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What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

Worf

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,207
Location
Troy, New York, USA
Agreed on The Cabin in the Woods - I don't care for most modern horror flicks at all, but this one was really clever and different. The credit mostly goes to Joss Whedon's script.

Which darker side are you talking about, Worf? Disney's being on the wrong side of labor troubles of the 40s? His rapacious business practices in getting Disneyland and Disneyworld built? His alleged - and mostly disproved - anti-Semitism? Surely not the old Song of the South mess?

I've read nearly everything ever written about Disney, and I've come to the conclusion that he had a lot less dark side than is often believed. Sure, he was manipulative and wasn't always right (particularly when viewed through modern PC attitudes), and he could be wrong-headed and depressed... But he was a real visionary (having typically taken risks with new technologies - sound, color, stereo, television - well before most of Hollywood), and he understood what his audience wanted really well. Though he was no great artist himself, he surrounded himself with tremendous talent, and he directed it to great effect. And though he wasn't educated, his innate story sense - particularly the ability to see a film storyboarded (the now-universally-used storyboard being his invention) and punch up its pacing, gags, and emotion - was legendary.

Anyway, I don't like to see Walt Disney disrespected: this is the guy who - in the just 12 years from "Steamboat Willie" to Fantasia - shepherded the art and business of animation through amazing growth! And this was before he invented the modern theme park and became a pillar of television.

(FYI, the best book on Disney is Michael Barrier's The Animated Man. Neil Gabler's much longer, vastly overpraised biography is crowded with detail... but it completely fails in capturing any real sense of the man.)

When my beard grows out, it's completely grey. I've had people whistle or sing "Zip a Dee Do Dah" behind my back.... I was/am NOT amused. Disney, like Berry Gordy was a visionary and a pioneer but I like to believe that you can succeed without exploiting, labor, friends, black balling people and pandering... perhaps I'm naïve.

Worf
 

Doctor Strange

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,252
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
No, you're not. Walt Disney was a human being, and so, like all of us, he was a mix of better and worse.

Let's just say that Disney was like most other geniuses: outstandingly creative in his field, but often messy and dysfunctional in other areas of his life. He had blind spots common to his generation and upbringing. And certainly, nobody (particularly someone who starts as a pioneer in a brand new form) that reaches that level of success and influence does it without having a nasty streak, though it may be well concealed.

Hey, I don't want to bring the mood down on Xmas Eve...
 

Gregg Axley

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,125
Location
Tennessee
In Werewolf?
He was burned back in the 60's, after taking LSD and setting himself on fire.
After that he spoke out against drug use, and made his new found looks, a way to play sinister characters in movies.
He's since passed, but was a very accomplished musician as well as actor, despite Werewolf. ;)

A Christmas Story.
I have it on TBS for the ratings, but I'm watching the Blu-ray version, because TBS put up the "time compressed" symbol, ie you cut something out you stupid SOB's! Cut commercials but not my favorite movie.
BTW I have several versions of this movie, on VHS, DVR, HD DVD (that never took off), DVD, and Blu-Ray.
Why? Why not?
 
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EliasRDA

One of the Regulars
Messages
193
Location
Oceanic Peninsula (DelMarVa) USA
Couldnt sleep late last nite so channeled surf the upper channels, hbo, starz, etc. ran into The Cotton Club. I used to love watching any movie with Gregory Hines in it. That man could dance. I'll always love his sand dance in Mel Brooks History of the World Pt 1.
Anways, Cotton Club was a good movie, I have no idea how true it was, the clothes look pretty good too, to me at least. One thing I found interesting was how many hombergs instead of fedoras they used.
 

vintageTink

One Too Many
Messages
1,321
Location
An Okie in SoCal
In Werewolf?
He was burned back in the 60's, after taking LSD and setting himself on fire.
After that he spoke out against drug use, and made his new found looks, a way to play sinister characters in movies.
He's since passed, but was a very accomplished musician as well as actor, despite Werewolf. ;)

A Christmas Story.
I have it on TBS for the ratings, but I'm watching the Blu-ray version, because TBS put up the "time compressed" symbol, ie you cut something out you stupid SOB's! Cut commercials but not my favorite movie.
BTW I have several versions of this movie, on VHS, DVR, HD DVD (that never took off), DVD, and Blu-Ray.
Why? Why not?
Nope, the blonde guy from Soultaker. Big misshapen face.
We have A Christmas Story on Blu Ray as well.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year.
Not their best effort, but still good.
My boys love that movie.

A Christmas Carol.
 

Dated Guy

Familiar Face
Messages
94
Location
East Coast Gt. Britain
Christmas Eve afternoon, all done around me in the house, the wifely woman was out visiting friends of hers, I sat down and watched for the very first time the very old, silent film 'The Penalty' with Lon Chaney Snr. Absolutely brilliant, a total pleasure to view.... a favorite now... !!
 

Worf

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,207
Location
Troy, New York, USA
"A Christmas Carol" - TNT Style - Well I don't know really what grade to give it. The original was cut or stretched to fill 2 commercial filled hours. The whole thing seemed dis-jointed. Patrick Stewart was "ok" the special effects were good for 1999 but key scenes... like Scrooge mourning at his sister's death bed were GONE! I was kinda disappointed.

Hey Doc your assessment of Disney is a great one. I don't ask people to forget the good that people do, I just don't want them to whitewash the bad in the process... No one, not even me, is all one thing or another. But enough of that... Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone. Happy Binge Watching!!!!

And remember...

"You'll shoot your eye out kid!"

Worf
 

Gregg Axley

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,125
Location
Tennessee
Oh darn, I was hoping for a higher rating from you Worf.
Yes they did cut out a few scenes, that may be seen in other movies.
TNT also cut out some things because it read "time compressed."
Idiots.
I just feel Stewart's portrayal of Scrooge was the best, and the Crachet's living quarters are much poorer looking than the 38 version.
 

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