Peckinpah

Started by snaporaz, April 25, 2003, 04:38:59 AM

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snaporaz

call me a late bloomer, but i've barely had the chance to watch some peckinpah flicks. just finished straw dogs and the wild bunch.

straw dogs was ok. i really felt that hoffman's character's anger towards the local assholes wasn't built up enough. i was kind of expecting him to become the incredible hulk during that last part, but instead he just barely held off the place. as a viewer, i didn't empathize with him as much as i thought i should. also, i wish he had found out about what happened between his chick and that bastard ex-boyfriend while he went hunting. my rating of the film: 6/10

the wild bunch, in my opinion, was equally enjoyable - just a bit over barely. i would say my favourite part of the picture was the whole train robbery sequence. i think i just like those types of scenes. kinda reminded me of rififi with all the quietness. but as for the characters and their relationships, i wasn't too feeling for them. i think the character i had the most sympathy for was angel. too bad the film didn't focus too much on him. and that bastard pike was completely unlikeable. what a stubborn dickhole. i know he was the leader and had to boss people around, but that just pissed me off when he threatened to leave angel behind if he didn't get over wanting to kill the guys who offed his pop. anyways, i'm not saying pike being an ass made the film bad. i mean, there were no real protagonists. everyone in the movie had something coming to them. that's why it was pretty hard for me to enjoy the chase between the bounty hunters and the bunch and the shoot-outs. like, who do i want to see come out victorious? the only cool people in the film were ernest borgnine, the drunk old fucker, and angel. i was actually hoping to see borgnine sneak away with the loot after that last shoot-out like mr. pink, except not get shot. call me ignorant - which i probably am - but the characters and their place within the storyline seemed all so senseless. that being said, awesome editing.

anybody wanna tell me if i'm missing anything? any good points about these peckinpah movies i probably overlooked? any better peckinpah flicks than these - or at least ones worth watching?

Moniker Jones

I first saw Straw Dogs years ago, and was only slightly amused by it.  But recently, I made a rather smart trade at a local Hastings store, and walked away with the gorgeous Criterion DVD for the film.  The second viewing proved to be far greater, though being much older now might have had something to do with it.

Either way, it's a pretty stellar film which wonderfully evokes a particular tone and sticks with it to the bitter end.
you're never too young to be the moral center of any particular universe

Keener

I liked the concept of Straw Dogs but I just couldn't enjoy it for some reason. Then again, I'm just a 17 year old who's starting out in the movie lover business. I'll give it another chance some time.

As for The Wild Bunch, I'm not to the point I can really watch westerns but I liked the basis of it. Take away the western aspect and I would have loved it. So again, I can't fairly judge the movie because I'm not a fan of the genre to begin with. In a few years, we'll see.
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dufresne

i had a very similar reaction to my first viewing of Straw Dogs.  Maybe i thought it would be more vicious.

Wild Bunch is queued on Netflix...should be getting it in awhile.  If can recommend any more Peckinpah flicks though, it would be much appreciated.
There are shadows in life, baby.

MacGuffin

Quote from: dufresneIf can recommend any more Peckinpah flicks though, it would be much appreciated.

His version of "The Getaway" with Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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modage

does anyone else feel like the end of straw dogs was ripped off a little bit by the end of "home alone"?  thats all that kept going thru my head at the end of that movie.  i also thought STRAW DOGS was okay but i will admit to being completely rivited towards the finale of that one.  i loved the WILD BUNCH however.  pretty violent and you cant go wrong with WILLIAM HOLDEN.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

modage

just watched The Getaway.  thanks macguffin. it was pretty cool.  id seen the remake with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger many years ago when it came out on video but i cant even remember it at all.  i thought this one was cool.  the beginning was a bit slow but about halfway through it got really exciting pretty much through the end.  the score was a little distracting.  do all of peckinpahs movies end with an orgy of violence? cause if so, i will keep renting them.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

godardian

Joan Didion vociferously insisted that he be the one to direct the film of Play It as It Lays. The studio, of course, was able to override Didion, and the honor went to Frank Perry, who went on to direct Mommie Dearest, the tale of a very different Joan.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

modage

i think its sort of funny that there are endless pages of discussion for Todd Solondz or Vincent Gallo or Richard Kelly and yet we can scarcely find like 5 people to hold a conversation about Sam Peckinpah or Billy Wilder or Howard Hawks.  interesting how the scale is skewed, isnt it?
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

godardian

Quote from: themodernage02i think its sort of funny that there are endless pages of discussion for Todd Solondz or Vincent Gallo or Richard Kelly and yet we can scarcely find like 5 people to hold a conversation about Sam Peckinpah or Billy Wilder or Howard Hawks.  interesting how the scale is skewed, isnt it?

I'm willing to bet that's because we have what seems to be a very disproportionate number of under-twenties and spankin'-new film school students on the board. Give 'em another couple years and you'll probably find they've worked their way a little farther backwards in cinehistory. It can be a little boring only talking about what's fresh in the culture's mind all the time, though, and that goes for everything: Music, books, AND film.

