Saturday, July 27, 2013

Days 14- 30 (oops)

Day 14: Film That Made you Cry the Hardest:
     This is a hard one because I cry a lot when I watch movies.  I think it is probably The Best Years of Our Lives, though because both times I watched it, I cried through at least half of it.

Day 15: Film With the Most Beautiful Scenery:
    The Return (2003).  I put this because I for some reason never imagined Russia as actually pretty.  This film assured me that at least some of it is.

Day 16: Film With the Snappiest Dialogue/ Intertitles
   The one that comes to mind is His Girl Friday.

Day 17: Favorite Film Score
    I really like the Kino edition's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari's score.  It really adds to the atmosphere of that creepy film..

Day 18: Film With your Favorite Villain
    Musidoria in Judex and Les Vampires

Day 19: Film With Your Favorite Hero
    I think I'll go with Douglas Fairbanks as Zorro in The Mark of Zorro, partly because I love those lame parlor tricks and his kinda goofy Zorro mustache he sticks on.


Day 20: Film You Wish You Could Live In
    I don't know if I would want to live here for very long, but I think hanging out with Joan and Anita in the melodramatic flapper world of Our Dancing Daughters (or Our Modern Maidens) would be fantastic.


Day 21: Film You Used to Love but Now Hate
    Singin' in the Rain. (Sorry, I know heresy) When I was a kid I adored this movie, but when I watched it a year ago, I was unimpressed by pretty much everything except Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont.  Although her character is going to keep the squeaky voice silent star alive for a long time yet.  I don't think I particularly hate it, I just don't need to see it again.

Day 22: Film That No One Expected You to Love
     The (new) Great Gatsby.  I am often a stickler for historical details, so my family thought I was going to hate it, but I kinda loved its craziness and thought the hip hop worked for some reason.

Day 23: Film that Disappointed You the Most
    The General.  I kept hearing it referred to as 'the best silent film' but was unimpressed with this gag picture, which just seems to be an hour long chase scene.  Maybe I'll have to watch it again.

Day 24:Film that you wish you had a time machine so you could see it in the theater
   I would have to say We Moderns with Colleen Moore, partly because I adore flapper films, but also because it is lost and I have read a few period reviews calling it her best film, plus this poster looks awesome:


Day 25: Most Beautiful Costume Design
     The one that comes to mind is Imitation of Life.  The costumes are amazing.  Of course having many of them worn by Lana Turner doesn't hurt.

Day 26: Character You Relate to Most
    Joan Fontaine as the Second Mrs. DeWinter in Rebecca, especially those first scenes. That is exactly how I act and feel sometimes- awkward and silly, but I feel like I have the core of strength that she shows later in the film.


Day 27: A Movie From Your Favorite Director
   Currently my favorite director is King Vidor who was so adept at directing comedy, drama, etc. One of my favorite of his movies that I have seen is Show People. Few movies get me to consistently giggle like this one.

Day 28: A Movie That Casts a Favorite Performer Against Type
   Notorious subtly plays with Cary Grant's screen persona in a way that I find fascinating.

Day 29: A Movie From a 'Gone Too Soon' Performer
    Libeled Lady.  I adore Jean Harlow and while I can see that she wasn't the best actress, she was getting better at comedy by the year, which is one of the reasons why it is so sad that she died so young.
"Did you change your insurance?"

Day 30:  A Movie From What You Consider to be the Best Year for Film
    1927.   I don't know that I can pick one, but a list may indicate why I think it's the best.  My Best Girl, It, Sunrise, Wings, 7th Heaven, The Unknown, The Cat and the Canary, Chicago, etc., etc.