What was the last film you watched?

[Mel O'Drama]

Yesterday's matinée was:

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

I wasn't a fan of the 2016 remake, after suffering through it a couple of years ago:
​

Mostly, the women's lights shone brighter as a result of snuffing out those of men around them. If the males in this film aren't embittered authority figures they're evil world destroyers. Or complete wusses (let's laugh at the stiff concert organiser with the high pitched scream and the tour guide who soils himself upon seeing a ghost). Or they're completely stupid.

The last category is filled by Chris Hemsworth, whose character is beyond ridiculous in being shown to be thick (he covers his eyes to block out sound. And that's just the tip of the iceberg). He's there to be objectified and the script reminds us of this at every opportunity, but that's OK because he's a toxic male and misandry is fair play. It's pretty sickening.​

All the same I had picked up along the way that Afterlife was a more faithful continuation of the original series, which gave me some hope. I knew nothing of the plot, but Paul Rudd in the lead boded well.

I didn't really clock everyone in the poster, so I hadn't realised there would be such an emphasis on young people. This might have put me off watching and it did take some time for me to make peace with this as I watched, but they grew on me. The familial connection with Spengler's grandchildren was a really nice touch, even though I found the mother a bit whiny and self-involved and quickly got fed up with her (a shame, since in her initial scenes she'd reminded me of Teri Garr). Fortunately, her role felt pretty secondary here so it didn't kill my enjoyment.

As the plot went on, it was evident that Rudd was playing a 21st Century version of the Rick Moranis character - he even affected a similar walk after becoming the Keymaster - and that kind of worked for me, especially since he lacked the in-your-face elements of Moranis's "comedy" style.

It helped that the cinematography in the film's opening scenes was so atmospheric. Rather than Ghostbusters itself, the spooky rural look of the opening made me think of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. And, once the kiddified adventure was underway, it evoked The Goonies. Snippets of cues lifted from Elmer Bernstein's original score helped complete the nostalgia.


Fun as the original film was, I don't view it as perfect:​

The first hour or so whizzed by far more quickly than the remake, but I'd forgotten how that last act reeeeeally drags. It feels around twenty minutes too long and I couldn't wait for it to be over.​

I'd say Afterlife has similar shortcomings, though possibly to a lesser extent. Past the initial act, I felt much of the ghost action seemed to tap into fast-paced instant gratification, with everyone in on what's happening very quickly. A slightly more leisurely pace might have prevented a recurrence of the less-interesting final act which is mostly a retread of events from the original.

The in-jokes and nods to the 1984 film were great fun, though, and was an honest-to-goodness plot, which mostly worked. I really liked the organic way the original characters were brought into it, which worked much better than their cameos in the 2016 film (though one was spoilt by its mid-credits placement, with the person concerned appearing after their credit). As I watched I had no idea which of the original actors were still living, and Egon's appearance would have meant even more to me knowing the actor had died. In general I'm uncomfortable with using AI to replicate dead actors, but this was very nicely and respectfully done. The "For Harold" message at the end was quite touching.

All in all, a decent enough film for me to think Frozen Empire will be worth a look.​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Even Evil Under The Sun felt a bit like a step down although I think the murder mystery itself is better than the one from Death On The Nile.

And on that note, last night's film was....

Evil Under The Sun (1982)

​

Let's get the pretty-shiny stuff out of the way first: apart from the dazzling sets inside the sumpteous hotel this looks a bit bargain bin avant garde compared to the previous movie.

Funny, fairly early on in the viewing last night, it was commented (though not by me) that this looked a little bit budget. Fortunately I can't say I particularly noticed. The Mallorca scenery was certainly nice enough.

The big reveal, albeit terribly convoluted, is a little more interesting than the one in Death On The Nile because it explains most of what happened on screen.

And I found myself thinking that this was more interesting than the reveal in Appointment With Death. Evil felt as though it hit all the right muder-mystery notes of gathering all the suspects in a parlour (or wherever) and laying out whodunnit, almost reframing what we've seen on screen. In fact, as the initial murderer was revealed, I realised there were some twenty minutes or so left and thought it must be a fake-out. But no, we spent quite a good bit of screen time exploring the murder scheme in-depth.

