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BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1631
  • Posted: 04/06/2025 02:02
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TRZ Classics #2. Casablanca (1942)
Aka Rick's Cafรฉ Amรฉricain gets drowned in a Puddle of Pathos




We have heard very little. We understand even less. Random tourists about to be fleeced. Lol.

Yvonne, I LOVE you. BUT, he pays me. โ€“ the bartender at Rick's Cafรฉ Amรฉricain

How extravagant you are throwing away woman like that. Someday they might be scarce. โ€“ Captain Louis Renault

Who are you, really? And what were you before? โ€“ Rick asking some very good questions to Ilsa

Please, boss. Letโ€™s go. She ainโ€™t nothing but trouble for you. Weโ€™ll take the car and drive all night. Weโ€™ll get drunk. Weโ€™ll go fishing and stay away until sheโ€™s gone. โ€“ Sam, the piano player. I may be showing my age here, BUT Iโ€™d take a good friend like that over a girl any day of the week and consider myself lucky. Driving all night. Fishing. Getting drunk. With someone who really cares about you and has your back?! Thatโ€™s worth a hell of a lot, I tell ya! And it ainโ€™t easy to find.

Iโ€™m just gonna come right out and say it. Rick rubs me the wrong way. His brand of cool is so overrated. I (mostly) hate guys like Rick! Thinking theyโ€™re better than everyone else. Absorbed in their own special brand of self-pity. Isnโ€™t it amazing how similar the Rick of Casablanca is to the Rick of The White Lotus? Do you think that itโ€™s just a coincidence? ๐Ÿค” EXCEPT, I like the Rick of The White Lotus way better. Heโ€™s got that classic indie film dirtbag down to a science. Walton Goggins really crushes it! But back to Casablanca and the Rick in question โ€ฆ

โ€œNobody ever loved me that much,โ€ whimpers Casablanca Rick < ๐Ÿ˜ญ > to some poor refugee girl who is spilling her heart out to him. Maybe it was the American in me, but I was shouting at my tv for someone, anyone to slap this self-centered American expat upside the head. To wake him up from his self-pitying puddle of pathos. The whole world is literally falling apart. Real families are being torn apart. And Rick is still pouting about a one week fling from years ago that didnโ€™t work out. Sheesh! Grow up, already!



And letโ€™s face it. Itโ€™s only the fact that Rick got what he wanted in the end that he started acting nobly. Any dope can behave nicely if they get what they want. His fragile ego was pampered. Assuaged. Hell, you can get even a narcissist to do something if you flatter their ego.

But, the true disappointment lies with Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund. She was such a strong character until the end. And then she sets back the womenโ€™s movement fifty billion years by telling Rick โ€œthat heโ€™ll just have to think for the both of usโ€ or something to that effect. Ugh! ๐Ÿคฎ I had to shout at my tv yet again!



And poor Victor Laslow. Does Rick think heโ€™s doing Laszlo a favor? Now heโ€™s stuck with a woman who doesnโ€™t really love him. Well, she โ€œlovesโ€ him, of course, but sheโ€™s not โ€œin loveโ€ with him. Yuck!. ๐Ÿคฎ Heโ€™d be better off going to America alone. Trust me. I knew many a girl back in the day who wouldnโ€™t mind hooking up with the leader of the entire Underground Resistance. Laszlo would not be lonely for long! ๐Ÿคฃ

NOW, donโ€™t get me wrong. Itโ€™s a GREAT movie. A true classic. BUT, everyone already knows that. It would be hella boring I just rehashed what we already know, right? Griping is more fun anyways! ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

The Ranking: For me, itโ€™s almost always about relatability. I mean these are all classics, right? And so far the characters that really work for me are...

1. Alice Tripp (A Place In The Sun)
2. Captain Louis Renault Casablanca
)
3. Ilsa Lund until she turned into โ€ฆ DAMSEL โ€œI just canโ€™t think for myself anymoreโ€ IN DISTRESS!!! (Casablanca)

MOREOVER, the scenes at Rick's Cafรฉ Amรฉricain and, of course, the airfield are timeless. Itโ€™s just all so well staged. The battle of the French vs. German bands. That whistle. On what grounds? Gambling! Your winnings, monsieur...



Just one iconic, unforgettable scene after iconic, unforgettable scene. So it just has to be Casablanca...

