Prison Films?

[Bobby Beksinski]

i just watched A Prophet tonight by Jacques Audiard and i thought it
was magnificent, and I kept thinking of the film Hunger by Steve
McQueen while watching it, The movies are completely different and the
only thing that relates them is that they are set in a prison. So I
guess those two are my favorite prison films if you classify that as a
genre, But I wanted to ask other people what are their favorite prison
films. I can't seem to think of anymore at the moment besides i guess
The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile which are both good but i
prefer the latter two. So what prison films does everyone like or
suggest?

[Nick Faust]

Agreed.  I saw it a few weeks ago and its effect has remained immediate. Though most of the film takes place in a prison, I would suggest it crosses over into the crime genre. Would not hesitate to place it with THE GODFATHER movies, GOODFELLOWS, or the Johnny To Triad series. 

That young actor who plays the lead was mesmerizing. He's going to be a big French star.  And I hope he doesn't get his teeth fixed! 

The film's final moment: when I registered what the song was it sent electricity throughout my entire body. Not only does the song stamp the film's meaning, it connects what we've just seen to the cultural history we all share.  I haven't been as cooked by a song like that since Stanley ended FULL METAL JACKET with M I C K E Y M O U S E ... who's the leader of us all that's made for you and me .....

Nick

> Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 21:55:06 -0700
> Subject: Prison Films?
> From: BBeks...@hotmail.com
> To: film...@googlegroups.com

[sfdavide]

Brute Force (1947) directed by Jules Dassin and starring Burt
Lancaster with a great performance by Hume Cronyn

[Steven Orrell]

My first post, only just signed up. Hi all. Le trou is an amazing prison film. French 1960 and a must see.

[Jake Fredel]

How about Bresson's A Man Escaped?

-Jake

[Thorkell A. Ottarsson]

Yes A Prophet is AMAZING! I agree with A Man Escaped and Brute Force
being a great prison film. I have not seen Le Trou but I just bought
it now on the net. Here are some other good prison films:

Papillon
Cool Hand Luke
Escape From Alcatraz
The Birdman of Alcatraz
Midnight Express
A Man Escaped
A Short Film About Killing

And then there are many war prison films, like:
Stalag 17
The Great Escape
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Deer Hunter
Grand Illusion
Von Ryan's Express
The Hill

Thorkell

--
Með kærri kveðju,
Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson

_____________________________________________
Sokkaveien 1
Drammen 3018
Norway
Tel: 00-47-32835774 & 00-47-45859097

[Nick Faust]

ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ with Clint, by Don Siegel.

BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ, John Frankenhiemer. 

THE GLASS HOUSE, made for TV with Alan Alda,

OZ

A movie I recently watched, FELON with Stephen Dorff and Val Kilmer.

Does John Sturges' THE GREAT ESCAPE count? 

---

Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 01:04:55 -0500
Subject: Re: Prison Films?
From: wisej...@gmail.com
To: film...@googlegroups.com

[Nick Faust]

Oh yes, PAPILLION. How could I forget that! 

> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 08:47:29 +0200
> Subject: Re: Prison Films?
> From: thor...@gmail.com
> To: film...@googlegroups.com

[Thorkell A. Ottarsson]

Oz (the TV series) is a must see!

[Thorkell A. Ottarsson]

And welcome to the club Steven!

[Bobby Beksinski]

Nick, regarding your first post, I also found the music in A Prophet
amazing. The music was different than you would expect to hear in this
sort of movie but it fit in so perfectly. I noticed it about half way
thru the film. And Tara Rahim i think is the lead actors name, He was
great and i heard alot of buzz last year about how he should have
recieved a oscar nom for his role. but i dont know if we will see the
day the oscars finally recognize foriegn films. Thats a different
topic but yesterday i was thinking that I dont think a foriegn film
has ever won best picture nor dominated the oscars in any of its major
categories.

Oh and i forgot about Cool hand Luke, I guess because thats old
southern style chain gang type of prison life but that film is great
as well. I have never seen the other films mentioned besides the war
prison ones that Thorkell mentioned but they are all on my list to
watch in the future. A Man Escaped is one that i really want to watch
soon. I have never seen a Bresson film but soon I plan on watching
them since he has already had a month here on the IFC. He is
supposedly Micheal Haneke's greatest influence.

