Bonnie and Clyde's Recent Activity

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Title: Bonnie and Clyde
Year: 1967
Director: Arthur Penn
Plot: Producer/star Warren Beatty had to convince Warner Bros. to finance this film, which went on to become the studio's second-highest grosser. It also caused major controversy by redefining violence in cinema and casting its criminal protagonists as sympathetic anti-heroes. Based loosely on the true exploits of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker during the 30s, the film begins as Clyde (Beatty) tries to steal the car of Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway)'s mother. Bonnie is excited by Clyde's outlaw demeanor, and he further stimulates her by robbing a store in her presence. Clyde steals a car, with Bonnie in tow, and their legendary crime spree begins. The two move from town to town, pulling off small heists, until they join up with Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman), his shrill wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons), and a slow-witted gas station attendant named C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard). The new gang robs a bank and Clyde is soon painted in the press as a Depression-era Robin Hood when he allows one bank customer to hold onto his money. Soon the police are on the gang's trail and they are constantly on the run, even kidnapping a Texas Ranger (Denver Pyle) and setting him adrift on a raft, handcuffed, after he spits in Bonnie's face when she kisses him. That same ranger leads a later raid on the gang that leaves Buck dying, Blanche captured, and both Clyde and Bonnie injured. The ever-loyal C.W. takes them to his father's house. C.W.'s father disaproves his son's affiliation with gangsters and enters a plea bargain with the Texas Rangers. A trap is set that ends in one of the bloodiest death scenes in cinematic history. The film made stars out of Beatty and Dunaway, and it also featured the screen debut of Gene Wilder as a mortician briefly captured by the gang. Its portrayal of Bonnie and Clyde as rebels who empathized with the poor working folks of the 1930s struck a chord with the counterculture of the 1960s and helped generate a new, young audience for American movies that carried over into Hollywood's renewal of the 1970s. Its combination of sex and violence with dynamic stars, social relevance, a traditional Hollywood genre, and an appeal to hip young audiences set the pace for many American movies to come. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 34
Number of Lists: 47
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 4
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:36:33 GMTBonnie and Clyde1967Arthur PennProducer/star <a href="/players/P____81105/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Warren Beatty</a> had to convince Warner Bros. to finance this film, which went on to become the studio's second-highest grosser. It also caused major controversy by redefining violence in cinema and casting its criminal protagonists as sympathetic anti-heroes. Based loosely on the true exploits of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker during the 30s, the film begins as Clyde (Beatty) tries to steal the car of Bonnie Parker (<a href="/players/P____20518/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Faye Dunaway</a>)'s mother. Bonnie is excited by Clyde's outlaw demeanor, and he further stimulates her by robbing a store in her presence. Clyde steals a car, with Bonnie in tow, and their legendary crime spree begins. The two move from town to town, pulling off small heists, until they join up with Clyde's brother Buck (<a href="/players/P____29486/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gene Hackman</a>), his shrill wife Blanche (<a href="/players/P____55233/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Estelle Parsons</a>), and a slow-witted gas station attendant named C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard). The new gang robs a bank and Clyde is soon painted in the press as a Depression-era Robin Hood when he allows one bank customer to hold onto his money. Soon the police are on the gang's trail and they are constantly on the run, even kidnapping a Texas Ranger (<a href="/players/P____58123/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Denver Pyle</a>) and setting him adrift on a raft, handcuffed, after he spits in Bonnie's face when she kisses him. That same ranger leads a later raid on the gang that leaves Buck dying, Blanche captured, and both Clyde and Bonnie injured. The ever-loyal C.W. takes them to his father's house. C.W.'s father disaproves his son's affiliation with gangsters and enters a plea bargain with the Texas Rangers. A trap is set that ends in one of the bloodiest death scenes in cinematic history. The film made stars out of Beatty and Dunaway, and it also featured the screen debut of <a href="/players/P___116771/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gene Wilder</a> as a mortician briefly captured by the gang. Its portrayal of Bonnie and Clyde as rebels who empathized with the poor working folks of the 1930s struck a chord with the counterculture of the 1960s and helped generate a new, young audience for American movies that carried over into Hollywood's renewal of the 1970s. Its combination of sex and violence with dynamic stars, social relevance, a traditional Hollywood genre, and an appeal to hip young audiences set the pace for many American movies to come. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide34Tag Target (>10)47643http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u52006k9bqc.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Bonnie_and_Clyde/4050/default.aspxFilm Spout Post: Re:Weekly Theme for December 1: The Anti-Hero http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_December_1_The_Anti_Hero/625/38216/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: Risselada
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 12/10/2008 6:23:55 PM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] Oh and you can't forget the western genre. There may have never been a better anti-hero than "Blondie" in the "man with no name" trilogy.[/quote] Yeah and pretty much any subsequent Clint Eastwood western or Spaghetti Western. And yeah Quentin Tarantino pretty much writes all anit-heros. That's because the grindhouse B-movie type of movies that he is inspired by is driven by them. Bonnie and Clyde would be a good major release example though.
