Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591984 times)

JoanK · « **Reply #2440 on:** March 18, 2012, 06:17:07 PM »

So many movies – how do you choose what to watch?
Reviews? Recommendations? Actors? Availability?
Do you choose a movie the same way you choose a book?

And where do you like to watch most of your movies?
Do you stream movies from Netflix and other places?
Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever watched a film?

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Join us in an ongoing discussion of your favorite movies right now.
Pull up a chair, take off your shoes, pour yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and join in!

Your Discussion Leader: pedln

ROSE: sorry for my bad memory -- what documentary was that?

I saw the author of "How the States Got their Shapes" on book TV. fascinating!

roshanarose · « **Reply #2441 on:** March 19, 2012, 12:43:31 AM »

JoanK - No worries. Your quote:Rose: I have a documentary movie about a blind American musician who went to mongolia to participate in a "throat-singing" compitition: a traditional Mongolian form of music where the throat becomes a musical instrument. It shows a lot of the country.

Babi and pedln - I am glad you enjoyed the movie, Pedln. As you say "a favourite". There is another movie I always get mixed up with Jindabyne and that is "Lantana", also very good. Jinmdabyne reminds me a bit of where I grew up, in Armidale, NSW. Very cold, but not as much snow as Jindabyne. Babi - You are most welcome.

marjifay · « **Reply #2442 on:** March 19, 2012, 01:42:24 PM »

I never heard of Harry's Law, but then I don't watch much TV, except movies. What channel?

I watched a movie from the Classics Movie Channel the other night, Girl with Green Eyes (1964), starring Rita Tushingham, Peter Finch and Lynn Redgrave. Loved it! A young naive Irish country girl moves to Dublin and becomes involved with a much travelled older man. A sweet, somewhat sad, but often humorous, story about loss of innocence. I'd watched it long ago and liked it because it was so different and more interesting than the Hollywood movies.

Marj

JeanneP · « **Reply #2443 on:** March 19, 2012, 04:32:41 PM »

Roshannarose.

I just got through watching Series 3 of "In Treatment" As usual just could not stop watching until the DVD ran out (Each one of 4 ran 4 hours. Really enjoyed but did convince me that there would not be a "In Treatment 4". Just by how it ended and how Gabriel's frame of mine was. He looked so tired in it.
Now last night I watched him in a movie. called. P.S. Laura Lindsey was in it. Was very good but sort of like it was from a scene in "In Treatment" to me. Will say more if you say you have seen it.

I will try and find Jindabyne. Sounds interesting. I try not to miss any Australian Movies or many books by writers from There That I like. Will check on Homeland also.

Weather getting nice here and so should be working outside. No excuse of cold weather. Keep making them because of all the good books and DVDs I order

JeanneP · « **Reply #2444 on:** March 19, 2012, 04:50:34 PM »

I can't find the movie. "girl with green eyes" anyplace. Is that the full title?

maryz · « **Reply #2445 on:** March 19, 2012, 05:15:26 PM »

Marjifay, Harry's Law is on NBC - right now showing at 8 pm ET on Sunday.

marjifay · « **Reply #2446 on:** March 19, 2012, 11:49:49 PM »

Yes, Jeanne, "Girl With Green Eyes" is the full title of the movie. It's a 1964 British film. You can get it from Netflix. It's also discussed on IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base). I had no trouble finding it, but if you can't find it by title, look for it under Rita Tushingham's
name in 1964. You probably won't recognize Tushingham's roommate in the movie, a very young Lynn Redgrave who is just great. BTW, it's from a novel by Edna O'Brien, "The Lonely Girl."

Thanks, MaryZ, for the info on the TV program, Harry's Law. I'll look for it on Sunday.

Marj

MaryPage · « **Reply #2447 on:** March 24, 2012, 10:47:45 AM »

I had a lovely time last night. Watched the 1944 JANE EYRE with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine. I remember thinking she was the most beautiful thing in this world, but last night I found her quite wooden. Still lovely to look at.

All black and white, of course. Actors and actresses I had not seen in years and years and years. It was on TCM. Rather depressing to think they are all dead. The later Jane Eyres have been a huge improvement on this one; but I did enjoy seeing it one more time. The most poignant moments were seeing 11 year old Elizabeth Taylor. She was not known yet, this was pre National Velvet, and was not even listed in the front credits with Margaret O'Brien and the rest. Tears O'Brien was quite good, actually. I always liked her. Is it O'Brien or O'Brian?

pedln · « **Reply #2448 on:** March 24, 2012, 01:02:44 PM »

Tomereader, I just finished watching Hugo last night. Loved it, and will no doubt want to see it again, but not right now. You mentioned the three "Paris" films from this year and I have now seen them all. Midnight in Paris is still my favorite. (My NY daughter, visiting here last week, said she and her partner hated it. Can you believe?)

