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      <title>Film:Once Upon a Time in the West</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/films/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_the_West/25435/default.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<table width='100%' style='font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><tr><td><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' /></td>
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<strong>Title:</strong> Once Upon a Time in the West<br/>
<strong>Year:</strong> 1969<br/>
<strong>Director:</strong> Sergio Leone<br/>
<strong>Plot:</strong> In <a href="/players/P____99378/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sergio Leone</a>'s epic Western, shot partly in Monument Valley, a revenge story becomes an epic contemplation of the Western past. To get his hands on prime railroad land in Sweetwater, crippled railroad baron Morton (<a href="/players/P____23282/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gabriele Ferzetti</a>) hires killers, led by blue-eyed sadist Frank (<a href="/players/P____24097/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Henry Fonda</a>), who wipe out property owner Brett McBain (<a href="/players/P____77184/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Frank Wolff</a>) and his family. McBain's newly arrived bride, Jill (<a href="/players/P____10829/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Claudia Cardinale</a>), however, inherits it instead. Both outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards) and lethally mysterious Harmonica (<a href="/players/P_____8686/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Charles Bronson</a>) take it upon themselves to look after Jill and thwart Frank's plans to seize her land. As alliances and betrayals mutate, it soon becomes clear that Harmonica wants to get Frank for another reason -- it has "something to do with death." As in his "<a href=/films/55981/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Dollars</a>" trilogy, Leone transforms the standard Western plot through the visual impact of widescreen landscapes and the figures therein. At its full length, Once Upon a Time in the West is Leone's operatic masterwork, worthy of its legend-making title. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide<br/>
<strong>Times Tagged:</strong> 18<br/>
<strong>Number of Lists:</strong> 38<br/>
<strong>Number of blog posts:</strong> 12<br/>
<strong>Number of discussion threads:</strong> 9<br/>
<strong>SpoutRating:</strong> 4<br/>
</td></tr></table>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:22:16 GMT</pubDate><spout:Title>Once Upon a Time in the West</spout:Title><spout:Year>1969</spout:Year><spout:Director>Sergio Leone</spout:Director><spout:Plot>In &lt;a href="/players/P____99378/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Sergio Leone&lt;/a&gt;'s epic Western, shot partly in Monument Valley, a revenge story becomes an epic contemplation of the Western past. To get his hands on prime railroad land in Sweetwater, crippled railroad baron Morton (&lt;a href="/players/P____23282/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Gabriele Ferzetti&lt;/a&gt;) hires killers, led by blue-eyed sadist Frank (&lt;a href="/players/P____24097/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Henry Fonda&lt;/a&gt;), who wipe out property owner Brett McBain (&lt;a href="/players/P____77184/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Frank Wolff&lt;/a&gt;) and his family. McBain's newly arrived bride, Jill (&lt;a href="/players/P____10829/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Claudia Cardinale&lt;/a&gt;), however, inherits it instead. Both outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards) and lethally mysterious Harmonica (&lt;a href="/players/P_____8686/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Charles Bronson&lt;/a&gt;) take it upon themselves to look after Jill and thwart Frank's plans to seize her land. As alliances and betrayals mutate, it soon becomes clear that Harmonica wants to get Frank for another reason -- it has "something to do with death." As in his "&lt;a href=/films/55981/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Dollars&lt;/a&gt;" trilogy, Leone transforms the standard Western plot through the visual impact of widescreen landscapes and the figures therein. At its full length, Once Upon a Time in the West is Leone's operatic masterwork, worthy of its legend-making title. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide</spout:Plot><spout:TimesTagged>18</spout:TimesTagged><spout:taglevel>Tag Target (&gt;10)</spout:taglevel><spout:Numberoflists>38</spout:Numberoflists><spout:NumberOfBlogPosts>12</spout:NumberOfBlogPosts><spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads>9</spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads><spout:SpoutRating>4</spout:SpoutRating><spout:FilmCoverURL>http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg</spout:FilmCoverURL><spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL>http://www.spout.com/films/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_the_West/25435/default.aspx</spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL><spout:type>Film</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: director ratings - Sergio Leone - Giù la testa (Duck, You Sucker) (A Fistful of Dynamite)</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/11/5/44306.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/5353/default.aspx'>Risselada</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/default.aspx'>Risselada Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 11/5/2009 11:16:49 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> This is the sixth feature length film I've seen by director Sergio Leone.  I chose to watch this film based on previous good ratings I've given other films by this director and to better my favorite directors by algorithm listing. Gi&ugrave; la testa (Duck, You Sucker) (A Fistful of Dynamite) Sergio Leone is the author of my very favorite film, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  The similarly styled and A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, both starring Clint Eastwood as essentially the same character were highly enjoyable lead ups.  You could see Leone's style developing and improving along the same path.  The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly was the perfect climax of that style. You could say every single one of his films took place at an era in history bit later than his previous one.  His next film Once Upon a Time in the West is also fantastic and shares a lot in style with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but there is a definite change in direction as well.  I guess he was thinking since he had perfected that style, there was no reason to keep remaking it.  Once Upon a Time in the West is slower paced, more brooding, and for the first and only time as a lead role for a woman.  Something about the movies seem to be more and more dark and socially and politically conscious.  To put it frankly, they are less fun. Since I had already seen his final film Once Upon a Time in America, I can now see that I should have expected what tone Duck, You Sucker would be in.  But for some reason I thought I read here that this was Leone's most comical film.  That is pretty far from the truth.  The two main characters can themselves be comical, but in a way that is covering up or coming out of a lot more sickness and pain. It's a film about revolution, with some of Leone's signature sparse and enigmatic character flashbacks.  Yeah it's a great film, but for pure satisfaction, I prefer the dollars trilogy era Leone. Sergio Leone:Total feature length films seen: 6Previous average film score: 9New average film score: 8.8333 Rating: 8/10<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:16:49 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Risselada</spout:postby><spout:postto>Risselada Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>11/5/2009 11:16:49 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body>This is the sixth feature length film I've seen by director Sergio Leone.  I chose to watch this film based on previous good ratings I've given other films by this director and to better my favorite directors by algorithm listing. Gi&amp;ugrave; la testa (Duck, You Sucker) (A Fistful of Dynamite) Sergio Leone is the author of my very favorite film, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  The similarly styled and A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, both starring Clint Eastwood as essentially the same character were highly enjoyable lead ups.  You could see Leone's style developing and improving along the same path.  The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly was the perfect climax of that style. You could say every single one of his films took place at an era in history bit later than his previous one.  His next film Once Upon a Time in the West is also fantastic and shares a lot in style with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but there is a definite change in direction as well.  