The body swapping scheme was a nice surprise but not without a whiff of the folly as one will often witness in those comedy stage plays.

The one thing that seemed less well thought out to me is the witness who accompanied the murderer. How did he know she'd ask to come along at this particular point?

The tie-in with the seemingly irrelevant opening scene is also very well done and it adds to the kill count in a rather unsettling way.

And I'd forgotten all about this by the end, so it was an even nicer surprise.

Not surprisingly, Maggie Smith's performance is pretty solid and she's much funnier than Diana Rigg in the role of the bitch-diva-turns-murder-victim.

Yes indeed. But I did very much enjoy Diana Rigg's performance as well.

It's not entirely without reason: the characters are what they wear.

Nicholas Clay's speedos got so much screen time they deserved their own "supporting actor" billing.

All of the others feel like TV-movies. And I think some of them were.

Taken in this context I think they become more enjoyable still. That and the fact that I consider all these international big-screen adaptions frivolous fun anyway.

Perhaps the other trick to enjoyment is watching them in reverse order, as I seem to have ended up doing. Death On The Nile is still lined-up in my watchlist. I doubt I'll watch Orient Express as I've seen it so many times before.

 

[Willie Oleson]

The one thing that seemed less well thought out to me is the witness who accompanied the murderer. How did he know she'd ask to come along at this particular point?

These type of crime stories often come with certain expectations that are not guaranteed. What if she wanted to see the victim's face herself?
It certainly is a flaw in what is supposed to be the "perfect crime", but I suspect it has something to do with the number of characters involved (and the wish to involve them).
To compare, Jill Bennett's murder scheme was only about three characters. But that also means it wasn't a whodunit.

After our talk about Adam Dalgliesh I suddenly got a craving for murder mysteries (although I'm never not interested) and I searched prime for some films I wanted to watch. Results: zero, but if Muhammad can't go to the mountain then the mountain has to come to Muhammad. Sort of.
And today arrived: The Mirror Crack'd for a rewatch, and Gosford Park + And Then There Were None (2015) for first time viewing.
Fun! (I hope).

 

[Mel O'Drama]

These type of crime stories often come with certain expectations that are not guaranteed. What if she wanted to see the victim's face herself?

This is just it. What if she'd agreed to his original bluff of asking her to wait with the body?

I assume he would have backtracked with the comment he later added that the assailant might still be around, but as it was, it seemed as though he knew exactly how she would respond. But perhaps that's why the murder was so clever.

The Mirror Crack'd for a rewatch,

Is this the 1980 version? It is available on BBC's iPlayer (the same place I watched the two Poirot films) and just last night I considered adding it to my watchlist. But then my heart sank at the thought of watching Lansbury's Marple so soon after last year's rewatch of the Joan Hickson series which I consider definitive. I dare say I could get lured in by the camp, though.

and Gosford Park

I loved this when I watched for the first time a couple of years ago. I had quite a lot to say, but I summarised it with this:

It's a bit of a strange one, this. I loved it, but it's difficult to explain its appeal beyond the fact that it's a fascinating sociological character study. Perhaps it's one of those films that speaks for itself. Or perhaps it's so fascinating and layered it could have a whole thread devoted to it. Whichever it is, I'd say best thing about this film is simply that it is.

And Then There Were None (2015) for first time viewing.

I haven't watched this since it first aired, but at the time I really rated it quite highly. I'd like to revisit it at some point, and I'm curious to see what you think of it.

 

[Toni]

And on that note, last night's film was....

Evil Under The Sun (1982)

​

Funny, fairly early on in the viewing last night, it was commented (though not by me) that this looked a little bit budget. Fortunately I can't say I particularly noticed. The Mallorca scenery was certainly nice enough.