I thought that Hugo was much more a tribute to the films of yesteryear than the Artist. I liked all three films, but The Artist is #3 in that list.

Roshanarose, I just ordered Jindabyne from Amazon -- I think their last one. Long story. Cheap film, but then I order enough to get free shipping. Must stop doing that. But I'm looking forward to also receiving Out of Africa, After the Wedding, and Rabbit-proof Fence. Keeping my fingers crossed on the latter, as it didn't say captions.

Some friends and I were going to watch The Help DVD and then go out to dinner, but the hostess, who has HBO called and said Game Change was showing this afternoon, so we'll watch that instead. I'm looking forward to it. We've been talking about it someplace around here.

MaryPage, interesting about the children in that Jane Eyre. I just looked it up on Netflix and you're right, Elizabeth Taylor wasn't even mentioned.

JoanK · « **Reply #2449 on:** March 24, 2012, 09:18:05 PM »

I remember seeing that Jane Eyre years ago and really liking it. Now the cameras do so much more with close-ups that you feel you are more inside the characters, though.

MaryPage · « **Reply #2450 on:** March 25, 2012, 08:51:07 AM »

I am dying to see Game Change.

marjifay · « **Reply #2451 on:** March 25, 2012, 09:53:14 AM »

The Classic Movie Channel was showing Jane Eyre (1943) the other night, but I did not watch it. I loved the book, and just could not picture Orson Wells as Rochester (Yuk).
Actually, I don't want to see any movie of the book -- prefer to keep it in my imagination.

I did watch the film, Devotion (1946) which was an interesting story of the Bronte family, starring Ida Lupino as Emily and Olivia de Havilland as Charlotte, with Paul Henreid as the man they both loved.

Marj

Babi · « **Reply #2452 on:** March 25, 2012, 10:19:49 AM »

I didn't watch that Jane Eyre either, MARJ. I have been pleasantly surprised many times,
tho', seeing and old movie, to discover how handsome an actor was as a young man. Orson
might have surprised you.

maryz · « **Reply #2453 on:** March 25, 2012, 11:37:14 AM »

MaryPage, I've just finished the book, Game Change, and really enjoyed reading it. We don't get HBO, so I have the movie reserved on Netflix in anticipation of its release on disc.

pedln · « **Reply #2454 on:** March 25, 2012, 05:17:41 PM »

Game Change was fantastic and I want to see it again. I was especially impressed with Julianne Moore, who played Sarah Palin. (A few of Tina Fey's bits from Sat.NightLive were also included in the film.) All through the show I kept asking myself, "Is all this true, can it really be true?" Particularly interesting were her relationships with McCain's staff. They really bent over backwards, that's all I can say. I've never been a Palin fan, but she was shown in such a poor light here that I think it would be very painful for her or anyone in her family to view it. I did a little research when I got home and read one statement saying that neither Palin nor McCain have seen the film. That's kind of hard to believe.

The film is adapted from the book with the same title by Mark Halperin (NBC) and I-don't-remember. The book is in three parts --1)Obama/Hilary primary struggle, 2)McCain/Palin campain, and 3)Obama/McCain -- with the film adaptation coming from part 2.

MaryPage · « **Reply #2455 on:** March 27, 2012, 11:57:47 AM »

I have seen a lot about Game Change on the TV, both discussions about the book when it came out, and now about the movie. I will purchase the DVD when it finally comes out.

Over and over and over through my many years I have heard reporters ask celebrities they are interviewing what they are reading. I particularly pay close attention when they ask actual presidents this, as I think in the case of our presidents it is of historical interest. Of all the presidents we have had in my lifetime, I do not know of any who had as tall a pile of books on their TBR stack as Bill Clinton! Apparently he is a whiz of a speed reader! Anyhoo, I thought nothing of Katie Couric's asking Sarah Palin what she reads, and will never forget the sick lurching in my stomach when I saw Sarah's "deer in the headlights" stare at Katie. Truly, if any single one of us in here were asked that question, we would be able to respond at the drop of a hat! I was so embarrassed for Sarah that night, and I did wish the question had not been asked so that she had not had that humiliation.

That being said, I hate hearing history rewritten and the Palin party painting it that it was a set up and Couric was out to "get" her. Katie Couric is too much of a professional to be out to "get" anyone. I just bet Katie was uncomfortable about Sarah's humiliation, as well; and she may well wish that question had not been on her list.

