No, it's not YouTube Tuesday, but I wanted to share some trailers and videos of some of my favorite films. If you haven't seen them, give them a chance. If you've seen them, let me know what you thought. These are not all necessarily in my top ten, though some of them are, but I could watch them over and over again.
First up is a fan video made for my favorite film, Bagdad Café. The first time I met Mom Smackley, he asked me what my favorite movie was. I guess that can be a loaded question. What if I had said Top Gun? (which I despise by the way) Or if I had said something even more cliché like Steel Magnolias. (which I like, but not a favorite) Luckily, I did have a favorite film...Bagdad Café, which I guess not many people have heard of, but Mom Smackley knew what it was and liked it, too. We spent the rest of the night talking about movies, actors and realized we both knew of Carrie Nye. The rest is history. We will be celebrating our 11th Anniversary in just 10 days.
Don't get me wrong. We have do have differences in tastes. He likes a lot of Italian Horror films. I like some of them, but there are a lot of them I can't get through. Not because they are too scary, but because I can't get past some of the bad dubbing in some releases. If I had to choose an Italian Horror film I do like, it would be this one...Suspiria.
There are three movies that we can watch anytime. Would I call them favorites? Yeah, I guess I would. Normally, when I list my top ten favorites to people in conversation or on facebook, I don't usually include them. But Mom Smackley and I can quote them, and usually do to each other in random places.
The first of these is Murder by Death. An all-star cast in a hilarious spoof of detective mystery movies.
The next is another film with an all-star cast in a hilarious spoof of detective mystery movies, but this time based on the Parker Brothers board game. Clue!
The third of these is, believe it or not, another mystery featuring an all-star cast. This time it is a straight mystery film, but it still has some humorous moments. It is Evil Under the Sun.
I almost forgot!!! There is another movie we quote a lot. It is the tribute to anyone who has ever been overworked, underpaid, and pushed to the edge by an ungrateful boss...Nine to Five. Too bad this trailer didn't have any of the great scenes from the film.
Here are some other films I enjoy watching when the mood strikes.
This is an Asian action film that was directed by Corey Yuen. So Close is about two sisters taking the law into their own hands and becoming assassins. On their trail is a police detective who is just as smart.
Speaking of assassins, how about a film with Helen Mirren as an assassin? Shadowboxer is a film that I used to see in the video store and never thought about picking up until one day we came across it after a weekend of Helen Mirren's Prime Suspect. I'm so glad we picked it up that day.
Switching gears...how about a classic? Most people think that one of my favorite classic films is The Women. Don't get me wrong, it's up there, but Stage Door is one that I absolutely love. My favorite supporting actress in this film isn't even mentioned in the trailer...Eve Arden.
Finally, I'll follow the segue into this film that also stars Katharine Hepburn. I love the films based on Tennessee Williams' work, but of all of them, this is my favorite. Teaming Hepburn with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in the bizarre story of Suddenly, Last Summer.
Well that's ten films and good place to stop. I'm sure there a few that you've seen and I would love to hear your thoughts on them. There may be some you never thought to see, but now hopefully you'll give them a chance. There may even be one you never heard of, but I think you might enjoy it.
It's always pleasant to find another fan of SUSPIRIA. You might be interested in some thoughts I posted about it a few months ago, on why I think it is so effective where other horror films are not:
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Wow Marc...a great post to a great film. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWell, no sooner than I send you the link to my post, one of my friends writes an even better one, so I think it's only right I share that one too:
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SUSPIRIA recently screened in L.A., and Barbara Magnolfi ("Names that start with the letter S are the names of SNAKES!") was there in person. I couldn't go, but he did, lucky dog.
Thanks for sharing. It was a great post and I'm jealous that I he got to see it on the big screen. What a visual treat that must have been.
ReplyDeletehadn't thought about bagdad cafe forever. that song certainly is wonderful. i recall we tried to find other movies the german actress had been in. italian horror? i'm outy.
ReplyDeleteI loved Marianne Sägebrecht in Bagdad, so I did rent two other films she did with Bagdad's director Percy Adlon: Sugarbaby (which she did before Bagdad) and Rosalie Goes Shopping (which came after). Neither gave me the same feeling that Bagdad Cafe did. The only plus, sexy Brad Davis was in Rosalie, also.
ReplyDeleteMost people recognize her from the Kathleen Turner/Michael Douglas film The War of the Roses. She played the housekeeper they hired and she had some cute moments in it.