What movies do you watch over and over?

[john m roberts]

Favorite movie of all time: The Wild Bunch
Saw it a week after it premiered in '69 and about a hundred times since. People forget what a shocker it was then.
Honorable mention:
The Warlord
From Here to Eternity (Zinneman version)
Blade Runner
Sword of Vengeance (first in the series, where the swordplay was mostly believable)
Last of the Mohicans (Michael Mann version)

WWII movies too numerous and deserve a thread of their own.

[sonic]

Isnt that called ''The Eagle has landed?'' Where the germans landed to try and assassinate Churchill? Or is that a different film?/quote

yes ,i was thinking that was it.They tried to kidnap Churchill or something but ended up killing an impersonator.

actually "Went the day well" is a propaganda film from 1942 or so ... but its not about an assasination attempt as in "The Eagle has landed"

Went the day well (opening) on youtube

How the &^$%$ did you find that clip?? hock:

Yep, that's the one I'm on about! It's a total propaganda film, but unlike many films - especially ones filmed in Hollywood - several of the English villagers are killed, one after dispatching a 'Naughty' German. It's not the fact that people are being killed that I find interesting, it's the matter-of-fact way in which the film portrays the actions as logical outcomes of the plot.

I think mainly its the fact that many of the principle characters suffer, and in todays cinema that is slightly unusual: that plus the lack of a 'Hollywood' (ie sickeningly sweet) ending.

Talking of Hollywood, I've got another one to add:

Devil's Advocate'

Again, the lack of a 'Hollywood' ending!

[Narukami]

Went The Day Well? is available on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Went-Day-Well-Eli ... B000H1RFRS


Added this one to my wish list -- indeed it is "of a time & place" but one must wonder if the author of The Eagle Has Landed (Higgins) was influenced by this earlier film. Perhaps not, but the similarities are interesting... :?

Narukami

[Narukami]

...

Kagemusha - Shadow of the Warrior (Narukami probably knows ;-) ) ... )

As the old saying goes, "There's nothing new in Hollywood." and so it would seem that The Eagle Has Landed had an earlier incarnation.

... at least, with Seven Samurai you did choose an original ;-) )

Kagemusha is a great film, as is Ran and for that matter most of Kurosawa's films (I also like Those Who Step On The Tigers Tail -- taken from a No play that was adapted into a kabuki play and made at the insistence of the war time Japanese government to boost morale. Even then Kurosawa defied the government.)

But of all his works Seven Samurai stands, for me at least, at the very top. It is a perfect film in every respect -- perhaps not every ones cup of tea (or sake) but a tremendous film.

So many excellent films in this thread, like Matt I find it hard to limit myself to ten.

And I read somewhere (though I can not now find the link) that the British military voted Zulu as the best war film of all time. That covers a lot of territory and while I might not agree with the "best of all time" it is never the less an excellent film.

:wink:

Narukami

[Gaius Decius Aquilius]

Kagemusha is a great film, as is Ran and for that matter most of Kurosawa's films
But of all his works Seven Samurai stands, for me at least, at the very top. It is a perfect film in every respect --

And I read somewhere (though I can not now find the link) that the British military voted Zulu as the best war film of all time.


Narukami

I agree with Seven Samurai. To be blunt, anything Kurosawa is going to do has been decent. But I will put Throne Of Blood above Ran and Kagemusha. Yea, it's Mac Beth, but the black and white photography, and detail to the armour is unsurpassed. You will note that as the main character rises in rank, his quality and design of his armour reflects the rise. It is also in period, that of after the Onin War. Many of these films were made when there was no such thing as a reproductions so the armour and weapons were not really new. They did cull out most of the Edo "fantasy" armour.

I wish Hollywood had someone of the same stature as Kurosawa or Mizoguchi. Suppose someone of this caliber got it into their head to focus on Rome or Greece.

Roberts is right about the Warlord... hard to find in DVD, but still...

And Zulu does get on the list.

R. Izard

[john m roberts]

I found "The Warlord" on Amazon but all they had was a Brazilian dvd! It's in English, but with Portuguese subtitles. However, you can switch the subtitles off and it's the same as an American or British copy.

