What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[dh66]

'Creature from the Black Lagoon'. (1954)
My favorite of the big Universal Monsters.

 

[Touchofevil]

Always a winner!

Those first five Bond films are a hoot. I have yet to tire of them and really enjoy watching them early Sunday mornings.

 

[Zombie_61]

'Creature from the Black Lagoon'. (1954)
My favorite of the big Universal Monsters.

Ah, one of my all-time favorites! I've been hearing rumors of a remake on and off since the mid-70s, and I hope that never happens because they'll just ruin it.

 

[Fading Fast]

Those first five Bond films are a hoot. I have yet to tire of them and really enjoy watching them early Sunday mornings.

I am an early riser (really an insomniac who is up most of the time, especially when it is at it worst) and find Sunday morning is the absolute best time to watch old movies that you've seen before. I don't want to watch a new movie on Sunday morning - too much "work" to follow the plot and learn new characters - I want to just enjoy an old friend.

 

[Bamaboots]

FF, nice to know I'm not alone doing the same.

 

[dh66]

Ah, one of my all-time favorites! I've been hearing rumors of a remake on and off since the mid-70s, and I hope that never happens because they'll just ruin it.

Agreed.

Unlike Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, or any of the others, there's not a lot of humanity in the creature that audiences could relate to (other than an eye for Julie Adams). The human drama comes from the characters confronting "the other" or something else, something foreign. In a way, the Creature really is a missing link, between the older, golden age style of horror flicks, in which the audience could in someway see themselves in, or at least find sympathy for, the 'monster' to the newer style of 50s and onward stories in which there is some sort of unstoppable force that takes all the wits and skills of the main character to defeat.

BTW my more favorite one is the slightly campy sequel, in which the Creature is captured and brought back to Sea World, from which he promptly escapes and wreaks havoc on 1950s era sunny Florida.

 

[Fading Fast]

"Manpower" with Edward G Robinson, Marlene Dietrich and George Raft: A basic love-triangle movie where buddies Robinson and Raft fall in love with Dietrich. She marries Robinson even though she isn't in love with him and then falls for Raft. While I wouldn't classify it as film noir, it has a noir-like vibe - a lot of'40s street argot, great diners, work clothes, etc.

Dietrich is a beautiful woman, but having now seen many of her movies - even the ones where she tries to be funny, sensitive or warm - she seems, IMHO, hardwired to be cold and aloof. She does that very well, but when she has to soften up, it is an awkward and not-fully convincing transition.

Raft, on the other hand, showed more depth and three-dimentions than I'm used to seeing from him. From tough guy, to sensitive friend, to a guy falling for a woman he doesn't want to fall for - he handled it, overall, with nuance and verisimilitude. I'm upping my opinion of him (wouldn't he be happy if he was still alive).

Robinson - a little wooden in spots, but more 'cause of the silly dialogue they gave him in spots. Even so, he is still a star - the camera loves him and he stands out amongst the others.

 

[Touchofevil]

I am an early riser (really an insomniac who is up most of the time, especially when it is at it worst) and find Sunday morning is the absolute best time to watch old movies that you've seen before. I don't want to watch a new movie on Sunday morning - too much "work" to follow the plot and learn new characters - I want to just enjoy an old friend.

And that is what it is here. Open the windows, start the coffee, sit back and relax with my old friend TCM (or whatever station) and ease into the morning. Life is good.

 

[Touchofevil]

The Tender Trap on TCM while ironing next week's outfits.

 

[Fading Fast]

The Tender Trap on TCM while ironing next week's outfits.

I live a short walk from the apartment house where Sinatra's apartment from that movie is. He bought the apartment (don't remember if it was his first and they filmed there or he liked it when they were filming, so he bought it), but he lived there for years. In more recent years, it has sold and resold a few times and the seller always mentions Sinatra and that movie in the description.

 

[Touchofevil]

I live a short walk from the apartment house where Sinatra's apartment from that movie is. He bought the apartment (don't remember if it was his first and they filmed there or he liked it when they were filming, so he bought it), but he lived there for years. In more recent years, it has sold and resold a few times and the seller always mentions Sinatra and that movie in the description.

Neat bit of surprisingly timely trivia. Thank you.

Not my normal choice for a Sunday morning, but still entertaining. Visually fun to watch as well as a nice story.

 

[Fading Fast]

Neat bit of surprisingly timely trivia. Thank you.

