1980s List Discussion and Suggestions (Lists Project Vol. 3)

[domino harvey]

Just browsing through that link, so obviously these aren't fair and measured criticisms, but... Eric Roberts recorded his cat's lines through a phone, right? Like, he sounds like he's in his car or something saying "Read your beeping machine"

EDIT: I think I want to see how this turns out, so "thanks"

[Yojimbo]

Just browsing through that link, so obviously these aren't fair and measured criticisms, but... Eric Roberts recorded his cat's lines through a phone, right? Like, he sounds like he's in his car or something saying "Read your beeping machine"

EDIT: I think I want to see how this turns out, so "thanks"

Not exactly in the best traditions of 'Method' acting, now, is it?

EDIT: He sounds more like Jim Backus - of 'Mister Magoo' fame - at 29:40

[Cold Bishop]

I actually think Pope of Greenwich Village may be one of the great unsung cult classics of the decade. By which I mean: its actual cult following is genuinely unsung. I'm surprised how many times I'll namedrop or reference that film, often amongst non-cinephiles, and get a knowing grin of recognition. People really seem to like that film... yet you never see it mentioned anywhere.

It's a very amiable film: it really is a classic "hangout film" since, as mentioned, the plot isn't all that compelling. It's all about spending time with these charming losers for 90 minutes.

Probably won't make my list, however.

(domino: are you working your way through Mickey Rourke's filmography, or is this pure happenstance?)

[Yojimbo]

I actually think Pope of Greenwich Village may be one of the great unsung cult classics of the decade. By which I mean: its actual cult following is genuinely unsung. I'm surprised how many times I'll namedrop or reference that film, often amongst non-cinephiles, and get a knowing grin of recognition. People really seem to like that film... yet you never see it mentioned anywhere.

It's a very amiable film: it really is a classic "hangout film" since, as mentioned, the plot isn't all that compelling. It's all about spending time with these charming losers for 90 minutes.

Probably won't make my list, however.

(domino: are you working your way through Mickey Rourke's filmography, or is this pure happenstance?)

I picked up the book about 20 years ago and I still haven't gotten around to reading it. Perhaps I was waiting until I saw the film - which I only finally saw about two years ago.
The 80s would have to be very slim pickings if 'Pope' made my 50

[colinr0380]

Plus don't forget that Eric Roberts is going to be starring in the must see film of this decade, The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence)!

On Legal Eagles, it has been years since I last watched that film but domino's comments about it being tonally all over the place reminded me that I was pretty transfixed/scared by a kind of pyromaniac horror/performance art scene in the middle of the film set to some 80s synths. As it has been so long, I cannot say for sure whether that scene actually exists or if I have just imagined it over the years, but that is what always comes to mind whenever I think of the film.

Yes yojimbo, poor Tawney Kitaen never seemed to get the roles to fulfil the promise on display in Just Jaekin's The Perils of Gwendoline In The Land of The Yik-Yak! (i.e. Indiana Jones with boobs and domination!)

[flyonthewall2983]

I actually think Pope of Greenwich Village may be one of the great unsung cult classics of the decade. By which I mean: its actual cult following is genuinely unsung. I'm surprised how many times I'll namedrop or reference that film, often amongst non-cinephiles, and get a knowing grin of recognition. People really seem to like that film... yet you never see it mentioned anywhere.

Jay Mohr had Eric on his podcast a few times, and it was basically all he could talk about. That's stretching it a bit, but he's definitely a member of that following. I have to say that once I did finally watch it I couldn't get into it, in that I didn't feel very interested in what was going on.

[domino harvey]

On Legal Eagles, it has been years since I last watched that film but domino's comments about it being tonally all over the place reminded me that I was pretty transfixed/scared by a kind of pyromaniac horror/performance art scene in the middle of the film set to some 80s synths. As it has been so long, I cannot say for sure whether that scene actually exists or if I have just imagined it over the years, but that is what always comes to mind whenever I think of the film.

