Bigger Than Life

[Feraud]

http://www.filmforum.org/films/bigger.html
The Film Forum in NYC is showing the rarely mentioned 1956 film Bigger Than Life. It was directed by Nicholas Ray and produced/starring James Mason.
This is the story of a teacher whose life is overwhelmed by a prescription drug addiction. Mason degenerates from a serious father, husband, and teacher, to a raving homicidal manic due to his misuse of a miracle drug.

Contrary to some reviews I did not find this film to be a subversive “kick on the pants” to some mythical and stereotypical 1950s social complacency. It is a direct and outspoken commentary on the issue (perhaps a growing one at the time?) of prescription drug addiction.
My wife and I went to see it this past weekend and loved it.
I don't think this is on dvd and recommend any locals take the opportunity to see it.

 

[Senator Jack]

Thanks for reminding me, Feraud. I didn't want to miss it. Trying to make tonight's show.

 

[skyvue]

I'm going tonight.

 

[Senator Jack]

Contrary to some reviews I did not find this film to be a subversive “kick on the pants” to some mythical and stereotypical 1950s social complacency. It is a direct and outspoken commentary on the issue (perhaps a growing one at the time?) of prescription drug addiction.

Yeah, where do they get that from? Modern critics are so eager to knock the suburban 50s they ascribe subversive commentary when it just isn't there. The setting wasn't even suburbia!

Watching it, I was reminded of Stephen King's comment on Kubrick's The Shining and why he hated it. He had written a book about an ordinary guy who goes crazy, and Nicholson played it as a crazy guy who goes berserk. Mason, on the other hand, played the transformation brilliantly. I felt entirely uncomfortable the second half of the picture.

As usual at Film Forum, we had to suffer the idiocy of a few people laughing at the quaint antics of those 1950s savages. (The wife bakes a cake. Ha Ha! She pours the son milk. Ha Ha!)

Regards,

Jack

 

[Feraud]

As usual at Film Forum, we had to suffer the idiocy of a few people laughing at the quaint antics of those 1950s savages. (The wife bakes a cake. Ha Ha! She pours the son milk. Ha Ha!)

Regards,

Jack

That is one problem with seeing classic films in the city.

Btw, I saw The Fallen Idol at the Museum of the Moving Image a while back and it was great.
Those who attended were interesting in seeing the film and not "being seen".

 

[filfoster]

http://www.filmforum.org/films/bigger.html
The Film Forum in NYC is showing the rarely mentioned 1956 film Bigger Than Life. It was directed by Nicholas Ray and produced/starring James Mason.
This is the story of a teacher whose life is overwhelmed by a prescription drug addiction. Mason degenerates from a serious father, husband, and teacher, to a raving homicidal manic due to his misuse of a miracle drug.

My wife claims this was Viagra

 

[Feraud]

My wife claims this was Viagra

She is wrong.

 

[imoldfashioned]

I wish I could go--love Nicholas Ray's stuff and James Mason is one of my favorites. Mason's acclaimed but I still don't think he gets the attention he deserves.

Don't get me started on ill-mannered audiences.

 

[MrBern]

I wish I could go--love Nicholas Ray's stuff and James Mason is one of my favorites. Mason's acclaimed but I still don't think he gets the attention he deserves.

Don't get me started on ill-mannered audiences.

Its not that theyre ill-mannered, some of the hipsters jsut think oldfashioned depictions are campyhumor despite the context. SenatorJack, Feraud & I were once next to a guy who guffawed at the sound of a woman hanging herself. It might have been melodramatic, but suicide isnt funny.

Everyones in their own little world...

 

[imoldfashioned]

Everyones in their own little world...

You can say that again.

 

[Feraud]

I wish I could go--love Nicholas Ray's stuff and James Mason is one of my favorites. Mason's acclaimed but I still don't think he gets the attention he deserves.

Don't get me started on ill-mannered audiences.

If you love Ray's work and are planning to visit NYC soon I suggest July 24- August 6th. The Film Forum is doing a Nicholas Ray retrospective.
Bigger Than Life is showing again along with Johnny Guitar, Born to Be Bad, On Dangerous Ground, A Woman's Secret, They Live By Night, Knock On Any Door, and others.