Re: What Did You Watch? 2024-12-26 (Thursday)

On 12/27/2024 2:50 PM, anim8rfsk wrote:

Arthur Lipscomb <arthur@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:

On 12/27/2024 10:40 AM, Ian J. Ball wrote:
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Barbarella (4K disc) - 1968 sci-fi movie based on a French comic and
produced by Dino De Laurentiis.  Yes, I know I just watched it last
year, but I got a brand new 4K upgrade that includes a new Dolby Atmos
soundtrack and a new audio commentary.  I was torn between listening to
the new Dolby Atmos track or the audio commentary but settled on the
Atmos track.  I did notice the surround sound, wasn't really surround,
but it did have a full sound coming out of the front speakers, which is
better than the mono sound from the old blu-ray.  There's a remake
starring Sydney Sweeney in the works, so I'll just have to sit through
it again with the commentary before the remake.   And thanks to the
subtitles, I now know that for all these years I've been saying there's
a kind of taco shell about you, when the line is actually  "There's a
kind of cockleshell about you."  Someone in this group also suggested I
watch Danger: Diabolik.  I didn't forget, but it wasn't available for
free on any of the usual streaming channels.

 Jane Fonda hates that you watched this movie. Thank you.
 

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Flash Gordon (4K disc) - 1980 sci-fi movie based on a comic and produced
by Dino De Laurentiis.  Flash! A-ah! saves everyone one of us from Ming
the Merciless.  This movie continues to hold up great and is a sight to
behold in 4K.

 As always, I must apologize for my part in this.
  FLASH GORDON
The Adventure Begins
 It was long ago, in the before time.
 Our favorite movie theater, the one with the big flat screen that ran
the movies right, but never got a blockbuster except for Star Trek the
Motion Picture, and opening weekend the transporter replica they left
running in the lobby (some say it was actually the popcorn maker) caught
fire and took the place down, but I digress, ran a BIG ad (in the days when
the local fishwrap would have pages full of movie ads) for the SNEAK
PREVIEW OF A MAJOR SCIENCE FICTION MOTION PICTURE.
 I recommended to my viewing accomplice that we attend. He was dubious, and
wondered if I had any idea what the film could be. I pointed out we'd go to
almost any science fiction movie, and almost any movie at the shiny good
theater, so where was the downside?
 We got our preferred seats, 7th row center. The front rows were taped off,
presumably for visiting VIPs.
 

I go see most movies, especially if they are in IMAX or Dolby Cinema.  I mean, if the production company booked the IMAX or Dolby Cinema screening room, then the movie *must* be good, right?  Right?  I've recently realized that a lot of times when I don't go see a movie, it's often because it's not playing in IMAX or Dolby Cinema.

The show began quite late. We were waiting for the VIPs, who finally
showed.
 And it began . . . .
 FLASH! - a-ah - saviour of the universe
Flash - a-ah - he'll save everyone of us
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Flash - a-ah - he's a miracle
Flash - a-ah - king of the impossible
 

I'm reading this summary of your trip to see Barbarella, and suddenly I realize you're talking about Flash Gordon.  LOL.

The preview was a good deal longer than any version seen since. In
particular the opening, when Ming fingers the EARTHQUAKE button: long, long
sequences from EARTHQUAKE were shown, prompting my viewing accomplice to
wonder if Ming had a button marked MARSQUAKE and me to reply that I
wondered if he had a button marked THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE .
. .
 There was an enthusiastic response to the Queen theme, but, beyond that,
the audience quickly settled into stony silence.
 Finally, about the time that Flash and Dale got to Flexi Jerkoff's, er,
Zardoz's place, and the good doctor was chewing the scenery, I said to
viewing accomplice:
 "You know what?"
 Silence, throughout the theater.
 "What?"
 The comatose audience continued their stupor.
 "I think this . . . is supposed to be funny"
 No one made a sound but Flex on screen.
 "Are you sure?"
 I began to giggle.
 "Yes!"
 Silence continued except for me, laughing softly.
 Finally, viewing accomplice could stand it no more, and he began to
snicker, as my laughter ramped up.
 The enjoyment was contagious. It took a few minutes to spread outward, but
by the time our intrepid trio was headed into space, the whole theater was
laughing and clapping and whooping and stomping their feet and having a
GREAT time.
 All except for one scary evil man in the front row who was turned around
facing me, glaring with pure hatred.
 Yes, that man was Dino DeLaurentis.
 He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He'll save with a mighty hand
Every man every woman
Every child - with a mighty flash
 Wackiness ensued throughout the rest of the film, followed by a very short
exit interview where they got contact info and some basic biographical
data. While Dino stood and glared and murmured to his assistants.
 The next day, they called people. Interestingly enough, they did not
call me. :)
 They grilled my viewing accomplice for more than two hours! Mostly they
wanted to know every point that he laughed, and why he laughed.
 You see, it wasn't SUPPOSED to be funny.
 

I don't know that I ever really laugh at the movie or find it particularly funny.  I think it's sort of like Rocky Horror Picture Show in that I genuinely, legitimately, just like that movie.  Same goes for "Howard the Duck."  Most people say it's one of the worst movie ever made.  But I turn it on and truly get a kick out of watching it.  I *still* don't get why that movie gets so much hate.

Dino thought he had made a straight forward action drama, not a bizarre
absurdist comedy. He couldn't understand why anyone would laugh at all!
 So they went in and snipped here and snipped there, trying to cut
anything that might be a punchline.
 The result was the FLASH GORDON we know today, which frankly . . . isn't
very good.
 

If you're about 7 or 8 years old the first time you watch it, it's great!

Except for the theme song.
 Just a man
With a man's courage
He knows nothing but a man
But he can never fail
No one but the pure in heart
May find the golden grail
Oh oh - oh oh
Flash
  

Well of course.  The theme song makes the movie.  If you take the theme song away, the movie probably sucks.
I'm not sure if I mentioned this at the time or not, but a few months ago I went to Vegas for the annual Star Trek convention. While there I decided to catch a Vegas show called KÀ.  It was getting great reviews. I really liked it.  The thing that really stood out for me was there's a part of the show that's straight out of Flash Gordon where they are fighting on this huge rotating stage that has spikes appearing and disappearing throughout the fight.  I really can't describe it as well as the experience of seeing it in person, but it was cool.  And unlike in Flash Gordon where the spikes were slowly rising and lowering, these spikes were appearing and disappearing instantly, which just made the who experience even cooler.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8cXmj7W7qfY