Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[baheidstu]

My favourite blind buys were Bye Bye Birdie - a fun and hilarious musical. So many tunes that were familiar to me that I never realized this was where they were from. The Disappearance was an intriguing little film. And then Pal Joey which is a cool Sinatra vehicle.

[belcherman]

Not too many of my TT purchases have been blind buys, so there haven't been that many surprises for me. Still, if I had to pick one, I'd pick Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison. Mitchum and Deborah Kerr are great together, and I like the way the film handles the sexual tension between the two characters. Nobody did repressed sexuality like Ms. Kerr. Unfortunately, she didn't fare so well in Bonjour Tristesse. This was probably my biggest TT disappointment. I expected to love it, but didn't. I know I'm not required to like the characters to like a film, but I didn't and I couldn't understand their motivations. Maybe I'll give it a second chance at some point, but now I have so many sale titles to plow through first.

On the subject of Rapture, I started watching it on TCM a few months back. I found it self-consciously arty, and I wasn't able to finish it. Of course, being TCM, it wasn't available a few days later. People here, whose opinion I respect, rave about it, but I couldn't get into it. I'm contemplating another sale order, so I might add Rapture to my cart in that case. It probably deserves to be seen in its entirety, although the first hour or so did not wow me.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

My favourite blind buys were Bye Bye Birdie - a fun and hilarious musical. So many tunes that were familiar to me that I never realized this was where they were from. The Disappearance was an intriguing little film. And then Pal Joey which is a cool Sinatra vehicle.

Bye Bye Birdie is my biggest regret. I told myself it wasn't a must have, and I even let a sale pass when I could have had it for $20. As soon as it was OOP, however, I wanted it. Such are the tribulations of a limited release market-place.

Anyone who wants to trade it for a signed promo copy of The Blob, pm me.

[eapfan69]

I'm afraid this sale is gonna get me in trouble with the Mrs. before it's over. I made a first pass with:

The Buddy Holly Story
Cover Girl
Equus
The Mechanic
Breaking Away

Now, I just had to make another order (didn't want 1984 to get OOP on me):

1984
Hombre
Fate is the Hunter
Chato's Land
The Killer Elite

and I'll probably get tempted again before it expires!

[RiFiFi1955]

Wow where have I been, I wasn't aware these TT titles ever went on sale. I need to start checking this thread more often now. Just went over to SAE and grabbed four titles I have been wanting. Wanted Swamp Water for years, unfortunately the price tag always held me off but just grabbed it for $7.99 along with a few $14.99 titles(Scorpio, Emperor of the North and Two Rode Together). Great sale!

[morg999]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

Wow where have I been, I wasn't aware these TT titles ever went on sale. I need to start checking this thread more often now. Just went over to SAE and grabbed four titles I have been wanting. Wanted Swamp Water for years, unfortunately the price tag always held me off but just grabbed it for $7.99 along with a few $14.99 titles(Scorpio, Emperor of the North and Two Rode Together). Great sale!

I agree..great sale, these average out to about $12.50 each shipped via media mail:

THE ROOTS OF HEAVEN
THE RAINS OF RANCHIPUR
RESURRECTED
TWO RODE TOGETHER
DESIREE
BONJOUR TRISTESSE
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SEX COMEDY
THE FRONT
LOVE AND DEATH
BITE THE BULLET
JANE EYRE

[docc]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

My favourite blind buys were Bye Bye Birdie - a fun and hilarious musical. So many tunes that were familiar to me that I never realized this was where they were from. The Disappearance was an intriguing little film. And then Pal Joey which is a cool Sinatra vehicle.

Why hasn't Pal Joey sold out yet?. It's incredible to me that this quintessential Sinatra is still around after 4 years. And Bite The Bullet also.

[docc]

My most pleasant blind buy was U-Turn, edgy engrossing and fascinating. Biggest disappointment: Zardoz, way too bizarre sci-fi for my taste

[Fred Sliman]

Except for a couple of missed early sellouts and very few I didn't need, the sale made me realize that my back collection is almost complete. Got Philadelphia, Mindwarp, Angel, A Month in the Country and Man in the Dark from the 75/50 offs and now just need to hit about 10 from the 25 offs to be caught up. Also threw in Moby Dick which might well move quickly and Hardcore because the eBay watch list kept exceeding full price and annoyingly generating a zillion Hardcore Henry hits a day.

I'm glad to see so many being able to catch up their collections with this great sale. Also glad to be so close to caught up myself in prep for the future.

[jmclick]

Oops! I was late to the sale, since I didn't even find out about it until last night. Thankfully, I already own copies of all the bargain titles that I absolutely couldn't live without! But there were a few that I've been debating for some time now, ones that I just couldn't pass up at these prices:

All the King's Men
The Disappearance
Drums Along the Mohawk
The Only Game in Town
Zardoz

I'm so pleased that many of you purchased some wonderful titles that I know you're going to enjoy. This is a fantastic sale ... thank you, SAE!

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by docc

Why hasn't Pal Joey sold out yet?. It's incredible to me that this quintessential Sinatra is still around after 4 years. And Bite The Bullet also.

