a sucker for the earlier stages in filmmaker's careers
2) MOVIE SEEN ONLY ON
HOME FORMAT THAT YOU
WOULD PAY TO SEE ON
THE BIGGEST MOVIE SCREEN
POSSIBLE?
That would have to be Herzog's AGUIRRE,
THE WRATH OF GOD (1972) preferably
if it was an incredibly glossy remastered print.
3) JAPAN OR FRANCE?
Dammit, that's like picking between two beloved children. I guess if I was forced to pick, I would
have to go with Japan - & not because I think their
cinema/filmmakers are necessarily better than
France's, but because a lot of my favourite movies
each year are consistently from those islands.
OR LINE FROM A WESTERN
Too many lines to choose from, but my favourite
moment from a western is definitely the entire
train-station intro sequence from Sergio Leone's
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WESTAnd my favourite moment from a more recent western is the train robbery from THE ASSASSINATION
OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
('07)...I must like trains.
5) OF ALL THE ARTS THE MOVIES DRAW UPON TO
BECOME WHAT THEY ARE,
WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT,
OR THE ONE YOU VALUE MOST?
Definitely the visual arts, or specifically photography.
The cinema started out as these simple flickering
images. Filmmakers should still be able to convey
story & poetry with images alone before they add all
that other good stuff.
MOVIE OF THE '00s
I think Richard Kelly's SOUTHLAND TALES is almost
as misunderstood as SHOWGIRLS was in the 90s.Other contenders: THE FOUNTAIN, UNDERTOW,
MIAMI VICE, SPEED RACER, HOLLOW MAN,
LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION,
MISSION TO MARS, etc.
7) NAME A FILMMAKER/ACTOR/FILM YOU ONCE UNASHAMEDLY LOVED
WHO HAS FALLEN FURTHEST IN
YOUR ESTEEM
FILMMAKER:
Lasse Hallström, Rob Reiner, Fernando Meirelles
ACTOR:
I was in middle school when this was released theatrically
and was just happy to see more dinosaurs.
8) HERBERT LOM OR PATRICK MAGEE?
Lom grimaced hardest.
9) LEAST FAVORITE
DAVID LYNCH MOVIE?
ABSURD ENCOUNTER WITH FEAR is
the only acceptable answer for me personally.
And even it as a debut short is rather good.
10) GORDON WILLIS OR CONRAD HALL?
When it comes to color cinematography, I think Conrad
L. Hall, second only to Vittorio Storaro, is the best D.P.
in film history. Like Gregg Toland and James Wong
Howe before him, He paved the way for so many
contemporary greats.
11) 2ND FAVORITE DON SIEGEL
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956), after
the brilliant and disturbing BEGUILED (1971) of course.
12) LAST MOVIE YOU SAW ON DVD/BLU-RAY?
PRIVATE COLLECTION
SCREAMS HARDEST TO
BE REPLACED BY A
BLU-RAY?
Coen brother's MILLER'S CROSSING
off top of my head.
14) EDDIE DEEZEN OR CHRISTOPHER
MINTZ-PLASSE?
"Hey, Chris. Ed Deezen called, he wants his nerd
DNA back." only kidding. I actually think Deezen
is kinda annoying in most things I've seen him in,
& Mintz-Plasse has much better comic timing
& dramatic range in my book.
15) ACTOR/ACTRESS WHO YOU FEEL AUTOMATICALLY ELEVATES
WHATEVER PROJECT THEY ARE
IN, OR WHOM YOU WOULD WATCH
IN VIRTUALLY ANYTHING?
Benicio Del Toro and Samantha Morton.
16) FIGHT CLUB -- YES OR NO?
That would be a big YES. One of the first films I saw
in my youth that convinced me mainstream cinema
could operate on some level of subversive
entertainment.
OR OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND?
Olivia for sure.
18) FAVORITE MOMENT OR LINE FROM A FILM NOIR
Though not my favorite Noir-- It doesn't get much
better to me than Bogie as Sam Spade in MALTESE
FALCON, and the way he and O'Shaughnessy bounce
lines off each other. "Chances are you'll get off with life
in prison. That means if you're a good girl, you'll be
out in 20 years. I'll be waiting for you. If they hang
you, I'll always remember you." And his expertly
wry delivery. Classic ice-cool Bogart.