And I found myself thinking that this was more interesting than the reveal in Appointment With Death. Evil felt as though it hit all the right muder-mystery notes of gathering all the suspects in a parlour (or wherever) and laying out whodunnit, almost reframing what we've seen on screen. In fact, as the initial murderer was revealed, I realised there were some twenty minutes or so left and thought it must be a fake-out. But no, we spent quite a good bit of screen time exploring the murder scheme in-depth.





The one thing that seemed less well thought out to me is the witness who accompanied the murderer. How did he know she'd ask to come along at this particular point?





And I'd forgotten all about this by the end, so it was an even nicer surprise.






Yes indeed. But I did very much enjoy Diana Rigg's performance as well.








Nicholas Clay's speedos got so much screen time they deserved their own "supporting actor" billing.

I prefer him without the speedos. Have you seen "Lady Chatterley´s Lover"?

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I prefer him without the speedos. Have you seen "Lady Chatterley´s Lover"?

I think Evil Under The Sun is the only thing in which I've seen him.

From what I've read, it seems an awful lot of his films - Lady Chatterley, The Last Days Of Pompeii, The Night Digger, Excalibur - have his lack of wardrobe in common.

 

[Crimson]

Excalibur

You haven't seen EXCALIBUR?

If you've never seen it, I suggest tacking MURDER BY DEATH (1976) onto the end of your Agatha Christie adventures. It's one of the better 1970s spoofs and hits both Poirot and Marple among others.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

You haven't seen EXCALIBUR?

Somehow it's gone under my radar until now. It has a terrific cast so certainly seems worth a look if it becomes available on streaming.

If you've never seen it, I suggest tacking MURDER BY DEATH (1976) onto the end of your Agatha Christie adventures. It's one of the better 1970s spoofs and hits both Poirot and Marple among others.

Thanks. I have watched it and seem to remember enjoying it. I think of this film and Clue as quite close in theme and tone but for whatever reason I haven't felt much desire to rewatch MBD.

It's likely I still have it on DVD, and if so I'll give some thought to a rewatch.

I don't think my Christie adventures will be a big one. I suspect after the three Poirot films I might feel I've done it for this time out. That said, I have just switched to a David Suchet Poirot avatar, so who knows what seeds have been planted.

 

[Crimson]

Somehow it's gone under my radar until now. It has a terrific cast so certainly seems worth a look if it becomes available on streaming.

Last year (I think) I did a pretty thorough revisit to 80s fantasy films; EXCALIBUR remained pretty high among my favorites of the era.

 

[Toni]

I finished the year with a great movie.

A very charming poster for the movie, that was called in
both Spain and Brazil "The Strange Passenger". I think I
still have one of these at home.
​

It was "Now, Voyager", which I had seen numerous times but still looked fresh and sent the "girl, you can do it because you can" message that today is being used as mere, shallow propaganda. Here is a woman who starts making decisions in life and changes it on her own. The only thing she needed was a shrink, played by Claude Rains. And an complete makeover, that is, out with big eyebrows and in with Orry-Kelly´s fashions and big hats.

Here are 28 of 30 dresses Bette wore for this movie.​

I loved the very adult relationship between Bette and Paul Henreid (both he and Rains jumped from this set to the next to join the "Casablanca" filming), as handsome as always. There are a few things from costumes and sets that were re-used in the latter film (the café tables, some jewelry et al.). I was nicely surprised by the amazing pacing and quick style of directing here: you can really count a lot of different shots per minute, something that is so over-used and over-appreciated in these days.

Of course there was a "feet first" entrance...​

Bette said that this was her favorite performance and lobbied hard for it. She also stated that was responsible for the "cigarette-lighting-cigarette" final scene, which everybody of the cast and crew seems to have come up with. And then, there´s the certain feeling that Mr. Earl Hamner probably had watched this movie in his life before writing the Angela Channing role. They were not twin sisters, but they shared a rottenness that you can´t deny, especially in their relationship with the younger daughter (here Bette, there Emma). And finally the lovely soundtrack composed by Max Steiner, who reused some cues in latter scores, but who cares?

Here are all the recordings published until now of this great Steiner score.​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

EXCALIBUR remained pretty high among my favorites of the era.

