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**wolfgangf** · 10 Jan 2008, 2:35 AM

Go see "Notting Hill" with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant!

**SCI-Nurse** · 10 Jan 2008, 3:19 AM

If you like French New Wave cinema, 400 Blows is a must-see movie. I think I have seen it at least 4-5 times.

(KLD)

**Beth29** · 10 Jan 2008, 3:20 AM

Originally posted by wolfgangf

Go see "Notting Hill" with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant!

Thanks Wolfgang - I have seen that film and enjoyed it.

Don't know if it was a whimsical offer (that matches well your whimsical avatar)

or if my thread isn't actually clear....

Next week Thursday or Sunday (specifically) are my chances of seeing the film in question The 400 Blows projected on a movie house screen (as opposed to DVD television format). Should I see it or pass it by?

After the 20th - an answer won't matter since the opportunity will have passed by then.

Juke may be the only one who knows this film (if he knows of it at all).
It's his mentioning the director's name in another thread that gives me reasons to consider seeing it.
By all means if others are aware of the film and have comments - please share.

Thanks

**Beth29** · 10 Jan 2008, 3:27 AM

Originally posted by SCI-Nurse

If you like French New Wave cinema, 400 Blows is a must-see movie. I think I have seen it at least 4-5 times.

(KLD)

Thanks - I hadn't seen your post while I was responding to Wolfgang.

I'll read up on French New Wave cinema first - I don't know if I like it yet.

**orangejello** · 10 Jan 2008, 4:06 AM

The 400 Blows is excellent and well worth watching. It was the movie that initially got me interested in Truffaut and French cinema in general. My favorite movie of Truffaut's is Shoot the Piano Player but The 400 Blows comes a close second. It's been a long time since I have seen it but I always enjoy it.

The 400 Blows starts the story of an adolescent Antoine Doinel. The movie is a character study of him. Truffaut later follows Antoine's life over 20 or so years in 4 more movies which you might want to check out if you like the 400 Blows. The later movies are not as good as the first one and some of them are better than others. But they are interesting to watch nevertheless to see where both Antoine and Truffaut end up.

Why would you assume that one particular member might be the only person here to have heard of this movie? There are thousands of members here and The 400 Blows is not really an obscure film among those who enjoy so called "foreign" cinema.

Switching the topic a bit, if any movies by the Spanish director Pedro Almodovar play at your local art house theatre I highly recommend watching them. He has too many films to list here but he is another favorite director of mine. He's a bit crazy and can offend easily though, just a warning lol.

**SCI-Nurse** · 10 Jan 2008, 9:56 AM

if any movies by the Spanish director Pedro Almodovar play at your local art house theatre I highly recommend watching them

Orangejello, I agree! Which is your favorite? I have a hard time choosing between Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Volver. I think his films just keep getting better and better! He shows a particular sensibility for women and their feelings and issues, even when the main characters may be male.

If you don't have a good art house nearby, or they don't play older films, you can at least depend on Netflix for most of his films.

(KLD)

**agnes** · 10 Jan 2008, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by SCI-Nurse

Orangejello, I agree! Which is your favorite? I have a hard time choosing between Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Volver. I think his films just keep getting better and better! He shows a particular sensibility for women and their feelings and issues, even when the main characters may be male.

If you don't have a good art house nearby, or they don't play older films, you can at least depend on Netflix for most of his films.

(KLD)

I agree KLD, Orangejello, Almodovar is GREAT!! He is even funnier in Spanish.. With time, I feel his understanding of human emotions is getting deeper and deeper. Out of his, my favorite movie is "All about my Mother", although when I watched "Talk to her" I was seriously impressed.

Last night I watched a film I recommend, if you are into Art House movies. It is "Lust, Caution" by Ang Lee. Very good, the main female character is the best part I have seen written for a woman in a long time. The actress who plays it is brilliant. Excellent music, photography,... It was seriously worth it..

**Juke_spin** · 10 Jan 2008, 12:55 PM

Well I haven't seen The 400 Blows but as it's autobiographical and my favorite professional film reviewer, James Berardinelli gives it an unheard of (for him) **** I heartily recommend it. I'll put it in my queue and watch it soon.
http://www.reelviews.net/movies/f/400_blows.html

Regarding Pedro Almodovar, if you've seen nothing by him I recommend you try at least one film - he's not for everyone and tends to hammer the same theme to death. He does have a "special" understanding of women and his "Women On The Edge Of A Nervous Breakdown" is well worth seeing.

**Beth29** · 10 Jan 2008, 1:43 PM

My apologies - I shouldn't have made such a limitation on who would know of films like I did.
And foreign films to people in the US are not foreign to the people of that film's country
(the wonders of an international forum)

PEDRO ALMODOVAR is a favorite !!!
I attended a Pedro Seminar the Cinematheque put on in 2006 to coincide with Sony's re-release of his films.
I shamefully haven't seen Volver yet.

Penelope is a favorite as well

My favorite of his films is "Bad Education".
I could talk for hours about that film.
(for example) The visual comparison of how he frames Fele Martinez's face and then Daniel Gimenez Cacho's as they read Ignacio's script
(both horrified for different reasons at the pain Ignacio endured).
Uuuh - makes me want to watch it a-g-a-i-n......

I think I own 3 copies.
I lend them out to friends but always have one in case they don't find their way back.

Anyone else own this one? Anyone else like this film?

If I ever met Pedro in person, I think I'd be compelled to hug him before saying anything to him.

Orangejello - your description of 400 Blows is much more compelling than the blurb they gave in the program. I will go see it.