The TRZ Classics
1. Casablanca (1942)
2. A Place in the Sun (1951)
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BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1632
  • Posted: 04/10/2025 02:28
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TRZ_30. Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)



The Boyfriend: Whatโ€™s the use talking to you. You think everythingโ€™s a joke.
The old, seasoned Reporter: My son, it is. If it werenโ€™t, life wouldnโ€™t be worth living.

Guilt. That great self-torturer of emotions. With the ability to imprison us in something far more sinister than any mere material cell. It often starts as just a seed. Perhaps your girlfriend sharing her disappointment in you. Then perhaps she puts up some walls and gives you a bit of the 'ol silent treatment. Thus watering that little seed. And under the right conditions, in the right soil, that seed can grow and turn into a constrictive, corrosive vine that downright jails you in.

Despite such dark emotional quagmires, Stranger on the Third Floor is delightful fun. Two things, in particular, make it stand out from the maddening crowd. First, an incredible psychedelic dream sequence that reminds me quite a bit of those found in Pink Floydโ€™s The Wall movie.


Link


Second, Margaret Tallichet. She stars as the girlfriend and steals practically every scene sheโ€™s in. She even holds her own against the GREAT Peter Lorre, who once again hams it up perfectly as a social deviant.



And it seems, Iโ€™m not the only one who developed a bit of a school boy crush on Margaret and noticed her uncanny resemblance to modern day Tina Fey โ€ฆ


Link


Yup. Margaret Tallichet might not have been cut out for movies (this is the only film she stars in I think), BUT she would have crushed a sitcom or two back in the day.

The Ranking: From the DVDโ€™s back-cover blurb, Stranger On The Third Floor is considered by many as the first true film noir. It also borrows quite a bit from German Expressionism. I think itโ€™s the German Expressionist influence that I dug the most in this, besides my crush on Margaret Tallichet. Definitely an auspicious start to the film noir genre, but it feels more like an extended cut of a Twilight Zone episode than an actual full length movie. So Iโ€™ll put it just below The Lady Vanishes.

The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ


The TRZ Collection
================ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ================
1. Rebecca (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
2. It Came From Outer Space (1953) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
3. The Curse of the Cat People (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
4. The Uninvited (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
5. Stagecoach (1939) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
6. The Spiral Staircase (1946) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
7. The Thing From Another World (1951) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
8. The Black Cat (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
9. The Cat and the Canary (1939) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
10. Dracula's Daughter (1936) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
11. Dracula (1931) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
12. Cat People (1942) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
13. The Ghost Breakers (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
14. Forbidden Planet (1956) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
15. Laura ( 1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
16. Godzilla (1954) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
================ RECOMMENDED=====================
17. The Killers (1946) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
18. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
19. The Lady Vanishes (1938) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
20. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
21. The Thin Man (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
22. Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
23. The Unseen (1945) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
24. The Trouble with Harry (1955) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
25. The Suspect (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
26. The Magnetic Monster (1953) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

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BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1633
  • Posted: 04/11/2025 00:43
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TRZ_31. The Awful Truth (1937)
Aka Amor Farce




Daniel [Lucyโ€™s brand new suitor]: I'm glad to know ya.
Cary Grant as Jerry[ Lucyโ€™s estranged Husband]: How can you be glad to know me? I know how I'd feel if I was sitting with a girl and her husband walked in.
Irene Dunne as Lucy: I'll bet you do.

Jerry [ To Daniel] And then I said to myselfโ€ฆ
Lucy [Interrupting]: Heโ€™s always talking to himself.

Lucy: Yes, it's funny that everything's the way it is on account of the way you feel.
Jerry: Huh?
Lucy: Well, I mean if you didn't feel the way you do, things wouldn't be the way they are, would they? Well, I mean things could be the same if things were different.
Jerry: But things are the way you made them.
Lucy: Oh no. No, things are the way you think I made them. I didn't make them that way at all. Things are just the same as they always were, only you're the same as you were, too, so I guess things will never be the same again.

Why so serious? โ€“ Heath Ledger as The Joker

By all accounts Leo McCarey was a difficult director to work with on the set of The Awful Truth. Irene Dunne was in tears. Cary Grant wanted off the film entirely. Some say Cary even offered to pay 5k just to get off the film. But the producer kept saying "No." And, kind of like the plot suggests, sometimes sticking with what you have proves to be the best solution. As the monk in The White Lotus suggests, Donโ€™t fight your fate, embrace it. And then everything changes. The same, but different.

