I Just Watched (Films)

[Hatredsheart]

Well, Old Henry was not available on any streaming services that I could find, but what I did watch last night was...

No Country for Old Men

I had put off watching this for many years (eighteen, apparently). It was certainly gripping, and kept me watching it until 1:30 am. I thought about pausing half-way, going to bed, and watching the rest the next day, but...well, the performances and the plot just kept me going until the end. There were some confusing aspects that required me to rewind and watch again (mostly concerning the layout of the rooms of the motel that features in the first half of the story). I liked it a lot.

Waiting for a uk release of this in 4k, I could import it but I really want to see the special features on the bluray.

[Animalmother]

It's 18 years old?!

[Stormbringer]

Aye.

[Alan]

Went to a silent movie double bill at the The Panopticon (the oldest active music hall in the world and the place Stan Laurel began his career, apparently!) with live accompaniment. It was magic, the musicians never dropped a note, super tight. Yeah maybe we were in a musty old room with an old DVD projector but it was wonderful. Stupid cheap too, I think it was £8 a ticket! The movies were:

Seven Chances
The Buster Keaton classic where he must be married by 7pm to inherit millions. Its the one with the fantastic thousand bride chase finale and its still so full of laughs. You can actually feel the audience reacting to his stunts because they know it was pretty much real, something thats been completely lost these days. Really great fun with great gags. There is a fellow in blackface (fuck knows why since there are black folk in the bloody film) but alas you kind of have to sigh and move past it as a sad reminder of the era or as the old lady behind me muttered "oh that's just not good".

Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde
A short Stan Laurel joint spoofing Jekyll and Hyde, naturally. In his evil persona he runns around annoying people in moderately amusing ways. Its alright but after Seven Chances its just not on anywhere near the same level. I still laughed more than most modern comedies in its 20min runtime so there is that! I've never really been a Laurel and Hardy fan, I appreciate the pace and choreography but it just never does anything for me.

[Stormbringer]

Apaloosa

This has to be the strangest western I've seen thus far in my western binge. The film's from 2008 so I expected to see something a little more modern in tone and style, but it had a very old-school vibe to it, like something from the 90s or earlier. What it boils down to, really, is seeing Viggo Mortenson wearing some fine 19th century garb and swaggering about with guns in an impressive manner, with Ed Harris mumbling in the background about his love for Renée Zellweger, who plays her role almost comedically. Despite some great gunplay, this felt almost like a parody of a western, rather than a real western, with everyone hamming it up just a little too much to be believable. Also, I felt like the music was too loud and too old-fashioned, and added to that overall 'western parody' feel. I'm not really sure what to make of it. I'd say it's the least favourite of what I've seen thus far.

[eny]

Seraphim Falls is a good one from that era.

[Animalmother]

I'm sure you've already seen them, but if your looking for westerns with a bit of grit about them there's The Proposition (set in Australian outback) and The Wild Bunch (greatest final shootout ever).

There's also Soldier Blue but its very hard to find now. Was banned in the US for basically showing how white settlers slaughtered native people. Its a weird film.

[eny]

Some other great Aussie outback westerns are: Sweet Country, The Furnace, and The Tracker. Sweet Country is fantastic.