Thursday, May 5, 2022

Thursday Movie Picks- Cinephiles In Movies

 


I love movies!...Well, Duh:) I learned to love movies from my dad who would turn on an old movie any chance he got which was often. This was when ABC had "Movies for a Sunday Afternoon" as well as "The Late Show" before the anthum was played and the TV went to that screen us oldies know well. Here, in Canada, we had the great Elwy Yost who showcased a movie on his "Magic Shadows" and finally had a double feature with some excellent interviews on "Saturday Night At The Movies". I was hooked and watched everything that I could watch including when channel 29 came on board and showed all these B movies on Sundays. This was my education to monsters like "Godzilla", "Gargantuan" and "Them"....oh and "Attack of the Killer Shrews." Wandering Through The Shelves chose a theme that, I think, plays to our own hearts and I have chosen 3 films that, I think, exemplify, the lover of movies.

1. NICKELODEON-1976


 The wonderful Peter Bogdonovich, who just passed away earlier this year, had a wealth of knowledge when it came to the beginnings of film. Somehow that bastard was able to talk to the greats from the early days of cinema (and beyond) and amassed a wealth of knowledge plus an unbridled joy when it came time to showcase early Hollywood. This film stars Ryan O'Neal as a would be director of flickers who, along with the owner of the New Jersey studio, decide to relocate to a small town/village called Hollywood. They must escape the Edison (Yes that Edison)patent people who will do everything they can to stop the independants from making movies. Along the way they meet a young gal (Tatum O'Neal) and a photographer (John Ritter)  who along with their main actress and actor (Burt Reynolds), decide to take on Hollywood. This is quite a funny movie and one made with love because most of the stories in this film truly happened. Bogdonovich was friends with the early directors of Allan Dwan and Raoul Walsh who told him many tales. This is one of my favourites.

2. BOWFINGER-1999


Another film that makes me laugh but showcases how much some people just love the movies. This film stars Steve Martin as Bowfinger as a truly, truly, truly bad director and owner of a studio that can't afford stamps never mind having Fedex finally stop at his sad little home...er...movie studio. He has all sorts of missfits work on his film from an over the hill actress (Christine Baranski) to his accountant come screenwriter. He hires a starlet who will sleep with anyone to get ahead (Heather Graham) and, finally, an innocent young guy who looks amazingly like a big ass star (Eddie Murphy in a dual role). OK, The guy is not innocent, he is what we used to refer to as "simple-minded" (Please, don't blast me for writing something that is now poilitically incorrect)  and looks like that dumb ass star because that is his brother who has some major issues of his own. I love how everyone is in this movie because they just love movies including the Mexican illegals they grab out of the brush only for these same Mexican migrant workers now reading "Cahiers Du Cinema" while the rest have no clue what Martin's character is up to. I love the slap against the Scientology freaks in this film as well. It is so funny and yet, endearing. 

3. HUGO-2011


 This is a film directed by Martin Scorsese, another lover of all things cinema and there is no F Bombs every 2 seconds, no Robert De Niro and no Gangsters splitting heads open...how refreshing. It is about a young boy who lives high up in the rafters of a Paris Train station with an automatron that his father had but no longer works. In this station we meet all sorts of people, from Christopher Lee to Frances De La Tour (I love her) as well as an elderly man who sells toys and trinkets. The elderly man seems tired and not too friendly but his Goddaughter is the bridge between the 2. The boy wants to get the Automatron working thinking his dad will speak through this machine and soon finds out that this elderly man used to be a huge director of his own studio-George Melies. Unfortunately, this kid has to stay clear of the Inspector (Sasha Baron Cohen) who would love to catch the kid and throw him into an orphanage. The children are delighted to find some old films of Melies and  help Melies receive the recognition he deserves. I don't care what abnyone thinks, I think this film is a hidden gem that makes me smile and believe in make believe. When I was a kid, I saw a George Melies film and fell in love with his work. To this day I am mesmorized by his ability to create something amazing back before people could fly.

Which film did you watch that made you fall for a movie or fall in love with movies? 

Here is a bonus...


This was done in 1896!

28 comments:

  1. Hi, Birgit!

    Anyone who has seen "Them" and "Attack of the Killer Shrews" is a friend of mine, because I have seen both fright flicks multiple times.

    I enjoyed your opening paragraph explaining that your dad was mainly responsible for igniting your lifelong passion for old movies. My journey as a cinephile began with my big brother taking me to see horror movies starting when I was only three years old. Instantly addicted, I watched horror movies at home on TV on Saturdays including the B horror movie series hosted by Zacherle, Elvira, Philadelphia's Doctor Shock and similar "ghost hosts." Like you, I was a regular viewer of NBC's Saturday Night At The Movies. A night owl in my younger years, I loved to stay up late and watch USA Up All Night hosted by the late Gilbert Gottfried and, during its golden age, by Rhonda Shear, a B-movie actress with D cups. Of course, I also watched At The Movies and other film critic TV shows hosted by Siskel & Ebert, Richard Roeper and others.

    Yessum, I too admired Peter Bogdanovich and was sad to see him go. Roger Corman, another of my favorites, gave Peter his first break as a film director. Here at BB Creations, or "The BBC" as I like to call it, we have discussed Peter's best known films, The Last Picture Show, What's Up Doc?, Paper Moon, Mask and Noises Off, the latter starring a young, handsome, healthy Christopher Reeve. That one is hard to watch now, even though it was hilarious at the time. We also discussed Peter Bogdanovich's love affair with doomed Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten. Devastated by her murder, Bogdanovich took four years off from film work to write a book entitled The Killing of the Unicorn. I admire Bogdanovich for being the kind of person who, at a young age, didn't think he already knew it all and saw the value in befriending and learning from high achieving elder members of the film community. I haven't watched Nick at nite or even in the daytime, and I will add it to my list.

