Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

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MJE
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Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by MJE »

     I wonder if there is a "Which films have you seen recently?" thread along the lines of "Last Song You Listened To", "What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!", "What Enid Blyton book have you recently bought?", and the like (that is, ongoing threads whose specific focus changes day by day, but the thread goes on with a more general topic). I'm not aware of one.

I've now altered the title of this topic. - Anita

     But I happened to see "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" just a couple of nights ago. (For those who know I don't have television and wonder how, I was at my mother's.) This was the 1971 film with Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, not "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" from 2005, with Johnny Depp as Wonka.
     Reading up a bit, I found that the films, and the book by Roald Dahl which inspired them, were in fact very controversial, with both strong supporters and strong detractors who think this quite unsuitable material for children to read/view; and I was just wondering if anyone else had any thoughts about any of the three works. (I've seen both films at various times but have not read the book.)

Regards, Michael Edwards.


P.S. to moderators:
     If there is an ongoing film thread, move this post to it if you wish - but I couldn't seem to find one.
     Would there be enough interest in a film topic generally to create such a thread?

I think there might well be enough interest and I've altered the topic title accordingly. - Anita
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Rob Houghton »

My dad and I regularly watch movies on DVD. Usually they are classic movies - that's what I enjoy - and more often than not they are musicals, as I have a vast collection. My dad enjoys them also, so that's a good reason to watch them!

Last year (July 2016) I hit on the idea of watching every musical I have in order (I got the order from a Hollywood Musicals 'encyclopaedia type book, which lists them all year by year along with photos). We started in 1930 and now - December 2017 - we are up to 1947...so you can see how many I have! We watch at least three a week, sometimes one every night, depending what's on TV! I have a collection of about 450 - 500 (just a rough estimate - maybe more) Hollywood musicals - many of which I've bought from America as they aren't available in UK.

So - to answer the question, the last movie I watched was 'Good News!' with Peter Lawford and June Allyson. Its not one of my favourites, but we are sticking to the plan and watching them all! It has some well-known songs, such as 'The Varsity Drag' and 'the Best Things In Life Are Free'. Before that we watched 'This Time For Keeps' starring Esther Williams, and before that 'My Wild Irish Rose' starring Dennis Morgan. :D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
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Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
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(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Katharine »

MJE wrote:        But I happened to see "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" just a couple of nights ago. (For those who know I don't have television and wonder how, I was at my mother's.) This was the 1971 film with Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, not "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" from 2005, with Johnny Depp as Wonka.
     Reading up a bit, I found that the films, and the book by Roald Dahl which inspired them, were in fact very controversial, with both strong supporters and strong detractors who think this quite unsuitable material for children to read/view; and I was just wondering if anyone else had any thoughts about any of the three works. (I've seen both films at various times but have not read the book.)
I've only seen the 1971 version and didn't like it. I've read the book a couple of times, but not for quite a while, the first time as a child. I don't remember anything from the book that struck me as unsuitable, in fact I was left with the feeling that it was a 'nice' book where the horrible children all got their comeuppance and the good character was rewarded. There was one bit in the film which I found upsetting, there is a sequence where images are flashed rapidly, I've no idea why. Apart from the fact that I hate flashing images anyway, I seem to remember there was a chicken being decapitated, or at least the impression was given that it was about to be. Maybe I'm wrong and mis-saw something, but I haven't felt able to watch the film again because of it.

Wow Rob, that's a lot of musicals, I had no idea there were so many.

The film I've watched most recently or should I say, am currently watching is 'Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire'. My daughter turned 12 recently, so is now old enough to watch the film, so I've been watching it with her. I'd forgotten how much swearing there is in it, maybe I was extra sensitive because I was watching it with her, but I found it quite uncomfortable, and unnecessary. :cry: :cry:
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Katharine wrote:
Wow Rob, that's a lot of musicals, I had no idea there were so many.
Well, the Hollywood Musicals book I have lists 1,344 musicals made between 1927 and 1981...so I have roughly half of them!! :-D Still a lot I don't have! :lol:

I never was a fan of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - book or film. Then again, I'm not a big fan of Roald Dahl except for the BFG, Danny the Champion of the World, Fantastic Mr Fox and George's Marvellous Medicine. he never appealed to me even as a child.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Stephen »

Funnily enough, I was watching perhaps my favourite film of all time, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange on Friday. Bearing in mind it was highly controversial at the time for all the violence depicted, you almost forget how utterly hilarious it is!

Yesterday, I watched Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea starring Walter Pidgeon and Peter Lorre. Incredibly dated, laughable special effects, variable acting - and yet I found it pretty entertaining! Sort of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea meets Cold War B Movie Bad Science. (And no, I've never seen the television series that emerged from it).