Well that's certainly recommendation enough for me to add it to my viewing bucket list.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I've re-watched Excalibur as part of my quest to find the 100 films of the 20th century.
For the first half hour or so I was seriously invested, rooting for the guy who gets the sword (surely that's not a spoiler), and suddenly they start to do slapstick moments and I found it tonally confusing and frustrating (similar to the two Musketeers films from the 1970s).

The 1980s epic dark fantasy genre has to be one of the most noticeable trends in film history even if it's easy to see how it all came about.
Overall, I think it often falls between two stools, and regardless of how I feel about Game Of Thrones, it does satisfy its audience with an uncompromising vision.
I guess back in the 1980s they tried to make it as all-inclusive as possible, a darker Star Wars but then...not too dark.

Having said that, there is something irresistible about the legend of Camelot (the one from 2017 being the worst version I've seen) and I'm almost certain I've watched a Camelot TV series in the early 1980s. I remember it as being atmospheric and somewhat eerie, but I was very young so that may have affected the viewing experience.

I wonder why Disney hasn't jumped on the bandwagon (again) with a live-action remake of The Black Cauldron. Not that I need it, it's the animation that makes these films so very charming in the first place, but at least it would be more interesting than a remake of The Lion King or yet another interpretation of Snow White.

 

[Crimson]

SATURDAY NIGHT (2024), about the filming of the first episode of SNL. Not quite a drama and not quite a comedy, the film was enjoyable enough without really amounting to anything. Mostly I though the cast did well playing such famous people, except when trying to recreate classic comedy bits which was doomed to failure. Like BEING THE RICARDOS from a few years ago, which was also about filming a TV episode in a short period, this show weaves in events that had nothing to do with the time in question. In this case, Milton Berle is given an oddly prominent role, even though his infamous appearance on SNL came much later.

Bonus points for having a movie poster that captures the spirit of the era, arguably better than the movie itself.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

And today arrived: The Mirror Crack'd for a rewatch

I considered adding it to my watchlist. But then my heart sank at the thought of watching Lansbury's Marple so soon after last year's rewatch of the Joan Hickson series which I consider definitive. I dare say I could get lured in by the camp, though.

Apparently I was...


The Mirror Crack'd (1980)

All things considered, the news is good. Expectations were well and truly in check and the film was consequently very enjoyable.

The massive big-name cast helped this particular adaption, making it feel like a glamorous ensemble piece rather than a Miss Marple instalment (think of those glossy Seventies disaster films and you're practically there). And it needed that distraction.

Angela Lansbury gives it her best but, despite one or two moments where I could suspend disbelief enough to believe her in the role, she's simply miscast. She doesn't look, sound or act quite right for this character. But such a fundamental error doesn't have to be damaging to one's enjoyment of the film. After all, Margaret Rutherford's comic roly-poly interpretation is about as far as one can get from Agatha Christie's creation, but there's no denying she's entertaining as a multiversal alternative. Lansbury's interpretation of the character seems to bridge the gap, falling somewhere between Rutherford's daft and quirky old bag and Joan Hickson's sharp, birdlike creature who misses nothing. Lansbury isn't as entertaining as Rutherford or as authentic as Hickson, but in a film in which the character is overshadowed by the larger-than-life theatricals who invade St. Mary Mead, she just about gets away with it.

For me, the only truly unforgivable choice is a scene in which Jane Marple - for no particular reason, apparently - smokes a cigarette. Adding insult to injury, she doesn't even inhale. Mostly she just holds the cigarette by her face and the once or twice she took a puff it was blown out before it even hit the roof of her mouth. Watching her here, Lansbury doesn't appear to be a smoker so this is rather a bizarre choice for a character who isn't said to smoke.

The film looks very of its time, in a good way. Despite the period dressing, many of those Kent location shots made me feel nostalgic for the late Seventies/early Eighties. It's just the cinematography. It's (almost) as glossy as you'd expect a film with this cast to be. Yes, it does look at times like an image of how this Brit thinks many Americans think most Brits live (all that's missing is the fog), but that's the charm of Miss Marple's world anyway.

