list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Beat the Devil 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/Beat_the_Devil/2599/default.aspx Title: Beat the Devil
Year: 1953
Director: John Huston
Plot: Humphrey Bogart stars as one of five disreputable adventurers who are trying to get uranium out of East Africa. Bogart's associates include pompous fraud Robert Morley, and Peter Lorre as the German-accented "O'Hara", whose wartime record is forever a source of speculation and suspicion. Becoming involved in Bogart's machinations are a prim British married couple (Edward Underdown and blonde-wigged Jennifer Jones). As a climax to their many misadventures and double-crosses, the uranium seekers end up facing extermination by an Arab firing squad. The satirical nature of Beat the Devil eluded many moviegoers in 1953, and the film was a failure. The fact that the picture attained cult status in lesser years failed to impress its star Humphrey Bogart, who could only remember that he lost a considerable chunk of his own money when he became involved in the project. Peter Viernick worked on the script on an uncredited basis. Beat the Devil eventually fell into public domain, leading to numerous inferior editions by second and third-tiered labels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 1
Number of Lists: 5
Number of blog posts: 2
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:35:01 GMTBeat the Devil1953John Huston<a href="/players/P_____7027/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Humphrey Bogart</a> stars as one of five disreputable adventurers who are trying to get uranium out of East Africa. Bogart's associates include pompous fraud <a href="/players/P____50731/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Morley</a>, and <a href="/players/P___100174/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Peter Lorre</a> as the German-accented "O'Hara", whose wartime record is forever a source of speculation and suspicion. Becoming involved in Bogart's machinations are a prim British married couple (<a href="/players/P____72429/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Edward Underdown</a> and blonde-wigged <a href="/players/P____36139/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jennifer Jones</a>). As a climax to their many misadventures and double-crosses, the uranium seekers end up facing extermination by an Arab firing squad. The satirical nature of Beat the Devil eluded many moviegoers in 1953, and the film was a failure. The fact that the picture attained cult status in lesser years failed to impress its star Humphrey Bogart, who could only remember that he lost a considerable chunk of his own money when he became involved in the project. Peter Viernick worked on the script on an uncredited basis. Beat the Devil eventually fell into public domain, leading to numerous inferior editions by second and third-tiered labels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide1Slightly Tagged (1-5)5223http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t64338q0tnc.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Beat_the_Devil/2599/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Criterion_Collection/Re_Re_Films_that_deserve_the_Criterion_treatment/115/41107/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: MovieBugz
Post To: Criterion Collection
Post Date: 3/18/2009 3:51:08 AM
Body: [quote user="JakeStevens"] There are 4 films I believe are crying out for the Criterion treatment:First, there's "The Red Balloon", a seminal film (I'd first seen it in kindergarden) that I'd recently purchased via some Korean import. Needless to say, the transfer is heartbreaking - it looks like a home movie projected onto a blanket hanging on the wall - you can almost hear the whir of the projecctor. Next, Gregory Peck's "The Snows Of Kilimanjaro" was nominated in 1953 for the Best Color Cinematography Oscar, but you'd never guess is judging from the various "Dollar Double Feature" DVDs hanging out at Wal-Greens all over the country. I think I've managed to find the best transfer out there (thanks Treasure Box), but it's still downright laughable. My uncle loved this film and I've watched this many times over the years thanks to him, but I really wish I could see it how he saw it back when it had it's theatrical run. Tom Waits' 1987 concert film "Big Time" is one I've never seen, but have been aching to - it's just not available. A pity, considering he's widely regarded as one the most original composers alive today (an especially since other, lesser bands/people have multiple "concert" DVDs out). It's also been a while since Criterion did a "concert" film, and I believe this one would be the perfect one to start up that genre again. Incidentally, when are they going to release "At Play In The Fields Of The Lord" on DVD? Finally, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston's final pairing "Beat The Devil" is notorious for being a major flop in both of their careers, but viewed today has a certain blackly comedic flair that just wasn't popular at the time. Again, this film wallows in the public domain cesspool and need to be pulled out of there and toweled off by Criterion. Well, there's my two cents. [/quote] I also am hoping for a DVD to come out for At Play in the Fields of the Lord ! If you ever discover one - PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! Thanks, MovieBugz, North Carolina USA
