Movies you've just watched

[PC Engine Fan X!]

This youtube video with Adam Savage delves into the 1:1 scale life-sized ED-209 prop from the classic 1987 sci-fi film, Robocop, courtesy of Phil Tippet Studios. The full-sized ED-209 prop only weighs between 300-400 pounds and can be moved by two people -- it was featured in all three Robocop movies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFMJ514lz5w

Fascinating to learn that the 1:1 ED-209 prop was made by just one guy using ply wood, vacuum-formed parts and using a car radiator for some the metal components. The outer bolts are made to look realistic but are in fact, plastic. The life-sized ED-209 prop was all done by hand with absolutely no "Computer Assisted Drafting" (CAD) whatsoever makes it all the more impressive and remarkable nevertheless. Lots of cool little embellishments and easter eggs found on this one-of-a-kind Robocop movie prop indeed.

The built-in machine gun weaponry featured on the 1:1 full-sized ED-209 prop are just some off-the-shelf store bought garden sprinkler heads cobbled together (non-functional, of course) -- how cool is that?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[sumdumgoy]

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[PC Engine Fan X!]

What's interesting about the original 1982 theatrical cut of Blade Runner is that Deckard is human whereas in the "Final Cut" version (currently streaming on Netflix), he's a Replicant (he could be possibly an early advanced Nexus-7 prototype without the "four year lifespan restriction" associated with the Nexus-6 variant Replicants, of course). Blade Runner 2049 is the proper sequel to the "Final Cut" version in that it takes place 30 years later. The futuristic designs of Blade Runner by "futurist designer" Syd Mead are quite iconic and impressive, even moreso nowadays.

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The life-sized anti-gravity police spinner vehicle was built by legendary automotive wizard Gene Winfield but isn't mentioned/listed in the film's end credits. Actually, all the vehicles shown on-screen were built by Mr. Winfield and his crew.

There was supposed to be six Replicants shown (including one named Mary) but was axed due to monetary budget issues with the movie studio during initial production of Blade Runner itself.

The proposed sexy dance scene with Zhora and her boa constrictor was supposed to be a mixture of practical effects, laser effects and stop-motion effects but was ultimately axed due not enough money to pull it off.

The scene where Roy Batty kills Eldon Tyrell, there was supposed to be a scene that shows the "real" Eldon inside a mechanized preservation chamber leading the audience to show that Roy killed a Replicant version of Eldon's likeness -- again, not enough money to film this particular revalatory scene in it's entirety.

Actor Dustin Hoffman was originally considered to play the Deckard character in the 1982 film of Blade Runner -- it would've been interesting to see how that version played out.

There was a longer love making scene between Deckard and Rachel that was filmed but cut out during the editing process.
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PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Sumez]

Ehh Deckard being a replicant is a fan theory that never really held up that well.
I think the idea that it's possible he is one, and there is really no evidence for it or against, is one of the things that makes the world of the movie intriguing. But it's not really relevant to the story.

I've swung back and forth on Blade Runner so many times I don't really know what to think of it these days. There's so much great stuff to like about it. The tone is phenomenal, and Rutger Hauer completely slays it as we all know. But so much also just feels amateurish. The romantic subplot just doesn't work at all, partly because of the complete lack of chemistry between Ford and Sean Young. It's either a super flawed masterpiece, or a completely accidental one. Not sure really.


A tangent re Sean Young. I absolutely love her self-narrated home made BTS footage from Dune. On her own YouTube channel at that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFTS5-cIHgQ

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Some quickies for you guys... 'cause I'm too busy watching movies!