It's real-- it's the scene I referred to in my write-up as being a mockery of performance art. Maybe if I'd seen it when I was younger the scene would have a similar effect for me, but as is I couldn't take it too seriously

(domino: are you working your way through Mickey Rourke's filmography, or is this pure happenstance?)

After watching some of these films, I just go through an actor's IMDB and see if there's anything else of interest they've starred in this decade. Rourke just happened to feature in a bunch of movies that looked like they might be worthwhile-- and there's still more to come!

[thirtyframesasecond]

Eric Roberts plays a scuzzball in The Specialist, though he's obviously no match for James Woods, who's acting in a different movie to everyone else.

[domino harvey]

Choose Me (Alan Rudolph 1984) Another wonderfully offbeat movie from this decade, with an unpredictable narrative and interesting, original characters interacting in ways that surprise and delight. While I've always heard this recommended in the same breath as Genevieve Bujold's work within it, it seemed to me that this is really Lesley Ann Warren's movie, and she's fantastic juggling sensuality with self-doubt as a former working girl talking herself through the process of love. I'd love some recommendations of her other work, either in this decade or not-- I think I've only seen her in Clue, but I want to see more.

Into the Night (John Landis 1985) I've never heard a kind thing uttered about this one, which is widely regarded as a pisstake Landis made with a bunch of his director friends to distract himself from the Twilight Zone debacle, but something about that basic conceit held out promise for me and I'm glad I bothered, because I ended up loving this! Landis hits the twinkly piano keys of his droll tone effortlessly, and the film is fun because it looks like it was fun to make, and it translates well if you approach it on its own wavelength. That lightness of touch and feeling puts me in mind of my favorite film from this decade (and all decades), They All Laughed, and while this isn't quite on the level of Bogdanovich's pic, what film is (assuming you're me)? Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer make a perfectly cast pair as two strangers in the night who exchange more than glances as they outrun this decade's catch-all villains, the Middle Easterners (here Iranians, but no matter), all over a beautifully empty and deserted LA. I've never cared for Scorsese's overrated similar treatment of New York in After Hours, but this, this I get.

Lost in America (Albert Brooks 1985) Well, there's already two Albert Brooks films in my Top Five for this decade (Modern Romance and Broadcast News, even if he didn't write/direct the latter) but while I enjoyed what is arguably his most popular film, I don't think it's in danger of knocking anything off my list to make an overall trifecta. The film is at its funniest in the first act, with Brooks' hilarious response to not receiving his promotion ("I'm stealing that clock behind you!") and the ill-conceived plan to head out on the road for life. By the time they've lost everything and face desperation, the film's cycled through the points Brooks wants to offer and isn't nearly as volatile. Compared to Modern Romance, where Brooks pushed his characters so far beyond any audience's comfort zone that he essentially pulls a setup-free William Castle experience (SQUIRM-O-VISION-- "You will sink down in your seat and fidget and try looking away!), Lost in America feels too safe and thus never hits the highs and, more importantly, the lows of his previous film.

Steel Magnolias (Herbert Ross 1989) I am more susceptible to the charms of a good woman's picture than most here, and this falls under the category of "Better than you'd think, not as good as you'd hope." All the expected notes of the subgenre are rung: smartass-y genial ladies, southern eccentricity, ineffectual males, and so on, and since films like this mostly coast by on the strengths of their cast, it helps to have one as talented as this. The jarring transition from comedy to tragedy in the film is well-worn territory, but I thought it mostly worked on its own merits and wasn't nearly as manipulative as it could've been (No teary deathbed monologues at least!)

Stormy Monday (Mike Figgis 1988) This UK-set neo-noir wannabe was lucky enough to ride the coattails of Working Girl into a wider audience thanks to both starring Melanie Griffith, but other than as a curiosity for all involved, I can't think of much to say about this flick one way or the other, other than that it's typical low-rent gangster hood garbage with a few recognizable faces. I didn't think one of the film's central conceits, that the UK would be celebrating "America Week," was used all that well, with no particularly insightful jabs at the US or observations good enough to justify wasting such a potentially interesting backdrop. And in a film where the highlights include Sting yelling "Fucking wanker" a couple times and Tommy Lee Jones doing the Tommy Lee Jones indifferent scowl thing, the movie could have used all the help it could get.

