Topic: Alphabet Marathon - Discussion Thread

[Kathy]

Hey, Kathy! Are you still doing this? Your list hasn't been updated in ages. C'mon slacker! 

I knew this month was going to be tough; too much baseball, hockey, and football. I'll catch up some tonight.

[Najemikon]

I'm officially withdrawing from the competition.  I may have the time to watch one more but definitely 6 in less than 2 days.

I really enjoyed this marathon, it forced me to watch many movies I've had sitting in my collection for a long time and never watched.  I hope with can do this again but not with the alphabet please, 26 movies in a month is just too much.

Can someone explain what's the big fuss about "Taxi Driver"? I mean I liked the movie but there's nothing so extraordinary about it

This is exactly how I feel. Great stuff.

But, may I just add a:  , a  and even a  to the thread? "Nothing extraordinary about" Taxi Driver? No. Just, no. You are in fact, wrong. 

Apart from the performances, the direction, the dialogue, the cinematography (a rather different view of New York to most others at the time), the music, it's a complex and frightening moral story. We see Travis unravel, even as he exposes the grubby, nasty side of life. And in the end, you might be happy that a young victim of prostitution has been rescued, but it's by a man who is an emotionally damaged reject. The story seemed to be leading toward those dangerous emotions being exposed and dealt with, but in fact, he's now a hero and has been allowed to slip back into society. He is desperate need of being rescued from himself and it's doubtful it will happen. Just how many Travis's are there out and about?

[richierich]

I'm in the middle of my last one - X - X Files series 4, which has been good to watch so far. I will finish in time hopefully   

And the same as others, the marathon has been a good exercise as I have watched titles I normally pass over.

Will stick to my plan next month, I understand if others do not join me 

[RossRoy]

the marathon has been a good exercise as I have watched titles I normally pass over.

Yeah, me too. Not that it "forced" me, I had more, shall we say "standard" offerings on some letters, but I took the opportunity to actually select stuff I normally pass.

That being said, I just finished watching my 20th movie for the month: The Fountain.

It's a great movie. I loved it. But I'm still not entirely sure what it's trying to do and what message it's trying to convey. Or maybe it's not even giving any message, and just interpreting something. I usually don't partake in movie discussions, as I feel I lack to the skill to actually express what I'm really trying to say when speaking of what I think of this or that movie, but if any of you have seen it, I'd be really really interested in knowing what you thought it was all about.

And if you haven't seen it.. Well, get it

[Touti]

I'm officially withdrawing from the competition.  I may have the time to watch one more but definitely 6 in less than 2 days.

I really enjoyed this marathon, it forced me to watch many movies I've had sitting in my collection for a long time and never watched.  I hope with can do this again but not with the alphabet please, 26 movies in a month is just too much.

Can someone explain what's the big fuss about "Taxi Driver"? I mean I liked the movie but there's nothing so extraordinary about it

This is exactly how I feel. Great stuff.

But, may I just add a:  , a  and even a  to the thread? "Nothing extraordinary about" Taxi Driver? No. Just, no. You are in fact, wrong. 

Apart from the performances, the direction, the dialogue, the cinematography (a rather different view of New York to most others at the time), the music, it's a complex and frightening moral story. We see Travis unravel, even as he exposes the grubby, nasty side of life. And in the end, you might be happy that a young victim of prostitution has been rescued, but it's by a man who is an emotionally damaged reject. The story seemed to be leading toward those dangerous emotions being exposed and dealt with, but in fact, he's now a hero and has been allowed to slip back into society. He is desperate need of being rescued from himself and it's doubtful it will happen. Just how many Travis's are there out and about?

Now I know I risk being shot, excommunioned, thrown in the dungeon or forced to eat a Big Mac for what I'm about to say but hey, gotta do it sometimes.

While I was watching "Taxi Driver", it felt all along like watching a Woody Allen movie  .  The reason I'm saying this is that I don't much like this style of movie when the characters talk fast and keep repeating the same sentences 6 or 7 times.  You know things like "Are you telling me what to do, are you fucking telling me what to do huh ?  Huh ? Are you fucking telling me what to do huh?  Don't you ever fucking tell me what to do, are you fucking telling me what to do ?"

