What did you watch today? v 33.0

[The Professor]

Welcome to version 33, the Egg McMuffin of discussions. 

 

The first post in this thread will be # 14,394. 

 

The ghost of George Sanders reminds you to link your films, and that one should feel free to move on if bored. 

[The Professor]

The Iron Lady has a lot more to do with Mary Louise than it does with Margaret. She's a cinch for the best actress statuette, but in a way it's a shame. The performance is so huge that it overwhelms the rest of the film. That may have been solved by giving her an on-screen antagonist of some skill to play against, but the script foils Meryl with mere historical events. Besides, so much of the thing takes place in Thatcher's head (and in the loneliness of her bedroom) that it becomes nearly impossible for the movie NOT to be all about the actress. So oddly, cast a lesser actress and you'll likely have a better film, but such movies don't typically get made, or noticed, that way. 

[Sevorin]

Why don't we stop referring to the award as the "Oscar" and just call it the "Meryl"?

 

(And once again, Prof, you started this site without leaving word at the old address. How do you get your mail when you move?)

[Nerves]

Spetters (1980)

3.5/5 Stars

This is a somewhat formulaic coming of age drama. The nudity and explicit sex neither help nor hurt the film. Director Verhoeven felt it was necessary to the narrative but I think he just wanted to push the envelope. I'd like to see more films by this director but wouldn't particularly care to see this one again.

[Mr. Bad]

I think you'll find that Verhoeven's Showgirls is the Citizen Kane of the highly competitive Stripper Girl Makes Good genre.

[Nerves]

Thanks. He talked about Showgirls on the commentary track to Spetters. He says the negative response to Spetters prepared him for the similar reception of Showgirls.

[Mr. Bad]

I recommend it. It's a laugh riot.

[Nerves]

As in "so bad it's good?"

[Mr. Bad]

A camp classic.

[Sevorin]

Showgirls is despicable shit. 

 

I've seen it -- or, at least, parts of it -- three times.

[Pihk]

The replay value is not so good with Showgirls.

 

I put the blame for that squarely on Kyle.

 

 

And that black guy.

 

 

 

And every other male in the cast, come to think of it.

[Sevorin]

True.

 

All the testosterone is misspent.

[Nilo]

I saw this film when I was 16 and it made quite the impression.  We went as a joke but I remember that film seeming much more than a joke.  Some of the scenes are carved in my brain.