And a happy New Year to you all! I shall now try to get back to my daily reviews of the arcane and not-so-obscure films I view obsessively.
The one dominant feature of the Christmas television schedules from the film fan's point of view is not the umpteenth showing of old favourites or the premiere of a big blockbuster that most of us have seen months ago, it is the film rating programme which is unfortunately both addictive and infuriating. Other channels tried best chases and best Christmas films, but Channel 4 is the main culprit with no fewer than five scheduled over the past fortnight: best family films, best musicals, best comedies, best war movies (OK, this was a repeat from last spring when I was away), and the American Film Institute's ongoing series of 100 years, 100 something-or-others.
Mind you, any compilation from viewer voting will be heavily biased in favour of recent offerings. This is why past programmes have named "Star Wars" the best film of all time and Al Pacino (!) as the best actor of all time. I do despair... Not that this stops my watching the newest bunch: the clips are fun, the talking heads are largely tolerable, and at least I can have a good moan when I find what is number one and what has been dismissed along the way. Just for the record the top selections in the first four categories above are: "ET", "Grease", "The Life of Brian", and "Saving Private Ryan". I'd hate to believe that this represents the cream of movie viewing.
As for the AFI programmes, they are now beginning to scrape the bottom of the barrel. In the past they did Greatest Movies, Laughs, Songs, Stars, Thrills, Heroes and Villains, and Passions. This year it was Movie Quotes and most of them seemed to come from "Casablanca", "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone with the Wind". The winner came from the last-named film and sums up your writer at satiation point: "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn".
1 comment:
Saving private Ryan? Al Pacino? Grease? Did anyone mention the words yawn fest? Sad really.
But there is one admission - ET. It would be quite high on my list it has to be said. I guess the first film one sees at the cinema always is. And there's something perfect in the story telling execution of it.....
But it would have to come after Bergman's 'Fanny and Alexander'. And Kim Ki Duk's 'Spring, Summer' etc (oh - not allowed modern stuff....).
The thing with the old films is I think you need time to enjoy them, and a relaxed and open mind, and a little more imagination and understanding. That's the problem. That's why modern Hollywood films are more like fast food - instant indulgence, but leaves you feeling empty.
I remember the new prints of the '60's New Wave films coming out a couple of years ago. Go in with no expectations and you're suprised. They had so much to say, and it helped seeing them on the big screen rather than the small, the way it was meant to be.
Maybe you should set everyone a viewing challenge - essential viewing in b & w.
Oh and Happy Yew Near by the way....
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