]]>Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:51:08 GMTMovieBugzCriterion Collection3/18/2009 3:51:08 AM[quote user="JakeStevens"] There are 4 films I believe are crying out for the Criterion treatment:First, there's "The Red Balloon", a seminal film (I'd first seen it in kindergarden) that I'd recently purchased via some Korean import. Needless to say, the transfer is heartbreaking - it looks like a home movie projected onto a blanket hanging on the wall - you can almost hear the whir of the projecctor. Next, Gregory Peck's "The Snows Of Kilimanjaro" was nominated in 1953 for the Best Color Cinematography Oscar, but you'd never guess is judging from the various "Dollar Double Feature" DVDs hanging out at Wal-Greens all over the country. I think I've managed to find the best transfer out there (thanks Treasure Box), but it's still downright laughable. My uncle loved this film and I've watched this many times over the years thanks to him, but I really wish I could see it how he saw it back when it had it's theatrical run. Tom Waits' 1987 concert film "Big Time" is one I've never seen, but have been aching to - it's just not available. A pity, considering he's widely regarded as one the most original composers alive today (an especially since other, lesser bands/people have multiple "concert" DVDs out). It's also been a while since Criterion did a "concert" film, and I believe this one would be the perfect one to start up that genre again. Incidentally, when are they going to release "At Play In The Fields Of The Lord" on DVD? Finally, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston's final pairing "Beat The Devil" is notorious for being a major flop in both of their careers, but viewed today has a certain blackly comedic flair that just wasn't popular at the time. Again, this film wallows in the public domain cesspool and need to be pulled out of there and toweled off by Criterion. Well, there's my two cents. [/quote] I also am hoping for a DVD to come out for At Play in the Fields of the Lord ! If you ever discover one - PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! Thanks, MovieBugz, North Carolina USA http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/2/4/40232.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/4/2009 10:00:51 AM
Body: Publisher Quirk Books and author Seth Grahame-Smith have come up with the best way to make a literary work more accessible since the creation of Classics Illustrated comic books: they’ve added “all-new scenes of bone crunching zombie action” to Jane Austen’s 19th century novel Pride and Prejudice. This new version, out in stores this May, is titled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now With Ultraviolent Mayhem! And if you didn’t think it was a masterpiece before, chances are you will now. Could we do the same thing to classic films? Well, the technology to add extraneous enhancements to movies exists. Just check out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for proof. But like Pride and Prejudice, we’d need to “enhance” films in the public domain if we wanted to get away with it. Fortunately, there are hundreds of such titles (see a list at Wikipedia), some of which actually already have zombies (Night of the Living Dead, White Zombie, Revolt of the Zombies, and in a way the “scientific” film Experiments in the Revival of Organisms). Avoiding the majority of public domain movies already consisting of horror and science fiction elements, we’ve come up with ten great classic films that would be even greater with the addition of zombies. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstin, 1925) New title: Mutinous Zombies of the Battleship Potemkin Synopsis: A Soviet cinema masterpiece, Eisenstein’s film depicts the 1905 uprising of zombies on the titular vessel against the oppressive officers of the Tsarist regime. It begins when soldiers aboard the Potemkin are forced to eat rotten, maggot-infested meat, which turns the men into mutinous zombies. Later, the city of Odessa becomes overwhelmed with undead citizens and the Tsarist military is sent in to massacre them. In the end, though, even the soldiers are converted. Other Eisenstein films, particularly October, may also appropriately receive similar special zombie editions. The General (Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton, 1927) New title: The General and the Zombies Synopsis: Buster Keaton’s greatest silent blockbuster is kind of like the Shaun of the Dead of its time. The film begins with Keaton’s character losing his girlfriend due to his inability to prove he’s not a coward and a bum, but then by happenstance he ends up a hero and, most importantly, salvages his relationship in the process. In this special edition, Johnnie Gray still has to rescue his train (and his girlfriend) from the Union army, but now those Northern spies