list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Third Man 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/The_Third_Man/34781/default.aspx Title: The Third Man
Year: 1949
Director: Carol Reed
Plot: In this Cold War spy classic, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten), a third-rate American pulp novelist, arrives in postwar Vienna, where he has been promised a job by his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). Upon his arrival, Martins discovers that Lime has been killed in a traffic accident, and that his funeral is taking place immediately. At the graveside, Martins meets outwardly affable Major Calloway (Trevor Howard) and actress Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), who is weeping copiously. When Calloway tells Martins that the late Harry Lime was a thief and murderer, the loyal Martins is at first outraged. Gradually, he discovers not only that Calloway was right but also that the man lying in the coffin in the film's early scenes was not Harry Lime at all--and that Lime is still very much alive (he was the mysterious "third man" at the scene of the fatal accident). Thus the stage is set for the movie's famous climactic confrontation in the sewers of Vienna--and the even more famous final shot, in which Martins pays emotionally for doing "the right thing." Written by Graham Greene, The Third Man is an essential classic, made even more so by the insistent zither music of Anton Karas. The film is currently available in both an American and British release version; the American print, with an introduction by Joseph Cotten, is slightly shorter than the British version, which is narrated by director Carol Reed. Nominated for several Academy Awards, The Third Man won Best Cinematography for Robert Krasker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 46
Number of Lists: 55
Number of blog posts: 10
Number of discussion threads: 11
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:44:57 GMTThe Third Man1949Carol ReedIn this Cold War spy classic, Holly Martins (<a href="/players/P____15270/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joseph Cotten</a>), a third-rate American pulp novelist, arrives in postwar Vienna, where he has been promised a job by his old friend Harry Lime (<a href="/players/P___116368/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Orson Welles</a>). Upon his arrival, Martins discovers that Lime has been killed in a traffic accident, and that his funeral is taking place immediately. At the graveside, Martins meets outwardly affable Major Calloway (<a href="/players/P____33529/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Trevor Howard</a>) and actress Anna Schmidt (<a href="/players/P____72697/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Alida Valli</a>), who is weeping copiously. When Calloway tells Martins that the late Harry Lime was a thief and murderer, the loyal Martins is at first outraged. Gradually, he discovers not only that Calloway was right but also that the man lying in the coffin in the film's early scenes was not Harry Lime at all--and that Lime is still very much alive (he was the mysterious "third man" at the scene of the fatal accident). Thus the stage is set for the movie's famous climactic confrontation in the sewers of Vienna--and the even more famous final shot, in which Martins pays emotionally for doing "the right thing." Written by <a href="/players/P____92487/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Graham Greene</a>, The Third Man is an essential classic, made even more so by the insistent zither music of <a href="/players/P____96764/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Anton Karas</a>. The film is currently available in both an American and British release version; the American print, with an introduction by <a href="/players/P____15270/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joseph Cotten</a>, is slightly shorter than the British version, which is narrated by director <a href="/players/P___107778/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Carol Reed</a>. Nominated for several Academy Awards, The Third Man won Best Cinematography for <a href="/players/P____98076/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Krasker</a>. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide46Tag Target (>10)5510114http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u33426zguw7.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Third_Man/34781/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2009/7/12/43014.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 7/12/2009 4:44:57 PM
Body: What's the AFI project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here:http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx The Third Man is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#57)100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains (Harry Lime is the #37 villain)10 Top 10's (#5 Mystery) I watched The Third Man instantly on Netflix. Prior to watching it for this go-round of completing the original AFI list, I knew very little about the film. I probably forgot that the film was on the list when I attempted to watch these films once before, and I never did sit down to watch it that time. The only bit I knew about it was that Orson Welles was in it; apart from that, I had no prior information and no expectations entering into the film. Apparently, many people like it. It’s well reviewed here on Spout. In fact, after watching it and after reading some of the reviews, I find myself chalking this film up to the “Am I missing something?” category. I did not seem to have the same viewing experience or sense of appreciation for this film as others. In this film noir, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is a down-on-his-luck pulp western novelist who transplants to post-war (World, Second) Vienna, where his friend Harry Lime (Welles) has promised him a job. The trouble is, he arrives to find out that Mr. Lime is dead, apparently the victim of a traffic accident. While at the graveside funeral, Holly meets an inspector of sorts named Major Calloway (Trevor Howard), who informs Holly that Harry was a thief and murderer, guilty of trafficking black-market below-grade penicillin to people desperate for it, such as local hospitals, but which has actually caused more illness and death. In a fit of outraged loyalty, Holly refuses advice to return home and instead decides to investigate Harry’s accident, determined to absolve him of such unfounded accusations and becoming obsessed with eyewitness accounts of a mysterious “third man” at the scene. He is especially encouraged by meeting an actress named Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), a former love interest of Harry and for whom Harry was able to provide forged papers that would allow her to stay in the presumably non-Communist part of Vienna, since she appears to hail from a quarter reserved for people from Czechoslovakia and restricted by Cold War fears. As Holly investigates, however, he gradually comes to realize that Major Calloway might be telling the truth, particularly when Harry’s unearthed grave reveals a different dead body and when Holly one day encounters Harry, alive and well, full of threats and offers. Complicating this escalating series of events is the apparent attachment Holly forms for Anna, even as Anna can’t seem to forget Harry, despite knowledge of his wrongdoings. What makes The Third Man unique is that, even as a film noir, this movie is more atmospheric than most. Shot on location in Vienna, the film and its director, Carol Reed, made good use of the old-world European feel of Vienna to give the film an air of mystery, even if there is very little mystery to the story (more on that in a minute). Coupled with a unique musical score played entirely on a zither that evokes that same old-world charm, The Third Man turns out to be a quirkier entry in the annals of noir film, suppressing its darker undercurrent with a sort of levity in the art direction, scoring, and cinematography. Reed and his cinematographers made good use of light, natural and artificial, to heighten the sense of mystery, however artificial, that permeated the film, and they won an Oscar for their achievements. The story was also somewhat interesting and complex. Apparently, the screenwriter, Graham Greene, devised the plotline through the development of a novella that he later converted into a screenplay. The emotions being explored here are quite convoluted, as these characters seem to struggle through an ingrained sense of cynicism and disappointment in the world and in each other while simultaneously deciding what is right (and, in many ways, there is no right answer in any given situation). Does Holly turn in Harry, even though he has done good deeds for people like himself and Anna? Does Anna forego her allegiance to Harry, even though she owes him so much? There is a real sense of internal tug-of-war with all of the characters, with the possible exception of Lime himself, which make this film interesting. Still, I