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Topic: What Have You Seen In APRIL?
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Lou Goldberg
Standard Userer
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Graham--No way to keep up with the range of film you've been seeing.What is this? Vincent Price month? I just started watching Twice-Told Tales yet another Price film (I'm about half way through). I was expecting an AIP film, but it turns out to be from an obscure production company. Instead of Poe, it tackles Hawthorne short stories. I can't say there is anything distinguished about the film, but the strories themselves are so good that the film can coast along with no sets or budget and still keep you engrossed. The score is by Richard La Salle and boy what a rip off--the main title is obviously Spellbound with a minor variation, a romantic theme is Summer and Smoke with a different coda, there was even a brief Herrmann crib. Tsk-tsk.
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posted 04-28-2002 02:57 AM PT (US) ip
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Graham Watt
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Mmm, TWICE TOLD TALES - I haven't seen that one. From its reputation it's decidedly minor. Regarding Richard LaSalle, I recall his main titles from another minor Price movie DIARY OF A MADMAN: great music, though maybe it's just I haven't located the borrowings in that one, if there were any. I think he did a BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY episode in which "homaged" Goldsmith's PLANET OF THE APES. Something about big crabs coming out from under the sand.Whoopee! Onto Page 2 again with this thread! Don't ignore the last posts on the previous page, though - comments about Dennis Weaver's penis demand discussion.
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posted 04-28-2002 01:45 PM PT (US) ip
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Lou Goldberg
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Interesting you mention Diary of a Madman because that's a similar film I haven't seen as yet based on DeMaupassant short stories.You gotta give these guys some credit. All the Poe, Hawthorne, and DeMaupassant was probably in the public domain and didn't cost them a cent for the rights. Finished watching Twice Told Tales. Nothing new to report except that Hawthorne could be really tough on people who cross the line. I debated watching the 3rd section, a version of The House of 7 Gables, because there is a Joe May film of the story from 1940 (which I think Price is in also). That version is probably superior to this one and I haven't seen it. Not knowing the story either I didn't want to blow a chance to see a better version fresh, but I went ahead and watched this one anyway. It's the best section of the three and if anything it makes me want to see the May version more now not less. [Message edited by Lou Goldberg on 04-29-2002]
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posted 04-28-2002 09:02 PM PT (US) ip
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Graham Watt
Standard Userer
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Last one for this month:THE EMERALD FOREST (GB 1985) Directed by John Boorman
Screenplay by Rospo Pallenberg
Photography by Philippe Rousselot
Music by Junior Homrich and Grian Gascoyne Main Cast: Powers Boothe, Charley Boorman, Meg Foster The son of a construction worker gets abducted by a tribe in the Amazons. Plenty of room there for a detailed meditation on the old clash of civilizations idea, so I was really surprised at the simplistic discourse. Stilted dialogue and awkward performances in the "normal family" English-language scenes (was this intentional, to show how stilted and awkward our accepted relationships are?); TARZAN-level views on cultural differences; Disney-esque portrayal of the utopian society of the tribe (complete with idyllic waterfall-frolics); and Chuck Norris WALKER-ish rescue scenes (Powers Boothe frees the poor native girls from slavery and prostitution). I haven't read Boorman's published diary about the making of this film, but I get the impression that the end result is miles away from what he envisioned in that first blinding flash of inspiration. Music mostly primitive percussion and synthscapes - quite effective.
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posted 04-30-2002 01:38 PM PT (US) ip
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