MOVIES, "THE SWEET LIFE OF CINEMA"
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
The Man Who Laughs 1928 (Silent Feature Film)
The Man Who Laughs (1928) is an American silent film directed by the German Expressionist filmmaker Paul Leni. The film is an adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel of the same name and stars Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine and Mary Philbin as the blind Dea. The film is known for the grim carnival freak-like grin on the character Gwynplaine's face, which often leads it to be classified as a horror film. Film critic Roger Ebert stated, "The Man Who Laughs is a melodrama, at times even a swashbuckler, but so steeped in Expressionist gloom that it plays like a horror film."
The Man Who Laughs is a Romantic melodrama, similar to films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). The film was one of the early Universal Pictures productions that made the transition from silent films to sound films, using the Movietone sound system introduced by William Fox. The film was completed in April 1927 but was held for release in April 1928, with sound effects and a music score that included the song, "When Love Comes Stealing," by Walter Hirsch, Lew Pollack, and Erno Rapee. Click icon to begin video... . . .
The Man Who Laughs is a Romantic melodrama, similar to films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). The film was one of the early Universal Pictures productions that made the transition from silent films to sound films, using the Movietone sound system introduced by William Fox. The film was completed in April 1927 but was held for release in April 1928, with sound effects and a music score that included the song, "When Love Comes Stealing," by Walter Hirsch, Lew Pollack, and Erno Rapee. Click icon to begin video... . . .
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
DVdC: PERSONA: REPEATED SCENES (MOVIE SCENE)
This is the famous "repeated scene" from Ignmar Bergman's "Persona". When asked about it, he said he couldn't figure out how to cut the film between the two actresses, and, besides, he said what a person says and what a person hears is not the same thing. This is a perfect scenes for actors to be inspired by.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
DVdC: "A BRILLIANT SCENE FROM DOUBT" (SHORT FILM)
Here is one of the most reveting pieces of acting ever captured on film. Viola Davis and Meryl Streep in a seven minute scene from the film, "Doubt". The writing and acting in this scene show how a "walk on" performance can be entire story/film in-of-itself -- like Streep in Kramer Vs. Kramer.
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DVdC: "SUGGESTED MOVIE WATCHING/AVOID THESE FILM" (EDITORIAL)
The following motion pictures titles are listed for the benefit of actors who would like to learn more about film acting techniques. Here's what to look at and why:
1. Sunset Boulevard 1959
Not only is the story an original (told from the point of view of a dead man), not only are shots invented (a shot from the bottom of a pool), not only is it about ageism, sexism, power, madness, murder, the history of Hollywood (in a pseudo-documentary fashion), it's boy-meets-girl, and it's got two distinct acting styles brought together...This film is a good example of how the "story" starts before the movie begins and goes on after the end. Plus it’s one of the few voice-over narratives that actually enhances the plots, instead of dictating what is happening.
2. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane
Again, two different styles of acting -- one a "movie star" and one a "character actress". No movement is wasted. It's about jealousy, insanity, sibling rivalry, the rise and fall of stardom.
3. Doubt
The "mother" in the film is on screen less than ten minutes but made a powerful performance, like Meryl Streep in "Kramer vs. Kramer". She packs a lifetime into those minutes onscreen.
4. The Hours
It's about how lives and ideas intertwine, about choices, about the sacrifices creative people make. Nicole Kidman gives the performance of her life -- totally unrecognizable. Julianne Moore gives a great "repressive" performance.
5. Citizen Kane
Tells the same story from several points of view -- actors had to know who's story they were telling at what time. Wells was a young man at the time.
6. All About Eve
New-comer Marilyn Monroe in the same scene with Bette! Watch Bette "do business" in every scene. Even putting her hands in her pockets means something. Also see "Jezebell".
7. Straightjacket/Queen Bee/Mildred Pierce
Highly stylized acting and delivery -- with a camp quality. In "Straightjacket", Crawford -- in her late 60's -- plays a 29 yr old hotsy-totsy.