can say unequivocally that I was quite bored watching this film for the very first time. The pacing started off at a fairly good clip and then seemed to slow to a crawl as the film approached its climax, only to pick back up again during the final confrontation in the Vienna sewers. The only time I was really interested in and connected to the film was when Welles appeared. His presence was electrifying – for a mere fifteen minutes of screen time, he managed to convey true madness and villainy, earning his character a place on the AFI’s Heroes and Villains list. His motivations were clear, and his performance was finely nuanced, walking a delicate tightrope between caring friend and lover to cold-hearted profiteer with seemingly no morality. None of the other characters felt quite as well developed to me. Holly’s loyalty to Harry was never fully explained; friendship aside, the history of their relationship was given little background, usually through passing comments, so it seemed somewhat unnatural that he should take such an interest in delving into the circumstances of Harry’s death with such fervor; then again, his actions could be explained away by grief or surprise at what he learned. I never connected with the actress playing Anna; as a femme fatale, she left something to be desired, but, then again, she was not really designed to be a vixen. Still, she seemed so weak and naïve, even if her final actions could be interpreted as arising from a position of strength. As a portrayal of the effects of grief and betrayal, this film presented some interesting quandaries for the Holly and Anna characters, but I struggled to understand why this film has been characterized a “mystery” and given such a high rank in the mystery category of the ten top 10’s. There was nothing mysterious about this picture! It was a noir, so it was told in narrative flashback, which is a typical element of noir. The viewer already can guess that Harry is still alive, so that’s not the mystery. Perhaps, if the question is why he faked his own death, there is some mystery in that, but Major Calloway explains early on some of Harry’s misdeeds. I think labeling this film a mystery also fooled me into thinking this film was something that it was not, and that may have colored my overall outlook on my viewing experience. I do take issue, as a matter of consistency, with the fact that this film appears on any of the AFI lists. By all accounts, this film is a British export, and though there was an American version released for distribution in the United States, the film originated in the United Kingdom. I think that flies in the face of being an “American” film eligible for entry on the AFI lists. It curiously also did not make the revised list (Rocky replaced it after a sizeable jump in its ranking), even as the film has appeared on some of the other lists, so if it was such a classic meriting an exception to the apparent thrust of compiling these lists to begin with, the AFI has not regarded it consistently either. Even if American actors and film crew were involved in the production, and it had an American producer, by all accounts from my understanding of how the Institute compiles these lists, other films that are primarily British should also have been eligible for consideration if this one was. For example, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is written, co-directed, and partially performed by Terry Gilliam, and I feel that film should have at least cropped up on the AFI’s Funniest film list. I digress. In the end, I just didn’t find that I enjoyed The Third Man much. It was still a well-made movie, for the most part, even if I didn’t connect to it in any tangible or palpable way, but I guess I just don’t understand why it’s considered such a classic. There is better noir out there, story-wise, production-wise…and while I would agree that the final shot contains a certain poetry, encapsulating the consequences of choices made, I just wasn’t impressed enough by the film overall. Again, that’s why this film gets the award of “am I missing something?” As to a rating on the patented ratings scale, I am leaning heavily on a 7.5, between shaky/entertaining and minor flaws/very good. Like I said, I feel the movie was well done, but it has some flaws in my eyes, at least in the pacing and some of the storytelling. I actually tried re-watching the last half of the film before I wrote this blog in an effort to connect to it more, but, alas, I still am left wondering what all the fuss was about. As such, it definitely does not pass the test. Until I can understand what makes the Third Man so esteemed, other than its excellent production elements, I don’t think I’d want to watch it again. In postscript, according to the Spout counter, apparently this is my 1000th movie seen (though, for the record, I haven’t gone through the database that thoroughly). Do I get a prize now? J
]]>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:44:57 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts7/12/2009 4:44:57 PM What's the AFI project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here:http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx The Third Man is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#57)100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains (Harry Lime is the #37 villain)10 Top 10's (#5 Mystery) I watched The Third Man instantly on Netflix. Prior to watching it for this go-round of completing the original AFI list, I knew very little about the film. I probably forgot that the film was on the list when I attempted to watch these films once before, and I never did sit down to watch it that time. The only bit I knew about it was that Orson Welles was in it; apart from that, I had no prior information and no expectations entering into the film. Apparently, many people like it. It&rsquo;s well reviewed here on Spout. In fact, after watching it and after reading some of the reviews, I find myself chalking this film up to the &ldquo;Am I missing something?&rdquo; category. I did not seem to have the same viewing experience or sense of appreciation for this film as others. In this film noir, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is a down-on-his-luck pulp western novelist who transplants to post-war (World, Second) Vienna, where his friend Harry Lime (Welles) has promised him a job. The trouble is, he arrives to find out that Mr. Lime is dead, apparently the victim of a traffic accident. While at the graveside funeral, Holly meets an inspector of sorts named Major Calloway (Trevor Howard), who informs Holly that Harry was a thief and murderer, guilty of trafficking black-market below-grade penicillin to people desperate for it, such as local hospitals, but which has actually caused more illness and death. In a fit of outraged loyalty, Holly refuses advice to return home and instead decides to investigate Harry&rsquo;s accident, determined to absolve him of such unfounded accusations and becoming obsessed with eyewitness accounts of a mysterious &ldquo;third man&rdquo; at the scene. He is especially encouraged by meeting an actress named Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), a former love interest of Harry and for whom Harry was able to provide forged papers that would allow her to stay in the presumably non-Communist part of Vienna, since she appears to hail from a quarter reserved for people from Czechoslovakia and restricted by Cold War fears. As Holly investigates, however, he gradually comes to realize that Major Calloway might be telling the truth, particularly when Harry&rsquo;s unearthed grave reveals a different dead body and when Holly one day encounters Harry, alive and well, full of threats and offers. Complicating this escalating series of events is the apparent attachment Holly forms for Anna, even as Anna can&rsquo;t seem to forget Harry, despite knowledge of his wrongdoings. What makes The Third Man unique is that, even as a film noir, this movie is more atmospheric than most. Shot on location in Vienna, the film and its director, Carol Reed, made good use of the old-world European feel of Vienna to give the film an air of mystery, even if there is very little mystery to the story (more on that in a minute). Coupled with a unique musical score played entirely on a zither that evokes that same old-world charm, The Third Man turns out to be a quirkier entry in the annals of noir film, suppressing its darker undercurrent with a sort of levity in the art direction, scoring, and cinematography. Reed and his cinematographers made good use of light, natural and artificial, to heighten the sense of mystery, however artificial, that permeated the film, and they won an Oscar for their achievements. The story was also somewhat interesting and complex. Apparently, the screenwriter, Graham Greene, devised the plotline through the development of a novella that he later converted into a screenplay. The emotions being explored here are quite convoluted, as these characters seem to struggle through an ingrained sense of cynicism and disappointment