Wandering through the Shelves chose mythology and Legends which I love and can’t get enough of if they are done correctly (Richard Gere as Lancelot is so very wrong). I went a little nuts and I don’t care, so here we go.
1. JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS - 1963
With all the CGI today we get spoiled by these special effects and tend to forget the artists of years ago. Ray Harryhausen is one person who deserves all the accolades and I would have turned into one of those nutty teens who went nuts for the Beatles if I had met this man. I could have chosen any of his films and they would have fit but this one stands out for me because of the wicked skeletons whom Jason and the others must fight. The painstaking time it took to create these figures in his films just leave me speechless. This film is about the famous Jason who must find the Golden Fleece sailing with a loyal crew which includes Hercules, meeting Medea and finding many adventures. Great movie flick that is full of fun.
2. LEGEND-1985
This stars a young Tom Cruise who must save a princess and the last unicorn before this evil being, played brilliantly by Tim Curry in one of the best demon makeup ever, brings permanent darkness to the land. This film is just magical in the way it is filmed, the cinematography, the make up and the style. The acting is ok and some things could have been improved but the visuals are beautiful and ..I just love Billy Barty.
3. THE SEVENTH STREAM-2001
This is actually a Hallmark TV film that I watched on PBS when it came on and I had forgotten the name of the film but I remembered it starred Scott Glenn. I finally found it and, if I can get it on DVD, I will! It takes place around the turn of the century in Ireland where a widower with his young child, helps out a woman who is abused by her employer. It is found that she is a selkie...a seal that can come onto the beach, shed its skin and become a woman but if she misses her time to go back into the water, she remains a woman forever. The problem is her employer has her skin which she needs to turn back into a seal. I found this film very romantic, ethereal and well acted. One does not think of Scott Glenn as a romantic lead which is why it works so well.
BONUS...
4. ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD-1938
yeah...I wrote about this one before but I love it and find this film one of the best and my heart belongs to Errol Flynn as the legendary Robin Hood who robs from the rich and gives to the poor, who is the enemy of the Sheriff of Nottingham and falls in love with the beautiful Maid Marion played by Olivia De Havilland who is 102 come this July.
5. EXCALIBUR-1981
This is the best film version of the the legend of King Arthur, well, the best non-comical version:) and shows the legend of this lost king. The visuals are great, the acting is excellent and one sees Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson and Helen Mirren in early roles. My favourite is Merlin and Carmina Burana music set to Arthur’s ride at the climax of the film is an excellent way to showcase music.
6. LADYHAWKE-1985
I saw this film when it first came out and I ended up lusting after Rutger Hauer..I know..what the F. I still love this film with its atmospheric style and fairy tale quality. A thief, played by a young Matthew Broderick, escapes the dungeon and takes off with the Bishop`s men in hot pursuit. He is befriended by a Captain who is also hunted by the Bishop. It seems the Bishop had the hots for the fair Isabeau, played by Michelle Pfeiffer but the Captain and Isabeau love each other. As a result, the Bishop has placed a curse on the lovers where he turns into a wolf by night and she turns into a hawk by day thus making sure they can never be together. It has romance (the kind I like), adventure and some lightness to it which I think, works well. The CGI is non existent and the budget was not high but one can overlook this due to the story and imagery.
One last one....If you have not seen any of the trailers and need a laugh, watch this...
Some excellent choices today! I can't believe they want to remake Excalibur.
ReplyDeleteWhat?? I did not know that..oh no....
DeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteExcellent picks, dear friend! I totally agree with you about Ray Harryhausen, the FX wizard who created Dynamation. He's an absolute rock star in my book. I saw Jason and the Argonauts when it was released in theaters. My big brother took me to see hundreds of horror and sci-fi films including several others that featured Ray's brilliant stop-motion animation technique: Mighty Joe Young, The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, It Came From Beneath the Sea, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, 20 Million Miles to Earth, 7th Voyage of Sinbad and more. I was awe struck watching those films and believe to this day that stop-motion is more disturbing, more terrifying, than natural fluid motion. Modern film makers like David Lynch seem to agree because they use the technique in their own projects.
