Going Underground

(November 29, 2015)

I’ve long been curious about whether there’s a large treasure trove of lost underground comix from the 70s. All the major artists are reprinted all the time, of course: R. Crumb, Spain, Gilbert Sheldon, Aline Kominsky, etc. But what about the rest? Underground comix was a big thing for a while… The other week I … Continue reading Going Underground

F&C1935: Dangerous

(November 29, 2015)

“Why don’t you lay off that stuff!” “Because I’d rather be drunk than sober!” I love 30s dialogue. That Betty Davis kid is pretty swell. She’ll go far! I might just be a bit drunk, but I really like this film on a scene-to-scene basis. The storyline is somewhat funky, but who cares. Dangerous. Alfred … Continue reading F&C1935: Dangerous

F&C1936: Things to Come

(November 28, 2015)

What are the odds. Two anti-war films in a row. I guess it was on people’s minds in the late 30s. This film doesn’t really have much of a narrative structure… or a plot… or much of anything. It has scenes that are kinda fun to watch, but… Things to Come. William Cameron Menzies. 1936. … Continue reading F&C1936: Things to Come

F&C1937: La Grande Illusion

(November 28, 2015)

Hey, this Renoir kid is pretty good. He’ll go far. La Grande Illusion. Jean Renoir. 1937. Retreat This post is part of the F&C series.

F&C1938: Room Service

(November 27, 2015)

For a Marx Bros film, this has a lot of plot. And it’s really slow paced. Of course there are hilarious scenes here, but it just seems to lack that spark? Where everything gets funnier and funnier? There are too many pauses between the funny. It’s totally OK, though. Room Service. William A. Seiter. 1938. … Continue reading F&C1938: Room Service

F&C1939: Only Angels Have Wings

(November 27, 2015)

I seem to be having a kinda unfortunate streak here. None of the last few films have been as good as they should have been. I thought that this would be a sure bet, but there’s a lot here that really grates. It’s very pretty, though. Only Angels Have Wings. Howard Hawks. 1939. Pink Gin … Continue reading F&C1939: Only Angels Have Wings

F&C1940: Juninatten

(November 22, 2015)

It starts off as a Swedish Noir film! I didn’t know that that was a thing. This is a very peculiar film. It careens between overly tautly cut scenes and longer, pensive scenes. I’m not quite sure whether this is because the director and editor want that effect or it’s accidental. I’m utterly charmed by … Continue reading F&C1940: Juninatten

F&C1941: Mr and Mrs Smith

(November 21, 2015)

This is quite funny. I had forgotten that Hitchcock could be this amusing. The joke goes on for far too long, though. Mr and Mrs Smith. Alfred Hitchcock. 1941. One Of Those Things That’s the problem with getting cocktail recipes off of the net. Most of them aren’t very good. And this one looks gruesome … Continue reading F&C1941: Mr and Mrs Smith

F&C1942: The Magnificent Ambersons

(November 21, 2015)

This is officially the 174th best film ever. I think it seems rather self-indulgent and melodramatic. I don’t find the “George” character very convincing. Yes, yes, he’s an annoying twit, but can anybody really be as annoyingly twittish (that’s a word) as this? Perhaps it would have resolved itself in the last hour, but I … Continue reading F&C1942: The Magnificent Ambersons

F&C1943: The More the Merrier

(November 21, 2015)

Hey! Jean Arthur! I like her. They’re aiming for screwball comedy, but it goes kinda embarrassing at times. Eek. It’s really funny. It’s also amusing how they (as is common in these war time films) weave in “inconspicuous” propaganda scenes about how union busting is patriotic and so on. The More the Merrier. George Stevens. … Continue reading F&C1943: The More the Merrier

F&C1944: Laura

(November 20, 2015)

Much floppy. Again with the floppy! Wow! Very noir. Laura. Otto Preminger. 1944. Parisian This post is part of the F&C series.

F&C1945: The Thin Man Goes Home

(November 20, 2015)

This is rarely laugh out LOL, but it’s plenty witty. The Thin Man Goes Home.  Richard Thorpe.  1945. This post is part of the F&C series.

