Ryan McNeil
This week I finished off THE STORY OF FILM.
On the one hand, I’m bummed that I didn’t catch it when it screened at both TIFF and The Bloor, since seeing many of these moments on a big screen would have been extraordinary. On the other hand, I’m happy to have seen it in any capacity, since it has done a great deal for my film literacy. Of course, just like many other people who have watched it (or who are still watching it on TCM), I find that my to-watch list has grown immensely.
So to paint it with a broad brush, I really liked The Story of Film. I liked the way it pointed me to a great deal of world cinema, and how it focused on selections beyond the usual suspects.
Funny thing about that though. When I first told a friend that I was working through it, he responded with a wry grin. When I asked him to explain, he said “You’ll see when you get to the era of film you know the best”. That took until about the 1970’s, and it instantly became clear. Cousins wasn’t interested in passing every last signpost on the journey, but highlighting certain touchstones to underline his own points.
Perhaps the clearest “for instance” was the fact that his discussion of 90’s cinema and the push to digital didn’t make mention of THE MATRIX.
So while Cousins’ film isn’t exhaustive, it has a clear vision, and was most definitely time well spent. If you’re reading this and you haven’t watched it yet, get your mitts on it – easy enough to find since it’s both available for streaming on Netflix, and currently airing on TCM.
Here’s The Week at Hand…
Screenings
THE COUNSELOR – Bring it.
SHORTS NOT PANTS, Autumn 2013 – I feel like visiting Spain now.
ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW – Thoughts on this coming tomorrow. (How apropos)
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
EYES WITHOUT A FACE – More creepy October viewing
DRINKING BUDDIES – I’m really beginn ing to like Jake Johnson’s work.
FRIDAY THE 13TH – Even more creepy October viewing.
THE STORY OF FILM: AN ODYSSEY – Thanks Shane.
THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR – Lindsay began to wonder why I kept wanting to play chess after this.
LOGAN’S RUN – I’m perplexed why my friend Sasha said I could skip its second half.
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Watched Before
STORIES WE TELL – #Douglasiswrong
BATMAN BEGINS – Mostly background noise while Lindsay packed.
I’ve never heard of The Story of Film before, but now I really want to watch it. However, neither Netflix nor TCM are any options for me so I’ll have to see how to get my hands on it.
It’s on dvd as well, so I wager you could easily put it on your Christmas list.
The Story of Film is in my watchlist for next year as I’m DVRing every episode right now.
What I saw this week. In first-timers: Dementia 13, Cosmopolis, Knife in the Water, my blind spot assignment in Battle Royale, and later tonight, Sisters.
In re-watches: Riding Giants, They Live, Little Manhattan, and In Her Shoes.
The only thing that will be a bit of a bummer with recording it now and watching it later is that you’ll miss out on all the airings of the films discussed that TCM is doing to go along with it. I never would have thought that my DVR would be full of so much silent cinema!
Oh, I’m actually recording some of those films except for the ones that I’ve already seen.
I’ve watched the first four (or maybe five) episodes of The Story of Film from TCM, and I’m really enjoying it. I still have several in my DVR, and there are plenty more to come. I don’t expect it to be a complete history, but it’s giving me a lot of ideas of movies that I want to see.
This week, I saw all of one movie.
MAGIC MIKE – I liked this a lot more than I expected. I was surprised by how engaging the story was, and it’s an interesting mix of the glitzier side of Soderbergh and his focus on characters.
Sorta surprising how good MAGIC MIKE is, ain’t it? You get the feeling that in less capable hands, the film would have been SHOWGIRLS Redux.
Why didn’t you write about Eyes Without a Face?
Firsts: A Man Escaped– Kind of brilliant.
Wadjda– LOVE.
A Woman Under the Influence– It became quite scary at times but what a performance by Rowlands.
Something in the Air– It was very pretty but quite bland at the same time.
The American– Stunning. It would make an excellent double feature with Drive.
Deliverance– I get the whole deal now.
I just wrote down one line for Eyes, but it dropped itself into the wrong spot. Fixed now – and I’ll have more to say about it on Thursday.
I love THE AMERICAN so much! That movie is built as well as a Swiss watch, and so bloody beautiful. Course, it doesn’t hurt that my favorite photographer is the director.
I seem to remember to post these the day after the last few weeks. Maybe next week I’ll remember to be on time! As always, I’m interested to read your thoughts on the horror stuff, especially Friday the 13th for some reason. I think it’s because that one could go either way.
As for me…
First time:
Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama
Black Magic
Freaks
Piranha Part Two: The Spawning
And I re-watched:
Salem’s Lot (1979)
Fun Fact: I first watched Freaks the morning that I got married.
I sort of get why your friend had issues with the second half of Logan’s Run. For me, the rushed, implausible ending was the weakest part, but didn’t bother me too much.
Firsts: The Great Beauty (2013).I’m not sure how original the story is, because it feels like a contemporary version of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960).Yet the photography(from Rome) and soundtrack are beautiful. Will likely crack my year-end list.
LOVED The Great Beauty. One of the true joys to come out of this year’s TIFF experience for me. You’re right, it isn’t wholly original, but it plays SO well!
I haven’t had a chance to ask my friend about her hesitance with Logan’s second half…but as much as the ending is iffy, I think to stop it halfway would be even worse.