Watched a couple of Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films yesterday...Sherlock Holmes and The Secret Weapon and Sherlock Holmes in Washington.
I watched the entire Rathbone series a few years ago, and I've been in a bit of Holmes mood recently so I've been revisiting a few of my favourite ones. These are two of the WWII patriotic thrillers which started the Universal produced Holmes series, and although they might not be to everyone's taste I really enjoy seeing Sherlock taking on the Nazis as more of a counter-espionage agent than a detective. I particularly like the film-noir style of Secret Weapon and Hitchcock-like Macguffin of the microfilm in Washington. Ultimately though, Holmes is better suited to the more Gothic mystery setting of films such as The Scarlet Claw, which is possibly my favourite of the Rathbone series. And I find his hairstyle a bit offputting in these WWII thrillers. But anyway, perfect Sunday afternoon viewing for sure!
The Grimsby Brothers, This will not be everyone's cup of tea. As it's very crude and rude but
Unlike many modern comedies it has many laugh out loud moments.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Watched a couple of Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films yesterday...Sherlock Holmes and The Secret Weapon and Sherlock Holmes in Washington.
I watched the entire Rathbone series a few years ago, and I've been in a bit of Holmes mood recently so I've been revisiting a few of my favourite ones. These are two of the WWII patriotic thrillers which started the Universal produced Holmes series, and although they might not be to everyone's taste I really enjoy seeing Sherlock taking on the Nazis as more of a counter-espionage agent than a detective. I particularly like the film-noir style of Secret Weapon and Hitchcock-like Macguffin of the microfilm in Washington. Ultimately though, Holmes is better suited to the more Gothic mystery setting of films such as The Scarlet Claw, which is possibly my favourite of the Rathbone series. And I find his hairstyle a bit offputting in these WWII thrillers. But anyway, perfect Sunday afternoon viewing for sure!
Like superdaddy, I have the Rathbone films in a box and love 'em. (As you say, Rathbone's weird hair in some of them, though- )
After two films set in period, the rest of this series suddenly leaps about 50 years and has Homes & Watson in (then) contemporary clothes, using cars, fighting Nazis, etc. There was a vague foreword in the first two or three about Holmes being timeless, then after that it was just taken for granted that the man solving cases in 1892 was the same one (same actor, same age etc) doing the same things in 1946.
This was partly the inspiration for the BBC Sherlock and today Holmes adventures can be found on TV or film with the character being set in the 2010s (Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller) or the 1880s/1890s (Robert Downey Jr) or indeed any point, and the large audiences pay their money, sit back happily and watch.
Gee, I wonder if.... nah.... it wouldn't work... or would it...?
At the time of their production, the first two Rathbone Holmes films were actually unusual for being set in the original period. Up until that point, all screen adaptations had been in a contemporary setting. So in some ways, the current TV Holmes adaptations are returning to the roots of Holmes on screen.
Another film which is said to be a major influence on the BBC's Sherlock in Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. I still need to check that out.
I watched that one (again) on Netflix a couple of months ago, a great Sherlock story.
along with The Hammer version of THOTB with the brilliant Cushing and Lee.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
That's probably my favourite version of THOTB- Cushing as Holmes is always worth watching (hell, Cushing as anyone is!) and since he was clearly going to play Sherlock and Lee would be miscast as Watson, Lee played Baskerville.
In Private Life Lee played Mycroft Holmes while he played Sherlock in at least 4 other films. Perhaps the only actor who did that!
Cushing did another version of THOTB for the BBC, but I haven't seen that.
A brilliant Footy Hooligan film. I don't really like football, but i watch films like this because of thier grittiness. Danny Dyer is brilliant as the lead. He gets sucked into the world of Hooliganism, whilst trying to decide if that is the life he really wants. Some funny moments in it as well.
Have you ever heard of the Emancipation Proclamation?"
Les Misreables ,with Liam Neeson ,I watched DR Zhivago also last week ,and both films have very similarities ,
lets get rid of an oppressive ruling tyranny ie lets have a revolution ,and lets replace them with err another oppressive tyranny 8-)
13 hours, did not know Toby Stevens was in it, true story about some American security contractors in Libya defending a C.I.A compound, great little film -{
It's strange how tastes change with time. Many films I used to think were good I now find to be utter tripe & vice versa. I saw 'Its A Mad Mad World(?)' a few years ago. The first time I saw it I thought it was hysterical but upon seeing it again NOOOOO!. A couple of decades ago I wouldn't have watched OHMSS if you paid me but now.............
The story of Brian Wilson of beach boy fame. A really interesting story of the bands song and music writer...and how he was terribly mismanaged in the 80s ....leaving him to believe he had a serious mental illness.
Sympathetic and we'll acted, and even if you're not a BB fan, (I'm certainly not ) ) it's worth a watch. -{
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
Netflix delivered the latest attempt to make a film out of The Fantastic Four. OK, I didn't think Batman v Superman deserved the critical drubbing it got, and I believe X-Men: Apocalypse is better than its "meh" reviews suggest. . .but the rotten reviews FF got don't convey how thoroughly awful it is. Apparently the filmmakers thought they could appeal to the YA crowd by casting a group of fresh-faced youngsters (including the dude from the Divergent movies) as the FF and pitting them against a group of meanie grownups. Beyond the bad casting, though, is the fact the movie is a complete BORE. It's only 100 minutes long--probably less than 95 not counting the credits--but it's about halfway through that the characters get their powers, and only in the last 20 minutes or so that Dr. Doom finally shows up. The rest of the time is spent whining, emoting, and spouting psuedoscientific claptrap. They got the look of The Thing right. . .beyond that, flame off!
