The WHF Film Club

[strapped for cash]

I own it and have seen it

I recall you saying now.

 

[strapped for cash]

It's also not wholly self-critical, or at least not portrayed as entirely negative, in that he's still SO damn attractive to so many damn attractive women. I don't have much interest in that kind of person. As I say, I'm willing to accept this is my flaw rather than that of the film, as it is widely acclaimed.

Is he really so attractive to SO many damn attractive women? (Most scenes suggesting this are fantasy sequences.)

More importantly, not liking a widely acclaimed film shouldn't be described as a "flaw." There are some widely acclaimed films I can't stand.

 

[BenLaw]

Some mid-morning edits I see!

Minor edits. Most for clarity. (One with diplomacy in mind.)

You didn't imply it, I was just musing. Do you mean, 'what about me causes me not to be creative?', or 'on what basis do I draw the conclusion that I'm not creative?' I don't think I have a good answer for either....

I had the latter question in mind.

This may well all be a bit deep and meaningful for a public forum. It's kind of difficult to evidence an identified lack of something. The simple answer would be I know myself well enough to know my strengths and weaknesses, and creativity falls into the latter category. I'm pathetic at art (I've come to realise the problem is I can't visualise what I'd like to create), have very limited musical talent and none of the creative variety and, whilst I would love to be literarily creative, I can't form original ideas. I have other skills in other areas; so it goes.

 

[BenLaw]

I own it and have seen it

I recall you saying now.

Coincidentally (in that I came across it because it was listed as related to an album I listened to recently rather than because of this discussion) I listened to Lynch's The Big Dream album today. Have you heard it?

 

[BenLaw]

It's also not wholly self-critical, or at least not portrayed as entirely negative, in that he's still SO damn attractive to so many damn attractive women. I don't have much interest in that kind of person. As I say, I'm willing to accept this is my flaw rather than that of the film, as it is widely acclaimed.

Is he really so attractive to SO many damn attractive women? (Most scenes suggesting this are fantasy sequences.)

I'm struggling to remember the detail of which were fantasy and which reality. Obviously the wife and the lover. I thought a number of the actresses were genuinely finding him attractive (or appearing to for the sake of their careers). Someone he want on a car journey with towards the end also?

More importantly, not liking a widely acclaimed film shouldn't be described as a "flaw." There are some widely acclaimed films I can't stand.

Yes, fair enough.

 

[strapped for cash]

Coincidentally (in that I came across it because it was listed as related to an album I listened to recently rather than because of this discussion) I listened to Lynch's The Big Dream album today. Have you heard it?

I've heard snippets of Lynch's music, which sounded suitably Lynchian. (Lynch's music probably owes a debt to Angelo Badalamenti.)

I love a lot of music in Lynch's films, including Rebekah Del Rio's take on Roy Orbison.

What did you make of "The Big Dream?" (This is a useful title to keep in mind when re-viewing Mulholland Drive.)

 

[strapped for cash]

I'm struggling to remember the detail of which were fantasy and which reality. Obviously the wife and the lover. I thought a number of the actresses were genuinely finding him attractive (or appearing to for the sake of their careers). Someone he want on a car journey with towards the end also?

I think most of the film should be interpreted subjectively (i.e. this is Guido's deluded perception, in contrast to his middle-ageing character's reality).

The impossibly beautiful Claudia Cardinale (playing herself) is Guido's fantasy woman; and again I'd argue that the car journey only takes place in Guido's imagination.

Anyway, we should probably leave 8 1/2 alone....

 

[expat_mike]

Just testing if I can post comments again.

 

[John Duncan]

o/

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Just testing if I can post comments again.

:quest: :quest: :quest:

 

[expat_mike]

Just testing if I can post comments again.

:quest: :quest: :quest:

Yesterday I suddenly became unable to post comments on the forum - I kept getting the message that I was not authorised.

So JD suggested I flushed the browser cache. His advice has proved successful - allowing me to post the quoted test message.

Cheers JD. :cheers:

 

[BenLaw]

Coincidentally (in that I came across it because it was listed as related to an album I listened to recently rather than because of this discussion) I listened to Lynch's The Big Dream album today. Have you heard it?

I've heard snippets of Lynch's music, which sounded suitably Lynchian. (Lynch's music probably owes a debt to Angelo Badalamenti.)

I love a lot of music in Lynch's films, including Rebekah Del Rio's take on Roy Orbison.

What did you make of "The Big Dream?" (This is a useful title to keep in mind when re-viewing Mulholland Drive.)

Overall somewhat less Lynchian than I had expected, less warped and dark than many of his films. Creditably varied, although there was a collaboration with Lykke Li (whose 'Wounded Rhymes' album is well worth getting) which was very similar to the Julee Cruise / Twin Peaks stuff. I've left a few tracks on my playlist to listen to again on my stereo system (rather than av in the living room) but overall for me it was an album worth a listen or two but not worth buying.

 

[strapped for cash]

there was a collaboration with Lykke Li (whose 'Wounded Rhymes' album is well worth getting) which was very similar to the Julee Cruise / Twin Peaks stuff.

