tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post6165182019327460822..comments2024-03-29T03:05:28.466-07:00Comments on DREAMS ARE WHAT LE CINEMA IS FOR...: WISE UP - A look at the Best Director you've probably forgotten & the book "ROBERT WISE: THE MOTION PICTURES"Ken Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-63880999306632129232022-12-27T14:46:15.343-08:002022-12-27T14:46:15.343-08:00Happy Holidays, Gill! So lovely to hear from you....Happy Holidays, Gill! So lovely to hear from you. Happy to say that the holidays here is Los Angeles were both cheery and warm. This year distinguished by the unusually high number of new (as in 2021/2022) movies I've been enjoying. My partner and I extend our wishes to you and yours that you enjoy the best of the season have a wonderfully Happy New Year! Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-77924076079253925752022-12-27T11:24:55.940-08:002022-12-27T11:24:55.940-08:00Hi there, just popping by to say hope all is well ...Hi there, just popping by to say hope all is well and you having a lovely festive time.Realweegiemidget Reviewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07112425802962283173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-24142583250049175532021-05-15T15:46:42.926-07:002021-05-15T15:46:42.926-07:00Greetings, Juan!
Is it "The Day Th Earth Stoo...Greetings, Juan!<br />Is it "The Day Th Earth Stood Still" you refer to? It's become a favorite of mine, as well.<br />I'm glad you enjoyed this piece, but the exhaustive research is really owed to author JR Joran. I mostly culled from what I already knew about Wise. Such a fascinating body of work from a director so overlooked!<br />Nice to hear from you, Juan. Thanks for commenting!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-73823021194661174132021-05-15T02:42:27.244-07:002021-05-15T02:42:27.244-07:00One of my favorite movies of all time. Thank you f...One of my favorite movies of all time. Thank you for the exhaustive analysis you have carried out.<br /><br />Greetings,<br />JuanCinefiliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01515672875118418395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-65608865663219712342021-03-12T02:08:34.600-08:002021-03-12T02:08:34.600-08:00“Klaatu barada nikto.” I can't believe it took...“Klaatu barada nikto.” I can't believe it took me so long to see that one.<br />Your mentioning this film makes me wish I had asked readers to cite their favorite Robert Wise film. Perhaps The Sound of Music would have dominated, perhaps not!<br />Thanks again, Chris!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-12810818245935687502021-03-12T02:00:45.884-08:002021-03-12T02:00:45.884-08:00Hi Chris
So nice to hear from you! Thanks for read...Hi Chris<br />So nice to hear from you! Thanks for reading this and sharing your fondness for the work of Robert Wise. Since posting this I FINALLY got around to watching two of his films I've had in my collection but never watched: THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (I can see why you praise it so highly) and TWO FOR THE SEESAW (lovely film, but I really wasn't QUITE as aware of how long Shirley MacLaine had been playing versions of SWEET CHARITY before being cast in the musical).<br />It's funny how Wise really is one of those directors about whom everyone can say they've seen at least one of his films if you just rattled off the titles. <br />But most are in the same ballpark as you and AUDREY ROSE: we know the film but forget Wise was the man behind it. Hope all is well with you. <br />And yes, I'm long overdue for covering Julie Andrews' STAR!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-25498207683511088862021-03-11T15:30:21.496-08:002021-03-11T15:30:21.496-08:00Oh and forgot to mention that Day The Earth Stood ...Oh and forgot to mention that Day The Earth Stood Still is his masterpiece, in my opinion!!!<br />angelman66https://www.blogger.com/profile/16471674180789592940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-27514869366451404872021-03-11T15:28:24.716-08:002021-03-11T15:28:24.716-08:00Hi Ken! Great article on one of the busiest and mo...Hi Ken! Great article on one of the busiest and most prolific directors in film. I agree that The Haunting is just about the best haunted house movie ever made. Also love Sound of Music as well, of course. Did not know that he directed Audrey Rose—that’s a pretty scary one too. And forgot that he directed one of the all time flops of all time, Star! I second Dave K’s motion that you feature that one here on the blog if you haven’t already! <br />- Chrisangelman66https://www.blogger.com/profile/16471674180789592940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-16215939084256912262021-02-02T13:45:13.565-08:002021-02-02T13:45:13.565-08:00As always, Ken, thank you so much for your kind an...As always, Ken, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful response. And, yes--PLEASE do a blog post on "Star!" :)Dave Kucharskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780946474352916520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-42945706722128668622021-02-02T09:01:19.525-08:002021-02-02T09:01:19.525-08:00Hello, David