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,988Quartermasters
The Legend of Tarzan, with Alexander Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz. Much better than its tepid-to-bad reviews would indicate, IMHO---the story is good and Waltz is more effective here, by far, than he was as Blofeld in SP (I blame the writers for that, naturally). Margot Robbie is gorgeous as Jane.
One review called it a "glorified 'B' movie"...which might be fair, but then Edgar Rice Burroughs was never one to traffic in high literature, and in truth pretty much all Tarzan films fall into that category. The biggest knock on this film is the CGI, which was dodgy and could have been so much better than it was, but it didn't take me out of the moment. Great fun; pity it will likely not turn a profit in the long run. 3 out of 5 stars.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
The Legend of Tarzan, with Alexander Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz. Much better than its tepid-to-bad reviews would indicate, IMHO---the story is good and Waltz is more effective here, by far, than he was as Blofeld in SP (I blame the writers for that, naturally). Margot Robbie is gorgeous as Jane.
One review called it a "glorified 'B' movie"...which might be fair, but then Edgar Rice Burroughs was never one to traffic in high literature, and in truth pretty much all Tarzan films fall into that category. The biggest knock on this film is the CGI, which was dodgy and could have been so much better than it was, but it didn't take me out of the moment. Great fun; pity it will likely not turn a profit in the long run. 3 out of 5 stars.
I'm quite looking forward to seeing this, I probably won't get to the cinema, but it is high up on my watch list.
Last night I watched on Netflix Look Who's Back (Er Ist Wider Da), a German film in which Adolf Hitler mysteriously reappears in 2014 Berlin. The film is absolutely hilarious, as AH finds a need for his message in a country dominated by TV reality shows and experiencing waves of immigration. There's also a Borat-like quality to the film, as Hitler (Oliver Masucci) speaks to many REAL people, who all express disturbing views about authority and immigrants, and who show a shocking lack of knowledge about who Hitler was and what he did. My one quibble: Masucci is clearly over six feet tall, making him the tallest Hitler on record!
Comments
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
Just like how my Dad taught me, Although I did have a job getting out of that
Sack with the bricks in it !
I watched the entire Rathbone series a few years ago, and I've been in a bit of Holmes mood recently so I've been revisiting a few of my favourite ones. These are two of the WWII patriotic thrillers which started the Universal produced Holmes series, and although they might not be to everyone's taste I really enjoy seeing Sherlock taking on the Nazis as more of a counter-espionage agent than a detective. I particularly like the film-noir style of Secret Weapon and Hitchcock-like Macguffin of the microfilm in Washington. Ultimately though, Holmes is better suited to the more Gothic mystery setting of films such as The Scarlet Claw, which is possibly my favourite of the Rathbone series. And I find his hairstyle a bit offputting in these WWII thrillers. But anyway, perfect Sunday afternoon viewing for sure!
bedroom on a 12 inch b/w portable telly.
Don't tell me Pike!
I'm guessing it is probably IL.
I'm a fan of westerns & watched 'The Sons of Katie Elder' the other day. One of my favourites is 'Hombre' starring Paul Newman.
Unlike many modern comedies it has many laugh out loud moments.
Like superdaddy, I have the Rathbone films in a box and love 'em. (As you say, Rathbone's weird hair in some of them, though- )
After two films set in period, the rest of this series suddenly leaps about 50 years and has Homes & Watson in (then) contemporary clothes, using cars, fighting Nazis, etc. There was a vague foreword in the first two or three about Holmes being timeless, then after that it was just taken for granted that the man solving cases in 1892 was the same one (same actor, same age etc) doing the same things in 1946.
This was partly the inspiration for the BBC Sherlock and today Holmes adventures can be found on TV or film with the character being set in the 2010s (Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller) or the 1880s/1890s (Robert Downey Jr) or indeed any point, and the large audiences pay their money, sit back happily and watch.
Gee, I wonder if.... nah.... it wouldn't work... or would it...?
Another film which is said to be a major influence on the BBC's Sherlock in Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. I still need to check that out.
along with The Hammer version of THOTB with the brilliant Cushing and Lee.
In Private Life Lee played Mycroft Holmes while he played Sherlock in at least 4 other films. Perhaps the only actor who did that!
Cushing did another version of THOTB for the BBC, but I haven't seen that.
A brilliant Footy Hooligan film. I don't really like football, but i watch films like this because of thier grittiness. Danny Dyer is brilliant as the lead. He gets sucked into the world of Hooliganism, whilst trying to decide if that is the life he really wants. Some funny moments in it as well.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
lets get rid of an oppressive ruling tyranny ie lets have a revolution ,and lets replace them with err another oppressive tyranny 8-)
The story of Brian Wilson of beach boy fame. A really interesting story of the bands song and music writer...and how he was terribly mismanaged in the 80s ....leaving him to believe he had a serious mental illness.
Sympathetic and we'll acted, and even if you're not a BB fan, (I'm certainly not ) ) it's worth a watch. -{
Big on spectacle, and great fun but, somehow lacking in Something. I much
Prefer the first movie.
Currently watching the last hour of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on Sky Movies. Great film.
One review called it a "glorified 'B' movie"...which might be fair, but then Edgar Rice Burroughs was never one to traffic in high literature, and in truth pretty much all Tarzan films fall into that category. The biggest knock on this film is the CGI, which was dodgy and could have been so much better than it was, but it didn't take me out of the moment. Great fun; pity it will likely not turn a profit in the long run. 3 out of 5 stars.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
A little disappointing as I had high hopes for it.
Why Everybody Wins If Batman & Superman Are Public Domain
I thought this was interesting, as even Bond is coming to the end
of the copyright period ?