tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post4664386922999599006..comments2023-11-05T02:01:53.847-06:00Comments on Antagony & Ecstasy: FLYBOYSTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-23867884043051037072012-03-05T12:54:45.910-06:002012-03-05T12:54:45.910-06:00Javi- great points, and I want to single out 2 thi...Javi- great points, and I want to single out 2 things you said: one is that Wellman doesn't let the camera settle down during dialogue scenes; so true, and so exactly what I love about him. He's such a kinetic director.<br /><br />2nd is your observation that the film ends on a high note; definitely much as that self-same <i>Titanic</i> would do 70 years later. I think the skill for ending big and then stopping immediately, before the audience has a chance to come off our high, is one that more action-adventure directors need to cultivate, because it absolutely leaves one with the sense that a film is better overall than is necessarily true.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-62691327217897986892012-03-05T12:50:27.188-06:002012-03-05T12:50:27.188-06:00In fact, I actually had a good long thing with mys...In fact, I actually had a good long thing with myself on that very subject. And while I appreciate the enthusiasm, I'm pretty certain that a full-on retrospective won't happen, if only because life's too short to sit through <i>Cimarron</i> or <i>The Life of Emile Zola</i> a second time, among others. Even though I kind of would like to have the excuse to re-write a <i>King's Speech</i> review that largely consists in arguing "Wow, isn't it funny that we all thought such a delicate trifle of a movie had a shot at winning Best Picture?"<br /><br />But there will be more reviews of Best Pictures, I am quite comfortable making that promise. Some of them are already on the calendar. And likely other fun things here and there on the subject. I've also gone ahead and added a tag for Best Picture winners reviewed on this blog, of which there have been twelve.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-59450311451625346992012-03-05T12:40:21.211-06:002012-03-05T12:40:21.211-06:00I watched this recently on blu-ray too. I agree wi...I watched this recently on blu-ray too. I agree with most everything you say. <br /><br />The movie does feel long in some stretches. Especially the first two action sequences once the boys are in the front, they get boring because they have no bearing on the overall plot at all. And in the middle of those two scenes (I believe, or they go just before it) you have the Paris section with Clara Bow, which is the worst part of the movie. I agree it was probably stretched out and played that way to justify her star billing and appease her fans. Her acting there is kind of dated too. But I absolutely loved the bubbles.<br /><br />I thought the acting was pretty subdued and effective most of the time. It seems to me the best actress in the movie was the girl with Powell in the Paris bubbles scene. I thought she was really good and modern. I wonder why the two leads didn't have much of a career afterwards, after all they were young and had starred in a big hit (I was just introduced to Arlen watching the "Island of lost souls" blu-ray, and I guess he was just an unremarkable guy). I guess the early-talkie era was a really rough and bumpy period for actors.<br /><br />And then you have the action-driven last third (or longer?) of the movie, when ground action is also featured. I think that's where most of the stuff that's still truly spectacular and awe-inspiring is. After that they neatly, briefly and effectively tie up the character stuff (although the grey hair seemed over the top to me). So overall the movie definitely ends up with a high note and you forget that it was so long.<br /><br />I liked how Wellman handled the "ordinary" dialogue scenes too, sometimes using some effective, kind of subjective tracking shots when characters move. It never felt like just regular coverage.<br /><br />I was "shocked" that I didn't mind much about the movie not being "anti-war" the way we're used to. That's how well it works, I think. That makes it more fun and easier to watch (other anti-war classics are too sad and depressing). Although the movie isn't pro-war either. I liked that Cooper's death was such a sombering note so early in the movie.<br /><br />The movie might not even be aware of male gayness, as you say, but it seems to be aware of lesbians. Check out that bravura shot you point out when the camera flies over several tables at the cafe, and in one of them you have two women who seem to be very much an item.<br /><br />This movie winning the equivalent of Best Picture Oscar reminds me a little bit of things like "Titanic"(1997) winning it. Both movies are like the big blockbuster of the year, mostly due to its technical achievements and spectacle, with teenage romance thrown in. Although I'm aware that's kind of superficial and the movies have many differences too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-31363611582659869372012-03-05T10:07:39.855-06:002012-03-05T10:07:39.855-06:00I am also in support of a Best Picture retrospecti...I am also in support of a Best Picture retrospective. It'll be fairly grueling, no doubt, but as Jordyn pointed out, there's a whole mess of well-known (and not) movies that would be fun to revisit with your customary eye towards context (e.g., <i>How Green Was My Valley</i>) and craftsmanship (e.g. <i>The Greatest Show on Earth</i>). Plus, we can finally read your full take on <i>Casablanca</i>!Andrew Testermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17636448677366233823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-23484703898458730472012-03-05T01:23:49.506-06:002012-03-05T01:23:49.506-06:00Please tell me this is the first in a Best Picture...Please tell me this is the first in a Best Picture Winners retrospective! Even though you've done a few already, I'm curious to see your take on the well-loved Godfather films, the underrated A Man For All Seasons, the overrated Lawrence of Arabia, the "controversial" Midnight Cowboy, the banal as fuck Cavalcade, the polarizing The English Patient, the laughable The Broadway Melody, the adorable Marty...you get the picture.<br /><br />I watched them all back in 2004-05. It's daunting but worth it!Jordynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07805089410734429593noreply@blogger.com