I guess he was thinking since he had perfected that style, there was no reason to keep remaking it.  Once Upon a Time in the West is slower paced, more brooding, and for the first and only time as a lead role for a woman.  Something about the movies seem to be more and more dark and socially and politically conscious.  To put it frankly, they are less fun. Since I had already seen his final film Once Upon a Time in America, I can now see that I should have expected what tone Duck, You Sucker would be in.  But for some reason I thought I read here that this was Leone's most comical film.  That is pretty far from the truth.  The two main characters can themselves be comical, but in a way that is covering up or coming out of a lot more sickness and pain. It's a film about revolution, with some of Leone's signature sparse and enigmatic character flashbacks.  Yeah it's a great film, but for pure satisfaction, I prefer the dollars trilogy era Leone. Sergio Leone:Total feature length films seen: 6Previous average film score: 9New average film score: 8.8333 Rating: 8/10</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: director ratings - Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/10/28/44247.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/5353/default.aspx'>Risselada</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/default.aspx'>Risselada Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 10/28/2009 1:13:09 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> This is the seventh feature length film I've seen by director Quentin Tarantino.  I chose to watch this film based on previous good ratings I've given other films by this director and to better my favorite directors by algorithm listing. Inglourious Basterds I've seen all of Tarantino's films.  And since I've become a fan I've made to sure to see all of them in the theatre.  There are a lot of things that irk me about his style.  Some of them irk me while giving me delight at the same time.  But I always find the films entertaining. This film starts right out with a scene that was clearly modeled off of one of the very first scenes of my favorite film of all time The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  I know this to be Tarantino's favorite film of all time as well, so I wasn't too surprised.  But Tarantino really has me being pulled back and forth violently regarding my admiration for this scene.  My joy at wanting to call it a delightful homage and my disgust at what seems almost like straight up plagiarism are constantly at war trough my viewing of this scene. The segment starts out with the subtitle "Once Upon a Time in Nazi Occupied France" which is another in the long line of "Once Upon a Time..." titled films started by The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly director Sergio Leone with such films as Once Upon a Time in the West and Once Upon a Time in America.  Then we hear the music of Ennio Morricone who became famous for providing all of the music in all of Leone's films from A Fistful of Dollars onward.  Now the scene being referenced is our introduction to Lee Van Cleef's character, or "the bad".  In The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, we see him riding up ominously to an isolated farmer's home.  The farmer has a long, tense meal with the farmer.  It begins with very few words and ends with mass murder by guns.  There are endless similarities in structure, character, and tone.  Tarantino's use of characters talking about movies is another point of tension for me.  It's cool to see references to other films and film personalities of that era, but sometimes it seems a little unrealistic or forced the way these things are discussed.  Is Tarantino trying to show us how cool and knowledgeable he is about film, or is he naturally just so that it comes out. Brad Pitt is super fun in this movie and would have been the most memorable character if he wasn't completely blown away by the revelation that is Christoph Waltz.  Thank goodness Tarantino brought this guy to my attention.  I'd never heard of him before despite the fact that he clearly has tons of talent and experience and a long filmography of European films.  Here's hoping this guy will get more worthy parts.  Anyone have any suggestions for his older films to see? *What follows may be a spoiler of sorts.  There was a while as the plot was building that I felt like there was a lack of tension because what the protagonists were trying to do would alter the outcome of major World War II history was we know it.  Since I already knew how the war ended, I felt like I knew if certain aspects of the plot would be successful or not.  But as we neared the climax I realized there was no reason to feel like Tarantino of anyone would stick to straight history over his own sense of what would make a film the most exciting.  It's an alternate history as a form of exploitation filmmaking that isn't apparent at first. It was a little strange to watch this film right after Mother Night.  Although the films are quite different, because they both deal with Nazis and even some on screen representation of real famous Nazis I almost got a few scenes mixed up in my head.  At least some of the themes of the two films entwined themselves in my mind.  It made an interesting thematic double feature of sorts. Quentin Tarantino:Total feature length films seen: 7Previous average film score: 9New average film score: 9 Rating: 9/10<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:13:09 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Risselada</spout:postby><spout:postto>Risselada Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>10/28/2009 1:13:09 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>This is the seventh feature length film I've seen by director Quentin Tarantino.  I chose to watch this film based on previous good ratings I've given other films by this director and to better my favorite directors by algorithm listing. Inglourious Basterds I've seen all of Tarantino's films.  And since I've become a fan I've made to sure to see all of them in the theatre.  There are a lot of things that irk me about his style.  Some of them irk me while giving me delight at the same time.  But I always find the films entertaining. This film starts right out with a scene that was clearly modeled off of one of the very first scenes of my favorite film of all time The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  I know this to be Tarantino's favorite film of all time as well, so I wasn't too surprised.  But Tarantino really has me being pulled back and forth violently regarding my admiration for this scene.  My joy at wanting to call it a delightful homage and my disgust at what seems almost like straight up plagiarism are constantly at war trough my viewing of this scene. The segment starts out with the subtitle "Once Upon a Time in Nazi Occupied France" which is another in the long line of "Once Upon a Time..." titled films started by The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly director Sergio Leone with such films as Once Upon a Time in the West and Once Upon a Time in America.  Then we hear the music of Ennio Morricone who became famous for providing all of the music in all of Leone's films from A Fistful of Dollars onward.  Now the scene being referenced is our introduction to Lee Van Cleef's character, or "the bad".  In The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, we see him riding up ominously to an isolated farmer's home.  The farmer has a long, tense meal with the farmer.  It begins with very few words and ends with mass murder by guns.  There are endless similarities in structure, character, and tone.  Tarantino's use of characters talking about movies is another point of tension for me.  It's cool to see references to other films and film personalities of that era, but sometimes it seems a little unrealistic or forced the way these things are discussed.  Is Tarantino trying to show us how cool and knowledgeable he is about film, or is he naturally just so that it comes out. Brad Pitt is super fun in this movie and would have been the most memorable character if he wasn't completely blown away by the revelation that is Christoph Waltz.  Thank goodness Tarantino brought this guy to my attention.  I'd never heard of him before despite the fact that he clearly has tons of talent and experience and a long filmography of European films.  Here's hoping this guy will get more worthy parts.  Anyone have any suggestions for his older films to see? *What follows may be a spoiler of sorts.  There was a while as the plot was building that I felt like there was a lack of tension because what the protagonists were trying to do would alter the outcome of major World War II history was we know it.  Since I already knew how the war ended, I felt like I knew if certain aspects of the plot would be successful or not.  But as we neared the climax I realized there was no reason to feel like Tarantino of anyone would stick to straight history over his own sense of what would make a film the most exciting.  It's an alternate history as a form of exploitation filmmaking that isn't apparent at first. It was a little strange to watch this film right after Mother Night.  