8. Rocky Horror Picture Show
This is about being uninhibition and committing to the character -- no matter how outrageous.
9. The Virgin Spring
Simplicity. This is about the power of acting and story-telling (the power of the idea) over technical limitations.
10. 2001 A Space Odyssey
See how actors are used in conjunction to environment, almost as props to be part of a whole visualization.
11. The Pink Panther
Comic timing by a master of the "dry dead pan delivery". Watch the physical acts propel the dialogue and plot lines.
12. Raging Bull/Taxi Driver
De Niro commits completely to the part. You never catch his "acting" -- as opposed to Crawford and Davis who are completely self-aware of what they are doing.
13. Sophie's Choice/The French Lieutenant's Woman
If De Niro is a driving drum beat, then Streep is a violin.
14. Apocalypse Now
Pushing not only art, but the artist. Beyond movie making or movie watching, it's an experience.
15. The Maltese Falcon/To Have And Have Not/Casablanca
This is acting on what is NOT on the screen -- the subtext, the implication, wanting the people within the story to succeed.
16. China Town
Nicolson's character needs to know one piece of information for the entire film and his performance to change. Had he known in the beginning...It's all about the motivation. Why does this person act this way? This is about an attitude.
ALSO...
Any movie with Greta Garbo or Marlene Dietrich or Charles Laughton...
Movies To Avoid That Are Generally Thought Of As "Good Movie"
1. Gone With The Wind
Nothing more than a Soap Opera -- and an exasperating one at that. The "Titanic" of its day. It took 4 yrs to make, hours to watch, and is not "deep" in any sense. It ends with a supposed "up" but not really.
2. The Wizard Of Oz
Snuff the dog already. Without Toto there is no plot or motivation -- so, really, it's a movie about a despondent girl's dog surrounded by nonsense, lots and lots of nonsense. It ends up where it begins and so what?
3. Singing In The Rain
Should be titled "Singing About Nonsense". Just goofiness and not in a fun way.
4. Star Wars
Little children, not adults, can watch this on DVD. It already looks dated and is technically a poor movie.
5. Rosemarie's Baby
The main character is so dumb that you hope she gets slaughtered by the devil. This is an example of what happens when a character is only reactive and never pro-active. You just don't give a damn.
6. Shindler's List
Over-wrought, manipulative and contrived. The best part is when the Nazis shoot people, otherwise you see starving people for hours on end without any context to the black/white good/evil of the situation. It's plain poor film-making. It's a cartoon that's supposed to have "meaning". "Armistead" is another example of "fake sincerity". Black slaves are in the bowel of a ship, during a storm, at night -- naked, starved, beaten. As a baby is born amongst death and evil, lightning strikes. The lightning illuminates the baby. How? There are no windows in the bottom of a ship.
Ignore John Wayne, Elvis -- they were "personalities", not actors.
DVdC: CINEMA BLOG CELEBRATES 1,000 HITS! (EDITORIAL)
DOLCE VITA DI CINEMA CELEBRATES
1,000 HITS
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| Brother Andy portrait by Shahram Farshadfar from the film "Art Never Dies" |
I began Dolce Vita di Cinema
("The Sweet Life of Movies") at the end of last December 2013 (a
month-and-a-half ago) as a sister blog to the wildly popular Dolce Vita di
Libro ("The Sweet Life of Books") blog, which is used as a
clearinghouse for all kinds of media for the murder mystery book club in Palm
Springs (of the same name) and for entertaining/educating murder mystery book
clubs anywhere in the world -- filled with feature films, in-house videos,
retro radio programs, reviews, interviews, member profiles, meeting up-dates, images,
games, and tons of other stuff. The response to Dolce Vita di Libro has been positively
mind-blowing.