Speaking of embracing fate, I for one had a hard time adjusting to this old style of comedy at first. Screwball Comedies
.> I thought it was dated and wasn't my thing. But like Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, I soon found myself embracing McCareyโ€™s screwball madness. I think it was the court room scene with the dog where my attitude really changed and I realized - they arenโ€™t taking themselves at all seriously, so why should I? So, I resolved to get over myself. Letโ€™s just call it Amor Farce.

McCareyโ€™s direction is fantastic. Especially all the shots of how awkward things get for the potential love interests in either Lucyโ€™s or Jerryโ€™s life. Yup. Once the chemistry kicks in between Irene Dunne and Cary Grant and all their fantastic, witty repartee, it was pretty easy to fall in love with this โ€œEternal Sunshine of a Pina Coladaโ€ couple.



The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2

============The TRZ Comedy Rankings==========
1. The Cat and the Canary (1939) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
2. The Ghost Breakers (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
3. The Awful Truth (1937) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
4. The Thin Man (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
5. The Trouble With Harry (1955) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
6. King of the Zombies (1941) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

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BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1634
  • Posted: 04/14/2025 15:01
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TRZ_32. Frankenstein (1931)
Aka The Sins of the Father




Dangerous? Poor old Waldman. Have you never wanted to do something that was dangerous? โ€“ Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein to his former professor, Dr. Waldman

Dr. Waldman: The brain that was stolen from my laboratory was a criminal brain!
Dr. Frankenstein [after first being a bit stunned, gathers himself. Collects.] Oh, well. After all, itโ€™s only a piece of dead tissue.

Dr. Frankenstein: Itโ€™s like heaven being with you again.
Mae Clarke as Frankenstein's Bride: Heaven wasnโ€™t so far away all the time, you know. ๐Ÿงฑ
>

Itโ€™s extraordinary how friendly you can make a lot of people on a couple of bottles of beer. Tomorrow theyโ€™ll all be fighting. โ€“ The Bรผrgermeister, being a royal ass, BUT when heโ€™s right, heโ€™s right. ๐Ÿ˜ตโ€๐Ÿ’ซ

Parenting. Like The Curse of The Cat People, we have another movie about the importance of parenting.

What happens when you disappoint your narcissistic farther? Donโ€™t live up to his grand expectations? And I guess, most importantly, donโ€™t make him look good in front of his friends and family? Like, what if you created life? Actual LIFE itself. From death! And STILL that wasn't quite enough to impress your former mentor and impossible-to-please Father? โ€My father," scoffs the poor little rich Dr. Frankenstein, "never believes in anyone.โ€ How often does that neglect and abuse get passed down generation to generation like a baton in a relay race?

It's always hard to watch a movie about child abuse. Call the child a "Monster" if you will, but it was still, as Dr. Frankenstein himself acknowledges, โ€œonly a few days oldโ€ before he let, through WILLFUL neglect, his own tormented assistant Fritz abuse his creation with a lighted torch while chained up in the basement nursery. Shit rolls downhill, as they say. So, was it nature or nurture that unleashed the fury in the "Monster"? Sadly, who is to say? As this โ€œMonsterโ€ of Dr. Frankenstein had the benefit of neither.



The Ranking: While Frankenstein may objectively be the โ€œbetterโ€ movie โ€“ better shot, better make-up, and better special effects & set designs, I actually enjoyed Dracula a bit more. I LOVED Renfield, its chilling atmosphere and, to me, the mythology of Dracula is just far more fascinating. Plus, there was a bit of a campy element to Dracula which endeared it to me. Frankensteinโ€™s a bit of a scold in comparison. BUT, both are well deserved CLASSICS in all-caps. That one scene of Frankensteinโ€™s โ€œMonsterโ€ with the little girl by the pond is a masterpiece of heartbreak and tragedy.

The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2

TRZ Universal's Horror Rankings
================ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ================
1. The Black Cat (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
2. Dracula's Daughter (1936) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
3. Dracula (1931) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
4. Frankenstein (1931) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
================ RECOMMENDED=====================
5. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
...
6. Son of Dracula (1943) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

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BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1635
  • Posted: 04/19/2025 09:49
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Tales Of Tomorrow_Ep. 11. The Search for the Flying Saucer (1951)
Aka Duty Before Love




Say, why is everyone so scared to talk about something they claim theyโ€™ve never seen. โ€“ Our grounded airplane pilot.