There's something surprisingly complementary about the fusion between brash, glossy American stars and quirky eccentric British character actors. It feels as though it shouldn't work, but it does. If anything, the strangest-feeling scenes are those between two American actors, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis, simply because of the height difference between them. With no attempt to disguise it here, Hudson towers over Curtis who must have had a crick in his neck from playing these scenes .I haven't seen Hudson in too many dramatic roles, but he's pretty decent here, particularly in his final scenes. Of the British actors, Richard Pearson (best known to me as Mole in The Wind In The Willows) would later appear in the BBC's adaption of The Moving Finger, while Margaret Courtenay would go one better by appearing in the final BBC Miss Marple adaption... The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side!

The bitchy lines are great fun, particularly in exchanges between Liz Taylor and Kim Novak's characters. An early one yields the immortal:
​

Lola, dear, you know there are really only two things I dislike about you... Your face.

Incidentally, there's a slightly meta moment where Elizabeth Taylor's character looks in the mirror and says (to the best of my memory) "Lines, lines, go away. Pray, come back on Doris Day" (perhaps it was "bags" rather than lines. My memory is shocking). Rock Hudson is on the bed and gives a knowing look which feels dangerously close to breaking the fourth wall.

The black-and-white pre-credits sequence was very nicely done. I was watching with someone who had no idea what our film choice was, and he was convinced we were about to watch an old b/w film. If I hadn't known, I think I'd have been fooled up to the point Colonel Hall from Fawlty Towers' legendary Gourmet Night showed up.

During in a love scene where Taylor's character's character (she's playing an actress) is on a bed with a himbo, there were comments in the O'Drama household of "He looked just like Pierce Brosnan". And it turns out it was him.

I'll give the film this: it's dangerously easy to devour. Probably repeatedly. Dare I say I think I had fun.​

 

[Willie Oleson]

And now we actually have been watching the same film, although the fact that I had mentioned the DVD makes the situation a little less coincidental.

The film looks very of its time, in a good way. Despite the period dressing, many of those Kent location shots made me feel nostalgic for the late Seventies/early Eighties

For me it was the sax-y score which I always instantly associate with eighties TV and cinema. I'm not sure if it was the perfect choice for a 1950s period drama.

Yes, it does look at times like an image of how this Brit thinks many Americans think most Brits live

The colours on the DVD are a little oversaturated and that made it look like an English set in California.

The bitchy lines are great fun, particularly in exchanges between Liz Taylor and Kim Novak's characters

Yes, it seems rather cheeky for an Agatha Christie story. Miss Marple who describes murder victim Heather as a "bore", Lola referring to a film starring Marina "in her rags, looking like shit".

Jinks sounds like a fabulous un-used Dynasty name.

My favourite moment is when Edward Fox catches Liz pretending to be upset by quoting one of her previous character lines, followed by Liz' infectious and unglamorous cackling.
Personally, I think MIRROR is the least ambitious of the four big Agatha Christie films, but it does have the most impressive death scene.

Which, incidentally, happens in front of a mirror.

Cherry gave Miss Marple an account of what happened at the time Heather was poisoned, but did she also repeat word-for-word what was being said?
Who told Marple about Heather's infection, the most important detail that made it possible to reconstruct the murder scene?
Edit: what I mean is, who told Marple that Heather told Marina about her infection?

 

[Mel O'Drama]

And now we actually have been watching the same film

Huzzah!!

although the fact that I had mentioned the DVD makes the situation a little less coincidental.

Yes indeed. It was your earlier mention that made me take another look at this one. I thought if you thought it was good enough to purchase, then it was certainly worth me giving it a go.

For me it was the sax-y score which I always instantly associate with eighties TV and cinema. I'm not sure if it was the perfect choice for a 1950s period drama.

It didn't feel very Miss Marple, though it was pleasant enough.

that made it look like an English set in California.

Oh - I forgot to mention Miss Marple's drawing room set... very clearly a studio with fake flowers and shrubbery outside the window. For a few moments I hated it, then I bought into the stagey artifice and ended up quite liking it.

