I don’t care if it is the first feature-length comedy ever, because it still sucks–which, I mean to say, is that it contains everything I never liked about American comedies. The majority of its humor is from slapstick violence, some of it’s from alcohol, and a lot is because Tillie’s a real beast. I supposeContinue reading “film: (Chaplin) – Tillie’s Punctured Romance”
Category Archives: film
film: Walters – Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (1960)
I suppose it’s rare that one can watch a lengthy portion of a film and miss every shred of context. Something that has angered me for years: the general perception of the ending to the musical Pippin. Wikipedia sums it up: “Pippin realizes that he has given up his extraordinary purpose for the simplest andContinue reading “film: Walters – Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (1960)”
film: Feuillade: Fantômas – À l’ombre de la guillotine (1913)
Reminds me of sitting in that fucking theater, twice a week, through the lengthy art films, trying not to sleep, sometimes sleeping, eating candy, eating candy, eating candy…this one was “murder” to sit through. Hahahahah. No, the last fifteen minutes got me to perk up slightly, and say “ah hah! brilliant, Fantomas!” and then worryContinue reading “film: Feuillade: Fantômas – À l’ombre de la guillotine (1913)”
film: Lang: M (1931)
Though I probably haven’t seen enough thrillers to know, their general pattern seems to be lightheartedness through the beginning, and then a quick increase into whatever makes us anxious, a curveball at the end, finis. Except that this seems to be Hitchcock’s strategy, I’d say that Lang was working early in a genre–and so? IContinue reading “film: Lang: M (1931)”
film: Kramer: Inherit the Wind (1960)
The difficulties I have in viewing films is the same I have in listening to music or poetry–I find it almost cruel to separate its parts; to dissect a work of art truly is dissection in its most violent sense, it is equal to the dehumanization present alongside any occupied surgical table. Yet, it mustContinue reading “film: Kramer: Inherit the Wind (1960)”
film: Pastrone: Cabiria (1914)
“Two hour silent Italian film” sounds frightening. So I’ve been hesitant to watch it, despite knowing its importance in the film world. But tonight I watched it, and was surprised to enjoy it very well. It moved along quickly enough, though the plot seemed bogged down with excessive motivations and plots. I think I possessContinue reading “film: Pastrone: Cabiria (1914)”
film: Olivier: Richard III (1955)
Olivier’s Richard III assumes great independence of the text, including, though I haven’t checked for sure, lines from Henry VI part 3 as the introduction (as I seem to recall the play ending on a generally optimistic note, York now holding the throne, and the audience privy to Richard’s ill intentions). But these are changesContinue reading “film: Olivier: Richard III (1955)”
film: LaCava: My Man Godfrey (1936)
One of the very few films that, within moments of its beginning, I was hooked, and far before the end, was one of my favorites. Mostly due to William Powell’s acting–that is what hooked me, even before I could see his face in the darkness, his voice is not meant for Hollywood so much asContinue reading “film: LaCava: My Man Godfrey (1936)”
film: Neilan: Stella Maris (1918)
1918. I fall in love with Mary Pickford every time I see one of her films, and it’s difficult to remember that her hands were smooth and delicate, her body serenely curvaceous ten years before my grandfather was born. I cannot imagine her slacks torn, her belt broken, and yet watching her, how she loves,Continue reading “film: Neilan: Stella Maris (1918)”
film: Newmeyer, Taylor: Safety Last! (1923)
Drinking for seven hours, and suddenly the inclination to make fun like this, and it’s not unusual? Mentioning Kafka is rarely a smart idea. The only instance I can recall when it was okay was during a discussion over whether the Germans or the Czechs have more claim to him. Using the word Kafkaesque isContinue reading “film: Newmeyer, Taylor: Safety Last! (1923)”
arts & fetters 