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Well ... Not exactly.
It does seem that my Muse, being on vacation somewhere in the world with no cell service (or any other form of communication that I can discern), having deserted me has led me to write about other things. Like favorite paintings, favorite places to live/visit and the like. Well, this is part three, I guess, of what seems to pass for entertainment round these parts.
I guess you could call this post, Let's Go to the Movies, but I went in a different direction, title-wise.
So yes, movies. One of my absolute favorites is Last of the Mohicans, with Daniel Day-Lewis (that's the fellow in that opening photo, portraying Hawkeye, aka Natty Bumppo, from James Fenimore Cooper's novel of the same name. Yes, I read the book ...) and Wes Studi (that intense dude below, who, as a matter of fact, is one of my all time favorite actors) who portrays Magua, the bad guy so to speak.
I think I've watched Last of the Mohicans five times, yet never in the theater (I was in Germany when this came out, back in '92 of the last century - geez, I'm old ...). It was breathtaking on my TV, I have the Blue Ray and my old Sony TV is gigantic, by early 2000s-standards, though probably not by today's.
I want to visit western North Carolina based solely on watching this film, scenery is spectacular, story is outstanding, and the acting is superb. But maybe that's just me.
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So yes ... Oops, before I forget, head on over to Toirdhealbheach Beucail's place and read this. You readers have made the old Sarge a very happy (and may I say, proud) fellow. Your stellar behavior has been noticed by others. TB visits us daily (as I visit his place) and he's noticed that y'all are a fairly well behaved bunch. Proud of youse I am, damned proud. (As I commented over there, his folks are pretty well-behaved as well, kindred spirits, no doubt.)
Now, where was I, oh yeah, movies. Or films if you prefer, I can go either way on that. If ya want to talk about mini-series as well (those are just a really long movie broken into multiple segments if you will, kinda like the Russian version of War and Peace, which I believe takes two days to watch in the theater, but don't quote me on that), go for it.
What kind of film floats your boat? I gauge a film by how engrossed I am by the story, does it take me away to some other place and suspend my current realty, I guess you could simplify that by asking: "Does it entertain you?"
Any genre of film is fine, heck even musicals (of which I only really like three, which I might confess to someday). Here's a short list of my favorites, in no particular order:
- Last of the Mohicans
- Patton
- Tora, Tora, Tora
- Blazing Saddles (the funniest movie ever made, bar none, change my mind ...)
- Doctor Strangelove, Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb
- Doctor Zhivago (The previous one reminded me of this, because both involve doctors and Russians, I suppose.)
- Saving Private Ryan
- Hunt for Red October
- Crimson Tide
- True Lies
- In Harm's Way
- We Were Soldiers
- Glory
- Braveheart
- The Patriot
- Dances With Wolves
- Wind River
- The Godfather
- The Godfather Part Two
- Heat
- etc., etc...
Yes, I like a lot of movies, that list merely scratches the surface.
What do you like?
My wife calls the movies the cinema, I go to be entertained.
ReplyDeleteI saw "Indiana Jones and the raiders of the lost arc" ten times at the theater (that was back when a good movie was in the theater for a year), once was in Mobile Alabama because the theater was air conditioned and I did like the movie.
"Ride with the devil"
"Kingdom of Heaven"
"Notting Hill"
and bunch from your list.
Ah, Kingdom of Heaven, a very good movie!
DeleteThe Director's Cut is, supposedly, a far better movie and makes more sense.
DeleteThe Director's Cut is the best! It does tell the story better.
DeleteI saw in not too long ago by streaming but I don't recall where, you can buy The Director's Cut on blueray..
Beans - Aye!
DeleteRob - Absolutely agree.
DeleteIt depends on my mood, but movies that drip with melodrama (except in a comedy setting) won't keep my attention. People are usually not extremely emotional, even in the most intense of situations, and the nuances of expression, or short conversations, can reveal more of the character than anything else. That, and when the special effects, or excellent cinematography, tug at the heart, the movie makes for a memorable occasion.
ReplyDeleteGood points. Don't like melodrama in real life, why would I watch it on the big screen?
