Blabbing about: Wings (1927)

Hey-low!

I am really excited about writing this review(ish)!

So, I first knew about this film by..of course, watching "The celluloid closet".
I didn't really care much about it at first, but ever since I knew that
the wonderful Clara Bow was in it, I had to watch it.
It was a pretty lengthy for a silent film, and I took 3 days to watch it, haha.
But it was well worth it!

Warning: May contain spoilers!

 
Wings(1927)
War/romance

(I have NO knowledge on war and all that,
so I can't say anything about anything else then
the characters and the plot! sorry!)

The first thing I have to say is that,
the relationship(or should I say bromance?)between
Jack (Charles Rogers) and David (Richard Arlen)
was just AMAZING.
As hell.(They are both so handsome! ugh.)

I thought that they were.. adorable together.
Yes,yes, I know that they are just two good friends
but still, It just hit me.
(I can feel the "pre-code Hollywood" atmosphere..hehe)
I thought how the "celluloid closet" explained it,
"there was a time where men could express tenderness 
on the screen" was perfect.
That is the whole thing, you know?
just plain tenderness.



I thought that well, of course,
Clara Bow so charming as ever.
She lit up the whole screen every time
she appears.
And well, I can understand how she didn't really
like her role, but, there would of been SUCH a 
big difference if she Mary wasn't in the film!
Thank you Clara Bow, for being there.

Oh yes, I thought Gary Cooper was EXTREMELY
handsome. like, oh my god.
(He had a Cameo in another Clara Bow film "It(1927)"
Didn't he? I thought it will be like that in this film too,
But it was great that he actually was on screen for 
more then 10 seconds. And how amazing was 
that close-up shot on his face... )

Ok, so back to Jack and David.
I actually have so many things to say
now I don't know .. what to say (what??)

I thought this film was just so romantic.
Everything about Jack and David's relationship
was just beautiful.
(Hmm... the main romance is supposed to be
between Mary and Jack but how come
I always focus on just Jack and David?
and It's not even supposed to be a romance haha)

But, well, we are all supposed to see films
(or books or art..etc) and interpret it in our own way,
so, I personally believe.. or maybe something more like
want to believe is maybe that Jack and David's
relationship was something beyond friendship.
I actually don't want to say something
very straightforward like "they were gay",
Because that makes me sound really stupid.
Yes, I think it does, but... oh my god, I can't stop
myself from wanting that to be true! oh man.
Never mind. 
But I do really really think that they were "more then friends".
Yes. That has to be true.
(Maybe something in-between friendship and romance?)














What, what is it photo supposed to mean? haha.
Jack and David are having fun together and
Mary is left alone???

OK...now I shall talk about the
most famous(maybe?) part of this film.

The first on screen kiss between two men.


I feel like I have seen this scene so many times before
watching it with the actual film,
But it hits me every time.

I think this scene when David is lying down in Jack's arms
is one of the most saddest moments in film history. Really I do.

I think that this is one of the great things about silent movies.
I have to say that David's death tore my heart out but it
was extremely beautiful at the same time.
(A "sad" scene where someone dies in movies nowadays are
often really cheesy. They try so hard to make to us cry.. like wtf?)

Oh David...David....ahhhh..David..

I can't say anything to explain this scene then "beautiful".

But I have to say that "the kiss" isn't really a "kiss".
It's just beside the lip, as you can see. 
But, that's just as great. I'm extremely grateful for them to actually
make it happen!
(This "kiss" is told as a very good example of "pre-code Hollywood"...
so.. would this scene be cut if there was a production code then?
It wasn't supposed to be a romantic kiss, and its hardly as kiss anyway!
hmm.... production codes are stupid. As we all know.)



Oh yes, and I want to say that I thought the
action packed war-scenes were incredible!
I thought it was extremely well done and very realistic.
(I bet there are way more phony-looking scenes in recent
movies using crappy CGI haha.)
I don't understand anything about these war-fighting-scenes
so I pretty much had no idea what was happening
while all the planes were flying everywhere and going crazy
shooting one million holes through their enemies..but,
oh well. No one can understand a movie perfectly!


Best scene:

Of course, the "kissing scene".
I can watch it everyday, and cry all day.