Love is often such a selfish thing. Perhaps thatโ€™s why it seldom lasts. Egos can be quite fickle. How long do we desire the same thing on a purely self-centered level? Before something else tickles our desires and our mind starts a wondering and a wandering? Which is perhaps why duty is the better long term driving interest. Even for aliens from outer space. A pretty compelling and high level concept for a Sci-fi tv show, donโ€™t you think?

Another fun ToT. Great tension and stakes. An Army airplane pilot is relegated to land duty after reporting one too many flying saucers and maybe crashing a plane or two. He must prove to himself and the world that flying saucers exist to regain both his reputation and his chance to fly again. He puts his hopes and chances in โ€œCrazy Johnโ€, an old conspiracy theorist who just may not be so crazy after all. Enter sexy alien Ginny Walker to seduce and distract our leading man from making a very bad mistake.



The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

Tales of Tomorrow Rankings
1. The Crystal Egg ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
2. The Search For The Flying Saucer ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
3. the Dark Angel ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
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BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1636
  • Posted: 04/23/2025 03:56
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TRZ_ 33. Destry Rides Again (1939)
Aka Personality & Plot Armor




The longer they wait, the better they like it. - an unforgettable Marlene Dietrich as Frenchy. (At long last, Iโ€™ve discovered Axyl Roseโ€™s inspiration!)

A man has got to choose between the bottle and the badge! โ€“ Washington Dimsdale, the town drunk turned sheriff

Ya know, I bet you got kind of a lovely face under all that paint there. Why donโ€™t you wipe it off someday and have a good look. - James Stewart as Destry Jr. to Frenchy

Iโ€™m a mummy. Iโ€™m a sphinx. I donโ€™t answer questions. โ€“ the deputyโ€™s deputy,

Chaos is a ladder. โ€“ Littlefinger

=======================================================================

The little western town of Bottleneck is consumed by chaos when the curtains open. All punk rock and bedlam. Gunfights in the muddy streets. Mayhem and moshing in the saloonโ€ฆ


Link


Why itโ€™s a scene and song that would make even the Dropkick Murphyโ€™s proud.

And with that chaos, Bottleneck was simply ripe for the strong and ruthless to take over and pilfer.

BUT, they picked the wrong patsy. Sometimes a man is more than what he seems. He just needs a reason. A purpose. We all do really. We all need to serve something. Or weโ€™re directionless. A ship without a rudder, as Evan Dando would say.

BUT, can one man restore law & order to lawless town? How about if heโ€™s a pacifist who doesnโ€™t even believe in guns to boot?

Yes. If heโ€™s got โ€œpersonality.โ€ And, as my youngest daughter loves to point out whenever weโ€™re watching Breaking Bad, โ€œplot armorโ€. Personality and plot armor are a powerful one-two punch. And James Stewart has plenty of both in this super fun movie in which the good guys are sooo good that they can even turn the bad girls good. Who says nice guys finish last?



The Ranking: Stagecoach is easily the more compelling Western with more suspense and interesting characters, but Destry Rides Again is hella fun.

The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2



Last edited by Repo on 05/02/2025 14:21; edited 2 times in total
Repo
BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1637
  • Posted: 04/27/2025 00:10
  • Post subject:
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TRZ_34. The Bad Seed (1956)
Aka You Canโ€™t Wash Off Blood




Rhoda: Why can't you wash off blood?
Leroy: Because you can't. And the police know it. You can wash it and you can wash it. There's always some left. Everybody knows that.

You tell lies like that, you won't go to Heaven when you die! โ€“ Rhoda

Why should I feel sorry? It was Claude Daigle who got drowned, not me!
โ€“ Rhoda

====================================================================================

I knew this was going to be good. I even saved it to watch with my kids since my youngest simply LOVES horror, psychology, AND stories about messed-up kids. BUT I didnโ€™t think weโ€™d be witnessing one of the best portrayals of a sociopath Iโ€™ve ever seen. Kid or adult.

The Bad Seed accurately captures how malleable and manipulative a sociopathโ€™s behavior can be. Rhoda's outward behavior and appearance has one function โ€“ to get what she wants. So donโ€™t be surprised That her behavior turns on a dime. Because her behavior is just a dial. A dial she spins and turns until life spits out the desired result. She will coax, cajole, flatter, insult, bully, apologize and yes, even kill until she gets what she wants. What matters is the end result. Approval, praise, compliments, and whatever else she thinks she's entitled too. She will act however she thinks she needs to act at that particular moment to get the desired outcome. But donโ€™t think for one moment, thatโ€™s really her. Itโ€™s no more her than the color of a chameleon next to a fire hydrant.

