list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around From Here to Eternity on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/From_Here_to_Eternity/12634/default.aspx Title: From Here to Eternity
Year: 1953
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Plot: The scene is Schofield Army Barracks in Honolulu, in the languid days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, where James Jones' acclaimed war novel From Here to Eternity brought the aspirations and frustrations of several people sharply into focus. Sergeant Milt Warden (Burt Lancaster) enters into an affair with Karen (Deborah Kerr), the wife of his commanding officer. Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) is a loner who lives by his own code of ethics and communicates better with his bugle than he does with words. Prew's best friend is wisecracking Maggio (Frank Sinatra, in an Oscar-winning performance that revived his flagging career), who has been targeted for persecution by sadistic stockade sergeant Fatso Judson (Ernest Borgnine). Rounding out the principals is Alma Lorene (Donna Reed), a "hostess" at the euphemistically named whorehouse The New Congress Club. All these melodramatic joys and sufferings are swept away by the Japanese attack on the morning of December 7. No words could do justice to the film's most famous scene: the nocturnal romantic rendezvous on the beach, with Burt Lancaster's and Deborah Kerr's bodies intertwining as the waves crash over them. If you're able to take your eyes off the principals for a moment or two, keep an eye out for George Reeves; his supporting role was shaved down when, during previews, audiences yelled "There's Superman!" and began to laugh. From Here to Eternity won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and supporting awards to Sinatra and Reed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 20
Number of Lists: 16
Number of blog posts: 3
Number of discussion threads: 1
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:31:55 GMTFrom Here to Eternity1953Fred ZinnemannThe scene is Schofield Army Barracks in Honolulu, in the languid days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, where <a href="/players/P___173324/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James Jones</a>' acclaimed war novel From Here to Eternity brought the aspirations and frustrations of several people sharply into focus. Sergeant Milt Warden (<a href="/players/P____98588/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Burt Lancaster</a>) enters into an affair with Karen (<a href="/players/P____37896/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Deborah Kerr</a>), the wife of his commanding officer. Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt (<a href="/players/P____13682/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Montgomery Clift</a>) is a loner who lives by his own code of ethics and communicates better with his bugle than he does with words. Prew's best friend is wisecracking Maggio (<a href="/players/P___111632/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Frank Sinatra</a>, in an Oscar-winning performance that revived his flagging career), who has been targeted for persecution by sadistic stockade sergeant Fatso Judson (<a href="/players/P_____7448/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ernest Borgnine</a>). Rounding out the principals is Alma Lorene (<a href="/players/P____59251/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Donna Reed</a>), a "hostess" at the euphemistically named whorehouse The New Congress Club. All these melodramatic joys and sufferings are swept away by the Japanese attack on the morning of December 7. No words could do justice to the film's most famous scene: the nocturnal romantic rendezvous on the beach, with <a href="/players/P____98588/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Burt Lancaster</a>'s and <a href="/players/P____37896/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Deborah Kerr</a>'s bodies intertwining as the waves crash over them. If you're able to take your eyes off the principals for a moment or two, keep an eye out for <a href="/players/P___107820/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>George Reeves</a>; his supporting role was shaved down when, during previews, audiences yelled "There's Superman!" and began to laugh. From Here to Eternity won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and supporting awards to Sinatra and Reed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide20Tag Target (>10)16313http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t27223ssexn.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/From_Here_to_Eternity/12634/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2009/4/25/41754.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 4/25/2009 7:36:01 PM
Body: What's the AFI Project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx From Here to Eternity is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#52)100 Years...100 Passions (#20) I watched this next AFI entry instantly on Netflix. The only impression I had about this film going in was the vague feeling that I had seen it before. Now, having seen it for certain, I can't say I had previously watched it, at least not in its entirety. I might have seen parts, but it was so long ago, the entire film felt fresh, despite the slight twinge déjà vu clouding the proceedings. Apparently, the film is based on a novel that was very popular in the years preceding its release. It has a very melodramatic novel-esque sort of title, I think. I've never read the book. The factoid I found most curious prior to starting the film is that, though this film is ranked somewhat highly on the Original AFI list, it was not ranked at all on the Revised/Anniversary list. I was curious as to why that might be. After seeing it, I think the answer isn't as mysterious as the question. From Here to Eternity tells the story of an army barracks in Honolulu, a few miles from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, just prior to the bombing of that port and the involvement of the United States in World War II. Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) arrives at the barracks as a transplant after getting into some trouble at his previous post, and the presiding captain, Holmes, who is something of a corrupt and ambitious officer, immediately informs Prew that he was given special treatment in hopes that he will compete for the barracks' boxing team as the middleweight superstar he is reputed to be. Prew, who quit boxing because he sent his last opponent into a coma, refuses, and Captain Holmes and his boxing squad see fit to never let Prew forget it, giving him the worst details and generally bullying him, even despite intervention from his buddy Maggio (Frank Sinatra, in an Oscar-winning supporting role). In the background, silently watching over him as much as getting his own needling in, is Lieutenant Milt Warden (Burt Lancaster), a no-nonsense unit supervisor who likes Prew against his better judgment. He also likes the captain's wife Karen (Deborah Kerr) against his better judgment. Karen and the captain, meanwhile, have spent the best part of their married years cheating on each other, and when she notices the spark between her and Warden, she obliges, replete with the famous make-out scene on the beach. While they are carrying on, Prew is surviving through his superb mastery of the bugle, by keeping to himself, and by happily accepting the tutelage of Maggio in taking in the sights and liquid delights at the New Congress Club, a members-only gentleman's club, where Prew finds Loreen, also known as Alma, (Donna Reed, in an Oscar-winning supporting role), a high-class hooker with a soft spot for his dewy eyes. While they clearly grow to love each other, and while Karen and Warden have a sincere love as well, neither man can abandon their love for the army nor for the country they have sworn to protect. This film has its good points and its bad points. On the good side, the film is well acted, even if not well written or well directed. The most impressive performance belonged to Donna Reed, who was not at all Donna Reed-like in this against-type role. There were times when she portrayed an ugly and cynical worldview, and her fears and passions for Prew were decidedly sultry and sincere. It was probably the best performance of her career. Similarly, "ol' blue eyes" was a treat to watch as the funny and touching Maggio, who becomes involved in an ongoing fight for his life with the sadistic stockade sergeant, Fatso Judson (Ernest Borgnine), though his final scenes rang a bit over the top. Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr were also good, and I guess their implied sexual and overtly adulterous love affair was quite the taboo-scoffer in the year of this film's release (1953). Bold as it was, however, the sex and passion of the picture was undermined by stunted and melodramatic dialogue. In fact, that is my biggest complaint about this whole film: the entire story is portrayed in a cringingly melodramatic way. There's a primary plot point centered on the army and its inner workings, but the secondary plot points, notably the love affairs, were a touch histrionic, almost like soap operas (and, for the record, I don't really enjoy soap operas). They were indicative of the period, to be sure, but they also felt forced and unnatural and, in many ways, not relatable. There was a sweetness about Prew and Loreen and a sexy-ness about Warden and Karen, but, in the end, these love affairs are designed to be tragic, and the writing and dialogue, whether it originated from the novel or can be attributed to the adapting screenwriter's design, played more like dime-store romance novel than epic love story. In fact, some of the dialogue was simply downright cheesy. As for technical achievements, the only scene that wowed me with its filmmaking acuity was when the bombing of Pearl Harbor began. The way it was filmed, with swooping planes crisscrossing the skies over the barracks, and the shots of running bodies on the ground meeting grisly ends like dominoes toppled by automatic airborne gunfire was actually quite exciting and gave me goose bumps, in a way that the film "Pearl Harbor" never did. The sound and sound effects in this portion of the film were quite impressive for the year in which it was released. Fred Zinnemann's direction in this particular part of the film was also extremely poignant, as the focus seemed to shift toward patriotism, honor, and duty, which is why the film resonates more like a war movie than a romance drama. Of course, the pacing for the entire rest of the film belied the direction toward the exciting bombing scenes by being methodical and slow (and, yes, I experienced some sleepiness). Is it one of America's 100 greatest films in history? I would argue no. It's really the makings of an early summer blockbuster but doesn't have the solid foundation and building blocks, such as good writing, to give it that "greatness" sheen. Incidentally, the movie that replaced it at this rank was Taxi Driver, so all in all, the idea that the Revised list is more reflective of timelessness and greatness – and the need to make a Revised list to begin with - is believable. I'm not exactly sure what attracted the AFI to this film in the first place, so, perhaps, someone who enjoyed it better than me might like to comment. Ultimately, though, I enjoyed parts of From Here to Eternity, though I did not necessarily enjoy the film as a whole. It's not a film that engaged me consistently, and though it might have been a successful movie upon its release, it has not held up well as a film that merits a "greatest" rank or a film that transcends its era in timelessness or even as a film I might be inclined to pull out to watch or to recommend. There are other, better-written war romances and better war films in general. There are also better films about life in the army. As such, I'm inclined to rate this film a 6.5 for being between cute/mediocre and shaky/entertaining. I wouldn't call the film mediocre, but it's not necessarily good either. From Here to Eternity also does not pass the test, for the reasons I stated above, and I would only recommend the film if one indiscriminately enjoys films of this type or is a fan of any of the actors in this ensemble cast; in fact, I think it would be a good late night old-movie-channel popcorn flick if not a worthwhile destination movie.
