DVXUser 100 Films Discussion - July 2007

[Erik Olson]

THE FORMAL MONTHLY DISCUSSION OF BENCHMARK FILMS AT DVXUser!

DVXUser has become widely known and regarded as an online "virtual film school". Through its membership, DVXUser provides comprehensive user-to-user artistic, business and technical support. Now, through this discussion, I hope that we might extend this concept toward the critical study of filmmaking itself.

The DVXUser 100 Films Discussion will assign one film each month from the most current version of the AFI's 100 Years, 100 Movies list. In ten months, we will cover ten films selected by our members from the field of 100.


How will the films be selected?

DVXUser members vote on which film we should watch and discuss each month. You decide which film you want to nominate. It can be a personal favorite or simply a film you've always wanted to watch, but never got around to. After you vote, post a short plug on why you chose one film over the other nine. Whatever film ranks highest will be the one we all watch after voting closes!


What will be discussed?

Within the confines of the DVXUser rules of engagement (no religion and politics and so forth) we will discuss the film in the context of the world when it was released, writing, performances and techniques. Subject to regular moderation, it should be an open discussion of what goes into filmmaking now and within the historical context of the film we're examining.

Here is the list for July, 2007. Each film can be researched by clicking into its IMDB profile. Please drop into the thread once you've watched this month's picture for the subsequent discussion!

Gone With the Wind
2001: A Space Odyssey
To Kill a Mockingbird
Annie Hall
Shane
North by Northwest
The African Queen
In the Heat of the Night
A Night at the Opera
The Last Picture Show

Thanks for dropping in,

e

 

[Erik Olson]

I've got a couple of messages about repeated titles within this new discussion list.

The reason for the duplications has to do with AFI releasing their most current 100 Films list between our June and July discussions. It's a good chance for us to watch some films that slipped by the first time.

e

 

[krestofre]

I went with North by Northwest. More Hitch discussion can never hurt. Once again, my heart wanted to go with Annie Hall, but North by Northwest will probably generate more discussion.

 

[Erik Olson]

North by Northwest is awesome. I like African Queen too, and Mockingbird would make a good discussion - even though I've always thought it looked and sounded like an episode of The Twilight Zone TV series.

I reserve my vote as the tie-breaker this month.

e

 

[krestofre]

Yeah! Not a tie!

I'll be picking up North by Northwest shortly....

 

[Erik Olson]

In my queue as of five minutes ago...

Rent or buy it, view it, research it and then... discuss North by Northwest.
NetFlix -- Blockbuster -- Amazon

e

 

[krestofre]

Picked up today. Will watch and comment ASAP.

 

[Erik Olson]

Links added - two posts up!

e

 

[Erik Olson]

I finished this last night - after having it out from Netflix for a month and watching it over three nights. Eva Marie Saint, who still looked amazing in the BTS bonus that was filmed in 2000, talks in-depth about all phases of Northwest and her working relationship with Hitchcock.

I'm going to grab some frames once I get my laptop back and post some thoughts on this masterpiece film.

e

 

[krestofre]

I've been swamped with deadlines, but I swear on my father's grave that I will not let a 100 Film discussion thread slip by without commenting.

Wait a minute ... my father's not dead ... and whose grave is this?

Anyway, looking forward to your comments E. And mine are forthcoming too.

 

[krestofre]

Geez. Took me long enough. Though I will warn you that I don't have a lot to say about the film....

Hitchcock is a difficult subject for me. I love the man's body of work, but he has always bothered me. The overly controlling director is something I try to avoid being, and that seemed to be Hitckcock's strength. If he hadn't been so controlling his films would be entirely different.

Annecdotes of him leaving the staging of the scene and blocking of the actors to the AD and being driven to set only when they were ready to roll really bother me. Mostly because everything that I think or believe about filmmaking say that this is the wrong way to make films, but when you look at any of his films there's no doubt that they're masterfully made.

He just wasn't an actor's director, but his films contain unbelieveable performances from their stars. How can those two diametrically opposed facts exist? Yet they do, and they have given us many films that are fantastic to watch, and worthy of discussion. North by Northwest is no different.

As a rule I don't like films that hinge on a single instance of mistaken identity. Even in North by Northwest, I'm bothered by the initial kidnapping of Roger Thornhill.

Roger Thornhill: "I don't supposed it would do any good to show you a wallet full of identification cards."

Leonard: "They provide you with such good ones."

It's impossible drama. There's no way the hero can convince the villan that they're wrong and a mistake has been made. The audience, however knows the truth and, in my case at least, is frustrated by the situation. The game quickly accelerates, thankfully, to the point that Thornhill is in physical danger due to the mistaken identity and begins to try to put the pieces together.

I will go out on a limb and say the main reason that I like North by Northwest is because of Carey Grant. I could watch that man's performance in anything and be entertained. With Grant in the lead and Hitchcock at the helm, a story that I find difficult, frustrating, and cumbersom still manages to be a film that entertains me. Once we get out of the setup of the story and into the mystery the film picks up and unravels in a facinating way. Even the "give-away" in the middle of the film by The Professor, detailing the truth about Kaplain doesn't stop the twisting and turning of the plot which eventually ends up in Thornhill taking the identity of the man he was mistaken for. That aspect of the film elevates it in my eyes for that is truly and ironic course for the picture and brings full circle the very thing that frustrated me at the beginning.

Wrapped in the film is the fantastic auction sequence, which takes on new meaning upon multiple viewings of the film. Thornhill's interruption of Vandamm's bidding is hilarious and contains bitingly sharp dialog.

All of that said, my favorite sequence of the film involves a litteral cliffhanger as Eve is holding on for dear life.

And then we see Roger pull her to "safety."

Fantastic scene transition. Bravo, Mr. Hitchcock. Then we cut to the last shot of the film, and one heck of a visual euphemism.

Do you think the censors missed it, or were laughing all the way to the box office?

 

[Erik Olson]

Thanks for that, Krestofre. In the DVD bonus materials, the DP said that he was unaware of this shot and was surprised to see it when it first screened. It is pure Hitchcock and I'm surprised that he got away with it.

Also, take a moment to read Eva Marie Saint's lips during her initial encounter with Grant in the dining car on the train. What she really said (replaced under a studio-demanded voiceover) and the fact that the footage made it into the finished film is remarkable considering when it was made.

e