Best of Bergman? An Interactive Post

Ingmar Bergman is one of the greatest directors of all time.  How do I know?  Because I've been told it is true on numerous occasions.  Most recently it was this post from Alex at And So It Begins that reminded me to check out the work of Bergman.

Why didn't I figure it out for myself?  Because I haven't seen a single one of his films yet.  But all that stops this week.  After reading and hearing so much about this highly respected director, I finally decided to look up some of his films on Lovefilm.  What did I discover?

Many of Bergman's films are free to stream as part of my Lovefilm subscription package.  So to begin with I've put on my list:

1. Persona
2. The Virgin Spring
3. Wild Strawberries
4. Autumn Sonata
5. Cries and Whispers
6. Scenes from a Marriage
7. and the seventh title on the list is aptly... The Seventh Seal.

So what I'd like to know from all the Bergman fans out there is where should I start?

What is the most accessible of these?

Could anyone actually give me a suggested order to watch these in?

Are there others that I have missed that should be in my required viewing?

If I don't like the first couple I watch, is it worth continuing or should I just accept I have bad taste?

 For the record, I'm thinking of starting with either The Seventh Seal (because at least I can enjoy the part that influenced Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey) or The Virgin Spring (as I hear The Last House on the Left was based on this story).  But please get involved and persuade me otherwise if you feel I should start elsewhere.  Please comment below...

I love That Debut: Nolan's Doodlebug

As The Dark Knight Rises draws nearer, I'm having a bit of a mini-Nolan-fest at home this week.  Lovefilm sent me Nolan's feature debut Following this week.  It's an interesting, twisty, non-linear, black and white low budget gem but not a bona-fide masterpiece.  However you can see many of Nolan's signatures germinating in his tale of a morally questionable anti-hero getting lured and manipulated into a criminal underworld beyond his control.

It's interesting to note there is a character named Cobb as in Inception. Like Memento the narrative is a bit of a puzzle that needs piecing together by the viewer.  And both Following and Inception have morally dubious protagonists and characters that delve into the minds of others.

The Dark Knight Rises will only be Nolan's eighth feature but his filmography is packed with brilliant films from Memento and Insomnia right up to his Batman trilogy.  I urge you to check out any you may have missed!

Watching Following this week and then um... following that with Inception today has reminded me of Nolan's early short film Doodlebug.  So the real reason I write today is to share it with you.  If you haven't seen it before or you just can't wait for The Dark Knight Rises to be released, then give Christopher Nolan's short film a go to tide you over.  It's got a killer ending!



What do you think of Mr Nolan?  Legendary or over-rated?  Be careful what you say, Bane's watching.

Fascinating Faces: Looper, Lawless and Gangster Squad

I've seen some fascinating faces in trailers over the last few weeks.  Three stars many of us know and love, still recognizable but undeniably transformed.  I am stunned by these faces and already itching to see more of the performances.  But how much of my excitement is just down to the make up and how much is due to the men behind the masks?

I offer you exhibits A, B and C as evidence.

Exhibit A: Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Looper

The Holly wood Reporter um... reported that 'Thanks to three hours in the makeup chair each morning, the actor transformed into a younger version of Bruce Willis for the role – in which the duo plays the same character at different ages.'

If you're not convinced about the transformation or just sad to see the handsome JGL mutilated, check out this little video I found on YouTube for a close comparison of the two actors.



Exhibit B: Guy Pearce in Lawless

Now I'm not sure what they've done to Pearce's face here but watching the trailer suggests this is going to be another fantastic performance to look out for.  In fact I don't even think this is down to make up.  Instead I think it's a combination of Pearce's slicked back hair, accent and tone of voice and most of all the faces he pulls in the trailer below.  Some might say this is bordering on OTT but I can't wait to see this performance.



