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What are you watching?

A number of PBS programs are blocked in Europe, I've noticed. It's called "Making Waves: the Art of Cinematic Sound" if you want to do a search.
 
The Hustler (1961) yesterday
Hum hroom. Will need to watch that one again. Been many a decade, but Ent recalls thinking the acting pretty well done. Everything was different in those days, though...and if memory serves, the plot was fairly slim. "This ball in that pocket" can get old after awhile. 😁

yeah, yeah, Ent knows.. it was (a little) more than just that.
 
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Quite a let down.
Why? Surely not because of black and white? Some of the best movies ever made were B&W. I'm not sure Film Noir would have existed without it. And the same with Neorealism.

Not a particularly good film, by any means, but I can't imagine this opening title sequence -- by the great Saul Bass.-- any other way:
 
Why? Surely not because of black and white? Some of the best movies ever made were B&W.
Ahhh cmon SeS I would've hoped you didn't think I'd be that closeminded 😭
Whilst B&W are way before my time I do enjoy (some) of them and don't dislike them purely because of it.
12 Angry Men is one of my favorite movies and probably the best B&W I've seen.
Only ever watched it once but it's a great rollercoaster, and at that a movie primarily taking place in just one room, brilliantly written.
I think I've forgotten the feel of black and white movies.
When I said this I meant that I haven't watched a B&W movie in a few years and forgot how peculiar they are.
Because growing up in this era of cgi movies I feel that when I go back nearly a decade in films a lot of the staples of cinema I grew up with are missing in these old movies. (Not just the effects, but something like soundtracks I feel is more prevalent these days, very elaborate sets, maybe excluding monster movies from your day? and exposition in a way, the way a scene's build up and certain camera angles and effects and also transitions between scenes, some old movies feel very simple in those regards) I guess budgets are partly to blame?
And that in and of itself isn't a bad thing, it's just easy to make me feel like I'm missing something when the only thing I can resort to is acting in, I guess, its purest form. (Also because I haven't watched any of these practical stunt heavy movies of old, closest thing I've seen I suppose was the train scene in Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt).

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In this particular case I felt the acting was quite a letdown, I felt like Piper Laurie overacted and just thought the overall performance was strange.
Fats was great throughout, and from Newman I expected more as well as I'm supposed to believe he's one of hollywood's greats.
He did have one great scene, about halfway during a picknick he was talking with Piper's character about why he liked playing pool.
And I think that was my favorite scene throughout, I enjoyed every word of it. I felt why his character felt that way.

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If I go on to watch more 'colorless' movies right now and revisit the movie I might enjoy it more but as it stands I don't think it's a worthy prequel to Cruise's Color of Money, which I did enjoy immensely.
It is however nice to see Eddie again and learn more of his character. Be nice if they ever make a third.
Anyway I hope that answers your question SeS, hope I didn't trash on your 'old' movies too much 🫡
 
Hum hroom. Will need to watch that one again. Been many a decade, but Ent recalls thinking the acting pretty well done. Everything was different in those days, though...and if memory serves, the plot was fairly slim.
Thank you for being understanding 😭

If you do happen to rewatch it lmk your thoughts on it, what era of movies did you grow up in?

"This ball in that pocket" can get old after awhile. 😁

yeah, yeah, Ent knows.. it was (a little) more than just that.
Honestly I don't think I can get tired of it, very pleasing sound when it enters the pocket.
Might also be because I'm terrible at the game 😆
The Tom Cruise gif from the sequel is gold as well.
tumblr_a5e1081802e497233398218bdf243353_0778d708_540.gif
 
what era of movies did you grow up in?
Let's not 'go there' and just say Ent is familiar with a good deal from well before the 1939 Wizard of Oz was done. One could say the 30s, 40s, 50s and some of the 60s are among Ent's favorite fare.

Ent spent a good deal of time watching all the original Godzilla flicks, tracking how many times the same footage was used film to film of the fakey tanks on hillsides shooting at the lizard and such. Great way to save on film costs... and of course, we weren't supposed to notice.

Anyway, age is relative.
 
Let's not 'go there' and just say Ent is familiar with a good deal from well before the 1939 Wizard of Oz was done. One could say the 30s, 40s, 50s and some of the 60s are among Ent's favorite fare.
Fairs.
Ent spent a good deal of time watching all the original Godzilla flicks, tracking how many times the same footage was used film to film of the fakey tanks on hillsides shooting at the lizard and such. Great way to save on film costs... and of course, we weren't supposed to notice.
That's very endearing, how do you look on 'newer' Godzilla movies then?
Both the monsterverse films and the latest Toho outings.
 
how do you look on 'newer' Godzilla movies then?
Usually with both my eyes.

Each has its own attractions and distractions... as with all movies.
One thing's certain... the creature and its adversaries keep getting bigger, smarter, and more powerful. (in other words, stretching credulity beyond its limits, for Ent.)

This is not to say Godzilla ever was 'credible'... but well... there are limits.

The formula hasn't changed though... Godzilla remains an underdog, usually gets beat up really well a few times, but miraculously recovers at the last moment, smarter than ever, and finds a creative way to breathe radioactivity down an adversary's throat or something bringing about the demise of the more powerful.

In some ways, has become somewhat like watching a Hallmark movie.
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Just started watching This is Going to Hurt on iplayer

Only 2 episodes in but it's fantastic so far.
 

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