What DVD have you just watched?

Hi all!

Been a while since I posted on this thread. Been seeing a bit of movies lately and I'll put them all in one post.

The Dark Night:
Good one. Very good one! I'm not a fan of long movies as I tend to loose concentration after about an hour and fourty minutes and this movie extends a bit beyond. Bale is good, while Ledger is superb. Excellent cinematography, sound and plot.Highly recommended.

V for vandeta:
Didn't have high expectations for this one but it is certainly a very enjoyable movie! The lead character "V" is so well developed. Although the acting of the baddies leans towards the corny the plot and creativity of the script captures 100% of your attention and rewards you immensely. A movie that makes you think.

Top Gear the great adventures, Polar Special:
You can't but love top gear. The BBC guys are producing a car show of great substance. This documentary sheds light on the north pole and how challenging it is to use a car in that sort of enviornment.

The Visitor:
Now, I had read many great reviews about this one. Got it in Bluray format and was so excited to see it. Sadly I'm a bit disappointed. The production is sub-par overall. The topic that the movie addresses is very important, deep and humanly touching. However, the characters are not well developed and you fail to develop an emotional connection with them. Therefore, you don't care whether they get deported or not. Being an Arab myself, I found the portrayal of the Arabic way of life and internal family relations very accurate. The acting of the Arabs in the movie was unfortunately less convincing. At the end, you aknowlege that it isn't the best production but the movie has a deeper message that you do take with you and think about and that is a good thing.

Lastly, "Saw 4":
Gory and scary and similar to the previous ones. If it tickles your fancy then you should watch it. I enjoyed it.

That's all for now guys. Take care and regards!

Schindler's List

Currently watching 'The Quiller Memorandum' - great film and have lined up 'The Cruel Sea' with Jack Hawkins for when the wife goes to bed!

Have also been much enjoying the original 'Survivors' series on DVD - much better than the remake!

Jonathan

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I enjoyed it more than I thought. A silly romp, much the same as the others.

We watched the Indian Jones Crystal Skull dvd last night, which I was given for Christmas. We went to see it at the cinema when it was released but ended up about 2 rows from the front which made for a disconcertingly uncomfortable view. Really enjoyed it this time around. As Howard says, a silly romp, but very entertaining. The snake scene made me jump out of my skin, just as it did the first time on the big screen! Looked very good in SD too.

Interestingly my son has said a couple of times, that watching the DVDs at home was a lot easier,not having to move your head so much, to catch all the action.

Just watched Hancock on bluray. Missed it at the movies and now really wish I'd seen it there since the big screen is much more immersive. Even so, we really enjoyed it. Well worth seeing at least once.

BigH47, you're sitting too close to the screen if that's the case. Try sitting further back.

Recently:

The Dark Knight: Not half as dark as I expected it to be given all the commotion. Beautifully shot too, great story. I thought there was no chemistry between Bale and Gylenhall which is a real shame. The only weak part of the film. Surprised that they got rid of Two-Face so quickly...

Iron Man: I saw this at the movies and loved it. Still good on the small screen. Interesting extras.

Frank

quote:

BigH47, you're sitting too close to the screen if that's the case. Try sitting further back.

I don't have a problem at home ,where we see 99% of movies. My son was saying with some of the action films there is just too much on screen, and even with a huge cinema screen it can be wearing to try and catch it all, without moving his head. A 37" TV seems to present an easier picture to take in.

Thought I fancied some war/adventure type movies so I lined up Ice Station Zebra, Guns of Navarone, and The Great Escape, £17 for the lot at HMV.

The Great Escape I've only seen on TV at least 15 yrs ago, and Ice Station Zebra never at all due to condescending reviews. But on the big screen (well wall in between the Isobariks), it was a thoroughly enjoyable watch with some great camera work.

regards,

mat

quote:

Ice Station Zebra

A good tribute to Patrick McGoohan.

quote:

Ice Station Zebra never at all due to condescending reviews

Pat McGoohan made Ice Station Zebra to help fund the remaining episodes of The Prisoner - one episode of the Prisoner Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling had Number 6's personality transferred to Nigel Stock, which released McGoohan for the filming of Ice Station Zebra.