Not my normal choice for a Sunday morning, but still entertaining. Visually fun to watch as well as a nice story.

It's one of those not-really-good movies that works if you are in the mood for a fluffy story - and the New York shots, period sets, time travel and stars all add to its value today.

If memory serves, the apartment sold near the peak of the real estate market in 2007 and the buyer started renovations, but had to sell, and took, unfortunately, a pretty big hit. I'm presently reading "Why Sinatra Matters" by Pete Hamill - a short, quirky biography. Once, I get time, I'll post about it in the "What Are You Reading" thread.

 

[Touchofevil]

It's one of those not-really-good movies that works if you are in the mood for a fluffy story - and the New York shots, period sets, time travel and stars all add to its value today.

If memory serves, the apartment sold near the peak of the real estate market in 2007 and the buyer started renovations, but had to sell, and took, unfortunately, a pretty big hit. I'm presently reading "Why Sinatra Matters" by Pete Hamill - a short, quirky biography. Once, I get time, I'll post about it in the "What Are You Reading" thread.

I have seen bits and pieces of it over the years. It might be the ironing, but today it worked. Like you said, the sets, the shots, and the stars made enjoyable.
Looking forward to your review as it sounds like something I would want to squeeze into my To Read list.

 

[Fading Fast]

I have seen bits and pieces of it over the years. It might be the ironing, but today it worked. Like you said, the sets, the shots, and the stars made enjoyable.
Looking forward to your review as it sounds like something I would want to squeeze into my To Read list.

I will absolutely post a review when finished. That said, have you read any Pete Hamill? He has a very distinctive style and verve - you'll either like it or not. My guess is you will.

 

[Zombie_61]

...Unlike Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, or any of the others, there's not a lot of humanity in the creature that audiences could relate to (other than an eye for Julie Adams). The human drama comes from the characters confronting "the other" or something else, something foreign. In a way, the Creature really is a missing link, between the older, golden age style of horror flicks, in which the audience could in someway see themselves in, or at least find sympathy for, the 'monster' to the newer style of 50s and onward stories in which there is some sort of unstoppable force that takes all the wits and skills of the main character to defeat...

I agree. The Creature is more like King Kong in that way--an animal simply trying to exist and live it's life until humans invade it's environment, at which point it's forced to do what it must to survive and, in doing so, becomes the villain from the humans' perspective. For me that makes it more of a sympathetic being rather than simply a hostile aggressor, which it would probably become in a modern re-telling of the story.

 

[Touchofevil]

I will absolutely post a review when finished. That said, have you read any Pete Hamill? He has a very distinctive style and verve - you'll either like it or not. My guess is you will.

I have not read anything by Pete Hamill, but will be looking him up on Amazon in a few.

 

[Fading Fast]

I have not read anything by Pete Hamill, but will be looking him up on Amazon in a few.

My favorite Pete Hamill book is "North River." It highlights his greatest strength - evoking the feel of a period, in this case, 1930s New York - and his greatest weakness - his plots are weak in structure and originality. For me, I just enjoy the atmosphere and his ability to transport you to another time and I view the mediocre plot as besides the point as I don't read a Hamill book for its plot.

 

[Feraud]

A few weeks back the wife and I watched a very good film from 2013 called Mystery Road. Set in Australia it tells the story of newly minted detective Jay Swan whose first case is the murder of a young aboriginal girl. The detective is caught between a white police force that doesn’t want him ruffling feathers and a community of white and aboriginal citizens who do not welcome his presence.
To complicate matters Swan’s daughter knows the murdered girl and is understandably indifferent to help.
Very strong performances throughout. Hugo Weaving may be the only face recognizable to most but Aaron Pedersen is outstanding in the role of Jay Swan. Pedersen gives a nuanced performance as a man stuck between cultures trying to do his job.
I've watched the film again to enjoy performances from the cast.
Very recommended.
Currently showing on Netflix.

 

[Stearmen]

Big Hero 6. Oh No!

 

[Bushman]

Finally got around to seeing The Theory of Everything, and oh my god was it incredible. Eddie Redmayne deserved every ounce of that academy award. Simply one of the most brilliant performances of the decade. As Hawking is one of my heroes in life, simply for what he has done for science, it was truly fascinating to see the tragedy and triumph of his life. I would give a pure 10/10 for this film.