tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post3341361616417443832..comments2023-07-23T09:45:33.199-05:00Comments on the last lullaby (and) peril: 1961: Splendor in the Grass (Elia Kazan)Jeffrey Goodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-2424535193136984272010-03-12T12:57:24.479-06:002010-03-12T12:57:24.479-06:00Thanks, Ed! I'll be curious to hear how this ...Thanks, Ed! I'll be curious to hear how this one strikes you. <br /><br />Always great to hear from you. Thanks, Ed!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-80436842972299586132010-03-12T12:28:23.076-06:002010-03-12T12:28:23.076-06:00Another one I haven't seen. This is a year whe...Another one I haven't seen. This is a year where no big #1 contender stands out for me, but I have a lot of love for <i>Cleo From 5 to 7</i>, <i>Last Year in Marienbad</i>, <i>One, Two, Three</i> (I've rarely laughed harder), <i>The End of Summer</i>, <i>La Dolce Vita</i> and <i>Through a Glass Darkly</i> (though it's the least of the so-called "God" trilogy).Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-84021268779211011942010-03-10T21:43:14.070-06:002010-03-10T21:43:14.070-06:00Samuel, I'm happy to hear that you'll give...Samuel, I'm happy to hear that you'll give SPLENDOR a look at some point. It 's really not the sort of film I usually like either. <br /><br />I'm excited to see EL CID, as I already like so much of Mann. Ditto for the Godard. PIGS & BATTLESHIPS is another I still need to see.<br /><br />Thanks, Samuel. Always great to hear from you!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-20309934830057863422010-03-10T21:37:38.917-06:002010-03-10T21:37:38.917-06:00Dave, thanks! I'm happy that I gave you a lit...Dave, thanks! I'm happy that I gave you a little nudge to give SPLENDOR a look. <br /><br />I'm looking forward to seeing THE INNOCENTS and ONE, TWO, THREE. They're now both in the queue. <br /><br />Thanks, Dave. Always great to have your perspective!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-78627912481478248582010-03-10T20:05:32.862-06:002010-03-10T20:05:32.862-06:00Jeffrey, Splendor in the Grass is the sort of film...Jeffrey, Splendor in the Grass is the sort of film I've long considered not my kind, but so many people praise it so strongly and persuasively that I'll have to look at it sometime. Of your gaps, I recommend El Cid above the rest as Anthony Mann's masterpiece, followed by A Woman is a Woman and Divorce Italian Style. I think I've seen Marienbad and Cleo more recently than you have and they rank high for me, as does Yojimbo (of course) and Pigs & Battleships from Sam J's list.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-67880974001879684152010-03-10T19:41:28.540-06:002010-03-10T19:41:28.540-06:00I have a copy of Splendor in the Grass, but still ...I have a copy of Splendor in the Grass, but still need to find the time to watch it. Now I'm really looking forward to it.<br /><br />My pick for this year has to stay Jack Clayton's THE INNOCENTS. Without any blood or gore, Clayton achieves a near perfect horror/thriller. Just great filmmaking.<br /><br />I also want to put in a good word for Billy Wilder's Cold War comedy ONE, TWO, THREE. It's one that I saw for the first time a few weeks ago and loved. James Cagney is brilliant in it.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-60850163410886043852010-03-10T10:39:20.923-06:002010-03-10T10:39:20.923-06:00Sam, I still need to see WEST SIDE STORY! In some...Sam, I still need to see WEST SIDE STORY! In some of my circles, there seems to be a stigma attached to it, and I think that's what has prevented me from seeing it all these years. But I will rectify that soon.<br /><br />I love hearing that you're also a fan of this Kazan.<br /><br />Thanks, Sam!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-86732654214550198352010-03-10T10:32:17.056-06:002010-03-10T10:32:17.056-06:00West Side Story (Wise/Robbins)
Runners-Up:
La N...West Side Story (Wise/Robbins)<br /><br /><br />Runners-Up:<br /><br />La Notte (Antonioni; Italy)<br />Last Year at Marienbad (Resnais; France)<br />Splendor in the Grass (Kazan)<br />Il Posto (Olmi; Italy)<br />Mother, Joan of the Angels (Kawalerowitz; Poland)<br />Viridiana (Bunuel; Spain)<br />Une Femme est Une Femme (Godard; France)<br />Accattone (Pasolini)<br />Leon Morin, Priest (Melville)<br />Lola (Demy; France)<br />Through A Glass Darkly (Bergman; Sweden)<br />Jules and Jim (Truffaut)<br />The End of Summer (Ozu; Japan)<br />El Cid (Mann)<br />City of the Dead (Horror Hotel) Moxey<br />The Innocents (Clayton)<br />Pigs and Battleships (Imamura; Japan)<br />Siberian Lady Macbeth (Wajda; Poland)<br />The Hustler (Rosen)<br />Victim (Dearden; UK)<br />101 Dalmatians (Lucke)<br />Yojimbo (Kurosawa; Japan)<br /><br /><br />WEST SIDE STORY, which vies with Kern's SHOWBOAT as the greatest Broadway musical of all-time, certainly makes in spirity, choreography and operatic score the greatest film musical of them all. For me it is one of the greatest films of the 60's from any country in any genre.<br /><br />You choice here of SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS is a superb one, as I have always argued that this may well be Kazan's masterpiece, a position that few seem to embrace. But I am with you here in a big way Jeffrey as it's an emotionally devastating work, and one that surely rates as one of 1961's best films.<br /><br />A number of other great films from this year appear on my list here.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-65211470882826721852010-03-10T09:34:23.951-06:002010-03-10T09:34:23.951-06:00Thanks so much, Jeremy! I love all that you say h...Thanks so much, Jeremy! I love all that you say here and couldn't agree more. This film when I finally saw it (only in the last few years or so) completely snuck up on me and blew me away. I agree with you. It's the real deal.Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-76092102241317441192010-03-10T09:23:15.431-06:002010-03-10T09:23:15.431-06:00I tell you this. To me, Natalie Wood's perfor...I tell you this. To me, Natalie Wood's performance in this film is the reason God invented movies. I find her work, and the whole film, to just be unbelievably haunting and moving. It's easily one of my favorite films and I hate that a real proper special edition hasn't been released. Great pick Jeffrey, probably my favorite so far.Nostalgia Kinkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02506680500183270767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-80864387538351003142010-03-10T09:06:11.268-06:002010-03-10T09:06:11.268-06:00Thanks, John! I love THE HUSTLER, too, and couldn...Thanks, John! I love THE HUSTLER, too, and couldn't agree more with everything you said about it. <br /><br />THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM is another one I still need to see.<br /><br />Thanks so much, John. Always great to have you here!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-69499454947193374162010-03-10T08:35:35.446-06:002010-03-10T08:35:35.446-06:00Jeffrey, I have not seen “Splendor in the Grass” i...Jeffrey, I have not seen “Splendor in the Grass” in way too many years to comment though I recently recorded it off TCM and plan to get around to it again, subsequently I cannot say much about it but your thoughts make it enticing.<br />I have to go with “The Hustler”, though “West Side Story” gives it a run for the money as my favorite musical of all time. I selected “The Hustler” for its four excellent performances and the excellent location shooting. Fast Eddie Felson is one of Newman’s best characters a classic 1960’s anti-hero. Rossen was a tough, hard-hitting, pull no punches writer and director. “Divorce, Italian Style” is a brilliant satire that I love dearly. As a kid, I loved “West Side Story” and must have gone back to the theater four or five times to see it “One, Two, Three” is maniacal Wilder, not as great as some of his others but still great and with Cagney!!! <br /><br /> <br />#1 The Hustler<br /><br />West Side Story<br />Divorce, Italian Style<br />Yojimbo<br />Splendor in the Grass<br />One, Two, Three<br />Guns of Navarone<br />The Innocents<br />The Pit and the PendulumJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.com