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Topic: Perfect Movies

Carl Martin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1424
From: Oakland, CA, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-15-2008 02:53 AM

if it doesn't need to be seen in a particular format, then it isn't perfectly using its medium.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-15-2008 02:41 PM

It's not that it NEEDS to be seen in 70mm, but once you have seen it in 70, it's hard to recommend anything less.

This movie in particular just blows you away.

My Dad once said you could count the grains of sand on the screen. I thought he was kidding...then I ran it for myself in 70mm. He wasn't kidding.

It's the only film I ran in 5/70 that I thought these guys look so real they could easily walk off the screen and out onto the stage and no-one would notice anything wrong.

See it in 70mm and tell me how many grains of sand there are...we'll see if our numbers match. [thumbsup]

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Joe Tommassello
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 547
From: Coatesville, PA, USA
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 10-15-2008 03:51 PM

quote:
quote: Joe Tommassello
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Two of the films on your list definitely have that awkward chill-inducing dialog problem. Empire Strikes Back is one
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How so? Example(s), please.

I'll go one step beyond and proclaim THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK the best sequel ever made.

Leia: "I don't know where you get your delusions, laser-brain."

Chewbacca laughs.

Solo: "Laugh it up Fuzzball."

Then they end up with something including "...scruffy-looking nerve-hurter".

Yeah, that's great writing! Don't get me wrong...I agree it is arguably the best of the series and it was a real "WOW" when it came out (in 70mm and 6-track)...but in retrospect I like the first one better. Remember - for me a perfect movie has to have NO dialog that takes me out of the moment...and ESB does. I would put the first "Star Wars" (now Episode Four) on the list first.

On sequels, Steve Guttag reflected my initial thoughts immediately below your quoted post..."Godfather Part II" is probably the best sequel ever made. Many consider "Bride of Frankenstein" right up there too.

Julie - at least you didn't try to defend "Titanic"! By the way - you are new here so tell us about yourself. Are you recently graduated from the candy counter? Turned 16 so they let you run the big projectors? Don't you know what "...I always say...women and machinery don't mix!" (Just kidding...glad you joined us. Did I get that quote right?)

I agree with Brad about "City Lights". I think that and "The Kid" are Chaplin's best films. Gordon mentioned "Adventures of Robin Hood" and several of you mentioned "King Kong". I agree with those as well. Now I want to see LOA in 70mm. Do they show it in NY with any regularity?

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Mike Schindler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1039
From: Oak Park, IL, USA
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 10-15-2008 04:18 PM

That dialogue is great! That scene is reminscent of the best screwball comedies by Hawks and Wilder. I mean, you're not gonna find many lines better than "Why you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy looking nerfherder." But even if that line does appear cheesy on the page, the delivery sells it. Not to mention that it's followed up by "Who's scruffy looking?" That's hilarious.

And even if it weren't, that's just one scene. And it doesn't take the viewer out of the movie nearly as much as the snail-paced Death Star climax of STAR WARS.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-15-2008 04:45 PM

When it come to a great film the width of the film doesn't matter a bit...nor does the length!

I'd have to say that just about any Billy Wilder film would fit my bill. There are a couple of exceptions to even that rule though... Also just about any John Huston film definately fits the bill.

Mark

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 10-15-2008 05:43 PM

quote: Mike Schindler
Kershner is the bomb.

Tell your Kershner story, Joe.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 10-15-2008 07:14 PM

quote: Joe Tommassello
Yeah, that's great writing! Don't get me wrong...I agree it is arguably the best of the series and it was a real "WOW" when it came out (in 70mm and 6-track)...but in retrospect I like the first one better. Remember - for me a perfect movie has to have NO dialog that takes me out of the moment...and ESB does. I would put the first "Star Wars" (now Episode Four) on the list first

Star Wars had plenty of its own comic book menace style dialog. Empire Strikes Back rose to a higher level in terms of dialog because the dialog was more entertaining. The back and forth vocal jabbing between Han and Leia was entertaining.

