Writing by blake on Tuesday, 31 of July , 2007 at 11:05 am
The passing of filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni is extremely sad. The painstaking detail he crafted his films, their narratives, point of views and environments is something of timeless cinema beauty. When watching his films, whether it’s the first time or the 58th viewing, there always seems to be something new popping up, some moment or detail you had missed before. He took the creation aspects and their worlds to a whole new intimate meaning. His work will live on and continue to be remembered, baffled over and debated to the early morning hours over hot cups of coffee.
In the July 1962 issue of Theatre Arts, it had a nice and yet very brief introduction on the film from both Monica Vitti and Michelangelo Antonioni. Their introductions follow:
Michelangelo Antonioni on L’Eclisse (1962):
:::
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How can I tell you the story of Eclipse? A story of imprisoned sentiments if told in a few words is ruined. It can lose all its significance. Even though I start out knowing the story, my films change constantly as I make them. I never follow a fixed story line or pattern. Eclipse, for instance, is about a young working woman who leaves a man because she no longer loves him, and then leaves another man because she still loves him.
The world today is ruled by money, greed for money, fear of money. This leads to a dangerous passivity towards problems of the spirit. Love is affected by this too, and the woman Vittoria of my film, who has just walked out on an unfortunate relationship meets Piero, a stock broker, who might be the one love of her life, but this man is locked up in his world of investments, speculations. He is lost in the convulsive activity of the market. The market governs his every action, even his way of loving.
Monica Vitti on L’Eclisse (1962):
:::
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I can only say that our new film is the story of a love that lasts for a short time - as brief as an eclipse. Vittoria has little in common with Claudia in L’Avventura or Valentina in La Notte. All she has in common with them is a need to understand, to get to the bottom of things, to let herself be understood. But she is less sophisticated than either Claudia or Valentina. She comes from a middle class family, has a modest job as a translator and is fairly well educated.
The role was the most difficult one I ever played. Vittoria is simples and complex; and in reality I am nothing like her. I refuse with all my being to accept the truth that she accepts: the fragility of relationships and their inevitable end. That’s why I was almost afraid of the role.
(Read more…)
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Category: Movie Wallpaper, Movie Wallpaper - 1960's, People: Michelangelo Antonioni, People: Alain Delon, People: Monica Vitti
Writing by blake on Tuesday, 31 of July , 2007 at 8:42 am
Somber picture of Barbara Leigh and Rock Hudson in Roger Vadim’s “Pretty Maids all in a row.” I always found Barbara Leigh one of the most stunning actresses cinema has seen. She simply lights up the screen in the films she is in. Sad she wasn’t in more films. Two more from her to check out are “Junior Bonner” (alongside Steve McQueen) and “Student Nurses.”
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Category: Movie Wallpaper, Movie Wallpaper - 1970's, People: Roger Vadim, People: Barbara Leigh, Movies: Pretty Maids All In A Row (1971), People: Rock Hudson
Writing by blake on Monday, 30 of July , 2007 at 7:20 am
With the passing of Ingmar Bergman I recommend rewatching or picking up his classic “Wild Strawberries” (Criterion DVD info).
If you spot any remembrances or have any of your own, please feel free to let me know or post in the comments below.
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::: Ingmar Bergman 1918-2007
Guardian Unlimited
::: Dark arthouse director Ingmar Bergman dies
Times
::: World mourns famed Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman
IHT
::: Ingmar Bergman, Director and Cinema Icon, Dies at 89
Janina Pfalzer and Benedikt Kammel, Bloomberg
::: Swedish film icon Ingmar Bergman dies at 89
Anna Ringstrom and Sarah Edmonds, Reuters
::: Swedish directing giant Ingmar Bergman dead at 89
european-films.net
::: Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007)
Edward Copeland on Film
::: Bergman Dead At 89
The Visitor, Twitch
::: Ingmar Bergman, Famed Director, Dies at 89
Mervyn Rothstein, NY Times
::: Ingmar Bergman dies, aged 89
Gunnar Rehlin, AP
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Category: Movie News
Writing by blake on Sunday, 29 of July , 2007 at 7:35 pm
Caption:
Inventor Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) explains the workings of his DeLorean time machine to a fascinated Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox).