On Aug 4, 3:01 am, "Thorkell A. Ottarsson" <thork...@gmail.com> wrote:
> And welcome to the club Steven!
>
> On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 8:58 AM, Thorkell A. Ottarsson
>
>
>
>
>
> <thork...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Oz (the TV series) is a must see!
>

> > On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 8:53 AM, Nick Faust <talkmovi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> Oh yes, PAPILLION. How could I forget that!
>
> >>> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 08:47:29 +0200
> >>> Subject: Re: Prison Films?

> >>> From: thork...@gmail.com

> >>> To: film...@googlegroups.com
>
> >>> Yes A Prophet is AMAZING! I agree with A Man Escaped and Brute Force
> >>> being a great prison film. I have not seen Le Trou but I just bought
> >>> it now on the net. Here are some other good prison films:
>
> >>> Papillon
> >>> Cool Hand Luke
> >>> Escape From Alcatraz
> >>> The Birdman of Alcatraz
> >>> Midnight Express
> >>> A Man Escaped
> >>> A Short Film About Killing
>
> >>> And then there are many war prison films, like:
> >>> Stalag 17
> >>> The Great Escape
> >>> Bridge on the River Kwai
> >>> The Deer Hunter
> >>> Grand Illusion
> >>> Von Ryan's Express
> >>> The Hill
>
> >>> Thorkell
>

> >>> On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 8:04 AM, Jake Fredel <wisejake...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >>> > How about Bresson's A Man Escaped?
> >>> > -Jake
>

> >>> > On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 12:14 AM, Steven Orrell <stevenorr...@me.com>

> >>> > wrote:
>
> >>> >> My first post, only just signed up. Hi all. Le trou is an amazing
> >>> >> prison film. French 1960 and a must see.
>

> >>> Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

>
> > --
> > Með kærri kveðju,
> > Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
>
> > _____________________________________________
> > Sokkaveien 1
> > Drammen 3018
> > Norway

> > Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

>
> --
> Með kærri kveðju,
> Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
>
> _____________________________________________
> Sokkaveien 1
> Drammen 3018
> Norway

> Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[waj...@googlemail.com]

Lots of great films here, but my favourite prison film is Le Trou (1960).  I can't recommend it highly enough.
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (1956) (aka A Man Escaped), is briliant too.  Amongst the war prison films La Grande Illusion (1937) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) are both fantastic films.

Nick, you mentioned the end music in Un Prophète - I can't remember what it was, or may even (*blushes*) have missed it.  would it be too much of a spoiler to say what it was here?

Bobby, wikipedia says  "One point of contention is the lack of consideration of non-English language films for categories other than Best Foreign Language Film. Very few foreign language films have been nominated for any other categories, regardless of artistic merit. To date, only eight foreign language films (and three partly foreign language films) have been nominated for Best Picture: Grand Illusion (French, 1938); Z (French, 1969); The Emigrants (Swedish, 1972); Cries and Whispers (Swedish, 1973); Il Postino (Italian/Spanish, 1995); Life Is Beautiful (Italian, 1998); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Mandarin Chinese, 2000); and Letters from Iwo Jima  (Japanese, 2006), which was ineligible for the Best Foreign Language Oscar because it was an American production. The only partly foreign language films to win Best Picture are The Godfather Part II (English/Sicilian, 1974), The Last Emperor (English/Mandarin, 1987) and Slumdog Millionaire (English/Hindi, 2008)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture
Anne

[Nick Faust]

Bobby, Marion Cotillard got the best actress Oscar for a foreign language performance - La vie en rose, extraordinary performance and movie. So there's hope. 

*****spoilers, maybe ******

Tara Rahim hit the ground running.  I can't think of anyone to compare this actor and performance. The steps in his transformation are imperceptible until the very end. What's both disturbing and poignant is that the boy doesn't outwardly change -  it's almost entirely an internal shifting. Violent experience and, ironically, learning to read makes this boy and man. He "betters himself" in prison, learns the business, and in GODFATHER fashion, settles all scores. Breathtaking cinema. 

Please - everyone SEE IT!  

Thanks for bringing it up, Bobby. 

Nick

> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 07:01:21 -0700
> Subject: Re: Prison Films?
> From: BBeks...@hotmail.com
> To: film...@googlegroups.com

[Nick Faust]

David,  When the boy is finally released from prison, MACK THE KNIFE from Brecht's THREEPENNY OPERA is on the sound track in English. "Oh, the shark has/pretty teeth dear/ and he shows them/ pearly white ...."

Remembering it as I now write gives me shivers.  

Knowing the song and the show, using that song at the end floods my mind with many associations. In the song/play, Mack the knife is cool, sexy, he's a local hero, he's a bloodthirsty psychopath; he ends the play as a prominent citizen - a banker, actually -  he's the boss, he runs the city, the world. 

