207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

Discuss releases by Indicator and the films on them.

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swo17
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#51 Post by swo17 » Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:23 pm

therewillbeblus wrote:
Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:18 pm
It'd be cool if they advertised this (same goes with Indicator's Twentieth Century's "stickers") as I'm sure more people would have pre-ordered copies directly from the sites with some notice- I know I would have for both. I realize it's a nice gesture to honor those who get there early without creating a rush from publicity, but it could only benefit sales figures, and perhaps stretching the number of copies including these items would raise sales overall. Hell, I'd buy a second copy of Twentieth Century in a heartbeat to get those stickers!
The 20th Century sticker is a simple B&W computer printout on adhesive paper. One could easily replicate it, if one were so inclined

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domino harvey
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#52 Post by domino harvey » Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:38 pm

Yes, it reminded me of the old CD printer labels. A nice gesture, but not really a “sticker” like a die-cut bumper sticker et al

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therewillbeblus
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#53 Post by therewillbeblus » Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:42 pm

Oh, well thanks, I feel better now

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swo17
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#54 Post by swo17 » Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:54 pm

I mean, it still changed my life though

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Rayon Vert
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#55 Post by Rayon Vert » Fri Jul 16, 2021 6:02 pm

If it makes anybody feel better, I didn’t understand what the piece of paper was about and just ripped it up. It’s only when I read this thread that I got it.

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Black Hat
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#56 Post by Black Hat » Sat Jul 17, 2021 3:44 am

swo17 wrote:
Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:23 pm
The 20th Century sticker is a simple B&W computer printout on adhesive paper. One could easily replicate it, if one were so inclined
Where is the 20th Century sticker? Did it come in the package of the preorder or inside?

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reaky
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#57 Post by reaky » Sat Jul 17, 2021 3:55 am

In the box, but not inside the sealed disc. I’d actually thrown mine out until I read about it here, dug the packaging out of the recycling and found it inside.

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Black Hat
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#58 Post by Black Hat » Sat Jul 17, 2021 3:58 am

Then mine sleeps with the fishes.

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domino harvey
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#59 Post by domino harvey » Sat Jul 17, 2021 5:51 pm

Here’s a pic for reference

Image

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Black Hat
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#60 Post by Black Hat » Sun Jul 18, 2021 3:08 am

HA! Then I do have it! It's somewhere lying around my apartment, last time I saw it I said, "What the hell is this?" but since it was a sticker I kept it under the "all stickers must be connected to something cool" statute.

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reaky
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Re: 1078 Nightmare Alley

#61 Post by reaky » Sun Jul 18, 2021 3:31 am

You’ll be tearing the place up like Gene Hackman at the end of The Conversation.

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Finch
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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#62 Post by Finch » Sun Jul 18, 2021 10:34 am

Ha, because this got split off from the Criterion Nightmare Alley thread I thought for a second that Signal One had gone under and Indicator had rescued Nightmare Alley for their slate.

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rapta
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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#63 Post by rapta » Sun Jul 18, 2021 5:38 pm

Finch wrote:
Sun Jul 18, 2021 10:34 am
Ha, because this got split off from the Criterion Nightmare Alley thread I thought for a second that Signal One had gone under and Indicator had rescued Nightmare Alley for their slate.
I wish...but they've consistently reiterated they're still 'on the way'. In fact they've finally got a few of their titles sorted out and they'll be released early August (The Rare Breed, Halls of Montezuma, Let's Make Love). I thought they'd have scrapped the extras but those last two have a video essay for each.

But yes, still a big question mark over Nightmare Alley and The Gunfighter as to what kind of package they'll be able to deliver. Last I heard the latter had Alex Cox involvement, but who knows if that still stands?

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#64 Post by MichaelB » Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:02 am

The commentary that Johnny Mains and I recorded for Nightmare Alley close to three years ago should definitely be included - they paid for it (impressively promptly*) so they have no reason not to.

(*personally, if I had to choose between getting paid quickly for a commentary that then isn’t released, or having to chase up my fee for months after the release, it would be a bit of a no-brainer…)

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swo17
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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#65 Post by swo17 » Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:45 am

So just as I move the Twentieth Century tangent here, we're back to discussing Nightmare Alley. Sounds about right

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#66 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:32 am

To be fair, they’re practically the same movie

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#67 Post by MichaelB » Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:34 am

therewillbeblus wrote:To be fair, they’re practically the same movie
I suspect if a geek (complete with chicken) had popped up on the Twentieth Century as it roared across the countryside, nobody else aboard would have batted an eyelid. John Barrymore would probably have offered him a contract.

