by canofhumdingers » Thu May 02, 2013 8:07 pm
I've got a backlog that I've been meaning to post about.
The Stranger (1946) - I was in D.C. on business recently and had the chance to see a 35mm screening of this at the American Film Institute's Silver theater. A real treat. The theater is spectacular and this is the second film I've seen there (the first was Vincent Price's The Last Man on Earth several years ago). As for The Stranger, it was great! Orson Welles plays a Nazi war criminal in hiding in a small Connecticut town. There is a detective played by Edward G. Robinson who shows up in town hunting just such people and the drama that ensues is incredibly gripping. A great script delivered by a great cast all tied up with fantastic cinematography results in a wonderful film.
Batman (1989) - the Alamo Drafthouse has a late show movie every week that plays every weeknight around 10pm. This week's show was Tim Burton's Batman! I have wanted to see this in theaters for 24 years because my parents thought I was too young at 7 to see it when it was released. I OBSESSED over this film as a kid. I didn't get to see it until my dad recorded its edited premier on network tv. Seeing it on the big screen was AWESOME! And I don't care what the current trendy opinion of this movie is in light of Nolan's films (which I also love fwiw). This is THE batman movie and always will be. And for all the people who say its more of a Joker movie or that it was "good for it's time" I say, "BAH!" In this viewing it just really struck me just how much they got RIGHT. It is VERY true to the look, feel, and spirit of the original late 30's/early 40's Batman and Joker comics. Yeah The Joker being the Wayne's murderer was a big change, but I don't mind it (maybe because I grew up with it). And having Batman kill people might be contradictory to his more modern incarnations, it was something that evolved over time and was not a central part of his character originally. So it doesn't bother me in the film. I just love this version of Batman. And he has the best looking suit/gadgets/vehicles of any film version and maybe any version ever. I mean, that Batmobile and Batwing are insanely awesome. InSANEly AWEsome. Period.
I've got more movies to write about but dinner's getting cold.... To be continued!