F&C1946: Night and Day

(November 20, 2015)

Eek! Colour again! Techni! The film is allegedly (very!) based on Cole Porter’s life, so there’s lots and lots of Cole Porter songs. In 40s close-harmony sentimental versions. Which is totally fine by me. Somebody should bring back that singing style. It may not be high art or anything, but it’s a quite enjoyable film, … Continue reading F&C1946: Night and Day

F&C1947: Song of the Thin Man

(November 17, 2015)

Two Myrna Loy films in a row! Yay! She’s great. The first Thin Man film is brilliant, of course. I think this is the last one? I’ve just seen the first two. Anyway, this is plenty amusing, but it’s not much like that first film. That film had witty repartee coming out of its ass. … Continue reading F&C1947: Song of the Thin Man

F&C1948: Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House

(November 17, 2015)

It’s very enjoyable, of course. I can’t really point to anything annoying about the film. However, for some reason or other it didn’t seem as swell as it should have been… Perhaps I was just distracted or something. Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House. HC Potter. 1948. Morris Cocktail Nacíonal This post is part of … Continue reading F&C1948: Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House

F&C1949: On the Town

(November 15, 2015)

By Emacs! There’s something strange happening on my TV! The pixels! Instead of just showing luminicity, they’re also showing… Hue! How is that possible!? What strange innovation is this!!! Was New York really smoggy in the 40s? I mean… See? Smog? Or just foggy? For the entire shoot? Whenever I see Frank Sinatra in one … Continue reading F&C1949: On the Town

F&C1950: Stage Fright

(November 14, 2015)

“I’m dead common, I am.” Heavy flow. I was going to see Rio Bravo, but I had apparently mistagged the year. (It’s from 1959, not 1950.) So another Hitchcock film. Yay? But this is much weirder than the last two Hitchcock films I saw. Way more interesting actors, too. Stage Fright. Alfred Hitchcock. 1950. Pink … Continue reading F&C1950: Stage Fright

F&C1951: Strangers on a Train

(November 14, 2015)

Well, this is a pretty tense thriller, but it’s a bit mechanical. I mean, there are lots of fine touches, but I found myself being impatient with it all. I’ve probably seen it before, though, so that might explain my dissatisfaction… Or it might be the pretty, and pretty non-descript, actors. The only interesting actor … Continue reading F&C1951: Strangers on a Train

F&C1952: A Girl In Every Port

(November 14, 2015)

Ok, it’s not exactly the funniest Marx Brothers film (it’s more of a Marx Brother film), but it’s amusing. There’s only a few bits I LOL-ed out loud to, but it’s pleasantly silly throughout. And I kinda loved the two rather dim characters at the center of the shenanigans (Jane and Bert). A Girl In … Continue reading F&C1952: A Girl In Every Port

F&C1953: Madame de…

(November 13, 2015)

Max Ophüls is another director I’m unfamiliar with. And I’m not sure whether it’s the cocktail confusing me or the film being kinda odd, but I’m not totally tracking what’s going on here! So I’m throwing this die mostly based on how it looks and whether I liked the dialogue: Madame de…. Max Ophüls. 1953. … Continue reading F&C1953: Madame de…

F&C1954: Viaggio in Italia

(November 13, 2015)

I haven’t seen many of Rossellini’s films… Has he been somewhat forgotten? Based on this film, he’s good, but he’s not as distinctive as, say, Fellini, or as commercial as, say, Vincente Minnelli. So I could see how he’s not mentioned that often any more. Although I could just be hanging out in the wrong … Continue reading F&C1954: Viaggio in Italia

F&C1955: Ordet

(November 13, 2015)

“I think my character is supposed to be a bit insane?” “Slightly?” It’s a film about religious woes in the Danish countryside! Yay! My favourite! But it manages to be quite fascinating and touching, anyway. And sometimes even funny. I give this film a three hanky rating. Ordet. Carl Theodor Dreyer. 1955. (The DVD cover … Continue reading F&C1955: Ordet

F&C1956: The Wrong Man

(November 13, 2015)

Heh heh. Henry Fonda just said he was thirty-eight. This was supposed to be all taut and tense and nightmarish, but initially I found it kinda boring. Then it became quite touching, and then I was strangely interested. And then I was bored again. It’s not Hitchcock’s best. I think the moral is supposed to … Continue reading F&C1956: The Wrong Man

F&C1957: Battle Hymn

(November 13, 2015)

I’m a great fan of Sirk’s 50s melodramas. I mean, All That Heaven Allows… Written on the Wind… Imitation of Life… They’re great films. They’re also kinda preachey. (In a good way!) The politics of this film are slightly bit more difficult to parse. It’s not Sirk’s usual pinko commie setting: I mean, the Korean … Continue reading F&C1957: Battle Hymn

F&C1958: Touch of Evil

(November 12, 2015)