I also saw the cult classic Fantastic Voyage where a submarine is miniaturized and injected into the bloodstream of a scientist in order to save his life. Highly ambitious film for 1966 bearing in mind all the special effects that would have been required and it's amazing they pulled it off as well as they did. Also, I'm sure it wasn't intentional at the time, but the way Donald Pleasence delivered his lines is hilarious!
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Katharine »

Rob, I assume you intend to collect them all eventually? :D

I only remember reading the two Willy Wonka books and James and The Giant Peach as a child, and only really enjoyed the Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. I've seen an outdoor performance of Danny, Champion of The World and really enjoyed it.

Stephen, I always used to get A Clockwork Orange mixed up with Clockwise, although fortunately I always realised the mistake before I watched the wrong one. :D

Fantasti Voyage reminds me that I watched Inner Space recently. I found it on a video tape after a couple of episodes of The Likely Lads. :?
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Courtenay »

I recently saw The Man Who Invented Christmas — about how Charles Dickens came to write A Christmas Carol — at the cinema with friends. A bit overdone and I can't help wondering about the degree of historical accuracy (or lack of same), but I later found out there's a tie-in exhibition at the Dickens Museum in London, which I'd like to go and see, as A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite festive books.

Now that just reminded me, I found the full classic movie Scrooge (1951, starring Alistair Sims) on YouTube a while ago and have been intending to watch it! :D Might do that tonight — I gather it's considered one of the best-ever film adaptations of the story. Does anyone else here know it?
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by sixret »

You must be a hardcore fan of musical films, Rob. That is quite a lot of musical film collection. I do love watching musical film every now and then. Have you watched Bye Bye Birdie, Rob? I loved watching their dances.

Like Katharine, I also wonder if you intend to collect them all. Youtube has quite a number of musical films. I have downloaded the ones that I like from there to save my money so that I can spend on EB’s books! :lol:
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Eddie Muir »

Courtenay wrote: Now that just reminded me, I found the full classic movie Scrooge (1951, starring Alistair Sims) on YouTube a while ago and have been intending to watch it! :D Might do that tonight — I gather it's considered one of the best-ever film adaptations of the story. Does anyone else here know it?
In my opinion, Scrooge, starring Alastair Sim, is by far the best adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Courtenay. Chick and I have watched the original black and white and colorized versions several times over the years and we never tire of this great film. :D
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Courtenay »

Glad to hear it, Eddie. I did see the Jim Carrey version of A Christmas Carol several years ago in the cinema — the one that was done by filming the live actors, then CGI-animating over them — and that was quite enjoyable and faithful to the story, but there were a lot of special effects, high-speed chase scenes and so on that I suspect were thrown in to make it more visually exciting (it was shown in 3D), but they certainly didn't enhance the plot at all. I also remember watching Mickey's Christmas Carol and The Muppet Christmas Carol when I was little, but those were just fun! :wink:
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Katharine wrote:Rob, I assume you intend to collect them all eventually? :D
Well, I'm a bit of a 'completest' when it comes to collecting stuff, lol...so, in theory, yes! :lol:

Courtenay - yes - I personally think that the Alastair Sim version of 'A Christmas Carol' - originally called 'Scrooge' in the UK - is the best ever made. He is perfect in the part. :-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Courtenay »

Well, I'll sit down to watch it tonight, then. Thanks for the recommendations, Eddie and Rob.
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Rob Houghton »

sixret wrote:You must be a hardcore fan of musical films, Rob. That is quite a lot of musical film collection. I do love watching musical film every now and then. Have you watched Bye Bye Birdie, Rob? I loved watching their dances.

Like Katharine, I also wonder if you intend to collect them all. Youtube has quite a number of musical films. I have downloaded the ones that I like from there to save my money so that I can spend on EB’s books! :lol:

I do have loads! My favourite era for musical films is 1933 - 1955 - so 'Bye Bye Birdie' is a bit too 'modern' for me - though I have seen it, and do own quite a few more modern musical films, such as 'hairspray' and 'Mama Mia' etc. :-D

One of my favourite movies is 'Footlight Parade' (1933) with great musical numbers by Busby Berkeley. :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRqcZcrgPaU

:D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by sixret »

Thank you for the recommendation, Rob. :)
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Re: Which Film(s) Have You Seen Recently?

Post by Courtenay »

I watched Scrooge last night, but I'm sorry to say that while it was a decent enough film, I didn't really enjoy it very much. A lot of the acting (particularly from Alistair Sim) just seemed unconvincing and overly melodramatic, and while of course the film followed the basic storyline of the original book, it wasn't nearly as faithful as I was expecting. I guess I know the book too well and am too much of a purist about it, but that's my own fault — I certainly don't mean to rubbish the film for those who love it. I just didn't rate it very highly myself, that's all.
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