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Post by james on Apr 27, 2010 16:37:16 GMT -5
is on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVdVuJAJiasJust sayin'. It's a bit off topic for a "not on DVD" episode, but you guys did discuss it - the Val Lewton box set. I absolutely love it. Each film is at least very good, and overall these movies are much, much better than the Universal horror films being produced at the same time. RKO wanted a rival to The Wolf Man and gave Lewton the title "Cat People." The end result is a better film, as it turned out. And Universal's response to the fresher, psychological suspense of the RKO films was to churn out Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (on the principle that audiences could get double their value with two monster, when they were really getting half as much), and the many monster sequels. Some of these are better than others but Universal really missed the message. Lewton produced two films for RKO that weren't included in the box set, Mademoiselle Fifi (directed by Robert Wise and starring Simone Simon) and Youth Runs Wild (directed by Mark Robson and starring Kent Smith). I'll guess that they weren't included in the box either because they're not suspense films, or because including them would have increased the price. I've been waiting for either to turn up on TCM or in the Warner Archives, but no luck yet. If you watch The Ghost Ship, look for Lawrence Tierney in a small role, 49 years before he acted in Resevoir Dogs.
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Post by Eddie Love on Apr 27, 2010 18:25:32 GMT -5
Agreed, The Val Lewton box set is great. There really aren't any duds in that collection, though Curse of the Cat People is more a curiosity than a classic and The Body Snatcher is a little slow-moving when compared to the others -- all can be watched and re-watched. (I loved the academic commentary on Bedlam.) Also, agreed that some of the Universal entries down the food-chain are pretty dire.
Jacques Tournier also directed perhaps my all-time favorite film Out of the Past
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Post by tombitd on Apr 27, 2010 20:21:30 GMT -5
I do not count a film being chopped up into ten minute segments that you can click on serially as 'watching a movie.' And besides...with a film like this, which I love, I want to own it, as much as an artifact as a movie, if that makes sense.
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Post by grubl on Apr 27, 2010 20:32:24 GMT -5
Eddie, CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE is far more than a curiosity. Give it a couple of more viewings. It is a masterpiece in everyway. A sequel in title only (and one quick verbal reference). Suspenseful, atmospheric and restrained. The actress who plays the little girl is wonderful. There is obviously something slightly unhinged about her. It is also Robert Wise's first turn as director. I agree about OUT OF THE PAST being an absolutely great film.
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Post by Eddie Love on Apr 27, 2010 20:50:11 GMT -5
Okay, Grubi, I'll certainly watch CotCP again. What sticks out most in my mind about that is the marvelous performance by the black housekeeper or manservant, not sure what you'd call him. He's great. That was an unheralded hallmark of RKO, Lewton and Tournier as they routinely had positive/naturalistic / non-stereotype portraits of black characters, like the scene where Robert Mitchum goes to the Harlem nightclub in OotP. That's a great scene.
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Post by Derrick on Apr 27, 2010 21:02:26 GMT -5
I do not count a film being chopped up into ten minute segments that you can click on serially as 'watching a movie.' And besides...with a film like this, which I love, I want to own it, as much as an artifact as a movie, if that makes sense. I gotta go with Tom on this. I don't consider that a satisfactory means of watching a movie. I'd rather not watch it at all than watch a hacked up version. And who in the world has the time to do something like that anyway?
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Post by james on Apr 27, 2010 21:07:17 GMT -5
The housekeeper is calypso singer Sir Lancelot, and he is indeed terrific (and very non-stereotypical). He also has roles in Tourneur's I Walked With a Zombie (itself a racially progressive film) and its unofficial (and very, very goofy) sequel, Zombies on Broadway (also RKO, but it had no involvement from Lewton and Tourneur).
I love Curse of the Cat People. It's a delicate movie about a child's fantasy which never condescends to the her sense of imagination. It reminds me a bit of Calvin and Hobbes in that sense.
Tom - I agree with you concerning Cast a Deadly Spell. I was just pointing out that it can be seen, more or less, for anyone who wants to see something.
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Post by james on Apr 27, 2010 21:23:27 GMT -5
I gotta go with Tom on this. I don't consider that a satisfactory means of watching a movie. I'd rather not watch it at all than watch a hacked up version. And who in the world has the time to do something like that anyway? There's some cases where movies that aren't officially available (ie., the corporation that owns the copyright can't be bothered to release it, or to be more generous, can't find a quality print worthy of commercial release) are available on YouTube. In those cases, I'll watch something on YouTube if I can't see it any other way. The Island of Lost Souls is an example. There's a few of the silent Our Gang shorts on YouTube as well.
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Post by jasonc on Apr 28, 2010 12:19:44 GMT -5
I have this on VHS, which I really must get around to attempting to copy onto DVD. Haven't watched it in a while, but its a great movie.
Did you know there was a sequel? HBO made WITCH HUNT, set in the 50's and starring Dennis Hopper as Lovecraft.
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Post by tombitd on Apr 28, 2010 14:16:30 GMT -5
Did you know there was a sequel? HBO made WITCH HUNT, set in the 50's and starring Dennis Hopper as Lovecraft. Yes. Yes we do. We actually mentioned it--not too favorably--in the episode.
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Post by jasonc on Apr 28, 2010 16:31:20 GMT -5
Yes. Yes we do. We actually mentioned it--not too favorably--in the episode. Ahh, OK. I've not got that far yet. I'm up to the discussion about Remo Williams...
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