in the world and in each other while simultaneously deciding what is right (and, in many ways, there is no right answer in any given situation). Does Holly turn in Harry, even though he has done good deeds for people like himself and Anna? Does Anna forego her allegiance to Harry, even though she owes him so much? There is a real sense of internal tug-of-war with all of the characters, with the possible exception of Lime himself, which make this film interesting. Still, I can say unequivocally that I was quite bored watching this film for the very first time. The pacing started off at a fairly good clip and then seemed to slow to a crawl as the film approached its climax, only to pick back up again during the final confrontation in the Vienna sewers. The only time I was really interested in and connected to the film was when Welles appeared. His presence was electrifying &ndash; for a mere fifteen minutes of screen time, he managed to convey true madness and villainy, earning his character a place on the AFI&rsquo;s Heroes and Villains list. His motivations were clear, and his performance was finely nuanced, walking a delicate tightrope between caring friend and lover to cold-hearted profiteer with seemingly no morality. None of the other characters felt quite as well developed to me. Holly&rsquo;s loyalty to Harry was never fully explained; friendship aside, the history of their relationship was given little background, usually through passing comments, so it seemed somewhat unnatural that he should take such an interest in delving into the circumstances of Harry&rsquo;s death with such fervor; then again, his actions could be explained away by grief or surprise at what he learned. I never connected with the actress playing Anna; as a femme fatale, she left something to be desired, but, then again, she was not really designed to be a vixen. Still, she seemed so weak and na&iuml;ve, even if her final actions could be interpreted as arising from a position of strength. As a portrayal of the effects of grief and betrayal, this film presented some interesting quandaries for the Holly and Anna characters, but I struggled to understand why this film has been characterized a &ldquo;mystery&rdquo; and given such a high rank in the mystery category of the ten top 10&rsquo;s. There was nothing mysterious about this picture! It was a noir, so it was told in narrative flashback, which is a typical element of noir. The viewer already can guess that Harry is still alive, so that&rsquo;s not the mystery. Perhaps, if the question is why he faked his own death, there is some mystery in that, but Major Calloway explains early on some of Harry&rsquo;s misdeeds. I think labeling this film a mystery also fooled me into thinking this film was something that it was not, and that may have colored my overall outlook on my viewing experience. I do take issue, as a matter of consistency, with the fact that this film appears on any of the AFI lists. By all accounts, this film is a British export, and though there was an American version released for distribution in the United States, the film originated in the United Kingdom. I think that flies in the face of being an &ldquo;American&rdquo; film eligible for entry on the AFI lists. It curiously also did not make the revised list (Rocky replaced it after a sizeable jump in its ranking), even as the film has appeared on some of the other lists, so if it was such a classic meriting an exception to the apparent thrust of compiling these lists to begin with, the AFI has not regarded it consistently either. Even if American actors and film crew were involved in the production, and it had an American producer, by all accounts from my understanding of how the Institute compiles these lists, other films that are primarily British should also have been eligible for consideration if this one was. For example, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is written, co-directed, and partially performed by Terry Gilliam, and I feel that film should have at least cropped up on the AFI&rsquo;s Funniest film list. I digress. In the end, I just didn&rsquo;t find that I enjoyed The Third Man much. It was still a well-made movie, for the most part, even if I didn&rsquo;t connect to it in any tangible or palpable way, but I guess I just don&rsquo;t understand why it&rsquo;s considered such a classic. There is better noir out there, story-wise, production-wise&hellip;and while I would agree that the final shot contains a certain poetry, encapsulating the consequences of choices made, I just wasn&rsquo;t impressed enough by the film overall. Again, that&rsquo;s why this film gets the award of &ldquo;am I missing something?&rdquo; As to a rating on the patented ratings scale, I am leaning heavily on a 7.5, between shaky/entertaining and minor flaws/very good. Like I said, I feel the movie was well done, but it has some flaws in my eyes, at least in the pacing and some of the storytelling. I actually tried re-watching the last half of the film before I wrote this blog in an effort to connect to it more, but, alas, I still am left wondering what all the fuss was about. As such, it definitely does not pass the test. Until I can understand what makes the Third Man so esteemed, other than its excellent production elements, I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;d want to watch it again. In postscript, according to the Spout counter, apparently this is my 1000th movie seen (though, for the record, I haven&rsquo;t gone through the database that thoroughly). Do I get a prize now? J http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Need_more_Noir/643/39308/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 1/9/2009 12:06:52 PM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="Risselada"] I've seen all of these except for Fury, and they are all fantastic!! You MUST see these: Born to Kill Murder, My Sweet Out of the Past And these are also highly recommended and are all listed as film-noir on IMDB (for what it's worth): Sunset Blvd. The Big Sleep White Heat The Night of the Hunter Strangers on a Train The Third Man The Maltese Falcon And if you liked Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street you should check out another one of my favorites from him, Shock Corridor. [/quote] Thank you thank you, the only ones of these I've seen were Night of the Hunter, - which had a pretty dark story but I really didn't like that it was all done in a studio. And Third Man was pretty incredible. I haven't seen The Big Sleep, but I have seen The Big Heat (Fritz Lang) which was the one I was actually trying to think of when I mentioned Fury. I think Fury would actually probably be considered pre-noir. I've kinda been on a Sam Fuller kick ever since I watch Shock Corridor earlier this year. I friggin' loved that one. I just got White Dog in the mail the other day but I haven't watched it yet. [/quote] Yeah, if you see any of them, especially one of the first three, I'm excited to hear what you think! Let me know how White Dog goes.
]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:06:52 GMTRisseladaCommunity Recommendations1/9/2009 12:06:52 PM[quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="Risselada"] I've seen all of these except for Fury, and they are all fantastic!! You MUST see these: Born to Kill Murder, My Sweet Out of the Past And these are also highly recommended and are all listed as film-noir on IMDB (for what it's worth): Sunset Blvd. The Big Sleep White Heat The Night of the Hunter Strangers on a Train The Third Man The Maltese Falcon And if you liked Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street you should check out another one of my favorites from him, Shock Corridor. [/quote] Thank you thank you, the only ones of these I've seen were Night of the Hunter, - which had a pretty dark story but I really didn't like that it was all done in a studio. And Third Man was pretty incredible. I haven't seen The Big Sleep, but I have seen The Big Heat (Fritz Lang) which was the one I was actually trying to think of when I mentioned Fury. I think Fury would actually probably be considered pre-noir. I've kinda been on a Sam Fuller kick ever since I watch Shock Corridor earlier this year. I friggin' loved that one. I just got White Dog in the mail the other day but I haven't watched it yet. [/quote] Yeah, if you see any of them, especially one of the first three, I'm excited to hear what you think! Let me know how White Dog goes. http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Need_more_Noir/643/39294/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 1/8/2009 10:47:21 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] I've seen all of these except for Fury, and they are all fantastic!! You MUST see these: Born to Kill Murder, My Sweet Out of the Past And these are also highly recommended and are all listed as film-noir on IMDB (for what it's worth): Sunset Blvd. The Big Sleep White Heat The Night of the Hunter Strangers on a Train The Third Man The Maltese Falcon And if you liked Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street you should check out another one of my favorites from him, Shock Corridor. [/quote] Thank you thank you, the only ones of these I've seen were Night of the Hunter, - which had a pretty dark story but I really didn't like that it was all done in a studio. And Third Man was pretty incredible. I haven't seen The Big Sleep, but I have seen The Big Heat (Fritz Lang) which was the one I was actually trying to think of when I mentioned Fury. I think Fury would actually probably be considered pre-noir. I've kinda been on a Sam Fuller kick ever since I watch Shock Corridor earlier this year. I friggin' loved that one. I just got White Dog in the mail the other day but I haven't watched it yet.