BEST (OR WORST) DEATH
SCENE INVOLVING AN
OBVIOUS DUMMY
SUBSTITUTING FOR A
HUMAN OR ANY OTHER
UNSUCCESSFUL
SPECIAL EFFECT(S)--
SEE THE WONDERFUL BLOG
DESTRUCTIBLE MAN FOR INSPIRATION
🤣 the zombie Ken Foree tosses over the 2nd floor railing in Romero's classic DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978).
It falls so lifelessly and ridiculous, and then 40mins
later Savini actually falls over the same rails as a
real stunt. Priceless movie treasure.
YOU'VE SPENT ON A FILM
AND STILL REGRETTED IT?
I've gotten into a handful of free screenings of movies
I've regretted & even received free dvds that I wished I
hadn't watched afterwards, but on one particularly
terrible day in 2000, I spent a whole dollar of my own
hard-earned allowance on DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
at my local Cinemark dollar theatre. It hurt so bad!
OR VAN HEFLIN?
I'll have The Van Heflin.
22) FAVORITE ALAN RUDOLPH?
Of the few I've seen, AFTERGLOW.
Which features my favorite Julie Christie
NAME A DOCUMENTARY THAT
YOU BELIEVE MORE PEOPLE
SHOULD SEE?
Too many to name honestly, but I really feel like I can't
24) IN DEFERENCE TO THIS QUIZ'S
PROFESSOR, NAME A FAVORITE FILM
WHICH REVOLVES AROUND SOMEONE
STRANDED
You could argue that the film is more about walking than being stranded, but Gus Van Sant's haunting and enigmatic GERRY is my favourite.
25) IS THERE A MOMENT WHEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF FILM, OR LACK
THEREOF, CAUSED YOU AN UNUSUAL
DEGREE OF EMBARRASSMENT AND
/ OR HUMILIATION? IF SO,
PLEASE SHARE.
I used to go to Bible study with my girlfriend's late
father and a group of his friends at our local Dixie
House cafe.He being much older than the average
teen's father, they were all a group of senior citizens
and I was just a geeky kid. Afterwards, we would
always talk about whatever topic and one day Favorite
War Movies came up. They were always trying to
remember what year this or that movie came out &
who starred and directed & were very surprised by my
nerdy encyclopedic recollection of all details from
their favorite "old guy" pictures off the top of my head.
Was like they had found their own movie trivia Rain
Man. I was a little embarrassed when they started to
put together the fact that I had way too much time
on my hands in my private life.
26) ANN SHERIDAN
OR GERALDINE FITZGERALD?
I've had a crush on Ann Sheridan since I was old
enough to get wood.... Which was 4 years ago!
27) DO YOU OR ANY OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS
PHYSICALLY RESEMBLE
MOVIE ACTORS OR OTHER
NOTABLE FIGURES IN THE
FILM WORLD? IF SO, WHO?
My Buelito, god rest his soul,.
dead ringer for Anthony Quinn.
28) IS THERE A MOVIE YOU HAVE PURPOSELY AVOIDED SEEING?
IF SO, WHY?
TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON aka
THE TAINT LIGHT 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO.
Because I saw the first one.. So boring. And the two
leads have forced on-screen chemistry.
29) MOVIE WITH THE MOST PALPABLE OR OTHERWISE
EFFECTIVE WINTRY
ATMOSPHERE OR AMBIENCE?
John Carpenter's THE THING almost makes
you shiver in summertime.
30) GERRIT GRAHAM OR JEFFREY JONES?
Even though the scumbag got busted for despicable
stuff, a few of Jones's characters will always have a
fond place in my memory. Especially the moronic
father in BEETLEJUICE.
31) THE BEST CINEMATIC ANTIDOTE TO A CULTURAL STEREOTYPE
(SEXUAL, POLITICAL, REGIONAL,
WHATEVER)
Sigourney Weaver in ALIENS (1986). Who says women
can't be action film heroes? I'd take her over Arnie
or Sly any day.
32) 2ND FAVORITE JOHN WAYNE MOVIE?
MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962).
THE SEARCHERS is numero uno.
Need I say more, Pilgrim?
33) FAVORITE MOVIE CAR CHASE?