]]>Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:23:55 GMTRisseladaWeekly Theme12/10/2008 6:23:55 PM[quote user="leeroy711"] Oh and you can't forget the western genre. There may have never been a better anti-hero than "Blondie" in the "man with no name" trilogy.[/quote] Yeah and pretty much any subsequent Clint Eastwood western or Spaghetti Western. And yeah Quentin Tarantino pretty much writes all anit-heros. That's because the grindhouse B-movie type of movies that he is inspired by is driven by them. Bonnie and Clyde would be a good major release example though. Spout Post: Two Crime Legends. http://www.spout.com/blogs/captainryannn/archive/2008/12/4/37957.aspx

Post By: CaptainRyannn
Post To: CaptainRyannn Blog
Post Date: 12/4/2008 4:44:21 PM
Body: Considered by many to be one of the groundbreaking films of the 60’s, Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde offers a romanticized vision of two of the most famous outlaws in American History. A bored, small-town girl, Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunnaway), meets up with recently released bank robber, Clyde Barrow (Warren Beaty), and they set off across the Midwest robbing banks and on the run from the law. They team up with gas station clerk, (Michael Pollard), Clyde’s brother, Buck (Gene Hackman), and his nuisance of a wife (Estelle Parsons) during the journey and that’s when things start to turn bad. Ultimately, this is a road movie. It’s about average people caught up in the life of crime and on the run from authorities. When I first saw this a few years ago, I hated it. I couldn’t understand for the life of me what made this thing so special. Like many movies however, you have to mature into the right state-of-mind and after a second viewing, your mind could change completely. One of my biggest complaints lies in the film’s climax. Many of you probably already know what happened of the notorious outlaws, but some of you don’t so I’ll refrain from spoiling it for you here. Anyway, it features a series of quick cuts that pretty much ruin the entire mood and build-up for me. I once watched a program on the History Channel on the life of these two and I’m pretty sure that if they would’ve stuck to what had actually happened, it would’ve made for a much better ending. Despite all the violence, which was pretty graphic for the 60’s, the movie carries quite a light mood. If the soundtrack hadn’t been filled with cherry bluegrass music, we’d have a much different movie. The characters are all pretty solid. Every one of them did a great job. Although if you get annoyed easily, I’m going to warn you, because Buck’s wife is possibly one of the most annoying characters I’ve ever seen on screen. All she does is nag. So check this out if you’re down for an adventure movie about two of the most famous criminals this country has ever seen. I’m against a lot of remakes but if one were to come from this, I’d be the first in line.
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:44:21 GMTCaptainRyannnCaptainRyannn Blog12/4/2008 4:44:21 PMConsidered by many to be one of the groundbreaking films of the 60’s, Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde offers a romanticized vision of two of the most famous outlaws in American History. A bored, small-town girl, Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunnaway), meets up with recently released bank robber, Clyde Barrow (Warren Beaty), and they set off across the Midwest robbing banks and on the run from the law. They team up with gas station clerk, (Michael Pollard), Clyde’s brother, Buck (Gene Hackman), and his nuisance of a wife (Estelle Parsons) during the journey and that’s when things start to turn bad. Ultimately, this is a road movie. It’s about average people caught up in the life of crime and on the run from authorities. When I first saw this a few years ago, I hated it. I couldn’t understand for the life of me what made this thing so special. Like many movies however, you have to mature into the right state-of-mind and after a second viewing, your mind could change completely. One of my biggest complaints lies in the film’s climax. Many of you probably already know what happened of the notorious outlaws, but some of you don’t so I’ll refrain from spoiling it for you here. Anyway, it features a series of quick cuts that pretty much ruin the entire mood and build-up for me. I once watched a program on the History Channel on the life of these two and I’m pretty sure that if they would’ve stuck to what had actually happened, it would’ve made for a much better ending. Despite all the violence, which was pretty graphic for the 60’s, the movie carries quite a light mood. If the soundtrack hadn’t been filled with cherry bluegrass music, we’d have a much different movie. The characters are all pretty solid. Every one of them did a great job. Although if you get annoyed easily, I’m going to warn you, because Buck’s wife is possibly one of the most annoying characters I’ve ever seen on screen. All she does is nag. So check this out if you’re down for an adventure movie about two of the most famous criminals this country has ever seen. I’m against a lot of remakes but if one were to come from this, I’d be the first in line. Spout Post: Bonnie and Clyde http://www.spout.com/blogs/atacta/archive/2008/11/28/37710.aspx

Post By: atacta
Post To: atacta Blog
Post Date: 11/28/2008 11:34:40 AM
Body: First time viewing of the caper. Set during The Depression, the story is strangely modern given today's economic blight with failing banks and such. Beatty and Dunaway embody the characters and make for an electric pair. The impotency story thread was a complete surprise but I'm glad Clyde got it sorted out - Dunaway is stunningly beautiful. The violence is also a surprise at is escalates in the final act of the film climaxing with the famous shootout. The similarities with Badlands are limited to the basics of the plot. Otherwise this has nothing in common with it. Great supporting turns by Michael J. Pollard (did he ever break from the mold of playing the part of C.W. Moss?), Hackman and Estelle Parsons. Good stuff.