In conclusion,
I thought this film was amazing, 
and was much much more then I expected.
Although I LOVE Clara Bow, and her character 
Mary, I have to say that I thought the relationship
between the two main characters, Jack and David was the best
thing in the whole film. Well, for me.
I will definitely watch this film again.
(hoping next time I can watch this on Blu-ray...)





What, why does Clara Bow look so left out 
in pretty much all the photos with the 3 main characters???
Like.. look at the second pic! you can just see her
Mumbling "Fu#k this... I hate you two."
(Oh and it isn't Clara Bow right... it's Mary.)


"You- you know there is nothing in 
the world that means so much to me as your friendship-"


Bye bye!

Blabbing about: Rope (1948)

Hello!

So, I watched the 1948 Hitchcock thriller "Rope" the other day.
I first knew about this film since it was introduced in my 
favorite documentary "The celluloid closet".

I always wanted to watch it, so I did.


So here comes my random babbling, again.

Warning: May contain spoilers!



Rope (1948)
Thriller


I'm actually not sure if there is a lot that I can talk about this film,
But I'll just say that I thought it was great!
I thought the famous real-time camera work was awesome,
and it really made me feel like I was..you know, part of the movie.
Like, I was really with them. 




I thought the acting was superb and everything- was flawless.
I really can't believe this whole movie was just 8 characters talking to each other
in one room. It was so interesting!
I really love these types of  "experimental" kind of films.
I wonder if Hollywood is going to make anymore?
Maybe not. Audiences now days wouldn't be able to stand it, I guess.




Maybe, partly I watched this film to see the..haha,
the fabulous gay subtext throughout the film.
And... I really wonder ... how would this film be like
If there was no such thing as the production code then?
would it be more, how do I say it.. open?
I actually don't know, because is the relationship between the
two men that important?
(Ok... I don't even know what the hell I am talking about now..)




Yes, I thought how they served food on that..whats it called? a trunk?
Was like the most scariest and disturbing thing ever.
oh my god... this film actually really scared me.
The ending was intense..and sad, I wonder what happened to
James Stewart character after the credits started to roll.


I never,found Hitchcock's cameo.
I complete forgot about it, completely.
I mean, who can find that?? it looks like some random
red thing out the window to me! (lol)
I personally think Hitchcock's cameo in "North by Northwest"
was the most easy-to-find.


Best scene:

The Last scene. 

In conclusion,
This film was amazing, and I can't say anymore,
it left a lasting imagine in my head after the ending.
Just.. the 3 characters, all calm, waiting to be taken away.





Bye bye!

Blabbing about: The Birdcage (1996)

Hello! I decided to watch a new gay-themed film so here goes my review!

The Birdcage (1996)
Comedy

The things that highlighted this film - was of course,
the Robin Williams character, and the Nathan Lane character.
But, the downsides where, to me personally,
was practically every other character in this film.
(.....And I also thought that there were so many stupid decisions 
made out through this film as well)

I REALLY loved the main..couple?( haha, is that how you describe it? )
But everyone else was such assholes! 
well, I can't say "everyone", It's just that son, 
and the girl that he wants to get married to.
I just couldn't stand the son (Val, was it?)
I thought he was just so... how do you explain it?
All he cared was about how much he wanted to look "normal" in front
of the girls parents and treated his parents like trash.
I thought - man... doesn't he actually feel grateful for his two dads for 
taking so much care for him?
And I didn't understand why they had to have dinner ... at 
their house.. is it like, a thing? (sorry I don't know anything in detail)
I hated how Val was always complaining, I felt SO sorry for Armand and Albert.

Also, the fact that he was only 20 and the girl was 18 and
they wanted to get married was stupid (as hell) as well.
I read a review on this movie and some people were saying that
the young couple would of definitely be divorced in a year.
I can't agree more.

Another stupid reason that made me want to punch him in the face was because
I was SO JEALOUS of Val. (lol what?)
I would of freaking died if I had Armand and Albert as my parents.
It would of been the best thing ever...like seriously!



OK, I would stop talking about Val and the girl..which I couldn't even
remember the name, and talk about the good parts of this film.

Yes, as I said before, I thought the two main characters were AMAZING.
I can't say anything more then that! lol.
How the two characters treated each other and everything was just so- perfect.
Like, casual, and calm. They have been together for so long they pretty much
know everything about each other,
 it's just like a elderly couple that has been married
for decades.. well, they are, aren't they?
In pretty much all other gay-themed films I have seen, the two main character's
relationships evolve more fireworks! and explosions! and so much drama!