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#68 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:39 am

I mean, both protagonists are manipulative narcissists who make it their mission to exploit others for personal ego-profit, and are fatalistically marked by their solipsistic traits. One just sees the behavior as more humorously absurd while the other takes a sincere approach of horror!

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#69 Post by Rayon Vert » Fri May 19, 2023 10:03 pm

Finally caught up to the Indicator blu ray release of Twentieth Century. Carole Lombard is justly lauded, but this time I couldn't take my eyes off Barrymore. He's just spellbindingly terrific here, with all of his mannerisms and vocal articulations. I still feel the second half of the film is, comparatively, a little weaker script-wise (good thing the makers added the spendidly written early third or so that apparently wasn't part of the original source material), but his performance especially keeps me fascinated.

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#70 Post by therewillbeblus » Fri May 19, 2023 10:12 pm

The film brilliantly spins out and exhausts itself with its spinning, exhausting central couple. Basically the same structure of L’avventura only with manic humor instead of tranquillizing depression

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soundchaser
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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#71 Post by soundchaser » Fri May 19, 2023 10:19 pm

Rayon Vert wrote:
Fri May 19, 2023 10:03 pm
Finally caught up to the Indicator blu ray release of Twentieth Century. Carole Lombard is justly lauded, but this time I couldn't take my eyes off Barrymore. He's just spellbindingly terrific here, with all of his mannerisms and vocal articulations. I still feel the second half of the film is, comparatively, a little weaker script-wise (good thing the makers added the spendidly written early third or so that apparently wasn't part of the original source material), but his performance especially keeps me fascinated.
Interesting! It's that first third that gives me trouble every time I watch this one or show it to people -- feels like the film doesn't really start until Lombard explodes out of her apartment bedroom. Curious what you find splendidly written about it. :)

(Agreed that Barrymore is a titan here, though. "I close the iron door on you" works only because of his 100% sincerity in delivery.)

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#72 Post by Rayon Vert » Fri May 19, 2023 10:36 pm

I don't know if I could give you too many specifics. I was just smiling consistently throughout it and kind of magnetized. Somewhere during that train journey that stops being true in terms of the jokes themselves (e.g. the gags with the "repent" guy Clark seem kind of extraneous, apart from adding to the manic lunacy), although the leads' performances keep drawing you in.

Watching Barrymore address and coach his minions on the stage with the chalk lines and everything ("ting-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling"), that's far and away the best part for me.

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#73 Post by Rayon Vert » Fri May 19, 2023 10:57 pm

This is still before the train sequences, but I was struck by that scene where Barrymore throws up paint all over that huge billboard. I mean it looks like he had one shot at it and he nailed it! Hysterical watching him bloviate after with all the paint splatter over himself.

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Re: 207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#74 Post by Rayon Vert » Fri May 19, 2023 11:53 pm

therewillbeblus wrote:
Fri May 19, 2023 10:12 pm
The film brilliantly spins out and exhausts itself with its spinning, exhausting central couple. Basically the same structure of L’avventura only with manic humor instead of tranquillizing depression
My thoughts also go to New York, New York, which has its own kind of mania. I seem to remember Scorsese saying something about making a film about how romances between artists/performers are doomed to failure. I wonder if this one of the films he was thinking of. Or course there's A Star Is Born and probably tons of others.

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Matt
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207-208 The Criminal Code & Twentieth Century

#75 Post by Matt » Sat May 20, 2023 1:46 am

One detail that I always enjoy is how Lombard increasingly absorbs and mimics Barrymore’s mannerisms and gestures throughout the picture. There’s one moment where she slaps her hand to her head, fingers in her hair, that is so exactly like a movement Barrymore does earlier that it’s kind of startling.

I quote this movie all of the time, to myself and to my husband. (“Anathema! Child of Satan!” “What do you want, scorpion?” “I close the iron door on you!”) I can never look at opening credits where a filmmaker has multiple title cards without thinking to myself, “Oscar Jaffe announces a new play personally supervised by Mr. Jaffe with a typical Jaffe cast to be presented at the Jaffe Theatre.”

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