Exhibit C: Sean Penn in The Gangster Squad

MTV says: 'A centerpiece of the trailer, it's hard to miss Sean Penn even under all of that makeup... The trailer gives lots of screen time to Penn, and when you also consider the prosthetics on his face, it's not hard to imagine that Warner Bros. would make a Best Supporting Actor push for him come Oscar season'.

He looks almost like something grotesque out of Dick Tracy.  But it's not just the make up and prosthetics, Penn seems totally transformed here.  It's another performance that looks incredible and will no doubt be a lot of fun to watch.



So are we in for a treat with these three or what?  And how much of these performances will come down to the physically transformed faces of the actors and how much is down to their acting skills.  It's a question that has bugged me ever since seeing one of my favourite performances ever on screen.  No doubt aided by magnificent make-up, but also a testament to the incredible talent of Charlize Theron, if you haven't seen Monster, I highly recommend it.  Never has a star been so unrecognizable and so brilliantly lost within a real-life character.

I Love That Blog Post #4

Oh my gosh I love reading your blogs!  I love them all but they are taking over my life!  Here's a recent selection of some of the most interesting stuff I've been reading and I highly recommend you all read too if you haven't already!

Keith has a pretty damn perfect list of 5 Phenomenal Superhero movies http://keithandthemovies.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/5-phenomenal-superhero-movies/#comment-233

Anomalous Material have introduced me to ‘End of the World’ which sounds totally awesome!  http://www.anomalousmaterial.com/movies/2012/05/emma-watson-jason-segel-will-cameo-in-seth-rogens-end-of-the-world/

Mike at Man, I Love Films is a voice of reason who thinks superhero movies are just all right! http://manilovefilms.com/everything-else/editorials/2012/05/can-you-avenge-a-genre/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-you-avenge-a-genre

Max at Impassioned Cinema shares a hilarious and clever short film http://www.impassionedcinema.com/votw-applicant/

Who’s the greatest villain?  http://fogsmoviereviews.com/2012/05/08/tossin-it-out-there-who-do-you-think-is-the-greatest-villain-of-all-time-2/

TOP OF THE BLOGS! THIS is why you/I/we study film and don’t ever let anyone tell you it’s a waste of time! http://manilovefilms.com/everything-else/2012/05/why-study-film/

That last one nearly made me weep! Please give the links a click and be sure to check back next time for more blog posts I love!

Meeting an Oscar Winner: Peter Lamont

Lamont with Sir Ken Adam

My Dad fixes computers for a living.  Why does that matter here?  Because he fixed the computer of Oscar winning production designer Peter Lamont recently!  This is the guy who has worked on 18 Bond movies from Goldfinger in 1964 right up to Casino Royale in 2006.  

Not only that but Peter Lamont has also worked with the legendary James Cameron on three films; Aliens, True Lies and Titanic, the latter being the only film Lamont has won an Oscar for, despite other nominations.  

So my Dad gave me Mr Lamont's number so I could arrange to have a chat with this titan of film production.  And this Thursday I sat down with him and spent two hours questioning and worshipping him.  I wanted to do a formal interview but thought that might be a bit pushy for a first meeting so settled on just asking him questions for my own personal pleasure.

I spent a couple of days researching everything I could about him and here's some of the cool stuff I found out:

1. Both his brother Michael and son Neil work in the industry.  His son Neil Lamont worked as an art director on all the Harry Potter's, a couple of Bonds and recently War Horse.  His brother Michael sadly passed away fairly recently.

