tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707040.post4202563177856663948..comments2024-02-25T12:47:03.941-06:00Comments on Johnny LaRue's Crane Shot: Professor Dave Jennings’ Milton-Free, Universe-Expanding Holiday MidtermMarty McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02084642122976337263noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707040.post-56295851312192941242006-12-14T21:28:00.000-06:002006-12-14T21:28:00.000-06:00Enjoyed your answers very much, Mr McKee.
Mine ...Enjoyed your answers very much, Mr McKee. <br /><br />Mine in less detail:<br /><br />1) THE FANTASTIC FOUR. It had to happen sooner or later.<br /><br />2) There are so many I like but John Alton's work astonishes and THE BIG COMBO would be the signature credit. After that I'd name Vilmos Zsigmond, Tonino Delli Colli, Vittorio Storano, Laszlo Kovacs, and Robert Richardson. The other one.<br /><br />3) Joe Don Baker. I like Bo a great deal and your argument for his persuading your choice is sound..but Baker's the man. After he did the first WALKING TALL I just couldn't see anyone topping him. Loved FRAMED, THE OUTFIT, CHARLEY VARRICK, and any number of other things - and he was great in the CAPE FEAR remake.<br /><br />4) I remember gasping several times when I saw JAWS. Being eight years old at the time helped.<br /><br />5) Best movie about the movies? That's tough. Maybe ED WOOD but I do love THE STUNT MAN too. NICKELODEN is an under-appreciated gem. Then there's always SUNSET BOULVEARD and THE BAD & THE BEAUTIFUL, and yeah, HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD.<br /><br />6) Fritz Lang made so many entertaining movies in the 1940s and 1950s but I'm still inclined to go with METROPOLIS as my favourite Lang. FURY and M are close behind.<br /><br />7) Have I ever recognized myself in a movie? I'm not sure I have. I'd love to say something cool like BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ or THE BOURNE IDENTITY or some such, but that would be stretching things a wee bit. Possibly SIDEWAYS. Hmmm.<br /><br />8) As both Carole and Angela were in THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE and I haven't seen it I'll have to go with Carole.<br /><br />9) Huh?<br /><br />10) Athlete in an acting role. I'm more a Jim Brown man that a Fred Williamson guy, as Fred always seems to be, well, Fred. Carl Weathers has done some good things. I think The Rock did a credible job in THE RUNDOWN, and Lynn Holly Johnson in ICE CASTLES....<br /><br />11) Like you I'd go with THE LAST DETAIL but Ashby's THE LANDLORD is a very, very close second. More people need to see that movie, simple as that.<br /><br />12) The first double feature I'd program - VANISHING POINT and DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY<br /><br />13) The Stardust. It was the name of my town cinema as a kid and I always loved that.<br /><br />14) I really like Gould too. I could see Bogart in things like CAPRICORN ONE and THE SILENT PARTNER, but couldn't picture him doing CALIFORNIA SPLIT or LITTLE MURDERS or M*A*S*H. Likewise, Bogart was a better tough guy than Gould. If I had to pick one it would still be Bogie.<br /><br />15) Robert Stevenson...TOM BROWN'S SCHOOL DAYS.<br /><br />16) There are a couple instances when I really noticed the use of sound itself in a film. APOCALYPSE NOW was the first one, and a couple years later recall being astonished by the sound in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. It's easy to watch ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST and deeply appreciate how Leone uses his sound, especially in the opening sequence.<br /><br />17) No to Flamingos.<br /><br />18) Soundtrack score....JAWS was the first film where I was really aware of how significant the score was to the proceedings, but I'd pick STAR WARS as score perfection. The Morricone / Leone collaborations stand close.<br /><br />19) Naomi Watts. Damn good actress.<br /><br />20) I remember reading so many notices of the Godard film WEEKEND where critics were overflowing with praise, and when I finally saw it I figured every one of them had their heads up their collective asses. <br /><br />21) New Oscar category: give the stunt men their due.<br /><br />22) ROBOCOP. Would love to watch SOLDIER OF ORANGE again as I recall it being very good too.