]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:47:21 GMTleeroy711Community Recommendations1/8/2009 10:47:21 PM[quote user="Risselada"] I've seen all of these except for Fury, and they are all fantastic!! You MUST see these: Born to Kill Murder, My Sweet Out of the Past And these are also highly recommended and are all listed as film-noir on IMDB (for what it's worth): Sunset Blvd. The Big Sleep White Heat The Night of the Hunter Strangers on a Train The Third Man The Maltese Falcon And if you liked Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street you should check out another one of my favorites from him, Shock Corridor. [/quote] Thank you thank you, the only ones of these I've seen were Night of the Hunter, - which had a pretty dark story but I really didn't like that it was all done in a studio. And Third Man was pretty incredible. I haven't seen The Big Sleep, but I have seen The Big Heat (Fritz Lang) which was the one I was actually trying to think of when I mentioned Fury. I think Fury would actually probably be considered pre-noir. I've kinda been on a Sam Fuller kick ever since I watch Shock Corridor earlier this year. I friggin' loved that one. I just got White Dog in the mail the other day but I haven't watched it yet. http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Need_more_Noir/643/39286/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 1/8/2009 6:53:11 PM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] I feel like I've recently re-discovered the noir genre. I just watched The Killing last night and I loved it. As with Fuller's Pickup on South Street. I had previously been a fan of Fritz Lang's older German movies, but now I've seen Fury and I need to see more of his American stuff. And after watching Touch of Evil, I can't understand why Citizen Kane is known as Orson Welle's best work.. I mean c'mon....!!! Charlton Heston just grows a mustache and presto!!! He's a Mexican. You can't beat that! Anyways what are some of the films I'm missing?? [/quote] I've seen all of these except for Fury, and they are all fantastic!! You MUST see these: Born to Kill Murder, My Sweet Out of the Past And these are also highly recommended and are all listed as film-noir on IMDB (for what it's worth): Sunset Blvd. The Big Sleep White Heat The Night of the Hunter Strangers on a Train The Third Man The Maltese Falcon And if you liked Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street you should check out another one of my favorites from him, Shock Corridor.
]]>Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:53:11 GMTRisseladaCommunity Recommendations1/8/2009 6:53:11 PM[quote user="leeroy711"] I feel like I've recently re-discovered the noir genre. I just watched The Killing last night and I loved it. As with Fuller's Pickup on South Street. I had previously been a fan of Fritz Lang's older German movies, but now I've seen Fury and I need to see more of his American stuff. And after watching Touch of Evil, I can't understand why Citizen Kane is known as Orson Welle's best work.. I mean c'mon....!!! Charlton Heston just grows a mustache and presto!!! He's a Mexican. You can't beat that! Anyways what are some of the films I'm missing?? [/quote] I've seen all of these except for Fury, and they are all fantastic!! You MUST see these: Born to Kill Murder, My Sweet Out of the Past And these are also highly recommended and are all listed as film-noir on IMDB (for what it's worth): Sunset Blvd. The Big Sleep White Heat The Night of the Hunter Strangers on a Train The Third Man The Maltese Falcon And if you liked Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street you should check out another one of my favorites from him, Shock Corridor. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_November_3_The_Movies_in_the/625/36912/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 11/3/2008 4:49:16 PM
Body: [quote user="rjsprague"] Yeah I was definitely thinking of Home Alone first. I can't think of anything else right now that wasn't already mentioned. I suck at this. :( I am thinking of some films that have shots of video games in them. Maybe we could do a theme for that sometime? :) [/quote] Yeah, Home Alone had a lot of references in it. 1. Joe Pesci's character is named Harry Lime: from The Third Man 2. In France, the family watches It's a Wonderful Life 3. The movie that Kevin watches "Angels With Filthy Souls" was made up for Home Alone, but it was a spoof on Angels With Dirty Faces. that's just what I found on IMDB
]]>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:49:16 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme11/3/2008 4:49:16 PM[quote user="rjsprague"] Yeah I was definitely thinking of Home Alone first. I can't think of anything else right now that wasn't already mentioned. I suck at this. :( I am thinking of some films that have shots of video games in them. Maybe we could do a theme for that sometime? :) [/quote] Yeah, Home Alone had a lot of references in it. 1. Joe Pesci's character is named Harry Lime: from The Third Man 2. In France, the family watches It's a Wonderful Life 3. The movie that Kevin watches "Angels With Filthy Souls" was made up for Home Alone, but it was a spoof on Angels With Dirty Faces. that's just what I found on IMDB http://www.spout.com/blogs/aidanbrack/archive/2008/8/31/34579.aspx Post By: aidanbrack
Post To: The Bigger Picture
Post Date: 8/31/2008 5:54:05 AM
Body: Mel Welles’ reimagining of the Frankenstein story is a ludicrous and exploitative film that rejects art for lurid sex scenes and unconvincing violence. Whereas Mary Shelley’s novel was a masterpiece of the gothic literary movement, examining the hubris of a scientist who wishes to create life unnaturally, this story pays only lip service to those themes. Sure, the characters have debates about whether they are doing the right thing and the risks inherent in their choices but the film never convinces when talking about morality. Perhaps it’s the score of topless women that somewhat distracts from any pretence at a greater meaning to this tale. Joseph Cotten plays the older Dr Frankenstein, the scientist experimenting with cadavers in the hope of creating new life. After three years of work he finally succeeds in but the brain he uses in his experiment is severely damaged and the creature wakes up a mentally unbalanced monster. Killing his creator, this monster then embarks on a killing spree, taking vengeance on those who created him. His daughter, discovering the body, reacts as any loving daughter would do. She persuades her father’s assistant not to report the creation of the monster and tells him that she wants to become his lover but cannot bear his elderly body. She proposes killing a handsome but mentally-slow young man and transplanting the assistant’s brain into that body so that she can make her perfect man. Riiight. From that moment on it ceases to even pretend to be a horror film and switches to become melodrama interlaced with nudity. This is not an improvement. This film is schlock of the worst kind, completely lacking in depth or artistic merit. Failing even to frighten, it is grippingly atrocious cinema (and I use that word in its lightest sense). Earlier in his career Joseph Cotten had starred in such great films as The Third Man, Citizen Kane and Shadow of a Doubt. It is humiliating to see him reduced to a role this slight, although he does his best to inject some gravitas into a clunking script. He is fortunate to be able to escape the picture at the half-way mark. Rosalba Neri is not so lucky. With a concept so horrible you wonder if the filmmakers were intending this to be parody but any laughs it may generate are strictly unintentional. Some may find it comically bad but it didn’t work for me on that level either. Lady Frankenstein is a tiresome, grim film that even fails to provide scares. For a horror film that is inexcusable.