are zombies. Like the title character in Shaun of the Dead, Johnnie must in one new scene impersonate a zombie in order to fool them. The stone-faced Keaton is a natural for this masquerade, but of course then soldiers on his side mistake him for being a Union zombie, with hilarious consequences. Abraham Lincoln (D.W. Griffith, 1930) New title: Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies Synopsis: Griffith’s biopic about the 16th President of the United States was filled with historical inaccuracies when first released almost 80 years ago. The main complaint? Griffith left out Lincoln’s triumphant one-man battle against a Confederate brigade made up completely of zombie soldiers (yep, the South had them, too). Now, in a special edition release timed to coincide with Honest Abe’s 200th birthday, scenes depicting that battle, as well as a new ending, in which Lincoln recommends the enslavement of zombies, because they are not technically men and therefore are not guaranteed Constitutional freedom, are included. Also, on the DVD: a bonus behind-the-scenes supplement featuring a still-undead Lincoln zombie overseeing the restoration; an exclusive look at Lincoln’s famous stovepipe hat, which he wore to keep zombies from getting at his brains. (The above image of Abe Lincoln, Zombie Hunter is from this t-shirt.) At the Circus (Edward Buzzell, 1939) New title: At the Zombie Circus Synopsis: The Marx Brothers’ films were crazy enough without the addition of zombies, but this late episode from Groucho, Harpo and Chico just wasn’t anarchic enough for their fans. So, now the plot involving the stolen money has been eliminated and the film consists of the three Marx boys trying to stay alive inside a circus tent filled with zombies. There’s a strong man zombie, a dwarf zombie, and then there’s Margaret Dumont, who is so dull Groucho thinks she’s a zombie. Or maybe he just stabs her in the brain for fun? His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940) New title: His Girl Zombie Synopsis: Despite the new title, Rosalind Russell is never turned into a zombie. Rather, the zombies are merely in the background, causing even more fast-paced hysterics (yes, they’re the quick sort of zombies that are all the “rage” these days). Actually, at one point Ralph Bellamy’s character is thought to be a zombie, but then it’s realized that as much as he appears to be the walking dead, he’s just too slow to be one of the zombies running around outside the courthouse. Again, His Girl Zombie has something in common with Shaun of the Dead (not to mention Twister), in that it’s another story in which a couple attempts to separate but is thrust back together during a chaotic event. Angel and the Badman (James Edward Grant, 1947) New title: Angel and the Badman and the Zombies Synopsis: In this early precursor to the ‘80s Harrison Ford classic Witness Zombies, John Wayne plays a shootist and womanizer who is wounded near a Quaker family home. Brought in and nursed back to health, he attempts to tame himself after falling for a young Quaker woman. But his desire to become a pacifist is made difficult when brain-hungry zombies attack the house, and he must choose to either commit himself to the Quaker ways and “die” with his new religious society of friends, or go out and kick some zombie ass. D.O.A. (Rudolph Mate, 1950) New title: Z.O.A. Synopsis: The film begins with Frank Bigelow, filmed from behind, entering a police station to report that he’s been murdered. The reason he is able to do this is not because he’s not yet died from the poison; it’s because he is a zombie, which we finally discover when the camera finally shows us his face. The film then goes to flashback and details the events that lead to Bigelow’s zombification. After the back-story is complete, the film returns to the scene in the police station, where cops proceed to shoot Bigelow in the head. His file is then marked “Z.O.A.,” meaning “zombie on arrival.” Royal Wedding (Stanley Donen, 1951) New title: Zombie Wedding Synopsis: Fred Astaire and Jane Powell star as a brother and sister song and dance duo in this musical classic, which features two of Astaire’s most famous scenes. “Zombie Jumps” has him dancing first with a coat rack, then with a corpse, Weekend at Bernie’s-style. The latter of these objects ends up coming to life, a metaphor for Astaire’s famous ability to animate the inanimate. In “You’re All Zombies to Me,” Astaire playfully escapes from the zombie he’s created by dancing on the walls and ceiling of a room. Beat the Devil (John Huston, 1953) New title: Beat the Devil and the Zombies Synopsis: It’s been called the first camp movie, but unfortunately it wasn’t the first camp zombie movie. That all changes now with newly added scenes in which Humphrey Bogart and a great ensemble of character actors, including Peter Lorre, must fight off zombies while killing time at an Italian port. It’s very likely that Huston and co-screenwriter Truman Capote would have no problem with this additional subplot. Anyone familiar with the background of the film knows its makers didn’t take it seriously in the least. Actually, let’s just go ahead