]]>Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:34:40 GMTatactaatacta Blog11/28/2008 11:34:40 AMFirst time viewing of the caper. Set during The Depression, the story is strangely modern given today's economic blight with failing banks and such. Beatty and Dunaway embody the characters and make for an electric pair. The impotency story thread was a complete surprise but I'm glad Clyde got it sorted out - Dunaway is stunningly beautiful. The violence is also a surprise at is escalates in the final act of the film climaxing with the famous shootout. The similarities with Badlands are limited to the basics of the plot. Otherwise this has nothing in common with it. Great supporting turns by Michael J. Pollard (did he ever break from the mold of playing the part of C.W. Moss?), Hackman and Estelle Parsons. Good stuff. Spout Post: Viewing Bonnie and Clyde for the AFI Project http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/9/16/35203.aspx

Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 9/16/2008 3:29:32 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 Bonnie and Clyde is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#27)100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies (#13)100 Years...100 Passions (#65)100 Years...100 Heroes and Villans (Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are the #32 villains)100 Movie Quotes (#41 - Clyde Barrow: "We rob banks.")The Revised Top 100 (#42)10 Top 10's (#5 Gangster) I watched Bonnie and Clyde instantly on Netflix, which was nice on my dark night from the theater. I only knew so much about the film from the level of its pseudo-permutation into the pop culture, which has waned in recent years, so I had very few expectations going in. I was hoping to enjoy it, really, and that was all. I did enjoy it, but, again, I didn't love this one. I was engaged the whole time but only in a bemused sort of way. Bonnie and Clyde is a loosely biographical film about Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty), lovers and partners in crime who cut a swath of murder and mayhem across half the country in the 30s in search of a good time. The movie posits that Clyde is studying Bonnie's mother's automobile one day shortly after he's released from prison for petty theft when Bonnie espies him from her bedroom window. As she's half naked, Clyde is smitten with Bonnie, and Bonnie feels the same for Clyde, particularly after he robs a store right in front of her. Seemingly soulmates, bored with life's conventions in the Depression era South and too smart for their own good (so they believe), the two gradually expand their gang to include C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard), the getaway driver, and Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman) and his wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) in their bank robbing and murdering until their exploits for fun, fame, and fortune meet a predictably grisly end. There is also a brief but hilarious cameo from Gene Wilder in his first ever movie role. The performances by Beatty, Dunaway, Hackman, and Parsons were all very funny, sly, and occasionally touching. I'm not sure that I would have given Oscar gold to Parsons, but I'm not sure who else was nominated in 1967. If Catharine Ross, from The Graduate, was nominated, I might have given it to her instead, but that's just me. Parsons screaming about everything didn't strike me as particularly strong acting, but it's the Academy, and this was forty years ago, so what do I know? I particularly enjoyed Warren Beatty, so young, so effacing, and so on top of his game. I have struggled with his acting prowess in recent years on occasion, but this film made me more of a believer, seeing the range of emotions displayed from a wink and a smile to outright temper to deep concern and worry for his "honey," Bonnie. Faye Dunaway was also good; my she had a string of great films in the late 60s/early 70s, didn't she? Her Texas accent was a little, well, forced, though. Or, maybe it was his. I don't know. I liked the art direction and cinematography, with its grainy old-movie haze, and the direction was also very good. The ending scenes were truly groundbreakers, undoubtedly becoming the model for many a violent and slow motion demise for characters of all types in films to come. I also thought it was cool that they found so many different types of automobiles for the film to be available for theft by the Barrow gang. The pacing was a little choppy, however. The film seemed to slow to a crawl right in the middle, when they were establishing themselves as bank robbers of the century and when the love story between Clyde and Bonnie was coming in and out of focus depending on the distraction. I just found it hard to stay engaged in any kind of meaningful way at that point because it felt like the movie was as all-over-the-place as its title characters. My biggest problem with the film was the story execution. When there's a true story put to film, often times details will be fudged for the artistic impact, and I have no qualms on that side of it for Bonnie and Clyde, but with all of the background material available to the screenwriters, I felt the story was just a little too trite for my tastes, a little too easy. Maybe their relationship was, in real life, all about the "wham, bam, thank you ma'am," fast-paced, and fueled by spontaneity and foolish decisions, but the film struggled to find a focal point, even when it should have been Bonnie and Clyde themselves. Was it about their love for one another? Their crime spree? Their sense of raw hedonism? It was, of course, about all of those things, but it meandered without finding that center. I think the viewer is supposed to accept that Clyde's literal impotence sparked his penchant for violence and crime, or that Bonnie was really just a mama's girl looking for a good time, so the character development was also a bit truncated. I think the problem came with, as the movie explanations by the All Movie Guide note, trying to paint Bonnie and Clyde as sympathetic anti-heroes. What is a sympathetic anti-hero? Batman is an anti-hero. He takes dark roads with the goal of justice in mind. Bonnie and Clyde were simply carefree criminals who occasionally did not rob poor people, and their love story, which was played largely for laughs and slapstick, was, as a result, largely less than compelling. They were also rebels, though, and this film was released during a time when youth rebellion--counter culture--was en vogue. That's not to say that I didn't have a good time. It was a pleasure to see Warren Beatty in his prime and to watch a film that had some truly great elements to it, and I did laugh on occasion and smirked most of the time. Also, the ending was perfection even if the exposition left something to be desired. I'm just not sure I see it as one of the great American films. Bonnie and Clyde tumbled 15 spots on the revised list, but I probably would have dropped it a few more spots because it just didn't thrill me (or make my heart pound...#13, wha???). I'm thinking the film gets a 7.5 for me between shaky/entertaining and minor flaws/very good. If I missed the point, feel free to comment. As for tests, it doesn't pass. Obviously, I'm a little too lukewarm about the film to fork money over for it. The film is recommendable, though; it's not a wasted two hours and is something of the good time that Bonnie and Clyde seemed to have.
