Irish, I think most people would LOVE to see that epic cut from Scorsese. GANGS OF NEW YORK has some great stuff in it, yet from watching the unusually truncated editing scheme(how you can tell this? Scorsese NEVER usually uses dissolves. Think abou it!) there seems like a great movie lies in Miramax's vault in several cans.

The problem is that Scorsese isn't interested. He moves on. Of course it could be that the Weinsteins giving him migraines daily probably why he won't revisit the situation.

Scorsese could go back to it. Hell, people forget about the NEW YORK, NEW YORK.

You know, its funny......When I was told of PIRATES 3's ending last year, it was the same.....except different person in Depp instead of the inevitable final pick.

You know how I bitch day and night about the editing and cutting of Once Upon a Time in America...

LLC, you should try to watch the fucking toxic baby shit-edit that the AMC channel airs. Its like the infamous American edit and the Director's Cut mated, and produced a mutant fetus from like IT'S ALIVE.

I can't even fathom a television edit... Especially considering all of the sexual content.

I have no problem with the four-hour DVD cut though. It makes for one hell of a great film. But if Leone wanted a 6-8 hour two-parter, that's what I want to see. It just blows my mind that (assuming the DVD commentary is correct) he shot 10 hours of footage, not including multiple takes and such.

THE DOORS 1/2
(First Viewing)

Oliver Stone's homage to 60's rock group The Doors also doubles as a biography of the group's late singer, the "Electric Poet" Jim Morrison. The movie follows Morrison from his days as a film student in Los Angeles to his death in Paris in 1971, at the age of 27. The movies features a tour- de-force performance by Val Kilmer, who not only looks like Jim Morrison's long-lost twin brother, but also sounds so much like him that he did much of his own singing. It has been written that even the surviving Doors had trouble distinguishing Kilmer's vocals from Morrison's originals.

Val Kilmer put together a terrific performance as Jim Morrison. I can't believe he didn't even get an Oscar nomination for this. Michael Wincott was awesome as well. I didn't and still don't know a lot about The Doors or Jim Morrison. I've heard and like a couple of their songs. Pretty interesting take by Oliver Stone but not much about his youth or really how the band was formed.

Scarface (2nd viewing)**
That I could watch it for the second time reflects the entertainment value of this movie. Highly over-rated though. And quite a disappointing performance from Al Pacino too. Leaving aside the over-the-top nature of the film, the film almost follows an arc similar to many of the mob movies of Scorcese. Starting with a quick rise and ending with an unstoppable downfall. I like the subtleties like the relationship between Tony and Gina and also the character of Bolivian drug lord.

Upcoming Review: The Graduate

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END (2007) - ***

Am I the only one who wanted to giggle, in a perverted way, because of how a Disney-banner movie opening up with people being hanged, in a nice Jewish Holocaust assembly style, and with a 8 year-old kid taking the plunge himself.

And remember, Disney turned down BACK TO THE FUTURE and its $200 million back in the early 1980s because of the infamous mother/kid kissing scene. Wow, what a long time ago.

But really, what a ballsy opening for such a "family" adventure popcorn fest, and its probably why I don't tolerate anytime someone tries to defend Michael Bay.

Why?

Because if Bay had even tried to shoot the insane ultra-big budget kitchen sink-included climax, it would been done in ugly-ass orange camera filter, ADHD-inspired rapid fire editing that turns whatever awesome action sequence into an unintelligible mess, and some crappy one-liners.

But Verbinski, he with his editors somehow keep the action-narrative steady and with a firm grip even when I'm sure a good portion of the audience wasn't exactly clear what was happening, but like Boone and Otter from ANIMAL HOUSE...

"Germans?!?"
"Forget it, he's rolling."

Thank you boys. Maybe the rock n roll fun editing tempo scheme of DEAD MAN'S CHEST is missing with AT WORLD'S END, its equal to the first film in thrills, joys, and some intense action (just luckily not as afoot and loose as the first film.)