EDIT: noticed when I previewed my post - - -
while typing this Juke wrote in - good to know your recommendations as well.

Why is James Berardinelli your favorite reviewer? Same tastes / opinions?
Not knocking your favorite - just curious
I don't have a favorite reviewer -
I used to like Siskle (maybe because their show was designed to have opposing view points)

And as far as Pedro again - maybe Bad Education can shed some light into why he (a - man) is so tuned into the "female" when there isn't any 'real' female characters in the storyline. It is interesting a film maker known so well for his understanding of the "female" to make such a great film like Bad Education as well.

**Juke_spin** · 10 Jan 2008, 1:56 PM

BuffyBeth1 Why is James Berardinelli your favorite reviewer? Same tastes / opinions?
Not knocking your favorite - just curious
I don't have a favorite reviewer -

I rarely have much of a disagreement with his reviews; a good reviewer's a useful tool and a great reviewer's, well, a great resource.
http://reelviews.net/archives/a_archives.html

Berardinelli has over 3,300 full-length movie reviews posted on his own ReelViews website, as well as being a prominent contributor to such sites as Rotten Tomatoes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_B...li#Film_critic

**Beth29** · 10 Jan 2008, 3:30 PM

Originally posted by Juke_spin

I rarely have much of a disagreement with his reviews; a good reviewer's a useful tool and a great reviewer's, well, a great resource.
http://reelviews.net/archives/a_archives.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_B...li#Film_critic

I've bookmarked his site.
Thanks

ooohh - he didn't like Bad Education

Do you agree with his review?

**Juke_spin** · 10 Jan 2008, 4:29 PM

Originally posted by Beth29

I've bookmarked his site.
Thanks

ooohh - he didn't like Bad Education

Do you agree with his review?

Yes. Sorry, you asked; I even had to watch it twice to make sure it was that bad. The heavy-handed theme of victimization became stifling but, hey, you've got to admit that he's (J.B.'s) not flatout panning it. Look at how he opens the review:

In recent years, few things have been more certain than the guarantee of something delicious from director Pedro Almodóvar. Almodóvar has become like a trusted brand name - reliable and consistent. Unfortunately, with his new effort, called Bad Education, the streak ends. By ordinary standards, this movie would be considered unremarkable. However, by the standards this director has established, Bad Education represents Bad Almodóvar.

**orangejello** · 10 Jan 2008, 4:45 PM

Originally posted by SCI-Nurse

Orangejello, I agree! Which is your favorite? I have a hard time choosing between Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Volver. I think his films just keep getting better and better! He shows a particular sensibility for women and their feelings and issues, even when the main characters may be male.
(KLD)

I am always glad to find fellow Almodovar fans

Picking my favorite is so hard because I like them all so much. I have tried to rank them in the past but the order changes every time I re-watch one of his movies. I love his ability to explore very dark and complex themes with such humour and wit, while at the same time never judging the actions of his often very flawed characters.

"Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" was the first movie of his I ever saw. It was so different from anything else I had ever seen and I was an instant fan. It has always been one my favorite Almodovar movies.

"Talk to Her" and especially "All About My Mother" really struck me as turning points in his career. He still thrives on the outlandish and unexpected but for me these two movies seemed to mark a more mature direction with his movies. I like them both very much.

I don't think it's one of his better made movies and the plot is very uneven but I have always had a soft spot for "Kika." The dysfunctional, selfish, and totally unlikeable characters really grew on me as they tried to so hard to get themselves out of trouble and just ended up digging themselves further in the hole.

"Dark Habits" with its convent of sinful nuns and "What Have I Done to Derserve This" with its beleagured housewife dealing with an impossible family are also among my favorites.

There are so many more to list that I like..."Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down," "Matador," "High Heels," "Bad Education". I better stop here

**Beth29** · 24 Jan 2008, 1:39 PM

I did see "The 400 Blows" and liked it.
At the Cinematheque (where these films are shown) the audience tends to chat with each other as they walk out (as opposed to typical franchised theaters where it's odd to talk to the strangers leaving the theater next to you).
Many of them were impressed with the scenes of the children's faces while they watched a puppet show.

Next up is "The District"….
Tonight we get to have the film introduced by Aniko Imre, Ph.D. who will lead a discussion afterwards.
She's a Film Professor at the University of Southern California and has written about this movie and currently being interviewed on the radio.

The Youtube link is in Hungarian - but visually you'd get an idea what the "look" of the film is and I'll have the benefit of subtitles.
You may have the benefit of knowing Hungarian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo26HkkuNoU

http://imdb.com/title/tt0398237/maindetails

http://cine.hu/district/
You can launch the trailer I saw at the movie's website - it took some time and used RealPlayer - but it included subtitles

I found this at the site to and wanted to share:

The District's a mate, one of a kind,
You took a knock and lost your mind.
See this tale of the town unfold,
A house of cards in a land of gold.
You can't get lost, diggin' around,
If ya got the cash, you're safe and sound.
The cops down there don't fuck about,
Pay them off or just get out.
We all know where we belong,
Pimpin' and trickin' all day long.
Some new guy wants to get to the top
Don't cost much to give it a pop.
The gov'ment throws all sorts in 'ere,
Chinese, Arab, Gypsy, queer.
Everything looks grey and brown,
Take one card out and the lot falls down.
Cash makes a dash from hand to hand,
All addin' up in a promised land.
The shit we go through ev'ry day,
It's a bitch of a game, you wanna play?

Does anyone know about this film or have anything to add?

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