]]>Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:29:32 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts9/16/2008 3:29:32 PMWhat's the AFI Project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx Bonnie and Clyde is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#27)100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies (#13)100 Years...100 Passions (#65)100 Years...100 Heroes and Villans (Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are the #32 villains)100 Movie Quotes (#41 - Clyde Barrow: "We rob banks.")The Revised Top 100 (#42)10 Top 10's (#5 Gangster) I watched Bonnie and Clyde instantly on Netflix, which was nice on my dark night from the theater. I only knew so much about the film from the level of its pseudo-permutation into the pop culture, which has waned in recent years, so I had very few expectations going in. I was hoping to enjoy it, really, and that was all. I did enjoy it, but, again, I didn't love this one. I was engaged the whole time but only in a bemused sort of way. Bonnie and Clyde is a loosely biographical film about Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty), lovers and partners in crime who cut a swath of murder and mayhem across half the country in the 30s in search of a good time. The movie posits that Clyde is studying Bonnie's mother's automobile one day shortly after he's released from prison for petty theft when Bonnie espies him from her bedroom window. As she's half naked, Clyde is smitten with Bonnie, and Bonnie feels the same for Clyde, particularly after he robs a store right in front of her. Seemingly soulmates, bored with life's conventions in the Depression era South and too smart for their own good (so they believe), the two gradually expand their gang to include C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard), the getaway driver, and Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman) and his wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) in their bank robbing and murdering until their exploits for fun, fame, and fortune meet a predictably grisly end. There is also a brief but hilarious cameo from Gene Wilder in his first ever movie role. The performances by Beatty, Dunaway, Hackman, and Parsons were all very funny, sly, and occasionally touching. I'm not sure that I would have given Oscar gold to Parsons, but I'm not sure who else was nominated in 1967. If Catharine Ross, from The Graduate, was nominated, I might have given it to her instead, but that's just me. Parsons screaming about everything didn't strike me as particularly strong acting, but it's the Academy, and this was forty years ago, so what do I know? I particularly enjoyed Warren Beatty, so young, so effacing, and so on top of his game. I have struggled with his acting prowess in recent years on occasion, but this film made me more of a believer, seeing the range of emotions displayed from a wink and a smile to outright temper to deep concern and worry for his "honey," Bonnie. Faye Dunaway was also good; my she had a string of great films in the late 60s/early 70s, didn't she? Her Texas accent was a little, well, forced, though. Or, maybe it was his. I don't know. I liked the art direction and cinematography, with its grainy old-movie haze, and the direction was also very good. The ending scenes were truly groundbreakers, undoubtedly becoming the model for many a violent and slow motion demise for characters of all types in films to come. I also thought it was cool that they found so many different types of automobiles for the film to be available for theft by the Barrow gang. The pacing was a little choppy, however. The film seemed to slow to a crawl right in the middle, when they were establishing themselves as bank robbers of the century and when the love story between Clyde and Bonnie was coming in and out of focus depending on the distraction. I just found it hard to stay engaged in any kind of meaningful way at that point because it felt like the movie was as all-over-the-place as its title characters. My biggest problem with the film was the story execution. When there's a true story put to film, often times details will be fudged for the artistic impact, and I have no qualms on that side of it for Bonnie and Clyde, but with all of the background material available to the screenwriters, I felt the story was just a little too trite for my tastes, a little too easy. Maybe their relationship was, in real life, all about the "wham, bam, thank you ma'am," fast-paced, and fueled by spontaneity and foolish decisions, but the film struggled to find a focal point, even when it should have been Bonnie and Clyde themselves. Was it about their love for one another? Their crime spree? Their sense of raw hedonism? It was, of course, about all of those things, but it meandered without finding that center. I think the viewer is supposed to accept that Clyde's literal impotence sparked his penchant for violence and crime, or that Bonnie was really just a mama's girl looking for a good time, so the character development was also a bit truncated. I think the problem came with, as the movie explanations by the All Movie Guide note, trying to paint Bonnie and Clyde as sympathetic anti-heroes. What is a sympathetic anti-hero? Batman is an anti-hero. He takes dark roads with the goal of justice in mind. Bonnie and Clyde were simply carefree criminals who occasionally did not rob poor people, and their love story, which was played largely for laughs and slapstick, was, as a result, largely less than compelling. They were also rebels, though, and this film was released during a time when youth rebellion--counter culture--was en vogue. That's not to say that I didn't have a good time. It was a pleasure to see Warren Beatty in his prime and to watch a film that had some truly great elements to it, and I did laugh on occasion and smirked most of the time. Also, the ending was perfection even if the exposition left something to be desired. I'm just not sure I see it as one of the great American films. Bonnie and Clyde tumbled 15 spots on the revised list, but I probably would have dropped it a few more spots because it just didn't thrill me (or make my heart pound...#13, wha???). I'm thinking the film gets a 7.5 for me between shaky/entertaining and minor flaws/very good. If I missed the point, feel free to comment. As for tests, it doesn't pass. Obviously, I'm a little too lukewarm about the film to fork money over for it. The film is recommendable, though; it's not a wasted two hours and is something of the good time that Bonnie and Clyde seemed to have. Spout Post: Re:Weekly Theme for July 21: Road Trip! http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_July_21_Road_Trip/625/33147/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: Risselada
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 7/27/2008 7:45:03 PM
Body: Sorry I've been really under the weather and preoccupied so I've gotten behind on a lot of these threads. I just opened this one up however and was suprised at how few of the movies that immediately came to mind for me (other than my favorite, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) had not been mentioned yet at all! Although not one of my favorite movies, the quintessential road movie for me is Two-Lane Blacktop. I can really appreciate the purity of it I think, and the kind of people you'd really find living on the road. Jim Jarmuch's first film Stranger than Paradise is a favorite of mine that I think would qualify. And I think his most recent film Broken Flowers does as well. Many people mentioned Natural Born Killers which is really a more specific genre of a crime spree on the road type movie. There area couple movies that I think far surpass this film in this genre. Specifically at the top are Badlands and Bonnie and Clyde. For my favorite comedies that feature road trip elements, I'd mention Dumb & Dumber, and Borat. And also The Wizard when I'm feeling nostalgic.