I suspect maybe it's because both of those titles were ones that were originally priced at $34.95, so the even higher price might have put people off and they probably have a much larger backlog to sell.

Originally Posted by docc

My most pleasant blind buy was U-Turn, edgy engrossing and fascinating. Biggest disappointment: Zardoz, way too bizarre sci-fi for my taste

I forgot about U-Turn. I remember skipping it back on its initial release as I was a bit fatigued of those post-Tarantino crime flicks but I ended up really enjoying it. It was sort of a combination of Coen Bros / John Dahl neo-noir and an episode of the Twilight Zone.

[The Great Owl]

The Only Game in Town does not get a lot of love here, so I'm going to repost my User Review from a while back.



The Only Game in Town has received several reviews that are lukewarm at best, but I ordered the disc last week because I had a gut feeling that I would enjoy the film. My gut feeling turned out to be correct, and, while I would not place this feature anywhere near my top 10 Twilight Time releases, I do recommend it heartily to those who enjoy watching two colossal stars deliver enjoyable roles in an expensive, but nonetheless low-key film.

Elizabeth Taylor was in her final stages of babehood in The Only Game in Town, and she seems a little old for the role, especially by today's standards, but she's still quite captivating during the right moments, and one can practically see the entire world in her eyes. Warren Beatty is outstanding during the first half of the film as he carries along in the dismissive way that characterizes many of his roles. Beatty's comparably melodramatic turn in the last half of the film could have come off as laughable for this reason, but I bought into it, simply because there's really no calm and cool way for a man to put his emotions out there and admit his love for a woman. The booklet essay makes a strong case for the idea that director George Stevens went out on a great note with this film, and, while this is no Shane or Giant, I'll say that Stevens did all right with this one.

I have a soft spot for films about "lost souls" connecting in a world that would easily move on without them. The Only Game in Town comes across almost like an earlier version of the 1995 film, Leaving Las Vegas, except that The Only Game in Town did not make me want to buy a gun and blow my own brains out after watching it. This 1970 film pulls no punches when it comes to some of the alienating aspects of the lighted Las Vegas cityscapes, but there's also a real charm and wink to the interactions of Taylor and Beatty. I found myself alternating between facepalms and laughter during their bickering through much of the film. A common complaint about the film is that these two actors were miscast, but I had no trouble buying into the idea that the characters were two molecules that simultaneously repelled and attracted each other.

The Only Game in Town has a couple of casino scenes that actually put me on edge with their adeptness at showing the horrible truths about what it must be like to have a gambling addiction. I've never been a gambling enthusiast, but I have been in rare situations where I've been caught up in a moment just as Beatty is during the film, and it's easy to see how some people can fall through the safety net in a place like Vegas. I also related to the state of limbo that these characters are in, where they both want nothing more than to leave their lives behind, but are unsure about how to make their dreams happen.

I guess that it's an unfortunate choice of words, but I'm glad that I took a gamble on this particular Twilight Time title. I like this flick.

Oh...
As for the technical specs, I think that the film looks beautiful in high definition. My only grievance is that subtitles would have been quite useful during a couple of dialogue scenes. The isolated score is a nice touch, since the music works well for the film.

[eapfan69]

If you are pre-disposed to dislike Elvis and Elvis movies, then read no further. If, on the other hand, you like 1960's movies and don't have a predisposition against Elvis, then here's a recommendation from an Elvis fan. Take advantage of the big SAE sale and give Flaming Star and Follow That Dream a shot. They are both among the better films of his career, shot in the early 1960's.

Flaming Star, directed by Don Siegel, was one of the first films that Elvis shot after being discharged from the Army and returning to Hollywood. He was not yet jaded about the whole thing, and he turns in one of his best acting performances. The role was originally intended for Marlon Brando, who turned it down. Although it won't make anyone's list of all-time great westerns, it's a decent movie with little singing and Elvis working hard to be an actor.

Follow That Dream is a comedy with a good early 1960's pop soundtrack. Elvis gets a chance to show his ability to do light comedy well when presented with decent material. You also get Joanna Moore (Tatum O'Neal's mother) in a supporting role and noted character actor Simon Oakland. Moore was a hot mess off camera, claiming to be pregnant with the King's child, which proved false after she was taken to a hospital to calm her down. Furthermore, this film inspired Tom Petty to become a rock star. A Florida native, his parents took him to the Florida set to try to get a glimpse of the King. Petty was so impressed by the sight of Elvis and throngs of females desperate for his attention that he decided then and there to become a rock star.

[C. Anton]

Whoa, I didn't know TT released 1984. It's only $15.

edit: Good lord it jumped to $30 with final sale. wtf no thanks.

[C. Anton]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

Are you international? It's still $14.95+ 3.50 (or 4.91) shipping on the website for US customers

http://www4.screenarchives.com/title...l.cfm?ID=30548

Huh, that's only $19.86. I clicked the link from TT's FB page and it took me to another site. Hold on, let me see what I did wrong. Thanks btw.

edit: Okay I was on TT's site:

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The Only Game in Town does not get a lot of love here, so I'm going to repost my User Review from a while back.