That’s a hilariously succinct and on-...Hello, David<br />That’s a hilariously succinct and on-the-nose first sentence there! And as one who grew up grateful to that theory for introducing me to a whole new way of appreciating film and its critical analysis, I don’t think you’re being all that unfair either.<br /><br />If anything, it was a theory that had value, but was seriously overworked and never recognized its own limited scope.<br />I like your list of overlooked directors is interesting, John Cromwell and William Dieterle both seriously off my radar in spite of the number of film Google revealed to me that I’ve seen.<br />And how terrific is it of you to mention animators! I never think of it, but the same “star system” hierarchy applies. I guess as long as there has been advertising there has been the need to herald particular creative professionals merely to call marketable attention to them. But with the introduction of criticism, there came to be sometimes arbitrary standards of comparative value to contend with.<br /><br />I didn’t know you liked the movie STAR!<br />It’s a qualified favorite of mine that I hope to write about sometime soon. I like it, yet I can wholly understand why audiences didn’t respond. But few things are as sublime as Andrews’ handling of that choreographically very difficult “Burlington Bertie” number.<br /><br />I think the time is ripe for people to discover Wise, as I can’t recall a time when so many of his movies have at last become available on so many streaming sites. Nowadays people need a forgotten director to be blessed by Scorsese or Tarantino before they’ll explore and trust their own tastes. <br /><br />As for the “Ambersons” controversy, what you make mention of --that perhaps Welles’ claims of having his masterpiece ruined are more a subjective reaction to how it went down than a fair assessment of how true to the original concept the heavily-edited version --is the only thing I came across while researching this post. I have no idea what was in that hour cut from the film (and I can’t imagine any film that’s reasonably well-told can withstand the loss of a whole hour without costing something in characterization or the like), but I have heard that the controversial “upbeat” ending was not all that different from Welles script. And your being someone who’s actually read the book helps out a great deal with clarifying what fate the source material had in mind for that terribly annoying character. <br /> <br />In closing, I thank you for taking not of my Paula Kelly inclusions. You’re so perceptive! She’s a big favorite of mine whose dramatic work in several Black action films of the ‘70s I discovered over quarantine. As a singer, phenomenal dancer, and sensitive actress, I think she’s highly underrated and had a long career, but certainly not the kind her versatility and talent deserved. For that reason I like to highlight her whenever she appears in 9or connects even tangentially with) a film I’m writing about. Fitting for you to notice her in a post about underappreciated artists.<br />Great you enjoyed this article, David, and thanks for adding a few directors names that might inspire some readers to explore their work.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-22189166471633202512021-02-01T14:58:34.284-08:002021-02-01T14:58:34.284-08:00And thank you for your always generous reply. Alt...And thank you for your always generous reply. Although a sports film, you should give The Set-Up a try. It takes place in real time over a one hour 12 minute period - and Wise's experience as an editor on earlier 1940s classics comes very much in handy here. <br /><br />Heh, although I like A Thousand Clowns (especially the always wonderful Barbara Harris - just finally saw her in Movie Movie a couple of weeks ago), I know what you're talking about: Herb Gardner's character often do all talk in that similar whimsical style!Mark R. Y.https://markrussyoung.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-79520118458914856212021-02-01T08:57:51.527-08:002021-02-01T08:57:51.527-08:00Dear Ken: Hi!
Ah, the Auteurist Theory! In which ...Dear Ken: Hi!<br /><br />Ah, the Auteurist Theory! In which the only directors with talent are those with a flashy visual style that can be easily explained to film students. :)<br /><br />That's a little unfair, but it does stick in my craw that film directors like Wise, George Cukor, John Cromwell, William Dieterle (who does at times have a striking visual style) who tend to put their talent at the service of the story and characters get so little respect in film circles.<br /><br />Even when it comes to cartoons, Chuck Jones is acclaimed a genius because of his artistic pretensions, while poor Friz Freleng gets no credit at all for a very definite style and world view: i.e., the bracingly cynical belief that people (or in his case, animals) don't learn and don't change, but keep making the same dumb mistakes. That worldview is clearly evident in such films as one of his masterpieces, the Tweety and Sylvester cartoon "Birds Anonymous."<br /><br />I've seen many of Wise's films but was startled to discover I only own one: "Star!", which is one of Eric's and my favorite movies. But I do discern some stylistic tendencies in Wise's films, including the use of the camera as an observer, not an unfeeling one but still with some sense of distance from people and events. I see that stylistic touch especially in his films from the mid-1950s onward ("Executive Suite," "I Want to Live!", "Star!" and most brilliantly, as you and Mark note, in the highly cinematic openings of "Sound of Music" and "West Side Story.")<br /><br />I also want to say a word about the "ruining" of "Magnificent Ambersons." It is true that the movie's revised ending strays far from Welles' dark and pessimistic tone in the rest of the film. But I read the Booth Tarkington novel on which the movie is based, and the movie's revised ending--even to some of the dialogue, I believe--is taken straight from the novel!