"High Noon". The epitome of courage and duty.

I love the part in Rope where the piano's played out-of-tune, unbeknownst to its player. The subtle change in the skyline as the film goes on is tremendously done.

Hitchcock's most underrated film, in my eyes.

By the way, Ice, notions of the nihilism, Nietzsche and the Superman pop up throughout many of the films made at this time. Check out Reed's The Third Man if you haven't already.

Thank you very much for the recommendation, Capo. I appreciate that. I wasn't at all familiar with The Third Man, but it's obviously a classic.

And I suppose that we could attach the post-modernism/post-structuralism label to many of the great works. It's a theme that appears in all works of art, not just film of course. I chose to center my 'review' on Dostoevsky b/c John Brandon actually makes reference to Crime and Punishment during one of his exchanges with Rupert. Dostoevsky was of course one of the founding fathers of existentialist thought. His character in Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov, was an adherent to the then new philosophy of nihilism PRIOR to murdering the old woman. He gains a new outlook after his crime, however.

Note to self: read Crime and Punishment.

Dean Martin & Ricky Nelson - My Rifle, My Pony, and Me

One of Tony Sopranos favorites.

DVR ALERT for early Sunday morning (EDT)

1:00 a.m. "The Reivers" and at 3:00 a.m. "Love With the Proper Stranger". Two decent Steve McQueen movies. "The Reivers" is a light hearted comedy, nothing special except its one of the most beautifully photographed movies I've ever seen (and a good, light hearted story).

DVR ALERT FOR SUNDAY NIGHT:

TCM has the all-time great Italian tragi-comedy, "Mafioso" (1962) by Alfredo Lattuada, listed here at 11:15 pm tonite (Pacific Time). I just bought the DVD. Here's a review:

I saw this film when it was released in '62 and never forgot it--a great example of the unique Italian cinematic gift of combining rapier wit, humor, drama and tragedy--and blending them perfectly.
Nino Badalamenti (Alberto Sordi) left Sicily for Milan and now works as a managerial technician in a big auto plant. He married blond, blue-eyed Marta (Norma Bengell) and has two adorable blond, blue-eyed girls. His family and friends in Sicily have never met his wife and kids, so they're spending their two-week vacation in the little town he left years ago. But before he leaves the plant, the boss gives him a package to be delivered to Don Vincenzo (Ugo Attanasio)--the Mafia boss of his town---a hint of things to come.

Once they disembark at Messina, a series of riotous, razor-sharp scenes of Sicilian life ensue--most of them far funnier and on the mark than those in "Divorce, Italian Style." The taxi taking them from the ferry to his parents' home stops while a blacksmith shoes a mule. Behind them, a dead man is laid out on a bed while those around him are drinking and eating. "What are they doing?" asks a horrified Marta. "They're giving him a little party--it's a local custom," Nino replies. He calls out to one of the partiers; "Hey, goombah, how'd he die?" "Due pistoli," he replies stolidly. "MAMA!!" cries Nino as he rushes toward five identically black-clad women at the family home. "I'm not your mama, I'm your Aunt Gina," replies the one of the five he's clasped. It goes on and on like this, one scene funnier than the next.
But after he delivers the "gift" to Don Vincenzo, Nino finds that, while he can take himself out of Sicily, he can't take Sicily out of him. Don Vincenzo and his boys are scouting Nino for a mission. They invite him to go hunting--but the hunt turns out to be in New Jersey, not on a nearby estate, and the prey isn't pheasant or hare. No choice for Nino. That part, too, is brought off ingeniously but credibly, and not without humor, either.

"Mafioso" doesn't quite reach the heights of "Seven Beauties," the all time champ in the Italian tragicomic genre. And Sordi isn't quite the actor that Giancarlo Gianinni is. But it's still a great film.

Thanks for the heads-up, TB. I just finished watching it and enjoyed it very much.

You get a real sense of how the mob gets its grasp in ya, and it was done in a stylistic manner.

TB, I assume you're referring to the biographies which air between the films, and serve as commercials. Yes, they are wonderful to watch and very informative.

One of the best things about TCM is the commercials! While every other station on television is busy airing advertisements, TCM's commercials are educating and informing us. Often times I don't even watch the films, but instead await the commercials which educate on every thing from the films and actors themselves, to the processes involved in making films. And of course, some of the commercials, which promote the station itself, are absolute aesthetic works of art in their own right.

I LOVE this station!