DeleteI like movies that give me some relief from the daily bad news. “O Brother Where Art Thou” pops up in my mind for pure comedic and historical interest. I can picture myself in that variety store, I use a hair product most every day. All the ones on your list come next (with few exceptions). I like comedies. You are correct about “Blazing Saddles”. I should go watch that evening.
ReplyDeleteO Brother Where Art Thou is bona fide!
DeleteLove the music in that film as well.
As a note on The Last of the Mohicans; historical re-enactors were used as extras in the making of the film. The ones selected for roles as Indians were put on a modified Marine Corps regimen of diet and exercise for 2 weeks in order to slim them down. Another movie on your list, Glory used re-enactors as well. I worked on that one for a couple of weeks. I prefer Young Frankenstein over Blazing Saddles but my all time favorite comedy is Animal House. For western themes: Jerimiah Johnson, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Wild Bunch.
ReplyDeleteNot a bad film on your list, I like them all. (Young Frankenstein was brilliant.)
DeleteYF was brilliant and was even more brilliant to those who grew up during Saturday afternoon creature-features that showed the original Frankenstein, since the lab equipment was the same in both movies, for the most part.
DeleteYes, that was awesome!
DeleteSarge, first things first: Thanks to all your readers who make writing such a post easy!
ReplyDeleteFavorite movies: The Last of the Mohicans is a good one if one had to choose (Oddly enough and unlike most movies, the Director's cut is weaker than the theatrical release; the scenes they left in the Director's cut add nothing to the story). The 13th Warrior remains one of my favorites (both based on Michael Crichton's work and Antonio Banderas). Seven Samurai, Yojimobo, Sanjuro by Akira Kurosawa (if no-one has seen any of his movies, Yojimbo is a great introduction and in some ways is the basis of the movie High Plans Drifter). 13 Assassins (the more recent version). Terminator: Salvation (yes, I know it did not do so well in the theaters. Still love it). For comedies, Galaxy Quest remains one of my favorites of all time.
Which reminds me of another favorite actor, Mifune Toshirō. The movie he did with Charles Bronson (Red Sun) was awesome. ("No mosquito!") Also the film with Lee Marvin, Hell in the Pacific ("My log!") was good. Watched Seven Samurai not too long ago, Mifune was a brilliant actor. I mourned his passing.
DeleteJust bought " Hell in the Pacific" on DVD last night after wandering imdb from "In Harms Way" to "Donovan's Reef" to Lee Marvin. The movie made quite an impression on me when I saw it.
DeleteBoat Guy
I really enjoyed it.
DeleteToird, the ultimate edition of Last of the Mohicans contains the only theatrical release of the movie on DVD/Blu-Ray that I am aware of. I also felt the directors cut was a disappointment.
DeleteSometimes too much really is.
DeleteTombstone for Westerns and there are a clump of great westerns close behind it.
ReplyDeleteStar Wars for Science Fiction, I don't care what they call it today, I mean the one that came out first.
There are a lot of good films on your list.
Tombstone is another favorite. I've watched it at least three times, never gets old.
DeleteHow did I forget Tombstone and the 13th Warrior? I watch both of those at least once a year.
DeleteI need to re-watch 13th Warrior, it is very good.
DeleteI have no idea why I am Anonymous in the lead comment of this thread. John in Philly
DeleteJohn, you might not be logged into whatever browser you're using.
Delete"13th Warrior"? Blaaaarghhhgghhhh, buuuuuiiiiiiiiccccckkkkkkk, wwwwooooooorrrrrrrrffffffffff. Hates it, hates it I does. Why? Armor is wrong, swords are wrong, costuming is mostly wrong, and the Scandinavians knew how to build a weather-tight building (something about living in frozen hell for 6 months out of the year. Book was better, but....
DeleteSeriously? Grinding a scimitar out of a pattern-welded blade made of superior steel in comparison to scimitars of the same time. And often the good ones were made from star-metal, you know, nickel-iron chunks from meteorites, and quickly and easily turned into steel of various grades.