]]>Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:54:05 GMTaidanbrackThe Bigger Picture8/31/2008 5:54:05 AMMel Welles&rsquo; reimagining of the Frankenstein story is a ludicrous and exploitative film that rejects art for lurid sex scenes and unconvincing violence. Whereas Mary Shelley&rsquo;s novel was a masterpiece of the gothic literary movement, examining the hubris of a scientist who wishes to create life unnaturally, this story pays only lip service to those themes. Sure, the characters have debates about whether they are doing the right thing and the risks inherent in their choices but the film never convinces when talking about morality. Perhaps it&rsquo;s the score of topless women that somewhat distracts from any pretence at a greater meaning to this tale. Joseph Cotten plays the older Dr Frankenstein, the scientist experimenting with cadavers in the hope of creating new life. After three years of work he finally succeeds in but the brain he uses in his experiment is severely damaged and the creature wakes up a mentally unbalanced monster. Killing his creator, this monster then embarks on a killing spree, taking vengeance on those who created him. His daughter, discovering the body, reacts as any loving daughter would do. She persuades her father&rsquo;s assistant not to report the creation of the monster and tells him that she wants to become his lover but cannot bear his elderly body. She proposes killing a handsome but mentally-slow young man and transplanting the assistant&rsquo;s brain into that body so that she can make her perfect man. Riiight. From that moment on it ceases to even pretend to be a horror film and switches to become melodrama interlaced with nudity. This is not an improvement. This film is schlock of the worst kind, completely lacking in depth or artistic merit. Failing even to frighten, it is grippingly atrocious cinema (and I use that word in its lightest sense). Earlier in his career Joseph Cotten had starred in such great films as The Third Man, Citizen Kane and Shadow of a Doubt. It is humiliating to see him reduced to a role this slight, although he does his best to inject some gravitas into a clunking script. He is fortunate to be able to escape the picture at the half-way mark. Rosalba Neri is not so lucky. With a concept so horrible you wonder if the filmmakers were intending this to be parody but any laughs it may generate are strictly unintentional. Some may find it comically bad but it didn&rsquo;t work for me on that level either. Lady Frankenstein is a tiresome, grim film that even fails to provide scares. For a horror film that is inexcusable. http://www.spout.com/blogs/unclefestering/archive/2008/8/7/33730.aspx Post By: unclefestering
Post To: unclefestering Blog
Post Date: 8/7/2008 11:31:11 PM
Body: Every time I go to a Steven Soderberg movie, I’m reminded of the scene from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back where Matt Damon explains that you do the pop movie, so you can fund your indie movie, which you might be able to shoe horn in before you do your payback movie. Soderberg ping pongs back and forth between these types of projects more than any other current director I can think of. The Good German is the Artsy Soderberg in high form. He makes sure that you know it is important because he uses all the traits of classic Hollywood to present this tale. Just in case you might not appreciate the film references, Soderberg films this in black and white, so you know it is more serious that Ocean’s 12 or 14 or 23. I think it is supposed to be ironic. It’s hard to tell. The plot is so convoluted that even after multiple viewings I was still confused about why people were double and triple and quadruple-crossing each other. Part of that might be because each time I watched it, I lost interest in it more quickly. George Clooney plays Captain Jack Gusman, who is returning to a post-war Germany to cover the Potsdam Conference for a magazine. He is assigned a motor pool driver (Tobey Maguire) who is running a number of short cons, black market deal and pimping out women. One of the women that Maguire is running is Cate Blanchett, a weary German who was George Clooney’s mistress during the war. Maguire gets murdered but the Americans and Russians and the few politically powerful Germans are too busy trying to smuggle, betray, help and prosecute each other to notice or really care. Only Clooney can save the day, solve the murder and maybe even uncover who the real war criminals are. There are a lot of problems with this movie. The plot spends a lot of time referencing much better World War II and Post world war movies like Casablanca and The Third Man without having absorbed what makes those movies so great. There is plenty of clever and snappy dialogue, which is good because almost all the leads seem very bored with the roles they are playing. Blanchett is trying to be Marlene Deitrich, but while she swirls in and out of the inky shadows, she fails to project any of Deitrich’s sexual fierceness. Clooney doesn’t seem to be having any fun in his role as the virtuous chump schlepping through the ruins of Germany to be shocked that Americans wanted to keep German rocket scientists out of the hands of the Russians. The only person having fun in his role seems to be Maguire, who seems to like playing the creepy and sadistic Tully. So who is the good German of the title? Who knows? It looks like it is supposed to be one more piece of irony, but it would take more effort that it is worth to figure it out.
]]>Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:31:11 GMTunclefesteringunclefestering Blog8/7/2008 11:31:11 PMEvery time I go to a Steven Soderberg movie, I&rsquo;m reminded of the scene from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back where Matt Damon explains that you do the pop movie, so you can fund your indie movie, which you might be able to shoe horn in before you do your payback movie. Soderberg ping pongs back and forth between these types of projects more than any other current director I can think of. The Good German is the Artsy Soderberg in high form. He makes sure that you know it is important because he uses all the traits of classic Hollywood to present this tale. Just in case you might not appreciate the film references, Soderberg films this in black and white, so you know it is more serious that Ocean&rsquo;s 12 or 14 or 23. I think it is supposed to be ironic. It&rsquo;s hard to tell. The plot is so convoluted that even after multiple viewings I was still confused about why people were double and triple and quadruple-crossing each other. Part of that might be because each time I watched it, I lost interest in it more quickly. George Clooney plays Captain Jack Gusman, who is returning to a post-war Germany to cover the Potsdam Conference for a magazine. He is assigned a motor pool driver (Tobey Maguire) who is running a number of short cons, black market deal and pimping out women. One of the women that Maguire is running is Cate Blanchett, a weary German who was George Clooney&rsquo;s mistress during the war. Maguire gets murdered but the Americans and Russians and the few politically powerful Germans are too busy trying to smuggle, betray, help and prosecute each other to notice or really care. Only Clooney can save the day, solve the murder and maybe even uncover who the real war criminals are. There are a lot of problems with this movie. The plot spends a lot of time referencing much better World War II and Post world war movies like Casablanca and The Third Man without having absorbed what makes those movies so great. There is plenty of clever and snappy dialogue, which is good because almost all the leads seem very bored with the roles they are playing. Blanchett is trying to be Marlene Deitrich, but while she swirls in and out of the inky shadows, she fails to project any of Deitrich&rsquo;s sexual fierceness. Clooney doesn&rsquo;t seem to be having any fun in his role as the virtuous chump schlepping through the ruins of Germany to be shocked that Americans wanted to keep German rocket scientists out of the hands of the Russians. The only person having fun in his role seems to be Maguire, who seems to like playing the creepy and sadistic Tully. So who is the good German of the title? Who knows? It looks like it is supposed to be one more piece of irony, but it would take more effort that it is worth to figure it out. http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2008/7/25/33105.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 7/25/2008 9:54:24 PM