and add zombies into every section of the film. Zombies on the boat, zombies in Africa, zombies everywhere. Heck, make Bogie a zombie due to a lack of money. After all, as his character sets it up with the line, “I’ve got to have money. Doctor’s orders are that I must have a lot of money, otherwise I become dull, listless and have trouble with my complexion.” It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946) New title: It’s a Zombie Life Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, George Bailey wishes he were a zombie. But before he can find another zombie to bite him, an angel comes down from Heaven and shows him what his life would be like if he were undead. Zombie George infects the whole town of Bedford Falls, all except the wealthy Mr. Potter, who manages to take over the town by enslaving and exploiting the zombified citizens. In the end, George realizes that he’s better off simply shooting himself in the head so that he can’t possibly become a zombie. (Note: It’s a Wonderful Life is actually no longer in the public domain, but we just couldn’t not include it). Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:00:51 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/4/2009 10:00:51 AMPublisher Quirk Books and author Seth Grahame-Smith have come up with the best way to make a literary work more accessible since the creation of Classics Illustrated comic books: they’ve added “all-new scenes of bone crunching zombie action” to Jane Austen’s 19th century novel Pride and Prejudice. This new version, out in stores this May, is titled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now With Ultraviolent Mayhem! And if you didn’t think it was a masterpiece before, chances are you will now. Could we do the same thing to classic films? Well, the technology to add extraneous enhancements to movies exists. Just check out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for proof. But like Pride and Prejudice, we’d need to “enhance” films in the public domain if we wanted to get away with it. Fortunately, there are hundreds of such titles (see a list at Wikipedia), some of which actually already have zombies (Night of the Living Dead, White Zombie, Revolt of the Zombies, and in a way the “scientific” film Experiments in the Revival of Organisms). Avoiding the majority of public domain movies already consisting of horror and science fiction elements, we’ve come up with ten great classic films that would be even greater with the addition of zombies. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstin, 1925) New title: Mutinous Zombies of the Battleship Potemkin Synopsis: A Soviet cinema masterpiece, Eisenstein’s film depicts the 1905 uprising of zombies on the titular vessel against the oppressive officers of the Tsarist regime. It begins when soldiers aboard the Potemkin are forced to eat rotten, maggot-infested meat, which turns the men into mutinous zombies. Later, the city of Odessa becomes overwhelmed with undead citizens and the Tsarist military is sent in to massacre them. In the end, though, even the soldiers are converted. Other Eisenstein films, particularly October, may also appropriately receive similar special zombie editions. The General (Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton, 1927) New title: The General and the Zombies Synopsis: Buster Keaton’s greatest silent blockbuster is kind of like the Shaun of the Dead of its time. The film begins with Keaton’s character losing his girlfriend due to his inability to prove he’s not a coward and a bum, but then by happenstance he ends up a hero and, most importantly, salvages his relationship in the process. In this special edition, Johnnie Gray still has to rescue his train (and his girlfriend) from the Union army, but now those Northern spies are zombies. Like the title character in Shaun of the Dead, Johnnie must in one new scene impersonate a zombie in order to fool them. The stone-faced Keaton is a natural for this masquerade, but of course then soldiers on his side mistake him for being a Union zombie, with hilarious consequences. Abraham Lincoln (D.W. Griffith, 1930) New title: Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies Synopsis: Griffith’s biopic about the 16th President of the United States was filled with historical inaccuracies when first released almost 80 years ago. The main complaint? Griffith left out Lincoln’s triumphant one-man battle against a Confederate brigade made up completely of zombie soldiers (yep, the South had them, too). Now, in a special edition release timed to coincide with Honest Abe’s 200th birthday, scenes depicting that battle, as well as a new ending, in which Lincoln recommends the enslavement of zombies, because they are not technically men and therefore are not guaranteed Constitutional freedom, are included. Also, on the DVD: a bonus behind-the-scenes supplement featuring a still-undead Lincoln zombie overseeing the restoration; an exclusive look at Lincoln’s famous stovepipe hat, which he wore to keep zombies from getting at his brains. (The above image of Abe Lincoln, Zombie Hunter is from this t-shirt.) At the Circus (Edward Buzzell, 1939) New