Babi · « **Reply #2456 on:** March 28, 2012, 08:24:34 AM »

MARYPAGE, I am one of those who have held a low opinion of Sarah Palin since she first came
on the public scene, for more reasons than I would want to go into. I was horrified to think she
and John McCain might win the presidential campaign, and that John McCain's poor health might
leave us with her as our President. God help us!!
I have seen nothing reported since that has caused me to change my estimation of her potential as a national leader. This latest bit of news merely strengthens that view.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2457 on:** March 28, 2012, 08:47:47 AM »

It is disturbing to me to think that anyone aspiring to the Presidency would not be a reader. Reading is important in so many ways besides for knowledge or relaxation. One of the thoughts I heard expressed long, long ago (I forget who or where) was that in order to better formulate your own beliefs and opinions, you must include in your reading your opponents views and beliefs. You are then much better able to formulate and rebut an opponent's views and strengthen or modify your own.

A line I have never forgotten: "You learn by books!" (Ringo Starr, from A Hard Day's Night). I am curious to know if Mr. Starr is a real reader or if that was just a movie devise. At any rate, that line has always stuck with me.

MaryPage · « **Reply #2458 on:** March 28, 2012, 08:56:51 AM »

Books have been the dearest possessions in my life since I was a toddler. Books have given me comfort and vision when there were no humans available to fill these needs. I cannot imagine living a life without books.

But in all fairness, we are all different. I did not and do not want Sarah Palin elected president of these United States; but for a myriad of other reasons. Think about it. Haven't you had the experience of people who were not readers BUT excelled in practical thinking and connecting the dots and getting things done and promoting good will to all? I have.

pedln · « **Reply #2459 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:21:30 PM »

You make a good point, MaryPage, and your comments made me think of a book I'd read years ago, Reversals by Eileen Simpson. She didn't learn until her late teens or early twenties that dyslexia was the cause of so many of her school problems. All she knew was that reading was so hard, writing too. But she could study a foreign language. She married (and later divorced) a poet -- John Merrimam? and went on to become a psychiatrist.

When my daughter visited last week I suggested she take some books back for her partner -- we enjoy similar books -- and Judy said, "she can't read for a year." I guess not. In addition to working three 12 hour nursing shifts a week, she's also doing clinicals working towards nurse practioner certification.

Babi · « **Reply #2460 on:** March 30, 2012, 08:23:27 AM »

Oh, mercy! But then, young people always believe themselves indestructible. And thank heaven, up to a point I guess they are. It's marvelous how a youngster can play themselves into total exhaustion, throw themselves on the ground for 15 minutes rest, and be ready to do
it all over again! I hope the young lady is able to keep to her doctor's advice for her eyes sake.

pedln · « **Reply #2461 on:** March 31, 2012, 05:34:51 PM »

Babi, I think the eyes are okay. It's more a lack of time for any kind of "frivolous" activity like reading a good book just for fun.

This must be a bonanza week for good viewing. Inspector Lewis is on tonight, maybe reruns, but who remembers everything. Tomorrow – double bonanza with the PBS Great Expectations and the first of AMC’s The Killing, second season. Something will have to be taped and I’ll have to be here to tape it as the trusty VCR now reverts back to 1992.

Do you research films before you see them, do you view cold turkey, or are you somewhere in-between? I’m now doing the research as I’ve seen a few these past two weeks that I wished I’d known more about them before watching. The Last Station, about Tolstoy in his declining years. It would have helped to know a little bit about the Tolstoyans and some of the issues involving Tolstoy and his wife. Excellent casting here – Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, and Paul Giamati. Moneyball with Brad Pitt. What do I know about baseball statistics and what happened in Oakland? Very little. And Hugo, which I loved and will definitely watch again. A little more background about George Melies will show things to watch for in the rewatch.

marcie · « **Reply #2462 on:** March 31, 2012, 10:51:33 PM »

pedln, that's a great question. I usually watch films without researching the background "history." After I watch a film, I am sometimes inspired to learn more about the topic/background. I do sometimes look into the director or an actor before I watch a film.

In addition to a new PBS GREAT EXPECTATIONS and the first episode of season 2 of THE KILLING, HBO has the first episode of season 2 of GAME OF THRONES on Sunday night at the same time!!

Babi · « **Reply #2463 on:** April 01, 2012, 08:23:41 AM »

Well, that's better than permanent eyestrain, PEDLN. All the same, a bit of light
reading could be a great rest from all the hard work and study. Great Expectations
for me; I really developed a strong distaste for "The Killing".
I only research films when I've heard/read differing opinions on them. I miss one
of my old film critics; I could always count on liking the ones he panned!