The book made sense. Fighting hordes of neandertal. Movie, not so much.
Well, it would bother you, wouldn't it. (Probably the same way I get bugged by seeing an MG 42 in a movie set in 1940/1941!) Good yarn though. (And yeah, book was better, they usually are. Except for Last of the Mohicans, movie was way better in my estimation. Samuel Clemens was not a Cooper fan either.)
DeleteBeans - All the criticisms you are offer are fair enough, both armor and the scimitar. That said, Viking movies were slim in the '90's and the scene of "Lo, there I behold my father, etc." is epic.
DeleteBottom line, did it entertain?
DeleteAs mentioned, Tombstone as well as The Searchers along with a good many on your list Sarge, can't forget Die Hard........ :)
ReplyDeleteBut is it a Christmas movie? 😎
DeleteOf course it is.
DeleteMight not be quite as good as "It's a Wonderful Life!" but it still is certainly an excellent Christmas movie!
😁
DeleteDie Hard is a Hanukkah movie. A vastly outnumbered insurgency rallying limited resources to vanquish a brutal invader.
DeleteBINGO!
DeleteHow could you mention Last of the Mohegans without mentioning the soundtrack? The music actually started playing in my head while I was reading your post. Some of the best movie music ever recorded.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I should've mentioned the soundtrack, it is superb!
DeleteEnnio Morricone for Western soundtracks, and John Williams for everything else.
DeleteI also liked Jerry Goldsmith's music in Patton.
DeleteHans Zimmer in anything. Gladiator? Blackhawk Down? Just for starters...
DeleteBoat Guy
Concur.
DeleteJohn in Philly, I have some Ennio Morricone on my phone as well.
DeleteBear Claw
Fistful of ring tones ...
DeleteI love Blazing Saddles......BUT it hasn't aged well. I don't think it could be made today. I think Airplane is actually funnier than Blazing Saddles. When asked what my favorite movie is and I don't want to list 20+ titles depending on what my mood is that day, I tell people The Princess Bride because it can safely be watched with anyone and it's very funny. AND Andre the Giant!
ReplyDeleteStar Wars (episode 4 A New Hope) is a pretty perfect movie for pure entertainment reasons. Your list is excellent by the way.
You mention some very good movies as well.
DeleteThe Big Sleep, The Enforcer, To Have and Have Not, Dark Passage are top tier. If you don't think Bogart was a very good actor, watch him transform into and out of a character when he goes into the first book store in Sleep. WOW. And his face when Bacall is standing at the door and says "you know how to whistle, don't you?" I wonder if that was when he really fell for her. El Dorado, Sons of Katy Elder, Rio Bravo, The Quiet Man, McClintock (Maureen is something else, I'm still twitterpated with her). We watched the USA network version of The 'Burbs every Friday night for seven or eight years with the kids. They loved it and still quote it, I have great memories of laughter, carmel corn and kool aid. Gung Ho is really near and dear. The Jesse Stone TV movies are really good. And for a comedy, have you seen Nobody? That is a pretty good one. Soldier and Thirteenth Warrior are in there, too. The first John Wick was kinda cool, but the others are just too over the shark. Oh, and Snatch. That is a riot. "It was at a funny angle."
ReplyDeleteI tried to watch Snatch, had trouble getting into it. I shall try again. (Sometimes a film doesn't grab me right away, but on the 2nd try I ask myself, "Why didn't I like this before?")
DeleteDo try Snatch again. Well worth it. BG
Delete👍
DeleteOy! Most of your list and the movies others have mentioned.
ReplyDeleteAdd: The Wind and the Lion, A Man For All Seasons (both have good stories and many wonderful lines), Failsafe , The Quiet Man(He'll regret it to his dying day, if only he should live so long), Gettysburg.
I almost forgot, "Take The Lead"
Based on a true story
"In New York, the polite dance instructor Pierre Dulaine sees a black teenager vandalizing the car of the director of a public school and on the next day he volunteers to teach dance to students to give respect, dignity, self-confidence, trust and teamwork. The reluctant director Augustine James offers the troublemakers that are in detention expecting Pierre to give-up of his intentions. Pierre struggles against the prejudice and ignorance of the students, parents and other teachers, but wins his battle when the group accepts to compete in a ballroom dance contest."