One of my favorite little moments in ESB happens when they're trying to get the Millennium Falcon started. Leia rhetorically asks, "would it help if I got out and pushed?" Han replies, "it might!"

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 10-15-2008 08:19 PM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
Billy Wilder film

yea, 1960 - Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" .. saw that one on the big screen back in 1960 with my folks (they liked Fred McMurray) when I was 9..and even at that age, I clearly remember how good that film was.

Agree with John Huston, but can't help how much I gagged on "ANNIE!" (ran that thing for 6 wks and got grossly nauseated with those horrible songs...) even though he still did a great job with that movie.

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Chad Souder
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 962
From: Waterloo, IA, USA
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 10-15-2008 09:04 PM

Any movie with George Lucas dialog is likely to be tough to listen to. He may be the worst dialog writer ever. Or Kevin Smith, which makes sense...

Anyway, I don't think I have ever seen a "perfect" movie, but really excellent, yes. Most of my likes are already listed, but I'll add Team America: World Police. Yeah, I know, it was goofy, but it was made to a standard that was not compromised. For what it was designed to be, it was excellent.

That's what I look for and that is what I think goes wrong with so many movies. A vision gets screwed up due to budget or executive demands or whatever. The aforementioned Shawshank Redemption, for example, was a fantastic movie until you get to the worst ending it could possibly have. Darabont fought like crazy to leave that ending out, but of course test audiences liked it better and he was an unknown director, so there it was. The entire theme of the movie was ruined so the audience would feel better.

That being said, sometimes compromise does work, as with Harrison Ford ad libbing or changing lines, thus making Solo the best character.

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 10-15-2008 09:05 PM

quote: Joe Tommassello
Yeah, that's great writing! Don't get me wrong...I agree it is arguably the best of the series and it was a real "WOW" when it came out (in 70mm and 6-track)...but in retrospect I like the first one better. Remember - for me a perfect movie has to have NO dialog that takes me out of the moment...and ESB does. I would put the first "Star Wars" (now Episode Four) on the list first.

Darth Vader: I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but a learner; now *I* am the master.
Obi-Wan: Only a master of evil, Darth.

Even better writing?

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Sally Ann Burgess
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 120
From: Queenstown, New Zealand
Registered: Apr 2008

posted 10-15-2008 09:09 PM

"Some Like It Hot" is one of the most perfect movies for me, it certainly has the best last line delivered in a movie..."Well, nobody's perfect"

Others on my list of 'perfect' movies...

Shawshank Redemption
The Godfather
The Iron Giant
Jean de Florette
Manon des Sources
Amadeus

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 10-15-2008 09:41 PM

Mark G., I definitely must agree with Billy Wilder. His incredible range has always impressed me. He could write just about anything.

My favorites on his writing list would have to be:
Double Indemnity
Lost Weekend
Sunset Boulevard
Witness for the Prosecution ( truly great "please don't reveal the ending" picture)

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Mike Schindler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1039
From: Oak Park, IL, USA
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 10-15-2008 09:57 PM

How come ONE, TWO, THREE never gets any love? That's Wilder's best.

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Allison Parsons
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 630
From: East Peoria, IL
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 10-15-2008 10:05 PM

quote: Sally Ann Burgess
Amadeus

Good call on that one, Sally! [thumbsup]

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-15-2008 10:50 PM

quote:
but can't help how much I gagged on "ANNIE!"

Even the great directors have one or two "misses" in the library! They are certainly allowed that much for all the great stuff they've done.

My two Wilder favorites are "Ace In The Hole" and "One Two Three"... man that Cagney had seemingly endless energy... And his right hand man Schlemmer is a riot! This film would be great to see with a large audience that has never seen it!

My favorite Houston film is by far "The Misfits". Have been to many of the still existing locations used in that film including the area around Pyramid Dry Lake.. Many of the locations are not too far from one of the theaters I service... The filming of this movie literally killed Clark Gable.

Another favorite is "Lonely Are The Brave".... It was also Kirk Douglas's favorite role.

I've just rarely ever enjoyed nor benefitted from any of today's films like I have from the films of these directors.

Mark

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