But what is underneath it all? Need. An incredible, obsessive level of need. And, if you make her feel bad or donโ€™t give her what she thinks she needs? Why itโ€™s YOUR fault. And YOU, my friend, are the one who โ€œwonโ€™t go to heaven.โ€



The Ranking: Even better than The Curse of the Cat People at combining the elements of psychology and horror and likely one of the best films to ever do it. Part of this comes down to Patty McCormack's performance as Rhoda. Rhoda's every hand gesture, every act seems to be staged. Calculated and deliberated to manipulate the moment at hand. Just an immersive & powerful performance.

The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2

The TRZ Collection
================ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ================
1. Rebecca (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
2. The Bad Seed (1956) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
2. It Came From Outer Space (1953) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
3. The Curse of the Cat People (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
4. The Uninvited (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
5. Stagecoach (1939) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
6. The Spiral Staircase (1946) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
7. The Thing From Another World (1951) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
8. The Black Cat (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
9. The Cat and the Canary (1939) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
10. Dracula's Daughter (1936) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2

Repo
BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1638
  • Posted: 05/01/2025 14:02
  • Post subject:
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TRZ_35. Double Indemnity (1944)
Aka Fait Accompli and Human Magnet Syndrome




I didnโ€™t get the money. And I didnโ€™t get the woman. Brilliant, isnโ€™t it. โ€“ Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff

Canโ€™t be like the first time. Somethingโ€™s happened. โ€“ Walter Neff

Guess I was wrong. Youโ€™re not smarter, Walter. Youโ€™re just a little taller. โ€“ Barton Keyes, Neff's boss and father figure

Her talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in her heart; her words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. - Psalm 55:21

===============================================================================

fait acยทcomยทpli.

Iโ€™ve been that dope. That mark that sheโ€™s just been waiting for.

He knows that sheโ€™s trouble. Right from the start. Even as she first seductively appears at the upstairs banister wrapped only in a towel. He knows he should know better. He even tries to run away at one point. But, her pull is too strong. That honeysuckle perfume. That anklet. Her dogged determination. He accepts that heโ€™s powerless. That heโ€™s on a trolley car with no stops all the way to the cemetery. And neither can get off.

In psychology, they call it the Human Magnet Syndrome. Powered by the opposite pulls of the giver/protector/helper and the taker/entitled spectrum that we all live on.

Yup. I've been in relationships like this before. Iโ€™ve known better. But, I havenโ€™t been able to resist either. These relationships are just too intoxicating. The pull of that opposite pole. You just can't think straight.

You cannot get a more archetypical film noir than Double Indemnity. Even without knowing itโ€™s a flashback, their love is clearly doomed from the start. The dialog is snappy. And, most importantly, Barbara Stanwyck as Phyliss Dietrichson IS the iconic femme fatale. Her and THAT haircut. Which brings me to my first Fashionista Fixation in quite some time โ€ฆ



๐Ÿฅฐ ๐Ÿฅฐ ๐Ÿฅฐ Seriously, this pic alone makes the film worthy of four stars!

And Barton Keyes. Keyes and his "little man" that ties knots in his stomach. An untouchable character.

What sucks about this film noir is that Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff plays it FAR cooler than I ever would, and STILL he gets played! ๐Ÿคก

Ok. And now for my one gripe with the film. Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff just doesnโ€™t fit. Like Keyes, my gut, that little man in me, says it just doesn't check out. Pitting MacMurray against Stanwyck was never going to be a fair fight. MacMurray is simply out of his league. He has too much of that TV Dad in him to really pull off a role like this.



The Ranking: A notch down from Laura, which was visually far superior, and a slight notch up from The Killers. But I can see why all three are considered vintage film noir.

The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

The TRZ Collection
================ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ================
...
13. The Ghost Breakers (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
14. Forbidden Planet (1956) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
15. Laura ( 1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
16. Godzilla (1954) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
17. Double Indemnity (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
================ RECOMMENDED=====================
17. The Killers (1946) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
18. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
19. The Lady Vanishes (1938) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
20. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
21. The Thin Man (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
22. Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
...



