Films watched recently... (CAUTION, SPOILERS)

Goat

Finally watched Lords of Chaos. Some parts work well in movie terms, like the effects on the stabbings and self-harm (someone should have sectioned Dead, poor guy needed a lot of help) and the shots of Norway are nice. But it was otherwise basically that Netflix Motley Crue film but with teens trying to be evil instead of teens taking drugs and partying, and it just doesn't quite work tonally, especially when given a comedic sheen and stuff like the shoehorned love interest. I guess points for actually having black metal on the soundtrack, which shows how low my expectations were? Some of the characters as portrayed were just bizarre, Varg going from vegan nerd to porn star church burner in a flash. Attila Csihar's kid played him for like a minute, eh.

North_From_Here

About as good as one could have expected I guess. The power of low expectations.

cry_of_the_banshee

Thrash_til_Deth

Fun as hell! If you liked Payback, you'll dig the Gringo.

cry_of_the_banshee

Thrash til' Deth wrote
Fun as hell! If you liked Payback, you'll dig the Gringo.

I'll be checking this out; Gibson has made some great movies, and he isn't a PC pussy pulling any punches.

Goat

Peckinpah clearly thought well of the English, didn't he? In an alternate universe this would have launched Dustin Hoffman into a career as a Death Wish-style action hero.

Thrash_til_Deth

cry of the banshee wrote
Thrash til' Deth wrote
Fun as hell! If you liked Payback, you'll dig the Gringo.
I'll be checking this out; Gibson has made some great movies, and he isn't a PC pussy pulling any punches.

Authenticity is a rare thing in the Hollywood set. Gibson is one of the few A-List stars who will straight shoot anything you ask him. Right or wrong, he is true to himself. I'm glad he's starting to get meaningful work again after being cast out of the limelight over a decade ago.Hacksaw Ridge is worth a watch as well. Classic Gibson fare. A great adaptation of even more incredible true story.

Goat

Continuing my Peckinpah run. Loved it; so mournful and dark. Was worried about Dylan's role but he was good and suitably odd. Never been a huge Kristofferson fan but he was decent... Coburn though, just gripping, what an actor! Cross of Iron up next!

cry_of_the_banshee

Nice to see some Peckinpah make a presence. One of the better ones.Hell, even fluff pieces like Convoy are still at least entertaining.

cry_of_the_banshee

Thrash til' Deth wrote
cry of the banshee wrote
Thrash til' Deth wrote
Fun as hell! If you liked Payback, you'll dig the Gringo.
I'll be checking this out; Gibson has made some great movies, and he isn't a PC pussy pulling any punches.
Authenticity is a rare thing in the Hollywood set. Gibson is one of the few A-List stars who will straight shoot anything you ask him. Right or wrong, he is true to himself. I'm glad he's starting to get meaningful work again after being cast out of the limelight over a decade ago.Hacksaw Ridge is worth a watch as well. Classic Gibson fare. A great adaptation of even more incredible true story.

I haven't watched a new movie in close to 10 years now. Only exceptions are Mel or Clint.They are always worth checking out.I've been analyzing Gimme Shelter as of late. It's an interesting bit of cinema verite.

Thrash_til_Deth

cry of the banshee wrote
Nice to see some Peckinpah make a presence. One of the better ones.Hell, even fluff pieces like Convoy are still at least entertaining.

Ride the High Country is another good one. A low key classic, along with Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garica.

Goat wrote
Peckinpah clearly thought well of the English, didn't he?

This is a tough one to get through. Peckinpah's insecurities are on full display, and they ain't pretty. Nearly all the characters end up maimed, dead or soulless husks at the end of the movie. Even Hoffman, after finding his balls in the finale, drives off aimlessly into the night unsure of who he is now or where his life will be going. He has finally self-actualized as a man, but what a price he had to pay to get there.

Goat

cry of the banshee wrote
Nice to see some Peckinpah make a presence. One of the better ones.Hell, even fluff pieces like Convoy are still at least entertaining.

He's a hell of a director. Convoy was interesting; very deep anti-cop message, you'd think some of the woke folk would love it! But yes, very entertaining.

Thrash til' Deth wrote
Ride the High Country is another good one. A low key classic, along with Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garica.

Bring me the Head was good, RtHC is definitely on my list. And yes, SD is a very grim film.Last Eastwood one I saw was The Mule, pretty good. Funnier than expected; his sense of humour is on full display.

Goat

A bit shaky in places but a fantastic anti-war war film, brutal and grim. Coburn is as magnetic as ever but liked Warner and Mason too. Looks great in HD too, fine special effects and better slow-motion than I've seen in films made two decades later.(The stories in the special features about Peckinpah are great, from his four bottles a day habit to bbqing steaks for the crew to putting a producer's (?) wife deliberately in the rape scene. )

Thrash_til_Deth

Picked this up today. What a collection! It has nearly all of Price's best Poe adaptations (Masque of the Red Death, House of Usher and P&P) along with classics like the Haunted Palace, Dr. Phibes (the first film) and Vincent's crown jewel Witchfinder General. All with remastered audio and video plus tons of extra stuff. Definitely a worthy purchase for all old school horror buffs (looking at you, banshee).

Goat

Comedy/adventure/actioner with Lee Marvin as an alcoholic rascal and Roger Moore as a British twit, featuring everything from elephant poaching to blackface! Turns into a revenge pic halfway through, the tonal shift is downright alarming. About 45 mins to an hour too long but entertaining enough.

Thrash_til_Deth

An old Val Lewton classic and one of Karloff's best performances as grave robber John Gray. Shout Factory (bless them) has given this old beauty the Blu-ray treatment and it looks gorgeous.

Goat

RIP Sir Sean. Obviously the original James Bond but also a huge part of my movie childhood thanks to Indiana Jones etc.

Thrash_til_Deth

Goat wrote
RIP Sir Sean. Obviously the original James Bond but also a huge part of my movie childhood thanks to Indiana Jones etc.

Just saw the news. Huge bummer. Connery was a favorite.

Thrash_til_Deth

Huston's version of the Great American Novel still remains the best by a country mile. The pacing may be a bit languid for some folks but Huston's slow build from ominous dread to the storm and fury of the finale works just fine for me. The casting is excellent from top to bottom as well (Welles' sermon on Jonah and the whale is worth the price of admission alone). Peck may have been a little too young to play Ahab but he still does a damn fine job. The "pasteboard masks" scene in particular highlights his commanding presence and versatility. A shame he didn't care for his performance in the film.Since Zad is going through the Peckinpah library, I think I'll explore the Huston back catalogue. The Man Who Would Be King sounds like a great start.

Goat

I understand why you'd go to such lengths to portray Mozart as an annoying fool, but it was enough to be a distraction for me. And it's always jarring to see good actor but convicted sex offender Jeffrey Jones in roles! But the music is absolutely sublime (and I normally am bored stiff by classical) and F. Murray Abraham simply perfect.

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