Besides, the Keith Richards cameo is a laugh riot.

Interestingly, if what I remember is TRUE, the ending of AT WORLD'S END was changed from script to the final film. You wanna know the difference?

THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
(First Viewing)

As King Louis XIV prepares to rule France, he proves to be a cruel ruler. When he becomes responsible for sending a soldier, Rauol, to his death so he can have his love, Christine, Raoul's retired musketeer father and two other retirees ban together to overthrow the king. Captain D'Artagnan does not agree with his king but is loyal to him and refuses to be apart of the musketeers' plan. However, they learn that Louis has a secret good twin brother named Phillipe, who has been imprisoned in the castle and his face hidden behind an iron mask. Could Phillipe be a solution and safe haven to the people of France?

I never read the book but the movie sure did suck. Fresh off his TITANIC stardom, Leo is still trying to convince me as a serious actor and not just eye candy for the ladies (he doesn't accomplish this until CATCH ME IF YOU CAN). A noticeable cast but a poor script, poor acting, the directing seemed like it was made for TV, and bad sword fighting scenes.

I couldn't disagree with you more than on these 2 points. This is the best acting job I've ever seen Pacino do in his entire career.

The Graduate *
Quite ordinary contrary to my expectation. I cannot understand its popularity. It has some clever funny moments in the beginning, but it soon descends into silliness. Maybe this was the first movie in its genre, but I have seen a zillion romantic comedies with that kind of ending. Dustin Hoffman is good though.

Upcoming Reviews: Rear Window, North by Northwest, Psycho, Pi

Read about the end of the Production Code in Hollywood, the films in the years immediately prior to it, and the impact of Bonnie & Clyde on the box-office, its use of violence, a new level of ambiguity in sexual psychology, and how free and casual both that film and The Graduate seem to be in light of the restrictions of the films made under the self-regulations of the Production Code. I recommend Hollywood Cinema by Richard Maltby. It's an expensive book, so don't buy it; borrow it from a library. Good academic databases should stock it at least once, in some form or another. Needless to say, The Graduate is, or can be seen as, an embodiment of the adolescent angst felt deeply by the baby boom generation, and its feel-good rebellious ending was quite impacting.

I really, really like The Graduate. It's still very refreshing today, I think. The soundtrack, Hoffmann's performance and the said ending hit all the right chords for me.

The Graduate will always remain a personal favorite of mine. Mick really just hammered it down with that last sentence on the Baby boomers, so I'll spare the rant.

I can't wait to read your thoughts on Pi though. Aronofsky is a favorite of mine... The Fountain just supports my suspicions that he'll be one of the greats of the current generation of film, to be remembered decades from now.

I loved "The Graduate"! Granted, it is pretty tame I guess by today's standards and perhaps dated I don't know. I don't remember if it was given an X rating at the time or an R, but I know it played in it's realease at the adult theater, where I went to see it. Hoffman became an instant star, and S&G soundtrack made the movie even more appealing.

The ending was great (at the church )! Everytime I hear Mrs. Robinson, I can't help but think of Benjamin riding down the freeway in his red convertible.

TIS

DISTURBIA (2007) *1/2

Caught this last night. It was either this, Shrek or Pirates. Whaddaya want from me?

Anyhoo, Shia LaBeouf as a paranoid Peeping Tom. That's it.

Meh.

That's funny. Especially as it's been re-rated to a PG...

What was all the fuss about? Just the idea of a college kid and a middle aged house-wife having an affair? Anything in particular?

Funny part about that was that the "middle aged" Ann Bancroft was all of 6 years older than Dustin Hoffman.

One of the first great "feel good" endings that I can remember. I loved it.

I think of someone else

I don't know LLC. I suppose yea the storyline or maybe the ever-so-brief nudity of Bancroft (the camera moved so swiftly though that if you blinked you missed it ) It does seem funny now, especially that it was released in the 60's where "times they were a-changing".

