What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Come Play With Me (1977)

Despite being the longest running British film at a cinema ever and supposedly a vehicle for Mary Millington, Come Play With Me, is in all honesty, dire.

For a start Millington barely features in a film which is also minus a plot, yet producer David Sullivan somehow managed to convince the likes of Alfie Bass and Irene Handl to star. There's plenty of nudity and sexy nurse dance routines which seem to be there to flesh out the running time, yet these vignettes are also the best thing about Come Play With Me. Saucy Sue Longhurst's presence ensures there's something worth watching, but on the whole this is the nadir (creativity wise) at the arse end of British sex cinema.

[trebor8273]

Initially set in 2017 in a totalitarian ameica and continuing 18 months later after Ben Richards (Arnie) is setup for the murder of a group of civilians, managing to escape prison he is soon recaptured and is forced to play the running man a game show where criminals are hunted to their death , Arnie is on top form with the action one liners coming thick and fast, the film does get a lot wrong about the future but gets somethings right with societys love of "reality TV" and media and government trying to control us and a shift to the far right. 7.7/10

No watching Mannequin.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by trebor8273

Initially set in 2017 in a totalitarian ameica and continuing 18 months later after Ben Richards (Arnie) is setup for the murder of a group of civilians, managing to escape prison he is soon recaptured and is forced to play the running man a game show where criminals are hunted to their death , Arnie is on top form with the action one liners coming thick and fast, the film does get a lot wrong about the future but gets somethings right with societys love of "reality TV" and media and government trying to control us and a shift to the far right. 7.7/10

I actually prefer The Running Man to Total Recall.

I'll get me coat!

[trebor8273]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I actually prefer The Running Man to Total Recall.

I'll get me coat!

Both great films might watch total recall sometime soon as it's been awhile since I've seen it.

[bleakshaun]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I actually prefer The Running Man to Total Recall.

I'll get me coat!

You said the same to me, a few months back

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[bleakshaun]

Lethal Weapon
A drugged girl falls off a high rise building which prompts an investigation by 2 cops; one of them is a straight by the books cop and the other is insane and suicidal, the pair of them have to investigate a drug ring involving mercs and military veterans.
Love this film, Gibson is brilliant, likewise with Busey and Glover. Also a great soundtrack by Eric Clapton.
9/10

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[Deadite]

Originally Posted by bleakshaun

You said the same to me, a few months back

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Yet he still lives. Why?



Just joshing Dem. Never rated Total Recall beyond seeing Sharon Stone in a leotard.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Just goes to show it's a genuine opinion and not merely trying to be controversial.

[keirarts]

Taxi Driver.

Going to say now that I like it. Then prepare for the 'overrated crap' responses to kick in.

OK, the Vue is doing monthly 4K screenings. Soon as I heard this was lined up I nearly came in my trousers. Hyperbole perhaps but I do genuinely love this film. DeNiro plays Travis Bickle, a Vietnam veteran with a few issues. To keep himself occupied while battling rampant insomnia, chronic depression and loneliness he takes up driving a cab, doing 12 hour shifts 7 days a week. Being that this is 70's New York, the dark depravities he experiences nightly take an added toll. When he falls for Betsy, played by Cybil Sheperd at her most gorgeous it seems things might turn around until low self esteem and depression causes him to sabotage things. At this point he spirals completely out of control and decides to kill prospective presidential candidate Charles Palantine the senator whose campaign Betsy works for. Foiled at the last minute he instead turns his murderous intentions towards a child prostitution ring peddling out 12 year old Iris played by Jodie Foster.

Taxi driver is a masterclass of show not tell. Through his marine core jacket and conversations we learn Travis was in the Marines. Given the era most likely Vietnam. In a scene of him training we see a nasty scar on his back suggesting he was injured in the line of duty. His constant pill popping, insomnia and need to bury himself in work suggests strongly of a case of un-diagnosed PTSD. His clothing and cowboy boots and naivete to the harsh realities suggest he's not a native New Yorker and the card he sends his parents bares this out. It's very possible then that he's someone who is trying to lose himself in the city in some way. His fixation on porno perhaps indicating a lack of experience with women, or that his situation has warped his attitudes to sex in some way. He's certainly a racist, which adds to the discomfort at spending some time in his head. where his racism comes from is not explicit but possibly from his time working the streets of New York or possibly a small town upbringing. Certainly he must have served alongside a lot of African Americans in Nam.

The new 4K scan looks marvelous on the big screen. If you ever get the chance to see this theatrically do so. It really adds to the experience. Scorsese really delivers with possibly one of the darkest films to come from a major studio. The general scuzziness of places like 42nd street and times square come to life in the film and we really get drawn into Travis's world whether we want to or not.

Also feel free to correct me if i'm wrong but with this new scan i'm almost certain in the final scenes when Travis looks into his rear view mirror we see Scorsese. It would make sense. We see him twice previously. The first we see him on the street when we are first introduced to Betsy with Travis's monologue. we see Betsy catch Scorsese's eye and his gaze specifically follows her. The next time we see him is in the back of Travis Cab as he gives a misogynistic rant about what a 44 magnum will do to a woman's pussy. If its him in that final scene it lends weight to the notion that the character(s) he's playing are part of Travis subconscious. His second scene comes almost immediately after Betsy dumps Travis and he explodes with rage at her in her office. Almost immediately after he decides to by guns and the first one he asks for is a 44 magnum. If its Scorsese at the end it would suggest Travis's demons are returning after speaking to Betsy.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by keirarts

Taxi Driver.

'overrated crap'

I'm sure some might say it's not to their taste but never in a million years could it be argued to be crap.

One of the most vital films of the 70's from one of the greatest film makers ever.

Jealous of you seeing it on the big screen K.