I think you're getting my point, this kind of writing was overly used in those years and I find it annoying.  That's why I didn't much enjoy "Taxi Driver".

[Achim]

I said that I love the idea before... Funny thing is, that I was so worried in the beginnning I wouldn't be able to make it, that I watched so many that I am now "ahead of schedule" and even get to watch some more. So far at 22 in the marathon and 25 for October

Like Touti in October (who is doing great but obviously has other plans towards the end of the months) I will have trouble in November; 5 day vacation and less days off from work besides that. Still, I'll start it and see how far I can get.

[Najemikon]

While I was watching "Taxi Driver", it felt all along like watching a Woody Allen movie  .  The reason I'm saying this is that I don't much like this style of movie when the characters talk fast and keep repeating the same sentences 6 or 7 times.  You know things like "Are you telling me what to do, are you fucking telling me what to do huh ?  Huh ? Are you fucking telling me what to do huh?  Don't you ever fucking tell me what to do, are you fucking telling me what to do ?"

I think you're getting my point, this kind of writing was overly used in those years and I find it annoying.  That's why I didn't much enjoy "Taxi Driver".

Actually I understand that. I'm not keen on it to, but found the power of Taxi Driver's story took attention away from it. Raging Bull was similar. Scorcese uses it a lot though and it did put me off Mean Streets. Not only did they repeat, but they mumbled. They also do it a bit in Goodfella's; I love the film, but I do find it flimsier that most.

I'll share the and say this: I find Scorcese a touch overrated. He is one of the best directors of all time, but it annoyed me when I often saw him cited as "Greatest American director". I tend to react to hype by finding things wrong! His dialogue and repetitive themes don't matter too much, until you're splitting hairs.

I watched J for Jaws tonight. I can't watch it too many times. Spielberg has the variety Scorcese misses. And I do like the way he sometimes uses old fashioned movie dialogue, with people talking over each other, or several conversations going off at once.

[richierich]

the marathon has been a good exercise as I have watched titles I normally pass over.

 but if any of you have seen it, I'd be really really interested in knowing what you thought it was all about.

And if you haven't seen it.. Well, get it

I've not seen it Ross, but do own it.
Have tagged it as N for next month's marathon, will let you how I enjoyed it then.

My tip for a good film is Perfume - very much better watching than expectations from reviews and overviews 

[RossRoy]

My tip for a good film is Perfume - very much better watching than expectations from reviews and overviews 

Yeah, I have it. I was thinking of including it in next month marathon. Can't guarantee I will, seeing as I have so many unwatched titles, but I'll try and slip it in

[Achim]

Q and J may indeed pose more of a problem...?

Thought I prepare myself for November and found I indeed do not own any movies for either J or Q. Don't think I want to buy some obscure DVDs just to do the marathon though. What do you guys think how that should be handled?

[RossRoy]

What do you guys think how that should be handled?

Well I don't have a J either, so what I was thinking, is if you don't have a movie with last letter J, go 1-up and use the second to last letter (in my case, Jumanji or Cujo). It bends the rules a little, but at least I have the same number of movies to watch as everybody else.

[richierich]

What do you guys think how that should be handled?

Well I don't have a J either, so what I was thinking, is if you don't have a movie with last letter J, go 1-up and use the second to last letter (in my case, Jumanji or Cujo). It bends the rules a little, but at least I have the same number of movies to watch as everybody else.

I like the solution Ross, I think I have one title ending with J, but will check later 

New thread will go up tonight in preperation for next months marathon I will undertake, just have the last 2 episodes of X-Files to watch to complete Octobers 

[RossRoy]

New thread will go up tonight in preperation for next months marathon I will undertake

Good. My list for this reverse alphabet marathon is already done and selected! 

[lyonsden5]

not doing too good on mine    I'm still planning on finishing. Could be quite the marathon at the end of the month 

[Najemikon]

This marathon is great. Yesterday my faith in Scorcese was called into question. Tonight I restored it with R for Raging Bull! Cinema at its finest is an experience rather than just a film or just a story. And this film is certainly that; profound and brilliant. But if you don't like his style of dialogue, you might struggle because some of this is a mere murmur, but it's all part of the overall effect. The sound was originally mono, but the remixed DTS cleverly leaves it intact and adds atmosphere. Some of the fight scenes are astonishingly powerful for it.