What are you watching?

[Ent]

By that line of argument, Hollywood had "run out of ideas" by 1959. Or 1925, as that was also a remake.

Indeed, the 'classic' 1939 Wizard of Oz would never have been made either. There were at least 2 before it I believe...

And let's not talk about the many versions of "A Christmas Carol".... the first SOUND version of which was 1935, Sir Seymour Hicks as Scrooge. There were at least 2 Slients before it, 1908 and 1910.

Imagine if the early Japanexe Godzillas were the ONLY Godzillas we could mindlessly watch, day after day, year after year..!

I was one who once said 'they're out of ideas so they do reruns'. And certainly that's ONE reason. Another is likely more germane... they can do more with more and deliver more, to make more, and engage newer audiences more.

If we are to appeal to the masses, we must appeal to the masses, and they're not satisfied with the same old appeal.

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

Have you watched Ben Hur? It's in the same sort of category: 60+ years old, and 4 hours long. I enjoyed it as well.

CLASSIC! Man, I remember when I read the book and watched it in 8th grade for English class. I loved it. The chariot race from the movie after all these years will forever stick with me. All of my classmates were happy when the "villain" got what was his due. I can't remember his name, but I know it starts with an M.

With Ben Hur, a false rumor one of the stuntmen died in early filming of the chariot race on location at Circus Maximus in Rome, and the scene was left in, continues to circulate.

I have never heard of this before! I can see how it might have been thought, considering the scene...

 

[Ent]

I have never heard of this before! I can see how it might have been thought, considering the scene...

Yes, actually, it's a very 'confused' rumor, as there WERE accidents of a much smaller sort with no deaths at the Circus Maximus in Rome, but it was during filming of the older version, with no Charleton Heston to begin with. Ultimately Circus Maximus was abandoned as a shooting site though, as it presented too many difficulties.

so other than 1) - the events, 2) - the location, 3) - the year, and 4) - the death itself, the rumor has great validity.
As it is though, it's a bit like saying the Eagles really did fly the Ring to Mordor.

 

[Ent]

I have never heard of this before! I can see how it might have been thought, considering the scene...

It's fair to say, though, there WAS an accident during the charriot race scene in the older film....according to the one source I read. (this is where the final part of the 'confused rumor' comes in... it also says 'the death accident was left in the film.')

yes, one of the charriot wheels broke off, one of two stuntmen in the charriot fell off the back but got his foot caught, was dragged a bit, but managed to crawl back into the charriot. And yes, that scene was left in the film.

The injury involved was minimal, as were all the injuries sustained during the shooting, though there were quite a few before the location was abandoned as unsuitable.

I've not watched either of the films for so long I've not gone back to verify the scene exists in it for myself... (it should be in the older one).

The stuntman said to have been killed was an extremely skilled one, had his own two sons also working as stuntmen in the film, and there was never a word from the family, or any attempt to receive compensation, or anything, related to the supposed death.

The minds of some men are creative things. The minds of others are insatiably gullible. Sometimes the two combine, and well... balrogs have wings, Oliphaunts are really as big as a house, and some Elves really sled down stairs on shields, and ski off Oliphaunt trunks.
.

 

[Olorgando]

I was amused by all the griping brought on by the 2016 version: "why does Hollywood feel they need to remake the original classic? More proof they've run out of ideas!". Etc.
By that line of argument, Hollywood had "run out of ideas" by 1959. Or 1925, as that was also a remake. This, I believe, is the "original":

All modern trash. Checking Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets and Egyptian hieroglyphics would likely turn up some eye-openers.
Granted, the copyright on that stuff expired millennia ago ...

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Yearly tradition of mine to watch this around Thanksgiving, one of my favorite movies.

 

[Deimos]

I'll be watching Chicken Run on Thanksgiving.
Great Movie (and chickens are like miniature Turkeys...sort of) upbeat, feel good, great score, all the characters are memorable and well played.
Movie trivia: Voices for Ginger and Fowler: Julia Sawalha and Benjamin Whitrow. ... not their first movie together.
They were cast in the 1995 dramatization of Pride and Prejudice, as Lydia Bennett and her father.

 

[Starbrow]

Here is my traditional thanksgiving viewing

 

[Vorondil]

Just watched two more very good films, Khartoum, same kind of thing as Lawrence of Arabia, just shorter. And The Lost City of Z, which is based on the explorer Percy Fawcett, who disappeared into the Amazon, never to be seen again.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I saw this short segment this morning. Rush fans may find it of interest:

Rush Beer! 😄

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

If Alex and Geddy ever tour again, I will pay what it takes to see them

 

[Halasían]

Oh well.

I've been watching a Disney series called 'Black Cake'. The reason why I started watching said series can't be mentioned on this site. It is quite a good, if sad, story for a television series set in Jamaica, England, and Scotland.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I watched Season 2 of this series, but missed Season 1 for some reason. Fortunately PBS has just started rerunning it:

PS: If you're wondering, yes, Sean Bean dies.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Just finished watching all 3 seasons of this SF series. it's called War of the Worlds but bears little similarity to the original story. However, I found it an absorbing, if rather dark, series with an innovative story line and some good acting and character development. It's set in England and France with some French dialogue with subtitles (and vice versa I assume). I didn't worry too much about the scientific accuracy and one of the characters did say "quantum" many times but that was ok

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Just watched "The Maggie Hamilton Story", an episode of Wagon Train from 1960, featuring two future Star Trek actors:

Susan Oliver as a rebellious teenager-- though she was 28 at the time

And Leonard Nimoy, as "Cherokee Ned"

Both appeared in other episodes, by the way.

Lucky regular Robert Horton got to both kiss and spank Susan! 😄

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Funny how Nimoy can be mistaken without the ears!

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

 

[Deimos]

Just watched "The Maggie Hamilton Story", an episode of Wagon Train from 1960, featuring two future Star Trek actors:

Susan Oliver as a rebellious teenager-- though she was 28 at the time
View attachment 28137

And Leonard Nimoy, as "Cherokee Ned"
View attachment 28138
Both appeared in other episodes, by the way.

Lucky regular Robert Horton got to both kiss and spank Susan! 😄

Guessing this without looking it up....Susan Oliver was in the Cage/Menagerie?

 

[Deimos]

Funny how Nimoy can be mistaken without the ears!

Yep... if SeS hadn't identified him, I never would have guessed that was Spock