]]>Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:45:03 GMTRisseladaWeekly Theme7/27/2008 7:45:03 PMSorry I've been really under the weather and preoccupied so I've gotten behind on a lot of these threads. I just opened this one up however and was suprised at how few of the movies that immediately came to mind for me (other than my favorite, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) had not been mentioned yet at all! Although not one of my favorite movies, the quintessential road movie for me is Two-Lane Blacktop. I can really appreciate the purity of it I think, and the kind of people you'd really find living on the road. Jim Jarmuch's first film Stranger than Paradise is a favorite of mine that I think would qualify. And I think his most recent film Broken Flowers does as well. Many people mentioned Natural Born Killers which is really a more specific genre of a crime spree on the road type movie. There area couple movies that I think far surpass this film in this genre. Specifically at the top are Badlands and Bonnie and Clyde. For my favorite comedies that feature road trip elements, I'd mention Dumb & Dumber, and Borat. And also The Wizard when I'm feeling nostalgic. Spout Post: Bonnie and Clyde (1967, USA, Arthur Penn) *** http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/12/28764.aspx

Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/12/2008 10:39:38 PM
Body: The first time I saw Bonnie and Clyde I enjoyed it, but did not think it deserved its place in the canon of great American films. Watching it again, I agreed with my original assessment, although unlike a lot of films I feel are overrated, I can understand why many people think the film has greatness. It was a breakthough for one thing, having a maturity to it that had rarely been seen in American films before. It also tapped into the zietgiest (I've been using that word a lot recently) of the times- I'm sure that a lot of counterculture types could identify with the small band of misits living outside of society, although, like the hippie supporters of The Graduate, they glossed over many of the negative aspects of the experince. For the unititiated, Penn's film is an episodic (and apparenly, not particularly accurate) account of Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty, who I apparently bear a striking resemblance to) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway), romantically entangled bank robbers of the 30's. When they meet, Bonnie is immediatly attracted to Clyde's bravado and the fearless excitement of his crimes while Clyde correctly judges Bonnie to have more style and class (figuritivly speaking) than most of her social status. The two join up with Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman) his wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) and C.W. (Michael Pollard) a car expert. Although it is common for the film to be interpreted as an ode to the American outsider living outside the mainstream, the film is a little wiser than that simplistic view. What begins as an energetic joyride with the promise of riches turns into a tedious and frightening series of near-escapes and abandoned houses. Many also see Bonnie and Clyde as modern day Robin Hoods, which from the film is not entirely accurate. Clyde does allow some people to keep their own money from the banks they rob, but he also kills an innocent bank manager in cold blood as well as the scene where Clyde humiliates a captured policemen. The film is most moving when it deals with the relationship of its two protagonists. Clyde is more sensitive than most of the men from his era, perhaps because he is impotent, and genuinley cares for Bonnie, who likewise looks out for him. What keeps the film from being the extraordinary experince many claim it to be is that its hard to get involved with any of the characters beyond their relationship. Buck, Blanche and C.W. remain underdevloped, and in most of the other scenes its difficult to care much about the duo. Penn also makes the mistake of making the policemen that chases the gang (Denver Pyle) into a one note bad guy for no real reason. Time has not been completly kind to the film, either. The idea of having protagonists of dubious morality was breakthrough in American films at the time but has now been dealt with in a sucession of superior movies (The Godfather, Taxi Driver and on and on). The movie also is weird hybrid of New and Old Hollywood, with 70's techniques and sensibility not always meshing well with the old holdovers, such as rear screen projection in the driving scenes. Arthur Penn was expected to be one of America's formost auteurs, but he never matched the sucess of this film and was soon overtaken by Coppola, Scorese, and Spielberg, who carried the goods for the long haul. Still, this is a good movie that any real student of American films can't miss. That it's importance is more historic than artistic doesn't mean it has no entertainment or aesthetic value (it does), but ironically, the movie's own influence has worked against it over time. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 02:39:38 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/12/2008 10:39:38 PMThe first time I saw Bonnie and Clyde I enjoyed it, but did not think it deserved its place in the canon of great American films. Watching it again, I agreed with my original assessment, although unlike a lot of films I feel are overrated, I can understand why many people think the film has greatness. It was a breakthough for one thing, having a maturity to it that had rarely been seen in American films before. It also tapped into the zietgiest (I've been using that word a lot recently) of the times- I'm sure that a lot of counterculture types could identify with the small band of misits living outside of society, although, like the hippie supporters of The Graduate, they glossed over many of the negative aspects of the experince. For the unititiated, Penn's film is an episodic (and apparenly, not particularly accurate) account of Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty, who I apparently bear a striking resemblance to) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway), romantically entangled bank robbers of the 30's. When they meet, Bonnie is immediatly attracted to Clyde's bravado and the fearless excitement of his crimes while Clyde correctly