[Yojimbo]

Choose Me (Alan Rudolph 1984) Another wonderfully offbeat movie from this decade, with an unpredictable narrative and interesting, original characters interacting in ways that surprise and delight. While I've always heard this recommended in the same breath as Genevieve Bujold's work within it, it seemed to me that this is really Lesley Ann Warren's movie, and she's fantastic juggling sensuality with self-doubt as former working girl talking herself through the process of love. I'd love some recommendations of her other work, either in this decade or not-- I think I've only seen her in Clue, but I want to see more.

Blake Edwards' 'Victor Victoria' - which I also saw on its original cinema release, though I think I've also seen, since - is definitely worth checking out. As I recall Lesley Ann is probably in Judy Holliday (Born Yesterday) territory here, and more than holds her own up against three thespian heavyweights

I've re-watched Choose Me, a couple of nights ago; perhaps it wasn't as memorable as I'd remembered it, but will definitely be a contender. Keith Carradine gave a particularly good performance, I thought; certainly more nuanced than his 'Nashville', even if his character wasn't entirely dissimilar

[domino harvey]

Keith Carradine gave a particularly good performance, I thought; certainly more nuanced than his 'Nashville', even if his character wasn't entirely dissimilar

He's one of the few actors who can both freely seduce a woman and hold a gun to his head and threaten to shoot and make us believe he's crazy enough to do it!

I luckily already have a copy of Victor Victoria, so I'll have to put aside my lack of desire to see Julie Andrews in anything to watch it (and SOB, which is one of my dad's favorite films)

[Yojimbo]

Keith Carradine gave a particularly good performance, I thought; certainly more nuanced than his 'Nashville', even if his character wasn't entirely dissimilar

He's one of the few actors who can both freely seduce a woman and hold a gun to his head and threaten to shoot and make us believe he's crazy enough to do it! I luckily already have a copy of Victor Victoria, so I'll have to put aside my lack of desire to see Julie Andrews in anything to watch it (and SOB, which is one of my dad's favorite films)

Julie's decent enough in VV; of course, Robert Preston towers over everybody else - and not just because of the heels he wore - but not so much that he puts his co-stars completely in the shade.

And I agree with you about 'Stormy Monday' - which is just an excuse by Blues fan Figgis to feature some of his favourite music, without first considering whether he'd a decent plot to cloak it in - and the Albert Brooks, although I never cared much for 'Broadcast News'.

I seem to recall David Bowie had a cameo in 'Into The Night', although I'm not sure did I see the movie

[domino harvey]

Yep, Bowie's in it. He threatens the lives of both stars with rather intrusive weaponry

[Yojimbo]

Yep, Bowie's in it. He threatens the lives of both stars with rather intrusive weaponry

And of course he's also in 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence' which I won't be voting for, and in which I thought he gave a terrible performance; or non-performance.
Perhaps he should have stuck to playing aliens.

And that's speaking as an original Bowie fan from the days of 'Ziggy Stardust'

[flyonthewall2983]

He's great in The Prestige

[Red Screamer]

He's great in The Prestige

And in The Last Temptation of Christ, which is bound to get some votes (it certainly has mine).

[knives]

And The Hunger. I actually really adore his performance in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and though it definitely isn't one of Oshima's best works it's certainly worth having if just for the score.

[Yojimbo]

And The Hunger.

I've always managed to find some reason not to watch 'The Hunger', on its various TV broadcasts.
Perhaps Tony Scott's directorial credit helped.