The Wind and the Lion, Sean Connery, Brian Keith, Candace Bergen, I absolutely love that film. (I have it on DVD, guess I'll be watching it again soon!)
DeleteI forgot to mention The Princess Bride. Inconceivable!
DeleteI need to re-watch that, it is very good.
Delete"Never start a land war in Asia...."
DeleteHeh.
DeleteThey were expendable, with John Wayne
ReplyDeleteKingdom of Heaven
Big Trouble in Little China
2001 (and 2010 isn't too bad)
Oh yeah, Big Trouble in Little China, loved it. (And just about anything with John Wayne,)
DeleteSand Pebbles - Steve McQueen, Candace Bergen, Richard Crenna and a GREAT supporting cast! Based on McKenna's best novel.
DeleteWhile we're on McQueen, I've not seen Bullitt mentioned yet.
Boat Guy
How about The Great Escape?
DeleteI have only one favorite film:
ReplyDeleteMarch of the Wooden Soldiers/Babes in Toyland/Laurel and Hardy in Toyland/Revenge is Sweet (1934)
Laurel and Hardy, what's not to like? (I'll need to track that one down.)
DeleteWOW! That brought back memories of black and white TV in the fifties. Thanks Boron. As I wave my narrow tie at you.
Delete😁
DeleteSuch a list! And comments! I'll add The Court Jester, and The Inspector General (and, well, anything else with Danny Kaye.) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. South Pacific.
ReplyDeleteOld school! Some great films there.
DeleteI have to say Kung Fu Hustle is in my top 5 as both funny, sweet and and plenty of action, The Wind and the Lion maybe historically incorrect but a great watch.
ReplyDeleteI won't argue against your choices!
DeleteWhat about Zulu?
ReplyDeleteI've only watched that one 85 gazillion times, roughly. The Zulu war songs send shivers up my spine, makes me want to pick up my shield and my iklwa and go chasing red coats. Though I did learn the words to Men of Harlech because of that movie! Warriors on both sides!
DeleteWell, what can I say I was an avid moviegoer since like, forever...
ReplyDeleteBeing born in 1972 I had prime feeding ground in the 1980s cult movie bonanza. Eat your heart out, todays blockbusters!
a few of movies that impacted me most, how and why:
Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi
- I was too young for the New Hope, so my first encounter with the universe was with Battle of Hoth.
Boy, imagine me , 10 year old fascinately watching that spectacle...
Aliens: exercise in military action and corporate greed. Plus awesome female lead!
War Games - living in one of the most targeted parts of Cold War Europe, this one hit me particularily hard: major river crossing, shipyards, steel mills, railway hub and entire friggin 12th Mechanized Division of our armed forces... nuff' said.
Duo pack: Tora Tora Tora! and Battle of Midway (1970s) - that set a hell of a standard to judge 2000+ movies on same themes...
Terminator: a low budget (at the time) exercise in how to make technology scary. Second serving in sequel nearly as good..
Apocalypse Now - a bloated as Marlon Brando monster of a movie, but excellent at showing damp, misty jungle - you could almost smell the decaying growth and murky waters of the river as PBR moved upstream in search of Kurtz.
Also, the abject reason on why expeditionary wars fail for even migtiest empires: the invaders can always go back home, local forces are fighting for their homes. Somebody ought to show this to Putin before invading Ukraine!
Guns of Navarone, Force 10 from Navarone. Where Eagles Dare - a tripack of different quality shows carried mostly by source of source novellas by Alistair Maclean.
The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far. - A duo pack again carried by source material , awesome books of Cornelius Ryan, in turn carried by history itself.
Last but not least, some animated features from Japan:
Anything by Miyazaki. Studio Ghibli seemingly can do no wrong animation. From the Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind onwards, they made awesome spectacles with underlying themes of war, ecosystems and human expansionism.