When Malik El Djebena leaves prison for good, he's no longer the frightened, illiterate street thug he was when he entered. He's learned it all in prison. As he enters the world a free man, we see he's sexy and know he's smart; the song tells us that he's also very, very dangerous. 

Nick

---

Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 18:41:03 +0100
From: waj...@googlemail.com
To: film...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Prison Films?

[Bobby Beksinski]

SPOILERS..........I think i loved the beginning of this film most of
all. As tough as Malik tries to act in the beginning, you know he is
trembling with fear inside. And after Cesar orders him to kill Reyeb,
You see that fear openly, and having to view that was so intense even
for me. I felt fear for him, As I watched him cut his mouth repeatedly
trying to learn the razor blade trick and then when the time finally
came, I had to sit perfectly still feeling just as anxious as he is
until the moment happens. I havent felt like that since I watched
Wages of Fear. And I loved how he keeps envisioning Reyeb's ghost
throughout until he disappears towards the end. I always thought
Reyeb's ghost was a representation of Malik's guilt for having killed
him but when he no longer sees Reyebs ghost towards the end, I think
that signifies he is past the point of having regret, guilt, remorse,
and has turned into that cold blooded killer that was able to kill
Marcaggi's men at the end. But yes its amazing as a actor to portray
that type of character that evolves and changes throughout the film
because as you said Nick, Malik has grown into something entirely
different by the end of the film.

On Aug 4, 2:52 pm, Nick Faust <talkmovi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> David,  When the boy is finally released from prison, MACK THE KNIFE from Brecht's THREEPENNY OPERA is on the sound track in English. "Oh, the shark has/pretty teeth dear/ and he shows them/ pearly white ...."
> Remembering it as I now write gives me shivers.  
> Knowing the song and the show, using that song at the end floods my mind with many associations. In the song/play, Mack the knife is cool, sexy, he's a local hero, he's a bloodthirsty psychopath; he ends the play as a prominent citizen - a banker, actually -  he's the boss, he runs the city, the world.
> When Malik El Djebena leaves prison for good, he's no longer the frightened, illiterate street thug he was when he entered. He's learned it all in prison. As he enters the world a free man, we see he's sexy and know he's smart; the song tells us that he's also very, very dangerous.
> Nick
>

> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 18:41:03 +0100
> From: waj...@googlemail.com
> To: film...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Re: Prison Films?
>

>   Message body

> Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

>
>       --
> Með kærri kveðju,
> Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
>
>       _____________________________________________
> Sokkaveien 1
> Drammen 3018
> Norway

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>
>     --
> Með kærri kveðju,
> Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
>
> _____________________________________________
> Sokkaveien 1
> Drammen 3018
> Norway

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[Bobby Beksinski]

I think im going to have to watch this Le Trou soon, I'm suprised at
its popularity. I have had in my my Netflix queue for some time, But i
only heard of it through Netflix recommendations and then i looked up
Jacques Becker and added a few more of his films, Becker seems to be a
older great French director like Jean Renior, he was before the time
of the New Wave, so I guess you would classify them as the
granddaddies of french cinema, lol, maybe we should try to give Becker
a month. He can go on the list of suggestions if he isnt already on
it.

> > Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

>
> >       --
> > Með kærri kveðju,
> > Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
>
> >       _____________________________________________
> > Sokkaveien 1
> > Drammen 3018
> > Norway

> > Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

>
> >     --
> > Með kærri kveðju,
> > Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
>
> > _____________________________________________
> > Sokkaveien 1
> > Drammen 3018
> > Norway

> > Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Steven Orrell]

Becker was also assistant director on grand illusion. Uncredited English officer too

Sent from my iPhone

[waj...@googlemail.com]

Nick
I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I did miss the significance of the end music, although I had realised the message it gives about Malik's changed place in the world.
It has great relevance to the question of whether prison really is the best remedy to prevent crime, its role as a punishment and the possibility of rehabilitating offenders.
Anne

[Wayne Nichols]

I'm not sure how broadly we want to define prison, but I think the characters in Das Boot are certainly confined in a situation that would equate to a prison. You might say the same about Insane Asylum films, like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest or Shutter Island.   A pretty good prison comedy is Stir Crazy. Likewise, the original Longest Yard.   Then there are films where significant parts are in prison, but they wouldn't be considered "prison moives." Films like Clockwork Orange, Vendetta, and Natural Born Killers   My faves are Papillon, Shawshank, Birdman of Alcatraz, Bridge on the River Kwai, Brute Force, Midnight Express.   And I'm not sure if anyone has metioned a couple of other good ones, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Stalag 17.   I'm anxious to Le Trou, after what you all have said.   Wayne   --- On Wed, 8/4/10, Nick Faust <talkm...@hotmail.com> wrote:

[Nick Faust]

Steve, the end music hit me right between the eyes, probably because I'm overly familiar with THREEPENNY OPERA.  My rhapsody over the song is not meant to do anything but add my two cents.  I'm always more interested to learn if others agree or disagree with me.  Always. That's a fact.  In any event, your statement about rehabilitation in prison suggests the song's significance did not pass you by.  

I really love that we're discussing this amazing movie. 

Nick

---

Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 23:27:25 +0100
From: waj...@googlemail.com
To: film...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Prison Films SPOILER about PROPHETE

[Nick Faust]

THE LONGEST YARD, of course! And how could we forget KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN?  If STALAG 17 is a go, that means THE GREAT ESCAPE is too. Have you seen A PROPHET? Nick

---

Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 16:48:57 -0700
From: clowns...@yahoo.com

[Nick Faust]

Bobby, 

SPOILERS ....

The entire build up to the murder just grips you by the throat, doesn't it? All the rehearsal he does, the business with the razor blade; the deed he must perform becomes so clear and vivid in his an our minds, the effect seems positively tactile. And then when he's in there and nothing is going as planned - like he might actually have to give the guy a blow job - being so prepared for what's supposed to happen, we're as thrown off as he is.  The actual act itself!!! Oh my god! By showing it to us like that, the director put us in the same position of horror as the boy. That man directed the hell out of his movie. He didn't miss a damn trick. One of the best bits of direction I've seen in a long time. 

The ghost, of all things, shows up without any hoopla, and fits perfectly into the film's realistic feel. I thing you're right: it's a sign that the boy regrets what he was forced to do. 

No one's mentioned him yet, but Niels Arestrup makes Ceasar a chillingly down to earth guy, a rumpled force who seems as if he was born to wield his power over thugs and gangsters. Part of it is how fascinating he looks; creepy and seductive at the same time. Even the way he smokes his cigarettes tells you something about the character. When it comes time for the worm to turn at the end, actor and director have so perfectly laid it all out, the transference of power comes easily like the way a season changes. 

Nick

> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 15:07:01 -0700

> Subject: Re: Prison Films SPOILER about PROPHETE

> From: BBeks...@hotmail.com
> To: film...@googlegroups.com

> >           Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 08:47:29 +0200
> > Subject: Re: Prison Films?

> > From: thork...@gmail.com
> > To: film...@googlegroups.com
> >
> >           Yes A Prophet is AMAZING! I agree with A Man Escaped and Brute Force
> > being a great prison film. I have not seen Le Trou but I just bought
> > it now on the net. Here are some other good prison films:
> >
> >           Papillon
> > Cool Hand Luke
> > Escape From Alcatraz
> > The Birdman of Alcatraz
> > Midnight Express
> > A Man Escaped
> > A Short Film About Killing
> >
> >           And then there are many war prison films, like:
> > Stalag 17
> > The Great Escape
> > Bridge on the River Kwai
> > The Deer Hunter
> > Grand Illusion
> > Von Ryan's Express
> > The Hill
> >
> >           Thorkell
> >
> >           On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 8:04 AM, Jake Fredel <wisejake...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >

> >             How about Bresson's A Man Escaped?
> > -Jake
> >

> >             On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 12:14 AM, Steven Orrell <stevenorr...@me.com>

> > wrote:
> >
> >               My first post, only just signed up. Hi all. Le trou is an amazing
> > prison film. French 1960 and a must see.
> >

> >               On 4 Aug 2010, at 06:12, sfdavide <tomjoad1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >                 Brute Force (1947) directed by Jules Dassin and starring Burt
> > Lancaster with a great performance by Hume Cronyn
> >
> >                 On Aug 3, 9:55 pm, Bobby Beksinski <BBeksin...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >                   i just watched A Prophet tonight by Jacques Audiard and i thought it
> > was magnificent, and I kept thinking of the film Hunger by Steve
> > McQueen while watching it, The movies are completely different and
> > the
> > only thing that relates them is that they are set in a prison. So I
> > guess those two are my favorite prison films if you classify that as
> > a
> > genre, But I wanted to ask other people what are their favorite
> > prison
> > films. I can't seem to think of anymore at the moment besides i
> > guess
> > The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile which are both good but
> > i
> > prefer the latter two. So what prison films does everyone like or
> > suggest?
> >