It’s a self bronzer catastrophe! Much tense! I can see why the studio weren’t quite happy with this film. The tense maelstrom into depravity is difficult to parse — does the film really mean it (man), or is it a parody? Were the actors rolling around laughing while coming up with the “reefer” lines? But … Continue reading F&C1958: Touch of Evil

F&C1959: 浮草

(November 12, 2015)

Oh, this is from the same director as 東 京物語, which is officially the best film ever. I really like his style. He puts the camera almost in the line-of-sight of the characters while they’re speaking to each other. So you feel like you’re in the middle. It’s very odd, but quite effective. It’s funny, … Continue reading F&C1959: 浮草

Couture: Dark

(November 12, 2015)

I forgot that I printed a shirt with luminescent paint earlier this summer. I just went into the darkest of dark rooms, flashed it, and took some photos.

F&C1960: The Apartment

(November 11, 2015)

The DVD transfer is among the worst I’ve seen. Is this an upsampled VHS thing? Everyhing is all moire and stuff… It might just be me, but I just didn’t find this to be very funny. And I usually like Billy Wilder films. Perhaps I’m just in a lousy mood tonight. Or perhaps it’s the … Continue reading F&C1960: The Apartment

Useful Consumer Review

(November 11, 2015)

I bought a bluetooth numpad today. It’s a fresh and exciting experience: Fresh! Scandinavian design! Thor!  Is that you!? Sure…  Or perhaps they mean the packaging? Perhaps not. Anyway, I can’t get it to pair with my Ubuntu laptop, so I guess it doesn’t work under Linux. Oh, well.  It it’s wireless, it doesn’t really … Continue reading Useful Consumer Review

F&C1961: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

(November 11, 2015)

I read the book last year, I think? I don’t actually recall it, but I think it must have been better than this film? The guy in “Jap-face” is really cringe-worthy. But I guess it’s… fine… I thought I was going to enjoy this film, but I kinda didn’t. I am disappoint! Breakfast at Tiffany’s. … Continue reading F&C1961: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

F&C1962: Cléo de 5 a 7

(November 11, 2015)

This is dead good. I didn’t realise that Robert Alman got his style from Agnès Varda. Even the DVD documentary, where Varda interviews the actors, designers and some gardeners, is great. I should watch all her films. Cléo de 5 a 7. Agnès Varda. 1962. Harrington Harvard I had to dump this. It tasted like … Continue reading F&C1962: Cléo de 5 a 7

F&C1963: Les Mepris

(November 10, 2015)

I don’t know… I’m just not feeling this. I can’t really point to anything specific, but this just doesn’t seem to be very engaging. It might be the swelling soundtrack. Or the meta-ness of it all. Les Mepris. Jean-Luc Godard. 1963. Grasshopper This post is part of the F&C series.

F&C1964: Une femme mariée

(November 10, 2015)

Even for a nouvelle vague film, this is pretty weird. Me like! Une femme mariée. Jean-Luc Godard. 1964. Dehsler Governor’s

F&C1965: Help!

(November 9, 2015)

This is dead silly, this is. Hard Day’s Night was funnier. Less encumbered with plot. I laughed a lot here, too, but there are long stretches where nothing funny happens. I want this to be better than it is. And I’m not really that fond of the music. Help!. Richard Lester. 1965. Derby

F&C1966: Au hasard Balthazar

(November 9, 2015)

Uh-oh. A French film about livestock. This isn’t going to have a happy ending. Or middle, or beginning. I love the stilted human actors, but having several very different-looking donkeys play Balthazar was kinda odd. Au hasard Balthazar. Robert Bresson. 1966. Crux This post is part of the F&C series.

F&C1967: Wait Until Dark

(November 8, 2015)

Err… mplayer doesn’t want to do screenshots of this fillum? Weird. Well, I’ll just use my camera. This post is part of the F&C series. This is a kinda sadistic film, bur it takes a kinda empowering turn. And everything happens in one small apartment. Mostly in the same room. I kinda like that. It … Continue reading F&C1967: Wait Until Dark

F&C1968: The Thomas Crown Affair

(November 8, 2015)

This film is so 70s! If I didn’t know that it was from 1968 and by Norman Jewison I would have guessed that it was from 1974 and by a very, very restrained Robert Altman. It’s like six years before its time. The start, at least. The rest is more ordinary. It could have been … Continue reading F&C1968: The Thomas Crown Affair

F&C

(November 8, 2015)

Earlier this year I watched one film per year since I was born until now. Then it occurred to me that I’m the same age now that my father was when I was born. That’s just too conceptual!  Could I watch one film per year from 1968 back to 1922? Yes! It’s possible!  Although finding … Continue reading F&C