ISZ is an excellent film IMHO even though I think Hell Drivers and Scanners are even better.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by GFFJ:
[2-2-2006], on the film "Battle Of Britain."

The story of how Walton only wrote 'The Fugue In The Air' and not the rest of score I have never really grasped. It is a fantastic bit of music within the context and in concert.

Do you know 'The First Of The Few' about RJ Mitchell and the Spitfire. Walton provide an absolutely splendid score for that as well. Leslie Howard and Divid Niven star and the film was supported by Churchill.

I think there is much more great music in film scores than probably is found in the modern art music in the concert hall nowadays, and a really fine score is often the making of a film. Olivier even said so of his own film of Henry V to Walton who provided another splendid score. In that case some scenes were re-cut to fit the music as Olivier did not want the muisc spoiled! Not all the great actors were beyond seeing the value in others' efforts!

All the best from Fredrik [GFFJ]

I have jst watched this again [after three years without DVD replay], and played the sound track version with Walton's score [via special features in the initial menu].

This should be tried by anyone interested in great British film music. The music came as quite a surprise. Walton always seems to catch a definate mood in his music, and here we are presented with music from a man who lived through the times portrayed, resulting in music that is far more reflective - and never bombastic - that seems to consider the sacrifice of the young women and men involved in the efforts who inevitably, some of them made, the ultimate sacrifice, in its tone.

It rather changes the whole feel of the film to being far sader, even distrubing in a manner.

No wonder the US based production dropped his music retaining only the part called Battle In The Air. Strangely this has been thoroughly prepared for in the music up to that time, and this become the terrifying climax in the film when Walton's music as a whole is used. Far more than when Goodwin's own excelent music is used as the prelude to it.

Certainly, when I watch it again, I shall be sure that I adopt the Walton version of the sound-track.

ATB from George

quote:

Pat McGoohan made Ice Station Zebra to help fund the remaining episodes of The Prisoner - one episode of the Prisoner Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling had Number 6's personality transferred to Nigel Stock, which released McGoohan for the filming of Ice Station Zebra.

ISZ is an excellent film IMHO even though I think Hell Drivers and Scanners are even better.

Interesting info ROTF, I thought McGoohan was excellent in this film, there was an intensity to his performance and good tension between all the main characters, Hudson, Borgnine and Brown.

I also like Scanners and Hell Drivers with the excellent Stanley Baker.

regards,
mat

BigH47,

What I meant was that at the cinema you're sitting too close to the screen. That's when you have to move your head (whether child or no) to get all the action on the screen - and it becomes tiring.

Always try to sit at a point such that if you drew lines from the edges of the screen to your nose, the angle made would be 42 degrees or less. then you have the perfect seating position. (42 degrees is the maximum a person can absorb that is in perfect focus without moving eyes or head, as I understand it.)

quote:

A good tribute to Patrick McGoohan.

Just saw the tribute thread on padded cell and realized what you meant BigH47.

I will definitely check out his other films soon maybe Scanners which I haven't seen for years.

regards,

mat

Terence Davies "of time and the city".

Like finding yourself on a car journey with a drunk and a grudge.

I'd hoped that rumours of his talent might be confirmed by my first experience of his work but I feel no temptation to spend anymore time with him.

I have just finished watching "Danger Man" series2.

My wife and i are now watching "The Prisoner", we tend to watch this every couple of years or so and always discover something new on each viewing.

RIP Patrick. you will be sorely missed by many fans and admirers.

Chris N

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Ice Station Zebra never at all due to condescending reviews

Pat McGoohan made Ice Station Zebra to help fund the remaining episodes of The Prisoner - one episode of the Prisoner Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling had Number 6's personality transferred to Nigel Stock, which released McGoohan for the filming of Ice Station Zebra.

