PhillyDave
“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
Jesus Christ, Night of the Hunter. And to watch how it's staged like a play! Just so intense and well done.
Best movie moments (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Johannes
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I think I prefer the original Cape Fear. Probably because I think Mitchum's portrayal (in the original that is ;) ), is more menacing than De Niro's. The latter plays it well but there's a sort of understated brooding about Mitchum's role, whereby he's terrifiying even when he's not saying or doing much. He seems physically more imposing too. I do think it's a very good remake though.
Johannes
Founding member
Mitchum was huge. Watch him during his entrance compared to Cavett.
I also like the way he carries himself during his interviews. The ultra-cool stoic may be a pose as well as anything at times, but finally here is a famous actor of the time you can talk to, you know. Who will simply answer questions without the necessity to obsessively entertain, go crazy and play at genius or creep. Or both.
Compare the easiness and fun of the Mitchum-Cavett talk to the ultra creepy pain in the ass appearance of Marlon Brando at the same show
I also like the way he carries himself during his interviews. The ultra-cool stoic may be a pose as well as anything at times, but finally here is a famous actor of the time you can talk to, you know. Who will simply answer questions without the necessity to obsessively entertain, go crazy and play at genius or creep. Or both.
Compare the easiness and fun of the Mitchum-Cavett talk to the ultra creepy pain in the ass appearance of Marlon Brando at the same show
Skygazer
And in the end...
Nice clips.
Brando's interview is uncomfortable viewing and you worry about him. I just don't think he was the interviewing type for shows like that.
Rejecting his oscar for The Godfather in protest of his objections to stereotyping in Hollywood is genuine, rather than a stunt, so I suppose in one respect there is a nice disregard for all the hollywood bullshit, similar to Mitchum.
A favourite film, 24 Hour Party People, based on Tony Wilson and Factory Records in Manchester (somewhat).
Brando's interview is uncomfortable viewing and you worry about him. I just don't think he was the interviewing type for shows like that.
Rejecting his oscar for The Godfather in protest of his objections to stereotyping in Hollywood is genuine, rather than a stunt, so I suppose in one respect there is a nice disregard for all the hollywood bullshit, similar to Mitchum.
A favourite film, 24 Hour Party People, based on Tony Wilson and Factory Records in Manchester (somewhat).
I've seen the Brando clip before (maybe posted on here?) but yes, he's certainly 'hard work' in that interview. It's like getting blood out of a stone.
The Mitchum one I haven't seen before though and he comes across as a cool guy with a sense of humour.
It's a good one. I take it you've seen Control as well.
Johannes
Founding member
Brando method-acted it very clear in that interview that he didn't want to talk about himself or his movies, but only about the "American Indian". Which is rather cool in itself, but why in the hell did he agree do do the first part of the interview about himself anyway, just to play the annoying creep only to come alive whenever the conversation gets around to the "American Indian"?
Because the Cavett-Show wouldn't have him otherwise? That on the other hand would also be cool in itself :D
Back to topic:
Would not recommend to watch this movie under the influence of anything else than alcohol, tho.
Because the Cavett-Show wouldn't have him otherwise? That on the other hand would also be cool in itself :D
Back to topic:
Would not recommend to watch this movie under the influence of anything else than alcohol, tho.
mjp
Founding member
You have to remember than Brando was always an iconoclast and a champion of the disenfranchised. It wasn't just Indians, he also supported the civil rights movement in the 60s, and later the Black Panthers, who, at the time were as radical as the American Indian Movement (AIM).
There is also the context of the times. The Panthers and AIM were actual armed resistance to a society that they were quite adamant wasn't working for most non-white groups. A lot of white people thought, "Well, you know, they're right," and supported them (at least privately), but you only hear about the famous ones who had the nerve to say anything, despite the negative effect it might have on their "box office appeal." We were still in Vietnam at the time for chrissakes...shit was crazy in America, and a lot of things - and people - were unraveling.
Finally, you have to remember that Marlon Brando wasn't exactly at the peak of his career in the early 70s. Until The Godfather, he'd pretty much been discarded and forgotten. So he knew what disenfranchisement felt like. He also grew up in Nebraska during the depression, so he probably saw first hand a lot of the outright hostility and disdain a lot of Midwestern people had for Indians at the time.
So there's a lot going on with the Brando/Littlefeather/Oscar thing, and I think that people who felt it was a publicity stunt by Brando were mistaken. It was a publicity stunt - not to aggrandize Brando, but to publicize AIM and the points they were trying to make.
It was incredibly ballsy and upsetting to "Hollywood," (Look at James Bond's face in the picture below, he's confused and probably angry that he's become part of a protest) but things like that actually used to happen. People went off-script quite often and frankly, life was more interesting.
;)
"Oh, sorry, no, we don't want that. You keep it."
Skygazer
And in the end...
I haven't no, don't tend to watch bio pics, I liked 24hr Party people mostly for Steve Coogan and the comedic aspect of it and he does make Tony Wilson a compelling character, no business sense whatsoever, it's got to be said. Perhaps I'll watch Control, Bruno - thanks.
Johannes
Founding member
Yes, I read about Brandos involvement in the civil rights movement and the Black Panthers, I even read his autobiography Songs My Mother Taught Me once, where he describes at length his feelings for the disenfranchised, if I remember it correctly. His feelings for Animals too, by the way. I like that very much, because you get the impression that this was really important for him in his life and he did it as an world-famous actor before it became the fashionable thing to do.