I have also seen Legend. Thanks for reminding me about little Billy Barty. Did you read recently that the last adult Munchkin from The Wizard of Oz has died? He wore green as a member of The Lollipop Guild.
I haven't seen the other movies in your post. Thank you very much, dear friend BB!
Harryhausen is the great one with these type of special effects. I know that he passed away and poor guy suffered from dementia which is always a shame. Maybe you will see the others one day
DeleteA great selection! Mind you, I thought, at the time, that Tim Curry was wasted. Pretty unicorn, though. I agree that Excalibur was the definitive Arthurian film. Remake it? Philistines! No way! Ladyhawke - yes,I too drooled over Rutger Hauer. And I confess to having been inspired by that scene where the lovers are reunited for a scene in my YA novel Wolfborn... I played the movie while I was editing it for the publisher. The modern music worked beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same about Tim Curry but I still have a fondness for Legend despite its flaws. I can’t believe they want to remake Excalibur which I am fearful the6 will CGI the hell out of it. That is so cool that you chose to watch this film for your book.
DeleteI love that old Robin Hood movie. It would definitely be in my favorites list. Don't think I have seen any of the others.
ReplyDeleteThis Robin Hood Movie is a great one and I hope you see one of the others....I’d start with Excalibur
DeleteLove your choices....well Legend is pretty rough but fits well! All the others are great though particularly your last three. I've never heard of the Scott Glenn movie but I'm intrigued and will go on the hunt for it. The Bugs cartoon is full of whimsy.
ReplyDeleteMy three all relate to the Trojan legend in one way or another.
Iphigenia (1977)-Michael Cacoyannis’s (Zorba the Greek) intense rendering of the Greek tale of child sacrifice. King Agamemnon kills a deer in the sacred grove of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt which keeps the Greek fleet from sailing off to Troy. Turning to the oracle for a solution the message is handed down that the only way Agamemnon can restore the wind is to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to the goddess of the hunt. Summoning her under the guise of a betrothal and marriage contract to Achilles he is then faced with the bitter pleas and recriminations of his queen Clytemnestra (Irene Papas) and the defiance of Achilles, who discovers the plot and tries to intervene. Potent film with Papas a FORCE as the embattled queen.
Troy (2004)-While on an official visit Trojan prince Paris (Orlando Bloom) falls for Sparta’s King Menelaus's (Brendan Gleeson) wife, Helen (Diane Kruger) and she flees with him to Troy. Menelaus’s brother King Agamemnon (Brian Cox) sees his opportunity to declare war in his attempt to extend his control over the Aegean Sea. While stopgaps lead by Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Paris’s brother Hector (Eric Bana) are attempted at the behest of Trojan King Priam (Peter O’Toole) it all escalates into epic tragedy. Monumentally BIG production with an extremely starry cast is involving and compelling if overlong with good performances across the board save Bloom but Eric Bana stand out as Hector.
The Trojan Women (1971)-After the sacking of Troy Queen Hecuba (Katharine Hepburn) reflects on her ruined kingdom. Her son’s widow, Andromache (Vanessa Redgrave) is raising their son, Astyanax (Alberto Sanz) alone and Hecuba's daughter, Cassandra (Geneviève Bujold) dreads enslavement by their Greek masters. Meanwhile Helen of Troy (Irene Papas) risks being executed. All the women fear for Astyanax as he is now the focus of the Greeks' attention as the last male heir of the Trojan royal family. With that powerhouse cast and a dramatic story this should have been a riveting watch but its muddy photography, inert staging and despairing tone make it a slog.
I’ve seen all three of those films. When I went to see Iphigenia, in that scene where the girl makes her speech, someone in the cinema burst into tears and had to walk out. And that bit in The Trojan Women where the women are gasping in outrage when Helen uses precious water to wash instead of drink - and then she turns to smirk at them as she follows Menelaus out - phew! Powerful stuff.
DeleteI agree Eric Bana gave an outstanding performance in Troy, but I’m biased(fellow Aussie!) and it was nice to see Sean Bean playing Odysseus and not being killed for once!