    Me Likey Heather Graham, and I can tell by the trailer that I would love Bowfinger. Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy seem brilliantly funny and I don't know why I haven't yet seen this one. Mrs. Shady is especially fond of Euro settings in film and on TV, and she and I could make a date to watch Hugo together.

    That 19th century silent horror film is amazing. More thought was put into that ancient production, greater expertise brought to bear, than in some of the 21st century films I have watched.

    Enjoy your Thursday and have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend BB!

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    1. I so miss Elwy Yost who brought some great movies and excellent interviews. I was very sad about Bogdonovich because I always was hoping to meet him. He truly was devastated when Dorothy was murdered. It shook him for the rest of his life. I thought you would like Heather and she is good in this funny comedy. I am glad you like that old film piece...magical.

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  2. Growing up in the Detroit area, I was able to watch Bill Kennedy at the Movies on Windsor's CKLW. All those old black and white movies were an absolute delight.

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  3. I LOVE that you went with Bowfinger. I wish I would've thought of that too. That movie is so funny. Hugo is probably my least favorite Scorese movie.

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    1. Glad you love Bowfinger but bummer that you don't care for Hugo but I knew that from before

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  4. I've seen all three of your picks but don't remember much about the first two because it's been years since I've seen them. I saw Hugo somewhat recently and absolutely loved that one.

    One of my favorites in this category is Ed Wood. This is one of the most uplifting optimistic films about a film director whose work is so mediocre that it has become classic and yet exemplary of bad movies. This film is like a love-letter to filmmaking and resonates so well with me because I loved Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space when I was a kid.

    Within recent weeks I saw Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr and enjoyed it immensely. Such a wonderful look at the early days of movie making and the interesting life of a talented and complex man.

    So many of Fellini's films embrace the love of movies that I could name a few of them, but I'll go with the great 8 1/2. It's all about making films and the personalities that are involved in the process.

    I think Cinema Paradiso also deserves a mention here. It's been years since I've seen this one. I want to see it again.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Cinema Paradiso was very popular this week. I knew you would mention 8 1/2. I love your puck of Ed Wood since I almost chose that movie myself. It's such a good movie. I also love Chaplin. Robert Downey Jnr was excellent and got an Oscar nod. I'm glad you like Hugo

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  5. How have I never heard of Nickelodeon? That sounds right up my alley. My father told me I should see Bowfinger, but I never did get around to it. I think I saw Hugo. I do like these kinds of movies. Good selections.

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    1. I love Nickelodeon and hope you can see it one day

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  6. I wanted to love Hugo, because it is obviously made for fans of films. Unfortunately, no, it was just so-so for me.

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    1. I know a few of you don't care for that movie.

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  7. Nickelodeon had so many wonderful elements that just didn't quite mesh the way they should have to come together to be a classic but it's still a nice film loaded with nostalgia.

    Bowfinger is a fun choice. I liked it so much more than I expected when I was reluctantly convinced to see it in the theatre. I'm not the biggest Eddie Murphy fan but he was quite adroit in this.

    Conversely I thought I'd really enjoy Hugo but was underwhelmed by it.

    I'd seen The Haunted Castle before. It is so impressive for something made at the dawn of film.

    My first thought was Cinema Paradiso-a lovely, lyrical film. Other than that there's The Purple Rose of Cairo which is one of Woody Allen's better films again tinged with nostalgia and one I didn't love-Fade to Black. It had a great concept, crazed movie fan stages murder based on movie scenes that he's obsessed with but the execution is off. Dennis Christopher gives a go for broke performance in it though.

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    1. I know you didn't love Hugo but I just think it's the bees knees. I also love Nickelodeon but I see what you mean but I still love it. I think Bogdonovich loved the early cinema so much that he could look at the film objectively.
      Cinema Paradiso was everywhere this week. I have not seen Purple Rose yet and I don't know your last pick.

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  8. Hi Birgit - I loved Hugo ... excellent choices and then all the added comments with ideas - cheers Hilary

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    1. I'm glad you like Hugo. I think it's magical

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  9. Great selections. I loved Bowfinger. Hugo was great too. I'm now going to check out Nickelodeon as that's one that has passed me by.

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    1. If you like my 2 picks then you will like Nickelodeon..I think

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  10. BIRGIT ~

    Lee's choices of 'Ed Wood' and 'Cinema Paradiso' were really good. But my #1 choice would have to be this:
    [Link> A LITTLE ROMANCE (trailer)

    The French boy, Daniel, is obsessed with American movies and meets Lauren (Diane Lane) on a movie set. Broderick Crawford plays himself, and he's hilarious!

    ~ D-FensDogG

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    1. POSTSCRIPT:
      You've convinced me that I need to see 'Bowfinger'.

      ~ D-FensDogG (again)

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    2. I have to see your choice. Even if you're not an Eddie Murphy fan, I think you will like Bowfinger. This writer and director must love Ed Wood movies

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  11. Not only have I not SEEN any of these films, I haven't even heard of any of them.

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    1. Oh wow! Usually you at least heard of them. Bummer

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  12. I love Hugo - such a surprise treat.

    Obviously, I have to jump on the Cinema Paradiso train. The kiss reel...

    Your question at the end: the movie that made you fall in love with movies? Wow. I really can't remember a time when I didn't love them so I better go early. I suppose it has to be Star Wars, the original. I know, cliche. But it's Star Wars and I knew nothing going in. I was four. It was pure magic.

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