tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post1304956892822571122..comments2023-07-23T09:45:33.199-05:00Comments on the last lullaby (and) peril: 1949: Jour de fete (Jacques Tati)Jeffrey Goodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-1252156842638339432010-02-26T18:50:59.246-06:002010-02-26T18:50:59.246-06:00Dave, great comments! I completely share your aff...Dave, great comments! I completely share your affinity for CRISS CROSS. And of the classic noir period, up until '58 let's say, it would absolutely find a place in my top ten. As I mentioned, I also really love THE KILLERS and THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE. Which of Siodmak's other films do you really like? (Not that these three aren't enough already to justify him as a major figure.)Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-81001824391533711872010-02-26T17:53:01.977-06:002010-02-26T17:53:01.977-06:00This is a pretty strong year, but my favorite rema...This is a pretty strong year, but my favorite remains Robert Siodmak's CRISS CROSS. Siodmak is one of my favorite directors and a guy who deserves much more credit than he even now receives - he's respected by hardcore movie folks like us and noir fanatics, but I think he is still underrated. Criss Cross is my favorite of all of his films and in my opinion one of the greatest noirs ever made.<br /><br />Other favorites:<br /><br />The Third Man<br />White Heat<br />Kind Hearts and Coronets<br />Gun Crazy<br />The Reckless Moment<br />House of Strangers<br />The Heiress<br />The Set Up<br />Reign of Terror/The Black BookDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-40521548931131536852010-02-26T12:41:04.620-06:002010-02-26T12:41:04.620-06:00Samuel, great to hear from you!
Of course, JOUR D...Samuel, great to hear from you!<br /><br />Of course, JOUR DE FETE is also much different than THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS. The Tati film is spare, somewhat austere, hemmed in while, as you well know, AMBERSONS is full of Welles' dazzling style. But if you know Tati's other work, this will be very familiar to you. In fact, it's probably a little more extroverted, a little more readily accessible than his later work.<br /><br />If you see it, I'd love to hear how it strikes you. Thanks for the wonderful comments!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-67315996239439733042010-02-26T12:09:42.575-06:002010-02-26T12:09:42.575-06:00Jeffrey, I haven't seen Jour de fete, but the ...Jeffrey, I haven't seen Jour de fete, but the next four Tati features are gold. When you equate it with Ambersons it starts moving up fast on my to-do list. Until I see it I have to stick with The Third Man. Right now I'd put Criss Cross ahead of White Heat as runners-up.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-51493219947682022132010-02-26T08:35:04.719-06:002010-02-26T08:35:04.719-06:00Sam, great to hear from you! I still need to see ...Sam, great to hear from you! I still need to see this Ozu film. He's actually a director I think I'll really love at some point. I just need to take more time to catch up with his work. I feel like he'll impact me like a combination of Bresson and Mizoguchi, which would be a potent 1-2 punch indeed. <br /><br />I really like KIND HEARTS, too. It's definitely one of the funniest films I've ever seen, along with just incredible performances from Alec Guinness.<br /><br />Thanks, Sam, for the awesome perspective, as always!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-52593925033744650982010-02-26T08:19:39.124-06:002010-02-26T08:19:39.124-06:00My #1 Film of 1949:
Late Spring (Ozu; Japan)
Run...My #1 Film of 1949:<br /><br />Late Spring (Ozu; Japan)<br /><br />Runners-Up:<br /><br />The Third Man (Reed; UK)<br />Kind Hearts and Coronets (Hamer; UK)<br />Les Enfants Terribles (Melville; France)<br />Orpheus (Cocteau; France)<br />Crows and Sparrows (Junli; China)<br />Alias, Nick Beal (Farrow)<br />The Reckless Moment (Ophuls)<br />The Set-Up (Wise)<br />Jour de Fete (Tati)<br />White Heat (Walsh)<br />The Heiress (Wyler)<br />Gun Crazy (Lewis)<br />Criss-Cross (Siodmak)<br />Whiskey Galore (Mackendrick; UK)<br /><br />It's a tough, tough decision here, not to annoint either THE THIRD MAN or KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS, which are probably my two favorite British films ever, and two of my favorites, period. But Ozu's transendent film is one of the most emotional films in the history of the cinema, and it ranks with TOKYO STORY as one of the Japanese directors two mega-masterpieces.<br /><br />JOUR DE FETE of course is a wonderful choice Jeffrey, as would be a few other Tatis like PLAYTIME for example.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-77582861586550697162010-02-26T07:17:40.132-06:002010-02-26T07:17:40.132-06:00John, great comments!
Tati is definitely quirky, ...John, great comments!<br /><br />Tati is definitely quirky, and I can only imagine not everyone's cup of tea. But he had a great eye and a really unusual wit. I think a fairly good description for him would be a very spare Terry Gilliam. <br /><br />No argument from me when it comes to WHITE HEAT. This is an incredibly strong year for noirs with that one, CRISS CROSS, and THE SET-UP. All noir at the top of its game, I would argue.<br /><br />CHAMPION is another one I still need to see and definitely will at some point. <br /><br />Thanks, John, for the excellent list and perspective!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-34111161682041600422010-02-26T06:50:30.132-06:002010-02-26T06:50:30.132-06:00I still need to catch up with Tati who praises hav...I still need to catch up with Tati who praises have been sung by many. For Number #1, I am going with WHITE HEAT, which is a change for me from when Dave over at Goodfellas did a similar list in which I selected THE THIRD MAN. That is the thing with list they are in a constant flux. Anyway ,I love Cagney’s performance in this film and there are so many greats scenes in this that after watching it not too long ago, it just made me realize how much I like this film. <br /><br />#1 White Heat<br /><br />and the best of the rest<br /><br />The Third Man<br />On the Town<br />The Set Up<br />All the King’s Men<br />Gun Crazy<br />She Wore a Yellow Ribbon<br />Champion<br />House of StrangersJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.com