2. 'Peter Lamont worked as a print boy runner at Pinewood Studios and returned after military service as a junior draftsman to ascend through the art department ranks. Art director Peter Murton introduced him to the James Bond series in which he would establish his reputation, first as a draftsman on "Goldfinger" (1964), making drawings of the famous set for the interior of Fort Knox. Lamont then worked closely with two-time Oscar-winning production designer Ken Adam on another fantastic set construction--the incredible volcano rocket base in "You Only Live Twice" (1967). He earned his first Academy Award nomination for his set decoration on Norman Jewison's "Fiddler on the Roof" (1971)' 

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/107725|124090/Peter-Lamont/

3. Lamont graduated to production designer on "For Your Eyes Only" (1981) 

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/107725|124090/Peter-Lamont/

4. James Cameron said "I always assumed that the style I had shot Titanic in would work well in 3D because I tended to use wide lenses and I let the environment - the ship, the sets, the beautiful production design that Peter Lamont did - kind of wrap around the characters and inform the story at every step"

http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/2012/04/james-cameron-indicates-five-y.html

 

 5. Some of his work is on show at the James Bond Art and Design Exhibition in London from July-September alonside others work.  'Highlights include gadgets and weapons made for Bond and his notorious adversaries by special effects experts John Stears, Syd Cain and Chris Corbould; artwork for sets and storyboards by production designers Sir Ken Adam and Peter Lamont and costume designs by Bumble Dawson, Donfeld, Julie Harris, Lindy Hemming, Ronald Patterson, Emma Porteous, and Jany Temime' 

http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/6579-JAMES-BOND-ART-AND-DESIGN-EXHIBITION,-LONDON,-JULY-SEPTEMBER.html

6. 'Lamont has only missed three Bond films in total – the first two, Dr. No and From Russia With Love were made before he joined the team and he was absent from Tomorrow Never Dies because he was already committed to another film' http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/bond_21_peter_lamont_interview.php3

7. The reason he missed Tomorrow Never Dies was for James Cameron's Titanic.

 

8. Peter Lamont said about his time on the Bond films 'they are nice people to work with and we do get a free hand. And there’s a great feeling that we are all on the same team trying to do the very, very best. My edict is that when I do second best I’ll give up' http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/bond_21_peter_lamont_interview.php3

9. He also worked on a film I loved as a kid called The Taking of Beverly Hills.  Anyone else seen this?

10. He's also featured quite a lot in the opening 30 minutes of the feature length Making of Aliens.  I've put the video below.  You can read a full interview with Peter Lamont here.

That is an ACTUAL Oscar and I held it!

Anyway this means that I got to see my first Oscar in the flesh!  I sat in front of it absolutely gobsmacked!  I got to pick it up and everything!  And it's so heavy!  Peter Lamont's name is engraved on it at the bottom.  This means that Mr Lamont is a member of the Academy and gets to vote on all the art categories and also the Best Picture each year.  He told me he got 72 'screener' DVD's this year to wade through!  How sweet is that???

He also showed me his copy of a brand new Titanic book that has been published to tie in with the 3D release.  The he showed me a 2 inch thick folder of photos, plans, and paperwork from the production of the speedboat chase in Live and Let Die.  Absolutely amazing piece of cinema history!  I was in awe!

I can't embed the chase scene but if you don't remember it, check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3cEF5wfk0o

Engraved bit of Oscar- poor photo sorry!

I even asked about the time he was in a plane hijack which I had read about on Wikipedia.  That was when he was working on Octopussy and sounded a bit bloody scary! 

I asked him his favourite Bond film and he said The Spy who Loved Me but his favourite Bond was Pierce Brosnan.

I had also noticed that he was quoted repeatedly in this month's Empire magazine in the article about the famous dam-jumping opening of Goldeneye and so took that along with me to get him to sign it.  Mr Lamont seemed so interested in the article that I left my copy of the magazine with him so that he could read the article in his own time.  A small price to pay for getting to meet such a legend!  And anyway I got him to sign my 4-disc Titanic special-edition DVD instead!



I leave you with a quick video featuring Peter Lamont talking about the Grand Staircase set from Titanic.



What a legend!

Blockbuster Duel! Alien VS Batman

Right you lovely movie lovers!  By now you've all seen the two new (and hopefully final) trailers for Prometheus and The Dark Knight Rises.  If you haven't then watch them below right now you demented sadists!  But what I want to know is if you could only see one of these films in the cinema this summer, then which would it be?