PB, I didn't think Bancroft was only a few years younger than Hoffman. Interesting! There was one word that Benjamin was told to remember (I think by Elaine's father). Do you remember what that word was? Much of it was silly and corny and yet, new at the time. Hard to put your finger on it. I loved Benjamin's nervousness at the hotel. At least he remember his toothbrush.

P.S. My brother, at the time kept getting told that he looked like Dustin Hoffman. My sister and I called him Dusty for a long time.

TIS

DMC, I suppose every young man has his "Mrs. Robinson" hu? Older women are like a fine wine. They improve with age. At least that's what I keep telling myself every damn birthday that goes by.

I'm sure EVERY young man has one, some are just much better than others Everyone knows I love older women though, so I can't argue with the fact that they do improve with age

I've always wanted to have an affair with a teacher. Like, seriously, it's been a fascination of mine for a while now.

I definitely think I saw some censored/edited version then. I did not see any nudity, except for one scene in the beginning, where again it was for a split second. Perils of illegal downloads I guess

Edit: I don't even know why I downloaded it in the first place. It is available on DVD in my school library for borrowing. Many times, they only have the tape version or restrict some movies only for watching in the library itself. Apparently the film studies department reserves it for the entire year. very annoying. That's why I don't check my library for films very often. I can watch all hitchcock and lynch movies on DVD in my library, except that I can't borrow them. Don't know what the film studies people are upto. I am going to get netflix soon.

I doubt it SVSG... The movie is extremely tame in its entirety. It's down to a PG by modern MPAA standards.

It's just the continual growth of the open-mind at time pursuits. Although, time seems to be moving a bit faster than growth.

I agree that you probably saw an uncensored version. The nudity I was referring to was when Mrs. R shuts the door and the camera seems to quickly flash her body. It's easy to miss. I can't imagine on "uncensored" version. It's funny how things change no??

Anyway, I can see where one wouldn't care for the movie. It's one of those that was best at it's time, even though I don't mind seeing it from time to time even still.

TIS

"Plastics" are the future, TIS.

Speaking of which, loved when Hoffman appeared on SIMPSONS and a joke on GRADUATE:

"Ms. Krabappel, are you trying to seduce me?"

DISTURBIA is a piece of shit movie designed for the idiotic and self-indulgent teenie-bopper mall rats.

A pity, since the basic REAR WINDOW-ripoff could have worked. DISTURBIA is contrived, but instead of a drug-pusher that NOBODY believes(groans from the audience)....

Pizzaboy, what if the stupid kid is a drug pusher, and he got house arrest...EXCEPT, he keeps cooking up drugs in his basement or becomes a middle-man between the pushers and the buyers. Anyway, he sees the murder, but he can't call the cops.

If he did, they would come to his house, discover his activities....and Bubba will be raping his ass for the next 5 years at the local pen.

But even if he is a scumbag, he gets a fellow associate and his nice girl neighbor to spy and peg the murderer down.

See? No contrived nonsense.

Pizzaboy, I GUARANTEE my idea would be better than the movie.

P.s. - Doesn't everyone here hate theatres that have 20+ screens, and have are clogged up with several screens just for ONE movie?

Its like my local mall theatre, 3 screens for SHREK 3(it sucked), 3 for SPIDER-MAN 3(Not bad, just BOTCHED), and 3 for PIRATES 3 (decent fun)...and only two screens left.

PIRATES

Same here. I've got access to shitload of films, but laziness prevents me from seeing many of them. It's a good thing, though, for preservation reasons. Not everyone who rents films cares about them.

Rear Window ***
All the Hitchcock movies I have watched till now have one thing in common. The crime is done by normal people and is investigated by normal people. Right in the neighborhood and not in some faraway gangster world. The thrill is not in some twist at the end, but in the whole process leading to the end. Excellent use of sound and gripping scenes throughout.

I'd put Hitchcock in my top five favourites. The others would be Lynch, Godard, Bergman and Herzog.