Still, I don't understand that Cavett-interview. There must have been some strange things going on in the background. Cavett mentions that he and Brando talked for 7 hours on the phone before the show. Obviously Cavett was under the impression that in the first part Brando would indeed talk about movies, his life and so on before switching to the second part. I don't know who was playing with who in that show, but it's very strange, somehow.
Anyway, here is another one for you. Maybe not the best movie in the world in itself, but sure as hell one of the best soundtracks ever as far as I'm concerned :cool:
[This video is unavailable.]
Johannes, don't you think the main problem is the talk show looks like one of those frothy, light "entertainment" things.
It's painful to watch because, Brando isn't playing, he wants to get his grievances out ( probably the only reason he went on:-)), the host looks and probably feels awkward, it's uncomfortable to watch - everything that's bad about talk shows. Having just seen it the other day, I looked up stuff just now and the host is still getting mileage out of it, see what happened after the interview, forward to 1:22 or so
[This video is unavailable.]
mjp
Founding member
It was not. Cavett was known for being just the opposite. His interviews were often very in-depth and revealing. And while it was certainly still entertainment, he was the least "entertaining" of that particular breed. He fancied himself a comedian, and he was sharp, but he wasn't doing a comedy show like Carson was, or a modern vaudeville show like Mike Douglas and his smarmy ilk.
But Cavett was easily thrown off his game when dealing with someone who was different. And that could make for an uncomfortable scene, which, for my money, made it a more interesting show.
Johannes
Founding member
Yes, let's also not forget:
"The only talk show I'd go on would be Dick Cavett because that's the only guy I respect. To go on Merv Griffin or, Johnny Carson, or any of those is swallowing your own vomit" (Charles Bukowski) :D ... starts at 03:10
[This video is unavailable.]
It's true, I sometimes watch Cavetts interviews and marvel at his conversational skills; listening, reacting, being polite, cracking a joke here and there, sometimes a little dorky but always on spot, handling even the most craziest guests eloquently and with a lot of tact. Imagine a talkshow-host like this today somewhere? I know of none, whether in the US nor in the German speaking countries. But to interview Brando was impossible. Brando simply didn't want to be interviewed about these things.
You can find many many brilliant Cavett-Show-moments with very interesting guests. Everything with Janis Joplin is great, you get the feeling that Cavett really liked her as a woman, musician and human being. I also like the whole Richard Burton episode a lot. The whole show is on youtube, look it up, if you have the time, it's very interesting. Here Burton is talking about alcoholism:
And the young Bill Cosby (comparatively speaking ;) telling of his Jazz-Drummer-Past is one of the funniest stories ever
"The only talk show I'd go on would be Dick Cavett because that's the only guy I respect. To go on Merv Griffin or, Johnny Carson, or any of those is swallowing your own vomit" (Charles Bukowski) :D ... starts at 03:10
[This video is unavailable.]
It's true, I sometimes watch Cavetts interviews and marvel at his conversational skills; listening, reacting, being polite, cracking a joke here and there, sometimes a little dorky but always on spot, handling even the most craziest guests eloquently and with a lot of tact. Imagine a talkshow-host like this today somewhere? I know of none, whether in the US nor in the German speaking countries. But to interview Brando was impossible. Brando simply didn't want to be interviewed about these things.
You can find many many brilliant Cavett-Show-moments with very interesting guests. Everything with Janis Joplin is great, you get the feeling that Cavett really liked her as a woman, musician and human being. I also like the whole Richard Burton episode a lot. The whole show is on youtube, look it up, if you have the time, it's very interesting. Here Burton is talking about alcoholism:
And the young Bill Cosby (comparatively speaking ;) telling of his Jazz-Drummer-Past is one of the funniest stories ever
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Yeah, I should point out that Control isn't quite the laugh 24 Hour Party People is ;)
I really enjoyed it though. Well, I thought it was good, 'enjoyed' is perhaps the wrong way to put it. It's based on the book Deborah Curtis wrote, so a few Joy Division fans considered it a biased version of events but what version of events isn't biased. I think it was the first role in a feature film for Sam Riley who played Curtis. Samantha Morton is good as Deborah Curtis too. It's the first film made by Anton Corbijn, better known as a photographer and music video director (I always liked the stuff he did with Depeche Mode). It's shot in black and white which I think gives a bit of a 'kitchen sink' feel and adds to the bleakness somewhat. Tony Wilson was involved in the production too, not long before he died.
In fairness, I don't think too many people outside the US would be aware of Cavett in the same way as they would be with people like Johnny Carson. I think I'll check out a few more of his interviews now though.
Speaking of Westerns:
Skygazer
And in the end...
If you like political satire, it's a good watch, Written by Armando Lannucci, creator of the political satire t.v show The Thick of It (BBC) more of the same, with the film but over the Middle East (I think Lannucci has also remade The Thick of It in the U.S with Veep):
:DD In the Loop is great.
that's a brilliant, mad, masterpiece.
PhillyDave
“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
PhillyDave
“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
PhillyDave
“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
"You said it. Nobody fucks with the Jesus." "Eight your olds dude."
PhillyDave
“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
great comp.
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