On with the '80's...gnarly dude!

I am glad to see everybody enjoy The Sting, as I said...it's one of my favorite movies. Since we have very little voting going on, I decided Taxi Driver would be a good late '70's movie. I enjoyed it, but I think the students will either love it or hate it. BUT, I do have a poll for the early '80's movies....hehehehe...this is the time I was a wee lad.

Raging Bull (1980) R
Robert De Niro won the Oscar for his portrayal of self-destructive boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's widely acclaimed biopic. De Niro's powerful performance, combined with Scorsese's black-and-white realism, paints a raw portrait of a tormented soul unable to control his violent outbursts. Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci also star. This edition includes commentary from Scorsese, producer Irwin Winkler and LaMotta himself, among others.

The Shining (1980) R
All work and no play make Jack a bloodthirsty boy. On the wagon after his alcoholism created family troubles, aspiring novelist Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) accepts a position as off-season custodian at an elegant but eerie hotel so he can write undisturbed. No sooner have Jack, his wife (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny settled in than the ominous hotel starts to wield its sinister power over father and son.

The Elephant Man (1980) PG
In this Oscar-nominated drama based on a true story, physically abnormal John Merrick (John Hurt) endures ostracizing, taunting behavior as a sideshow attraction in mid-19th century England. Despite his horribly disfigured face and body and barely perceptible speech, concerned doctor Frederick Treves (Sir Anthony Hopkins) recognizes Merrick to be highly intelligent and works to save the Elephant Man's dignity. Directed by David Lynch.

Blade Runner (1982) R
In the dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is called out of retirement to snuff a quartet of escaped "replicants" -- androids consigned to slave labor on remote planets -- seeking a way to extend their short life spans. This version includes both the theatrical cut and director Ridley Scott's cut that comes with a different ending and the omission of Ford's narration, giving the film a different tone.

It's time for the early '70's

Next film session will be the movie, The Graduate. I enjoy the movie every now and then, I"m not a big Hoffman fan. You gotta love the music though! This will be a GREAT movie to watch after seeing Pyscho. The change of styles in comparing the two movies is huge. They are both great movies, but for very different reasons. Now, here's was on the agenda for the voting polls.

Sleuth (1972)
Milo Tindle (Michael Caine) has an affair with Marguerite (Eve Channing), the wife of mystery writer Andrew Wyke (Laurence Olivier). Andrew tells Milo he'd be glad to be rid of his wife, but wants to avoid paying alimony. He suggests that Milo pretend to rob the house and get away with the wife and her jewelry, while Andrew claims the insurance loss. You won't guess all the twists in this smart psychological thriller. -- provided by Netflix

The Sting (1973)
Fueled by ragtime music, The Sting takes the thrill of the confidence game to giddy heights. After rookie grifter Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) tracks down veteran flim-flam man Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) in 1930s Chicago, the duo plans to fleece a homicidal racketeer (Robert Shaw) through a phony racetrack scam. Ripe with double and triple crosses, The Sting keeps viewers guessing (and yearning for another Newman-Redford seriocomic teaming). -- provided by Netflix -- THIS IS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MOVIES!!

Chinatown (1974) R
Private eye J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) uncovers intricate dirty dealings in the Los Angeles waterworks and gets his nose slashed for his grief. Suspicious, porcelain-skinned femme fatale Faye Dunaway (who harbors a nasty family secret) finances Gittes's snooping. Director Roman Polanski reimagines 1930s Los Angeles in this brilliant detective thriller. And Robert Towne's onion-like script reveals itself one complex layer at a time. -- provided by Netflix

The Conversation (1974)
Gene Hackman set the standard for 1970s film acting with his portrayal of Harry Caul, a surveillance expert obsessed with his privacy. A past mistake -- and the fear that he may repeat it -- haunts Caul. The Conversation benefits from tremendous supporting performances (especially that of the late, great John Cazale), excellent use of San Francisco locales and Walter Murch's sound editing. -- provided by Netflix

PYSCHOTHERAPY, PYSCHOTHERAPY, PYSCHOTHERAPY IS WHAT THEY WANNA GIVE ME!!!!

Ahhhh...the Ramones, or Skid Row, or whoever else sang that song. Yesterday we viewed Pyscho and it seem to go over very well. Only one person had seen the remake of the movie and that made it more enjoyable to watch. I always liked the background story that sets up the night at Bate's Motel. I think, after viewing the movie, Norman looks a lot like my brother-in-law. I'll have to let him know that! Be sure to vote for the next movie!! And YEAH you're too late on those questions Sam! I'll put a new quote in before our next movie and give candy to the winner, if there is one!

Guess Who's Back?!?!