Although the films are quite different, because they both deal with Nazis and even some on screen representation of real famous Nazis I almost got a few scenes mixed up in my head.  At least some of the themes of the two films entwined themselves in my mind.  It made an interesting thematic double feature of sorts. Quentin Tarantino:Total feature length films seen: 7Previous average film score: 9New average film score: 9 Rating: 9/10</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:From which of the following countries have you seen the most films?</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_From_which_of_the_following_countries_have_you/657/39978/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/5353/default.aspx'>Risselada</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/657/discussions.aspx'>Movie Polls</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/27/2009 3:24:05 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> [quote user="Dr_Gor"]    I think you people are all sick in the head.  The ONE SINGLE country I have seen the most movies from, other than America, would have to be Italy!   Hellooo?   What about ALL of the great  "spaghetti-westerns" ...   and NOT just the Clint Eastwood ones but there were several others as well like  Once Upon A Time In The West   with Henry Fonda and Charly Bronsan and  Cutthroats 9  and  China 9, Liberty 37  (yes, that IS an actual title of an Itallian western...)  ...    And what about ALL of the GREAT Itallian Horror Movies?   Do names like Fulci, Argento, Bava, D'Amato, Lenzi, Deodato and Leone mean anything to you people?                                                            &lt; GOR &gt; [/quote] I took all of the spaghetti westerns and other Italian horror movies and everything else into account.  You know that The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is my favorite film.  Still I think I've seen more Japanese and French movies even considering all of that. I also must mention that I sadly missed a chance to see Once Upon A Time In The West on the big screen at the Chicago Music Box theatre recently.  They always have great stuff going on there.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:24:05 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Risselada</spout:postby><spout:postto>Movie Polls</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/27/2009 3:24:05 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>[quote user="Dr_Gor"]    I think you people are all sick in the head.  The ONE SINGLE country I have seen the most movies from, other than America, would have to be Italy!   Hellooo?   What about ALL of the great  "spaghetti-westerns" ...   and NOT just the Clint Eastwood ones but there were several others as well like  Once Upon A Time In The West   with Henry Fonda and Charly Bronsan and  Cutthroats 9  and  China 9, Liberty 37  (yes, that IS an actual title of an Itallian western...)  ...    And what about ALL of the GREAT Itallian Horror Movies?   Do names like Fulci, Argento, Bava, D'Amato, Lenzi, Deodato and Leone mean anything to you people?                                                            &amp;lt; GOR &amp;gt; [/quote] I took all of the spaghetti westerns and other Italian horror movies and everything else into account.  You know that The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is my favorite film.  Still I think I've seen more Japanese and French movies even considering all of that. I also must mention that I sadly missed a chance to see Once Upon A Time In The West on the big screen at the Chicago Music Box theatre recently.  They always have great stuff going on there.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:From which of the following countries have you seen the most films?</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_From_which_of_the_following_countries_have_you/657/39950/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/122321/default.aspx'>seely</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/657/discussions.aspx'>Movie Polls</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/27/2009 9:48:09 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Thats a really good point.  Its easy to forget that such 'American' films were actually filmed on foreign soil.  Given my love for Westerns, its quite possible that Italy is #2 for me, and possibly even #1.  The 'spaghetti western' is one of my favorite genre's, and I'm more than a little ashamed I had to be reminded of it. [quote user="Dr_Gor"]    I think you people are all sick in the head.  The ONE SINGLE country I have seen the most movies from, other than America, would have to be Italy!   Hellooo?   What about ALL of the great  "spaghetti-westerns" ...   and NOT just the Clint Eastwood ones but there were several others as well like  Once Upon A Time In The West   with Henry Fonda and Charly Bronsan and  Cutthroats 9  and  China 9, Liberty 37  (yes, that IS an actual title of an Itallian western...)  ...    And what about ALL of the GREAT Itallian Horror Movies?   Do names like Fulci, Argento, Bava, D'Amato, Lenzi, Deodato and Leone mean anything to you people?                                                            &lt; GOR &gt; [/quote]<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:48:09 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>seely</spout:postby><spout:postto>Movie Polls</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/27/2009 9:48:09 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Thats a really good point.  Its easy to forget that such 'American' films were actually filmed on foreign soil.  Given my love for Westerns, its quite possible that Italy is #2 for me, and possibly even #1.  The 'spaghetti western' is one of my favorite genre's, and I'm more than a little ashamed I had to be reminded of it. [quote user="Dr_Gor"]    I think you people are all sick in the head.  The ONE SINGLE country I have seen the most movies from, other than America, would have to be Italy!   Hellooo?   What about ALL of the great  "spaghetti-westerns" ...   and NOT just the Clint Eastwood ones but there were several others as well like  Once Upon A Time In The West   with Henry Fonda and Charly Bronsan and  Cutthroats 9  and  China 9, Liberty 37  (yes, that IS an actual title of an Itallian western...)  ...    And what about ALL of the GREAT Itallian Horror Movies?   Do names like Fulci, Argento, Bava, D'Amato, Lenzi, Deodato and Leone mean anything to you people?                                                            &amp;lt; GOR &amp;gt; [/quote]</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:From which of the following countries have you seen the most films?</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_From_which_of_the_following_countries_have_you/657/39946/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/5711/default.aspx'>Dr_Gor</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/657/discussions.aspx'>Movie Polls</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/26/2009 11:48:16 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong>    I think you people are all sick in the head.  The ONE SINGLE country I have seen the most movies from, other than America, would have to be Italy!   Hellooo?   What about ALL of the great  "spaghetti-westerns" ...   and NOT just the Clint Eastwood ones but there were several others as well like  Once Upon A Time In The West   with Henry Fonda and Charly Bronsan and  Cutthroats 9  and  China 9, Liberty 37  (yes, that IS an actual title of an Itallian western...)  ...    And what about ALL of the GREAT Itallian Horror Movies?   Do names like Fulci, Argento, Bava, D'Amato, Lenzi, Deodato and Leone mean anything to you people?                                                            &lt; GOR &gt;<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:48:16 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Dr_Gor</spout:postby><spout:postto>Movie Polls</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/26/2009 11:48:16 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>   I think you people are all sick in the head.  The ONE SINGLE country I have seen the most movies from, other than America, would have to be Italy!   Hellooo?   What about ALL of the great  "spaghetti-westerns" ...   and NOT just the Clint Eastwood ones but there were several others as well like  Once Upon A Time In The West   with Henry Fonda and Charly Bronsan and  Cutthroats 9  and  China 9, Liberty 37  (yes, that IS an actual title of an Itallian western...)  ...    And what about ALL of the GREAT Itallian Horror Movies?   Do names like Fulci, Argento, Bava, D'Amato, Lenzi, Deodato and Leone mean anything to you people?                                                            &amp;lt; GOR &amp;gt;</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: The Dark Knight IMAX ticket winners!</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/23/39844.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/9325/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog on spout.com</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/23/2009 4:00:40 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> I don’t want to publish the Twitter identities of those who have won tickets to see The Dark Knight on IMAX, a contest we announced yesterday, but I will tell you what movies they told us, via Twitter, what movies they’d like to see released on the IMAX screen:

Caligula
Blade Runner
Mulholland Drive
Once Upon a Time in America / Once Upon a Time in the West
Titanic
Lawrence of Arabia
Young Frankenstein / Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Brazil 
Drunken Master
E.T. / The Green Mile

As you’d expect there are a lot of epics on the list as well as a couple of offbeat choices - I love the people who suggested Brazil and Young Frankenstein.
Thanks to everyone who sent in their suggestions and look for more contests like this in the future. Make sure to keep following @spout for updates, news and more. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:00:40 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>SpoutBlog</spout:postby><spout:postto>SpoutBlog on spout.com</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/23/2009 4:00:40 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>I don’t want to publish the Twitter identities of those who have won tickets to see The Dark Knight on IMAX, a contest we announced yesterday, but I will tell you what movies they told us, via Twitter, what movies they’d like to see released on the IMAX screen:

Caligula
Blade Runner
Mulholland Drive
Once Upon a Time in America / Once Upon a Time in the West
Titanic
Lawrence of Arabia
Young Frankenstein / Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Brazil 
Drunken Master
E.T. / The Green Mile

As you’d expect there are a lot of epics on the list as well as a couple of offbeat choices - I love the people who suggested Brazil and Young Frankenstein.
Thanks to everyone who sent in their suggestions and look for more contests like this in the future. Make sure to keep following @spout for updates, news and more. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:Weekly Theme for December 1: The Anti-Hero</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_December_1_The_Anti_Hero/625/38034/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/5711/default.aspx'>Dr_Gor</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/625/discussions.aspx'>Weekly Theme</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 12/8/2008 2:19:12 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong>    Charlie Bronson in ALL of the  Death Wish  movies as well as  The Dirty Doizen  and  The Magnificent Seven  and   The White Buffalo  and  Once Upon A Time In The West  AND  Mr. Majestyk  AND  The Mechanic  AND  From Noon Till Three ...  <br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:19:12 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Dr_Gor</spout:postby><spout:postto>Weekly Theme</spout:postto><spout:postdate>12/8/2008 2:19:12 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body>   Charlie Bronson in ALL of the  Death Wish  movies as well as  The Dirty Doizen  and  The Magnificent Seven  and   The White Buffalo  and  Once Upon A Time In The West  AND  Mr. Majestyk  AND  The Mechanic  AND  From Noon Till Three ...  </spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Now, That's How You Open A Movie! #1</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/ibetolis/archive/2008/7/29/33257.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/134298/default.aspx'>Ibetolis</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/ibetolis/default.aspx'>Film for the Soul</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 7/29/2008 6:03:21 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> I'm a sucker for a great opening scene, even if that film goes on to be rubbish I'll still hold on to that opening moment and review it over and over. I've lost count of the great scenes I've accumulated in my head, the numerous rewinding and scene selections I've gone through in order to watch and re-watch my favourite moments.In a new series I plan to bring to you those moments, first up is the grand daddy of them all, the definition of the grand opener; Once Upon a Time in the WestThe scene below is actually longer but I can't find the first scene in its entirety; if anyone out there knows of one please direct my attention to it and I'll post it straight away.  There are a good 5 minutes before we join the action which were gently paced and building the suspence slowly to the climatic gun fight.However this scene is still charged with menace and foreboding, please watch for yourself and learn from a master. Originally posted on:Film for the Soul<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:03:21 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Ibetolis</spout:postby><spout:postto>Film for the Soul</spout:postto><spout:postdate>7/29/2008 6:03:21 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>I'm a sucker for a great opening scene, even if that film goes on to be rubbish I'll still hold on to that opening moment and review it over and over. I've lost count of the great scenes I've accumulated in my head, the numerous rewinding and scene selections I've gone through in order to watch and re-watch my favourite moments.In a new series I plan to bring to you those moments, first up is the grand daddy of them all, the definition of the grand opener; Once Upon a Time in the WestThe scene below is actually longer but I can't find the first scene in its entirety; if anyone out there knows of one please direct my attention to it and I'll post it straight away.  There are a good 5 minutes before we join the action which were gently paced and building the suspence slowly to the climatic gun fight.However this scene is still charged with menace and foreboding, please watch for yourself and learn from a master. Originally posted on:Film for the Soul</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: The Rarely Recognized Art of the Profile Shot</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/smooth_j/archive/2008/7/28/33178.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/119047/default.aspx'>Smooth_J</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/smooth_j/default.aspx'>Smooth_J Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 7/28/2008 2:21:02 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> The idea for this analysis came to mind when I recently saw Bergman's The Seventh Seal.  While I was not quite as blown away by the film as most accolades of the film would suggest, I still found it to be an excellent movie, and could see very clearly the influence it has had on so many films that have come after it. The one scene that I especially noticed a direct legacy in later films was a short, almost gimmicky little snippet during the medieval religious cult scene in the town--where the drums are beating loudly, people are screaming in agony as whips crack, and monks and other repenters are carrying enormous crosses on their backs.  There is a short string of profile shots: Antonius, Jons, and "The Girl" (the only specific name I could find for her anywhere on the internet).  The cuts between the faces are done with the beats of the drums; they are perfectly centered, with mist or smoke rising in the backgrounds, adding to each image's raw, black-and-white imagery; and each face perfectly describes what each character is feeling in the specific scene.  Antonius stares onward at the happenings, in the middle of an intense existential dilemma, scrutinizing the scene and attempting to sort out what it all could mean.  Jons observes with amused (yet somewhat disturbed) contempt for not only the people of the scene, but for all of humanity.  And The Girl stares ahead in fear, the only one of them who truly realizes the oncoming apocalypse at such an early stage.  At first glance, it seems like an empty trick thrown in for effect by Bergman.  But such use of tone and the profile shot have been used countless times, seemingly originated by Bergman and his equals at this time of cinematic experimentation.  For example, this technique of switching profiles to the beat of something is used pretty much verbatum in the film I'm Not There, where Todd Haynes switches between all the faces of Bob Dylan to the sound of gunshots--all in misty black-and-white photography. What makes a profile shot so effective is that (sorry for this cliche...) every face tells a story, and it only takes a skilled actor, a good director, and a camera with the right film to turn it into a work of art.  But I mean, portraits and sculpture dating back to prehistoric times make use of the nuances of the human face, from Egyptian sculptures of pharaohs, the stone heads of Easter Island, and technically even Native American tikis.  Different societies and different mediums of art have used the face for various forms of expression, and it is probably one of the most common depictions in art.  Look at the Mona Lisa--it's one of the most famous works of art ever created, and it is a painting of a woman's face.  It's the mystery behind her expressions, her features, her true identity that makes the work so timeless and so debatable. However, there's something about seeing the human face framed in a camera--especially on a black-and-white one--that is so beautiful and so perfect.  In my mind, who cares about Joe Wright's five minute tracking shot.  Hundreds of extras, thousands of dollars, all to capture a vast expanse of imagery without any empathy involved.  