What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Dam Busters (1955)

The flypast of the Lancaster bomber at Derwent reservoir yesterday, to mark the seventieth anniversary of the famous Second World War raid on German dams immediately brought the big screen version of events to mind as yesterdays "Must watch film".

The Dam Busters still stands up as a classic WW2 film fifty eight years on. From the stirring theme, The Dam Busters March, to the still excellent cinematography of the low flying raids themselves, The Dam Busters has it all and retains its power to thrill.

Although it clocks in at two hours, and the first hour and a half being mainly talking, the film fairly zips along and is never boring. This first part of the film is based around Barnes Wallis and his idea of the bouncing bomb, followed by his battles with authority figures to get the go ahead and construct them. Michael Redgrave, as Wallis always holds the viewers attention despite playing the role in a fairly restrained manner.

Around the half hour mark we meet Guy Gibson, Wing Commander and all round RAF hero, played with a typical British stiff upper lip by Richard Todd. Todd, who in real life was one of the first British officers to land in Normandy, at Pegasus Bridge during Operation Overlord is just made for these roles and clearly understands the part.

When the mission begins the film suddenly becomes an action packed thrill ride, with classic dialogue between the Lancaster crews and quite jaw dropping aerial photography for the time. The lack of the use of stock footage is a real breath of fresh air. Director Michael Anderson puts the viewer in the Lancaster bombers cockpit as we witness the barrage of anti aircraft fire all around. The end result is impressive today so must have been a real wow to audiences in the mid fifties.

The Dam Busters, a classic of British WW2 cinema, nay, a classic of British cinema full stop.

[gag]

Originally Posted by Bringer Of Funerals

I watched Swimfan which is a teenage remake of Fatal Attraction. I did enjoy it as the girl turned into a right nutjob. For the 12 BBFC rating there was a lot of violence in it.

Yes I've always said that its a remake of fatal attraction and not a bad film either.

[Vampix]

I watched Arrow's ZFE Blu-ray this morning.What can I say, it looks superb! The zombie gut-munching feast, the splinter-skewered eyeball, and the throat-ripping, worm-eyed zombie look glorious in HD.

[troggi]

Originally Posted by Vampix

I love Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion FX; as for the live actors in the films, I can take them or leave them.Mind you, Torin Thatcher and Tom Baker are great in The 7th Voyage and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

I am Ray Harryhausen's biggest fan (apart from all the dweebs who're bigger fans than me) and I totally agree about the actors. BUT (never start a sentence with but except for dramatic effect) Tom baker and Patrick Troughton are exceptions which prove the rule (and both Doctor Who of course). All the ladies seem to be there for A) eye candy, B) a plot mechanism, C) to scream a lot and be "in distress, or D) to be a baddie!

Stop motion is the star and this has been proved by the lack of popularity of the Sky T.V. series of Sinbad with CGI effects.

Am I wrong?

[Vampix]

Originally Posted by troggi

I am Ray Harryhausen's biggest fan (apart from all the dweebs who're bigger fans than me) and I totally agree about the actors. BUT (never start a sentence with but except for dramatic effect) Tom baker and Patrick Troughton are exceptions which prove the rule (and both Doctor Who of course). All the ladies seem to be there for A) eye candy, B) a plot mechanism, C) to scream a lot and be "in distress, or D) to be a baddie!

Stop motion is the star and this has been proved by the lack of popularity of the Sky T.V. series of Sinbad with CGI effects.

Am I wrong?

You're not wrong, the monsters were definitely the stars of ALL Ray Harryhausen's films.

[JoshuaKaitlyn]

From 1937:

The Life of Emile Zola Enjoyable biopic
Way Out West Love this movie! From beginning to end a laugh a minute!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Brings back a few memories of my Mum taking me and my sis to see this in the 70's. Building still there but its a mormon church now (Northenden, Manchester)
Looney Tunes: Porky's Duck Hunt An interesting first

http://www.cult-labs.com/forums/memb...tml#post342269

[artisturn]

A Cat in the Brain (Uncut) (1990)

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Dinner at Eight (1933)

Based on a Broadway play from the previous year, Dinner at Eight is an all star comedy of manners played out by an all star cast including John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Jean Harlow and Billie Burke.

During the opening act i really wasn't sure i was going to get anything out of the film, its sometimes stagy manner seemed to hamper it. However as you begin to glimpse a small fraction of the lives of the dinner guests in the hours leading up to the dinner party the film begins to get more involving.

The acting is on the whole excellent, its a shame Lionel Barrymore isn't in it more, the same goes for Harlow, as some of the soon to be guests seem more interesting than others. However each has a story to tell as more characterization comes to the fore. As the film nears the climactic dinner party the viewer easily realizes that high society and wealth are no sure means of happiness and the protagonists of this film are no different to those in todays soap operas.

After a slow start Dinner at Eight had me desperate to know how situations would play out, and i would recommend it to all who enjoy films from the golden age of Hollywood.

The film is one of four in the TCM Greatest Classic Legends: Jean Harlow set on region one Warner dvd which looks in excellent shape for a film of this vintage and has a clear crisp soundtrack. I look forward to seeing the other three films in the set.

[troggi]

"New Police story"

Jacky can't act drunk, he was a more convincing drunkard in "Drunken Master". As for the rest of the movie...TOP NOTCH! You can call me a gay cowboy's spur wheel if you want but I love Jacky Chan and all his films, yes... even "Gorgeous"

"New Police Story" 12/10 for... for... er...Jacky Chan, and if anyone wants to argue about it i'll.... er...I'll cry!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by troggi

"New Police story"

Jacky can't act drunk, he was a more convincing drunkard in "Drunken Master". As for the rest of the movie...TOP NOTCH! You can call me a gay cowboy's spur wheel if you want but I love [COLOR="rgb(0, 255, 255)"]Jacky[/COLOR] Chan and all his films, yes... even "Gorgeous"

"New Police Story" 12/10 for... for... er...[COLOR="rgb(0, 255, 255)"]Jacky[/COLOR] Chan, and if anyone wants to argue about it i'll.... er...I'll cry!

Please tell us this misspelling is a stab at humour.