MaryPage · « **Reply #2464 on:** April 01, 2012, 12:25:08 PM »

I finally watched my DVD of Midnight In Paris last night, and enjoyed it very much.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2465 on:** April 01, 2012, 12:30:05 PM »

If you get a chance, take a friend or a relative and go to see "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen". A beautiful movie, appealing to adults like us, touching, funny, great acting and cinematography to knock your socks off! 5 Stars for this one!

Kristin Scott-Thomas, noted for her wonderful dramatic roles, takes a comic turn in this one, and she is hilarious! Watch her "mow people down" figuratively, spin doctor extraordinaire, and tossing in those hilarious lines. On the big screen in the theatre, you are painfully aware that she is not aging well; all her wrinkles show, but you want to thank her for not succumbing to the "botox/plastic surgery" trend, and looking like a normal, natural woman and not like a plasticized android!

Babi · « **Reply #2466 on:** April 02, 2012, 08:57:54 AM »

"Salmon Fishing...." is on our Netflix queue, TOME, but heaven only knows how long it will be
before it's available. Thanks for your review; I'm really looking forward to it now.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2467 on:** April 02, 2012, 11:17:34 AM »

Babi, I am sure it will be several months before Salmon Fishing comes to Netflix. It is still doing a thriving business in the theatres. I would say a couple of months at the least. But it will be worth your wait. Now the English + Scottish accents may give some a hard time, but hopefully the ClosedCaptions will be close enough to what they are saying to hold your attention.

JeanneP · « **Reply #2468 on:** April 02, 2012, 11:29:45 AM »

I haven't seen :"Salmon Fishing movie" here yet. Surprising as we have at least 2 big theatres with about 12 movies showing in each one. Will look out for it. Sounds to be a good one.

pedln · « **Reply #2469 on:** April 02, 2012, 12:29:03 PM »

Quote

"Salmon Fishing...." is on our Netflix queue, TOME, but heaven only knows how long it will be before it's available. Thanks for your review; I'm really looking forward to it now.

Ditto, Babi. It will no doubt be a wait, but in the meantime The Descendents and Iron Lady DVDs are coming out very soon. War Horse, also. So there will be some of the good ones available to watch. Does it seem to you that there has been an abundance of really good stuff to watch this past year?

DVDs (and streamed films) seem to come out much sooner than they used to. A sign of the times, I guess, as many people are investing in home theatres. Not so many going to the theatres

Did anyone see The Killing, season 2, episode 1, last night? I watched it and taped Great Expectations. Now, -- watch GE, part 1 or wait until next week when the whole show is taped?

MaryPage · « **Reply #2470 on:** April 02, 2012, 02:29:08 PM »

The Descendants has been out for a while now, and I watched the DVD a couple of weeks ago with a daughter and a granddaughter. We all disliked it intensely, albeit we each adore George Clooney. We thought his acting really stupid in this one, and the movie left us depressed.

Do not want AMC to know it, because am so mad at them still for not ending the last season of The Killing by letting us all know who done it, but I DID watch The Killing last night. Great Expectations was never a favorite of mine, and anyway, know I can catch it in reruns over and over again.

They are STILL dragging out the truth about who killed Rosie. In the original Danish story, can tell now, Rosie's father's assistant in the moving business was the killer. But last night he shot the guy, Richmond?, who is running for office and then shot himself. So he did not do it in the American version. Heard the Americans changed the storyline quite a bit, but was unaware it was to this extent. Do not now have a clue, but am still furious with AMC. And while crazy about the actress playing the detective, am getting a bit bored with her popping that chewing gum and letting her kid eat all that fast food.

pedln · « **Reply #2471 on:** April 02, 2012, 06:59:30 PM »

Quote

The Descendants has been out for a while now, and I watched the DVD a couple of weeks ago with a daughter and a granddaughter.

MaryPage, I think Netflix has something in their contract with movie companies that they will not make DVDs available until after they've been out a certain length of time. Sorry you didn't like THe Descendents, I can't comment otherwise until I've seen it.

I loved Midnight in Paris. My daughter said she and her partner absolutely hated it.

Interesting about the differences in the Danish and US versions of The Killing. I think we all probably suspected Belko at one time.

Babi · « **Reply #2472 on:** April 03, 2012, 08:49:31 AM »

TOME, it has happily been my experience that English, as spoken in England, that is,
lends itself to lipreading very well. I can always tell when an actor is speaking
with an English accent just from the way the form certain words with their lips.
I've even been able to state that some word in the CC is not the word spoken.
Scottish, I'm not sure about. Have to wait and see, but thankfully the CC's are
there to help.