VS



Please cast your vote below.  I think I have to go with Prometheus but it makes me weep to think I have to choose.  Why am doing this to you?  I don't know.  But I look forward to reading your responses.

April Round-Up: Part 2

Welcome back!  Just to be unconventional, here's my top 11 films of April!  If you missed the bottom 11, please click here.

11. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (Lasse Hallstrom, 2012)

Fortunately this is not the world’s dullest documentary.  It’s actually an ok film about faith with a bit of romance.  Review here.

10. The Vanishing (George Sluizer, 1990)

Pretty ridiculous tale of a man obsessed with finding out what happened to his vanishing girlfriend.  The lengths this guy finally goes to are absurd but do lead to a brilliantly bleak ending.

9. The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)

The kids aren’t alright.  They’re being chased by a lunatic.  A classic that stands the test of time... mostly.  In many ways this is way ahead of it's time.  I could see them remaking this quite effectively but they would be hard pushed to find someone to beat Robert Mitchum's eerie performance.  I never realised just how huge a homage Spike Lee was giving this film with the Radio Raheem Love Hate speech in Do the Right Thing.

8. Lars and the Real Girl (Craig Gillespie, 2008)

Or Ryan Gosling and the surprisingly understanding community.  When an odd but pleasant chap brings home a blow up doll, the community goes along with his declaration that she is a real person.  It's a sweet and sympathetic film that relishes in the goodness of people.  Therefore it's hard not to like.

7. Vanishing Point (Richard C. Sarafian, 1971)

Like Easy Rider but with just one guy and a car.  The death of the sixties never looked so cool or so exciting.  Great car action, a naked girl on a motorbike and an outstanding soundtrack.  Existentialist cinema at its best.

6. A Night to Remember (Roy Ward Baker, 1958)

And a film to remember too.  James Cameron bought the rights to this before making his ‘version’ and clearly took notes from this impressive production.

5. The Day After (Nicholas Meyer, 1983)

One hour into this drama you have a spectacular series of explosive shots that send this film spiralling down into chaos and calamity.  It then turns harrowing and unforgettable.  An important film.

4. Tomboy (Celine Sciamma, 2011)

A beautifully observed slice of life about a little French girl who just wants to be one of the boys. Really well observed and engaging.  Features absolutely perfect performances from it's young leads, particularly the titular tomboy.  A little bit heartbreaking but also incredibly inspiring.

3. 21 Jump Street (Phil Lord, Chris Miller, 2012)

Laughed my ass off.  Haven’t seen so many dick jokes in a film for awhile but when they’re this funny, who am I to complain?  The sequence when the two protagonists take the new recreational drug of choice had me laughing harder than I have in a film for a long time.  Side-splitting, and totally irresponsible stuff.

2. Cabin in the Woods (Drew Goddard, 2012)

Plays with horror conventions while playfully mocking the horror movie audience.  Smart, funny and probably even cool for non-horror fans.  See review here.

1. Titanic 3D (James Cameron, 2012)

Ok so it's not a new film but it has been upgraded and I did see it in the cinema.  Still unbelievably epic.  I have lost absolutely no love for this film and it was a great experience to see it while being very aware that the Titanic was on its voyage 100 years ago to that very night.  The 3D works brilliantly in places and not so great in a few others.  Nevertheless my heart will go on for this and you can read why here and here.  I’ll never let go Jim Cameron.  I’ll never let go.

To top it all off, I am in the process of arranging a meeting with legendary production designer Peter Lamont of Titanic and Bond film fame.  You can be sure I will be blogging about this if I make it happen.

So what do you think of my list and rankings?  Should the infamous Human Centipede 2 have been top of the list?  Is it unfair to put Titanic 3D as number one?  Am I clinically insane?  How come I don't rate old films as high as new films?  What have you seen from this list and what's your favourite?