Susano Posted May 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I recently stumbled across Classic Cinema Online (http://www.classiccinemaonline.com/a/index.php), and have been watching some select films from their archive. First I saw Dawn of the Dead (2004), which wasn't on the Classic Cinema Online website. Overall I liked it. I saw the extended DVD version, and was surprised by the general lack of blood and gore (relatively speaking). I'm not sure about fast zombies (I think the mindless, shuffling undead are more frightening simply because they are slow but tireless), as they reminded me of the rage-infected from 28 Days Later (who were scary!) I'd like to see Romero's original now. Having seen one zombie movie (and having read World War Z, I knew it was time to see another, so I went to Classic Cinema Online and watched Night Of The Living Dead (1968). Still good, even if it's 40 years old, with the people trapped in the house just as, if not more, dangerous to each other as the walking dead outside. I now want to see the 1990 Tom Savini remake. Poking around Classic Cinema Online I found The Deadly Mantis, in which a prehistoric 200' (or so) preying mantis is thawed out of Arctic ice, wakes up and goes on a rampage. This film is laughably bad (and dull). There's a lot of ponderous VO as we see the 1950s DEWEY line, radar, jets, and the like. There's way too little mantis, and what we do see is usually it flying. It barely wrecks anything and doesn't eat enough people. It also has a mammalian mouth (with a lower jaw), as opposed to mandibles. All I kept thinking while watching was "I wanna see the WETA Workshop version of this!" with the proper amount of carnage. I then watched Tarantula, which is far better (but that's not saying much). However it's a great example of 50's atomic monster cinema, and could be pressed in service as a later Golden Age, early Silver Age, or even a Pulp-era plot with no problems. There's more of the monster, and they use some double-exposure tricks to put a real spider in the scenes. It wrecks all sorts of havoc, smashes a house, and tosses a car. Over all not bad. Oh, and it has Clint Eastwood in his first movie appearance. Last night I saw The Rocketeer, which was fun. I never read the GN, which I understand starred Doc Savage, but otherwise it's a nice light pulp-era story. You have a renamed Errol Flynn, a Rondo Hatten stand in, WC Fields, Jennifer Connely in a low-cut dress, Nazis, mobsters, G-men, and Howard Hughes. What's not to like? Oh, it seems Classic Cinema Online is now showing The Blob. Hmm..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dholcrist Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Last night I saw The Rocketeer, which was fun. I never read the GN, which I understand starred Doc Savage, but otherwise it's a nice light pulp-era story. You have a renamed Errol Flynn, a Rondo Hatten stand in, WC Fields, Jennifer Connely in a low-cut dress, Nazis, mobsters, G-men, and Howard Hughes. What's not to like? The Rocketeer is one of my favorite movies of all time. I actually dressed up as him like three years in a row when I was very young. Milk jug rocket pack and everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I just bought : Duck You Sucker!, Ghost in the Shell II, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Versus. Of these, I have seen Duck You Sucker!, Ghost in the Shell II, and Tokyo Godfathers,. Aren't 40% off for up to 3 DVDs from Borders nice? I missed one -- I bought Curse of the Golden Flower , which I haven't seen yet either, but it was directed by Tsui Hark and has Chow Yun Fat in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copeab Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I recently stumbled across Classic Cinema Online (http://www.classiccinemaonline.com/a/index.php), and have been watching some select films from their archive. Nice site. I watched _It! The Terror From Beyond Space_ (a decent movie and a forerunner of _Alien_), _Them!_ (possibly the definative giant atomic bug movie_. and the first half of _Go For Broke!_ (WWII movie about the 442nd combat regiment, composed almost entirely of Japanese-American volunteers). Unlike hulu.com, I have to resize my screen to watch the movies and you can't watch fullscreen. Oh well. At least unlike hulu.com, there aren't commercial breaks in the movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I recently stumbled across Classic Cinema Online (http://www.classiccinemaonline.com/a/index.php)' date=' and have been watching some select films from their archive.[/quote'] Thanks for this link! It sounds like a real treasure trove. Poking around Classic Cinema Online I found The Deadly Mantis, in which a prehistoric 200' (or so) preying mantis is thawed out of Arctic ice, wakes up and goes on a rampage. This film is laughably bad (and dull). There's a lot of ponderous VO as we see the 1950s DEWEY line, radar, jets, and the like. There's way too little mantis, and what we do see is usually it flying. It barely wrecks anything and doesn't eat enough people. It also has a mammalian mouth (with a lower jaw), as opposed to mandibles. All I kept thinking while watching was "I wanna see the WETA Workshop version of this!" with the proper amount of carnage. I then watched Tarantula, which is far better (but that's not saying much). However it's a great example of 50's atomic monster cinema, and could be pressed in service as a later Golden Age, early Silver Age, or even a Pulp-era plot with no problems. There's more of the monster, and they use some double-exposure tricks to put a real spider in the scenes. It wrecks all sorts of havoc, smashes a house, and tosses a car. Over all not bad. Oh, and it has Clint Eastwood in his first movie appearance. I saw both those films as a lad. I liked DM, but Tarantula scared the ever-loving cr*p out of me. But really, a spider that roars as it closes in on its victims? Last night I saw The Rocketeer' date=' which was fun. I never read the GN, which I understand starred Doc Savage, but otherwise it's a nice light pulp-era story. You have a renamed Errol Flynn, a Rondo Hatten stand in, WC Fields, Jennifer Connely in a low-cut dress, Nazis, mobsters, G-men, and Howard Hughes. What's not to like?[/quote'] The GN didn't have Doc Savage, but it did have Monk and Ham, though they went by their real names. It was surprising to see just how competent they were on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Saw Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi this weekend -- again. It was the featured movie in the dorm where we slept during the NKO. Very fitting. ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watson Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Go For Broke is a really nice piece of cinema history. Van Johnson stars, but the real heroes of the 442nd are both playing themselves and most of the extras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenn Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Lots of new Doctor Who The Sontaran Strategem The Poison Sky The Doctor's Daughter The Unicorn and the Wasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The Rocketeer is one of my favorite movies of all time. I actually dressed up as him like three years in a row when I was very young. Milk jug rocket pack and everything. Yeah fun film. I like Alan Arkin as the hero's mentor as well ("PV" is it ?) he gets some good lines as well. Rocketeer in full costume, about to take off "How do I look "? P V : "Like a hood ornament !" What's not to like ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Yeah fun film. I like Alan Arkin as the hero's mentor as well ("PV" is it ?) he gets some good lines as well. Rocketeer in full costume, about to take off "How do I look "? P V : "Like a hood ornament !" What's not to like ! "Peeve." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolgroth Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Just watched National Treasure: Book of Secrets. I can honestly say that I liked the first one better. NT:BoS was mostly entertaining, but either I am feeling numb or the bad guys didn't feel properly bad guy-ish to me. In the end, the bad guy (played by Ed Harris) could have just as easily joined up with our heroes from the beginning and avoided an unnecessary car chase. Almost seemed like two characters. Of course, I liked the whole clue following thing. That is one of my favorite tropes in movies. My suspension of disbelief was just a bit too stretched with the whole Mezoamerican treasure city in North America. Very distinctly North America. Like almost Canada North America. In the sums, it was a fairly entertaining movie. Unlike the first one, it will probably spend more time on the shelf instead of in my DVD player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? "Peeve." Yes, of course that would be how it would have to be spelt. I was going by pronunciation and had some daft idea that perhaps it was meant to be a set of intials ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinanju Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? If it makes you feel any better' date=' Lana's going to be out for the 8th season on. Though so will Lex and Chloe, so not sure what the show's even going to be do, but ah well.[/quote'] Is Chloe FOR SURE not gonna be in season eight? I knew it was looking iffy, but I was hoping she'd be there. 'Cause as far as I'm concerned it's The Adventures of Chloe Sullivan, Hot Hot Hot Reporter--Oh, And Her Big Dumb Alien Pal Clark. If they expect me to stick around when Lionel, Lex AND Chloe are gone, they're sadly mistaken.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Watched the second Karas movie. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dholcrist Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Is Chloe FOR SURE not gonna be in season eight? I knew it was looking iffy, but I was hoping she'd be there. 'Cause as far as I'm concerned it's The Adventures of Chloe Sullivan, Hot Hot Hot Reporter--Oh, And Her Big Dumb Alien Pal Clark. If they expect me to stick around when Lionel, Lex AND Chloe are gone, they're sadly mistaken.... UPDATE! Well, kinda. Apparently she changed her mind and will be staying on. Totally agree though, she's the best thing in that show. But seriously, Kristen Bell needs to guest star as Chloe's other, awesomely hot cousin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copeab Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Radioactive Dreams. I'm not sure how to describe this movie. It's part post-apocalypse, part detective noir, with a comedy filter. I liked this movie the first time I saw it, but despite coming out in 1987, still isn't on DVD. Fortunately, someone broke it into 11 parts and slapped it up on YouTube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Elizabeth & Elizabeth: The Golden Age Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Finished the second half of Seven Samurai. Excellent film, and an excellent set of DVDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Confoundo Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Escape from LA: Wow - I knew it was supposed to be bad, but I didn't know it was going to be *that* bad. Totally pointless, often incredibly stupid. It's so bad, that it manages to tarnish the memories I have of Escape from NY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Let's see... I have recently seen: Iron Man Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence My Name Is Trinity Trinity Is Still My Name! My Name Is Nobody Once Upon A Time In The West We Were Soldiers Curse of the Golden Flower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dholcrist Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Bleh. And I absolutely love all the others. Even Temple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Let's see.... Flags of Our Fathers Letters From Iwo Jima In The Realm Of the Senses The Quick And The Dead -- Susano's #1 guilty pleasure movie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Der Lauf def Dinge (The Way Things Go). 1987 high-end Rube Goldberg machine with lots (and I mean lots) of fire in various forms, dissolving components, moving wheels, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thag13 Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Lets see......! I finished watching Top Chef season 4 finale last night.....I don't know how to do a spoiler alert, so I won't say who won. Top is about the only reality show I watch besides GhostHunters. I have been catching up on BSG the last couple of days I have two episodes to go. Next up, a collection of Charlie Chan movies...I am really looking forward to those..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Oh, a showed a friend Jet Li's Fist of Legend. I really need to find a decent DVD version that's not dubbed in English or dubbed entirely in Mandarin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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