It's All About The Music
First of all, let me say a happy birthday (for another 40 min) to my now fiance Mike, who turned 27 today, and while I'm at it, a happy birthday for myself, who turned 26 yesterday.
Secondly, I've been trying very hard to catch up on all the old movies that I stupidly dVRed all at once. I've watched some that I can't even believe made it to my "1001 movies you should watch before you die" book (Ninotchka?? Seriously? Greta Garbo was like a more boring Temperance Brennan, and Bela Lugosi was seriously underused.) and I've watched some that I very much enjoyed. A couple I've seen lately that are both highly recommended are The Red Shoes and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1955 version).
The Red Shoes is a British ballet movie. *Yawn* you say, and I thought the same thing. But Anton Walbrook's performance was spectacularly reptilian, and Moira Shearer did a fantastic job in her first role. It's basically about work vs personal life and having to pick between the two. But there is some great dances, beautiful cinematography, and wonderful music. I think, in some films, the music makes the movie. As Anton says to Moira, "It's all about the music."
Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much is the first film I've ever seen that includes the score to the film IN the movie itself! It's actually a very major plot point. You'll never get more suspense from a pair of symbols in any other film. And I'm guessing you'll never get a duet between a mother and her kidnapped son (before he's rescued) in any other film. You should just watch this movie for the London Symphony Orchestra scene, which is Hitchcock at his best. Everyone loves movies like Vertigo and Notorious, but I thought those films were tame compared to some of his lesser known works, like Shadow of a Doubt or Frenzy. The Man Who Knew Too Much is well known to be sure, but I think it's less watched than others, and it shouldn't be. Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day both did top notch acting as well as the supporting cast.
When I saw the orchestra scene in that movie, it reminded me of watching August Rush on my flight home from Phoenix last week. I laughed to myself, because August Rush had an orchestra scene, and the film itself was all about music. But it was on its own pedestal the whole time, asking people to "feel the music" when the whole movie was contrived and ultimately stupidly unbelieveable, not to mention Robin Williams' horrible pointless character. Do not watch. Please.
It's funny that I'm writing about this, because music doesn't usually get to me as much as other things. There are people in this world that LIVE for music. I enjoy music a lot, but I don't follow bands or award shows or care really about anything like that. It doesn't mean I don't really like certain music, but I think I enjoy it in a different way than a lot of people. I've had multiple people get mad at me for not listening to Pink Floyd's The Wall in the correct order of songs. Sorry? It wasn't that big of a deal to me, but I just don't get some of that stuff.
Anyway, Mike is in need of an after work birthday drink, so I must go to him. I am going to NYC for job interviews tomorrow, but when I get back I WILL post pictures of my Arizona trip!
(And don't forget that I've started including links to relevant things in my title!)
Secondly, I've been trying very hard to catch up on all the old movies that I stupidly dVRed all at once. I've watched some that I can't even believe made it to my "1001 movies you should watch before you die" book (Ninotchka?? Seriously? Greta Garbo was like a more boring Temperance Brennan, and Bela Lugosi was seriously underused.) and I've watched some that I very much enjoyed. A couple I've seen lately that are both highly recommended are The Red Shoes and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1955 version).
The Red Shoes is a British ballet movie. *Yawn* you say, and I thought the same thing. But Anton Walbrook's performance was spectacularly reptilian, and Moira Shearer did a fantastic job in her first role. It's basically about work vs personal life and having to pick between the two. But there is some great dances, beautiful cinematography, and wonderful music. I think, in some films, the music makes the movie. As Anton says to Moira, "It's all about the music."
Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much is the first film I've ever seen that includes the score to the film IN the movie itself! It's actually a very major plot point. You'll never get more suspense from a pair of symbols in any other film. And I'm guessing you'll never get a duet between a mother and her kidnapped son (before he's rescued) in any other film. You should just watch this movie for the London Symphony Orchestra scene, which is Hitchcock at his best. Everyone loves movies like Vertigo and Notorious, but I thought those films were tame compared to some of his lesser known works, like Shadow of a Doubt or Frenzy. The Man Who Knew Too Much is well known to be sure, but I think it's less watched than others, and it shouldn't be. Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day both did top notch acting as well as the supporting cast.
When I saw the orchestra scene in that movie, it reminded me of watching August Rush on my flight home from Phoenix last week. I laughed to myself, because August Rush had an orchestra scene, and the film itself was all about music. But it was on its own pedestal the whole time, asking people to "feel the music" when the whole movie was contrived and ultimately stupidly unbelieveable, not to mention Robin Williams' horrible pointless character. Do not watch. Please.
It's funny that I'm writing about this, because music doesn't usually get to me as much as other things. There are people in this world that LIVE for music. I enjoy music a lot, but I don't follow bands or award shows or care really about anything like that. It doesn't mean I don't really like certain music, but I think I enjoy it in a different way than a lot of people. I've had multiple people get mad at me for not listening to Pink Floyd's The Wall in the correct order of songs. Sorry? It wasn't that big of a deal to me, but I just don't get some of that stuff.
Anyway, Mike is in need of an after work birthday drink, so I must go to him. I am going to NYC for job interviews tomorrow, but when I get back I WILL post pictures of my Arizona trip!
(And don't forget that I've started including links to relevant things in my title!)
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