I have only seen Troy but I want to see the other 2 especially your first pick. Troy was a really good film I thought even if Orlando was ho-hum in the role.
DeleteWon't be too long for some more hollywood remakes of these
ReplyDeleteUgh...Excalibur is to be redone which I don’t think will match the greatness of the original.
DeleteWhat a fab selection of films to add to my list Birgit!....haven’t seen any of these...
ReplyDeleteBeen having a few days crafting..so glad you liked the fairy card and you are welcome to copy it....Hope you enjoy the weekend xxxx
I have been helping my friend pack since she is moving and she has tons to pack so I have not seen my craft room. I miss it so much. I plan to pay homage to that card you created
DeleteWow... 6 movies and I haven't seen any of them haha I have seen Rabbit Hood before though.
ReplyDeleteI really love this genre so it was hard for me to choose
DeleteI was hoping you'd mention Excalibur. I saw it on videotape when it was still fairly new, and didn't get to see it again for several years. I was very surprised during my second viewing because the film wasn't anywhere near as erotic as I recall it.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved the 1938 The Adventures of Robin Hood. I was SO disappointed in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves!
Almost forgot: Legend was okay, but it was worth seeing for Tim Curry (and yes, I agree about the make-up), the seldom-seen Mia Sara, and to see Tom Cruise in a skirt!
DeleteExcalibur is a great film that I want to revisit. Bleach to Prince of Thieves which I thought sucked. I love the cinematography and make up of Legend
DeleteOut of SIX films, I have seen NONE of these. Par for the course, I guess. I enjoyed reading your justifications for picking them, and those skeletons were out of this world in the preview. I replayed it three times. It appears you have chosen some excellent films for this genre.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever get a chance to see Jason, see it! That film is amazing when one realizes how much went into the special effects and the very lengthy scene with the skeletons
DeleteExcalibur is a great one indeed. I enjoyed the first two as well. Think that's all I've seen of this batch.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great one and glad you saw the first 2
DeleteAh, 1981, the year we got married. We had a cinema at the end of the road and we went to just about everything. I remember Excalibur but I have never seen it since.
ReplyDelete1981 is the best year then eh?:) maybe you will see this film one day
DeleteJason and the Argonauts is fantastic. Love that movie. Some of your other picks are really good, too. And Bugs is my hero, so I've seen that one a hundred times. Great call.
ReplyDeleteNow that makes me happy that you watched Bugs a song much as I did.
DeleteOnly one I know, Lady Hawke. I loved that too. 1938 Robin Hood??? That's the year I was born. Colour? or was it colourized?
ReplyDeleteNope, Robin Hood was not colorized which is great to see a film in colour from that time". I should talk about film from your birth year
DeleteI didn't know they could make coloured films in those days. And thank you, I don't really need reminding!!
DeleteOh man I haven't seen any. At first glance I thought that clip was for Robin Hood: Men in Tights lol.
ReplyDeleteHahahaaaa. Yes, it is similar in the outfits and I love that Mel Brooks movie
DeleteLadyhawke, my mother's favorite movie. Well, it's in her top 10.
ReplyDeleteGo to YouTube and search The Seventh Stream. You'd be surprised how many things you can find on YouTube.
I’m glad your mom loves this film. I saw on YouTube the film trailer but when I tried to find it via the blog, it didn’t show up no matter what I tried
DeleteI'm not well-versed in the genres. So/and I enjoy your writings.
ReplyDeleteThe God movie with George Burns and John Denver from the born again Jimmy Carter era when this country needed some spirituality and everyone was nice with Have A Nice Day t-shirts.
Xanadu. People, for some reason, call it "a guilty pleasure." It's a heckuva movie and enjoyable from start to finish.
uh, er, perhaps Heaven Can Wait meets the genres definition.
Perhaps Wizard of Oz. If anyone thought the Greeks and Romans covered everything.. they didn't.
Thanks for visiting and I like your choices..the Wizard of Oz fits well and so does Xanadu. oh God is an inspired choice and. Good one. I can’t seem to find your blog...can you leave a link?