> >           --
> > Með kærri kveðju,
> > Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
> >
> >           _____________________________________________
> > Sokkaveien 1
> > Drammen 3018
> > Norway

> > Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

> >
> >       --
> > Með kærri kveðju,
> > Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
> >
> >       _____________________________________________
> > Sokkaveien 1
> > Drammen 3018
> > Norway

> > Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

> >
> >     --
> > Með kærri kveðju,
> > Þorkell Ágúst Óttarsson
> >
> > _____________________________________________
> > Sokkaveien 1
> > Drammen 3018
> > Norway

> > Tel:00-47-32835774begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-32835774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting&00-47-45859097begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              00-47-45859097      end_of_the_skype_highlighting- Hide quoted text -

[Wayne Nichols]

Hey Nick,   Haven't seen A Prophet, but like Le Trou, I plan to, based on recommendations here. I love this group for all the great, thoughtful and informative posts. Thanks to everyone, and especially Thorkell and Nick, for making this group so vibrant.   On a different note, I am once again this year on the Lone Star Film Festival Screening Committee. I should get an opportunity to see a lot of great unknown, independent films. I will pass on any info about the films I screen, good or bad.   I will try to keep up with the Peckinpaugh films as well.

[Josh Waterman]

It STALAG 17 counts, then surely THE GREAT ESCAPE must count too! At least the first half of it. Both are favorites of mine.

-Josh

[Thorkell A. Ottarsson]

"My rhapsody over the song is not meant to do anything but add my two cents."

You mean your three pennies? ;)

I did not get the connection in the end (l have only seen The
Threepenny Opera once) so thanks for pointing it out!

Thorkell

Tel: 00-47-32835774 & 00-47-45859097

[Thorkell A. Ottarsson]

Please do Wayne!!!

 

Thorkell

[Jake Fredel]

I love The Great Escape thoroughly. One of my favorite movies for sure.

-Jake

[Jake Fredel]

Sorry, didn't get the reference either. Not familiar with the Threepenny Opera. Thought the movie was pretty good though. I mean, the first 30 minutes or so were INTENSE, incredibly directed, and the murder was unbelievably filmed. Very few movies go as far as to try to make you feel the absolute horror that comes with killing a person. After this it gradually released its hold on me, for a while. I guess for a while, maybe the next hour, I felt the film got in sort of rut, with too many unnecessary scenes. At this point it's tricky to try to discuss what is or isn't necessary, because for a lot of these scenes (some of the scenes between Malik and Cesar, Malik's new privileges and possessions, etc.) I know they added more dimension, and probably very much enhanced the power the last hour of the film had on me, which was pretty strong. But I guess it's all personal preference, I just sort of lost interest for a little while there. Malik's transformation though, is really amazing to notice - I mean over 6 years, a totally different person. The two symmetrical murder scenes (killing of Reyeb early on, and the killing of Marceggi's men later) perfectly illustrate this: in the first, he's completely terrified and guilt-ridden afterwards, and does a messy job of it; in the second, he's completely methodical and confident in his cold-blooded killing, you see from the look on his on his face as he avoids the bullets that he's turned into a cold-blooded killer.

So Nick, thanks for the recommendation, I didn't think it was a masterpiece, but a really interesting and ambitious (sometimes very intense) movie. I'll be giving Gomorrah a try soon also, by your suggestion, when I get the time.

-Jake

[Bobby Beksinski]

Yes I agree with you Jake that the middle of the film slowed down a
bit but i did not lose interest, but i admit it was its biggest flaw,
If it would have kept that intensity throughout the entire film than
it would be a sheer masterpiece. The beginning and end felt like one,
thats why i still had to rate this movie a 9/10 because its still a
pretty damn good movie. I havent seen Gomorrah yet either. Even though
its been on my Netflix since its been released.

> On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 1:00 AM, Thorkell A. Ottarsson <thork...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>
>
> >  "My rhapsody over the song is not meant to do anything but add my two
> > cents."
>
> > You mean your three pennies? ;)
>
> > I did not get the connection in the end (l have only seen The
> > Threepenny Opera once) so thanks for pointing it out!
>
> > Thorkell
>

> > On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 3:04 AM, Nick Faust <talkmovi...@hotmail.com>

> ...
>
> read more »- Hide quoted text -