Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by jayembee

All of them are worth getting. In decreasing order of preference, I'd rank them as follows:

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Experiment in Terror
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Rapture
Swamp Water
Bonjour Tristesse
Exodus
When the Wind Blows
The Secret of Santa Vittoria

You might want to give some priority to Experiment in Terror, however, as it's the only one of these titles currently on the Low Quantity list.

I would put Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at the BOTTOM of this list. It's kind of interesting as an incredibly dated relic, but it's primarily an "issues" movie and the "issue" is so outdated today (well, except maybe in some particularly backwards towns down south) that I don't find it holds any interest today except as a curiosity. Poitier's other big movies all hold up much better.

[Herandar]

Originally Posted by jayembee

You mean like this and this?

This is what popped into my head regarding Western/Horror films.

[cakefactory]

It's a good movie, but be aware that is one of the worst blu-ray transfers from a legitimate company in recent history. It makes the transfer on their controversial Dog Soldiers release look like Lawrence of Arabia.

Also, I don't know what's "western" about it. It's about settlers, but IIRC it was set in Nevada in a location that might as well be New England considering the landscape?

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

I would put Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at the BOTTOM of this list. It's kind of interesting as an incredibly dated relic, but it's primarily an "issues" movie and the "issue" is so outdated today (well, except maybe in some particularly backwards towns down south) that I don't find it holds any interest today except as a curiosity. Poitier's other big movies all hold up much better.

I agree that Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is an issues movie, but i don't see it as being dated. It's a movie about loyalty and love, of parents' concern for their children, and a clash of values and beliefs. While the issue of interracial marriage may not be the hot-button topic it was 50 years ago, the underlying concerns and motivations are timeless.

Having said all that, the real reason to watch this movie is to see Tracy and Hepburn together for the last time, and both at the top of their game.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I agree that Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is an issues movie, but i don't see it as being dated. It's a movie about loyalty and love, of parents' concern for their children, and a clash of values and beliefs. While the issue of interracial marriage may not be the hot-button topic it was 50 years ago, the underlying concerns and motivations are timeless.

Having said all that, the real reason to watch this movie is to see Tracy and Hepburn together for the last time, and both at the top of their game.

Exactly! Especially for Tracy's speech at the end. Those are real tears in Hepburn's eyes.

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I agree that Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is an issues movie, but i don't see it as being dated. It's a movie about loyalty and love, of parents' concern for their children, and a clash of values and beliefs. While the issue of interracial marriage may not be the hot-button topic it was 50 years ago, the underlying concerns and motivations are timeless.

Having said all that, the real reason to watch this movie is to see Tracy and Hepburn together for the last time, and both at the top of their game.

Good defense. That kind of makes me want to see it again (I last saw it about 10 years ago in college, when I was more closed-off to dated stuff).

[drb124]

Originally Posted by HitchcockLang

I'm a recent convert to Twilight Time. I already own The Big Heat (both versions), The Sound and the Fury, all the Woody Allens, Inherit the Wind, Judgment at Nuremberg, Bunny Lake is Missing, The Remains of the Day, and I had, watched and sold Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.

I'm torn on this sale. The movies I'm interested in (but I can't afford them all):
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Bonjour Tristesse
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Exodus
Swamp Water
Rapture
Experiment in Terror
When the Wind Blows

Most of the above would be blind buys. Any thoughts, advice, recommendations. Maybe some of the above just aren't that good? Some may be safer to wait until the next sale than others? All advice is appreciated. Thanks!

If I was to follow the well chosen format of a previous poster, I would rank them as follows from greatest to least desirable.

Experiment in Terror (since it is low quantity and it is very very good)

Where the Sidewalk Ends (very good film noir with a fresh 4k scan)

Swamp Water (I think this was Renoir's first American film, Dana Andrews is solid)

Rapture (very very good, though the Region B Eureka release is better if you are region free)

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (this can be had in a Sony region free import, though you do lose the audio commentary and isolated score)

The Secret of Santa Vittoria

Exodus

Bonjour Tristesse

When the Wind Blows (there is an echo effect on the main soundtrack - this is an error and I do not believe it has been corrected)

[Jobla]

What is better about the Eureka RAPTURE disc? Better film transfer? Better extras?

[Page14]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Exactly! Especially for Tracy's speech at the end. Those are real tears in Hepburn's eyes.

I did a quick scan and didn't see any mention of it, but I think it's well known that Spencer Tracy was deathly ill at the time of shooting. He died 17 days after shooting wrapped up. Many believe that Tracy was talking about and to Hepburn herself, during that last big speech.

If you do a Google search, there's tons of websites that talk about this film. The link below is just one of them, where this Sidney Poitier quote caught my eye.

"The illness of Spencer dominated everything. I knew his health was very poor and many of the people who knew what the situation was didn't believe we'd finish the film, that is, that Tracy would be able to finish the film. Those of us who were close knew it was worse than they thought.... what he couldn't do was different each day. There were days when he couldn't do anything. There were days when he was great, and I got the chance to know what it was like working with Tracy."
---Sidney Poitier

Warning: There may be many spoilers in this article:

http://100weeks100movies.com/blog/99...50-years-later

[drb124]

Originally Posted by Jobla

What is better about the Eureka RAPTURE disc? Better film transfer? Better extras?