Delete… I don't have a blog. Blogs are for writers. I rarely write paragraphs. Although I haven't yet evolved or devolved to three words with ten emojis modern "writing."
DeleteI've seen 1,4, & 5. I'm not much of a fan of these types of movies these days, but I loved them when I was a kid. I can't recall many titles right off, but these types of films don't much register with me. I used to watch a lot of those old Hercules films and others like it, but I couldn't tell you much about any of them.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
Yes, this genre is another that people either love or don’t. I’m glad you saw some of these plus some can be pretty bad like the 50’s Hercules
DeleteHi Birgit - I've seen none of them ... but loved the Rabbit Hood clip ... and Errol Flynn playing Robin Hood ... and Excalibur ... great selection ... I'm behind the times! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHey you are doing great so far..0 for 6...hahahaaa. Maybe one day
DeleteI don't know how many times I've seen Jason & the Argonauts. I wish it would do the rounds again on TV. I can't recall if I've ever seen it from the beginning. Every time I came across it, I thought how cheesy, but still watch it till the commercial, click to something else, but always come back to the movie. lol
ReplyDeleteYes! I wish it would come on tv like it used to. It is cheesy but I can’t take my eyes away from it.
DeleteI've only seen a couple of these (not my favourite genre, generally speaking). Errol Flynn as Robin Hood is a personal favourite, though, along with his Captain Blood. Also saw Ladyhawke and had the same reaction to Rutger Hauer. ☺
ReplyDeleteGlad you like Rutger..be still my heart. Yes, this is another genre many either like or ..not.
DeleteHi, BIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteI'm a wee bit o' late getting over here this time due to the BOTB excitement. Ha!
This genre has never really been in my wheelhouse, but I will mention a movie (that I know no one else will) that bombed big at the box office but, nevertheless, remains a favorite of mine:
[Link> ONE FROM THE HEART
As Francis Ford Coppola stated...
"I used to tell Tom Waits that the little footprints in the sand at the beginning of the film belonged to Zeus and Hera. And that this film was really about those forces that have an impact, even on the gods, and are visited upon human beings, because this was going to be a story about love."
Of course, another movie that needs mentioning is 'MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL'. They don't come much funnier than THAT!
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents 'Battle Of The Bands'
No probs on,lateness since I seem to be the queen of this. Monty Python is gold and I almost put this one down but I did mention it but not by name. I will look u0 the film you talk about.
DeleteBirgit, I like reading about your movie picks. I haven't seen any of them, but they look like good ones.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you like reading my posts and, maybe one day, you will see one of these
DeleteOh ho, I needed that last laugh, thanks!
ReplyDelete-Jay (Asshole!)
I’m so happy you love Bugs
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit, just popped over from Margaret Duchess blog, I've been meaning to hit your name for a while. What a surprise to see this sort of post and love it. Still watch Jason although could take a part in it, but it is timeless. I totally agree about Richard Grere, but although not a Sean Connery fan( even though I'm Scots), I think he made a terrific Arthur.
ReplyDeleteYou have a few films unknown to me, but would certainly keep an eye out for them, especially Excalibur, I love the music, super post, Kate x
Thank you for visiting! I love your artistry and am so happy you stopped by. I hope you see Excalibur because it is such a great telling of this legend. Connery did make a good Arthur and he was also great as the aging Robin Hood opposite Audrey Hepburn in Robin and Marion
DeleteThe only one I have seen is Excalibur. Love it! Quite curious about Jason. Thanks for sharing and adding to my ever growing movie list. ;)
ReplyDelete~Jess
The list can be endless as I have a movie list too. Glad you like Excalibur
DeleteBirgit,
ReplyDeleteWe streamed this vintage Robin Hood in recent years and caught "Excalibur" at the theater when it released. I remember liking Robin Hood but only thinking "Excalibur" was just ok. I wouldn't mind seeing "Ladyhawke". I think Michelle Pfeiffer is a beautiful woman!
My hubby was not a fan of Excalibur when I tried to have him watch it. I had to turn it off before I took a chair and threw it at him..hahahaaa. I hope you like Ladyhawke.
Delete