tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post5655869948064430097..comments2023-04-03T05:11:10.672-07:00Comments on THE MOVIE PROJECTOR: Film Noir Meets ExistentialismR. D. Finchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-8202749880443743092009-11-16T07:55:23.150-08:002009-11-16T07:55:23.150-08:00I re-watched "Point Blank" back in Septe...I re-watched "Point Blank" back in September and I'm fully back in the "I loved it" camp and there'll be no switching back! Perhaps it was my environment and mood those previous two viewings that influenced my opinion of the film. This time, it all made sense and the argument about Walker's fate (or condition) is blatantly obvious to me now.Abe Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13991534345391655980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-5344750968314987712009-02-12T15:06:00.000-08:002009-02-12T15:06:00.000-08:00C.K., I don't know of any lists of the kind of mov...C.K., I don't know of any lists of the kind of movies you describe. I was thinking more of the European and British films that played the art-house circuit in big cities and college towns (which is where I saw them) in the mid-late 60's. These are director-auteur movies and would include the usual suspects: the French New Wavers, Fellini, Antonioni, Bergman, Bunuel, Eastern Europeans like Polanski and Brits like Karl Reisz and Lindsay Anderson. <BR/><BR/>Their innovations were, I suppose, eventually integrated into mainstream film-making. When I saw Coppola's "The Conversation" about a year ago I was struck by how European in style it seemed, much more so than his Godfather movies of around the same time. For me Antonioni's "Blow-Up" and Polanski's "Repulsion" convey the "Mod" look and feel better than just about any other films of the time.R. D. Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-8668269188179775292009-02-12T11:21:00.000-08:002009-02-12T11:21:00.000-08:00"...and also to films reminiscent in style of the ..."...and also to films reminiscent in style of the hip continental films of the 60's."<BR/><BR/>I love movies like this! I call them "Europe International Movies" because of the jet-set style, hip scores, and neo-Edwardian clothing. This kind of thing peaked around 1967-1973, give or take a few years. Films like "Hard Contract" and "The Italian Job" immediately come to mind. I'd love to find a comprehensive list of these types of films. Know where I can find one?Abe Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13991534345391655980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-87458026252889364472009-02-10T15:24:00.000-08:002009-02-10T15:24:00.000-08:00John, thanks for the background info on the source...John, thanks for the background info on the source material. I'm wary of over-researching the movies I write about because I don't want to repeat the ideas of others, so I appreciated this. Westlake's is one of those names that pop up frequently as the writer of the source material for movies, kind of like Elmore Leonard.<BR/><BR/>C.K., it is a funny thing about multiple viewings. I've had it work both ways. This post was actually inspired by my second viewing of "Point Blank," although truthfully it's been many years since I first saw it. I also must confess to being susceptible to anything reminiscent of the hard-boiled detective/film noir genre, and also to films reminiscent in style of the hip continental films of the 60's. The friend I watched this with wasn't that impressed and didn't find the movie anything special.R. D. Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-56819146035636384102009-02-10T10:20:00.000-08:002009-02-10T10:20:00.000-08:00I have an odd relationship with this film. The fi...I have an odd relationship with this film. The first time I saw it, I thought it was simply amazing, and the last time I watched it, it was awful! Slow and tedius. I love the mid-century, modernistic architecture and Boorman's shots showcasing said buildings. The same goes for Johnny Mandel's score; love it and hate it, depending on my mood. There are very few films that get this type of disparate reaction from me, so I'll have to give it another try!Abe Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13991534345391655980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-61002301538876636732009-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:002009-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:00R.D. enjoyed this immensely. A great film. Boor...R.D. enjoyed this immensely. A great film. Boorman was heavily influence by the New Wave when making this film; it is almost jazz like in its beat. Though the films style was “modern” for its time Marvin’s character is a throw back to the hard-boiled school, which you allude to when talking about Spade and Marlowe. The film is based on a novel called “The Hunter” by Donald Westlake writing under the pen name Richard Stark. In the book, Walker is named Parker. Westlake/Stark actually wrote a series of tough noir novels with the same character. The book was remade in 1999 as “Payback” with Mel Gibson. Personally, there is no comparison between the two films and the two leads. The original was so unique and Marvin is certainly more believable as the tough hard boiled anti-hero than Mel is. <BR/><BR/>"Point Blank" is one of my favorite films from this era.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.com