Ghost in the Shell. Major Motoko and her section nine basically made the cyberpunk genre.
I could go on like thsi for hours, but I have some urgent duties in the household so I break here...
Some outstanding choices there Paweł! (Loved Cornelius Ryan's books!)
DeleteThe 1970's Midway sucked. Sorry Pawel. The recent one was marginally better. Still need to make an accurate on of Midway; no embellishment required.
DeleteBG
It didn't suck, it just wasn't that well done, it's Hollywood, not a documentary. Documentaries don't make money.
DeleteLast of the Mohicans is an underrated gem. Amazing soundtrack. Amazing cinematography. Great story. And, of course, great acting.
ReplyDeleteIt also has a high degree of what I call, "Historical Fidelity". I.e., even though the movie is fiction, it does a superb job a putting the history in "historical fiction". Case in point: showing the engineers digging their lines up closer and closer to the fort during that siege. Priceless.
The attack on that British column is also clearly inspired by Braddock's misadventure at the Monongahela. It does an amazing job of showing the dichotomy between 'old school' European linear tactics versus the light infantry tactics of the 'new school' in the wilderness.
Mohicans competes with Zulu in my book for best pre-Twentieth Century war movie. I've been meaning to re-watch it for several years now. I need to make that happen.
Yes, yes, the history is respected and presented well. I think it is my absolute favorite, but there are any number of films that come close. (Waterloo any one? Rod Steiger, Christopher Plummer? I think I've watched that one a hundred times. Every time I do I think the French have a chance ...)
DeleteWaterloo is fantastic—though admittedly, I am biased. However, I think if you don't already know the history, it probably doesn't hold up particularly well as a film. That may be in part why it was such a flop at the box office. Hence even though I adore it, I would probably put it below Zulu and Mohicans on my pre-1900 list. But goodness, Christopher Plummer was practically channeling Wellington's spirit in that role and Steiger captured late-Empire Napoleon perfectly. The charge of the Scots Greys gets me every time.
DeleteThe film had its issues, but I still love it and watch it on occasion.
DeleteAnyone else like "Second Hand Lion"? That was a good one again every few year.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a dozen clips from it, still haven't seen the entire movie. And I'm a huge Michael Caine, Robert Duvall fan.
DeleteEntire movie is well worth it, Sarge! BG
DeleteCopy!
DeleteTora, Tora, Tora is, in my opinion, the best WWII movie ever made. BEST EVER. And I've been to Pearl Harbor and toured Ford Island.
ReplyDeleteAway All Boats - probably the best movie dealing with Pacific island hopping.
Most anything Fred Astaire. Love the dancing, the snark, the music, the action.
Brigadoon. Pretty much everything in that movie, and Sy Charise, what a babe.
Alien and Aliens.
Pretty much anything John Carpenter, They Live, The Thing, yada yada
The Blue Max
Pretty much everything Errol Flynn. Especially Robin Hood.
Love John Carpenter's work, absolutely love it.
DeleteThe Blue Max, George Peppard as Leutnant Bruno Stachel? An outstanding film, the flying sequences were superb!
Great selections Beans!
Not much of a movie goer, but surprisingly I have seen six of the twenty on Sarge's initial list, and thought they were excellent. I have a bunch more that we will catch as streaming stuff at some point, so I appreciate the discussion and input from all.
ReplyDeleteJohn Blackshoe
Many, many good films listed herein, I've got to re-watch a lot of them!
DeleteCrusty Old TV Tech here. OK, most of my list is up higher, but there are a few more I believe worthy of mention.
ReplyDeleteThe Blues Brothers. Any movie that mixes Ackroyd, Belushi, Carrie Fisher, and an M-72 has my vote! Not to mention Twiggy in a Jag, and a flying Pinto wagon. And Cab Calloway and a stone cold killer band "good enough to turn goat (stuff) into elderberry wine!".
Dracula, with Bela Lugosi, the original, the best. "Listen to them, the children of the night..." If that's not horror, then nothing is.
Fall of the House of Usher with Vincent Price. Edgar Allan Poe and Vincent Price, need I say more?
