tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post7971271698243975623..comments2023-04-03T05:11:10.672-07:00Comments on THE MOVIE PROJECTOR: The Best Movies of the 1980sR. D. Finchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-86047799253678243202009-10-21T12:38:21.041-07:002009-10-21T12:38:21.041-07:00I enjoyed reading your list and will hope to see m...I enjoyed reading your list and will hope to see more of the films you've chosen - several, such as 'Dangerous Liaisons' and 'Hannah and Her Sisters', are favourites of mine too. I often tend to be more drawn by older films too, though. JudyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-47393342473994275982009-10-20T14:42:47.569-07:002009-10-20T14:42:47.569-07:00John, thanks for your comments. "Tootsie"...John, thanks for your comments. "Tootsie" got such a high place because it and "Women on the Verge" were just about the only two films of the decade that actually made me laugh out loud. Woody Allen is a great maker of comic films, but I wouldn't call his style of humor "laugh out loud," although I'm sure some would. "Raging Bull" didn't place higher because, despite its masterful direction (and I was already convinced of what Scorsese is capable of), so much of it hinges on the lead character, and I found him too one-dimensional to be really compelling, again in spite of de Niro's brilliance at capturing that dimension. The character was fully defined at the beginning of the movie, so throwing him into situations and showing him behave in an entirely predictable way didn't challenge me as a viewer. It was a bit like watching an organism under a microscope. I'll be watching "Goodfellas" soon for the first time and have high hopes for it.<br /><br />As for Bergman, he made more films that I consider masterpieces than any other director I can think of. But I know a lot of people who don't like his movies, who find them too portentous. And even for me not all of his movies achieve greatness. "Wolf" is one of these--visually brilliant and highly imaginative but a bit too solipsistic to be completely effective. For me the same applies to his earlier "The Magician"--a little too much dreaminess and reality-and-illusion puzzle. I prefer his straight dramatic films or the ones that only occasionally and with good reason veer into this area. My favorite Bergman film is "Wild Strawberries." Thanks for dropping in, and see you soon at Twenty Four Frames!R. D. Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-33779782726421314222009-10-20T04:50:24.856-07:002009-10-20T04:50:24.856-07:00R.D.
Knowing of your love for Bergman (and Sam J’...R.D.<br /><br />Knowing of your love for Bergman (and Sam J’s too) I ma not surprised to see this top your list. With such glowing reports from you and WitD I really need to see this film. I have only seen a handful (a small handful) of Bergman’s work and definitely have to be in the right frame of mind, though not too long ago I reluctantly watched “Hour of the Wolf” and found myself drawn in the Bergman’s world. What I found most stunning was the photography. <br />My biggest surprise was your high placement of “Tootsie” and the relatively low placement of “Raging Bull.” I recently finishing reading Larry Gelbart’s memoir “Laughing Matters” and he writes about his experience with “Tootsie.” It was not a happy one. It was a project he was brought into for rewrites and then other writers came in and rewrote what he did. Hoffman brought in his friend Murray Schisgal, the playwright (Luv) because he was unhappy with the script. There were other writers involved too including Elaine May. Academy Award aside he had little affection for the film. Despite all that, it’s a great film.<br />Glad to see Woody Allen represented so well with “Hannah and Her Sisters” and three in the runner up category!<br />I am no fan of “Terms of Endearment.” I just remember being too depressed after watching it.<br />I still need to catch “The Home and The World”, Brazil”, “The Night of the Shooting Stars”, “Au Revoir les Enfants” (Dave over at Goodfella’s picked this for his best film of ’87 in his year by year countdown) and “A Sunday in the Sunday.”<br /> A well thought out list!Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-26470781596120212872009-10-19T22:43:59.482-07:002009-10-19T22:43:59.482-07:00Sam, thanks for your comments and for all the grea...Sam, thanks for your comments and for all the great work you do at WitD. I didn't exactly say that the 90s and 00s suffer from a dearth of great movies--I'm not qualified to make such an assertion since I'm still catching up on films from those decades--only that the movies from those decades that I have seen are less to my taste than those of previous decades. As I say in the sidebar in ABOUT ME, "My favorite films are the classics." I don't know what the reason is, but I tend to like older movies more than recent ones, in particular the films of the 1930s-1970s. When I think and write about movies, it's mostly older ones I think of first. Thanks for your recommendation of Kieslowski. I'll be watching "Veronique" in a week or so and the "Trois Couleurs" trilogy after that. And as I wrote, I'll be checking WitD for ideas about movies from the 90s and 00s to watch, and checking your reviews of current offerings as well.R. D. Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-84687329504187640342009-10-19T18:50:18.191-07:002009-10-19T18:50:18.191-07:00Thanks very much R.D. for the glowing acknowledgem...Thanks very much R.D. for the glowing acknowledgement as always and for your banner participation through all these polls. I did notice that you were a major promoter of Bergman's work and for that as well as your top placement of FANNY AND ALEXANDER I salute you.<br /> I don't agree that the 90's and 00's suffer from a dearth of great films, but these are decades where I have visited the cinema regularly. Kieslowski is a master, and the Three Colors Trilogy and THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VGERONIQUE are essential.<br /><br /> Keep in mind that after the 90's poll we will be commencing on the "Silent Poll" which will include films from 1910 to 1929. Allan plans on a countdown of 100 for that one. You may well be interested there.<br /><br /> As always your qualifications are astute and tasteful, and your latest list is a veritable plethora of riches.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-29440046049963095912009-10-19T11:35:05.344-07:002009-10-19T11:35:05.344-07:00Hal, believe it or not, I've not yet seen anyt...Hal, believe it or not, I've not yet seen anything by Kieslowski, although I've heard many good things about him, especially the "Trois Couleurs" films. I suppose I'm daunted by the fact that I'd want to see all three of them. The others sound interesting too, and I do take your recommendations seriously. I haven't seen an awful lot by Cronenberg, but what I have seem was impressive enough to make me conclude he's one of the best current directors. I thought "Dead Ringers" was excellent (with Jeremy Irons giving one of the best twin performances ever--incredible he didn't get an Oscar nomination, one of the most egregious oversights ever--and Bujold wonderful as usual) and "Naked Lunch" was incredible (it helps that Judy Davis--in another dual performance--and Ian Holm are two of my favorites), my favorite thing I've seen by him. "Dead Zone" was also excellent, along with "Carrie" the best Stephen King adaptation I've seen, again buoyed by Walken's amazing performance, probably his best. As you know, I was quite impressed by "Eastern Promises." A couple of others made less of an impression on me, but I'll have to catch "Videodrome" and "A History of Violence."<br /><br />Kim, that's an interesting suggestion about the earlier decades, one I've thought about and might yet do. In the meantime, you might check out my **** movies, which is the list I would draw the films from if I did do anything on the 30s and 40s.<br /><br />Thanks to both of you for your comments and suggestions.R. D. Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-53923216192293842942009-10-19T08:56:30.725-07:002009-10-19T08:56:30.725-07:00I was born in the 80's and yet I have probably...I was born in the 80's and yet I have probably seen the fewest films from that decade. I do love Au Revoir Les Enfants though so I am glad to see that on your list.<br /><br />Btw although you missed the earlier polls I would still love to see lists of your favorite films from the earlier decades.Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798552679871435314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795601141833900338.post-70375008143108790662009-10-19T06:47:47.013-07:002009-10-19T06:47:47.013-07:00I generally have a marginal interest in the 80s to...I generally have a marginal interest in the 80s too.<br /><br />Have you seen any of Kieslowski's output? <i>The Decalogue</i> is probably his most famous from that decade, although there are many exceptional pictures from his oeuvre, namely <i>Camera Buff</i>, <i>Blind Chance</i>, <i>A Short Film About Killing</i> and <i>A Short Film About Love</i>. Those last two are expansions (surprise!) of two <i>Decalogue</i> episodes. He's one of my favorite filmmakers and I'd have a tough time choosing among these for the 80s, but my favorite from him is <i>The Double Life of Veronique</i> by a mile.<br /><br />Haven't seen enough Allen from this decade (only <i>Zelig</i> and <i>The Purple Rose of Cairo</i>), but I suppose my favorite from the 80s would be Cronenberg's output. <i>Videodrome</i> is in the same vein as <i>Naked Lunch</i> in terms of hallucinatory reality, but what makes it worth watching (more than once) is how it suggests technology as an evolutionary extension of our bodies/minds.hal0000https://www.blogger.com/profile/00617286573429716530noreply@blogger.com