I saw The Wild Bunch a few years back at the big Warner Bros. 75th Anniversary Retrospective, which meant days of watching movie after movie until you just couldn't take it and didn't know whether it was day or night outside. That one was fourth on the bill and very late at night, and I'm ashamed to say I was drifting off and really need to see it again to comment on it.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

ono

I don't know, for me, I'm just bored talking about the Wilders and Mankiewicz's (et al, of course) of the world.  Their films aren't really that timeless, and though I appreciate them for what they are, they're relatively boring.  I try to get over it, and try to appreciate them as landmarks or what have you, but I just can't do it.  I think stuff like Casablanca, 12 Angry Men, and Double Indemnity are all great, but films of that caliber are few and far between.

The bottom line, in my opinion, is films of today are much more interesting than the stuff made sixty years ago.  There are still plenty of films from the 30s-70s that I haven't seen, but for people who say that film died with the eighties, they simply haven't paid attention to the last five years, and specifically the year of bliss in cinema that was 1999.

modage

Quote from: OnomatopoeiaI don't know, for me, I'm just bored talking about the Wilders and Mankiewicz's (et al, of course) of the world.  Their films aren't really that timeless, and though I appreciate them for what they are, they're relatively boring.  I try to get over it, and try to appreciate them as landmarks or what have you, but I just can't do it.  I think stuff like Casablanca, 12 Angry Men, and Double Indemnity are all great, but films of that caliber are few and far between.

The bottom line, in my opinion, is films of today are much more interesting than the stuff made sixty years ago.  There are still plenty of films from the 30s-70s that I haven't seen, but for people who say that film died with the eighties, they simply haven't paid attention to the last five years, and specifically the year of bliss in cinema that was 1999.

alright, people not wanting to talk about Mankiewicz or Wilder is (i guess), fine. to each his own.  but when Kevin Smith has FIVE MORE PAGES of discussion than Alfred Hitchcock under the DIRECTOR heading, something is definitely screwy.  this board also seems to be somewhat favorable towards ANYTHING under the criterion banner and not too interested in anything on the AFI 100 or any other classic american films.  (it seems like people think that anything with subtitles is atleast 'pretty good'.)  i am certainly not saying to take any focus off the films being made today, because while all the old movies are history and can be seen anytime, there is the excitement of seeing something new and seeing what will be the new classics and soforth.  i just think it would be more interesting if people were a little more enthusiastic about older films as well.  (not that i am any sort of expert.  mainly i am exploring like hell right now, and i wish i could squeeze a few more recommendations off the board.  its why i come here.) but ill take what i can get!
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

MacGuffin

Quote from: themodernage02i just think it would be more interesting if people were a little more enthusiastic about older films as well.  (not that i am any sort of expert.  mainly i am exploring like hell right now, and i wish i could squeeze a few more recommendations off the board.  its why i come here.) but ill take what i can get!

I listed some recommendations for the 40's you might wanna seek out:
http://xixax.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31912
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

modage

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you  :yabbse-shocked:

its like pulling teeth around here!
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

ono

Quote from: themodernage02alright, people not wanting to talk about Mankiewicz or Wilder is (i guess), fine. to each his own.
Eh, not that I don't like them.  They all have gems; that's not what I meant, really.
Quotebut when Kevin Smith has FIVE MORE PAGES of discussion than Alfred Hitchcock under the DIRECTOR heading, something is definitely screwy.
I do admit I need to see more Hitchcock films.  Some of his older work seems damn intriguing.  Just the titles reel you in.  Rope, The 39 Steps.  Brrr.  Chills.  Not enough hours in the day, though, man.  I had this habit earlier in the year where I'd check out several movies at a time, and not watch 'em all.  Had Vertigo in my hands and never did get to watch it.  I have seen Psycho, Rear Window, and North by Northwest, though.  Psycho was decent, Rear Window was good, but North by Northwest was weak.  Those aren't his best work, though, so yeah, I think I'm just probably not alone in not having seen more of his stuff.

Smith's only made five films by my count (soon to be seven), so it is kind of unfortunate that he's talked about so much, but not too surprising.  Only one of his films is really relevant in "movie history;" the rest are just "funny."
Quotethis board also seems to be somewhat favorable towards ANYTHING under the criterion banner
Eh, Criterion is hit or miss.  I LOVE the concept, but seriously question some of their selections.  Not all of their films are "must own."  Not all of their films are perfect.
Quoteand not too interested in anything on the AFI 100 or any other classic american films.  (it seems like people think that anything with subtitles is atleast 'pretty good'.)
Eh, I've seen some horrible foreign films, but the fact is, most foreign stuff is at least of average quality, while American cinema always has real clunkers waiting to be seen in multiplexes.  In foreign countries, it's mostly about art, and you won't see shit "teen films" or the like there (that I know of).
Quotei am certainly not saying to take any focus off the films being made today, because while all the old movies are history and can be seen anytime, there is the excitement of seeing something new and seeing what will be the new classics and soforth.  i just think it would be more interesting if people were a little more enthusiastic about older films as well.  (not that i am any sort of expert.  mainly i am exploring like hell right now, and i wish i could squeeze a few more recommendations off the board.  its why i come here.) but ill take what i can get!
The want is there in most people who want to know about films in general.  I know it's there for me.  When I come across an old film that's a good one, it's refreshing.  But it's hard for older films to compete with newer ones, because there are very few that age well, which I think is the most unfortunate aspect.