Body: The internet keeps crashing on me. Making me crazy. Please be advised.Breaker Morant is based on the actual events during the Boer War, and subsequent court marshalling of three Australian officers. The government has set them up for a fall, providing them with an inexperienced defense attorney and allowing him little time to prepare his case. The trial scenes are tense and the flashbacks to what the men actually did in the field are also engaging. But I was really fascinated with how the men held up in their cells, preparing to face their verdict, and the politics of it all. Very good.Ah, the Sweet Smell of Success, good in so many ways. Burt Lancaster ("Field of Dreams") is a gossip columnist and Tony Curtis ("Reflections of Evil") is a PR agent trying to get his clients some publicity. Only Lancaster's shutting him out because he wants Curtis to break up his sister's relationship with a musician. Then the plot gets twisty. Curtis is fast talking and sleazy and grasping for fame. The dialogue is so quick you have to sit up and take notice. Two of my favorite lines: "The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river." and "That fish is four days old. I'm not buying it." I thoroughly enjoyed this.Rocket Science reminded me of Thumbsucker. Mostly because the main kid is shy and then suddenly inspired to join the school debate team. The style of this is different though, less dreamy than Thumb. It was funny, but not too funny. The best bits being with the younger kid who lives across the street from the love interest. The soundtrack has some really cool instrumental covers of classic Violent Femmes songs. I'm lukewarm on this.Hellboy II: The Golden Army is just a whole lotta fun. Ron Perlman ("In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale") just eats up this character and loves every minute of his screen time. Director Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth" lets his imagination run wild with all the creatures and sets in this story. And the story starts strong and just keeps on going, quickly re-establishing the Team and introducing a very worthy villain in Luke Goss ("The Dead Undead"), an elf who wants to destroy the human race. Go see it.A classic noirish thriller, The Third Man, stars Joseph Cotten ("The Survivor") as a writer who goes to visit a friend in post WWII Berlin, only to discover the friend has been killed just before he arrived. Cotten then sets out to solve the mystery of his friend's death. It's fast paced and intriguing, asking which loyalty a man should follow. There's a femme fatale love interest. And Orson Welles ("Moby Dick") is awesome. Very good.
]]>Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:54:24 GMTdibotdibot Blog7/25/2008 9:54:24 PMThe internet keeps crashing on me. Making me crazy. Please be advised.Breaker Morant is based on the actual events during the Boer War, and subsequent court marshalling of three Australian officers. The government has set them up for a fall, providing them with an inexperienced defense attorney and allowing him little time to prepare his case. The trial scenes are tense and the flashbacks to what the men actually did in the field are also engaging. But I was really fascinated with how the men held up in their cells, preparing to face their verdict, and the politics of it all. Very good.Ah, the Sweet Smell of Success, good in so many ways. Burt Lancaster ("Field of Dreams") is a gossip columnist and Tony Curtis ("Reflections of Evil") is a PR agent trying to get his clients some publicity. Only Lancaster's shutting him out because he wants Curtis to break up his sister's relationship with a musician. Then the plot gets twisty. Curtis is fast talking and sleazy and grasping for fame. The dialogue is so quick you have to sit up and take notice. Two of my favorite lines: "The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river." and "That fish is four days old. I'm not buying it." I thoroughly enjoyed this.Rocket Science reminded me of Thumbsucker. Mostly because the main kid is shy and then suddenly inspired to join the school debate team. The style of this is different though, less dreamy than Thumb. It was funny, but not too funny. The best bits being with the younger kid who lives across the street from the love interest. The soundtrack has some really cool instrumental covers of classic Violent Femmes songs. I'm lukewarm on this.Hellboy II: The Golden Army is just a whole lotta fun. Ron Perlman ("In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale") just eats up this character and loves every minute of his screen time. Director Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth" lets his imagination run wild with all the creatures and sets in this story. And the story starts strong and just keeps on going, quickly re-establishing the Team and introducing a very worthy villain in Luke Goss ("The Dead Undead"), an elf who wants to destroy the human race. Go see it.A classic noirish thriller, The Third Man, stars Joseph Cotten ("The Survivor") as a writer who goes to visit a friend in post WWII Berlin, only to discover the friend has been killed just before he arrived. Cotten then sets out to solve the mystery of his friend's death. It's fast paced and intriguing, asking which loyalty a man should follow. There's a femme fatale love interest. And Orson Welles ("Moby Dick") is awesome. Very good. http://www.spout.com/blogs/shaunhuston/archive/2008/6/19/31433.aspx Post By: ShaunHuston
Post To: ShaunHuston filmblog
Post Date: 6/19/2008 6:01:33 PM
Body: The mystery list is another one that seems poorly conceived. Unlike animation, “mystery” may be a genre, but the way it is defined and applied in the AFI list leads to a muddled selection of films.The AFI defines mystery as “a genre that revolves around the solution of a crime”. I'm not convinced that that adequately describes the films on the list, or, even if it does, it is absurdly reductive. Most ironically, the definition seems least appropriate when applied to the list's top selection, Vertigo (1958), which does not actually revolve around the solution of a crime at all, but a domestic mystery, and is really about Scottie's (Jimmy Stewart) inner-demons and obsessions in any event. Similar questions can be raised about other movies on this Top 10. For example, the second film on the list, Chinatown (1974), certainly starts with a mysterious murder, but part of the point of the film is that some “crimes” aren't illegal at all, and may even be facilitated by laws. The plot of The Third Man (1949) involves the unveiling of criminal activity, but the central mystery, on more than one level, proves not to be a crime, or at least is vague enough for questions to be raised about whether it is or isn't. And, as was highlighted on the broadcast, Dial M for Murder (1954) is really more about the commission of a crime than its solution. You get the picture: the AFI definition for this genre is fine as far as it goes, but it misses the nuances in most of the films on the list. In fact, it can be argued that most of the films on this Top 10 are typically considered to belong to more refined categories than “mystery”. Chinatown, The Third Man, and The Maltese Falcon (1941) are better thought of as Film Noir, as should North by Northwest (1959), though I recognize that that may be a less typical way of understanding that movie than it is for the others. Another segment of the selections – Vertigo, Rear Window (1954), Dial M for Murder – are more precisely “suspense” movies or “thrillers”, wherein mystery, rather than being the point of the narrative, is merely a device for exploring the human psyche. This leaves three movies as the “true” mysteries on the list. From what I know of Laura (1944), I've not seen it, this seems like a fair enough categorization, and I think that “mystery” is reasonable as a way of thinking about The Usual Suspects (1995). Blue Velvet (1986) I'm tempted to say belongs to the genre of “David Lynch,” but it is also clearly the case that a mystery drives much of the film's action. What's curious about the AFI's choice to use and apply “mystery” to the films that it does is that the alternatives I suggest, “noir”, “suspense”, “thriller”, are also well-used genre categories, and ones that better capture one of my points above: these movies largely use mysteries to explore other themes – power, obsession, fear, evil. There are, however, films where the mystery is the thing. Think The Thin Man series, or the incarnations of Nancy Drew, or adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple books. I suppose the orchestrators of these lists may have considered this, and decided that there aren't enough such movies to “honor”, but that's not only narrow-minded, especially in the context of genre entertainment, it also begs the question of why “mystery” and not “noir”, “thriller”, etc. Assessing the individual selections is made complicated by the underlying categorization question. I can see where each of the films on the list can and should be honored on a Top 10 in “x” genre, even if I don't quite see it for this particular accounting. However, Vertigo is, like The Searchers and Shane from the Western list, one of those highly regarded “classics” that I don't quite get. To me it seems dated in its fascination with mid-century popular psychology, and its visualizations of feelings of vertigo don't hold up well at all. That the latter is important to me is probably a function of the former. I vastly prefer Rear Window, and, as to the non-Hitchcock on the list, Chinatown is one of those films I will routinely cite as my absolute favorite when asked. Everything else more or less depends on context and I'm not sure that the AFI has provided the right one here. Link to introduction. Originally posted on:Short-Circuit Signs