]]>Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:36:01 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts4/25/2009 7:36:01 PMWhat's the AFI Project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx From Here to Eternity is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#52)100 Years...100 Passions (#20) I watched this next AFI entry instantly on Netflix. The only impression I had about this film going in was the vague feeling that I had seen it before. Now, having seen it for certain, I can't say I had previously watched it, at least not in its entirety. I might have seen parts, but it was so long ago, the entire film felt fresh, despite the slight twinge d&eacute;j&agrave; vu clouding the proceedings. Apparently, the film is based on a novel that was very popular in the years preceding its release. It has a very melodramatic novel-esque sort of title, I think. I've never read the book. The factoid I found most curious prior to starting the film is that, though this film is ranked somewhat highly on the Original AFI list, it was not ranked at all on the Revised/Anniversary list. I was curious as to why that might be. After seeing it, I think the answer isn't as mysterious as the question. From Here to Eternity tells the story of an army barracks in Honolulu, a few miles from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, just prior to the bombing of that port and the involvement of the United States in World War II. Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) arrives at the barracks as a transplant after getting into some trouble at his previous post, and the presiding captain, Holmes, who is something of a corrupt and ambitious officer, immediately informs Prew that he was given special treatment in hopes that he will compete for the barracks' boxing team as the middleweight superstar he is reputed to be. Prew, who quit boxing because he sent his last opponent into a coma, refuses, and Captain Holmes and his boxing squad see fit to never let Prew forget it, giving him the worst details and generally bullying him, even despite intervention from his buddy Maggio (Frank Sinatra, in an Oscar-winning supporting role). In the background, silently watching over him as much as getting his own needling in, is Lieutenant Milt Warden (Burt Lancaster), a no-nonsense unit supervisor who likes Prew against his better judgment. He also likes the captain's wife Karen (Deborah Kerr) against his better judgment. Karen and the captain, meanwhile, have spent the best part of their married years cheating on each other, and when she notices the spark between her and Warden, she obliges, replete with the famous make-out scene on the beach. While they are carrying on, Prew is surviving through his superb mastery of the bugle, by keeping to himself, and by happily accepting the tutelage of Maggio in taking in the sights and liquid delights at the New Congress Club, a members-only gentleman's club, where Prew finds Loreen, also known as Alma, (Donna Reed, in an Oscar-winning supporting role), a high-class hooker with a soft spot for his dewy eyes. While they clearly grow to love each other, and while Karen and Warden have a sincere love as well, neither man can abandon their love for the army nor for the country they have sworn to protect. This film has its good points and its bad points. On the good side, the film is well acted, even if not well written or well directed. The most impressive performance belonged to Donna Reed, who was not at all Donna Reed-like in this against-type role. There were times when she portrayed an ugly and cynical worldview, and her fears and passions for Prew were decidedly sultry and sincere. It was probably the best performance of her career. Similarly, "ol' blue eyes" was a treat to watch as the funny and touching Maggio, who becomes involved in an ongoing fight for his life with the sadistic stockade sergeant, Fatso Judson (Ernest Borgnine), though his final scenes rang a bit over the top. Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr were also good, and I guess their implied sexual and overtly adulterous love affair was quite the taboo-scoffer in the year of this film's release (1953). Bold as it was, however, the sex and passion of the picture was undermined by stunted and melodramatic dialogue. In fact, that is my biggest complaint about this whole film: the entire story is portrayed in a cringingly melodramatic way. There's a primary plot point centered on the army and its inner workings, but the secondary plot points, notably the love affairs, were a touch histrionic, almost like soap operas (and, for the record, I don't really enjoy soap operas). They were indicative of the period, to be sure, but they also felt forced and unnatural and, in many ways, not relatable. There was a sweetness about Prew and Loreen and a sexy-ness about Warden and Karen, but, in the end, these love affairs are designed to be tragic, and the writing and dialogue, whether it originated from the novel or can be attributed to the adapting screenwriter's design, played more like dime-store romance novel than epic love story. In fact, some of the dialogue was simply downright cheesy. As for technical achievements, the only scene that wowed me with its filmmaking acuity was when the bombing of Pearl Harbor began. The way it was filmed, with swooping planes crisscrossing the skies over the barracks, and the shots of running bodies on the ground meeting grisly ends like dominoes toppled by automatic airborne gunfire was actually quite exciting and gave me goose bumps, in a way that the film "Pearl Harbor" never did. The sound and sound effects in this portion of the film were quite impressive for the year in which it was released. Fred Zinnemann's