For a well-done profile shot, all one needs an actor, a director, and a camera--nothing else.  I'm not necessarily saying that a tracking shot would not be a work of art, since it is one in itself, but I feel as though such broadness cannot capture the undeniable intimacy of human emotion that is shown on any person's face.  Even one's eyes, shifting crazily during a "trip" through time and space (2001: A Space Odyssey) have the ability to captivate a viewer, and give them a glimpse into a character's psyche. Last night, while running through this topic in my head, I came up with several movies and genres that utilize the human profile extensively.  The first that came to mind was the film-noir genre, with its fims' personal, close feel.  Who can forget the faces of the tortured heroes of these films, driving around puffing on their ever-present cigarettes?  While my knowledge of this genre is pretty limited, I know enough to recognize the faces of the classic noir heroes.  Neo-noir and crime films have taken up these techniques, especially films like Pulp Fiction (and other Tarantino) and Chinatown (which is pretty much classic noir). Another film that really sticks out in my mind is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with its infamous final shoot-out of only profile shots and guns.  Leone had a gift for the small touches of the human face, as he also demonstrates his penchant for this in Once Upon a Time in the West.  He perfectly illustrates the dirtiness and inherent wickedness in a lot of his characters through perfectly staged shots of their sweaty, grizzled faces. Kubrick was an auteur in many ways, and one that I have especially noticed is his perfect use of a framed, still camera shot.  One of my favorites occurs in Dr. Strangelove, with the shot of General Jack Ripper during one of his monologues, where the camera is beneath his face and it basically looking right up his nose at a crooked angle.  Just the staging of this shot gives the viewer a perfect sense of how unhinged the man really is.  It's hilarity through just good direction. Now, I hate to stray off of my established topic, but I feel as though I can't discuss the profile shot without talking about its cinematic opposite, the subjective shot.  While not nearly as popular, in the right hands, it can be nearly as effective as the human profile.  David Lynch has pretty much mastered this craft, and he uses it flawlessly to create almost unbearable terror in Inland Empire.  One of the most terrifying experiences I've every had while watching a movie happened when I watched Mulholland Dr. for the first time, when the man in the restaraunt is walking to face the monster in the alley--Lynch uses the man's point of view to emphasize the horror being faced.  I pretty much shit my pants.  Did that aspect of the film really serve much of a purpose?  No, not really.  But it has an undeniable finesse and effectiveness that makes it essential to the overall tone of the movie.  Another film that uses the subjective point of view to enhance horror is one that I watched recently, Dreyer's Vampyr.  It is a short scene in which it is used, but creates a great sense of claustrophic fear. A couple of films that go hand-in-hand in terms of use of POV are Being John Malkovich and Diving Bell and the Butterfly.  BJM flawlessly portrays being inside the head of someone else, from the sound effects to the imagery.  You ARE walking around in someone else's shoes, and it's amazing.  DB&amp;tB also uses this technique of seeing the world through someone else's eyes.  Schnabel meticulously recreates the feeling of being confined within one's mind, with no escape and no possible sense of escape.  It is a beautiful technique used in an absolutely beautiful film, and it heightens the unending and unavoidable sadness of the film.  In a convoluted way, the film also makes great use of the profile shot--from the eyes of Bauby.  The lighting and camera effects used illustrate the beauty of his nurse's faces unlike anything I have ever seen, framing them in his one eye with the foggy edges.  The camera examines their features as though you are Bauby, longing to reach out and touch them, but you can't and it is near torture. For the most part, it is foreign directors that use these sort of simple shots to greatest effect--I feel as though they typically can emphasize beauty better than any American director ever could, not only through profile and POV but also through beauty of landscapes. Now, I know I must address that nearly every movie uses these sorts of methods, and my film repertoire may not permit me to do a full elucidation on such topics.  However, I have always been taken aback by the immense possibilities of film-making.  As I have dreams of becoming a film-maker, I can't help but analyze such things when I watch movies, and take them to mind when imagining camera angles and writing ideas.  And the things that I have always marveled at are the simple things that can be done by anyone with an idea, a camera, and subject.  That's where the true beauty of film-making lies, in its simplest artistry.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:21:02 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Smooth_J</spout:postby><spout:postto>Smooth_J Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>7/28/2008 2:21:02 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>The idea for this analysis came to mind when I recently saw Bergman's The Seventh Seal.  While I was not quite as blown away by the film as most accolades of the film would suggest, I still found it to be an excellent movie, and could see very clearly the influence it has had on so many films that have come after it. The one scene that I especially noticed a direct legacy in later films was a short, almost gimmicky little snippet during the medieval religious cult scene in the town--where the drums are beating loudly, people are screaming in agony as whips crack, and monks and other repenters are carrying enormous crosses on their backs.  There is a short string of profile shots: Antonius, Jons, and "The Girl" (the only specific name I could find for her anywhere on the internet).  The cuts between the faces are done with the beats of the drums; they are perfectly centered, with mist or smoke rising in the backgrounds, adding to each image's raw, black-and-white imagery; and each face perfectly describes what each character is feeling in the specific scene.  Antonius stares onward at the happenings, in the middle of an intense existential dilemma, scrutinizing the scene and attempting to sort out what it all could mean.  Jons observes with amused (yet somewhat disturbed) contempt for not only the people of the scene, but for all of humanity.  And The Girl stares ahead in fear, the only one of them who truly realizes the oncoming apocalypse at such an early stage.  At first glance, it seems like an empty trick thrown in for effect by Bergman.  But such use of tone and the profile shot have been used countless times, seemingly originated by Bergman and his equals at this time of cinematic experimentation.  For example, this technique of switching profiles to the beat of something is used pretty much verbatum in the film I'm Not There, where Todd Haynes switches between all the faces of Bob Dylan to the sound of gunshots--all in misty black-and-white photography. What makes a profile shot so effective is that (sorry for this cliche...) every face tells a story, and it only takes a skilled actor, a good director, and a camera with the right film to turn it into a work of art.  But I mean, portraits and sculpture dating back to prehistoric times make use of the nuances of the human face, from Egyptian sculptures of pharaohs, the stone heads of Easter Island, and technically even Native American tikis.  Different societies and different mediums of art have used the face for various forms of expression, and it is probably one of the most common depictions in art.  Look at the Mona Lisa--it's one of the most famous works of art ever created, and it is a painting of a woman's face.  It's the mystery behind her expressions, her features, her true identity that makes the work so timeless and so debatable. However, there's something about seeing the human face framed in a camera--especially on a black-and-white one--that is so beautiful and so perfect.  In my mind, who cares about Joe Wright's five minute tracking shot.  Hundreds of extras, thousands of dollars, all to capture a vast expanse of imagery without any empathy involved.  For a well-done profile shot, all one needs an actor, a director, and a camera--nothing else.  I'm not necessarily saying that a tracking shot would not be a work of art, since it is one in itself, but I feel as though such broadness cannot capture the undeniable intimacy of human emotion that is shown on any person's face.  Even one's eyes, shifting crazily during a "trip" through time and space (2001: A Space Odyssey) have the ability to captivate a viewer, and give them a glimpse into a character's psyche. Last night, while running through this topic in my head, I came up with several movies and genres that utilize the human profile extensively.  The first that came to mind was the film-noir genre, with its fims' personal, close feel.  