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a musical film released in 1954. It was directed by Stanley Donen, with music by Saul Chaplin and Gene de Paul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The script (by Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and Dorothy Kingsley) is based on the short story The Sobbin' Women, by Stephen Vincent Benét, which was based in turn on the Ancient Roman legend of The Rape of the Sabine Women. The film was a 1954 Oscar nominee for Best Picture.

The film is particularly known for the unusual choreography by Michael Kidd, which makes dance numbers out of such mundane frontier pursuits as chopping wood and (most famously) raising a barn*.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers came third in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the UK's "Number One Essential Musicals". [2]

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers came eighth in the top 10 MGM musicals in the book Top 10 of Film by Russell Ash.

In 2004, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

In 2006 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ranked #21 on the American Film Institute's list of best musicals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Brides_for_Seven_Brothers_(film)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047472/


Adam, the eldest of seven brothers, goes to town to get a wife. He convinces Milly to marry him that same day. They return to his backwoods home. Only then does she discover he has six brothers -- all living in his cabin. Milly sets out to reform the uncouth siblings, who are anxious to get wives of their own. Then, after reading about the Roman capture of the Sabine women, Adam develops an inspired solution to his brothers' loneliness . . . kidnap the women they want!

There is nothing particularly complex about the film's plot, but I DO find interesting the relationship with the ancient Roman text The Sabine (pronounced 'Sobbing') Women; which is one of the worst puns of all time, btw. The film is undeniably a musical masterpiece, Saul Chaplin is also renowned for his work on West Side Story and The Sound of Music just to name a couple. The story has been re-produced in virtually every major language, has been re-done to fit every format from theater to television, and is a staple in high school and college musicals. And, as with most musicals from this age, the comedic element contributes greatly to the film's overall worth.


"Bless Yore Beautiful Hide"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyrYBXuz5YY
This catchy little number opens the movie. I laugh EVERY TIME I watch Adam say Good Morning to a local townswoman, only to then pass her by when he sees she has a daughter.

"Goin' Courtin"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgB5coJxqbA
I couldn't talk about this film without including a number from it's female star, Jane Powell. 'The Sweet Little Song Bird', as she was/is affectionately known, is one of the reasons I first became interested in Classical Film/Musicals.
And I think that all men can benefit from Jane's 'courting' advice.

Barn Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCdiWxzw0RU
This is the dance sequence that really cements this film as one of the greatest musicals ever. And, prior to the inception of Turner Classic Movies, this scene, nor any other in the film, was available in it's original "full-screen" version. The shot is often compared to the Ben Hur "chariot race" sequence b/c of it's extreme WIDTH (for lack of a better term in my limited film vocab), TOO wide, in fact, to transport to anything other than the Big Screen in those days.

* Raising a Barn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeybDjUhsDU&feature=related

Speaking of Claude Rains, I become a bigger fan of his with each & every of his films that I see. One of the greatest character actors of all time. Delightful as he is in Casablanca, Rains is also incredible as that evil wuss in 'Notorious', again as exquisetely complimenting Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant as he did Bogie. He also worked beautifully with Bette Davis in films such as 'Now Voyager' and 'Mrs. Skeffington'. (Side note: Bette Davis once claimed that despite the debonairre screen persona, Mr. Rains was often 'quite randy' ;)). I urge all you TCM fans to see his films any chance you get!



I agree about 'Double Indemnity'...one of my absolute all-time favorites. Robinson is great and you truly feel for him in those classic final moments of the film. Billy Wilder is one of the all-time greatest directors. Another of his best you might want to check out is 'Stalag 17', for which Bill Holden earned the Best Actor Oscar of 1953. No 'chick factor' present in this movie, it's simply brilliant entertainment...especially the last 45 minutes (although I always love the scene where Otto Preminger is on the phone to Berlin).

Fun thread, Ice...hope it goes on for ages!!

Apple

And of course that was the very first time that the world EVER heard "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".

It was Judy Garland in Meet Me In St Louis that first introduced us to this epoch Christmas-time classic.

Combining the two thoughts above, how about Fred MacMurray as an actor? He was peerless as a "heavy", and better than average in comedic roles ("The Egg and I" as an example, not the stupid Disney movies he did later on). He was deliciously ruthless in "Double Indemnity" and quite reprehensible in "The Caine Mutiny" and "The Apartment" (two awesome movies!).

You're right on about Fred MacMurray, SC!!

I grew up watching him as the mild mannered dad on 'My Three Sons' before ever knowing he had had a long successful movie career. When watching him in 'Double Indemnity' and as that weazel 'Caine Mutiny', you sure forget all about that Mr. Douglas fellow!!

