5 Films Forever Blogathon

 

Cinematic Delights, who participates every Thursday at Thursday Movie Picks, also talks film from classics to the brand new and everything in between. She decided to create this blogathon to find out what films people would choose if they couldn't go anywhere and would re-watch. OK, I suck the biggus diggus trying to explain so here is what she has to say...

“You wake up to eerie silence. You call out ‘Hello?’ but no-one answers. You’re alone except for a film projector and speakers with infinite battery life and five of your favourite films at the foot of the projector. You have nowhere to be so start watching the films. What are they, where are you and how will your story play out?”

or the ‘Five Films Forever’ blogathon I’m asking you to list:

My five films: What are the five films you would happily watch for the foreseeable future and why?

My fate: Where have you been deserted – are you adrift like Hanks in Castaway or are you an end of the world survivor like Smith in I Am Legend?

My finale: How will your time alone end? Will you be saved by Spielberg or will you live happily ever after on your own like Disney?

So let's begin....I wake up with a man on top of me, the sea crashing onto us making me feel like I am Deborah Kerr and Burt is ready to ravage me when I realize the man on top is deader than a door nail and the seaweed is up yonder. With the help of some crashing waves, I get bloated dead man off of me, shiver in disgust and look around seeing nothing but the ocean, sand and tropical greens. I now see that I am in a Tom Hanks movie save for one unique area ahead... a nice chair, a screen, 5 DVD's, a DVD player and the ability to watch these DVD's. How they can actually play here and how they got here doesn't matter but before i can watch them, I have to make a fire and find food. Thankfully, I have keen knowledge how to make a fire, spear a fish and the island is much bigger than Tom Hanks sorry ass island so I could find some mangoes. The 5 films just happen to be ones I love to watch over and over plus they come with all the extras so I can see commentary, cartoons, the making of, music and everything else they can put on a DVD. Here are my 5 films...

1. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE-1946

Well, duh, of course I will have this film about a man who is so discouraged and desperate that he is thinking of doing himself in until an angel, with no wings, helps him see what his life would have been like without him. I have talked quite a bit about this film from the great Jimmy Stewart, the many classic character actors, to the dark imagery of the film where we first see Jimmy Stewart show a darker side to his wholesome character. It truly is a great film.

2. CASABLANCA-1943

A perfect film in so many ways starring Humphrey Bogart as the owner of Rick's Cafe who lets everyone stay at Ricks from hookers, crooks to the dreaded Nazis. Ingrid Bergman plays Ilse who comes back into his life and shakes it up big time; her heroic husband, played by Paul Henreid who is being sought after by the Nazis; Major Strasser, the despicable head Nazi a-hole played to dripping ickiness by Conrad Veidt and my favourite, Claude Rains, as the French Prefect who notices everything. There are so many great lines in this film that it is hard to choose which ones are the best. It is worth all the accolades.

3. THE THIRD MAN-1949

A post-war film that takes place in Vienna when Joseph Cotton, who plays a writer, comes to this city to see his old friend Harry Lime only to find out Harry Lime is dead...maybe. He meets up with Lime's girlfriend Alida Valli and begins to learn that Lime is not the choirboy he remembers. The main music is rightfully famous and was a huge hit in the day, known as the Harry Lime theme played on the Zither by Anton Karas, who was found by director Carol Reed in a cafe when checking out the city.  The cinematography is brilliant with the angles and shadows along with the famous Ferris wheel scene and the scene in the sewers makes this a great film more people should see.

4. SINGING IN THE RAIN-1952

This is one hilarious comedy that could stand on its own without the music and dancing but you never want the music and dancing to disappear because they are fantastic pieces kept on celluloid from Kelly's famous dance (done under hot tarps and Kelly having a 103 fever), Donald O'Connor going nuts to make his friend laugh(needed to be in the hospital due to exhaustion because of that routine) and legs up to heaven Cyd Charisse in the fantasy number bringing her best Louise Brooks seduction to the floor. Jean Hagen steals every minute as the spoiled and no talent Lina Lamont who pines for Kelly but wants to keep her image as the lovely romantic half  of their famous film duo of Lockwood and Lamont. She makes sure by having Kelly's new good girl, girlfriend(Debbie Reynolds) dub all her dialogue for her since her voice sucks.When they have to make a talking picture, you laugh at what happens. What is great is how close and accurate many things were from the mics picking up heartbeats to the huge fear that many big stars of the silent era had(many didn't make it and some killed themselves as a result).  I love all the little nuances like the vampirish woman woman married to La Falaise de la toolong was based on Pola Negri who married Henri de La Falaise, Marquis de La Coudraye A must see.

5. WHAT'S UP DOC-1972

This is a great homage to the wonderful screwball comedies of the 1930s directed by Peter Bogdanovich, who I want to find and talk film with him since he has met all the greats during his life time. This is one zany film starring 4 matching bags owned by 4 different people that quickly get mixed up in all the raucous in the Bristol (or is that Crystal??) hotel. Howard Bannister(Ryan O'Neal) and his fiance, Eunice(first film for Madeline Kahn), are coming to the hotel for a convention so he can talk about his igneous rock formations(rocks in the bag #1). Judy(Barbra Streisand) follows a pizza into the hotel and quickly sees Howard and sets her sights on Steve, er I mean, Howard while holding her bag #2(full of clothes). A reporter has another bag(#3) holding secret documents while a member of the government, with a set of golf clubs as a disguise, follows him into the hotel and finally, a hip old broad in hotpants carries her bag of jewels(#4) with her, making the concierge slobber as he rings the bell(which is half a tone off) for his dull-witted partner to follow her up so they can get the jewels. Funny, laugh out loud moments ensue culminating in one of the best chases set to film.

I enjoy all of these films but I see a magical door and open it to find myself in a beautiful fairy realm with books, great clothes and movies galore. I am now in heaven!