Well, as previously mentioned, this fall I started school again. I have to say after a year off, I have to get used to homework again, but on the other hand, it's definitely nice to be back in good hands.
So a huge part of the education I'm taking, at least the first two semesters, is watching movies. So I thought just to give people an idea of what exactly I am being paid by the government to do, I'd, in sequence, list off the movies I have seen in class so far:
Screening 1:
The Abyss:
No Ed Harris and no Michael Biehn. Asta Nielsen plays a sexy woman in this 1910 movie, which is famous for the scene in which she lassoes Poul Reumert and dances tightly around him. Controversial back in the day, not so much today.
Screening 2:
The Pioneers:
This was a special screening assembling 99 minutes of the first film ever produced. Including the Lumiere brothers' workers leaving the factory etc. Among the movies screened were Corner in Wheat which was a cool tale about capitalism and The Musketeers of Pig Alley which is another D.W. Griffith piece that I'm sure Martin Scorsese has seen a million times. It's about a gangster war and a man who gets caught up in it.
Stagecoach:
Enter the first talkie. Apparently this was the first collaboration between John Ford and John Wayne, as well as John Fords first movie shot in monumental valley. I have to say that even though I have not seen John Wayne in alot of movies, the only other would be She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, he is an awesome person to watch on screen. He is the kind of person that some people could attack for not being a very accomplished actor, but it doesn't matter. He can literally just be on screen and say the words and not do anything, and it's convincing and entertaining, because he has screen presence. He doesn't have to emote, to convey emotion. He commands the screen, and John Ford makes it easy for him. Check out the first shot in this movie featuring John Wayne for one of the coolest introduction shots I have ever seen. The movie wasn't completely resolved for me, but there's no denying it's entertainment value, and when the indians charge and the cavalry finally arrives I was totally pumped up. Fantastic stunt work as well.
Screening 3:
Der Blaue Engel:
A german movie featuring one Marlene Dietrich who you might have heard of. This movie was extremely stale in the way it was shot, and had very few smooth moves. However, the few instances a moving camera was used it was utterly shocking and felt like a huge accomplishment. It was like the first time you saw the dinosaur in Jurassic Park. You have to be in a good mood when you see this movie, because it will depress the hell out of you. It's basically a look at a man and his downfall, and it is awesome.
Citizen Kane:
I assume most people know about this movie, so I won't spend much time on it. I thought it was good, just as good as Der Blaue Engel which it played right after (these screenings are 4 hours, so it's 2-3 movies pr. afternoon). It was the first time I saw it, and alot of people have told me it gets better and better with each viewing. I think if you want to consider this the best movie ever made, there is definitely tons of things about it you could pull up as being proof of this.
Screening 4:
Easy Street:
Charlie Chaplin as a cop. Absolutely hilarious for all of its 23 minute running time. You know you've got an awesome villain when he, to prove his strength, bends a lightpole.
Nanook of the North:
An early look at documentaries. Documenting eskimos in the arctic without any sound, I found this score-only approach much more sober and entertaining than the retarded approach in March of the Penguins. There is tons of examples of alot of this movie being staged, but it had a definite sense of respect for the people, and some really fun sequences. I was one of the only people in the year who enjoyed this one, but that's because I'm the best.
Der Letzte Mann:
3 silent movies in one 4hour sitting? Torture, right? Well, no. Der Letzte Mann is distinct because it uses no text to explain the story, so you better be paying attention. I thought it was a little tough to follow and get through, but again, you can't deny that the story is a compelling one, and that there is tons of stuff to admire about the movie. It's another german movie telling about the downfall of a man, but this one has an absolutely awesome twist, which actually does use some text, that I'll be damned if I spoil here.
Screening 5:
Jud Süß:
Now this is a movie that really shook me up. Knowing where and - more importantly - when this movie was made might have insolated me abit from it, but going in with no knowledge this was a horrifying experience. Fantasticly well-made, extremely modern in its use of editing and camera, the excellence and wonder of the aesthetic artistry stands in a horrific contrast to the content of the movie. This one really got to me, and totally destroyed my usual wondrous optimism and generel positive outlook on life. I highly recommend you check this movie out, even though it is in dreadful condition.
Our Hospitality:
This screening was last friday, and obviously when fridays screenings are over we usually gather in our education center (ColorBar) to debate culture, discuss movies and further our mindset. I don't think I was alone in thinking that after Jud Süß, I had no interest whatsoever in engaging in this activity. However, enter Buster Keaton in Our Hospitality and enter 74 minutes of laughter and amazement with hardcore oldschool stuntwork. Scenes on the stagecoach and especially the climax in the river/waterfall are nothing short of mindboggling. This screening was by far my favourite so far, with two awesome movies which were completely different. Thank god Buster Keaton was around before unions took charge of Hollywood!
Needless to say, I engaged in the social activities with great pleasure after having seen this fantastic movie, as did many others and everything was good and fine for the entire evening. Even though I got myself into some more Lady in the Water and Babel defending which seems to be the predominant activity I have been doing since starting. But hey, if you convince just one person to give it another shot, it's worth it right?
