tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post3463489218189981940..comments2023-08-20T06:16:15.362-05:00Comments on Getafilm: REVIEW: The Big SleepDanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05222052132452709301noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-20650834884476564602008-08-11T10:32:00.000-05:002008-08-11T10:32:00.000-05:00Haha, then you may want to avoid Alexander's work ...Haha, then you may want to avoid Alexander's work on <A HREF="http://www.moviezeal.com/2008/08/11/out-of-the-past/" REL="nofollow">Out of the Past</A>, posted today. It could probably be published.<BR/><BR/>As amazing as many of these reviews are, I don't think the expectations are as high as we might think. I for one know I can't do what Alexander did, so I'm not going to kill myself trying to. Each of us has a different writing style and a different audience, a fact that I don't think escaped Evan and Luke when they were planning this at MovieZeal. It doesn't mean it's not worth putting our best foot forward, but my sheer lack of knowledge of film history is a pretty big liability when it comes to writing academic analyses of classic noir.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05222052132452709301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-64232069421048946252008-08-10T21:41:00.000-05:002008-08-10T21:41:00.000-05:00I haven't read your (or anyone else's) review yet ...I haven't read your (or anyone else's) review yet because I'm trying to avoid performance anxiety), but I'll be back. I love this movie.<BR/><BR/>Plot shmot!! It's all about the style and chemistry and characters and dialogue.<BR/><BR/>That's all I have to say about that for now!Craig Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00924813294666616097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-51367715142170660302008-08-08T09:55:00.000-05:002008-08-08T09:55:00.000-05:00Thanks a lot for visiting, shubhajit, and for your...Thanks a lot for visiting, shubhajit, and for your brilliant insight into the character of Marlowe. I'm quite surprised that you've managed to read the book and not see the movie; usually it's the other way around. At least it is for me. <BR/><BR/>If you're interested in Bogart and his other noir characters, head on over to MovieZeal and check out the other reviews this month. Thanks for commenting!Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05222052132452709301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-73069938143266135812008-08-07T13:05:00.000-05:002008-08-07T13:05:00.000-05:00Thats a very nice review. I haven't yet watched th...Thats a very nice review. I haven't yet watched the movie. But I've read the novel by Chandler and I absolutely loved it. Phillip Marlowe is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating literary characters ever. Only Bogart could have brought Marlowe to screen with all his sardonic deadpan humour, wry cynicism and the great dichotomy of detached on the outside and sentimental within - a kind of character that Bogart loved playing (In A Lonely Place, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon et al). Hoping to watch the movie soon.Shubhajithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040495040897333606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-85988814589916249512008-08-07T12:02:00.000-05:002008-08-07T12:02:00.000-05:00Thanks, all, for your generosity. I know all three...Thanks, all, for your generosity. I know all three of you would have written a more academic piece on this, but I can't pretend to be an expert on noir so looked at it more casually. Hopefully an appreciation of it is still shared.<BR/><BR/>I saw it for the first (and maybe second time) years ago, Miranda, but like I said last week, I didn't remember or didn't pay attention the insanity of the plot. It was a relief to find out this time around that I wasn't a complete idiot for not putting the puzzle pieces together.<BR/><BR/>I didn't know that bit about Hawks, either, Alexander - it is very interesting, especially since they were working so closely together during those peak war years. <BR/><BR/>All in all I'm still reluctant to claim this is a "review" in the traditional sense so much as it is a summary of observations. I didn't really look at the context of TBS within this period of noir or the larger themes and influences it had in the future. Oh well, everybody should know by now that I'm not a film scholar. For all I know, <I>The Big Sleep</I> is studied on the first day of Film Studies 101. Hopefully this is a decent primer for those of us who haven't taken it, and I'm glad to know it was at least readable!Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05222052132452709301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-59857217829115227262008-08-07T11:34:00.000-05:002008-08-07T11:34:00.000-05:00That was a great read, Daniel.According to Lauren ...That was a great read, Daniel.<BR/><BR/>According to Lauren Baccall's book, Hawks was, um, anti-Semitic, and made comments about Jews that were, let us say, not very kind. Baccall's Jewish, and as she wrote in the book, she decided not to tell Howard Hawks. Anyway, that has always made me wonder how a relationship between the two of them would have, uh, progressed.<BR/><BR/>Far be it from me to discuss the failings of a great filmmaker, but it was in her book, after all.<BR/><BR/>Again, though: great review!Coleman's Corner in Cinema...https://www.blogger.com/profile/04761319284479513957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-51222025647911304452008-08-07T11:12:00.000-05:002008-08-07T11:12:00.000-05:00BRAVO, Danny.You've done a lot of awesome film blo...BRAVO, Danny.<BR/><BR/>You've done a lot of awesome film blogging here at GETAFILM. But this is one excellent truly superior piece of writing. <BR/><BR/>Yeah, from what I understand Howard Hawks had quite the eye for the ladies. He didn't let his marriage slow him down either. I don't think he ever forgave LAUREN (BETTY to her friends) for picking Bogie over him. <BR/><BR/>I did hear that HH was rather blunt and not exactly a smooth talker. Maybe that got in the way...<BR/><BR/>As many people have pointed out (and you just did - masterfully) there are many fine things about TBS. But it's rather short on plot. At the very least. <BR/><BR/>Someone told me before I ever saw it, "Just enjoy it for what it is. Don't try to make sense of it. There's none to be found." <BR/><BR/>Absolutely true. If you try to figure it out later you'll never be able to in any successful way that's satisfying. So best just to take it for what it is. That's more than enough. <BR/><BR/>As you mentioned, that dialogue is something else. Sparkles with wit...and it's actually pretty damned dirty when you think about it. <BR/><BR/>You're quite amusing yourself, my dear. Get a load of this howler: "...attempting to summarize and/or analyze the plot is way above my pay grade."<BR/><BR/>You kidder, you. <BR/><BR/>Anyway...<BR/><BR/>This was cooler than cool. Most impressive. You have outdone yourself, sugar. <BR/><BR/>This gets the Miranda Wilding seal of approval. Plus the big gold star from moi. <BR/><BR/>You keep going like this, you'll have a Pulitzer before you know it. <BR/><BR/>*applauds, stamps feet and whistles*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435253058176416288.post-60496782898076027472008-08-07T10:51:00.000-05:002008-08-07T10:51:00.000-05:00Dan, fabulous work here!! Yes, I do love this fil...Dan, fabulous work here!! Yes, I do love this film myself, and am I always eager to read a new spin. I think you nailed it, and I like the quote interchanges you chose here; I will have even more to say about the piece when it appears over at Movie Zeal!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com