Comments on: I confess…

By: mtrowbridge

mtrowbridge — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:35:30 +0000

Gold Rush, City Lights and Modern Times are decent Chaplin films, but Buster Keaton is better.

By: mtrowbridge

mtrowbridge — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:32:13 +0000

Wow, Will! That’s a pretty stunning list of misses. You might not miss West Side Story too much — I loved it when I saw it twice as a kid, only semi-liked it when I saw it again a couple of years ago; too many boring songs. But Lawrence of Arabia is great, Dr. Zhivago quite good — almost as good as the book — African Queen is second only to Treasure of the Sierra Madre among Bogart films and High Noon is one of the five best Westerns ever. It’s worth watching High Noon just to listen to the haunting title song, which pretty much tells the story of the entire movie.

By: Will Pfeifer

Will Pfeifer — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:49:18 +0000

Sad, I know. Don’t know how I missed seeing LAWRENCE with you and Craig (unless I’d already left Kent for Illinois), but I’m hoping to catch it on the big screen one of these days.

By: Jay Geldhof

Jay Geldhof — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 04:56:47 +0000

Dude, LAWRENCE is in my top 5 of all time. I DID see it first on the big screen with Craig Russell (How were you NOT there?) when it was restored. Hmmmm, I just got home from a rare night out, so I’m in no shape to go into specifics, but take my word for it, you’ll love it. I also dig WEST SIDE STORY, AND kinda hate musicals. I’m fond of Shakespeare, though. Gotta pass out now…

By: John N

John N — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:03:06 +0000

Actually, Will, I’m glad you’re holding out on LAWRENCE until you see it in a theater. That film’s impact will suffer greatly on a TV screen. As for ZHIVAGO, you’re right, it’s a long soap opera. I like the other movies you’ve mentioned, but love Chaplin. Sure, Keaton’s movies were better, but CITY LIGHTS and MODERN TIMES are far more than desperate attempts at audience empathy. There’s brilliance in them too. Still, silent movies are also best seen on a big screen instead of a TV screen.

By: hokumboy

hokumboy — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:21:15 +0000

No Chaplin ?
No African Queen?
No Lawrence?

My estimations of you as a serious critic have fallen immensely. Seriously.
Shame on you.
But, I’ll give you half a point for admitting it.
Now, finish shovelling your walk, go to the nearest rental barn, and get these films.

By: odessa steps magazine

odessa steps magazine — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:03:34 +0000

I proudly admit to have never seen ET.

By: Johnny Bacardi

Johnny Bacardi — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:22:13 +0000

I just checked, and Lawrence is airing this Sunday at noon on TCM. I have a rendezvous with destiny.

Oh, and I don’t think it’s necessarily lazy for a critic to admit he hasn’t seen many of those films, but I think it does make his opinion a *little* bit suspect. It’s hard to avoid some of them!

By: Johnny Bacardi

Johnny Bacardi — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:18:13 +0000

Of course, I'm not a "real" critic, I just pretend to be one on the internet...but... Not seeing Lawrence has become a preoccupation with me; it took me many years before I got around to screening it, and I still have yet to finish it- but it's not that I don't like it, on the contrary, it was excellent- but I just can't seem to keep from getting interrupted! I wrote a blog post about it some time ago. I was bored by West Side Story and 2001, which I've actually watched three times. I've never seen Zhivago, and have no interest in it. Never liked Chaplin, nor do I care all that much about Keaton for that matter. I liked High Noon, LOVED African Queen- watch it once in a blue moon on TCM. Someday, SOMEDAY I will watch Lawrence from beginning to end, and boy will we all have a fine time!