Film

[Born of Fire]

The accents and lip-sync were all over the shop as was the sound-mixing.

Just on sound mixing, something that really gets on my nerves when watching something with headphones is when there's background noise that suddenly goes silent when a character speaks and then comes back when they're done speaking. I find it so fuckin annoying.

[Mooncat]

So it's the mangled American version on Netflix. I must try and get the proper version and have another look.

I wonder if you can change the audio in the language drop down? Aren't you in Australia? Surely be to fuck it should be the Aussie version?!


On a quasi-related note, I watched "Traffic" for the first time recently. It was on Netflix. During the Spanish speaking parts, I thought that Steven Soderbergh had made a brave artistic choice in not having English subtitles.

A while later though, after several very long scenes en Español, I thought that I had better Google;

"Does Traffic (2000) have subtitles?"

Turns out it does but the Netflix version doesn't have them. Had to download it and watch from the beginning again... 

That happens on a lot of streaming sites. They specifically remove any of the subtitles that 'come with' the film to create space for their own multi language subtitle selections. Which is fine for 99% of films, but a pain in the arse for any films with just a specific section like that. Means you have to manually turn them on for that one section, then off again after (unless you watch with subtitles on generally). Happened to me with Dracula the other day. The intro where Gary Oldman renounces the church. Several minutes into all the Romanian language speaking part and I'm like, 'I'm sure this was translated when I watched before" 


Never knew about the American dub of Mad Max, that sounds awful. Sure Americans barely knew Australia existed until Crocodile Dundee introduced them to all the tropes.

[astfgyl]

Watched The Mist again last night, first time since it came out. Some dodgy CGI (good for the time, I suppose) aside it holds up well. That ending is so bleak, only heightened by the Dead Can Dance track.

There's a black and white version I have yet to see, apparently it's a better watch.

Is it the same thing just in black and white or is it a different film?

[Carnage]

Same film as far as I know. I have it on BR but have yet to watch it.

[leatherface]

The Fan (1996)

Another cheap pickup, had forgotten about that this film. Robert de Niro stalking Wesley Snipes, pretty creepy in parts.

[astfgyl]

Same film as far as I know. I have it on BR but have yet to watch it.

I must give it a go. Always enjoyed the original. The book ending wasn't as bleak as the film but still pretty bad all the same

[Carnage]

I can't remember the book at all, I read it in the late '80s I think. Must dig it out.

[astfgyl]

Had an idea:

Bleakest film endings.

Off the top of my head The Road, Garage, The Mist, Old boy, The Land Before Time, Jacob's Ladder, Angel Heart.

All bleak for various reasons. What else have we there must be rakes of them? Fire away anyway

I can't remember the book at all, I read it in the late '80s I think. Must dig it out.

It's identical to the film apart from the last 2 pages, you could save the time and just read those two

[Carnage]

Martyrs, A Serbian Film, The Bunny Game and Kill List all instantly spring to mind. Night Of The Living Dead too.

[jobrok1]

The Fan (1996)
Another cheap pickup, had forgotten about that this film. Robert de Niro stalking Wesley Snipes, pretty creepy in parts.

That's a very underrated flick, to be fair.

[Mooncat]

The Fan (1996)
Another cheap pickup, had forgotten about that this film. Robert de Niro stalking Wesley Snipes, pretty creepy in parts.

That's a very underrated flick, to be fair.

I never did see it, must give it a go.

Speaking of creepy fans, watched Play Misty For Me with Clint recently. Surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was expecting one of Clint's more throwaway films, but it was genuinely excellent with a really tense atmosphere. The female stalker comes across as more disturbed than anyone in any of the subsequent films it influenced.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Just rewatched Dune Part Two. Like with part one, distractions mainly from adjusting to changes in storyline out of the way, I enjoyed it second time round twice (maybe even thrice!) as much as first time. If part 3 is as good, we have a new best of all time trilogy on our hands imo.

[StoutAndAle]

"Cliffhanger" - another '90s Network 2 stalwart that I managed to never see until now.

Good craic with a vodka and soda in hand.

Modern HDTVs show up old-school green screen limitations something wicked though. 

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Watched Part II of last year's French Three Musketeers movie. I think it was just about good enough to redeem the overly limp and unconvincing Part I.

[The Butcher]

Very late to the party but watched Oppenheimer over the weekend, thought it was great overall in terms of story, dialogue, set pieces and the acting. Cast was also excellent but what stops me from loving it, is the usual Christopher Nolan / Hans Zimmer combo that either works or doesn't...the music (or should I say the levels/mixing) is totally overbearing in some scenes where it needed no music at all (except for of course the Trinity scene where it works perfectly). But overall it's so obnoxious to the point of a pet peeve now Dunkirk is another film where it feels like I'm just getting distracted/sucked into listening to droning music for 2 hours instead of following a film.

Also totally laughed my ass off at his famous quote being used in a certain scene, what were they thinking