Miss Marple who describes murder victim Heather as a "bore",

In the Hickson version I do like the snobbery of the character (which I'm fairly sure is in the books as well). She's very old money and while looking at a various female corpses in the series she'd tut-tut about their "cheap finery" or "cheap and tawdry" accessories.

Lola referring to a film starring Marina "in her rags, looking like shit".

Oh, I didn't notice this. Perhaps because it came out so naturally. Or perhaps it was one of those scenes where I was transfixed by Lola's boobs, which constantly seemed to be trying to escape in different directions.

My favourite moment is when Edward Fox catches Liz pretending to be upset by quoting one of her previous character lines, followed by Liz' infectious and unglamorous cackling.

Yes, that's great.

who told Marple that Heather told Marina about her infection?

Didn't Marina relay that story to Inspector Craddock? She didn't specify the illness when she mentioned her special trip, but she certainly said that Heather had got up from her sick bed to attend. My guess is he then mentioned this to his aunt who put it together.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Didn't Marina relay that story to Inspector Craddock?

And perhaps I didn't notice that because I didn't know how important it was.
Funnily enough, I misremembered it as Heather being Marina's daughter, which may have been a distraction in the way I followed the story.
Certainly not a bad thing as it added an element of surprise.

LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD (1961)



It looks great and it's an interesting idea, but I think it would have worked better as a short film, like an arthouse Twilight Zone episode or something like that.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Funnily enough, I misremembered it as Heather being Marina's daughter, which may have been a distraction in the way I followed the story.

What a great experience to go in expecting it to go a certain way and then find it doesn't. Even though I now struggle to think of an example, I'm sure I've had a number of similar experiences, and it can make the story new again.

 

[Willie Oleson]

BURNT OFFERINGS (1976)



Or Burnt Oliver who seems to have indulged in Californian sunshine. That's why they have to keep him wet.

If American Gothic is a genre then I think this is one of the better examples. I've seen worse, a lot worse.
The first half of the film is kinda sluggish, and the relentless ominous score only emphasises that it isn't terribly exciting to watch.
When the characters have to be characters and establish a sense of family it doesn't work at all, but once the terror picks up in the second half they only have to worry about that. From that point on it's an entertaining ride to the fabulous and bloody climax, with a few unintentionally funny moments but that doesn't count as a complaint.
I think it's a good-looking film that makes the most of its sets (real interior or not) and it never hurts when the upload comes in good picture quality (from blu-raayyy).
The very idea that you're living in a house together with a person you never see is, of course, absolutely ridiculous. It's almost like one of those infamously unseen sitcom characters.

My DVD player is behaving difficult, I guess it needs to be replaced. These throwaway things usually don't last more than two years, and less when used intensively.
Remember the times when these devices were indestructible? My microwave from the late 1990s still works like a charm.
But, enfin.

THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD (1975)



Now that's what I call proper recycling. As for the "electrifying motion picture"....well, not so much.
Somehow I know that Shirley MacLaine believes or believed in reincarnation, therefore I wonder it became topical in the 1970s. There certainly was a lust for the alternative stuff in horror films.
Apart from that, this is a painfully straightforward story that accepts reincarnation instead of exploring it. Somebody discovers that he used to be someone else and then tracks down those origins.
There is the tantalising aspect of going public and turn the whole world upside down, but unfortunately the main character nips it in the bud.

Nevertheless, thanks to the ever-reliable seventies cinematography and lovely score it's not a massive bore to sit through.
Margot Kidder is good and Michael Sarrazin has that dreamy je ne sais quoi (or is that a different phrasing for "Canadian"?).
There's two ways to look at the title: even more painfully straightforward than the story itself, or intriguingly Poe.
Right now I just want a reincarnation of my DVD player. Please help.

 

[Seaviewer]

Vivo (2021)
Animated musical with voice and songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
I watched Encanto not too long ago. Miranda seems to just about own musicals since his success with Hamilton (which ironically I have not seen).