The PG Cooper List Thread: Gamer Days

27. Hamlet (1948) – Watched June 21st


When I first saw Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, I thought it was a really strong telling of the classic play, but not necessarily a great film. However the film has stayed with me really well in the many months since and I feel comfortable placing it among these other greats. This is a really lean retelling of the play, and Olivier does a great job cutting the fat while still maintaining the essential beats. Despite some omissions, this still feels like a complete work. Additionally, Olivier gives the film a really atmospheric tone and while it’s obvious all of it was shot on a Hollywood set, the film does turn it into an interesting and stylish setting all the same. Olivier’s take on the central character is also great, playing him as something of a confused and vulnerable child, rather than the angsty and angry teen/young adult most play him as. The climax is sensational, and on the whole this is just a really well-made and exciting Hollywood picture.

“Madness in great ones must not unwatched go.”

26. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) – Watched June 18th


The Star Trek series was a major part of my film viewing in 2014, and as such it deserved representation on this list. Given that I had already seen The Wrath of Khan, The Undiscovered Country became the obvious choice. Riddled with Cold War parallels, this entry focuses on tensions as peace is sought between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The storyline carries a real sense of gravitas, and in general the film is able to speak to classic Star Trek themes of peace and cooperation. With the exception of a few scenes, the majority of the film is highly tense, engaging, and very well-made by director Nicholas Meyer. However what works best about The Undiscovered Country is where it brings the core characters and how it ends their story. It’s a perfect finale that ends that works beautifully, even for someone like me who hasn’t been invested in all of this for years. Beyond that, the film is just full of great scenes which rank among the series best.

“There is an old Vulcan proverb: Only Nixon could go to China.”

25. 3 Women (1977) -Watched May 30th


I don’t understand this film as well as I do previous Altman list entry The Player, but I am more captivated by it. The film focuses on the relationship between Pinky (Sissy Spacek) and Millie (Shelley Duvall), and the many transformations it undergoes. At its core, 3 Women is about many things, ranging from issues of identity, to the way women are often overlooked, to general character studies of outcasts. The abstract plotting might have been frustrating, but the film is always accessible, due in large part to the fantastic performances from Spacek and Duvall. Both play fully realized characters who change a lot and there is a lot of nuance to their work. Additionally, Altman is able to create a very dreadful tone through his long takes and Gerard Busby’s haunting music. It’s almost like a horror movie, even though nothing overtly horrific takes place. A great film that is both intellectually stirring and stylistically riveting.

“Dreams can’t hurt you.”

I don't like any of those either, but my rankings (of worst to least worst) is:

1. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
2. The Broadway Melody of 1929 (1929)
3. Cimarron (1931)
4. Cavalcade (1933)
5. Gigi (1958)

Some of the others were probably worse than "Gigi", but man did that movie merit no response from me at all.  It made "My Fair Lady" look exciting.

Right on with Apocalypto and Kingdom of Heaven.  Some people have called the Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut one of the best 'improvements' to a film ever released.  Considering how the DC is pretty much night and day compared to the theatrical cut I'm inclined to agree.  It's a shame it was botched so much when it was first released but I'm glad that people have come upon the Director's Cut in the last few years.

Related, but they just released an Ultimate Edition of Kingdom of Heaven on blu-ray back in October.  I have the DC DVD which has the 'roadshow' version that includes the Entracte score and Intermission.  The blu-ray had the actual director's cut but minus the Entracte and Intermission.  The Ultimate Edition has all three cuts of the film, the theatrical, director's cut and roadshow version. 

I say people wouldn't be making such claims if the film was directed by someone who isn't Mel Gibson.

Do you happen to remember where the intermission mark is in the film? I own the Blu Ray of the DC and when I next watch the movie, I want to try doing it in two halves and knowing where the intermission is placed would certainly help.

I think you mean this:

www.theguardian.com/film/2007/jan/10/news.melgibson

The argument (which I don't necessarily agree with) is that the movie sort of suggests that the Mayan were somehow deserving of the genocide that was committed against them because of how brutal they were to their own.

It came right after the scene where the masked king chastised the dude with the wild red hair.  It's kind of abrupt, I wouldn't be shocked if it was just chosen because it would most effectively split the film across the two DVDs.

Dracula beat me.

21. Key Largo (1948) – Watched December 10th


At this point I’m pretty comfortable saying John Huston is my favourite of the classic filmmakers of the studio system. He may not have been any more stylish than his contemporaries, but Huston was an excellent craftsman able to mine a lot out of his characters and the man made several classics. Key Largo, released the same year as Huston’s incredible The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, is one such classic. The film revolves around a bunch of people being trapped in a hotel by a vicious group of gangsters during a hurricane. The power struggle that goes down between all of the characters is very gripping and Huston ratchets the tension as the film goes on. The performances are uniformly great, with Edward G. Robinson’s Johnny Rocco being an especially fun villain. Additionally, the film is extremely well-paced. Huston allows the audience to get to know the characters before the plot kicks in and it leads to some involving and emotional moments. I got to like these characters in the short time I got, so when they were in danger I really felt it and the film builds to a very intense climax. There are themes here regarding the nature of heroism, sacrifice, and the fact that Humphrey Bogart’s Frank McCloud is a war veteran is definitely of significance, but for the most part, this is just an excellent example of top-notch storytelling from a master at his peak.

“When your head says one thing and your whole life says another, your head always loses.”

20. The Remains of the Day (1993) – Watched on August 14th


I didn’t have high hopes for The Remains of the Day, as it had the pedigree of Oscar bait middlebrow filmmaking. Instead, I got one of the most subtly engrossing films I saw all year. Anthony Hopkins plays Mr. Stevens, a butler serving an English gentleman who ends up lending support to Nazi Germany during World War Two. Hopkins gives one of the best performances of his career as Mr. Stevens. The character is full of contradictory elements and he rarely (if ever) expresses himself verbally. However his performance is so good in portraying subtle emotional shifts that he’s totally captivating. Every postural choice, every slight facial tick means something. Playing off Hopkins is Emma Thompson as the woman who comes close to letting Stevens out of his shell. Watching those two act together is just awesome. The other side of the film has to do with Stevens’ employer’s Nazi ties, which is very interesting and makes for some really dramatic material. Both aspects of the film speak to a specific theme of inaction and the consequences that come with it. If you’ve avoided this film because you were worried it would be middlebrow and dull, I promise you it isn’t.

“It is not my place to be curious about such matters.”

19. Safety Last! (1923) – Watched September 22nd


Safety Last! will forever be remembered for the film’s third act, where Harold Lloyd climbs the outside of a skyscraper. This scene is riveting, tense, masterfully executed, and hilarious. The thing is, it’s a shame that this film is only remembered for tat aspect because Safety Last! is full of greatness throughout. The film is full of amazing gags, from subtle visual elements to large scale set-pieces, the film is consistently hilarious and I laughed a lot. Lloyd himself is a very likable screen presence and the stunts and effects which the film utilizes are excellent. 1923 is still pretty damn early in film history and yet this movie still looks great and moves with an excellent sense of energy and pace. There’s not much to say about this one; it’s fucking funny and made exceptionally well. A must-see for classic film fans.

I'd rank it up there with Chaplin and Keaton as well, though I've unfortunately only seen one Keaton film.

Bahaha, good one.

I'm guessing you've seen... "The General"? "The Navigator" I thought was his next best, really funny and a good story too.