direction in this particular part of the film was also extremely poignant, as the focus seemed to shift toward patriotism, honor, and duty, which is why the film resonates more like a war movie than a romance drama. Of course, the pacing for the entire rest of the film belied the direction toward the exciting bombing scenes by being methodical and slow (and, yes, I experienced some sleepiness). Is it one of America's 100 greatest films in history? I would argue no. It's really the makings of an early summer blockbuster but doesn't have the solid foundation and building blocks, such as good writing, to give it that "greatness" sheen. Incidentally, the movie that replaced it at this rank was Taxi Driver, so all in all, the idea that the Revised list is more reflective of timelessness and greatness &ndash; and the need to make a Revised list to begin with - is believable. I'm not exactly sure what attracted the AFI to this film in the first place, so, perhaps, someone who enjoyed it better than me might like to comment. Ultimately, though, I enjoyed parts of From Here to Eternity, though I did not necessarily enjoy the film as a whole. It's not a film that engaged me consistently, and though it might have been a successful movie upon its release, it has not held up well as a film that merits a "greatest" rank or a film that transcends its era in timelessness or even as a film I might be inclined to pull out to watch or to recommend. There are other, better-written war romances and better war films in general. There are also better films about life in the army. As such, I'm inclined to rate this film a 6.5 for being between cute/mediocre and shaky/entertaining. I wouldn't call the film mediocre, but it's not necessarily good either. From Here to Eternity also does not pass the test, for the reasons I stated above, and I would only recommend the film if one indiscriminately enjoys films of this type or is a fan of any of the actors in this ensemble cast; in fact, I think it would be a good late night old-movie-channel popcorn flick if not a worthwhile destination movie. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/2/27/40694.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/27/2009 6:01:36 PM
Body: One of the most popular sex scenes of all time is the kitchen scene from the 1981 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice. But many people find the more implicit parts of the 1946 version to be sexier. These people include the earlier film’s female lead, Lana Turner, who wrote in her autobiography, “[The makers of the 1981 film] didn’t have to worry about the censors. I’d had to project a rather intense sexual presence, but always with my clothes on. I was amused to read that [NY Times film critic] Vincent Canby considered the remake a pale, rather sexless imitation of my version.” Yes, a film with neither nudity nor simulated lovemaking can be quite sexy, likely sexier than an explicit remake, for innuendo and other teasing maneuvers around either the Hays Code or the MPAA ratings board’s restrictions are far more tantalizing than any bare and balls-out displays of graphic sex common in movies today. Though many classic implications of sex on the big screen were rather obvious and quick, giving the audience a nudge but hardly a rise (think the Eisensteinian metaphors of a train entering a tunnel in North by Northwest or fireworks exploding in To Catch a Thief), loads of films turned up the heat through the use of careful camerawork, daring dialogue and more subtly suggestive actions. Sometimes such sexy moments of tension and/or playfulness are definite forms of foreplay and serve as lead-ins to actual sex acts, on or off screen. But not always. Everyone has his or her own ideas of what’s sexy, so feel free to disagree with our choices and/or suggest your own (I can guess what the first suggestion will be). Consider our list simply a starting point for discussion. “‘Makin’ Whoopee’ scene,” from The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) Basically, this famous scene, in which Susie Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer) sings “Makin’ Whoopee” while wriggling around atop a piano, is a slightly classier version of Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” music video. Just as loads of metal heads dreamed they were David Coverdale’s Jaguar, a few years later tons of moviegoers wished they could have been that piano. “Bogie gets wet,” from The Big Sleep (1946) Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) and the unnamed bookseller (Dorothy Malone) may actually get it on offscreen following this flirtatious exchange, but even if their little rye-drinking party is purely an innocent moment between two strangers waiting out a rainstorm, there’s no denying the sexual energy going on between them. While it may be hard for a guy to understand the appeal of the quite blunt and rude Marlowe (are the glasses really that big a turn-off, Bogie?), Malone is very sexy when communicating her eagerness for whatever, even before she complies with the eyewear request and then voluntarily lets down her hair. Just watch her reaction when he says, “I’d a lot rather get wet in here.” “Airplane scene,” from Chungking Express (1994) As far as suggestive imagery goes, the way Cop 663 (Tony Leung) plays with that toy airplane around the half-clothed stewardess (Valerie Chow) is only slightly subtler than the aforementioned montages from North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief, but Wong Kar Wai is much more sensual in the way he films his symbolic object. Certainly there is more direct sexiness to be found without Eisensteinian cutaways, anyway, and the additional innuendo provided by the airline safety