]]>Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:01:33 GMTShaunHustonShaunHuston filmblog6/19/2008 6:01:33 PMThe mystery list is another one that seems poorly conceived. Unlike animation, “mystery” may be a genre, but the way it is defined and applied in the AFI list leads to a muddled selection of films.The AFI defines mystery as “a genre that revolves around the solution of a crime”. I'm not convinced that that adequately describes the films on the list, or, even if it does, it is absurdly reductive. Most ironically, the definition seems least appropriate when applied to the list's top selection, Vertigo (1958), which does not actually revolve around the solution of a crime at all, but a domestic mystery, and is really about Scottie's (Jimmy Stewart) inner-demons and obsessions in any event. Similar questions can be raised about other movies on this Top 10. For example, the second film on the list, Chinatown (1974), certainly starts with a mysterious murder, but part of the point of the film is that some “crimes” aren't illegal at all, and may even be facilitated by laws. The plot of The Third Man (1949) involves the unveiling of criminal activity, but the central mystery, on more than one level, proves not to be a crime, or at least is vague enough for questions to be raised about whether it is or isn't. And, as was highlighted on the broadcast, Dial M for Murder (1954) is really more about the commission of a crime than its solution. You get the picture: the AFI definition for this genre is fine as far as it goes, but it misses the nuances in most of the films on the list. In fact, it can be argued that most of the films on this Top 10 are typically considered to belong to more refined categories than “mystery”. Chinatown, The Third Man, and The Maltese Falcon (1941) are better thought of as Film Noir, as should North by Northwest (1959), though I recognize that that may be a less typical way of understanding that movie than it is for the others. Another segment of the selections – Vertigo, Rear Window (1954), Dial M for Murder – are more precisely “suspense” movies or “thrillers”, wherein mystery, rather than being the point of the narrative, is merely a device for exploring the human psyche. This leaves three movies as the “true” mysteries on the list. From what I know of Laura (1944), I've not seen it, this seems like a fair enough categorization, and I think that “mystery” is reasonable as a way of thinking about The Usual Suspects (1995). Blue Velvet (1986) I'm tempted to say belongs to the genre of “David Lynch,” but it is also clearly the case that a mystery drives much of the film's action. What's curious about the AFI's choice to use and apply “mystery” to the films that it does is that the alternatives I suggest, “noir”, “suspense”, “thriller”, are also well-used genre categories, and ones that better capture one of my points above: these movies largely use mysteries to explore other themes – power, obsession, fear, evil. There are, however, films where the mystery is the thing. Think The Thin Man series, or the incarnations of Nancy Drew, or adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple books. I suppose the orchestrators of these lists may have considered this, and decided that there aren't enough such movies to “honor”, but that's not only narrow-minded, especially in the context of genre entertainment, it also begs the question of why “mystery” and not “noir”, “thriller”, etc. Assessing the individual selections is made complicated by the underlying categorization question. I can see where each of the films on the list can and should be honored on a Top 10 in “x” genre, even if I don't quite see it for this particular accounting. However, Vertigo is, like The Searchers and Shane from the Western list, one of those highly regarded “classics” that I don't quite get. To me it seems dated in its fascination with mid-century popular psychology, and its visualizations of feelings of vertigo don't hold up well at all. That the latter is important to me is probably a function of the former. I vastly prefer Rear Window, and, as to the non-Hitchcock on the list, Chinatown is one of those films I will routinely cite as my absolute favorite when asked. Everything else more or less depends on context and I'm not sure that the AFI has provided the right one here. Link to introduction. Originally posted on:Short-Circuit Signs http://www.spout.com/blogs/nevermoresraven/archive/2008/4/18/27492.aspx Post By: NevermoresRaven
Post To: NevermoresRaven Blog
Post Date: 4/18/2008 6:38:51 PM
Body: War is hell, and the second world war drove that point home in Europe. Vienna is one such place that took a beating during the war. This crumbling, war torn, damp, conflict riddled hell hole(no offence Vienna, you're beautiful now) is the backdrop to the 1949 film noir classic "The Third Man". As I've said before, some older films don't hold up too well, but others still stand out decades after(we're talking 59 years already for this one). This is one such film.The film is a mystery(what, a film noir as a mystery? Crazy, I know), where a man who comes to Vienna to work for a friend is instead left to figure out what happened after his death. The different occuping armies(United States, Britian, France, and Russian) are all playing a part somewhere along the road, and none are too keen on playing well with others it seems. The acting is very well played, Joseph Cotten plays the protaginist Holly Martins(I kid you not, he's a guy named Holly) with passion, humor, and a style that seems all his own. Orson Welles plays his recently dead buddy Harry Lime, giving that wonderful Welles touch that we've seen him add to characters so often("Citizen Kane", and even Unicron in the 1986 "Transformers" animated film). Another honorable mention goes to Trevor Howard as Major Calloway, he just seemed so confident, yet confused and over the top at the same time.The cinimatography adds a feeling of depth as well, with city streets only so visible and almost every cornor shrouded in darkness. The ending scenes in the sewer are almost haunting as vocies echo from the darkness, and nobody's quite sure where the others are.The music is on a whole different level, using some odd multi-stringed insturment that I cna't recall the name of(but it has something like 8 million strings). This is the only insturment heard in the entire film, which gives the film a somewhat laid back feel amongst all the deception, lies, and attempted murder. It could have taken away from the overall feel of the film, but really it gives it a great little sense of humor.In the end, this is another one of those classics that I just have to say "go, watch, now!". The acting is top notch, the music is fun, and the whole thing just rings of greatness. No wonder it's considered one of the best film noir's ever.
]]>Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:38:51 GMTNevermoresRavenNevermoresRaven Blog4/18/2008 6:38:51 PMWar is hell, and the second world war drove that point home in Europe. Vienna is one such place that took a beating during the war. This crumbling, war torn, damp, conflict riddled hell hole(no offence Vienna, you&#39;re beautiful now) is the backdrop to the 1949 film noir classic &quot;The Third Man&quot;. As I&#39;ve said before, some older films don&#39;t hold up too well, but others still stand out decades after(we&#39;re talking 59 years already for this one). This is one such film.The film is a mystery(what, a film noir as a mystery? Crazy, I know), where a man who comes to Vienna to work for a friend is instead left to figure out what happened after his death. The different occuping armies(United States, Britian, France, and Russian) are all playing a part somewhere along the road, and none are too keen on playing well with others it seems. The acting is very well played, Joseph Cotten plays the protaginist Holly Martins(I kid you not, he&#39;s a guy named Holly) with passion, humor, and a style that seems all his own. Orson Welles plays his recently dead buddy Harry Lime, giving that wonderful Welles touch that we&#39;ve seen him add to characters so often(&quot;Citizen Kane&quot;, and even Unicron in the 1986 &quot;Transformers&quot; animated film). Another honorable mention goes to Trevor Howard as Major Calloway, he just seemed so confident, yet confused and over the top at the same time.The cinimatography adds a feeling of depth as well, with city streets only so visible and almost every cornor shrouded in darkness. The ending scenes in the sewer are almost haunting as vocies echo from the darkness, and nobody&#39;s quite sure where the others are.The music is on a whole different level, using some odd multi-stringed insturment that I cna&#39;t recall the name of(but it has something like 8 million strings). This is the only insturment heard in the entire film, which gives the film a somewhat laid back feel amongst all the deception, lies, and attempted murder. It could have taken away from the overall feel of the film, but really it gives it a great little sense of humor.In the end, this is another one of those classics that I just have to say &quot;go, watch, now!&quot;. The acting is top notch, the music is fun, and the whole thing just rings of greatness. No wonder it&#39;s considered one of the best film noir&#39;s ever. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
Number of films tagged: 816