Who can forget the faces of the tortured heroes of these films, driving around puffing on their ever-present cigarettes?  While my knowledge of this genre is pretty limited, I know enough to recognize the faces of the classic noir heroes.  Neo-noir and crime films have taken up these techniques, especially films like Pulp Fiction (and other Tarantino) and Chinatown (which is pretty much classic noir). Another film that really sticks out in my mind is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with its infamous final shoot-out of only profile shots and guns.  Leone had a gift for the small touches of the human face, as he also demonstrates his penchant for this in Once Upon a Time in the West.  He perfectly illustrates the dirtiness and inherent wickedness in a lot of his characters through perfectly staged shots of their sweaty, grizzled faces. Kubrick was an auteur in many ways, and one that I have especially noticed is his perfect use of a framed, still camera shot.  One of my favorites occurs in Dr. Strangelove, with the shot of General Jack Ripper during one of his monologues, where the camera is beneath his face and it basically looking right up his nose at a crooked angle.  Just the staging of this shot gives the viewer a perfect sense of how unhinged the man really is.  It's hilarity through just good direction. Now, I hate to stray off of my established topic, but I feel as though I can't discuss the profile shot without talking about its cinematic opposite, the subjective shot.  While not nearly as popular, in the right hands, it can be nearly as effective as the human profile.  David Lynch has pretty much mastered this craft, and he uses it flawlessly to create almost unbearable terror in Inland Empire.  One of the most terrifying experiences I've every had while watching a movie happened when I watched Mulholland Dr. for the first time, when the man in the restaraunt is walking to face the monster in the alley--Lynch uses the man's point of view to emphasize the horror being faced.  I pretty much shit my pants.  Did that aspect of the film really serve much of a purpose?  No, not really.  But it has an undeniable finesse and effectiveness that makes it essential to the overall tone of the movie.  Another film that uses the subjective point of view to enhance horror is one that I watched recently, Dreyer's Vampyr.  It is a short scene in which it is used, but creates a great sense of claustrophic fear. A couple of films that go hand-in-hand in terms of use of POV are Being John Malkovich and Diving Bell and the Butterfly.  BJM flawlessly portrays being inside the head of someone else, from the sound effects to the imagery.  You ARE walking around in someone else's shoes, and it's amazing.  DB&amp;amp;tB also uses this technique of seeing the world through someone else's eyes.  Schnabel meticulously recreates the feeling of being confined within one's mind, with no escape and no possible sense of escape.  It is a beautiful technique used in an absolutely beautiful film, and it heightens the unending and unavoidable sadness of the film.  In a convoluted way, the film also makes great use of the profile shot--from the eyes of Bauby.  The lighting and camera effects used illustrate the beauty of his nurse's faces unlike anything I have ever seen, framing them in his one eye with the foggy edges.  The camera examines their features as though you are Bauby, longing to reach out and touch them, but you can't and it is near torture. For the most part, it is foreign directors that use these sort of simple shots to greatest effect--I feel as though they typically can emphasize beauty better than any American director ever could, not only through profile and POV but also through beauty of landscapes. Now, I know I must address that nearly every movie uses these sorts of methods, and my film repertoire may not permit me to do a full elucidation on such topics.  However, I have always been taken aback by the immense possibilities of film-making.  As I have dreams of becoming a film-maker, I can't help but analyze such things when I watch movies, and take them to mind when imagining camera angles and writing ideas.  And the things that I have always marveled at are the simple things that can be done by anyone with an idea, a camera, and subject.  That's where the true beauty of film-making lies, in its simplest artistry.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Non-review review #3</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/zularian/archive/2008/7/1/31991.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t34308wnyig.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/63976/default.aspx'>Zularian</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/zularian/default.aspx'>Zularian Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 7/1/2008 7:22:09 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> I am feeling a bit grumpy at the moment so I am going to revisit the subject of my first post -- that of a director pilfering through their own material. There are a number of excellent examples of this but I am going to limit myself to two directors. The reason for this is that both of these men, Robert Rodriguez and Kevin Smith have had a very large impact on me. My current career path has been shaped largely by these directors which is why their transgressions pain me so. First, Mr. Smith. Once upon a time there was a directory who made a crappy (production-wise) little movie called Clerks. It is not a pretty movie nor is it an interesting-looking film. Clerks has very few merits except the fact that it is quite funny and original and it somehow manages to convey the joy and exuberence of it's creator. There is a quality to Clerks, a "I just wanted to make a movie" attitude that is infectious. This film feels to me to emboy the very spirit of Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane (1941) when he decides that it would be fun to run a paper. Now we flash forward to 2007. Nevermind the fact that Mr. Smith has made only one movie since this first one that has not relied heavily on the strange universe he created or his two uninpsired characters, Jay and Silent Bob. Arguments can be made for Chasing Amy, Dogma and even Mallrats as being steps away from Clerks. What I want to talk about is Jersey Girl, how it did not do well and what came next. I very much enjoyed Jersey Girland I was proud of Mr. Smith for taking his work in a different direction. Would this film have done better with a different actor as the lead? Was it just poor timing that the world at large became sick of Mr. Affleck when this film was released? Who knows. What I do know is everyone other than Mr. Smith was not shocked when his fanbase, by and large, did not take to this movie. You mean the 30 year-old stoner didn't like this movie? How can this be? So then we arrive at Clerks 2. Say what you will about any other movie Mr. Smith has done, this one can be seen as nothing other than a retreat to a proven formula because his last attempt was stomped by everyone. To say that Clerks 2 made me sad in my heart is like saying that what is bad for Mexico is bad for Mexicans. Clerks 2 isn't just a rehashing of past material, it is one of those dreadful sequels where the main characters appear to have forgotten everything that has happened in the previous installment. The shining example of  this is Dante being torn between two women (again) only this time he is involved with both of them. Poor Dante, apparently the lessons learned in the first movie were forgotten during the ten year period these poor sould were left on their own. Then we have Mr. Rodriguez. Once upon a time he was the ambitious young filmmaker who decided he could make a movie with a crew of one. And what a movie he made. Originally intended for the spanish home video market El Mariachi is a highly inventive and unusual film. Slightly campy but containing a big heart El Mariachi delivers as a comedy and action film. Apparently this movie did not make enough money or receive enough attention to dissuade Mr. Rodriguez and others when it came time for making his next movie.Desperado. (I am not forgetting the movie Road Racers here, I think the number of people who have seen this film is still very small) Somehow this movie was conceived as a sequel to Mariachi, which is odd because the lead actor has changed and because this film is now all about killing, explosions and drugs. Perhaps I am just a bit think and taking the whole matter too literally. Desperado works because the two lead actors are wonderful actors and play together nicely. The plot is a bit strange to me (again perhaps I am too literal) because the man who shoots the El's hand in the first movie is not the same man who does in Desperado. Couple that with dream sequences that contain the dreaded Mocho (the spelling may be wrong on this one) who I think has morphed somehow into the new bad guy (who now seems to have ties to our hero which he did not in Mariachi). All of this could be forgiven, in fact I think most viewers were fine with this oddness, until Once upon a Time in Mexico was released. To be very brief -- the movie is meant to be the fourth film in this series (the third was never made but the important bits are