So with 39 movies to go this semester, which runs till the end of november, I'm definitely very excited. So far everything has been at least very good, and of course getting to see all of these movies on the big screen is an opportunity I can't miss. Some of the movies I'm looking forward to are Psycho, Viskninger och rop, 8½, Scener ur et äktenskap, Rashomon and Capturing the Friedmans to name a few. Let me mention again, I'm being paid to do this! What more can you ask for?
Stagecoach:
Enter the first talkie. Apparently this was the first collaboration between John Ford and John Wayne, as well as John Fords first movie shot in monumental valley. I have to say that even though I have not seen John Wayne in alot of movies, the only other would be She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, he is an awesome person to watch on screen. He is the kind of person that some people could attack for not being a very accomplished actor, but it doesn't matter. He can literally just be on screen and say the words and not do anything, and it's convincing and entertaining, because he has screen presence. He doesn't have to emote, to convey emotion. He commands the screen, and John Ford makes it easy for him. Check out the first shot in this movie featuring John Wayne for one of the coolest introduction shots I have ever seen. The movie wasn't completely resolved for me, but there's no denying it's entertainment value, and when the indians charge and the cavalry finally arrives I was totally pumped up. Fantastic stunt work as well.
Screening 3:
Der Blaue Engel:
A german movie featuring one Marlene Dietrich who you might have heard of. This movie was extremely stale in the way it was shot, and had very few smooth moves. However, the few instances a moving camera was used it was utterly shocking and felt like a huge accomplishment. It was like the first time you saw the dinosaur in Jurassic Park. You have to be in a good mood when you see this movie, because it will depress the hell out of you. It's basically a look at a man and his downfall, and it is awesome.
Citizen Kane:
I assume most people know about this movie, so I won't spend much time on it. I thought it was good, just as good as Der Blaue Engel which it played right after (these screenings are 4 hours, so it's 2-3 movies pr. afternoon). It was the first time I saw it, and alot of people have told me it gets better and better with each viewing. I think if you want to consider this the best movie ever made, there is definitely tons of things about it you could pull up as being proof of this.
Screening 4:
Easy Street:
Charlie Chaplin as a cop. Absolutely hilarious for all of its 23 minute running time. You know you've got an awesome villain when he, to prove his strength, bends a lightpole.
Nanook of the North:
An early look at documentaries. Documenting eskimos in the arctic without any sound, I found this score-only approach much more sober and entertaining than the retarded approach in March of the Penguins. There is tons of examples of alot of this movie being staged, but it had a definite sense of respect for the people, and some really fun sequences. I was one of the only people in the year who enjoyed this one, but that's because I'm the best.
Der Letzte Mann:
3 silent movies in one 4hour sitting? Torture, right? Well, no. Der Letzte Mann is distinct because it uses no text to explain the story, so you better be paying attention. I thought it was a little tough to follow and get through, but again, you can't deny that the story is a compelling one, and that there is tons of stuff to admire about the movie. It's another german movie telling about the downfall of a man, but this one has an absolutely awesome twist, which actually does use some text, that I'll be damned if I spoil here.
Screening 5:
Jud Süß:
Now this is a movie that really shook me up. Knowing where and - more importantly - when this movie was made might have insolated me abit from it, but going in with no knowledge this was a horrifying experience. Fantasticly well-made, extremely modern in its use of editing and camera, the excellence and wonder of the aesthetic artistry stands in a horrific contrast to the content of the movie. This one really got to me, and totally destroyed my usual wondrous optimism and generel positive outlook on life. I highly recommend you check this movie out, even though it is in dreadful condition.
Our Hospitality:
This screening was last friday, and obviously when fridays screenings are over we usually gather in our education center (ColorBar) to debate culture, discuss movies and further our mindset. I don't think I was alone in thinking that after Jud Süß, I had no interest whatsoever in engaging in this activity. However, enter Buster Keaton in Our Hospitality and enter 74 minutes of laughter and amazement with hardcore oldschool stuntwork. Scenes on the stagecoach and especially the climax in the river/waterfall are nothing short of mindboggling. This screening was by far my favourite so far, with two awesome movies which were completely different. Thank god Buster Keaton was around before unions took charge of Hollywood!
Needless to say, I engaged in the social activities with great pleasure after having seen this fantastic movie, as did many others and everything was good and fine for the entire evening. Even though I got myself into some more Lady in the Water and Babel defending which seems to be the predominant activity I have been doing since starting. But hey, if you convince just one person to give it another shot, it's worth it right?
So with 39 movies to go this semester, which runs till the end of november, I'm definitely very excited. So far everything has been at least very good, and of course getting to see all of these movies on the big screen is an opportunity I can't miss. Some of the movies I'm looking forward to are Psycho, Viskninger och rop, 8½, Scener ur et äktenskap, Rashomon and Capturing the Friedmans to name a few. Let me mention again, I'm being paid to do this! What more can you ask for?