This is another one where for a change they got the armor right, even its social implications. Chrysagon, the warlord, has the latest hauberk with full-length sleeves and hem almost to the ankles. His brother, the lesser knight, has an old-fashioned Hastings-style hauberk, knee length with short sleeves. Bors, the armiger, has a sleeveless mail vest. The common warriors have leather or padded coats studded with bits of metal. Pure 11th century.

[Narukami]

Quite right Gaius--Kurosawa was a true master! Even his "lesser" works are more artistic and interesting than many other director's best works. (Remember the scene in his film Dreams when the officer, returning home from the war, is confronted by the dead comrades from his platoon who march out of the tunnel -- what an image.)

It is said that Kurosawa was offered the TV mini-series Shogun, but turned it down because it was not historically accurate enough. This is not to say that he was a slave to historical fidelity, but his attention to detail is both legendary and difficult for other directors to even approach let alone achieve.

Yes indeed, Throne of Blood is another of his great films -- fascinating on so many levels.

There is an interesting essay examining the question Is Throne Of Blood really Shakespeare? Perhaps you know the essay, but if not here is a link you might find of interest:

http://www.geocities.com/area51/hollow/2405/tob.html

If you will indulge me a personal aside ( :oops: ), I once had the pleasure of meeting Yamada Isuzu the actress who plays the "Lady Macbeth" role in Throne of Blood. She was passing through Honolulu on her way back to Japan and made a special side trip to the University of Hawai'i to pay her respects to Nakamura Matagoro who was at UH directing us in the kabuki play Chushingura. Yamada-san spent the evening watching us rehearse, and gave us an impromptu demonstration of female character make-up. She was a major star in Japan, but such was her respect for Matagoro sensei that she was generous with her time and energy. Some where I have a photo someone took of her with a group of us -- I'll have to find that...

Remember the opening of Throne of Blood, with the various messengers riding in and giving us the back story and bringing us up to speed? I used much the same format in a short neo-kabuki play as part of a class project in grad school. It was a great way to impart a lot of information in a dynamic fashion. I figure if you are going to borrow from someone then borrow from the best.

But I digress over long as is my style... :oops: :roll: :oops:

So many great films in this thread, and so little time.

:?

Narukami

[Na Saighdiuir]

FILMS

TV
Father Ted

Ha Irelands one undying contribution to world tv.Makes me swell with pride.

[sonic]

FILMS

TV
Father Ted

Ha Irelands one undying contribution to world tv.Makes me swell with pride.

I still laugh at the 'largest lingerie section in Ireland'! :lol:

[Libitina]

Secretary

I knew you were special! :twisted:

:wink:

I think it's quite romantic :oops: The rest of the female population can keep their Meg Ryan flicks :lol:

[sulla felix]

Geez, okay, I'm in. Maybe just my "top ten"?

Firefly/Serenity
Terminator, T2, T3
The Mummy, The Mummy Returns (RACHEL WEISZ)
Aliens, Alien
Conan
Apollo 13 (just last night, in fact!)
Batman, Batman Returns
Tomb Raider
Saving Private Ryan
The Wind and the Lion

Mind you, I do try to space these out with all the other stuff I have. I would watch Predator I and II, AVP, Kelly's Heroes, and probably Chicago if I owned them!

Matthew

You a Browncoat Matt?

No power in the verse can stop us! Completely missed it off my list but I have seen Serenity at least 20 times - fantastic movie!

[M. Demetrius]

The rest of the female population can keep their Meg Ryan flicks

Now hang on, just one minute! Please tell me you're not dissing Joe vs. the Volcano.

[Libitina]

The rest of the female population can keep their Meg Ryan flicks

Now hang on, just one minute! Please tell me you're not dissing Joe vs. the Volcano.

Aside from Joe Vs the Volcano and other works of genius, the rest of the female population can keep their Meg Ryan flicks

Happy now? :lol:

[Primvs Pavlvs]

A Very Long Engagement is the only chic flic that tears at my heart!

[Na Saighdiuir]

FILMS

TV
Father Ted

Ha Irelands one undying contribution to world tv.Makes me swell with pride.

I still laugh at the 'largest lingerie section in Ireland'! :lol:

classic ted,what a legend
Dermot Morgan RIP.