(which is great too) but it was awesome to see something different, and 

something that is maybe, more real.




















A really - I don't know, strange? weird? thing
(well I don't even know if its weird.. well, to me it is.)
was that I actually thought - Robin Williams was really hot. Like, oh my god.
Well, you can't blame me. I thought he was. full stop.

Best scene in this film:
When Armand and Albert sit on that bench together
when Albert leaves the house and Armand chases after him.

In conclusion,
I REALLY enjoyed watching this film and I LOVED the
two main characters to bits.
But some of the parts - including characters and plot
had some downsides.
I would definitely watch again, fast forwarding
any scenes involving Val, and the girl.

Bye bye!

Blabbing about: Eyes without a face(1960)

I can't remember when I first knew about this film
but it was when I was browsing through some
random movie website and this film came up
as a recommendation.
It was in the Criterion Collection and I fell
in love with the DVD/Blu-ray cover at first sight.
It looked so mysterious and romantic....and
I search what the actual film was about and
Thought to myself "Oh man I can't watch this!".

The Criterion collection's cover that I saw.

I am extremely terrible with any kind of
gore/blood on screen (certainly not in real life either!)
And even thought this film is shot in black and white,
I thought I will have to watch it in 10 or so years time.
(I actually did think this.)

But... recently I came back to being interested in this
dark and thrilling looking film and decided to give it a go.
It haven't been 10 years but I thought that I can
handle a black and white 60's horror film now haha
(Oh man you think that I'm such a baby don't you?)

So here we go with my extra short review.

Warning: May contain spoilers!
This post will be very short by the way..

Les yeux sans visage (Eyes without a face) 1960

Horror/Drama

The first thing I want to say is that I thought

this film was nothing other then "Beautiful".

Oh man...uh...this film was extremely beautiful

and haunting.... The mixture (or should I say blend)

between the beautiful cinematography with the grotesque

scenes and the haunting images of the anguish and regret of

the characters...

I can't explain how perfect I thought this film was.

I'm too stupid! haha.

I love beautiful black and white horror films so much..

(Wait..this film isn't even supposed to be a horror isn't it?)

And.... What I also want to say is that I thought the

Poor daughter- Christiane was so beautiful..

(how many times do I need to use that word? lol)

I LOVED all her gowns so much and her hair too...

ugh...so amazing....

(What am I going on about? haha) And her "new face"

after the operation was very.. what is the word for it?

Believable? Like.. ugh.. I don't know what to say but

everything was amazing, full stop.

(I actually feel so ashamed and sad that I can cry

that all I can say about this amazing piece of art is 

this pile of garbage..I am so sorry!!!)

I can seriously stick a photo of her everywhere.

She is just so amazing......

(I love everything. Her hair, her gowns, her mask, her voice..)

Just her standing there in the screen makes the

whole atmosphere so painfully sad yet very beautiful.

I can go on about her forever! haha.

Oh, and yes, I thought that one of the things

that highlighted this film was- of course the father and

daughter relationship.

The father loved the daughter too much he

fell apart at the end...

And... the very famous "Operation scene" was 

very, very frighting.

My face was going "Oh my god...ahhhhh!!!"

Throughout the whole 5 minutes or so.

This film is over half a century old but it still

scares the hell out of me? wow...

(and...yes, even though this scene was very

grotesque it was still very-very beautiful.)

I thought the make up was amazing too!

(extremely believable. Uh, such artists.)

Overall, I loved this film very much...

I don't know how many times I have to use

the word "beautiful" but I just can't explain it 

in other words! (plus I have very poor vocabulary haha)

The characters,the music,the pretty gowns..everything

had such a quiet and haunting atmosphere.

I will definitely watch this film again but not right now,

I want to save it for later. I think that I will have

different option next time, and properly every time

I watch it.

So, I thought it was great watching a foreign film

and this is actually, very embarrassing but my second 

French film I have seen in my entire life.

(The first one is "Le chorus(2004)")

To be honest I didn't have any interest in French films

But this definitely changed my mind.

I think that I should look for another amazing,

Black and white(preferably horror again) French film sometime.

I think that I will enjoy a older classic then recent ones..

I shall stick another photo of beautiful Christiane

just for the sake of it haha-

I will never get bored of her.

"Smile. Not too much."