Well it can generally be had for at least a little cheaper than the Twilight Time, and has a commentary by Julie Kirgo and Nick Redmon as well as the customary Eureka Booklet. The encode is a higher bitrate as well though they appear to be the same master.

[trans8010]

Originally Posted by HitchcockLang

I'm a recent convert to Twilight Time. I already own The Big Heat (both versions), The Sound and the Fury, all the Woody Allens, Inherit the Wind, Judgment at Nuremberg, Bunny Lake is Missing, The Remains of the Day, and I had, watched and sold Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.

I'm torn on this sale. The movies I'm interested in (but I can't afford them all):
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Bonjour Tristesse
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Exodus
Swamp Water
Rapture
Experiment in Terror
When the Wind Blows

Most of the above would be blind buys. Any thoughts, advice, recommendations. Maybe some of the above just aren't that good? Some may be safer to wait until the next sale than others? All advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Swamp Water is a must, the black n white cinematography is a revelation for a B picture from Fox.

Where the Sidewalk Ends also has a very nice transfer and if you liked Laura from 1944 then you'll get a kick out of this one.

Rapture is just one of those films everybody has to see at least once! It is a real treasure!

[trans8010]

As for my hauls for this year

Swamp Water (just finished watching it too!)
Experiment in Terror (low quantity alert and because I love Lee Remick and Glenn Ford)
Judgement at Nuremberg (been putting this one off for a long while now)
Where the Sidewalk Ends (because Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney)
Mysterious Island (was one of the lucky ones to snag this one before it sold out)

[Herandar]

Gonna grab two more titles before the sale ends tomorrow (nice that it ends on a payday). Am going to get Zardoz, and am trying to pick between The Big Heat and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Thoughts, suggestions and/or opinions on these two appreciated.

[RadicalThrasher]

Ordered The Dogs of War and The Mechanic from the sale.

[trans8010]

Originally Posted by Herandar

Gonna grab two more titles before the sale ends tomorrow (nice that it ends on a payday). Am going to get Zardoz, and am trying to pick between The Big Heat and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Thoughts, suggestions and/or opinions on these two appreciated.

I have both and it is hard to choose.

I think I may have to go with the Big Heat. That supporting cast really does elevate an already strong and clever script. The self destruction of the hero and the subversion of typical noir tropes especially the femme fatale, make this a very unusual noir but familiar one visually.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by HitchcockLang

I want all the Otto Preminger and all the Stanley Kramer but Secret of Santa Vittoria doesn't seem to be flying off the shelves so it can probably wait.

I'm a fan of Kramer's, but Santa Vittoria is one of my least favorite of his films.

And I bought both copies of The Big Heat because I got the original one first and then wanted the commentary and special features as I am currently working on a book on the films of Fritz Lang.

Same here (except for the working on a book part). I paid $60 (which was about the most I was willing to pay for it) for the original release long after it was OOP. Then I got the reissue because of the extra extras.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

I would put Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at the BOTTOM of this list. It's kind of interesting as an incredibly dated relic, but it's primarily an "issues" movie and the "issue" is so outdated today (well, except maybe in some particularly backwards towns down south) that I don't find it holds any interest today except as a curiosity. Poitier's other big movies all hold up much better.

Originally Posted by belcherman

I agree that Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is an issues movie, but i don't see it as being dated. It's a movie about loyalty and love, of parents' concern for their children, and a clash of values and beliefs. While the issue of interracial marriage may not be the hot-button topic it was 50 years ago, the underlying concerns and motivations are timeless.

Having said all that, the real reason to watch this movie is to see Tracy and Hepburn together for the last time, and both at the top of their game.

I agree with belcherman. I watched it for the first time in more than a decade when I got the BD, and was surprised that it didn't feel as dated as I thought it might. While interracial relationships and marriage aren't the big deal they used to be, all of the sturm und drang in the movie could, these days, apply as well to same-sex relationships.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I'll be placing an order on Friday. Not sure how many, since (a) as you say, the Criterion sale is around the corner, and (b) my wife and I are going to be ordering a bunch of stuff (mostly books, but I'll sneak in a few region-free BDs) from amazon.uk with the drop in the £/$ exchange rate).

Just sent in my order. I'm getting six of the earlier releases:

Bonjour Tristesse
Man in the Dark
The Wayward Bus
The Rains of Ranchipur
Pony Soldier
Beloved Infidel

All but the first are ones that I don't have on DVD.

[The Great Owl]

Okay, the SAE sale finally got to me...

I just placed an order for...

Bite the Bullet
Major Dundee
The Roots of Heaven
Miss Sadie Thompson 2D/3D
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls (Scorpion Releasing title)

Bite the Bullet, Major Dundee, and The Roots of Heaven are all titles that have intrigued me, if, for nothing else, the scenic outdoor shots. I'm looking forward to checking them out at long last.

The Rita Hayworth movie this month was a no-brainer, of course.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Okay, the SAE sale finally got to me...

I just placed an order for...

Bite the Bullet
Major Dundee
The Roots of Heaven
Miss Sadie Thompson 2D/3D
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls (Scorpion Releasing title)

Bite the Bullet, Major Dundee, and The Roots of Heaven are all titles that have intrigued me, if, for nothing else, the scenic outdoor shots. I'm looking forward to checking them out at long last.

The Rita Hayworth movie this month was a no-brainer, of course.

I enjoyed Bite the Bullet...outstanding PQ as well .