Another nod to Billy Wilder, though. 'Double Indemnity' was a far cry from those comedies MacMurray had been doing very well in. As with Ray Milland in 'The Lost Weekend', Wilder was able to dig out the dramatic acting chops of an actor more known for light comedy.

Apple

To get in on the Claude Rains and Double Indemnity talk: Rains and Edward G. Robinson have the greatest screen voices ever.

Oh, and Apple: seen Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnivale)? Wilder's bleakest, though witty enough to be fascinating all the way.

Ace In The Hole - that's the Kirk Douglas movie about the reporter and the trapped miner, right?

Not yet viewed the entire film but caught the last half hour or so by accident once(channel surfing). Actually, I think I even saw the very beginning LATE one night but fell asleep after first 10 minutes. Funny how at the opening it almost gives the appearance of a light comedy.

Even though I know the ending now, it was intriguing enough to make me want to try & see the whole thing at some point.

Apple

Was channel surfing last night and caught a few minutes of a 1959 flick on TCM entitled "Odds Against Tomorrow" with Harry Belafonte. I couldn't "get into" the movie but before I changed channels I saw a VERY young Richard Bright in one of his first movies (a dozen years before "Panic in Needle Park").

*** "THE DARK SIDE OF THE RAINBOW" - PINK FLOYD MEETS THE WIZARD OF OZ ***




Dark Side of the Rainbow (also known as Dark Side of Oz or The Wizard of Floyd and/or the Floyd Oz) is the name used to refer to the act of listening to the 1973 Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon while watching the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz for moments where the film and the album appear to correspond with each other. The title of the music video-like experience comes from a combination of the album title and the film's song "Over the Rainbow". It is also a reference to the rainbow from a prism design on the cover of the Pink Floyd album.

Although the Dark Side of the Rainbow (or Dark Side of Oz) effect has become famous, its origin is murky. In 1994, fans of Pink Floyd discussed the phenomenon on the Usenet message board alt.music.pink-floyd. In July 2000, Turner Classic Movies aired a version of Oz with the Dark Side album as an alternate soundtrack.[3] That same month, an episode from season two of the animated television show Family Guy aired that made reference to the effect; entitled "The Story on Page One", the episode included Peter Griffin saying to Luke Perry, "I'm telling you, Dark Side of the Moon totally syncs up with the Wizard of Oz!" In 2004, the late night show Saturday Night Live featured a parody of the Wizard of Oz. At the end, Darrel Hammond steps onstage and says, "Now, if you want a truly awesome experience, rewind this sketch to the beginning, light up a fatty, and put on Dark Side of the Moon. Trust me, it's mind blowing." After saying this, Money begins to play in the background.

Real or imagined, the effect is usually created by pausing a CD of the album at the very beginning, starting the DVD or tape of the film with the TV volume muted, and un-pausing the CD when the black-and-white MGM lion roars for the third time. (Note some versions have a color lion also. The black and white lion is the right one to use for the sync.) A minority of devotees argue that un-pausing the CD on the first roar produces a superior alignment. The effect can be repeated during the film by restarting the CD when the 'Cowardly Lion', during his initial scene, roars for the third time.

Most users have explored this phenomenon using the original or 1994 re-issue editions of the album in CD format.

Another factor that could affect the quality of the perceived synch is the version of the film used. The NTSC version, used in the United States, runs 101 minutes while the PAL version, used in Europe, runs 98 minutes (due to the system's transfer rate of 30(NTSC) rather than 25(PAL) frames per second). Most users who have made websites touting the effect appear to be based in the USA. When using a PAL version of the DVD, digitally speeding up the album by 4.16% prior to starting fixes any problems with syncing.

There has also been variations on what to do once Dark Side Of The Moon finishes. The most common is to put the record on repeat and play it through 2 1/2 times. It should be noted that if the album is played on repeat, it seems to "re-sync" itself with the respective scenes; and at the end of the film when Dorothy finally awakens, the lyric can be heard, "Home, home again. I like to be here when I can." It is of note that the final chapter in the original L. Frank Baum novel is entitled "Home Again." Other suggestions include playing two subsequent Pink Floyd albums after Dark Side of the Moon finishes: the 1977 concept album Animals and the 1971 album Meddle. It is also possible to get a sync by pausing the movie at the very end of Dark Side and restarting it with the start of "The Division Bell".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Side_of_the_Rainbow


The correspondences are primarily tonal and instrumental rather than lyrical. I subscribe to the "repeat theory" - The Dark Side of the Moon plays roughly 2 1/2 times when put on repeat throughout the film. In my very humble opinion: the first time the album plays, there is an overtly obvious synchronization. The next play and 1/2 of the album doesn't match up quite as well, but, this is to be expected. And as wiki noted; at the end of the film when Dorothy finally awakens, the lyric can be heard, "Home, home again. I like to be here when I can."

