life... is a state of mind

[thehefner]

Saw Peter Sellers' BEING THERE at the AFI last week. I'm still thinking about it. I think it was excellent, but I just don't know. Even though the ending was spoiled for me (one of the worst endings to ever have spoiled! God! Still so pissed), my reaction after seeing this film was a hushed "... wow."

I'm so tempted to make an icon of that last shot, but I'd hate to spoil it for anybody else. Yeah, that film's going high up on my list of Top Ten Favorite Last Shots/Endings:

1.) Aguirre, Wrath of God
2.) The Long Good Friday
3.) Being There
4.) Blood Simple
5.) Birdy
6.) The Wicker Man
7.) The Fly (Cronenberg)
8.) Night of the Living Dead
9.) Spider-Man 2
10.) Ravenous

(although I'm still thinking about putting SHAUN OF THE DEAD, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, (for the same reasons as THE FLY) and/or REAL GENIUS up there. That's the problem with these lists, they're ever-changing.)

I need to see it again with someone else. Maybe fiveseconddelay even though he would decry it for being too "John Hefner paced." Just because *you* can't take Sergio Leone movies... ;p

Comments

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

I think you should exclude films with shitty sequels. It's kind of like having really excellent sex and finding out that later she boinked some hoser. Yeah, it's not like you can get hoser cooties ex-post-facto, but it really seems to cheapen the whole experience.

[disc-sophist.livejournal.com]

I don't have a list, but it would be on mine if I did. I've thought about it maybe once a week for the last... 4 years, and I still have pretty much the same reaction. Never quite the same as the first time, but still... wow. I was almost annoyed by the outtakes in the credits because it affected me so much. I wanted to keep the mood.

(So sorry it was spoiled! That wasn't me, was it? I have a vague memory of accidentally spoiling it for someone.)

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I prefer to go the other way around, embracing the original ending and pretending to Holy Herzog that the sequels don't exist.

HICKS, NEWT, AND BISHOP ALL SURVIVED, GODDAMMIT. *LALALALALA NOT LISTENING*

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

I didn't care for Being There when I saw it a long time ago, but I'd need to see it again. At the time I found its philosophy very thin.

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

And Rocky lost.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

It wasn't you, no! It was pop culture. It's what I get for being a big ol' geek.

And the reel I saw at the AFI didn't have the bloopers at the end! I was expecting to see them, as apparently was Arch Campbell (who was introducing the film), but they weren't there! Just fuzzy, out-of-focus TV images and commercials playing in the background, with no music. I was almost eerie, definitely kept the mood. And after the credits they played the rest of that commercial for Gatorade, I think it was.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I never did see any of the Rocky movies, but I will soon.

Because I understand the series utterly redeemed itself with the new movie. As one reviewer said, "ROCKY BALBOA couldn't have been made and wouldn't have worked if there hadn't been ROCKY II, III, IV, and V. It had to dig itself that deep into a hole for this last film to be such a success." I'm paraphrasing, but that's the idea.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I didn't see it as a philosophical movie, or at least, I certainly wasn't affected by it in that way. It was more the story itself, the way it unfolded, the levels of the characters, and particularly that ending. The first time I tried to watch it, I couldn't get through it. But that was at home, on tape. This time I saw it on the big screen, where it demanded my attention, and I'm very glad I did.

I need to see it again, definitely. Maybe I'll realize it's all crap after all, who knows?

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

The Wicker Man?! Really?

NOT THE BEEEEEES!!!

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I hope to God you know I mean the original, not the Nic Cage remake.

I'm talking Anthony Shaffer/Christopher Lee goodness here.

Re: NOT THE BEEEEEES!!!

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

CHRISTOPHER LEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! I watched Horror Hotel last night. Tonight it's The Last Man on Earth and Dementia 13.

KILLING ME WON'T BRING BACK YOUR GODDAMNED HONEY!!!!

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

So are you pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised by my love of the WICKER MAN ending?

I rather liked THE LAST MAN ON EARTH when I saw it, but that was years before I saw THE OMEGA MAN (blah) and finally read I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson. Have you read it? I absolutely love it, and if I recall correctly, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH is actually pretty faithful. But it might not be. Let me know what you think.

Ever see THEATRE OF BLOOD? That's one of my favorite Price flicks.

I like to watch.

[fiveseconddelay.livejournal.com]

It's quite above the 100 words/hour minimum that I need to find it watchable.

And I was thinking about it this morning when I walked by a tree.

And how could you not include Brazil for favorite last shot?

Re: I like to watch.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

*thhpbbpb!*

And ohhh, BRAZIL's a great one. As is BLADE RUNNER, now I think about it. Oh man, I think THE STRAIGHT STORY needs to be on there too!

Re: KILLING ME WON'T BRING BACK YOUR GODDAMNED HONEY!!!!

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

I guess pleasantly, because I did originaly think you meant the Nick Cage version. I don't know why! *facepalm* I guess even months after the fact, I still can't get over how shitty it was.

I haven't seen Theatre of Blood, but my friends quote it a lot. I have weird friends. I gather it is funnier than it is scary? Somewhat like Army of Darkness, only less slap-stick?

GOD-*DAMN*-IT!!!

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Yes, but at least now we can appreciate the remake for how gloriously horrible it is. Marvelously, quotably terrible.

It is indeed funnier than it is scary, but it's wonderful. My favorite part takes place in a hair salon, where Vinny-P disguises himself as... but I dare not spoil it for you.

Are you by any chance a Shakespeare fan? The more you are, the more you'll dig it.

Actually, have you seen TITUS yet? Do you know anything about it? If not, then I beg you, see TITUS before you see THEATRE OF BLOOD.

Re: GOD-*DAMN*-IT!!!

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

Well, I live across the street from a Blockbuster, so Titus? With Anthony Hopkins? Sounds like a plan...

I do like Shakespeare. My username is from a line in the prolouge to Romeo & Juliet.

how'ditgetburnedhow'ditget<i>burned?!</i>

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Indeedy do. I think TITUS is one of the greatest, most perfect representations of Shakespeare on film. If you know nothing about it, great. I truly envy you. Just sit back and let the glorious madness unfold.

And a-ha! So it is! Duh, me! Good, as THEATRE OF BLOOD references everything from Hamlet to Titus to Cymbaline (I haven't even seen or read that one yet, and I'm a big ol' flaming Shakespeare geek). It would spoil one of the best moments of Titus, which I'd much, much rather you see as it happens in the actual story.

As you seem to dig horror films, then yes, yes I do believe you'll dig this too. Tee hee hee.

Re: how'ditgetburnedhow'ditget<i>burned?!</i>

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

Better than Branagh's Hamlet? Awesome!

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I definitely think so. For me, it's neck-and-neck with Branagh's HENRY V, which is still my favorite of his Shakespeare films, and the ultra-rare-if-you-find-it-dear-lord-see-it KING LEAR, directed by Peter Brook and starring Paul Scofield.

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

Amazon says $30 for a vhs copy and $25 for a PAL version DVD. Wow.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Of LEAR? Do-hoo-hoooo they now? Hmm! *considers this*

PAL? Is that some other way of saying all regions or certain kinds of regions...?

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

Nah, it's some crap about the TV's, and color, and some-odd shit. My understanding is somewhat vauge, but the gist is that PAL is European a television broadcasting thing that's all fancified with like, more colors or something, while here in the good 'ole US of A it's NTSC formating for our tv's. Regions are a whole 'nother thing completely. You usually see the little symbol on your dvds by the region thing.

It's a downer. :(