Sunday, March 7, 2010

Conversations 2010 #7

Conversations 2010 #7

I've been bad.  I was in Ithaca last Tuesday and I went back to that Hollywood Video.  DVDs are 3 for $15 now.  The selection is still quite good, but already only 1/4 of the riches that were to be found there a few weeks ago.  

I was relatively good for being bad.  I spent $15.
Boyfriends and Girlfriends (Rohmer)
Notre Musique (Godard)
The Hidden Fortress (Kurosawa)

I was being good so I left a lot of noteworthy stuff behind, most notably a copy of Vera Cruz that I felt sad leaving behind after you'd both vouched for it. 

Jason, I'm not even sure if you noticed this, but I had to laugh.  You posted about your Sundance set, which includes American Splendor, then, later, you posted about buying a copy of American Splendor on sale at Blockbuster.  I'm pretty bad, but so far I've been able to refrain from buying multiple copies of the same film!  

[okay, I admit that I've done this more than a few times--but always buying the duplicate discs with the intention of giving them away!]

I was thinking about your Star Wars collection recently.  Is The Phantom Menace the only film that you and I saw together in the theatre?  I don't want to believe this, but it's the only one I could remember.

Also, did we watch High Noon together at the same party at Oliver Gingrich's place (I think) with Joel heckling through the whole thing?  Or were you not there?  

Stranger Than Paradise was the first Jarmusch film I ever watched, probably when I was around 13 or 14.  I had a long infatuation with Screamin' Jay Hawkins because of it.  More importantly, I became a better film fan because of it.

I am jealous that you have the Dryden so close.  Maybe I can find a great film on the schedule and convince Brandon that we need to make a pilgrimage up there for a night.  

A Town Called Panic looks and sounds great.

I'm one of the few nincompoops who doesn't really care for The Dirty Dozen.

Brandon, 

I've only seen four films on your '54 list.  I'd rank them in the same order you do.
1) Seven Samurai
2) On the Waterfront
3) Johnny Guitar
4) Dial M for Murder

As for '46, I've only seen three that you list.

1) The Killers 
2) It’s a Wonderful Life   
3) Beauty and the Beast 

I don't love any of those three, but each is charming enough in its own way.  The Killers is solid.  The ending of Beauty and the Beast is such a let-down.  I need to rewatch It's a Wonderful life.  I've only seen it once and I know I was too "hip" and more than a bit cynical then.  Films don't change, but we do.

I wish that I had seen more, but I haven't.  

No worries.  I'm sure we'll have another good fight sooner or later.

Benjamin Button still sucks.  

1 comment:

82jp said...

I thought I might have had a copy of American Splendor but I couldn't remember where. When I watched it, it was from a library DVD not the Sundance set, so I didnt remember it being on there (I cut and pasted the description in my blog entry after only skimming it). That said, I had that suspicion when I bought it- in those cases I do tell myself that if I end up having a duplicate I'll be able to give one away. I've on occasion bought duplicates of CDs before, so it does happen from time to time :). One of the down sides of not having enough time to become familiar with everything you own...
I had forgotten about watching Phantom Menace together! I don't remember High Noon, but I wasn't interested in black and white film as a rule back then so I may not have been paying attention. :P