The Only Game in Town has received several reviews that are lukewarm at best, but I ordered the disc last week because I had a gut feeling that I would enjoy the film. My gut feeling turned out to be correct, and, while I would not place this feature anywhere near my top 10 Twilight Time releases, I do recommend it heartily to those who enjoy watching two colossal stars deliver enjoyable roles in an expensive, but nonetheless low-key film.

Elizabeth Taylor was in her final stages of babehood in The Only Game in Town, and she seems a little old for the role, especially by today's standards, but she's still quite captivating during the right moments, and one can practically see the entire world in her eyes. Warren Beatty is outstanding during the first half of the film as he carries along in the dismissive way that characterizes many of his roles. Beatty's comparably melodramatic turn in the last half of the film could have come off as laughable for this reason, but I bought into it, simply because there's really no calm and cool way for a man to put his emotions out there and admit his love for a woman. The booklet essay makes a strong case for the idea that director George Stevens went out on a great note with this film, and, while this is no Shane or Giant, I'll say that Stevens did all right with this one.

I have a soft spot for films about "lost souls" connecting in a world that would easily move on without them. The Only Game in Town comes across almost like an earlier version of the 1995 film, Leaving Las Vegas, except that The Only Game in Town did not make me want to buy a gun and blow my own brains out after watching it. This 1970 film pulls no punches when it comes to some of the alienating aspects of the lighted Las Vegas cityscapes, but there's also a real charm and wink to the interactions of Taylor and Beatty. I found myself alternating between facepalms and laughter during their bickering through much of the film. A common complaint about the film is that these two actors were miscast, but I had no trouble buying into the idea that the characters were two molecules that simultaneously repelled and attracted each other.

The Only Game in Town has a couple of casino scenes that actually put me on edge with their adeptness at showing the horrible truths about what it must be like to have a gambling addiction. I've never been a gambling enthusiast, but I have been in rare situations where I've been caught up in a moment just as Beatty is during the film, and it's easy to see how some people can fall through the safety net in a place like Vegas. I also related to the state of limbo that these characters are in, where they both want nothing more than to leave their lives behind, but are unsure about how to make their dreams happen.

I guess that it's an unfortunate choice of words, but I'm glad that I took a gamble on this particular Twilight Time title. I like this flick.

Oh...
As for the technical specs, I think that the film looks beautiful in high definition. My only grievance is that subtitles would have been quite useful during a couple of dialogue scenes. The isolated score is a nice touch, since the music works well for the film.

I enjoyed watching it as well. A lot of reviews make it out to be worse than it is. For example they always point out how it was filmed in Europe instead of Vegas. Well, yeah, that was the studio interiors. Who cares where they were shot? There are still enough exterior shots from Vegas that you get the sense of location. I also found myself being surprised by the honesty of the film. Quite a few times I was expecting cliched plot twists and dialogue because you often expect that from Hollywood but it actually threw me for a loop by having the characters say things that felt authentic. I bought it thinking it would be a one and done and that I would flip the disc but I ended thinking to myself "Yeah, I think I'll keep this one."

[easydreamer]

Originally Posted by eapfan69

If you are pre-disposed to dislike Elvis and Elvis movies, then read no further. If, on the other hand, you like 1960's movies and don't have a predisposition against Elvis, then here's a recommendation from an Elvis fan. Take advantage of the big SAE sale and give Flaming Star and Follow That Dream a shot. They are both among the better films of his career, shot in the early 1960's.

Flaming Star, directed by Don Siegel, was one of the first films that Elvis shot after being discharged from the Army and returning to Hollywood. He was not yet jaded about the whole thing, and he turns in one of his best acting performances. The role was originally intended for Marlon Brando, who turned it down. Although it won't make anyone's list of all-time great westerns, it's a decent movie with little singing and Elvis working hard to be an actor.

Follow That Dream is a comedy with a good early 1960's pop soundtrack. Elvis gets a chance to show his ability to do light comedy well when presented with decent material. You also get Joanna Moore (Tatum O'Neal's mother) in a supporting role and noted character actor Simon Oakland. Moore was a hot mess off camera, claiming to be pregnant with the King's child, which proved false after she was taken to a hospital to calm her down. Furthermore, this film inspired Tom Petty to become a rock star. A Florida native, his parents took him to the Florida set to try to get a glimpse of the King. Petty was so impressed by the sight of Elvis and throngs of females desperate for his attention that he decided then and there to become a rock star.

I ordered both from this SAE sale. Looking forward to receiving them!

I liked Joanna Moore who was in, I think, 4 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show as Andy's girlfriend. I wish she had married to him though. She looked like the perfect match to Andy.

[Member-222782]

My copies of Eureka and Garden of Evil are already in town - that was fast! I was afraid this was going to turn out like the Arrow sales where people are waiting up to a month before anything ships. May pick up a few more before I take my vacation.

[RalphoR]

Has anyone heard from SAE about orders shipping with Moby Dick yet?

[oildude]

Just an FYI for those outside of Region A who are considering an order of Twilight Time's upcoming December release The Bullet Train.....


Per Twilight Time, the Bullet Train will be REGION A LOCKED. This information has been added to the first post in this thread.