<br /><br />Thanks again, Ken, for a great and informative read!<br /><br />P.S. You've been on something of a Paula Kelly kick lately, with her photo above and that clip of her dancing to "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" a few posts ago. I loved the latter clip--how she uses her entire body as part of the dance, including her wonderful facial expressions during the close-up.<br />Dave Kucharskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780946474352916520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-6881453860411661312021-02-01T00:31:57.727-08:002021-02-01T00:31:57.727-08:00Ha! I love that Julie Harris' voice-over inner...Ha! I love that Julie Harris' voice-over inner monologues drive you crazy! I say that because I like it when a person sometimes has a particular resistance to a movie that is widely popular. I just watched A THOUSAND CLOWNS after being pressured to watch it for nearly 40 years. Now I want to go back in time and punch all those people in the face. Jason Robards drove me crazy even though I was aware of how remarkable Barbara Harris was.<br /><br />So I don't think you need to re-watch "The Haunting"...you know what you like. And it sounds like you gave it a fair chance. Besides, you'll need all you strength to make it through "Rooftops"!<br />THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE is a lovely film with a misleading title. And isn't the story to AUDREY ROSE a jaw-dropper? It didn't strike me as such when I first saw it (thanks, as you not, to Wise's handling of the material), but I think a revival house screening of it today would engender a lot of laughs in the wrong places.<br /><br />I like many of Wise's films as well, but because he WAS so versatile, I've never seen any of his movies in the genres I tend to despise. Thus, I've never seen any film of his dealing with sports or war (although I did kinda see The Sand Pebbles in a theater wen I was 10, but I fell asleep and can't remember anything about it now). But I really love TWO FOR THE SEESAW and ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW. <br /><br />Though I hadn't noticed it myself, the author of this book took note of what your eagle-eyed perception picked up in regard to the opening shots of West Side Story & Sound of Music. Yes! It's as close to a Wise trademark as you'll get. I see a lot of Val Lewton and Orson Welles influence in his work. Especially When it comes to the use of ceilings and shadows. <br />Of the films you mentioned that I haven't seen, I think THE SET-UP holds the most interest for me. Have you seen BORN TO KILL? That's another favorite. <br />Good to hear from you, Mark! Thank you for reading this and commenting.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-11237273726185279912021-01-31T22:06:05.955-08:002021-01-31T22:06:05.955-08:00I think I need to give "The Magnificent Amber...I think I need to give "The Magnificent Ambersons" another viewing. I saw it only once, back in the 90s, I believe, and just found the lead character so irredeemably unlikeable that the entire film was a slog for me. I've never even read up much on what the content of the purported "better" Welles version involved.<br />I find downward spiral movies compelling as a rule, so perhaps one day I'll crack open that DVD case again... .Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-43834275820405607182021-01-31T14:21:00.967-08:002021-01-31T14:21:00.967-08:00I tend to sub-categorize films by director, so I&#...I tend to sub-categorize films by director, so I'm certainly familiar with Wise's works. But, it's true, he never had an "auteur trademark" to his movies; instead he was a good professional craftsman - and that's not a bad thing at all. His credentials are impressive and he made numerous top-rate films. <br /><br />I would count as personal favorites The Curse of the Cat People (a strangely poetic "horror" film), The Set-Up (a quite brutal boxing noir), The House on Telegraph Hill, Executive Suite, The Andromeda Strain, Audrey Rose (silly story, but Wise makes it engrossing), and my very favorite The Sand Pebbles - which is one of those what I call "whirlpool" tales; in which, despite all of the characters' efforts, an inescapable tragic fate awaits all.<br /><br />And, of course, West Side Story and The Sound of Music - two grand musicals I've watched ever since early childhood. (Note how both begin with several vertiginous shots of their respective settings, Manhattan and Austria, before we crane down to meet our respective first characters, the Jets and Maria the novice. I guess we have a little director's trademark after all!) <br /><br />Re: The Haunting - sorry, Ken, there are a lot of good things about that movie, but Julie Harris' endless inner narration drives me up the wall! Maybe I'll give that film another shot and just steel myself to that aspect!<br /><br />I would still like to see Wise's Helen of Troy, Star!, Two People, Odds Against Tomorrow, Two for the Seesaw, and even Rooftops!Mark R.Y.https://markrussyoung.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-68996901620539225212021-01-31T08:24:22.614-08:002021-01-31T08:24:22.614-08:00Lotta great movies there, but I'm still stuck ...Lotta great movies there, but I'm still stuck on The Magnificent Ambersons. When I think of downward spiral movies, there's Requiem for a Dream, Babe: Pig in the City, and The Magnificent Ambersons. Watching it, we played the game of "Where did Welles' movie end, and the reshoots attempting to paste on a happy ending begin?" Allen Knutsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15616422252030334511noreply@blogger.com