Dolce Vita di Cinema was consciously
designed to be a kind of on-line film class, to concentrate on hard-to-find
features, insightful documentaries, and other educational materials. The work of incredibly talented geniuses are free
to see in full, uncensored. I wanted the blog to become a handy source of inspiration
for artists, writers, directors, actors and editors -- anyone with a serious
interest in films -- as a kind of free-form library. To help beginners in the
film business, I wrote a free PDF downloadable book ("Brother Andy's Notes
To The Actor") about my experiences with actors in my films and included
it in the blog materials, as well as posting my own independently-produced
feature films, open to critique and questioning, such as "The Mummy's Desire"
(a satire of Hammer films), "I Am...Dead" (a film noir zombie
thriller), and "The Rush of the River" (a Western with a twist).
Now, Dolce Vita di Cinema has built
an amazingly loyal following, without a scrap of advertising or promotion. I am extremely proud of what has been
accomplished in such a short period of time.
Next, I am hoping to not only
continue to scavenge the vaults for lost film treasures, but to give a platform
to new creative visionaries who have something to say. Thank you to everyone who has supported this
worthy endeavor.
Brother Andy
Writer, Producer, Director,
Editor, Actor
Intriguism Moving Pictures
Friday, February 7, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
DVdC: "BRONWNOSETS POTYOMKIN (Battleship Potemkin)" (1925)
Considered one of the most important films in the history of silent pictures, as well as possibly Eisenstein's greatest work, "Battleship Potemkin" brought Eisenstein's theories of cinema art to the world in a powerful showcase; his emphasis on montage, his stress of intellectual contact, and his treatment of the mass instead of the individual as the protagonist. The film tells the story of the mutiny on the Russian ship Prince Potemkin during the 1905 uprising. (Black and White. Silent. 1:13:01)
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DVdC: "BEAT THE DEVIL" DIR: JOHN HUSTON (1953)
Directed by John Huston. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollobrigida, Robert Morley and Peter Lorre. (Black and White. Sound. 1:29:19)
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DVdC: "THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES -- SAYAT NOVA" (1968)
Director Sergei Paradjanov made a practice of making highly-stylized idiosyncratic films based on the folklore of regions in the former Soviet Union. In 1969, he made this film, based in part on the life of the 18th-century Armenian poet-monk, Sayat Nova. Seriously out of favor with Soviet authorities (he was imprisoned in 1974 for his homosexuality, among other things), this film was not seen in the international arena until 1977. Then, "The Color of Pomegranates" was widely acclaimed for its poetic and non-narrative blending of historical and biographical Armenian imagery. Cast: Sofiko Chiaureli, Melkon Aleksanyan, Vilen Galstyan, Giorgi Gegechkori Narrated by: Armen Dzhigarkhanyan (Color. Sound. 1:12:49)
Monday, January 13, 2014
DVdC: "DELBANCO" 1990 (DOCUMENTARY)
Lifelines in the 20th century: A profile from 1990 on Kurt B. Delbanco, who was born 1909 in Hamburg (Germany) and died on November 16th, 2007 in NYC. After his emigration from Nazi Germany to the USA (via England) he worked in New York City as an art dealer, painter and sculptor. He was inspired by Goethe's color theory, Bauhaus abstraction and the idea of "decoration". His portraits have been collected by, among others, the U.S. National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of the City of New York.
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DVdC: "THE VIRGIN SPRING" 1960 (FEATURE FILM)
Please note that you can turn on the Closed Captioning (located under the scroll bar) and subtitles in English will appear.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
DVdC: "THE IRREPRESSIBLES -- THE LADY IS DEAD" (MUSIC VIDEO)
This is undoubtedly the most provocative piece of film I have ever seen. I recommend it to anyone wanting to make films.
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Sunday, January 5, 2014
DVdC: FREE PDF BOOK "NOTES TO THE ACTOR"
Click here for a FREE download PDF Book, "Brother Andy's Notes The Actor"
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
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