After a long break and a few personal matters, the Film Club will resume. On December 4th, I will be showing Pyscho (1960). On IMDb.com, it rated an 8.7 by website fans. I do not know if most of the students have seen the original movie, but I cannot deny them the great camera work by Hitchcock (the director, not the superhero movie - which by the way, is great). So, for a late 1960's movie, I have picked out four very different movies. By the way, you can vote for a movie as many times as you want!!! So, if you really want to see a movie and it's not getting the votes, KEEP VOTING!!! Here's the rundown...
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
What we have here is a failure to communicate! Lucas Jackson (Paul Newman) is a man who likes to do things his own way. That leads to a world of hurt when he winds up in a hellish Southern prison camp -- and on the wrong side of a sadistic warden (Strother Martin). George Kennedy won an Oscar as a fellow prisoner who tries to break Luke and then comes to revere him. The stellar cast includes Dennis Hopper, Harry Dean Stanton and Joe Don Baker. -- provided by Netflix -- rated an 8.3 on IMDb.com (#16 for 1960's)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Legendary outlaws Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) display perfect comedic timing and charisma as they pull off heist after heist in this Oscar-winning film from director George Roy Hill. To evade a relentless posse, the boys flee to Bolivia, thinking they'll find easier pickings there. But trouble finds the fugitives wherever they go, and soon, the charming desperadoes are on the run again. -- provided by Netflix -- rated an 8.2 on IMDb.com (#27 for 1960's)
The Graduate (1967) R
Dustin Hoffman (in his first major film role) turns in a landmark performance as a naïve young man recently graduated from college who is seduced by a middle-aged neighbor (Anne Bancroft). He, in turn, falls in love with her daughter (Katharine Ross). Mike Nichols won a Best Director Oscar, and Simon and Garfunkel achieved immortality with a score that includes "Mrs. Robinson." -- provided by Netflix -- rated an 8.1 on IMDb.com (#29 for 1960's)
Rosemary's Baby (1968) R
Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), the young wife of a struggling actor (John Cassavetes), is thrilled to find out she's pregnant. But the larger her belly grows, the more certain she becomes that her unborn child is in danger. Perhaps there's something sinister behind the odd enthusiasm her eccentric neighbors (Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon, in an Oscar-winning performance) have for her welfare. Or perhaps it's all in her mind. -- provided by Netflix -- rated an 8.0 on IMDb.com (#49 for 1960's)

We watched the #1 movie of all time (according to AFI)

It seems the students enjoyed the movie Citizen Kane, especially at the end when everything comes together. We breifly talked about Orson Welles and his radio play for War of the Worlds. I enjoyed the line, "Don't believe everything you hear on the radio," spoken by Welles himself. The controversy about who's responsible for the screenply for Kane and the rumors about the movie being based on William Randolph Hearst add to the pleasure of watching this film. It may not be my favorite movie of all time, but it is a great movie to share with young viewers. Now, for the roundup for next session on October 23, 2008.

The Third Man(1949) NR
Who was Harry Lime? And who killed him? And is he really dead? These are just a few of the questions writer-turned-sleuth Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) tries to answer as he trolls the shadowy streets of postwar Vienna. Director Carol Reed turns Graham Greene's classic mystery into a film noir without equal. You'll be humming the zither theme for weeks! -- provided by Netflix

The Big Sleep(1946) UR
Tough-as-nails private eye Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) takes on a blackmail case and soon falls for Lauren Bacall, the feisty daughter of a wealthy general. The plot thickens when the murder victims pile up. The film was blessed with stellar talent: Raymond Chandler wrote the novel on which the movie is based, William Faulkner adapted the book for the screen, and Howard Hawks directed. -- provided by Netflix

Notorious(1946) UR
This top-notch Hitchcock espionage thriller builds to an incredibly suspenseful climax. Government agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) recruits Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) to spy on her father's influential Nazi friends. As part of her cover, she marries ringleader Claude Rains, but finds she's falling in love with Grant. The 360-degree camera pan around a smitten Grant and Bergman ranks as one of the screen's hottest love scenes. -- provided by Netflix

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre(1948) NR
John Huston won Academy Awards for writing and directing this powerful saga that pits gold against greed in the wilds of Mexico. Three poverty-stricken dreamers (Walter Huston, Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt) head to the mountains south of the border in search of gold. Their fortune and friendship grow at first, but soon, paranoia and greed begin to take over, endangering all that they've gained. Walter Huston also won an Oscar for his role. -- provided by Netflix

Citizen Kane - October 9, 2008 - 3:45 pm

For next Thursday, Citizen Kane has been voted in. It won with a whopping 2 votes out of 3. Hey, this could be the last movie for the club...if I don't see more interaction and voting on here! The blog is available on the school's computers and yet still nobody but Bobby and Sam have left comments! I could be at home doing more constructive things....Let's start this up....NEW GAME....First person (you have a week to answer this) who can tell me what movie this quote is from, I will personally bring YOU in candy for the next movie.

"You can't expect to put the two of us up in the maid's room."
"Well don't get excited. I'll remove the maid out."

Here's a bonus quote for you...see if anyone can get this one!

"Welly, welly, welly, welly, welly, welly, well. To what do I owe the extreme pleasure of this surprising visit?"

The Lady Vanishes

We watched Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes today and I think everybody was uncomfortable sitting in a science class. But we can't be comfortable all the time. The movie was enjoyed after the initial slow start and none of the students knew what was going on at the beginning of the movie. Hopefully, the rest of the film sessions can be either in the library or a different classroom (with a pulldown screen). Now we know why the humming guitarist was killed! We also learned what a "macguffin" is, according to Hitchcock. I didn't know if any of the students saw Hitchcock's cameo appearance near the end of the movie wearing a black coat and smoking a cigarette (as usual). Orson Welles supposedly watched this movie 11 times!! Which we may view his most classic movie October 9th! VOTE NOW!