<br /><br />23) What do movie do better than any other art form? Get people talking about them. Somebody in the most remote spot on Earth has likely seen something he or she could enthusastically discuss with the most ardent movie lover.<br /><br />24) Ustinov or Finney? This is a Hercule Poirot comparison, and while Ustinov played the character more I'm inclined to pick Finney still. Besides, could Ustinov played the hero in LOOKER? I Don't think so.<br /><br />25) The 20th Century Fox fanfare still gives me goose bumps. I'd agree with your choices for the old Universal logo as well as AIP, New World, and Avco Embassy. <br /><br />26) Single most important book about the movies. I remember falling in love with the McCarthy / Flynn book "King of the B's" as a kid, and likewise pouring over Ed Naha's "Horrors From Screen to Scream". <br /><br />27) Best twist ending? Should I yell spoiler alert? DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY? Actually, I thought the twist at the end of the Joe Cotten movie THE MAN WITH A CLOAK was pretty nifty. Likewise the resolution of THE HOUSE IN NIGHTMARE PARK.<br /><br />28) I love THE 400 BLOWS.<br /><br />29) Claire Danes is a better actress but Olivia Hussey was in SUMMERTIME KILLER and gets points for that. If it comes down to acting I'll have to go with Claire. If it comes down to cult movies and best boobs it's Olivia.<br /><br />30) Lance Henriksen. You know the story.<br /><br />31) Ditto on your answer.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072833878836137632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707040.post-75745276827776407182006-12-13T09:30:00.000-06:002006-12-13T09:30:00.000-06:00Select, short answers:
1) THE PUPPETOON MOVIE, a ...Select, short answers:<br /><br />1) THE PUPPETOON MOVIE, a wonderful compilation celebrating the magic and artistry of George Pal.<br /><br />2) Wow – Dean Cundey’s name was the first one that came to my mind as well when I read this question. Other favorite cinematographers include:<br /><br />Harold Rosson - DP for The Wizard of Oz, Duel in the Sun, The Asphalt Jungle, On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain, and many others, Rosson was also married for two years to Jean Harlow and shot several of her best films.<br /><br />Greg Toland - His short career – lasting just over 20 years – was marked by some of the most visually expressive films of the period, including Wuthering Heights, The Grapes of Wrath, Citizen Kane, Song of the South, and The Best Years of Our Lives.<br /><br />Laszlo Kovacs - Did great work on many exploitation films early on, including The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!?, Kiss Me Quick, Mantis in Lace, and Psych-Out before Hollywood discovered his talents in Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, and Paper Moon.<br /><br />Gary Graver - Another DP who moved fluidly between mainstream and exploitation circles, and who also cultivated a career directing porn under the pseudonym David McCallum, Graver worked extensively with Al Adamson, Roger Corman, Fred Olen Ray, and Orson Welles. Additionally, I will always admire/envy him for dating Claudia Jennings!<br /><br />Russ Meyer - ‘nuf said!<br /><br />5) HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD is my choice as well (no wonder I love reading your blog, Marty…), though SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN comes an awfully close second.<br /><br />15) Although best-known as Walt Disney’s A-list director (with MARY POPPINS, DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE, and OLD YELLER being amongst his most notable efforts), if it was too much for you to begrudge Robert Stevenson that, Marty, you might have picked his early Boris Karloff vehicle THE MAN WHO CHANGED HIS MIND or his fine version of KING SOLOMON’S MINES.<br /><br />19) Using the same line of thinking you cited, Marty, I come down in favor of Fay Wray. I hope all these contemporary actresses take great comfort and joy in their acting chops and “respectability” because nobody is going to give a shit about either of those things in 50+ years. Fay Wray, on the other hand, will live on eternally (as will Raquel Welch, Tura Satana, Pam Grier, Barbara Steele, and Candice Rialson – “disreputable” icons all).<br /><br />30) I’ve shared this before, but it would have to be Linnea Quigley, wandering into the video store I worked in at the time and shocked as could be that I even knew who she was. Whatta sweetie!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com