title: At the Zombie Circus Synopsis: The Marx Brothers’ films were crazy enough without the addition of zombies, but this late episode from Groucho, Harpo and Chico just wasn’t anarchic enough for their fans. So, now the plot involving the stolen money has been eliminated and the film consists of the three Marx boys trying to stay alive inside a circus tent filled with zombies. There’s a strong man zombie, a dwarf zombie, and then there’s Margaret Dumont, who is so dull Groucho thinks she’s a zombie. Or maybe he just stabs her in the brain for fun? His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940) New title: His Girl Zombie Synopsis: Despite the new title, Rosalind Russell is never turned into a zombie. Rather, the zombies are merely in the background, causing even more fast-paced hysterics (yes, they’re the quick sort of zombies that are all the “rage” these days). Actually, at one point Ralph Bellamy’s character is thought to be a zombie, but then it’s realized that as much as he appears to be the walking dead, he’s just too slow to be one of the zombies running around outside the courthouse. Again, His Girl Zombie has something in common with Shaun of the Dead (not to mention Twister), in that it’s another story in which a couple attempts to separate but is thrust back together during a chaotic event. Angel and the Badman (James Edward Grant, 1947) New title: Angel and the Badman and the Zombies Synopsis: In this early precursor to the ‘80s Harrison Ford classic Witness Zombies, John Wayne plays a shootist and womanizer who is wounded near a Quaker family home. Brought in and nursed back to health, he attempts to tame himself after falling for a young Quaker woman. But his desire to become a pacifist is made difficult when brain-hungry zombies attack the house, and he must choose to either commit himself to the Quaker ways and “die” with his new religious society of friends, or go out and kick some zombie ass. D.O.A. (Rudolph Mate, 1950) New title: Z.O.A. Synopsis: The film begins with Frank Bigelow, filmed from behind, entering a police station to report that he’s been murdered. The reason he is able to do this is not because he’s not yet died from the poison; it’s because he is a zombie, which we finally discover when the camera finally shows us his face. The film then goes to flashback and details the events that lead to Bigelow’s zombification. After the back-story is complete, the film returns to the scene in the police station, where cops proceed to shoot Bigelow in the head. His file is then marked “Z.O.A.,” meaning “zombie on arrival.” Royal Wedding (Stanley Donen, 1951) New title: Zombie Wedding Synopsis: Fred Astaire and Jane Powell star as a brother and sister song and dance duo in this musical classic, which features two of Astaire’s most famous scenes. “Zombie Jumps” has him dancing first with a coat rack, then with a corpse, Weekend at Bernie’s-style. The latter of these objects ends up coming to life, a metaphor for Astaire’s famous ability to animate the inanimate. In “You’re All Zombies to Me,” Astaire playfully escapes from the zombie he’s created by dancing on the walls and ceiling of a room. Beat the Devil (John Huston, 1953) New title: Beat the Devil and the Zombies Synopsis: It’s been called the first camp movie, but unfortunately it wasn’t the first camp zombie movie. That all changes now with newly added scenes in which Humphrey Bogart and a great ensemble of character actors, including Peter Lorre, must fight off zombies while killing time at an Italian port. It’s very likely that Huston and co-screenwriter Truman Capote would have no problem with this additional subplot. Anyone familiar with the background of the film knows its makers didn’t take it seriously in the least. Actually, let’s just go ahead and add zombies into every section of the film. Zombies on the boat, zombies in Africa, zombies everywhere. Heck, make Bogie a zombie due to a lack of money. After all, as his character sets it up with the line, “I’ve got to have money. Doctor’s orders are that I must have a lot of money, otherwise I become dull, listless and have trouble with my complexion.” It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946) New title: It’s a Zombie Life Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, George Bailey wishes he were a zombie. But before he can find another zombie to bite him, an angel comes down from Heaven and shows him what his life would be like if he were undead. Zombie George infects the whole town of Bedford Falls, all except the wealthy Mr. Potter, who manages to take over the town by enslaving and exploiting the zombified citizens. In the end, George realizes that he’s better off simply shooting himself in the head so that he can’t possibly become a zombie. (Note: It’s a Wonderful Life is actually no longer in the public domain, but we just couldn’t not include it). Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Criterion_Collection/Re_Re_Films_that_deserve_the_Criterion_treatment/115/24607/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: JakeStevens
Post To: Criterion Collection
Post Date: 2/1/2008 11:25:59 AM
