Random 10: Random Films for Comment - Week 9

The Hudsucker Proxy has some of the funniest moments and admirable scenes the Coen brothers have ever put on screen, but it's also an incredibly self-conscious, postmodern pastiché and lacks the heart and warmth of the films it's referencing.

1688. Freaks, 1932 (dir. Tod Browning) -- is fantastic... the guy without legs is the best special effect in any movie and it's for real!!

Yes, I love 'Freaks' - I often wonder, with it being made in 1932, if the guy without legs is a war casualty, or if he was born that way, or some other kind of accident. Freaks unfortunately seems to be known by people because of infamy - the usual effect of banning a film increasing interest is in play here, but perhaps tempered by the fact that it is in black and white, so who can be bothered? I've never really understood the banning (it was banned in the UK, I believe - I don't know about the US) is it because looking at the actors is so offensive the audience should be protected? Is it the (mostly implied) violence at the end? The themes of the film seem quite moral and normal for drama, it just seems odd. The whole 'Oh, but who are the real freaks?' thing may seem trite, but it's a very effective film, I thought. The suspence is brilliantly maintained, and the images at the end are stunning. Haven't seen it in ages though, so I need to watch it again.
A quick IMDB check reveals that this film was made in the golden-age of tag-line writing:-

"Can a full grown woman truly love a MIDGET?"
"The Love Story of a SIREN, a GIANT, and a DWARF!"

Hudsucker Proxy is one of my favourite Coen Brothers films, and I think it's underrated by their fans and audiences generally. Jennifer Jason Leigh is fantastic as the fast and wise talking reporter, and Tim Robbins is good in the lead, I felt. I guess you could say that it lacks heart - but while it is in part a homage to directors like Capra, I don't think it's reasonable to expect the Coen Brothers to make a Capra film, with the sacharine qualities that would involve.

Spartacus is, of course, brilliant, Kirk Douglas' best performance, in my opinion. But yeah, everyone likes this film, and now I have run out of films I have seen. Oh well.

Hudsucker Proxy - highly underrated Coen Bros. film, I agree. If you think this is among their worst, you obviously need to compare to some of their most recent fare. I especially like the Capra-esque "pausing" of the fall, and the film is worthy enough for the performance of Newman.

Freaks - eh, it's okay. The ending is way too trumped, but yes, it works on the level of implied violence. Strangely didn't feel the need to see this film until watching The Dreamers, but whateveh. The midgets just can't act worth a damn, even on 1930's standards. It's really sad in that respect, but again, whatevah. It's worth a look.

Il Bidone - mediocre early-period Fellini. I saw this during a Fellini kick I was having last year where I tried to go through all his work chronologically. (I only made it to Juliet of the Spirits before falling off the wagon.) In any case, even in that context, it just seemed lacking some of the oomph. The scenes in the poor section of town are okay, but I can't really say much for the rest of it...partially because it was so unmemorable.

Steamboat Willie - debut Mortimer Mickey Mouse film. Parody of Buster Keaton, right? Haven't seen it since I was a kid; I should watch it again.

Spartacus - Anecdote time: Kubrick took over the film from Anthony Mann and essentially inherited the beginning sequences from him, I think. Also annoyed the DP so much on the first day that the DP sat out the rest of the film in protest (but kept the credit), while Kubrick unsurprisingly dictated the visuals. Irony aplenty when the DP ended up winning the Oscar for the film he "shot".

Kirk Douglas's defining role, although I think Paths of Glory is the superior Douglas/Kubrick film, and you can't hate on Tony Curtis's performance either. Personally, though, I love watching Pompey(?) and almost all the Roman stuff. It's so lusciously rich, you can cut the acting with a knife. Take that, Gladiator! I always forget the ending, though. I really need to watch this one again, too.

Yeah, I prefer Paths of Glory too, but prefer Douglas in Spartacus.

The Hudsucker Proxy One of the occasion Coen films that I don't "get." Or maybe more accurately, I "get" it but don't "like" it much.

Impromptu A nice little costume drama slightly elevated by the fact that pretty much all the main characters are great and famous artists: Chopin, George Sand, etc. Hugh Grant plays Chopin not very well, but with a minimum of Hugh Grantisms.

Luna I saw this ages and ages ago. My memories are a little foggy, but the sex scenes in it are among the most desperate and disturbing I can bring to mind; the fact that they're ostenstibly incestuous just makes them more so. Then there's the son character so junk sick he tries to fix with a fork. I'd like to see this again, just to see if memory serves.

Not much to add about Freaks, Il Bidone, Steamboat Willie, and Spartacus.

"One of the occasion" = "One of the occasional"