Star Trek 2 The Wrath of Khan. Montalban and Shatner, "...buried in the heart of a dead planet. Buried alive..." "KHHHAAAANNNN!"
High Plains Drifter. Eastwood and a desert town full of cowards. Classic.
I didn't see Dirty Harry, or Magnum Force, or Sudden Impact, apologies if this is a dupe. Gotta have more Eastwood.
One ping Vasily, one ping only.
More Eastwood, AYE!
DeleteBela Lugosi, that line, absolute magic!
Great choices, COTT!
Crusty Old TV Tech again. Another "last post I swear" post.
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget "The Bridges at Toko-Ri"? William Holden, Mickey Rooney, Grace Kelly, and a story by James Michener. "Where do we get such men?".
Or "Strategic Air Command", (then) Col Jimmy Stewart, B-36 Aluminum Overcast, "6 turnin and 4 burnin", and B-47's. Just the aircraft footage makes it worth watching.
Both excellent!
DeleteDevotion might be an heir to "Bridges" great flying of real aircraft.
DeleteBG
Haven't seen it yet.
DeleteHighly recommended! The flying is amazing - real aircraft with CGI in the background for numbers. After you've seen the movie, read Adam Makos' book
DeleteBG
I'm very familiar with the story, I have the book. I just have no time to go to the cinema these days.
DeleteSpeaking of no time for movies I saw "No Time For Sergeants" at the library the other day... :-)
DeleteI love that movie!
DeleteSome others not mentioned: "The Rough Riders" (TR in the Spanish American War), "Kelly's Heros" (how I suspect the American Army actually worked), "The Misfit Brigade" (the German equivalent), a lesser known "Go Tell the Spartans" (early Vietnam, like Apocalypse Now" but without the melodrama). "Alien" and "The Terminator" (the first ones) are the best horror movies - where the aliens are barely shown. Imagination is better than the best CG imagery. Besides I loved and was rooting for Jonesy).
ReplyDeleteGood ones.
DeleteHow could I forget Kelly's Heroes?
The Milagro Beanfield War; Redford directed a great ensemble cast; beautiful photograpy, quirky story.
ReplyDeleteBoat Guy
I'll need to check that one out.
DeleteI've seen all of the above and most listed in the comments, read some of the books. Books are always better than the movies. But, for obvious reasons Jeremiah Johnson is in the top 5 for me. A man called horse as well but have not watched it near as many times as J J.
ReplyDeleteBear Claw
ps Add Death Hunt with Lee Marvin, Chuck Bronson and the always hot Angie Dickinson.
DeleteAngie Dickinson? Ah! "Rio Bravo"! John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan and Angie Dickinson... that was a good western!
DeleteWhen I see that's it's on I'll try and find the time to watch it.. I wonder if the library has it? Worth a look..
They do!
DeleteFunniest "It's A Mad Mad Mad World"
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, that one is good.
DeleteDays late, but I'm surprised no one claimed my favorite- The Shawshank Redemption.
ReplyDeleteA very good film!
DeleteGettysburg - No matter how many times I watch it....when Armistead asks "who will come with me?" and that music kicks in...I choke up and think (like Faulkner) that maybe this time, this time...they are going to make it.
ReplyDeleteGreat book, great film.
DeleteThe Thin Man series. When they perfect time travel I'm going back and have a torrid affair with Myrna Loy.
DeleteAnything Bogart & Bacall.
Always watch:
Tora, Tora, Tora on 7 Dec.
The Longest Day on 6 June
The Battle of Britain on 15 Sept. "Where are the reserves?" "Sir, there are no reserves."
Dunkirk on 4 June (Last day of Operation Dynamo)
I like the cut of your jib!
DeleteOne movie I can watch over and over is "Rob Roy". More historically accurate than "Braveheart" (Even though Roy harassed the Marquis for years instead of months) and has one of the most realistic swordfights in all of film. Don't really like Jessica Lange as Mary, though. Her accent is a bit dodgy...
ReplyDeleteA very good movie indeed!
Delete