Blade Runner (1982) [Theatrical Cut]

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I was really feeling the setting and the music, but the story was empty. I kept thinking after how it felt like so much backstory was missing from the movie and its characters, why and how things got to be this way, some explanation for their motivations, etc. And yeah, I agree that Deckard's added narration was bad, like his character wants so bad to be like a '40s noir detective when he isn't one. (I think Harrison Ford expressed it well when he said one of this movie's cuts was "an exercise in design.") Still, the movie's visual style is quite striking and it was never boring... plus, it has Sean Young, who made me rethink whether I'd fall for a replicant or not!
I think I'll see The Final Cut and dig for more depth there. Here's hoping!

The Killer (1989)

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The ultimate date movie: it's got the melodrama women crave and the action men want. No Chinese superstar pairing has done guns, cops & criminals better than Chow Yun Fat & John Woo, so you know the awesome to expect. (As long as you turn your brain off, of course.) And since the cast and crew are absolutely killing it, it's easy to forgive how unbelievable it gets at times. "Guaranteed to tingle the most jaded moviegoer's palette," reads the voiceover in the movie's trailer and damn, if that ain't true. It's still one hell of a rush!

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

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The remake of Siegel's classic surpasses it. Good people desperate to hold onto their humanity or else, this horror movie will make the blood run cold of anyone who still has a soul; I can't remember the last time a horror flick made me sweat like that. Sutherland and Adams have genuine chemistry together, which makes the danger all the more palatable when both their character's love for each other is so convincing. So much more could be said, but so much more has been said... I'll just add that I agree: it is one of the greatest remakes ever made in the medium.

The Fly (1986)

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Speaking of remakes, this one didn't hold up for me. Reason being, Goldblum playing a scientist didn't convince me, and neither did his subsequent affair with Davis. So many things didn't make sense on a personal level between them before and after, so it felt like cold flesh when they fell into bed; the script required it for Davis' convincing reaction to Goldblum's ugly and horrifying transfiguration. But since I didn't care about characters that didn't feel real, the resulting body horror didn't horrify me at all... it just grossed me out. And it makes for some incredible special effects, sure, but I'm not that teenager any more. Make me care first, then I'll be blown away. (Someone ought to repeat Brundle's line to Cronenberg's screenwriters: "You only know society's straight line about the flesh; you can't penetrate beyond society's sick, gray fear of the flesh!")

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

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Yeah, this one's got a pulse... well-filmed with a decent pace and believable acting. Trouble is, I never ended up liking any of the characters, so the longer it went on, the more I couldn't wait for it to end. The final scene is not only the most memorable part, it's the best one of the movie; seeing these two heartless bastards get theirs by the sheriff they made a mockery of, wasn't so much shocking in its violence (although, it was meant to be) as much as it was satisfying. Justice, baby!

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

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Gesundheit! Filming in "Fun City" brought us quite a few thrillers with a definite finger on NY's nervy pulse, and Taking is one of them. Everyone delivers like they should, but Robert Shaw brings his theatre-trained expertise with him to make a convincing bad guy, and reliable old Walter Matthau is in his element here. The script has a ton of Noo Yawk zingers, though I found it to be a bit too mouthy at times, giving the impression that nearly every character was talking just like one guy: the screenwriter. Makes for great jokes and one-liners, but leaves you with 2-dimensional characterisations. Still, it's a banger. And speaking of bangers, dig that theme song!

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

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Continuing in that same vein comes the sensational bank robbery picture that showcased Pacino's acting range, as well as another top Cazale performance to be remembered (arguably his best, in my opinion). Once again, we get some great New York energy pulsing through the movie, and the characterisations are on point. It goes on a bit too long on revisit, but it doesn't grate... it just ends up deflating when the comedy bits end and the drama gets turned up in its place for the last half-hour. Not one for my shelf, but I can't deny I'd probably revisit it again in several years.

DId you watch the 35mm scans? Can you talk about how they differ from modern blu ray remasters, or has everything be said already? I guess I'd be interested in how much scratches there are etc. (which, to a certain extent, is cool!)

[sumdumgoy]

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[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Again, thanks for going to the trouble of typing such a detailed response. Really looking forward to experiencing some classics this way (not Blade Runner though, fuck everything but the Final Cut). We're moving soon into the house we bought and I'm mighty tempted to replace my decade old HD video projector with a 4K projector...