Number of people who tagged: 312

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]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMT8163121453Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/murder/MemberTagFilms.aspxmurder
Number of films tagged: 8748

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]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:57:25 GMT8748157830Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspxfriendship
Number of films tagged: 6791

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]]>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:42:20 GMT6791154980Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/the/MemberTagFilms.aspxthe
Number of films tagged: 124

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]]>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:01:38 GMT124131150Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest
Number of films tagged: 78

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]]>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:01:38 GMT7891122Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/film/MemberTagFilms.aspxfilm
Number of films tagged: 657

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]]>Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:35:41 GMT65782190Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/mystery/MemberTagFilms.aspxmystery
Number of films tagged: 156

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]]>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:01:30 GMT15682208Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/noir/MemberTagFilms.aspxnoir
Number of films tagged: 77

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]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:23:43 GMT7767134Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/haunting/MemberTagFilms.aspxhaunting
Number of films tagged: 79

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]]>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:30:05 GMT7946103Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/slow/MemberTagFilms.aspxslow
Number of films tagged: 92

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]]>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:42:26 GMT9246106Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/writer/MemberTagFilms.aspxwriter
Number of films tagged: 869

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]]>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:37:08 GMT8694189Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/espionage/MemberTagFilms.aspxespionage
Number of films tagged: 2176

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]]>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:02:54 GMT217638109Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/photography/MemberTagFilms.aspxphotography
Number of films tagged: 673

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]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:57:25 GMT6733259Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/killing/MemberTagFilms.aspxkilling
Number of films tagged: 7191

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]]>Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:01:54 GMT71913196Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/black/MemberTagFilms.aspxblack
Number of films tagged: 35

Number of people who tagged: 29

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]]>Thu, 28 May 2009 22:20:03 GMT352936Tag