Famous People in Flight Jackets

[Edward]

Is this still happening in the UK, movies being cut and censored? I remember it was a huge thing it the 70's and 80's. In Australia too.

To an extent. Much less so than back then, though. The moral panic has moved on to video games and the web now.

Spielberg, however, I love. Thing with Spielberg is, aside from being technically undeniably good director, he's sincere. I too would consider cloying sentimentality corny if not downright insulting, if the man didn't feel it himself. He's... Rather, he was making movies the way a kid would, and it is a honesty I can only feel respect for - as I do for any kind of truth. Early Spielberg, for example, is still unrivaled. Duel, Jaws, Indiana Jones trilogy... Coincidentally, while I think Schindler's List is a very important film - I cannot think of any other director that would be able to deal so well with such subject - Empire of the Sun is one of the finest (war) movies I've ever seen, one that I find entirely devoid of Spielberg's trademark cheap emotional manipulation, which he did in fact use in List, dosing it just enough so to have everyones full attention.

Jaws may be something of a joke nowadays but I still get chills running down my spine while listening to Shaw's character Quint monologue about the sinking of the Indianapolis and how they delivered the bomb. Sure, Shaw's a great actor but I believe it takes a really good director to recognize the mans genius and the effect it will produce, to leave him talking for 5 minutes straight.

To be fair, he's done some decent stuff. Schlinder he kept it reined in enough not to ruin it (likely because so many of the folks depicted are still alive, and he was replicating true events...). One of the best moments he ever filmed, actually, was in.... was it Jaws or Jaws II[/I]? Where the parents all rush their kids out of the water after the shark attacks, and there's that image of one mother futilely looking for a kid who's no longer there... beautifully played. I think that's why he annoys me so much - I know he's capable of better.

Odd Pitt fact: he's a major devotee of Charles Rennie Macintosh, and became the trustee of a fund raising effort to restore the architect's original Glasgow School of Art building after it was gutted by fire earlier this year. Okay, back to famous people in flight jackets. I meant to be seeing Fury this weekend, looking forward to seeing if the jackets can hack it.

I discovered recently he's a qualified architect and designed his own house, which is the root of his admiration for CRM. Interesting guy.

Being a Rock n Roll and Hot Rod car fan i thought it was quite good. Unfortunately in the UK we had no concept of what was happening in the USA back then, we had Teddy Boys who caught the bus to work and Rockers on their motorbikes. No teenagers with fancy cars, most kids parents did not have their own transport, their just was not the money in the UK at that time.
Most Americans describe the film as fairly accurate to some extent.

There's an element of cultural unfamiliarity, possibly, but I found it so, so dull...

I have to say that if the story was that good would you have noticed zipper pulls? is it because of our interest in jackets and flying gear we pick up on things like this?
I do love a good story and I think a good story can carry a film so minor discrepancies do not affect my enjoyment. I have not seen this film but I probably would not have noticed the zippers on the jackets.
When I saw the original King Kong, I thought everything about this film was perfect, a fantastic story, great music and some good actors. The fact that I knew Kong was a model did not detract from the story, and I will watch it again and again

Ha, well, that might say a lot about it... I agree, though - a good enough story otherwise, and I doubt I'd notice while watching the film (as distinct from poring over stills). Funnily enough, I remember having this discussion a couple of years ago on here when some looney troll (who's been banned since - as had the other half dozen names under which he's cropped up over the years) had a fit about Aero making the A2s for The Monuments Men and claimed it would ruin the whole film.... lol

 

[Doctor Damage]

Let us not forget that Lucas was heavily involved in Raiders of the Lost Ark, in fact I believe he was the prime mover behind it. Señor Spielbergo, however, got more of a career boost from that film than Lucas.

 

[Monitor]

Yeah, I meant to say, American Graffiti is suppose to be a cultural thing. TBH I'm not too big of a fan of the movie, albeit I don't mind watching it whenever it is on TV. But I'll take The Wanderers over Graffiti any day.

Funnily enough, I remember having this discussion a couple of years ago on here when some looney troll (who's been banned since - as had the other half dozen names under which he's cropped up over the years) had a fit about Aero making the A2s for The Monuments Men and claimed it would ruin the whole film.... lol

Haha, I missed all the good stuff! What exactly was the problem with Aero making jackets for The Monuments Men? If anything, I'm almost thinking little bit less of Aero right now, because of that film.

Doctor, yep, it was Lucas after all who came up with the idea for the famous archeologist. The man has a good sense!

 

[tropicalbob]

Iggy gave a very funny lecture at my college (he lives nearby) two years ago, and apparently the dean had asked him "to say something to the kids about drugs." So he began with "Um, listen kids, about drugs, don't do the second one. You've already done one."

He also discussed his friendship with the French writer Michel Houellebecq, whose last novel ends in a (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) future utopia un which small artisanal businesses control the economy. There's a wonderful scene in which the author (he's a character in his own book) is drunk and sobbing into his Jameson's about how his favorite jacket manufacturer has discontinued a certain line. Required reading.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

American Graffiti? Dreadful film. Truly, truly awful. I remember watching it and being just utterly dumbfounded at its critical reputation.

The movie American Graffiti reminded me almost to a T of growing up in midwestern USA as a teen 1960-65. Mirrored some of my buddies..cars..cruising..and the teen lifestyle of those years.
HD

 

[Edward]

Let us not forget that Lucas was heavily involved in Raiders of the Lost Ark, in fact I believe he was the prime mover behind it. Señor Spielbergo, however, got more of a career boost from that film than Lucas.

He was the ideas man - his forte. He neither scripted nor directed, thus avoiding his two main weaknesses.

