Recent Viewing Part IV

Yeah, I gravitate more towards films that try to "ground" the legend. Not that keen on the ol' Errol Flynn version, or Mel Brooks' version (good for a couple of laughs, though) or the one with Burgon's score that came out around the same time as the Costner (it's OK).

Yes, I saw NERUDA in Cannes a couple of months ago. It's one of my favourite movies of the year! Currently on my 4th place out of 120 movies from the year. I've seen all of Larrain's movies as preparation for my interview with him last year, which you can read here:

http://www.filmfrasor.no/en/news/2015/l … tages.html

....and although this isn't quite on the same level as his masterpiece TONY MANERO (2008), it's pretty close. I haven't seen his latest Hollywood biopic JACKIE yet.

While I haven't seen THE FENCER, I have the score by Gert Wilden Jr. -- which I REALLY like. It even has a couple of tracks with my beloved 'religious sound'.

AUSTERLITZ I'm not familiar with.

Enjoy your film festival as WSA warmup! I have no idea who are the visiting directors this year, and what films they're showing.

The title refers to a novel written by Sebald, dedicated to the memory of Holocaust.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austerlitz_(novel)

I love this movie. But I saw it when I was 15 and didn't know any better. It's still a fun romp featuring Kamen's very best score!

-Erik-

That's true, but there were actually some decent value judgements from teenage Thor back then. I know because I've rewatched some "nostalgic favourites" in recent years, and they've held up. I need to do the same with ROBIN HOOD.

I've been watching American made Anti Nazi films from the early 40's and amazed at how the Americans portray the Germans. A whole lot worse than I thought. The latest one is a 'B' film from PRC called "Hitler's Madmen" and how they wiped out a Czech town. John Carradine and Alan Curtis starred. For such a low budget movie it was really quite good.

I'm guessing this is a French documentary, mostly in English due to the composers featured.

Film Music Documentary

Features contributions from Air, David Holmes, Lalo Schifrin, Michel Legrand, John Barry, Quincy Jones... None of which I've seen before.

Fascinating and worth a watch.

12 YEARS OF SLADE

Wow, this is exactly the opposite of what I was expecting. Chiwetel Ejiofor is an interesting choice to portray Noddy Holder but it's pretty misjudged if you ask me. I think they could have chosen a better 12 year period of their career to showcase. This one's just... depressing.

If Lee dislikes 12 YEARS A SLAVE, it must mean he likes slavery! That's undisputed logic.

In all seriousness, I didn't care particularly for the movie either, nor the score.

I love McQueen's SHAME, though -- his best film so far.

Logan's Run (1976)
The Island (2005)

Logan's Run seems like an overture to Star Wars today. I loved the film as a kid. Huge wave of nostalgia.
The Island picks up certain elements of the former film without being a straight remake. Could have been better but entertains well enough.

Volker

Haha, that goes without saying!

It probably also goes without saying that I thought The Island was a rubbish film and at the time I thought it was a pathetic excuse for a film score, but of course the years since have proved there was a lot left at the bottom of the barrel that could still be scraped.

Have never seen Logan's Run.

"I Wake Up Screaming(1941)" starred Betty Grable, Victor Mature, and two of my favorite character actors Laird Cregar and Elisha Cook Jr. /a fine fine noir film

Tomorrowland
Basically, there's a great movie in there that asks the really important questions we as humankind need to ask ourselves right now, but somehow, it gets bogged down with a needless the-end-of-the-world-is-right-now scenario and utter nonsensical dangers which just serve to provide the action scenes, which are, all by itself, very enjoyable, but turn our attention away from the important stuff.

I enjoyed the movie while it lasted, the score included, but I'm really sad about the whole nostalgia that truly connected with me, and what it has to say about our sense of wonder and where that went. It tries really hard to motivate the audience into action, but doesn't really have the answers how to meet the challenge, because the truth is that these days, any kind of motivation to change the status quo in a positive way will be met with even more obstacles, prejudice, and simply hate.

Yeah, as a kid growing up in the seventies, I too believed we'd go to Mars and settle the solar system before the end of the century, drive flying cars and live in cities with magnetic transport systems and buildings which would be high and beautiful, not just gigantic steel dildos, and green parks everywhere. The peaceful society of Star Trek's Federation wasn't just a wishful "what if" scenario, but a dream many people really dreamt. It's principles of equality and humanity gave me values I try to stand by every day.

Well, welcome to the 21st century, where there's a chance that a complete asshole gets elected President of the United States, powerful megacorporations force/buy changes in jurisdiction and laws for the entire EU, poison the Earth, and most people don't even care. The dream is dead. And the movie has a way of shoving that into our faces which is just painful, without really offering a solution.

So I guess the movie - at least - managed to depress me. Great.

It's repetitive but mesmerising, I think. But then I tend to like Morricone scores more than anyone else around here. Quite like the film, too.