I love the way Frankenheimer shot his chase scenes in RONIN (1998). Especially the BMW VS Peugeot
sequence.
34) IN THE SPIRIT OF HIS GIRL FRIDAY, PROPOSE
A GENDER-SWITCHED
REMAKE OF A CLASSIC
Would like to see a remake of Lang's
YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE (1937) with a lady in Fonda's
role. Keep the depression era setting though. Possibly
a lesbian romance?.
35) BARBARA RHOADES OR BARBARA FELDON?
Feldon.
36) FAVORITE ANDRE DE TOTH?
Though not his best, HOUSE OF WAX (1953) is my
favorite. I can pop the dvd in anytime and have a good time.
37) IF YOU COULD TAKE ONE FILMMAKER'S ENTIRE BODY OF
WORK AND ERASE IT FROM ALL
TIME AND MEMORY, AS IF IT HAD
NEVER HAPPENED, WHOSE OEVRE
WOULD IT BE?
I guess Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer.
Those jackasses make Uwe Boll look like
Orson Welles. And there's nothing worse
to me personally than comedy that is so
overtly mean-spirited.
38) NAME A FILM YOU ACTIVELY HATED WHEN
YOU FIRST ENCOUNTERED
IT, ONLY TO SEE IT AGAIN
LATER IN LIFE AND FALL
IN LOVE WITH IT?
DONNIE DARKO. I didn't quite understand
where Richard Kelly's marvel of a debut
was aesthetically or spiritually coming
from as a kid, and simply brushed it off
hipster quirk. Saw it again in 2004 and
was completely captivated. Inspired, even.
39) MAX OPHULS
OR MARCEL OPHULS?
Max Ophüls, no doubt..
MADAME DE is one of the best
films ever made.
40) IN WHICH CLUB WOULD YOU MOST WANT AN ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP, THE DELTA TAU CHI FRATERNITY, THE CUTTERS OR THE WARRIORS? AND WHICH MEMBER WOULD YOU MOST RESEMBLE, EITHER PHYSICALLY OR IN PERSONALITY?
THE WARRIORS! I guess I would have to be Rembrandt cause we both have a fro and we have
similar skin complexions. I would be a little less gay
41) FAVORITE MOVIE CLICHE?
I always get a kick out of when bad guys in action
films are terrible shots with guns. The bullets or
rockets always explode around the hero but never
42) VINCENTE MINNELLI
OR STANLEY DONEN?
Although I think Donen's SINGIN IN THE RAIN (1952)
is the greatest musical ever made, I like many more of
Vincent Minnelli's films. Especially MEET ME IN
ST. LOUIS (1944).
43) FAVORITE CHRISTMAS-THEMED HORROR
MOVIE OR SEQUENCE?
Joe Dante's GREMLINS (1984). Especially the scene
where the mom is attacked in the kitchen while "Do
You Hear What I Hear" is playing on the phonograph.
44) FAVORITE MOMENT OF SELF- OR SELFLESS SACRIFICE
IN A MOVIE?
Pvt. Witt at the end of THE THIN RED LINE (1998).
Don't wanna spoil it, just watch the movie..
45) IF YOU WERE THE CINEMATIC SPANISH INQUISITION, WHICH MOVIE
CULT (OR CULT MOVIE) WOULD
YOU DECIMATE?
REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA .
46) CAROLINE MUNRO OR VERONICA CARLSON?
Munro.
47) FAVORITE EYE-PATCH WEARING DIRECTOR?
Nick Ray without a doubt..
Fritz would be a close 2nd.
48) FAVORITE AMBIGUOUS
MOVIE ENDING?
The last act of CAST AWAY (2000). and the last
10 minutes resonates with me on a spiritual level.
49) IN GIVING THANKS FOR MOVIES THIS YEAR, WHAT
ARE YOU MOST THANKFUL
FOR?
I'm thankful for Sam Raimi making a
punch-drunk horror comeback with
arrival of Duncan Jones and his heady
sci-fi romp MOON. Also thankful for Netflix releasing "watch-instantly"
on the Playstation 3.
50) GEORGE KENNEDY
OR ALAN NORTH?
George.
(Feel free to post your answers in the comments section below. I'd like to hear how you guys would respond.)
