movies

[ellen_datlow]

Over the weekend I watched the South Korean movie Oldboy (finally--after three damaged DVDs from Netflix). Pretty harrowing and very effective. A man his kidnapped and kept prisoner for 15 years, with no idea as to who imprisoned him or why. When he gets out he's led through a cat and mouse game by his torturer.

Next up, Glengarry Glen Ross with a terrific ensemble cast: Jack Lemon, Alec Baldwin, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and Jonathan Pryce. The lives of cutthroat real estate guys in Chicago selling investments in Arizona and Florida land and not caring who they destroy to get on top. I saw the 2005 revival on Broadway with Liev Schreiber, who won a Tony. Not a great play or movie but it's made by its cast every time.

The Seventh Victim produced by Val Lewton and directed by Mark Robson. Someone recommended it and it was pretty lame. Young woman leaves school when her only living relative (who is supporting her)--her older sister-disappears. Satanic cult, blah blah blah. Very choppy the last fifteen minutes. There was a short about Lewton afterwards (maybe that's why the whole thing was recommended) but I just didn't care.

First two hours of the first season of Deadwood. Initially, the cursing put me off (surprising since I my self curse quite a bit in everyday life) but I found it off-putting at first. Got used to it though and enjoyed the episodes.

Comments

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

I certainly don't think 'The Seventh Victim' works as a horror film - unusually for a Lewton movie, it's at best mildly intriguing and with none of the unnerving atmosphere of 'Cat People' - and yet, the final scene gets me every time.

I've now watched all of Season 1 of Deadwood, was enormously impressed, and started on Season 2. I find that knowing some of the history adds to my appreciation of it, even if it meant that I was expecting some of the deaths.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Yes. The final scene is very good--but it didn't need a narration.