[sumdumgoy]

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[Vexorg]

The Blues Brothers: ***

This was one of the films that frequently showed up on TBS when I was growing up, usually late at night after the Braves game. There was always a good chance the first part of the movie would get preempted if the game went into extra innings, but that's OK because if you were a kid you probably only cared about the big chase scene at the end (and maybe the mall chase if you could catch it.) I had no idea until much later on that this was an R-rated film since I only ever saw the edited-for-TV version, but you could probably take out one scene of unimaginable obscenity and ruler smacking and get it most of the way down to a PG-13.

Watching it again years later and much older, I'm starting to realize that although the big car chase scene feels dated compared to the Technicolor carnage modern audiences are expecting in their movies (which doesn't mean it isn't still a masterpiece of practical effects and stuntwork) it's really the musical acts that steal the show in this one, and which are much of the reason this film found its way onto the National Film Registry. High-energy Performances by the likes of James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Lee Hooker and Cab Calloway (who was 73 at the time this was filmed) join those of the Blues Brothers band as Jake and Elwood put on a master class in pissing people off to the point that the use of unnecessary violence... has been approved.

[cj iwakura]

Blade Runner is one of the few films where I prefer the theatrical cut. The voiceover actually provides details that add to the story, like explaining the language that Olmos' character speaks in.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Again, thanks for going to the trouble of typing such a detailed response. Really looking forward to experiencing some classics this way (not Blade Runner though, fuck everything but the Final Cut). We're moving soon into the house we bought and I'm mighty tempted to replace my decade old HD video projector with a 4K projector...

Yeah, no problem! Out of all the scans I've watched, it's the horror movies that have fared the best, in my opinion. Set 07 is an absolute banger, everything I wanted and more. Plus, there's no better way to experience Romero's original Dead trilogy than 35mm. Taxi Driver was amazing, so was Terminator 2 and Alien. OH, and The Shining! Best experience in open-matte ever.

There's other fan scans floating around on the 'net, but the quality varies. The ones for Manhunter and Re-Animator are sweet.

Also, DUDE... a digital projector for 35mm scans? That's sick!

I've only read about Shining format shenanigans and it's mindblowing to me that I might be able to watch it that way one day on a fucking silver screen (that's a lie, we don't use a screen and we didn't even paint the white wall we're watching our films on with film colour) - I remember a mate telling me about having seen the full screen VHS three decades ago, a time when we were still too dumb to understand that those bick black borders on the top and bottom of the screen in some films did not mean we were missing anything - and along comes the revelation that in SHining, it's intended also kinda intended as 4:3. Crazy.
Anyway, it didn't occur to me that some obvious film fanatic like you might not be watching his films with a projector; sorry if I sound like a film snob or something, I'm totally not, I just really really prefer video projection to tv screens myself, which always look kind of a sterile and artificial to me. Have you ever considered getting a video projector? I also enjoy not having one of those humongous TV's standing around in my living room...

Blade Runner is one of the few films where I prefer the theatrical cut. The voiceover actually provides details that add to the story, like explaining the language that Olmos' character speaks in.

Fair enough. Bladerunner's a film I watch every couple of years, and inbetween I always find out new stuff about its world, which makes every viewing different and more colourful than the last (also, the opening scene is so atmospheric that I prefer it without a voiceover). I am reading Rinzler's The Making of Alien, which is an amazing coffeetable book and at the same time the most detailed making of-book I have ever read. I wish the same dude made a Making of Bladerunner. And The Thing.

[Sima Tuna]

Ehh Deckard being a replicant is a fan theory that never really held up that well.
I think the idea that it's possible he is one, and there is really no evidence for it or against, is one of the things that makes the world of the movie intriguing. But it's not really relevant to the story.