[knives]

Come one, Scott is one of the best and most fascinating mainstream filmmakers out there especially if you ignore his Cruise vehicle(s). Outside of that though The Hunger is very different from most of his stuff in that despite showing evidence of his later experimentations it grounds itself in Jancso a bit more though there are a few Roeg inspired moments. He very blatantly makes time his theme (Bowie in that waiting room is one of the most suspenseful scenes of the decade despite having nothing normally suspenseful in the mis-en-scene or story) and utilizes film's ability to warp character and audience perception of it to his vantage giving a very strange effect. He also uses colour so well the entire scheme seems like it should be retired (though I feel later films bested it by going a very different way with the colours).

[Yojimbo]

Well, I've only seen 'Top Gun' and 'Beverly Hills Cop II' and although they were enjoyable enough watch at the time, there was nothing special enough about them to make me want to re-watch them.
Even the look of them.

[zedz]

I'm going to go way out on a limb and assert that nobody would EVER have linked Tony Scott and Miklos Jancso if Scott hadn't name checked the latter in that interview all those years ago (and the BFI hadn't included said interview on their recent Scott disc.)

[knives]

I'm going to go way out on a limb and assert that nobody would EVER have linked Tony Scott and Miklos Jancso if Scott hadn't name checked the latter in that interview all those years ago (and the BFI hadn't included said interview on their recent Scott disc.)

Probably, but it seems obvious with the early films formally in hindsight and the way he approaches narrative overall seems reminiscent. I think, actually, if there's one filmmaker he seems to be stealing from regularly (though by very different means) it's Brakhage who I originally typed, but decided didn't fit with The Hunger. Certainly from Crimson Tide onward he seemed to be aiming more and more toward warping his images into the frazzled abstractly formed colours of a Brakhage film. Really of what I've seen only those first two features seem to be trying for (and managing something different) Jansco's form. It's a bit like I would never think to connect Ford to Straub/ Huillet, but when they explain it it makes a sort of sense at least from where they're coming from.

Well, I've only seen 'Top Gun' and 'Beverly Hills Cop II' and although they were enjoyable enough watch at the time, there was nothing special enough about them to make me want to re-watch them.
Even the look of them.

I haven't seen them and if Days of Thunder is any indication that's probably he smartest thing for me to do.

[Yojimbo]

Well, I've only seen 'Top Gun' and 'Beverly Hills Cop II' and although they were enjoyable enough watch at the time, there was nothing special enough about them to make me want to re-watch them.
Even the look of them.

I haven't seen them and if Days of Thunder is any indication that's probably he smartest thing for me to do.

I love the opening credit sequence for 'Grand Prix' -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RILdsjeL_4
but that's about as far as it goes for me with glamorous motor-racing films
('The Last American Hero' starring Jeff Bridges was decent enough, but not so glamorous)

[zedz]

I'm going to go way out on a limb and assert that nobody would EVER have linked Tony Scott and Miklos Jancso if Scott hadn't name checked the latter in that interview all those years ago (and the BFI hadn't included said interview on their recent Scott disc.)

Probably, but it seems obvious with the early films formally in hindsight and the way he approaches narrative overall seems reminiscent.

You're going to have to be a lot more specific if you want to convince me of that. I've looked and I've looked at True Romance and Beverly Hills Cop II and for the life of me I can't find any metaphorical treatments of recent Hungarian history.

On a less silly note, do any of Scott's films employ the kind of collective protagonist that were Jancso's stock-in-trade, and arguably his most distinctive innovation in terms of narrative form?

[knives]

Crimson Tide sort of does and Domino plays with the concept, but I wouldn't say any of his films do the collective protagonist thing. The question given the lack of writing Scott usually participated in is what he thought he was doing that achieved that narrative flattening (as I understand it Scott was inspired more by the treatment of narrative than anything specifically character based). I think the time manipulation in The Hunger seems to be aiming for that without stealing his form absolutely. Bowie's character just sort of shifts into Sarandon's giving the sense we're tracing the character backward (or rather through a circle that gets broken by the end). It isn't Jancso at all, but I can see how he could have served as an inspiration.