Body: There are 4 films I believe are crying out for the Criterion treatment:First, there's "The Red Balloon", a seminal film (I'd first seen it in kindergarden) that I'd recently purchased via some Korean import. Needless to say, the transfer is heartbreaking - it looks like a home movie projected onto a blanket hanging on the wall - you can almost hear the whir of the projecctor.Next, Gregory Peck's "The Snows Of Kilimanjaro" was nominated in 1953 for the Best Color Cinematography Oscar, but you'd never guess is judging from the various "Dollar Double Feature" DVDs hanging out at Wal-Greens all over the country. I think I've managed to find the best transfer out there (thanks Treasure Box), but it's still downright laughable. My uncle loved this film and I've watched this many times over the years thanks to him, but I really wish I could see it how he saw it back when it had it's theatrical run.Tom Waits' 1987 concert film "Big Time" is one I've never seen, but have been aching to - it's just not available. A pity, considering he's widely regarded as one the most original composers alive today (an especially since other, lesser bands/people have multiple "concert" DVDs out). It's also been a while since Criterion did a "concert" film, and I believe this one would be the perfect one to start up that genre again. Incidentally, when are they going to release "At Play In The Fields Of The Lord" on DVD?Finally, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston's final pairing "Beat The Devil" is notorious for being a major flop in both of their careers, but viewed today has a certain blackly comedic flair that just wasn't popular at the time. Again, this film wallows in the public domain cesspool and need to be pulled out of there and toweled off by Criterion.Well, there's my two cents.
]]>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:25:59 GMTJakeStevensCriterion Collection2/1/2008 11:25:59 AMThere are 4 films I believe are crying out for the Criterion treatment:First, there&#39;s "The Red Balloon", a seminal film (I&#39;d first seen it in kindergarden) that I&#39;d recently purchased via some Korean import. Needless to say, the transfer is heartbreaking - it looks like a home movie projected onto a blanket hanging on the wall - you can almost hear the whir of the projecctor.Next, Gregory Peck&#39;s "The Snows Of Kilimanjaro" was nominated in 1953 for the Best Color Cinematography Oscar, but you&#39;d never guess is judging from the various "Dollar Double Feature" DVDs hanging out at Wal-Greens all over the country. I think I&#39;ve managed to find the best transfer out there (thanks Treasure Box), but it&#39;s still downright laughable. My uncle loved this film and I&#39;ve watched this many times over the years thanks to him, but I really wish I could see it how he saw it back when it had it&#39;s theatrical run.Tom Waits&#39; 1987 concert film "Big Time" is one I&#39;ve never seen, but have been aching to - it&#39;s just not available. A pity, considering he&#39;s widely regarded as one the most original composers alive today (an especially since other, lesser bands/people have multiple "concert" DVDs out). It&#39;s also been a while since Criterion did a "concert" film, and I believe this one would be the perfect one to start up that genre again. Incidentally, when are they going to release "At Play In The Fields Of The Lord" on DVD?Finally, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston&#39;s final pairing "Beat The Devil" is notorious for being a major flop in both of their careers, but viewed today has a certain blackly comedic flair that just wasn&#39;t popular at the time. Again, this film wallows in the public domain cesspool and need to be pulled out of there and toweled off by Criterion.Well, there&#39;s my two cents. http://www.spout.com/blogs/sarcastig/archive/2007/7/27/16655.aspx Post By: sarcastig
Post To: As cool as a Fruitstand
Post Date: 7/27/2007 5:56:30 AM
Body: 2.50, less than the cost of renting a movie, for a movie a) starring Humphrey Bogart b) directed by John Huston c) with Peter Lorre in a supporting part and as I later found out d) co-written by Truman Capote, how could I resist? I'm glad I didn't, because while Beat the Devil is a mess of a movie with a plot that's both ludicrous and not quite there, the lines and the performances are wonderful. I want to see more of Jennifer Jones now, who's hilarious here, and what about this short bit by Peter Lorre on time:"Time. Time. What is time? Swiss manufacture it. French hoard it. Italians squander it. Americans say it is money. Hindus say it does not exist. Do you know what I say? I say time is a crook. "Also for a mere 2.50, "Reform School Girl". I already had a postcard, two in fact, of the poster, and I just had to see what was behind it. It turns out it's a lovely little B-movie, 73 minutes long, which is a lot less outrageous and sleazy than you'd think, although I'll admit it contains plenty of girls walking around in their nightgowns and pulling each other's hair. The girls here are scary, seriously, scarier than the guy who's supposed to be the main bad guy. The acting from some supporting players is as bad