It's funny; I quite like the Julee Cruise songs in Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks, but only in the context of the films/show.

Lyrically, "Mysteries of Love," Falling," and "Questions in a World of Blue" are pretentious and clunky, yet compliment the stories they accompany perfectly.

 

[strapped for cash]

I've now seen Tzameti.

How are others getting on?

 

[BenLaw]

I've been watching shedloads of films but have been holding off on Tzameti until others started to watch. I've two Lovefilm choices for early in the week so can get it at short notice if everyone's having a go.

Anyone watched Killer Joe? Saw it tonight. For a Friedkin film I was thinking it's fairly easy going fare, until the last scene. It's given me a rather disturbed evening.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I've seen 13 Tzameti 2 or 3 times before, so I'll watch it again once everyone has seen it just to remind myself of a few details.

 

[strapped for cash]

I've been watching shedloads of films but have been holding off on Tzameti until others started to watch. I've two Lovefilm choices for early in the week so can get it at short notice if everyone's having a go.

Anyone watched Killer Joe? Saw it tonight. For a Friedkin film I was thinking it's fairly easy going fare, until the last scene. It's given me a rather disturbed evening.

The extent of your film viewing has almost convinced me to go the LoveFilm route, especially since my nearest Blockbuster closed down.

The trouble is, I'm barely finding time to watch film club recommendations, let alone anything else.

 

[BenLaw]

I've been watching shedloads of films but have been holding off on Tzameti until others started to watch. I've two Lovefilm choices for early in the week so can get it at short notice if everyone's having a go.

Anyone watched Killer Joe? Saw it tonight. For a Friedkin film I was thinking it's fairly easy going fare, until the last scene. It's given me a rather disturbed evening.

The extent of your film viewing has almost convinced me to go the LoveFilm route, especially since my nearest Blockbuster closed down.

The trouble is, I'm barely finding time to watch film club recommendations, let alone anything else.

If you won't watch enough discs then it's not worth it. Looks like the prices have gone up to £12 / month for two discs at a time or £10 for one. Depending on the personal value you put on these things I'd say you need to watch about one a week to make it worthwhile.

I average about two films per week and I've managed to watch four in each of the last two weeks. Unlike you, I have a lot of catching up to do with cinema history so it suits me. Before fatherhood I used to get to the cinema every 2-3 weeks so rentals also keep me reasonably up to date in the absence of cinema trips. Asher's sleeping pattern has regularised somewhat, so I get a bit more time in the evenings when not working, and I hardly watch any TV.

 

[strapped for cash]

Unlike you, I have a lot of catching up to do with cinema history so it suits me.

You'll never catch up with film history. I've barely scratched the surface. The best you can do is familiarise yourself with key works and their industrial and cultural contexts, then dig deeper into areas that interest you.

The more you study a subject the narrower your focus becomes. Professional film historians gain genuine expertise in few areas. (This is true of historians in any subject.) That's not to say they're laymen (or women) in their non-specialist areas; but true depth of knowledge requires a substantial investment of time.

I'll happily acknowledge that I know very little. (Naively I thought I knew a lot before studying film theory and history.)

 

[BenLaw]

Agree entirely, didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I have a lot of familiarising to do in key areas! I also have some specific areas I'm digging into a little but it all takes time - my current lovefilm list has in excess of 400 films on it, so about four year's worth even if I didn't add more. But the process is fun.

What is your area of specialism?

 

[strapped for cash]

What is your area of specialism?

"New Hollywood" history (meaning post-1968 by most definitions).

I've focused principally on film industry structures and practice, which is of little use on a forum thread about non-Hollywood cinema!

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Went to see Gravity in 3D on Thursday, and Muscle Shoals last night.

Don't quite get the hype about Gravity, and just for once, I'd like a realistic ending from a Hollywood film, instead of the beyond belief happy ending.

Muscle Shoals is a documentary film about some great (mainly soul) music that came out of a tiny part of Alabama. Good film for soul fans.

 

[strapped for cash]

Gravity was OK (better than most visual effects extravaganzas), but it was a film of limited depth.

Several reviewers advised that there was subtext, though I failed to see anything beyond cliche. (The protagonist must experience catharsis to escape peril.) I'd rather the filmmakers hadn't bothered in this regard, as the rebirth narrative and visual metaphors were pretty shallow.

The crosstalk was horrendous when I saw the film. The film's use of 3D was reportedly excellent, so perhaps the problems were caused by old or poorly calibrated projection equipment.

We really should know better than to buy into critical and marketing hyperbole. (The two are somewhat indistinct these days.) Unsurprisingly, Gravity wasn't "one of the greatest films of all time," or even "the best Hollywood blockbuster for decades," as Danny Leigh enthused.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Unsurprisingly, Gravity wasn't "one of the greatest films of all time," or even "the best Hollywood blockbuster for decades," as Danny Leigh enthused.

Or even the best film showing at the Multiplex I went to (probably).

 

[strapped for cash]

Your local multiplex perhaps screens a more diverse section of films than mine. Whenever I look at listings it feels like management have gone out of their way to pick films I have zero interest in watching.

Luckily there's an independent cinema nearby.