28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[D_Davis]

That's right. Widescreen isn't always better or right. What is always better and right is when a film is presented in its original aspect ratio.

[Grouchy]

I stand corrected. Of course I agree with Davis, the important thing is to preserve the aspect ratio the DP and director worked with. I always wrongly assumed it was widescreen in the case of Touch of Evil.

I also watched Brazil for the first time on pan and scan TV. I remember when a TV channel called Retro started showing some letterboxed films, my mother was furious that they didn't use up the whole screen.

Perhaps I should have used a more obvious example, a widescreen epic like Lawrence of Arabia.

[baby doll]

A lot of '50s films were shot in a full frame ratio but projected wide, particularly when they were shown in Europe. It's entirely likely that Welles shot Touch of Evil knowing it would be projected in both formats.

[Irish]

That's right. Widescreen isn't always better or right. What is always better and right is when a film is presented in its original aspect ratio.

If you're concerned with films being presented in their original form, does this mean you refuse to watch any DVD "special edition" or director's cut, which might re-edit or change the film?

Eg: "Brazil," "Blade Runner," "ET: The Extra Terrestrial," "Star Wars", etc?

[baby doll]

If you're concerned with films being presented in their original form, does this mean you refuse to watch any DVD "special edition" or director's cut, which might re-edit or change the film?

Eg: "Brazil," "Blade Runner," "ET: The Extra Terrestrial," "Star Wars", etc?

There's clearly a difference between a filmmaker producing multiple versions of their own films, and someone else cropping a chunk of the image (or revealing a segment of the image that was intended to be masked).

Incidentally, the later films of Stanley Kubrick were shot full frame with the understanding they would be shown that way on television but were projected wide for their theatrical release. My feeling here is that we don't need all that much empty space over Tom Cruise's head in Eyes Wide Shut.

[amberlita]

I dunno. Watching the trio stare down at the end of TGTBaTU in pan and scan on AMC is really annoying. The shot of all three of them in the same frame is never seen and no it doesn't ruin the movie but I think it's important to get it right.

[Dukefrukem]

Best reviewed film ever?

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/paddington_2/

[Morris Schæffer]

Best reviewed film ever?

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/paddington_2/

You're getting slow Dukey. Get your shit together.

[MadMan]

The Protector (1985) had Jackie Chan and Danny Aiello as cop partners in Hong Kong. Badass.

[Ezee E]

I was watching the beginning of Gangs of New York yesterday, and the battle at the beginning with the techno-ish music and some of the random closeups is EMBARASSING. But any dialog scene with DDL makes up for it.

[dreamdead]

After probably our slowest year in filmwatching in 2017, Sarah and I might have stumbled upon a fun experiment: we're working through the alphabet with one Criterion that's new to us both each week. First was Sirk's All that Heaven Allows (richly stylized--potentially an interesting Christ allegory as Wyman denies the beatific Hudson in favor of her old life until the end), and last night was Melville's Bob le flambeur (aka, what every heist film owes its existence to). Next week will be Certain Women.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The Chaser - 2008

No idea how I feel about this. Its overall competencies sometimes dampen what comes across as macho nonsense, sometimes aplify. A suspense scene involving a sniveling woman, a chisel, and a hammer feels simultaneously tasteless and, ugh, "well staged." A late-film contrivance of timing plays far too artificial and laborious. It's an uncommonly well-made variant on the sort of posturing you see in DTV action flicks where "complex" violent men get their moral wings by avenging the honor of young women that the films value only as objects to endanger and hurt.

[MadMan]

The King's Speech is a nice film and all, but even 7 years later the fact that it won Best Picture...well...yikes.

[TGM]

The King's Speech is a nice film and all, but even 7 years later the fact that it won Best Picture...well...yikes.

Especially when you look at what it was up against. Good god, what a stacked year, and a stacked ballet at that. And yet that movie fucking won. Just, wow...

[Mysterious Dude]

So I was thinking about re-watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which I haven't seen since they were in theaters. Any opinions about the extended editions? Are they worth my valuable time?

[Milky Joe]

I don't think the theatrical cuts are available anymore? But they are much better, especially RoTK.

[baby doll]

The King's Speech is a nice film and all, but even 7 years later the fact that it won Best Picture...well...yikes.

It sucked at the time, too.

[Irish]

So I was thinking about re-watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which I haven't seen since they were in theaters. Any opinions about the extended editions? Are they worth my valuable time?

Brother, have you heard the Glories and Wonders of a little TV show called "The Chronicles of Shannara"?

[MadMan]

It sucked at the time, too.

Tell me how you really feel, heh.

The ROTK EE is awesome. I have not seen the TT one yet, but I read it adds a lot to the film. The FOTR EE has stuff that deserved to be cut.

[Lazlo]

LOTR EEs are excellent. I’ve seen each about a dozen times.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Yeah, the EE's are by and large a good time. I mean, it's not like you're rewatching the whole series for its brevity and efficiency, so you might as well enjoy the full features.

[Watashi]

I watch the EE's once a year (usually around Christmas time). FOTR is the best. Almost everything they added is wonderful. Two Towers has the most unnecessary filler. ROTK has good stuff like the Mouth of Sauron, it's just... very long.

[Skitch]

LOTR EEs are excellent. I’ve seen each about a dozen times.

Yeah I'll never watch the theatricals again.

[D_Davis]

I like the EE of the first two.

[Lazlo]

It's been so long since I've seen the TEs that I have a hard time remembering what's actually extended in the EEs.