I've swung back and forth on Blade Runner so many times I don't really know what to think of it these days. There's so much great stuff to like about it. The tone is phenomenal, and Rutger Hauer completely slays it as we all know.

Pretty much my opinion. It's one of the only movies to really translate "cyberpunk" effectively to the big screen. There are a couple others, maybe, but this is the big one. You can go from reading Schismatrix Plus, Neuromancer and Snow Crash directly over to this and it captures the tone. Particularly of Neuromancer. It suffers for being a film, I think. Too visual, not enough meat on the bones. A clumsy narration (which was the same solution Lynch's Dune was forced to use, which is another movie I love despite its flaws) to try to slide in some of that book inner monologue that movies can't bring across...

For what it is, I do think Blade Runner is a masterpiece. But it's a movie for a particular kind of person. It's a movie about visuals, sound and feelings more than writing. The writing is not bad exactly, but just... Strange in places. The romance doesn't work, but Deckard is a weird person. So is the replicant girl. It works on the level of being awkward and odd.

I agree that Deckard's status as a replicant or not is irrelevant to the plot, and the ending even says as much, directly to the audience, in a hamfisted way.

I could go on and babble about the whole accidental masterpiece thing and talk more about Dune... These two movies remind me of each other. My best friend loves Blade Runner like I love Dune. Both films are flawed. Dune to the degree that some outright call it shit. But I think they are masterpieces. They do as much as can be done to TRY. They are TRYING to reach something. The sublime, the untranslatable, the ethereal... Some part of a human experience. Transcendence. If they don't reach it for everyone, well that's how it goes sometimes.

Whereas, with a movie like Lawrence of Arabia, Seven Samurai or A Passage to India, I would say there's no question the film tries for something and achieves its goal, to the degree that even a casual viewer can't deny the effectiveness.

[sumdumgoy]

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[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Oh, you should totally get a video projector then, I assure you you will love it - and, as you said, it's perfect for tate since the image you get can be as huge as you like. I'm afraid I don't have any great tips on what to get, though, I bought an HD projector that was on sale like ten years ago (only did a bit of research beforehand on which of the available projectors were the quietest - I'd recommend doing a bit of reading up on that since some people are sensitive to fan noise. I got the quietest one I could find/ could afford, you can still hear it a bit in quiet scenes but turns out I'm usually so engrossed in the film I don't really hear it after a couple of minutes) and it's still running strong.

The Shining comparisons are really interesting - I'm kinda ashamed to admit I preferred all the scenes in a widescreen format, but I guess that heavily depends on how you've seen the film before/ what you're used to. Can't wait to watch the 35mm scans now. It's a pity you don't live close by, I have a bunch of mates who all collect films (two mates have each reserved one room in their two room flats just for their film collections, and they have many thousands of films each, including super 8 films and such; another one has decorated one room like a video rental of old, with all the walls covered in VHS from the 80s and early 90s) and we hang out and watch films on a regular basis. Right now, we're bingeing chanbara like Lone Wolf and Cub, Lady Snowblood, and Sex and Fury and other Pinky Violence films, and alien invasion films from the 50s.

[NYN]

Blade Runner is one of the few films where I prefer the theatrical cut. The voiceover actually provides details that add to the story, like explaining the language that Olmos' character speaks in.

Fair enough example. Yet it ruins the Tears in Rain last moments, by overstating verbally a most tender end with clunky word combo. I am now sad because the point was made...
For that alone it's a definite hard pass.

[sumdumgoy]

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[sumdumgoy]

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[Lord British]

Robocop and Phantom of the Paradise.

POTP a guilty pleasure? How dare you!!!

Hey, found something cool for my #1 Phantom Phan! (Although, if you're hardcore, you probably already know about/have this.)