judges Bonnie to have more style and class (figuritivly speaking) than most of her social status. The two join up with Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman) his wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) and C.W. (Michael Pollard) a car expert. Although it is common for the film to be interpreted as an ode to the American outsider living outside the mainstream, the film is a little wiser than that simplistic view. What begins as an energetic joyride with the promise of riches turns into a tedious and frightening series of near-escapes and abandoned houses. Many also see Bonnie and Clyde as modern day Robin Hoods, which from the film is not entirely accurate. Clyde does allow some people to keep their own money from the banks they rob, but he also kills an innocent bank manager in cold blood as well as the scene where Clyde humiliates a captured policemen. The film is most moving when it deals with the relationship of its two protagonists. Clyde is more sensitive than most of the men from his era, perhaps because he is impotent, and genuinley cares for Bonnie, who likewise looks out for him. What keeps the film from being the extraordinary experince many claim it to be is that its hard to get involved with any of the characters beyond their relationship. Buck, Blanche and C.W. remain underdevloped, and in most of the other scenes its difficult to care much about the duo. Penn also makes the mistake of making the policemen that chases the gang (Denver Pyle) into a one note bad guy for no real reason. Time has not been completly kind to the film, either. The idea of having protagonists of dubious morality was breakthrough in American films at the time but has now been dealt with in a sucession of superior movies (The Godfather, Taxi Driver and on and on). The movie also is weird hybrid of New and Old Hollywood, with 70's techniques and sensibility not always meshing well with the old holdovers, such as rear screen projection in the driving scenes. Arthur Penn was expected to be one of America's formost auteurs, but he never matched the sucess of this film and was soon overtaken by Coppola, Scorese, and Spielberg, who carried the goods for the long haul. Still, this is a good movie that any real student of American films can't miss. That it's importance is more historic than artistic doesn't mean it has no entertainment or aesthetic value (it does), but ironically, the movie's own influence has worked against it over time. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Spout Post: Dated, But Historically Important http://www.spout.com/blogs/jakestevens/archive/2007/10/9/20540.aspx

Post By: JakeStevens
Post To: JakeStevens Blog
Post Date: 10/9/2007 2:57:27 PM
Body: This is #27 on AFI's 100 Greatest "American" Films list, and deservedly so. Arthur Penn's direction is first rate, Faye Dunaway is friggin' hot as Clyde (reminded me of Julia Stiles a tad), and Michael J. Pollard plays C.W. Moss with a genuine pathos. Gene Wilder's character had me laughing out loud when they steal his car - a great cameo. A little dated, but definitely ahead of it's time. All in all, not bad.
]]>Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:57:27 GMTJakeStevensJakeStevens Blog10/9/2007 2:57:27 PMThis is #27 on AFI's 100 Greatest "American" Films list, and deservedly so. Arthur Penn's direction is first rate, Faye Dunaway is friggin' hot as Clyde (reminded me of Julia Stiles a tad), and Michael J. Pollard plays C.W. Moss with a genuine pathos. Gene Wilder's character had me laughing out loud when they steal his car - a great cameo. A little dated, but definitely ahead of it's time. All in all, not bad. Spout Post: Bang! "Ya got me pal!" : Spike and Mike's sick and Twisted Festival of Animation http://www.spout.com/blogs/jlgdrd/archive/2007/6/22/11758.aspx

Post By: jlgdrd
Post To: Wicked Fun
Post Date: 6/22/2007 6:46:00 PM
Body: Years ago, a local film critic (living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex) dismissed Crimes of Passion by saying, “Why doesn’t Ken Russell just go back to England?” as if this were a legitimate, professional reaction to any film. You just couldn’t help the feeling that she didn’t get it. “It” not being the film itself. It was awful but I don’t think it’s ever okay to pan a film because one’s sensibilities are offended. Or ravaged. Ironically I find myself in a similar situation after viewing Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation. Call it Karmic Justice. I repeatedly wondered if I’d viewed this collection, say, 25 years ago, if I’d have been rolling in the proverbial aisles. Though I’d like to think I’m smarter today. From The Grand Guignol Theatre of 19th Century Paris, to Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive to the Mr. Creosote sketch in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, to the Itchy and Scratchy cartoon-within-a-cartoon featured on The Simpsons the practice of depicting the disturbing, the horrific, the unwatchable seems more and more prevalent. And in those particular cases, hilarious. With the release of films like Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, The Godfather, Taxi Driver, it’s been theorized that film makers must steadily escalate the violence in their movies to lure audiences away from television, the result being that we have become progressively more inured to the maiming, mutilation, decapitation and other forms of torture and execution we bear witness to in the everyday business of visual entertainment. Remember the groundbreaking sketch when Dan Ackroyd, dressed as Julia Child, lopped off the end of her thumb on Saturday Night Live? I say groundbreaking because, yes, it was funny. The blood everywhere, so extravagant that “Child” was actually slipping in it. SNL demonstrated that you could be gory and tasteless and excessive and still be uproarious. Unfortunately, it also spawned uncountable comedic derivations, based on the unfortunate misconception that anything tasteless or absurdly, disproportionately grisly was de facto funny.The reason why I’ve gone on so long about this is because so much of S&M’s Animation Festival is composed of creepy, violent images that I can’t sort out whether they’re not funny because I’m just a sour old curmudgeon, or a closet candy-ass. Mondo Media’s Happy Tree Friends is rife with mutilation imagery, that I suppose, is plausible, but just random enough that the shock invites us to laugh. Just how far can you push the irony of physical trauma erupting repeatedly and whimsically? Perhaps the reason Eric Merola’s Fly Boy (homage to Di Palma’s Scarface) works better is that context gives it depth. We’re not expected to find hilarity in random ghastly occurrences that pop up to poison the cotton candy, to gouge out the eyes of Hello Kitty! But who am I to say? Maybe there are people who find the specious, vapid content of traditional cartoons to be so dull and insipid, so vacuous (so offensive?) that Spike and Mike provide respite. Catharsis. Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation offers 23 new films and 2 special encores. It runs about 90 minutes, and features roughly the level and garden variety of quality you might expect from an assortment of 25 animated short subjects. Some of the pieces never transcend the amusement you might get from any quirky, novel animation, and unlike other animation festivals, none are intended as chiefly dramatic or reflective pieces. Though the best have layers of content. There is a great deal of impressive facility and imagination going on, even if the end result of most have very little impact. Cat Ciao, for example, has lots of intriguing craft and mechanics. The depth of field is vivid and inspired, even if the story is disappointing. And that’s the way it is throughout. It’s like a Christmas stocking with a few gemmy trinkets here and there but not much you’d want to take home. A couple (The Answer and Mule Dick ) are predicated on jokes that have been circulating for at least 15 years and others like Proper Urinal Etiquette and Krazy Kock are more clever in concept than in practice. Some, ironically, go on way past the point of being comical while others hit the punch line so quickly you have to do a double-take. Hippie Juice was terrible. By far the best are: Here Comes Dr. Tran, The Boy Who Could Smell the Future, My First Boner (after Schoolhouse Rock), Crab Revolution, Frog, and Ah, L’ Amour, with Proper Urinal Etiquette, Mr. J. Russell, No Neck Joe and Krazy Kock running second.
]]>Fri, 22 Jun 2007 22:46:00 GMTjlgdrdWicked Fun6/22/2007 6:46:00 PMYears ago, a local film critic (living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex) dismissed Crimes of Passion by saying, “Why doesn’t Ken Russell just go back to England?” as if this were a legitimate, professional reaction to any film. You just couldn’t help the feeling that she didn’t get it. “It” not being the film itself. It was awful but I don’t think it’s ever okay to pan a film because one’s sensibilities are offended. Or ravaged. Ironically I find myself in a similar situation after viewing Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation. Call it Karmic Justice. I repeatedly wondered if I’d viewed this collection, say, 25 years ago, if I’d have been rolling in the proverbial aisles. Though I’d like to think I’m smarter today. From The Grand Guignol Theatre of 19th Century Paris, to Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive to the Mr. Creosote sketch in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, to the Itchy and Scratchy cartoon-within-a-cartoon featured on The Simpsons the practice of depicting the disturbing, the horrific, the unwatchable seems more and more prevalent. And in those particular cases, hilarious. With the release of films like Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, The Godfather, Taxi Driver, it’s been theorized that film makers must steadily escalate the violence in their movies to lure audiences away from television, the result being that we have become progressively more inured to the maiming, mutilation, decapitation and other forms of torture and execution we bear witness to in the everyday business of visual entertainment. Remember the groundbreaking sketch when Dan Ackroyd, dressed as Julia Child, lopped off the end of her thumb on Saturday Night Live? I say groundbreaking because, yes, it was funny. The blood everywhere, so extravagant that “Child” was actually slipping in it. SNL demonstrated that you could be gory and tasteless and excessive and still be uproarious. Unfortunately, it also spawned uncountable comedic derivations, based on the unfortunate misconception that anything tasteless or absurdly, disproportionately grisly was de facto funny.The reason why I’ve gone on so long about this is because so much of S&M’s Animation Festival is composed of creepy, violent images that I can’t sort out whether they’re not funny because I’m just a sour old curmudgeon, or a closet candy-ass. Mondo Media’s Happy Tree Friends is rife with mutilation imagery, that I suppose, is plausible, but just random enough that the shock invites us to laugh. Just how far can you push the irony of physical trauma erupting repeatedly and whimsically? Perhaps the reason Eric Merola’s Fly Boy (homage to Di Palma’s Scarface) works better is that context gives it depth. We’re not expected to find hilarity in random ghastly occurrences that pop up to poison the cotton candy, to gouge out the eyes of Hello Kitty! But who am I to say? Maybe there are people who find the specious, vapid content of traditional cartoons to be so dull and insipid, so vacuous (so offensive?) that Spike and Mike provide respite. Catharsis. Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation offers 23 new films and 2 special encores. It runs about 90 minutes, and features roughly the level and garden variety of quality you might expect from an assortment of 25 animated short subjects. Some of the pieces never transcend the amusement you might get from any quirky, novel animation, and unlike other animation festivals, none are intended as chiefly dramatic or reflective pieces. Though the best have layers of content. There is a great deal of impressive facility and imagination going on, even if the end result of most have very little impact. Cat Ciao, for example, has lots of intriguing craft and mechanics. The depth of field is vivid and inspired, even if the story is disappointing. And that’s the way it is throughout. It’s like a Christmas stocking with a few gemmy trinkets here and there but not much you’d want to take home. A couple (The Answer and Mule Dick ) are predicated on jokes that have been circulating for at least 15 years and others like Proper Urinal Etiquette and Krazy Kock are more clever in concept than in practice. Some, ironically, go on way past the point of being comical while others hit the punch line so quickly you have to do a double-take. Hippie Juice was terrible. By far the best are: Here Comes Dr. Tran, The Boy Who Could Smell the Future, My First Boner (after Schoolhouse Rock), Crab Revolution, Frog, and Ah, L’ Amour, with Proper Urinal Etiquette, Mr. J. Russell, No Neck Joe and Krazy Kock running second. Spout Post: Re: What are your favorite endings? http://www.spout.com/groups/What_An_Ending/Re_What_are_your_favorite_endings/343/11491/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: sarcastig