and over-the-top as you might expect, but all-in-all this is very worth seeing, and not only for the camp factor.I can admit it now: I'd never seen Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but this gap in my cinematic education has now been filled. I liked it a lot, mostly because it has no narrative ambition aside from showing a year of this kids' lives. It also shows all too clearly how out culture had regressed and grown more conservative in the past 25 years. Sure, in sex comedies, the girls still freely have sex, but they don't think about it like the girls do here, not to mention they're not by far as complex characters as Stacey and Linda are here. And the way abortion is treated in this movie? I don't think it could happen any more today.I also saw "The Sea" or Hafið, an Icelandic movie my cousin (hey Ruben!) lent me. I liked how it started the same way it ended: it emphasizes how images in and of themselves are often meaningless, but are given meaning by what comes before. Aside form that, the plot is overdrawn, with soap-like developments being divulged with much ado but little surprise, and the only really redeeming thing are the character quirks and the strong performances. It also gives a good impression of how claustrophobic it must be to live in such a small, isolated community.Finally, I've also been watching "Flight of the Conchords" a lot, and I just want to say, Jemaine and Bret? I love you. The series by itself if plenty fun, with supporting characters Murray and Mal are over-the-top but hilarious, and then there's the musical numbers, which bump this series from good to great. Little things like the "binary solo" in the humans are dead are brilliant, and some songs you can't even decide which excerpts to lift out. So, I'll just leave you with the following: Originally posted on:As cool as a Fruitstand
]]>Fri, 27 Jul 2007 09:56:30 GMTsarcastigAs cool as a Fruitstand7/27/2007 5:56:30 AM2.50, less than the cost of renting a movie, for a movie a) starring Humphrey Bogart b) directed by John Huston c) with Peter Lorre in a supporting part and as I later found out d) co-written by Truman Capote, how could I resist? I'm glad I didn't, because while Beat the Devil is a mess of a movie with a plot that's both ludicrous and not quite there, the lines and the performances are wonderful. I want to see more of Jennifer Jones now, who's hilarious here, and what about this short bit by Peter Lorre on time:"Time. Time. What is time? Swiss manufacture it. French hoard it. Italians squander it. Americans say it is money. Hindus say it does not exist. Do you know what I say? I say time is a crook. "Also for a mere 2.50, "Reform School Girl". I already had a postcard, two in fact, of the poster, and I just had to see what was behind it. It turns out it's a lovely little B-movie, 73 minutes long, which is a lot less outrageous and sleazy than you'd think, although I'll admit it contains plenty of girls walking around in their nightgowns and pulling each other's hair. The girls here are scary, seriously, scarier than the guy who's supposed to be the main bad guy. The acting from some supporting players is as bad and over-the-top as you might expect, but all-in-all this is very worth seeing, and not only for the camp factor.I can admit it now: I'd never seen Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but this gap in my cinematic education has now been filled. I liked it a lot, mostly because it has no narrative ambition aside from showing a year of this kids' lives. It also shows all too clearly how out culture had regressed and grown more conservative in the past 25 years. Sure, in sex comedies, the girls still freely have sex, but they don't think about it like the girls do here, not to mention they're not by far as complex characters as Stacey and Linda are here. And the way abortion is treated in this movie? I don't think it could happen any more today.I also saw "The Sea" or Hafið, an Icelandic movie my cousin (hey Ruben!) lent me. I liked how it started the same way it ended: it emphasizes how images in and of themselves are often meaningless, but are given meaning by what comes before. Aside form that, the plot is overdrawn, with soap-like developments being divulged with much ado but little surprise, and the only really redeeming thing are the character quirks and the strong performances. It also gives a good impression of how claustrophobic it must be to live in such a small, isolated community.Finally, I've also been watching "Flight of the Conchords" a lot, and I just want to say, Jemaine and Bret? I love you. The series by itself if plenty fun, with supporting characters Murray and Mal are over-the-top but hilarious, and then there's the musical numbers, which bump this series from good to great. Little things like the "binary solo" in the humans are dead are brilliant, and some songs you can't even decide which excerpts to lift out. So, I'll just leave you with the following: Originally posted on:As cool as a Fruitstand http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/espionage/MemberTagFilms.aspxespionage
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