Last edited by Repo on 05/06/2025 16:51; edited 1 time in total
Repo
BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1639
  • Posted: 05/05/2025 01:36
  • Post subject:
  • Quote
TRZ_36. Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
Aka Give the People What They Want




There are three good maxims to creating a good franchise. They sound like cliches, but itโ€™s really just common sense. 1) If itโ€™s not broke, donโ€™t fix it. 2) Keep it simple, stupid and 3) find out what the people want, AND give them MORE of that. The Fast & Furious franchise excels because they abide by these three maxims.

So, for Godzilla Raids Again, we pretty much get the same template as the last film. A couple of human protagonists are developed in order to ground the film and give us a rooting interest. A love interest is included to satisfy our date. BUT this time around, we throw in another kaiju - an anklylosaurus named Anguirus - to give us just a bit more of what we crave. Sprinkle in some tasty lore on top of that < something about Godzilla hating bright lights and fire because they recall his trauma from the nuclear bomb tests> and BAM... we got ourselves another stepping stone in what will soon be one of the most successful franchises in movie history.

And I'm betting that George Lucas stole just a bit from the climax which is remarkably similar to his own climax of the Rebels attack on the Death Star.



The Ranking: A worthy sequel! BUT, you can tell that this was rushed to market to capitalize on the success of the first Godzilla. Sill, we finally get some kaiju on kaiju action. AND, the blueprint for the Rebels attack on the Death Star. Japanese ingenuity reaches the heavens.

The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

The TRZ Collection
================ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ================
...
14. Forbidden Planet (1956) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
15. Laura ( 1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
16. Godzilla (1954) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
17. Double Indemnity (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
================ RECOMMENDED=====================
17. The Killers (1946) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
18. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
19. The Lady Vanishes (1938) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
20. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
21. The Thin Man (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
22. Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
23. The Unseen (1945) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
24. The Trouble with Harry (1955) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
25. The Suspect (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
26. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
27. The Magnetic Monster (1953) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
28. King of the Zombies (1941) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
...



Last edited by Repo on 05/16/2025 15:03; edited 2 times in total
Repo
BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park
United States
  • #1640
  • Posted: 05/13/2025 16:17
  • Post subject:
  • Quote
TRZ_37. The Devil Bat (1940)
Aka Breaking Bad




Imbecile! Bombastic ignoramus! - Bela Lugosi as Dr. Paul Carruthers

Youโ€™re a dreamer, doc. Too much money is bad for dreamers. โ€“ The patriarch & company president, Mr. Heath to Dr. Carruthers

========================================================================================== ==

We all do it. Play the โ€œIf Onlyโ€ฆโ€ game. Everyone has their own personal story. How they would have been rich/successful/famous if โ€ฆ Thatโ€™s normal. Human, even. But what if it goes a step further? A denial that we could have been so short-sighted, so foolish. "It just canโ€™t be my fault", he muses. And like a lightning bolt an epiphany arise. "I know!", he exclaims. It must be THEIR fault! THEY are to blame.

So an enemy is created. A scapegoat. They are responsible for my unhappiness. Iโ€™ve been cheated. Now if I can just get rid of them, my happiness will be restored.

Like Godzilla Raids Again, The Devil Bat falls under the K.I.S.S. umbrella. A powerful story of a mad scientist driven by resentment with a powerful actor playing the part. In this case a sublime Bela Lugosi. So it works. And became a cult classic. Cheaply shot. Shoddy special effects. Weak supporting cast. Those end up all being parts of its charm. Just proof that you donโ€™t need a lot of money to make a compelling movie. Just one good actor and a great, original story that resonates.



The Ranking: A delightful play on Bela Lugosiโ€™s Dracula legacy, PRCโ€™s, the legendary studio of Hollywood's Poverty Row, first horror film is a hit! Not surprising that this would turn into a cult classic.

The Rating: ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ

The TRZ Collection
================ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ================
...
17. Double Indemnity (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
================ RECOMMENDED=====================
18. The Killers (1946) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
19. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
20. The Lady Vanishes (1938) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ 1/2
21. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
22. The Thin Man (1934) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
23. Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
24. The Unseen (1945) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
25. The Devil Bat (1940) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
26. The Trouble with Harry (1955) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
27. The Suspect (1944) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
28. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
29. The Magnetic Monster (1953) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
30. King of the Zombies (1941) ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ ๐Ÿ˜ˆ
...

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