Yeah, I meant to say, American Graffiti is suppose to be a cultural thing. TBH I'm not too big of a fan of the movie, albeit I don't mind watching it whenever it is on TV. But I'll take The Wanderers over Graffiti any day.

I'm peripherally aware of The Wanderers only because of its release being at such a close point in time to The Warriors (a work of cinematic genius). I must eventually watch it.

Haha, I missed all the good stuff! What exactly was the problem with Aero making jackets for The Monuments Men? If anything, I'm almost thinking little bit less of Aero right now, because of that film.

I seem to be the only person who liked it, but then I liked The Great Escape and that wasn't exactly true to reality either...

The guy was just an ass who liked to blow on with his opinion - which he held to be unassailable fact - that Aero are "poor quality". Mind you, the same guy also insisted that anyone who bought any repro A2 was buying inferior rubbish compared to a "real" one, so..... Wasn't quite the full shilling, as me dad would say.

Iggy gave a very funny lecture at my college (he lives nearby) two years ago, and apparently the dean had asked him "to say something to the kids about drugs." So he began with "Um, listen kids, about drugs, don't do the second one. You've already done one."

He also discussed his friendship with the French writer Michel Houellebecq, whose last novel ends in a (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) future utopia un which small artisanal businesses control the economy. There's a wonderful scene in which the author (he's a character in his own book) is drunk and sobbing into his Jameson's about how his favorite jacket manufacturer has discontinued a certain line. Required reading.

Sounds like a great book, must look it out. I discovered Cry Baby because of Iggy, so he's got a good track record in introducing me to stuff.... Great taste in leather jackets too. I've seen him live a couple of times, but I'd love to hear him lecture...

 

[tropicalbob]

Houellebecq's novel is "The Map and the Territory."

 

[Stearmen]

American Graffiti? Dreadful film. Truly, truly awful. I remember watching it and being just utterly dumbfounded at its critical reputation.

At the time, it was considered a pretty ground breaking film. It also came out at the right time, when Americans were looking back with nostalgic lenses at a preVietnam time. Never mind, by 1960, American servicemen had already died as advisers and pilots. Also, we still cruised the boulevard every weekend, a right of passage, until it was banned by most police departments! Shame, it was fun, even if it was some what pointless. Cars, motorcycles, music and girls, what more did a teenage boy need?

 

[Stand By]

I have to say that if the story was that good would you have noticed zipper pulls? is it because of our interest in jackets and flying gear we pick up on things like this?
I do love a good story and I think a good story can carry a film so minor discrepancies do not affect my enjoyment. I have not seen this film but I probably would not have noticed the zippers on the jackets.

Yes Rocketeer, I can say that I only noticed the zippers when I looked again at the above photos - and yes, it's solely because of my interest here … I never noticed during the film.
But they are Scovills, right ?! Someone tell me I'm wrong ...

And as the thread's straying a bit but is doing so in an interesting and enlightening way, I'll put my hand up and say I'm on the Team Spielberg side here. I love his work and always have, ever since Close Encounters.
When he took over the making of A.I. Artificial Intelligence due to the death of Kubrick, I think he really helped to finish that movie off and make it brilliant. I know it isn't to everyone's liking but it works for me - I'm not ashamed to say that I watched it in the cinema and just started to blub like a girl (as quietly as possible to hide my shame in the dark!) ! I thought it was amazing and later bought the film on DVD and invited a pal over to watch it, knowing the ending and I was prepared, and OMG, again I was embarrassing myself !!! And that's the power of his direction … it's the only film that gets me like that (I know. And it's about a pair of bloody robots!).

 

[Sloan1874]

It is a very sad ending to a film. He was certainly playing to his strengths that time.

 

[Stand By]

Indeed, Sloan. So very sad - but so very beautiful. And that's the kicker.

 

[handymike]

There was a great TV ad a few years back with a paper bag blowing through empty streets in black and white. The music was very somber and sad. After about 30 seconds the VoiceOver chimes in :"Come on, it's only a paper bag!"
Well concepted and directed.

 

[Edward]

Cars, motorcycles, music and girls, what more did a teenage boy need?

Well, I had the music, but that's as far as I got in my teen years....

As an aside, I read a few years ago that Lucas had given AG the "Special" Edition treatment, though I think he limited it to adding in a sunset over a grey sky at a couple of strategic points.

 

[Stand By]

There was a great TV ad a few years back with a paper bag blowing through empty streets in black and white. The music was very somber and sad. After about 30 seconds the VoiceOver chimes in :"Come on, it's only a paper bag!"
Well concepted and directed.

Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha! S'funny!

 

[Stand By]

View attachment 18890

Brad Pitt as he appears in this month's Details magazine. Apparently he likes Irvins!

I was thinking on my way home … he loves his Irvins - but not enough to put some conditioner on his !

 

[TXFlyGuy]

So has Brad.

As is the case with many, if not most of us!

 

[Treetopflyer]

The King in a G-1

I've never seen this movie, but ran across these pics on the net. From the movie "It Happened at the World's Fair."

 

[Sloan1874]

As a rule, I try to avoid watching the original nowadays - Lucas couldn't direct his way out of a box, and it's precisely because he didn't direct the Empire Strikes Back that it's the best of the whole saga.
That said, I have hopes for the new one that's imminent, mainly because: a. J.J. Abrams is directing did a bang up job with the Star Trek reboots, b. he's using proper, full-sized sets rather than bloody green screening everything, and, key, Lucas hasn't been allowed anywhere near the script.

 

[handymike]

I think they should've given it to Christopher Nolan.
Although the new one Interstellar doesn't look so great in the ads.

 

[handymike]

I think they should've gone with someone like Christopher Nolan, although I'm not sure how good Interstellar will be