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Category: Movie Wallpaper, Movie Wallpaper - 1980's, People: Robert Zemeckis
Writing by blake on Sunday, 29 of July , 2007 at 9:14 am
Caption:
Composter Winslow Leach (William Finley) is sentenced to jail by a judge (Troy Haskins).
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Category: Movie Wallpaper, Movie Wallpaper - 1970's, People: Brian De Palma
Writing by blake on Saturday, 28 of July , 2007 at 6:50 pm
Franco Nero gets in some bedtime reading alongside Vanessa Redgrave in this extremely rare still from “Un Tranquillo posto di campagna” aka “A Quiet Place in the Country.”
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Category: Movie Wallpaper, People: Franco Nero, Movie Wallpaper - 1960's
Writing by blake on Saturday, 28 of July , 2007 at 5:28 pm
Got some pretty rare French stills for the giallo Solange (and some German lobbies laying around I need to get some images up from) and a Mexican lobbycard for “The Wolf Man” that features some really lurid artwork.
* What Have They Done to Solange? aka Cosa avete fatto a Solange? (1972)
* The Wolf Man (1941)
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Category: Site News, Upcoming Images
Writing by blake on Saturday, 28 of July , 2007 at 4:03 pm
::: Indy Comic-Con Video
Official Indiana Jones Site * Also Karen is back.
The latest Indiana Jones film looks to be perhaps the rumored “sci-fi” story of the series. Only time well tell if that indeed is the case. Certainly looks to be shaped to be largely referential to the series, while hopefully breaking new ground (or planting the seeds for future Indy films). I’ve been a fan of all (yes ALL) Indiana Jones films and somehow my Dad got to see the incredibly rare uncut version of Raiders.
MOVIE NEWS
::: Tarantino to Take on Nazis in WWII Spaghetti Western Project
Deutsche Welle
* In light of his duties at Venice and his really in-depth exploring of Spaghetti Western films in recent years, I could see it happening. Also see: Tarantino @ European Grand Prix; Tarantino @ Ninth Cinemanila International Film Festival
::: World Cinema: Danish Trailers Look Hot
Peter Martin, cinematicalINDIE
::: MILDRED PIERCE—Introductory Remarks by Marc Huestis and Eddie Muller
Michael Guillen, The Evening Class
::: Superbad Review by Collin A.
Twitch
::: Philip Seymour Hoffman busier than ever
Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
::: South Korean film ‘The Host’ releases in India
IANS
::: Sarandon joins The Lovely Bones cast
TVNZ
::: Bollywood’s macho man Sunny set to direct ‘Man’
Subhash K. Jha, newkerala
::: Zhang says Jackie Chan was a good mentor
AAP
::: New York’s Greatest Starring Roles
Bruce Bennett, New York Sun
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Category: Movie News
Writing by blake on Thursday, 26 of July , 2007 at 10:55 pm
I’ve been hunting to get an original of this classic image of cinema history for years now. Today it finally arrived in the mail! I’m so proud to finally be able to add this collection and to be able to provide it to all you cinephiles out there! Enjoy, Gene Hackman in a moment so beautiful that audiences to this day still stand up and cheer its utter brilliance and breathless display of cinema magic!
I should also note that I did attend the legendary Alamo Drafthouse Downtown screening of this film years ago that boasted an amazing Q&A with filmmaker William Friedkin.
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Category: Movie Wallpaper, Movie Wallpaper - 1970's, Movies: The French Connection (1971), People: William Friedkin
Writing by blake on Thursday, 26 of July , 2007 at 9:32 am
::: US cat ‘predicts patient deaths’
BBC News
A bit creepy really. “Oscar the Cat” curls up to people that are about to die at a Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre in Providence, Rhode Island. So far the cat has been right 25 times and counting. That would be a bit frightening to be there and see that cat coming!
Made me think if only “Oscar the Cat” had the same power for telling when relationships are going to end. Your sitting their on your date and suddenly the cat strolls up on your lap and gives you that little tilted head look, “hey buddy your done, pay for the check and go home, this relationship ain’t gonna work.” Then though if it had those powers don’t be surprised if you got a call from your girlfriend who said, “we are through, Oscar just came down and curpled up next to me.”
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Category: Random News