Fans also note the similarity between the album and Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). I've read more than once that, Kubrick vehemently pursued the band to write the film's score. Roger Waters declined, later regretting the decision.


Dorothy lands in Oz (Set to "Money")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvT-C8QArok&feature=related
For me, this is the definitive proof of correlation between the album and film. The preceding "twister" scene in which Dorothy's house is flown off to Oz, is very appropriately set to... "The Great Gig in the Sky." "Money" begins at the precise moment that Dorothy steps out of her black and white house and into the colorful Oz. And there couldn't be a better song to announce Dorothy's arrival in Oz than this one. (LMAO at 4:50! )
And the entire film seems to play out in this same manner - the change in song seems to correspond almost perfectly with the change in scene...STRANGE!!!

Opening Scene(Set to "Breathe")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmCfvcfHwKA&feature=related
You can watch the entire piece by following this clip. (And if you want to do it on your own, just remember to start the music after the MGM lion's third roar.) I don't know how familiar everyone is with the film, or album, but the first 40 seconds or so of the latter is silence, thus, when played with the film we have no sound in the initial credits. The song (necessarily, it would seem) is a nice paced and relaxing melodic tone for a film to open with. Also, when Dorothy arrives at the farm, the others are frantically pacing around trying to do farm work, telling her she should do the same. That's when in "Breathe" we hear "Dig that hole, forget the sun, And when at last the work is done Don't sit down, its time to dig another one." And then.. as Dorothy tries to balance herself on the fence.."For long you live and high you fly, But only if you ride the tide, And balanced on the biggest wave, You race toward an early grave."

Guys and Dolls. The only musical that I really enjoyed. Sinatra and Brando at their best.

FRANK SINATRA FAN ALERT (Calling SC....calling SC....)


TCM will be showing Frank Sinatra movies throughout the month of May :

Frank Sinatra: The Man and His Movies
In May, TCM presents Frank Sinatra in over 40 films and rarely-seen music specials. Click HERE for a preview and view photos and trailers and download the full schedule!

Sinatra made movies?? I thought he was a singer.

Yeah, I heard that story....


Wasn't he the guy who ruined one of Woltz International's most valuable proteges with his olive-oil voice, and guinea charm?

No. I think he was the one who was shanghied into performing 5 times a year at some Las Vegas casinos and "convincing" some of his friends in show business to do the same.

Yeah, I heard that story too somewhere.

By the way I heard a clip once from one of Sinatra's later concerts, where he told the story of how he 'tried' to give Brando some singing pointers while they worked on this film. According to Frank, Brando basicaly blew him off.

While his singing in 'Guys and Dolls' is basically pleasant enough, it's clear Brando was not suited to musicals and I believe this was both his first and last.

Barbra Streisand briefly considered Brando (as well as Gregory Peck) to play Nick Arnstein her first movie, 'Funny Girl' years later, but that didn't work out. I read recently that Sinatra was also considered by the producers, but for one thing Streisand didn't like him and also I truly believe that he was one of the few stars who would've been capable of upstaging her.
In the end, Omar Shariff got the part.

Good thing, because I'm not sure how the chemistry would've worked between Babs and either Marlon/Frankie.

Apple

The two supposedly hated each other. Sinatra had wanted the part of Terry Malloy in "On The Waterfront" (which of course went to Brando) and Sinatra called him "Mumbles".

Probably true. From imdb.com :

- The decision to cast Marlon Brando was hotly contested, largely by Frank Sinatra, who wanted the part of Sky Masterson himself. Later in his career, he made Sky's big number "Luck Be A Lady" part of his stage act.

- Frank Sinatra loathed the non-singing Marlon Brando for getting the starring role in Guys and Dolls, whereas Sinatra got a lesser part, and his nickname for the sometimes barely coherent Brando was Mumbles.

However, to Sinatra's credit...in the same soundbite in which he tells the 'Guys & Dolls' singing story, he does proclaim Brando one of the great actors of the day. To which the audience is heard applauding with agreement.

I guess despite personal feelings, he wasn't afraid to openly respect talent where respect was due.

Apple

I'm not watching, but I notice that TCM is showing The Bells of St. Mary's for the nth-teen time. It's a fine movie and all, but I'll bet it's been shown more than 5 times over the past year, whereas I can't recall seeing flicks like Rebel Without A Cause, East of Eden or Giant but maybe once each for the past 2 or 3 yrs.