instructions and the stewardess’ spilling of her beer gives the scene a delectable feeling of reciprocation. “Kiss scene on the beach,” from From Here to Eternity (1953) This scene is a bit of an obvious choice, and in a way it barely counts because the whole thing involves an explicit form of intimacy between two lovers (Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr) that can hardly be considered completely non-sexual. But the reason we’re including it is because it’s one of the greatest and most unmistakable substitutes for an actual, outright sex scene ever put on film. That’s why so many films have imitated it so faithfully, even in times when it’s been more favorable and more acceptable to recreate the scene without the bathing suits. “Gable takes off his shirt,” from It Happened One Night (1934) Unlike Bogie’s come on, the appeal of Gable’s undressing is completely understandable, to either sex. And it’s not just clear in the way Ellie (Claudette Colbert) stares and then rushes off to her side of the room all hot and bothered. Male audiences also recognized the sexiness of the scene, evidenced in the film’s infamous influence on the (misfortunate) undershirt business. There’s plenty of sexual tension going on in the rest of the “walls of Jericho” sequence, and Colbert’s behind-the-sheet undressing is also quite sexy (as is her iconic hitchhiking display in another scene), but considering male stripping in cinema is rarely so inviting, we have to go with this narrowed-down choice. “The phone scene,” from It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Were you aware that such a seemingly family-friendly director as Frank Capra gave us so many sexy scenes? There’s not much in It’s a Wonderful Life that’s as arousing as those mentioned moments from It Happened One Night, but one of the all-time best shots depicting sexual tension is in this holiday favorite. If George (James Stewart) and Mary (Donna Reed) hadn’t finally kissed at the end of this scene, audiences would probably have just burst in their seats. “‘Moonglow’ dance,” from Picnic (1955) Beginning with Kim Novak’s sultry wiggle down the steps, this is one of the sexiest dances in cinema, and that’s compared to hundreds of more explicit numbers throughout film history. Even without the graphic double crotch shot, which is used to frame Susan Strasberg (though surely you’re not actually focusing on her, right?), the scene is as clearly a substitute for sex as the beach scene from From Here to Eternity. “Jane changes clothes in silhouette,” from Tarzan and His Mate (1934) It wasn’t the first time a silhouetted stripping scene was used in a film. But we just couldn’t include the moment from the “Petting in the Park” number from Gold Diggers of 1933, because the voyeuristic kid makes it just a little too creepy. Besides, the idea of a nude woman silhouetted against a tent wall is a more iconic image, one that’s been constantly redone both erotically and comically. A later scene in the film, in which Jane (Maureen O’Sullivan, though replaced at this moment by Olympic swimmer Josephine McKim) goes skinny-dipping with Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller), is also quite a sexy non-sex scene. “Lusty eating scene,” from Tom Jones (1963) Did anyone else see the recent special episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations about the concept of food porn? Or, has anyone else felt a little dirty watching Padma Lakshmi bite into an apple during Top Chef promos? Well maybe not all cinephiles are also foodies, but for those that are, the feast of food and foreplay in Tom Jones is certainly relatable. Watching Tom (Albert Finney) and Mrs. Waters (Joyce Redman) may not directly turn you on, but if you understand the erotic power of food, you should at least be able to appreciate the sexual energy here. “Returning stolen goods,” from Trouble in Paradise (1932) Far more than Frank Capra, Ernst Lubitsch was responsible for many of the sexiest films of the ‘30s and ‘40s, but it’s arguably Trouble in Paradise that tops them all. Using his signature “Lubitsch touch,” he had a way of getting around censors by only carefully alluding to censorable things, all through the trust in the audience’s ability to read between the lines and imagine what’s happening behind closed doors. His sexiest scene, however, is more blatant than all that; two master criminals (Miriam Hopkins and Herbert Marshall) fall in love while returning the items they’ve pickpocketed off each other. Decades later, people will see a similar sexiness in a scene from Mr. and Mrs. Smith, clearly derivative of this scene, in which Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt pat each other down for weapons while dancing. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:01:36 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/27/2009 6:01:36 PMOne of the most popular sex scenes of all time is the kitchen scene from the 1981 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice. But many people find the more implicit parts of the 1946 version to be sexier. These people include the earlier film’s female lead, Lana Turner, who wrote in her autobiography, “[The makers of the 1981 film] didn’t have to worry about the censors. I’d had to project a rather intense sexual presence, but always with my clothes on. I was amused to read that [NY Times film critic] Vincent Canby considered the remake a pale, rather sexless imitation of my version.” Yes, a film with neither nudity nor simulated lovemaking can be quite sexy, likely sexier than an explicit remake, for innuendo and other teasing maneuvers around either the Hays Code or the MPAA ratings board’s restrictions are far more tantalizing than any bare and balls-out