ISZ is an excellent film IMHO even though I think Hell Drivers and Scanners are even better.

ATB Rotf

It is "thought" by many John Drake / Prisoner fans that ISZ is the mission which causes JD to resign ... and become the Prisoner.

Fanciful, I know, and I'm not too sure of the time line (who cares?) but it makes for a nice story.

Incidentally, I've lost count of the number of times I've watched ISZ - mediocre as it is - but good fun, nonetheles. Off topic, I know it is probably unfilmable but the novel's storyline is far, far better than the film's storyline.

And, as an aside, as a film music fan, I can thoroughly recommend Michel Legrand's score (see FSM: http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=3208) ... listen with the lights out - fabulous!

quote:

Originally posted by GFFJ:

quote:

Originally posted by GFFJ:
[2-2-2006], on the film "Battle Of Britain."

The story of how Walton only wrote 'The Fugue In The Air' and not the rest of score I have never really grasped. It is a fantastic bit of music within the context and in concert.

Do you know 'The First Of The Few' about RJ Mitchell and the Spitfire. Walton provide an absolutely splendid score for that as well. Leslie Howard and Divid Niven star and the film was supported by Churchill.

I think there is much more great music in film scores than probably is found in the modern art music in the concert hall nowadays, and a really fine score is often the making of a film. Olivier even said so of his own film of Henry V to Walton who provided another splendid score. In that case some scenes were re-cut to fit the music as Olivier did not want the muisc spoiled! Not all the great actors were beyond seeing the value in others' efforts!

All the best from Fredrik [GFFJ]

I have jst watched this again [after three years without DVD replay], and played the sound track version with Walton's score [via special features in the initial menu].

This should be tried by anyone interested in great British film music. The music came as quite a surprise. Walton always seems to catch a definate mood in his music, and here we are presented with music from a man who lived through the times portrayed, resulting in music that is far more reflective - and never bombastic - that seems to consider the sacrifice of the young women and men involved in the efforts who inevitably, some of them made, the ultimate sacrifice, in its tone.

It rather changes the whole feel of the film to being far sader, even distrubing in a manner.

No wonder the US based production dropped his music retaining only the part called Battle In The Air. Strangely this has been thoroughly prepared for in the music up to that time, and this become the terrifying climax in the film when Walton's music as a whole is used. Far more than when Goodwin's own excelent music is used as the prelude to it.

Certainly, when I watch it again, I shall be sure that I adopt the Walton version of the sound-track.

ATB from George

The story goes that actor Sir Laurence Olivier arranged for his good friend Sir William Walton to provide the music score for the film Battle Of Britain but that it became clear during post production that the score was not what the producers were looking for. By the late 1960s, scores needed to be more popular - the serious classical nature of WW's score was not that.

Ron Goodwin had had major success with several war films, 633 Squadron and Where Eagles Dare being the obvious examples. He wasn't the first to be asked though; I believe John Barry turned the commission down.

Ron Goodwin accepted but only on the grounds that no WW music would remain in the film and hence his score was written and recorded.

In the meantime, LO was so annoyed to find that his friend's score had been rejected he demanded his name be removed from the film's credits. To compromise, the 5min piece "Battle In The Air" - from WW's score - was re-instated. I can only surmise that RG was not too happy but at least he had a successful score; he regularly played either or both the Battle Of Britain Theme or Ace High Theme (Luftwaffe March) at concerts and on albums.

Knowing both scores well - see:
http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=1205
I have no doubt that the producers made the right choice. I have yet to watch the DVD with the WW score but I am learned enough of film scores to know that at that time the WW score would have done nothing for the film.

Blue Ray versions of Kung Fu Panda and Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same

I was so close to buying that on Play.

The full set of series costs the same as each one - sounded a little suspect.

Is it safe?

quote:

Originally posted by Adam Meredith:
I was so close to buying that on Play.

The full set of series costs the same as each one - sounded a little suspect.

Is it safe?

yep, strange but true - it was the same even in our local Zavvi months ago!