relayed to the audience through flashbacks and dreams). This time around our hero is not the only lead actor and to further add to the confusion actors who were in the first and second movie (and died) appear as different characters in this film. Mr. Rodriguez had just discovered the joys of HD before beginning this project and his work as a musician on Tarantino's Kill Bill movies led him to score this film as well. The idea, so the film's commentary says, was to make this move on an epic scale, much like another film with a similar title, Once upon a Time in the West. Since this entry is really meant to be a personal gripe I'll just get on with my grumble and end this entry. What makes this particular film (for those of you having a hard time keeping up I am refering to Once upon a Time in Mexico now) so disappointing to me is that much like Clerks 2 this movie felt like a retreat to safe ground. From the story, which admittedly departs from previous works of Mr. Rodriguez, to the low-budget feel of the movie I can't help but feel this picture was made because it was safe. What made both Clerks and El Mariachi such appealing films was that both of them involved a fair amount of risk to their creators and that this risk was reflected in the movie itself. These two films truly feel like independent films in the sense that there is little that is formulaic or predictable about them. I am tempted to start listing examples from both movies but chances are if you are reading this you can think of them already. I recognize the fact that both of these directors have been very successful and what they did for their first films would undoubtedly not work now. My frustration stems from them attempting to steal from these early films, but oddly enough, lifting the banal parts or simply ignoring crucial story elements and hoping that everyone will go along. If you read the reviews for the later films from both directors it seems as though this is what happened too...<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:22:09 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Zularian</spout:postby><spout:postto>Zularian Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>7/1/2008 7:22:09 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>I am feeling a bit grumpy at the moment so I am going to revisit the subject of my first post -- that of a director pilfering through their own material. There are a number of excellent examples of this but I am going to limit myself to two directors. The reason for this is that both of these men, Robert Rodriguez and Kevin Smith have had a very large impact on me. My current career path has been shaped largely by these directors which is why their transgressions pain me so. First, Mr. Smith. Once upon a time there was a directory who made a crappy (production-wise) little movie called Clerks. It is not a pretty movie nor is it an interesting-looking film. Clerks has very few merits except the fact that it is quite funny and original and it somehow manages to convey the joy and exuberence of it's creator. There is a quality to Clerks, a "I just wanted to make a movie" attitude that is infectious. This film feels to me to emboy the very spirit of Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane (1941) when he decides that it would be fun to run a paper. Now we flash forward to 2007. Nevermind the fact that Mr. Smith has made only one movie since this first one that has not relied heavily on the strange universe he created or his two uninpsired characters, Jay and Silent Bob. Arguments can be made for Chasing Amy, Dogma and even Mallrats as being steps away from Clerks. What I want to talk about is Jersey Girl, how it did not do well and what came next. I very much enjoyed Jersey Girland I was proud of Mr. Smith for taking his work in a different direction. Would this film have done better with a different actor as the lead? Was it just poor timing that the world at large became sick of Mr. Affleck when this film was released? Who knows. What I do know is everyone other than Mr. Smith was not shocked when his fanbase, by and large, did not take to this movie. You mean the 30 year-old stoner didn't like this movie? How can this be? So then we arrive at Clerks 2. Say what you will about any other movie Mr. Smith has done, this one can be seen as nothing other than a retreat to a proven formula because his last attempt was stomped by everyone. To say that Clerks 2 made me sad in my heart is like saying that what is bad for Mexico is bad for Mexicans. Clerks 2 isn't just a rehashing of past material, it is one of those dreadful sequels where the main characters appear to have forgotten everything that has happened in the previous installment. The shining example of  this is Dante being torn between two women (again) only this time he is involved with both of them. Poor Dante, apparently the lessons learned in the first movie were forgotten during the ten year period these poor sould were left on their own. Then we have Mr. Rodriguez. Once upon a time he was the ambitious young filmmaker who decided he could make a movie with a crew of one. And what a movie he made. Originally intended for the spanish home video market El Mariachi is a highly inventive and unusual film. Slightly campy but containing a big heart El Mariachi delivers as a comedy and action film. Apparently this movie did not make enough money or receive enough attention to dissuade Mr. Rodriguez and others when it came time for making his next movie.Desperado. (I am not forgetting the movie Road Racers here, I think the number of people who have seen this film is still very small) Somehow this movie was conceived as a sequel to Mariachi, which is odd because the lead actor has changed and because this film is now all about killing, explosions and drugs. Perhaps I am just a bit think and taking the whole matter too literally. Desperado works because the two lead actors are wonderful actors and play together nicely. The plot is a bit strange to me (again perhaps I am too literal) because the man who shoots the El's hand in the first movie is not the same man who does in Desperado. Couple that with dream sequences that contain the dreaded Mocho (the spelling may be wrong on this one) who I think has morphed somehow into the new bad guy (who now seems to have ties to our hero which he did not in Mariachi). All of this could be forgiven, in fact I think most viewers were fine with this oddness, until Once upon a Time in Mexico was released. To be very brief -- the movie is meant to be the fourth film in this series (the third was never made but the important bits are relayed to the audience through flashbacks and dreams). This time around our hero is not the only lead actor and to further add to the confusion actors who were in the first and second movie (and died) appear as different characters in this film. Mr. Rodriguez had just discovered the joys of HD before beginning this project and his work as a musician on Tarantino's Kill Bill movies led him to score this film as well. The idea, so the film's commentary says, was to make this move on an epic scale, much like another film with a similar title, Once upon a Time in the West. Since this entry is really meant to be a personal gripe I'll just get on with my grumble and end this entry. What makes this particular film (for those of you having a hard time keeping up I am refering to Once upon a Time in Mexico now) so disappointing to me is that much like Clerks 2 this movie felt like a retreat to safe ground. From the story, which admittedly departs from previous works of Mr. Rodriguez, to the low-budget feel of the movie I can't help but feel this picture was made because it was safe. What made both Clerks and El Mariachi such appealing films was that both of them involved a fair amount of risk to their creators and that this risk was reflected in the movie itself. These two films truly feel like independent films in the sense that there is little that is formulaic or predictable about them. I am tempted to start listing examples from both movies but chances are if you are reading this you can think of them already. I recognize the fact that both of these directors have been very successful and what they did for their first films would undoubtedly not work now. My frustration stems from them attempting to steal from these early films, but oddly enough, lifting the banal parts or simply ignoring crucial story elements and hoping that everyone will go along. If you read the reviews for the later films from both directors it seems as though this is what happened too...