displays of graphic sex common in movies today. Though many classic implications of sex on the big screen were rather obvious and quick, giving the audience a nudge but hardly a rise (think the Eisensteinian metaphors of a train entering a tunnel in North by Northwest or fireworks exploding in To Catch a Thief), loads of films turned up the heat through the use of careful camerawork, daring dialogue and more subtly suggestive actions. Sometimes such sexy moments of tension and/or playfulness are definite forms of foreplay and serve as lead-ins to actual sex acts, on or off screen. But not always. Everyone has his or her own ideas of what’s sexy, so feel free to disagree with our choices and/or suggest your own (I can guess what the first suggestion will be). Consider our list simply a starting point for discussion. “‘Makin’ Whoopee’ scene,” from The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) Basically, this famous scene, in which Susie Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer) sings “Makin’ Whoopee” while wriggling around atop a piano, is a slightly classier version of Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” music video. Just as loads of metal heads dreamed they were David Coverdale’s Jaguar, a few years later tons of moviegoers wished they could have been that piano. “Bogie gets wet,” from The Big Sleep (1946) Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) and the unnamed bookseller (Dorothy Malone) may actually get it on offscreen following this flirtatious exchange, but even if their little rye-drinking party is purely an innocent moment between two strangers waiting out a rainstorm, there’s no denying the sexual energy going on between them. While it may be hard for a guy to understand the appeal of the quite blunt and rude Marlowe (are the glasses really that big a turn-off, Bogie?), Malone is very sexy when communicating her eagerness for whatever, even before she complies with the eyewear request and then voluntarily lets down her hair. Just watch her reaction when he says, “I’d a lot rather get wet in here.” “Airplane scene,” from Chungking Express (1994) As far as suggestive imagery goes, the way Cop 663 (Tony Leung) plays with that toy airplane around the half-clothed stewardess (Valerie Chow) is only slightly subtler than the aforementioned montages from North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief, but Wong Kar Wai is much more sensual in the way he films his symbolic object. Certainly there is more direct sexiness to be found without Eisensteinian cutaways, anyway, and the additional innuendo provided by the airline safety instructions and the stewardess’ spilling of her beer gives the scene a delectable feeling of reciprocation. “Kiss scene on the beach,” from From Here to Eternity (1953) This scene is a bit of an obvious choice, and in a way it barely counts because the whole thing involves an explicit form of intimacy between two lovers (Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr) that can hardly be considered completely non-sexual. But the reason we’re including it is because it’s one of the greatest and most unmistakable substitutes for an actual, outright sex scene ever put on film. That’s why so many films have imitated it so faithfully, even in times when it’s been more favorable and more acceptable to recreate the scene without the bathing suits. “Gable takes off his shirt,” from It Happened One Night (1934) Unlike Bogie’s come on, the appeal of Gable’s undressing is completely understandable, to either sex. And it’s not just clear in the way Ellie (Claudette Colbert) stares and then rushes off to her side of the room all hot and bothered. Male audiences also recognized the sexiness of the scene, evidenced in the film’s infamous influence on the (misfortunate) undershirt business. There’s plenty of sexual tension going on in the rest of the “walls of Jericho” sequence, and Colbert’s behind-the-sheet undressing is also quite sexy (as is her iconic hitchhiking display in another scene), but considering male stripping in cinema is rarely so inviting, we have to go with this narrowed-down choice. “The phone scene,” from It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Were you aware that such a seemingly family-friendly director as Frank Capra gave us so many sexy scenes? There’s not much in It’s a Wonderful Life that’s as arousing as those mentioned moments from It Happened One Night, but one of the all-time best shots depicting sexual tension is in this holiday favorite. If George (James Stewart) and Mary (Donna Reed) hadn’t finally kissed at the end of this scene, audiences would probably have just burst in their seats. “‘Moonglow’ dance,” from Picnic (1955) Beginning with Kim Novak’s sultry wiggle down the steps, this is one of the sexiest dances in cinema, and that’s compared to hundreds of more explicit numbers throughout film history. Even without the graphic double crotch shot, which is used to frame Susan Strasberg (though surely you’re not actually focusing on her, right?), the scene is as clearly a substitute for sex as the beach scene from From Here to Eternity. “Jane changes clothes in silhouette,” from Tarzan and His Mate (1934) It wasn’t the first time a silhouetted stripping scene was used in a film. But we just couldn’t include the moment from the “Petting in the Park” number from Gold Diggers of 1933, because the voyeuristic kid makes it just a little too creepy. Besides, the idea of a nude woman silhouetted against a tent wall is a more iconic image, one that’s been constantly redone both erotically and comically. A later scene in the film, in which Jane (Maureen O’Sullivan, though replaced at this moment by Olympic swimmer Josephine McKim) goes skinny-dipping with Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller), is also quite a sexy non-sex scene. “Lusty eating scene,” from Tom Jones (1963) Did anyone else see the recent special episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations about the concept of food porn? Or, has anyone else felt a little dirty watching Padma Lakshmi bite into an apple during Top Chef promos? Well maybe not all cinephiles are also foodies, but for those that are, the feast of food and foreplay in Tom Jones is certainly relatable. Watching Tom (Albert Finney) and Mrs. Waters (Joyce Redman) may not directly turn you on, but if you understand the erotic power of food, you should at least be able to appreciate the sexual energy here. “Returning stolen goods,” from Trouble in Paradise (1932) Far more than Frank Capra, Ernst Lubitsch was responsible for many of the sexiest films of the ‘30s and ‘40s, but it’s arguably Trouble in Paradise that tops them all. Using his signature “Lubitsch touch,” he had a way of getting around censors by only carefully alluding to censorable things, all through the trust in the audience’s ability to read between the lines and imagine what’s happening behind closed doors. His sexiest scene, however, is more blatant than all that; two master criminals (Miriam Hopkins and Herbert Marshall) fall in love while returning the items they’ve pickpocketed off each other. Decades later, people will see a similar sexiness in a scene from Mr. and Mrs. Smith, clearly derivative of this scene, in which Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt pat each other down for weapons while dancing. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/7/24/33038.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/24/2008 2:01:14 PM
Body: One of the many fads for cinephilic YouTubers, perhaps next in popularity after mashups and sweded remakes, is the condensed movie. Actually, thanks to a recent Empire contest, the art of sweding and the art of fitting features into a 60-second time frame is now also a mashed-up fad (though I guess sweding has always involved shortened versions). But while in this day and age any fanboy can do a shortened remake of his or her favorite movie or an abridged recut that breaks a film down to its bare essentials (i.e. its use of the f-word), condensing a film is not necessarily a low art. Just look at the 76-minute video Academy by R. Luke DuBois, a conceptual artist who works with both audio and visual mediums. A couple of years ago, using a time-lapse process, DuBois crafted this compilation of sped-up versions of Best Picture Oscar winners, which he says “allows us to explore the temporal, formal, and aesthetic progression of the first seventy-five years of the Academy awards by taking each film and compressing, sound and picture, into a single minute.” I’ll let you decide if there’s actually a difference between Academy and something like this. If you go by DuBois’ interests in Gestalt and his claim that “Repeat viewing of the entire piece allows the viewer not only to see cinematic history unfolding, but also to see formal tropes in cinematography, editing, and music direction exposed through the massive acceleration of temporal scale employed by the piece,” then it’s true that he’s got more academic credit. And as far as worthwhile viewing, I also think DuBois wins. Of the seven Academy samples available on the web (compressed versions of Wings, Gone WIth the Wind, From Here to Eternity, West Side Story, The French Connection, Amadeus and Titanic), I’ve seen six of the films, and because each video includes the film in its entirety, I feel like I’ve gotten a refresher viewing of each of them. I only wish I could watch all movies that fast the first time — ingesting them fully, of course, not as a skimming. Maybe I’d be able to see more of the old films I get criticized each day for not having seen enough of. Anyway, because I can’t embed any of the clips of Academy, I leave you with a completely different sort of condensed version of a film: a rap recreation of The Shawshank Redemption, which is a film that didn’t win Best Picture but maybe should have. And I must say that this video is every bit as brilliant as DuBois’ scholarly film-related endeavors. Enjoy. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:01:14 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/24/2008 2:01:14 PM One of the many fads for cinephilic YouTubers, perhaps next in popularity after mashups and sweded remakes, is the condensed movie. Actually, thanks to a recent Empire contest, the art of sweding and the art of fitting features into a 60-second time frame is now also a mashed-up fad (though I guess sweding has always involved shortened versions). But while in this day and age any fanboy can do a shortened remake of his or her favorite movie or an abridged recut that breaks a film down to its bare essentials (i.e. its use of the f-word), condensing a film is not necessarily a low art. Just look at the 76-minute video Academy by R. Luke DuBois, a conceptual artist who works with both audio and visual mediums. A couple of years ago, using a time-lapse process, DuBois crafted this compilation of sped-up versions of Best Picture Oscar winners, which he says “allows us to explore the temporal, formal, and aesthetic progression of the first seventy-five years of the Academy awards by taking each film and compressing, sound and picture, into a single minute.” I’ll let you decide if there’s actually a difference between Academy and something like this. If you go by DuBois’ interests in Gestalt and his claim that “Repeat viewing of the entire piece allows the viewer not only to see cinematic history unfolding, but also to see formal tropes in