Or shall I say galloping. We're on horseback rescuing the King! We are surprised at how tight the story is, and have diagnosed it as a byproduct of having to make quick decisions. We aren't leaving the time for "inspiration to strike" or a good story beat to present itself. We have to quickly … Continue reading Clipping Along
Category: comedy
Film 37: Modern Times
Modern Times (1936) dir. Charlie Chaplin. USA. So it goes, and mighty pleasantly, too, with Charlie keeping faith with his old public by bringing back the tricks he used so well when the cinema was very young, and by extending his following among the moderns by employing devices new to the clown dynasty. If you need … Continue reading Film 37: Modern Times
“Off the Record”
Alright, boys and girls. So it’s difficult to say whether it’s any good, but here it is! If you’re curious, click the link below for a PDF of the script. We’ll post longer thoughts on the whole thing tomorrow, but right now we’re going to bed. Off the Record
What We Learned
So. We did in fact finish another movie in a weekend. A testament either to our resilience, or obstinacy. Probably a little of both. It is a tiny bit short still, but not enough that we care to continue writing. We don't even really feel accomplishment. Which is sort of depressing. We HATED this … Continue reading What We Learned
Film 35: Swing Time
Swing Time (1936) dir. George Stevens. USA. When you see anyone--an athlete, a musician, a dancer, a craftsman--doing something difficult and making it look easy and a joy, you feel enhanced. It is a victory for the human side, over the enemies of clumsiness, timidity and exhaustion. The cynical line on Astaire and Rogers was, … Continue reading Film 35: Swing Time
WE’RE BACK!
Film 33 (a): Frankenstein
Frankenstein (1931) dir. James Whale. USA. NB: This wasn't on our docket, but we inserted it upon realizing that "Bride of Frankenstein" is a direct sequel. Picture starts out with a wallop. Midnight funeral services are in progress on a blasted moor, with the figure of the scientist and his grotesque dwarf assistant hiding at … Continue reading Film 33 (a): Frankenstein
Film 27: Duck Soup
Duck Soup (1933) dir. Leo McCarey. USA. My father loved the Marx Brothers above all other comedians or, indeed, all other movie stars. The first movie he ever took me to was "A Day at the Races." All I remember about that experience was the fact of my father's laughter. But there was something else, … Continue reading Film 27: Duck Soup
Film 31: The Thin Man
The Thin Man (1934) dir. W. S. Van Dyke. USA. For audiences in the middle of the Depression, "The Thin Man," like the Astaire and Rogers musicals it visually resembles, was pure escapism: Beautiful people in expensive surroundings make small talk all the day long, without a care in the world, and even murder is … Continue reading Film 31: The Thin Man
Film 23: City Lights
City Lights (1931) dir. Charlie Chaplin. USA. If only one of Charles Chaplin's films could be preserved, “City Lights” (1931) would come the closest to representing all the different notes of his genius. It contains the slapstick, the pathos, the pantomime, the effortless physical coordination, the melodrama, the bawdiness, the grace, and, of course, the … Continue reading Film 23: City Lights
Movie in a Weekend 