All those are on our queue, too, PEDLN. Valerie watches the movies with a pen and
pad handy, to jot down the titles of all the movies that look interesting in the
previews. What, exactly, are 'streamed' films?

pedln · « **Reply #2473 on:** April 03, 2012, 11:02:49 AM »

Babi, sure wish I had your lip/speech-reading skills.

re: streamed films. Remember in the "olden days" before Netflix had a meltdown, you could watch their movies on your computer, just like watching U-Tube or a news video. (The problem for those of us who need captions was that the films didn't always have captions or subtitles. Netflix always said "we're working on it.")

Now these same streamed films can be shown on TV, with the films coming in via a multitude of different ways; hooking the TV up to a computer, using a wireless router, Blu-Ray players are coming out with direct attachments for Netflix and other similar companies, something called Roku which goes direct to Netflix, etc. etc.

Amazon streams videos now, just like Netflix. Hulu and Hulu-plus, iTunes, also.

I guess a simple definition of streamed films would be -- direct from cyberspace to your TV (and/or your cellphone, iPad, computer, whatever). Supposedly all this is the voice of doom for DVDs and they will eventually go the way of tapes.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2474 on:** April 03, 2012, 11:52:52 AM »

Well they won't disappear here yet, as although in theory we can get streamed films, in practice our signal is so poor that they would break up all the time. It is irritating, we are only 20 miles from Edinburgh, and although we do live in the country, it is a well populated and busy area (most of the population commutes into the city), but the telecommunications are dreadful. Our phones do not work properly, our internet is so slow is sometimes feels like it is going backwards, and as for streaming of films - no chance, no matter how much you pay nor who your provider is. The Scottish government has recently announced that it is going to roll out a lot of money to improve these services in rural areas - but guess what? this rural area does not qualify because it is too affluent!

Rosemary

Babi · « **Reply #2475 on:** April 04, 2012, 08:54:00 AM »

Alas, PEDLN, it doesn't work with people who talk rapidly or tend to mumble. Did you
notice there are people who can talk barely moving their lips at all?!
Viewing streamed films sounds like more trouble than it's worth. I'll be content with
my DVD and Netflix. Hopefully, they'll stay around at least as long as I do.

Congratulations, ROSEMARY. Didn't realize how affluent you were, did you?

JeanneP · « **Reply #2476 on:** April 04, 2012, 03:43:04 PM »

I think that people who talk without moving lips must be a Texas Habit. I had a hard time with my 3 grandsons there all time they were growing up. Now their children do the same thing. like they mumble.

marcie · « **Reply #2477 on:** April 04, 2012, 05:47:46 PM »

I just realized that Whitechapel, Season 3, started last week on BBC America. I watched the first episode "on demand" on my cable. The case in episode one is the slaughter of four people at a tailor’s fortified workshop. An expert in the myths and legends behind unexplained or violent deaths, is retained by DI Chandler as the team’s historical adviser. He believes that the huge archive at Whitechapel station will provide the necessary insight into this baffling crime that appears to echo the Ratcliff Highway murders 200 years earlier. The conclusion of the 2-parter is on in my area tonight.

Two more 2-part cases will follow in the weeks ahead.

I really like the protagonist DI Chandler. He is inexperienced, suffers from OCD and is an educated, upper-crust young man placed as the superior of some older, more experienced men who have been trained "on the job." In season 1 he was given his assignment as the supposed final step before he was fast-tracked for promotion. The case which turned out to be a copy-cat Jack the Riper, did not go smoothly or well. At the end of the case, he remained to look after his mortally wounded second-in-charge while the "Ripper" escaped and later committed suicide. He wasn't promoted but he asked to remain in his present job, so that he could learn more about detective work.

This season he is continuing to earn the trust of his team and is trying to know them more personally. He is still having trouble with his OCD and is inability to relax among others.

See http://www.bbcamerica.com/whitechapel/ for more about the series.

Babi · « **Reply #2478 on:** April 05, 2012, 08:25:40 AM »

Interesting premise, MARCIE. The OCD could really hamper him, or it could help him be really
persistent in pursuing a criminal. Maybe both. Is it only available here On Demand?
I think I know which channel here has BBC , though, so I'll try there.

marcie · « **Reply #2479 on:** April 05, 2012, 10:24:56 AM »

Babi, I watched the episode "live" last evening on BBC America. I only had to watch the first part "on demand" since I missed it live last week. The show has some humor too re what happened when he got the courage to ask the lovely coroner's assistant(?) on a date.

News:

Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591984 times)