cinematography, editing, and music direction exposed through the massive acceleration of temporal scale employed by the piece,” then it’s true that he’s got more academic credit. And as far as worthwhile viewing, I also think DuBois wins. Of the seven Academy samples available on the web (compressed versions of Wings, Gone WIth the Wind, From Here to Eternity, West Side Story, The French Connection, Amadeus and Titanic), I’ve seen six of the films, and because each video includes the film in its entirety, I feel like I’ve gotten a refresher viewing of each of them. I only wish I could watch all movies that fast the first time — ingesting them fully, of course, not as a skimming. Maybe I’d be able to see more of the old films I get criticized each day for not having seen enough of. Anyway, because I can’t embed any of the clips of Academy, I leave you with a completely different sort of condensed version of a film: a rap recreation of The Shawshank Redemption, which is a film that didn’t win Best Picture but maybe should have. And I must say that this video is every bit as brilliant as DuBois’ scholarly film-related endeavors. Enjoy. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_Recasting_RAIDERS_OF_THE_LOST_ARK_1981/563/29309/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 5/16/2008 6:51:55 PM
Body: Laurence Harvey - Indiana Jones Katherine Hepburn - Marion Ravenwood Basil Rathbone - Dr. Rene Belloq Peter Lorre - Major Arnold Toht Orson Welles - Sallah Buster Keaton - Dr. Marcus Brody Frank Puglia - Satipo Rudolph Valentino - Colonel Dietrich Ernest Borgnine - Major Eaton Circa 1950, this could actually have been made with everyone at an appropriate age to fill their roles except for Rudolph Valentino (The Sheik) who would be spot on as Colonel Dietrich except for the fact that he had already died. Laurence Harvey (The Manchurian Candidate) and Katherine Hepburn (Christopher Strong) would have that undeniably flirtatious tension between them. And what would be more fun than having Peter Lorre's (M) face being melted? Orson Welles (Citizen Kane), Basil Rathbone (The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes) and Buster Keaton (The General) were masters of the craft and could play any role. Frank Puglia (Now, Voyager) would play the bumbling local native perfectly. Lastly, Ernest Borgnine (From Here to Eternity) really needs no explanation.
]]>Fri, 16 May 2008 22:51:55 GMTmercurialFilmgaming5/16/2008 6:51:55 PM Laurence Harvey - Indiana Jones Katherine Hepburn - Marion Ravenwood Basil Rathbone - Dr. Rene Belloq Peter Lorre - Major Arnold Toht Orson Welles - Sallah Buster Keaton - Dr. Marcus Brody Frank Puglia - Satipo Rudolph Valentino - Colonel Dietrich Ernest Borgnine - Major Eaton Circa 1950, this could actually have been made with everyone at an appropriate age to fill their roles except for Rudolph Valentino (The Sheik) who would be spot on as Colonel Dietrich except for the fact that he had already died. Laurence Harvey (The Manchurian Candidate) and Katherine Hepburn (Christopher Strong) would have that undeniably flirtatious tension between them. And what would be more fun than having Peter Lorre's (M) face being melted? Orson Welles (Citizen Kane), Basil Rathbone (The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes) and Buster Keaton (The General) were masters of the craft and could play any role. Frank Puglia (Now, Voyager) would play the bumbling local native perfectly. Lastly, Ernest Borgnine (From Here to Eternity) really needs no explanation. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
Number of films tagged: 816

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Number of films tagged: 92

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Number of films tagged: 83

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]]>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:16:34 GMT8326118Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/hawaii/MemberTagFilms.aspxhawaii
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]]>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:03:52 GMT1842233Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/extramaritalaffair/MemberTagFilms.aspxextramaritalaffair
Number of films tagged: 3121

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Number of films tagged: 1035

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]]>Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:41:19 GMT10351731Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Director/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Director
Number of films tagged: 39

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]]>Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:53:34 GMT39847Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Great-cast/MemberTagFilms.aspxGreat-cast
Number of films tagged: 9

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]]>Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:49:09 GMT9811Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/realism/MemberTagFilms.aspxrealism
Number of films tagged: 8

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]]>Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:27:38 GMT878Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Adapted-Screenplay/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Adapted-Screenplay
Number of films tagged: 22

Number of people who tagged: 6

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]]>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:50:37 GMT22627Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Cinematography/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Cinematography
Number of films tagged: 24

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