My wife practically begged me to buy this movie on Blu-ray for her (she's a huge Phan, as well), so I did... but then I found something even better:

Brian DePalma's Phantom (Phantom of the Paradise fan restoration by Dr. Sapirstein)

From the description:

"Immediately prior to the release of Phantom of the Paradise, Director Brian De Palma and editor Paul Hirsch were obliged to remove from the film most references to “Swan Song Enterprises”, Swan’s record company, because of the similarity of the name to that of a real-life record company. The edits were made hastily, and marred the look of the film.

Now, after 40 years, fans can finally experience Brian De Palma's PHANTOM like never before.

This version utilizes the original footage salvaged by the Swan Archives, transfered from 35mm to HD and meticulously restored, and aims to present the film to the way we believe it had looked prior to these last-minute mutilations. All the deleted footage was enhanced and color-corrected to match the rest of the film. Some of the original audio and soundtrack cues that would have matched the deleted footage have never been found, and had to be recreated and mixed with the original 1974 stereo mix, preserved from a lossless source. By comparing this version to the theatrical release, we can see how the movie was (ironically, given the film’s story) disfigured against its creators’ wishes, to suit the whims of corporate rightsholders." - Dr. Sapirstein

Sweet! Maybe I could do this for my movie group.

[sumdumgoy]

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[cj iwakura]

Blade Runner is one of the few films where I prefer the theatrical cut. The voiceover actually provides details that add to the story, like explaining the language that Olmos' character speaks in.

Fair enough example. Yet it ruins the Tears in Rain last moments, by overstating verbally a most tender end with clunky word combo. I am now sad because the point was made...
For that alone it's a definite hard pass.

Yeah, it's definitely not perfect. I'd love a, uh, It's Alright Cut that keeps some aspects of final and some of the theatrical.

But at least unlike Dark City's, it's watchable.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Damn... everyone's got a movie group but me.

I've only made friends with movie nerds after the last time I moved nine years ago; before that, I used to force the weird shit I like on friends and significant others, some of which they liked, but getting to hang out with people who really love films and who collect them is totally different.

[Lord British]

Damn... everyone's got a movie group but me. All I get are co-workers that humour the passionate weird guy. Lol

Oh I have that too.

Actually no, they don't even humor me.

[sumdumgoy]

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[sumdumgoy]

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[Lord British]

Damn... everyone's got a movie group but me. All I get are co-workers that humour the passionate weird guy. Lol

Oh I have that too.

Actually no, they don't even humor me.

Well, here: let me humour you, Phan.

Thoughts on Phantom of the Paradise (1974) [Fan Edit]

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My wife got me to rewatch Phantom tonight, and we saw that fan cut I linked earlier. The transitions still aren't perfect, but it's still cool to see it like this. Also, the audio track they used was the best I've ever heard the film, so that was great.

Still better than The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which is the one I grew up with. The movie's quite a trip and still lots of fun; it's dripping with De Palma's panache for the filmmaking process, and the guilt I feel for enjoying it is that every rational part of my moviegoing brain that's screaming mercy gets drowned out by the sheer kinaesthetic pleasure of the experience. (I get the same vibes from The Fury: I know it's ridiculous when I think about it, but since I'm having such a good time, I don't care!) Gerrit Graham steals every scene he's in and provided me with the biggest laughs, by far. Winslow's lyrics touch on that kind of romantic yearing that comes with a life of solitude, with plenty of rhyme and poetry to wet the eyes. And I love how cheeky De Palma gets later, like he's saying, "Alright, you sons'a bitches, you think I'm just a Hitchcock rip-off? Fine, here... HAVE A SHOWER SCENE!"

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I miss my old shirt

[sumdumgoy]

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[Lord British]

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I miss my old shirt

Is that you?

Yeah that's like 10 years ago

[sumdumgoy]

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[Lord British]

Yeah that's like 10 years ago

If you ever need a drummer, I got you, Phan.

Ha. Thanks. I gotta drummer but just no inspiration, so no band

Here's a bonus w/Suspiria

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[sumdumgoy]

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