Post To: What An Ending
Post Date: 6/20/2007 12:28:29 PM
Body: I can think of so many perfect endings...In fact, almost all the movies I love have good endings, because I think it's needed to go from liking to loving a movie. But a few that came immediately to mind: *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind*The Third Man: it's a very long shot of the main female character watching towards the camera, where the main character is standing by his car. It takes about 3 minutes, with the only sound being the great zithar music. Then she gets to the camera, and without even looking at the guy, walks past it and out of the frame. It's hard to explain why it's so perfect, but just watch the movie, it's worth it.*The Passenger: fabulous, and rightfully famous, final scene. I won't reveal anything because you have to try to figure it out yourself*Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bonnie & Clyde, and Thelma& Louise. Somehow these "1 pair on the lam" movies tend to end the same way, the only way they can end, but that doesn't mean it isn't memorable. *Many more, many of which were already mentioned here
]]>Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:28:29 GMTsarcastigWhat An Ending6/20/2007 12:28:29 PMI can think of so many perfect endings...In fact, almost all the movies I love have good endings, because I think it's needed to go from liking to loving a movie. But a few that came immediately to mind: *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind*The Third Man: it's a very long shot of the main female character watching towards the camera, where the main character is standing by his car. It takes about 3 minutes, with the only sound being the great zithar music. Then she gets to the camera, and without even looking at the guy, walks past it and out of the frame. It's hard to explain why it's so perfect, but just watch the movie, it's worth it.*The Passenger: fabulous, and rightfully famous, final scene. I won't reveal anything because you have to try to figure it out yourself*Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bonnie & Clyde, and Thelma& Louise. Somehow these "1 pair on the lam" movies tend to end the same way, the only way they can end, but that doesn't mean it isn't memorable. *Many more, many of which were already mentioned here Spout Post: Re: Top 5 Opposites Attract Movies http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmspotting/Re_Top_5_Opposites_Attract_Movies/304/10262/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: Risselada
Post To: Filmspotting
Post Date: 6/6/2007 12:34:27 PM
Body: [quote user="joem18b"]3. Bonnie and Clyde[/quote]Bonnie and Clyde were opposites? I thought from my memory they were two peas in a pod, soulmates. I am probably totally forgetting large portions of this movie though. I do remember loving it though.
]]>Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:34:27 GMTRisseladaFilmspotting6/6/2007 12:34:27 PM[quote user="joem18b"]3. Bonnie and Clyde[/quote]Bonnie and Clyde were opposites? I thought from my memory they were two peas in a pod, soulmates. I am probably totally forgetting large portions of this movie though. I do remember loving it though. Spout Tag:love http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12478

Number of people who tagged: 338

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]]>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:28:29 GMT124783381480Tag Spout Tag:murder 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 Spout Tag:adventure http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/adventure/MemberTagFilms.aspxadventure
Number of films tagged: 228

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]]>Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:49:03 GMT22895368Tag Spout Tag:violence http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/violence/MemberTagFilms.aspxviolence
Number of films tagged: 952

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]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:51:44 GMT286876279Tag Spout Tag:gangster http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/gangster/MemberTagFilms.aspxgangster
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]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:37:08 GMT406560145Tag Spout Tag:violent http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/violent/MemberTagFilms.aspxviolent
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]]>Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:28:06 GMT9757153Tag Spout Tag:kidnapping http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/kidnapping/MemberTagFilms.aspxkidnapping
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]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:32:02 GMT85344148Tag Spout Tag:BLOODY http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/BLOODY/MemberTagFilms.aspxBLOODY
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]]>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:13:56 GMT333744Tag Spout Tag:police http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/police/MemberTagFilms.aspxpolice
Number of films tagged: 3104

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]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:56:49 GMT310437172Tag Spout Tag:car http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/car/MemberTagFilms.aspxcar
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]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:32:16 GMT13163299Tag Spout Tag:ontheroad http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/ontheroad/MemberTagFilms.aspxontheroad
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