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| gromit |
 Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:26 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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The Man in the Moon is the iconic Melies image and probably all that most know of the man and his work. And, although it isn't explicitly stated, I think in Hugo, that is the one Melies film, which is known to exist, so for them int hat world, that short film and that image was Melies.
Also, the automaton apparently actually draws that image, which in itself is cool. I would have preferred the whole film about the proto-robot, clockworks, the mystery of Melies, finding old musty and shrunken and vinegary film in rusty cans. I can agree that the Melies and film preservation stuff didn't fit that well into the Hugo story. But I think it could have made a fine film itself. The Melies film studio stuff was magical and intriguing. I would have been up for Scorsese directs Melies, instead of Hugo. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:52 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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Really enjoyed the first part of Mysteries of Lisbon. The two hours breezed by as we learn the background of young Joao, and the complications involved in his ancestry. The film looks great in muted greys and olive greens and yellows and blacks. Assured and masterful camera movements. Most of the acting and casting is superb.
I'm not too big on period dramas focusing on old social conventions, but this had me hooked. Took an hour or two break and dove into Part 2.
It's a different but rather similar story of seducing a count's wife -- must have been a big thing in 19th C Portugal -- with two peripheral characters from the first part taking center stage. Worldly opportunities seem limited to being a priest, an adventurer, a count, or a bastard -- with each of these being a lot more interchangeable than one would expect.
I only watched 45 minutes of Part II before I was tired and a bit restless. It seemed sort of a repeat performance. There was one great non-duel duel scene however.
Maybe it was just a but much in one sitting for me. 2' 45" by itself is already a fairly long film. So I'll get to the remaining 1'45 tonight. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:59 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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Ghulam, how did you feel about Part I and Part II of Mysteries of Lisbon?
There were some good moments in the longer Part 2, but overall it was the case of diminishing returns for me. I really liked Part I.
I might have really liked Part II if I saw it first, but think Part I was stronger. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:20 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6958
Location: Black Hills
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Tried the search function on Crazy Horse, Fred Wiseman's documentary which opens here tomorrow, but only got some posts that mentioned "Like Crazy" and "War Horse." Based on the trailer, I have to assume this is nothing like Wiseman's previous work. The trailer shows a film about sexy au naturel French dancers that borders on soft porn. It's like Fred wanted to treat himself to a retirement present.
Werner Herzog, want to go for Rule of Two? Please? |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:03 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| Word on Crazy Horse is not great, but Wiseman must be attended to always. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:50 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
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Quote: One thing I didn't get. Why was Hugo such an outcast and on the run the whole film? The clockmaster uncle was a relative and would be his legal guardian.
Isn't that a kind of Dickens thing? An orphan with an alcoholic uncle stealing food to survive.
Your comments made me rethink a bit. I enjoyed the movie and really didn't feel the urge to criticize it. But perhaps Scorsese was trying to combine too many components to make it a cohesive film. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:58 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
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Quote: Now for a movie I have seen. I may have even commented on it before. The Skin I Live In.
Gary..........Marta may have her reasons for liking this film but I'm with you on the creepy. It's my least favorite Almodovar. Usually he is more upbeat.....or at least has characters with warmth who you can relate to. This film was twisted. What was he thinking? |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:34 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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Befade wrote: Quote: One thing I didn't get. Why was Hugo such an outcast and on the run the whole film? The clockmaster uncle was a relative and would be his legal guardian.
Isn't that a kind of Dickens thing? An orphan with an alcoholic uncle stealing food to survive.
Yeah, but there was no reason to hide Hugo, or for Hugo to have to hide from the station inspector while the uncle was alive. That doesn't make sense. He lived with his uncle who worked and lived in the station.
I noticed that we see Hugo steal a very small amount of food twice, so the film kind of soft-pedaled that so he'd retain our sympathy. I think his pilfering comes after he's been harshly denounced as a thief, so he has our sympathy at that point too, as we don't yet know if the accusation is true or not. It seems that Hugo would actually have to be stealing food all the time, every day, insignificant amounts. Instead we just see him looking bold by taking a tempting pastry and nabbing an apple. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:50 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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Mysteries of Lisbon got to be too long and convoluted for me. At one or two points the narration points out how improbable coincidences happen even though they seem straight out of Radcliffe. I think Ann Radcliffe is largely overlooked these days, with those she influenced -- Jane Austen, Walter Scott and even Edgar Allan Poe -- being much better known. The film is based on an 1854 novel in that vein by Portuguese writer Camilo Castelo Branco, which mixes romance and travel, sexuality and social constraints.
The first part is just shy of two hours and very well done and enjoyable.
I'd certainly rec that.
And if you really enjoy such stylings, there's another 2.5 hours at your disposal. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:07 pm |
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Location: AZ
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| Wasn't he stealing from the toy store also? |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:29 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Befade wrote: Wasn't he stealing from the toy store also?
Likely, but I think that was left unclear.
He had a tiny handful of gears and other stuff on him, which could have been from the floor, garbage or whatever. And then he works off whatever debt he might owe from stealing by working there. Though maybe he's just being blackmailed/railroaded since the inspector is after him. There's almost a sense that orphan = thief, without the need for any proof.
And even if he was pilfering from the toy shop, it's seen in the light of trying to fix something important and reconnect with his father. So he's the thief of necessity, the good thief, the starving man loaf of bread thief. And another mitigating factor is that he actually is working and doing an adult's job and not getting paid for it. The film wants to keep Hugo in a good light, with some ambiguity. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:02 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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| Hugo is to Oliver Twist as Valley of the Dolls is to Madame Bovary. |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:13 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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Befade wrote: Quote: Now for a movie I have seen. I may have even commented on it before. The Skin I Live In.
Gary..........Marta may have her reasons for liking this film but I'm with you on the creepy. It's my least favorite Almodovar. Usually he is more upbeat.....or at least has characters with warmth who you can relate to. This film was twisted. What was he thinking?
I watched it last night. It's one of my favorite Almodovars. Creepy, sure, but what's wrong with that? |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:56 am |
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Location: Houston
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billyweeds wrote: Hugo is to Oliver Twist as Valley of the Dolls is to Madame Bovary.
ROTHFLMAO |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:56 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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| I thought it was a funny analogy, too, and I'm still not going to see Hugo. Everyone here enjoys that certain special film that they have never seen (some, more than others, and I'm not singling anyone out, unless maybe their first name rhymes with "Barry" and their last name rhymes with "Her pants") and this will be mine. |
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