Keeping Track (August 16, 2012)
by HELEN GEIB
Last Week at the Movies
Total Recall
The Lumiere Brothers First Films
Double Indemnity
The Bourne Legacy
A big week to make up for last week, with two new movies at the multiplex and two classics at the IMA. I can’t say enough to recommend The Lumiere Brothers First Films, a compilation of 85 films that was produced by the Lumiere Institute in 1995 to commemorate cinema’s centenary. The collection is mostly comprised of examples of the Lumieres’ renowned “actualities”, precursors to documentaries, newsreels, home videos, and travelogues; there are also a few comedies and novelty films. I’d seen some of the famous Lumiere titles in early film collections, where they were presented as historical curiosities interesting to film lovers and valuable photographic records of their day. That’s all true, but they’re also beautiful and accomplished works of art- which I’d never realized before. Simply seeing a wider selection was part of it. A bigger part was the narration by a very charming Bertrand Tavernier (which plays over a pleasing piano score). His commentary is informative and amusing, and his enthusiasm for the artistry of the photography and composition is infectious.
Last Week at Home
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol- not as exhilarating as in the theater, but still great fun
New in Theaters This Weekend
An unusually busy weekend at the multiplex. Disney fantasy The Odd Life of Timothy Green started yesterday. The family animated movie ParaNorman, making it in the music biz drama Sparkle, and big-cast actioner The Expendables 2 start tomorrow.
What have you been watching? What are you looking forward to?
At Home
This Gun for Hire (1942)- Alan Ladd is a really good actor and he proved it early on with his terrific delivery of a stern but empathetic hired gun. It’s also based on a Graham Greene novel so that’s awesome.
The Young Lions (1958)- Two of the screen’s greatest actors, Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift star in this film as soldiers in WWII. Brando plays the German officer who eventually figures out, the hard way, why the Nazi regime is bull, and Clift and Dean Martin play the Americans. It’s 167 minutes long, looks very nice, and Brando and Clift are as great as ever.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)- I rewatched it because I’d recently purchased the 40th Anniversary Edition. It contains the original musical score and has been digitally restored to deliver excellent audio and video quality. There are a couple of feature length documentaries, on the same disc, and also a commentary track by George A. Romero. It’s definitely worth a purchase. It’s also the third version of the film that I own. Now I can get rid of the first two. lol
I find Ladd hit or miss, but he was great in those early noirs with Veronica Lake.
Sorry about the belated reply- just got back from a five day weekend with NO INTERNET. Somehow, I survived. ;-)
Believe it or not, I can survive without internet even with it resting right beside me. The same will power’s helped me to never smoke or take any drugs, and I hadn’t drank a drop from any alcoholic beverages in 10 years.
Also, I hope you had fun! :OÞ
Lastly, Alan Ladd is, honestly terrific in This Gun for Hire. It’s a serious role and he delivers the good all the way to the end. He plays the bad guy that grows on you; I did sympathize with him from early on, though.