</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:beautiful</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/beautiful/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/beautiful/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>beautiful</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 259</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 149</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 416</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:08:38 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>259</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>149</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>416</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:revenge</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/revenge/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/revenge/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>revenge</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 5189</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 145</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 489</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:41 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>5189</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>145</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>489</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:assassination</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/assassination/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/assassination/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>assassination</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 1052</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 44</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 90</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:55:14 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>1052</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>44</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>90</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:stunning</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/stunning/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/stunning/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>stunning</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 30</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 32</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 44</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:18:04 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>30</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>32</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>44</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:brother</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/brother/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/brother/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>brother</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 2301</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 30</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 82</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:51:56 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>2301</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>30</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>82</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:Italian</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Italian/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/Italian/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>Italian</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 50</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 30</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 55</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:27:48 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>50</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>30</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>55</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:prostitute</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/prostitute/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/prostitute/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>prostitute</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 37</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 21</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 44</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:01:31 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>37</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>21</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>44</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:perfection</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/perfection/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/perfection/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>perfection</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 71</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 11</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 15</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:06:39 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>71</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>11</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>15</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:flashback</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/flashback/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/flashback/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>flashback</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 369</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 10</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 16</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:54:32 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>369</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>10</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>16</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:frontier</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/frontier/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/frontier/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>frontier</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 240</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 8</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 8</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:09:54 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>240</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>8</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>8</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:lol</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/lol/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/lol/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>lol</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 7</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 7</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 7</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:05:11 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>7</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>7</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>7</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:showdown</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/showdown/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/showdown/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>showdown</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 128</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 7</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 9</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:56:35 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>128</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>7</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>9</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:fly</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/fly/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/fly/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>fly</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 6</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 6</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 7</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 14:23:29 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>6</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>6</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>7</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:railroad</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/railroad/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/railroad/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>railroad</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 606</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 6</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 8</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:02:23 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>606</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>6</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>8</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:outlaw-western</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/outlaw-western/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/outlaw-western/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>outlaw-western</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 2047</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 5</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 6</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:03:15 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>2047</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>5</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>6</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
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