What was the last movie you've seen?

[Jrecee]

Iron Man 3.

Amazing. IMO, the best of Marvel's movies. I don't know what else to say...

Wasn't...

The entire Mandarin thing more than awesome? Fucking killed in my theater. Everyone stayed for Banner too, and I mean no one left the theater. I love how Marvel is adding light hearted easter eggs, and not just tacking on something to make us want to watch a sequel.

And one thing I hated about RISES was done perfectly in IM3, which would be sitting through a long movie and not seeing the hero in the suit the majority of the time. As I said before, they could have called the movie TONY STARK.

I liked the twist. I'm sure it's getting plenty of outrage from the comic fans. The lack of suit for a while was fine since the movie kept moving forward. Rises, like TDK was just too overstuffed with non-batman stuff. IM3 at least kept things focused on the main character, suited up or not. And really, I'd taking Tony doing stuff without the suit, to Tony wearing the suit and shooting watermelons and fighting his best friend.

[Luke]

DUDE! Spoiler everything!

[AppleQueso]

DUDE! Spoiler everything!

Looks like he meant to but accidentally hit "quote" instead.

...at least there wasn't actually anything too spoilery in what he said.

[Ack]

Problem fixed.

[Ack]

Haxan



I'm incredibly impressed by this Danish documentary from 1922. The film is based on Benjamin Christensen's studies into the medieval treatment of witchcraft and superstition that he conducted from 1919 to 1921 and divides itself into various sections concerning superstitious belief in pre-medieval civilization, medieval attitudes and beliefs concerning witchcraft, the treatment of suspected witches by witch hunters and the Catholic Church, and finally how similar conditions to those that would have brought people under suspicion for witchcraft were being treated at the time of the film's production (largely under the banner of hysteria).

But this research is also intermingled with actors' portrayals of beliefs regarding witchcraft and Satanism, Church judgements, modern "hysteria" symptoms such as pyromania, somnambulism, and kleptomania, and so forth. The result is that this movie has some of the most incredible early visions of horror sequences and costuming I have ever seen, particularly with the demonic visions and beliefs that are proposed. Once again, I find myself delighted with silent horror film and their effects. Then again, this was one of the most expensive silent films ever produced, so I'm glad they paid so much attention to detail. I would heartily recommend this one to fans of silent horror.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I love silent horror films, and this is on my Hulu queue. I will watch it soon on your recommendation.

I think that I know the answer, but have you seen: (1) The Vampyre; (2) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari; (3) Nosferatu; and (4) The Phantom of the Opera? All are very solid.

Also, Netflix streaming is absolutely rocking the silent films right now with some truly fantastic foreign selections. If you have the service - and you are a fan of silent films - you really shoudl check out some of the films they have on offer right now.

[Retrodude]

Have you seen The Passion Of Joan Of Arc? That's another good silent one.

[Ack]

I love silent horror films, and this is on my Hulu queue. I will watch it soon on your recommendation.

I think that I know the answer, but have you seen: (1) The Vampyre; (2) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari; (3) Nosferatu; and (4) The Phantom of the Opera? All are very solid.

Also, Netflix streaming is absolutely rocking the silent films right now with some truly fantastic foreign selections. If you have the service - and you are a fan of silent films - you really shoudl check out some of the films they have on offer right now.

I love silent horror films! I could recommend a few others, if you were interested. But as for your question:

1) Do you mean the German film Vampyre, in 1932? I've not yet seen it, but I hear it's a weird one!
2) Yes.
3) Yes!
4) YES!

Hahaha, Nosferatu is actually one of my favorite films, and Lon Chaney's version of The Phantom of the Opera was the first silent film I ever watched and got me into the style. My grandmother made me watch it when I was 10, and then followed it with many of the 1930s Universal monster films. I have found memories of pulling out that VHS and admiring Chaney's makeup work.

A couple of others I'd suggest to check out: there's a version of Frankenstein from 1910 that I enjoy. It's the first film adaptation of the book ever made, it's only about 20 minutes, and Thomas Edison was listed as a producer!



There's also the third film in the Golem trilogy, The Golem: How He Came into the World. Unfortunately only parts of the first, Der Golem, are known to exist, and the second film, The Golem and the Dancing Girl, is considered lost. And TCM has done their best to reconstruct a version of London After Midnight, though they had to use stills where the film couldn't be found.

If you want some more modern takes on silent horror, look up Brand Upon the Brain! and The Call of Cthulhu. Speaking of which, I really need to get a copy of The Call of Cthulhu's poster for my apartment:



And Retrodude, I'm sorry to say, but no I haven't seen that one.

[o.pwuaioc]

2) Yes.
3) Yes!

You like Nosferatu better than Caligari? Ah, man, I totally thought Caligari was the more intriguing film. Nosferatu is great, but it didn't have some of the depth that Caligari had. The only thing Caligari was missing was the original ending:

The original story made it clear that Caligari and Cesare were real and were responsible for a number of deaths.

[Ack]

For me, it comes down to Max Schreck's acting. The set design used in Dr. Caligari is amazing, but Schreck's mannerisms are chilling in a way that few films produce. The simple act of turning his head elicits revulsion and dismay in me. I love it!