked up the cast. There was Betty Buckley (my old acting coach) so I started it, thinking, if it's bad maybe it'll put me to sleep. I always heard it was bad, but for me it was hella creepy. You all know my aversion to downright horror films, so it might not come as a surprise to find out that I was scared. I really got into the whole unknown aspect of Why this was Happening. Anyway, not a bad 90 minutes of my life spent. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 9:21 pm |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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Wade,
I couldn't get thru THE HAPPENING. Too many plot holes. Too silly. Not scary. You are easily spooked. |
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| ehle64 |
| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 9:35 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 7149
Location: NYC; US&A
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| Indeed I am -- especially after living through a terrorist attack. Plus the various ways of suicide -- well, just suicide as a weapon in general. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 2:54 am |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 1949
Location: Lawrence, KS
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ehle64 wrote: Indeed I am -- especially after living through a terrorist attack. Plus the various ways of suicide -- well, just suicide as a weapon in general. |
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"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:12 am |
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Guest
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When I went to a money exchange co. to turn some American Express American currency traveler cheques into Colombian pesos (they give better rates than the banks), I signed the cheques, gave them my ID and then I was asked to give a finger print on the tiny machine they had on my side of the glass. I had no choice, if I wanted to get my pesos. Not sure why they would what that, but I complied.
What's this got to do with Couch With A View?
We have a Blockbusters near here and we went to pick up a few movies. I paid for them, but refused to become a member and get a lower rate because they wanted more information than I was willing to give. When I paid I had to give the address and phone number which is reasonable, and my email address which I refused. Then they wanted a finger print. I said "no!" I know the Spanish word for "no".  I got the videos.
When Betsy wrote about the Colombian pilots and then explained that Colombians didn't like to question authority, or something like that, I found it strange, but I have seen many examples of it since living here. I'm probably the only one who ever refused to give Blockbuster a fingerprint. I could tell by the surprised look on the cashier's face.
Why they would request a fingerprint is beyond me. Actually funny in a kind of 1984 way. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 11:40 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
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| Gary........I'm interested in anything you report on your new habitat. It's got to be ALOT different from Canada. |
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Lost in my own private I dunno. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 11:41 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
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| PS.......Keep questioning authority! |
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Lost in my own private I dunno. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:31 am |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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I finally watched Nights of Cabiria, which I have mixed feelings about. Parts of it were brilliant, such as a scene with a good Samaritan feeding people living in caves, one of which used to be a successful prostititute. Cabiria sees a possible future in this. This episode was apparently cut from the theatrical release for some reason, which is odd if it is true, because of the contrast with the next scene which takes place in a pilgrimage site where the Virgin Mary supposedly heals the sick. The vulgarity of this site contrasts sharply with the preceding scene. This seems like it should end the movie, but then she wanders into a magic show where she is hypnotized into revealing her inner innocence (or does she, since what she says contradicts things she said earlier?). That scene is Giulietta Masina's best in the movie.
The movie is a series of episodes in the life of the prostitute Maria Ceccarelli, who goes by the nickname 'Cabiria,' which end in disillusionment as she soldiers on. She starts off walking to the river with her lover, and he steals her purse while shoving her in the river. And that's not the cruelest thing that happens to her. But she survives that and soldiers on.
Remade into a musical with Sweet Charity which I've never seen, but if there was an American actress of the time I would want to play this role originated by Giulietta Masina, it would be Shirley MacLaine. There's even something of a physical resemblance. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:21 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Though I loved MacLaine in the film version of Sweet Charity, most critics slammed her performance, and to some extent Fosse's direction as well. Everyone loved Gwen Verdon on stage in the same property, though the musical itself never got its critical due IMO. It has a marvelous score (including "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now") and a nice feel. But it insisted on keeping the "unhappy" ending from the movie, which in context of the musical comedy genre seemed rather affected and almost "unearned." This was a show that deserved a change of ending.
My feeling is that if the movie had come out after Cabaret, when Fosse had been fully accepted as a "director of the cinema," then it would have gotten raves and so would have MacLaine. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:31 am |
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Befade wrote: PS.......Keep questioning authority!
I've been doing that since I was 14. Spending a few hours in jail a couple of times. 
We watched Borat last night. Marta hadn't seen it. Her throat was sore from laughing. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:11 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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billyweeds wrote: Though I loved MacLaine in the film version of Sweet Charity, most critics slammed her performance, and to some extent Fosse's direction as well. Everyone loved Gwen Verdon on stage in the same property, though the musical itself never got its critical due IMO. It has a marvelous score (including "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now") and a nice feel. But it insisted on keeping the "unhappy" ending from the movie, which in context of the musical comedy genre seemed rather affected and almost "unearned." This was a show that deserved a change of ending.
My feeling is that if the movie had come out after Cabaret, when Fosse had been fully accepted as a "director of the cinema," then it would have gotten raves and so would have MacLaine.
Don't at all agree about MacLaine's performance or Fosse's direction. Watch the Ed Sullivan tape of Verdon, perched on a poof, minimal movement, and absolutely electrifying. Fosse has MacLaine leaping and running and the camera editing jumping and switching, and it's dull as dishwater. MacLaine is also waaayyy too intense in the dramatic scenes, throwing the serio-comic mix too far off kilter. She also isn't much of a dancer, despite starting out as one as a Broadway chorus girl and much later in her career having a one-woman show. When Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly leap for the stars in "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This," MacLaine can barely get off the ground.
It doesn't help that John McMartin is such a dislikable co-star. McMartin is often very good. He's just right for the principal in Pennies From Heaven, and he was probably a perfect Ben Stone in the original Follies (the cast recording doesn't make him look good, but that lousy recording doesn't make anyone, and barely the score itself, look good). Here he's so dislikable the ending doesn't have it's proper effect.
I do enjoy the "Rich Man's Frug" sequence.
But about the quality of the show, I completely agree. I'm always amazed at how underrated it is. Completely agree about the score. Very catchy. Very much a muscial comedy score. Very winning as such, and with the right amount of bite. It was the best tough guy/gal show since Pal Joey but muscial enthusiasts never really give it its due. |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:48 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 5911
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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Does anyone have any knowledge of Gankutsuou, an anime version of The Count of Monte Cristo (the second half) told from Albert's point of view?
I checked out a bit of it on YouTube; the artwork's pretty interesting.
(Maybe it's more appropriate to say it's inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo; apparently some things were changed.)
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:51 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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Lady,
I always smile when I read a post from you asking if anyone has any info on a movie. Because your foreign/ silent film knowledge so outclasses mine, I always think "If Lady doesn't have to lowdown on this one, who does?" |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:56 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 5911
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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Joe Vitus wrote: Lady,
I always smile when I read a post from you asking if anyone has any info on a movie. Because your foreign/ silent film knowledge so outclasses mine, I always think "If Lady doesn't have to lowdown on this one, who does?"
Awww... that's sweet, but I'm so behind with everything I want to hit my head against a wall!
I have a couple of things I'd like to get, and I'm trying to narrow it down. Also on the list: a Korean tv drama (god, they're getting to be guilty pleasures), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (another anime), and Du Levande, which I missed in NYC at the beginning of the month but is also supposed to be very good. I really don't need to get them all, either,... but we're moving towards that, LOL!
I need someone to give me a few thousand dollars for DVDs, that's all. |
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