Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[Snl40boi]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

They aren't Twilight Time titles, but the Twilight Time store carries a few random ones. "Deadpool" was the first one I saw checking the site just now, so that's the example I'm going with.

They should of been more clear in the email

[Doc Moonlight]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

I have to wonder, if there's any merit there, if Inferno is sitting at a low quantity. I just can't see how Gun Fury would get there but Inferno wouldn't.

That's the one that I REALLY want from TT, but I'm hoping to hold out until it hits the $20 price range.

INFERNO already had a Region A 3D release from Panamint. Many 3D enthusiasts purchased it prior to the Twilight Time release, and don't see the need to replace it.

There is no alternate 3D edition of GUN FURY, so it doesn't surprise me that there are fewer copies left.

[Aunt Peg]

Got my shipping notice this morning:

The Man on the Moon
The Yellow Handkerchief
Who'll Stop the Rain
Bound For Glory

[oildude]

THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS - fewer than 200 copies remaining (stock for this title only available at http://www.twilighttimemovies.com)

I have updated the Low Quantity Alert in the first post of this thread.

[BwayJ]

Twilight Time's first release, THE KREMLIN LETTER, is finally sold out.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by BwayJ

Twilight Time's first release, THE KREMLIN LETTER, is finally sold out.

As much as I love John Huston, I could never warm up to that one. It’s such a nasty, mean-spirited movie.

[thatguamguy]

I liked the technique of the actors visibly speaking Russian, but then dubbing their own voices in English, as an interesting approach to avoid loading the movie with subtitles.

[Aclea]

Aside from really, really needing a big star in the lead to carry it, I think the film’s biggest problem is that it’s a classic case of tell, don’t show, playing as a series of briefings that turn much of the film into an info dump and stop the story from taking centre stage for far too long, as if the Bond films shoehorned M into every other scene. The film’s shifting attitude to translating Russian – some scenes start in Russian with the actors then repeating their dialogue in English as voice over, a few repeat this gambit only to continue with the actors speaking in English while others aren’t translated at all – may be a novel approach but at times it just stretches those exposition scenes out even longer while the subsequent action is rushed. Even when a Russian official’s family is kidnapped to blackmail him, we don’t see it, Huston simply presenting it as a fait accompli in another dialogue scene while a fight scene that’s supposed to convince us of one character’s deadly credentials as he takes the new boy on the team down a peg is over in a highly unimpressive few seconds.

The Maguffin is decent enough – a Navy officer with a photographic memory is sequestered to a group of private contractors from the pre-war espionage days in an off the books operation to recover an incriminating letter a US diplomat ill-advisedly wrote to his Russian opposite number promising to support the Soviet Union in sabotaging Red China’s nuclear weapons program. Of course the letter is just a Maguffin and the whole thing a wild goose chase hiding another agenda that’s not too difficult to guess since once they reach Russia (as usual in Cold War films, Helsinki stands in for Moscow) they make no attempt whatsoever to locate the offending document and spend a lot of time talking about the old days before spying became institutionalised. Unfortunately it’s a film that spends nearly two thirds of its running time explaining why and how they’re going to chase that particular wild goose before they actually get the pot out and start turning up the heat. When they do it’s pitiless and cruel as its various dysfunctional sociopaths set about destroying and ending innocent lives on the off chance of slightly inconveniencing the guilty, with a particularly vicious sting in the final shot. It’s just debatable whether the last third is strong enough to overlook all the potboiling exposition it takes to get there.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

I liked the technique of the actors visibly speaking Russian, but then dubbing their own voices in English, as an interesting approach to avoid loading the movie with subtitles.

I was not a fan of that technique myself. The first time I watched the film I thought there was something wrong with the audio on the disc before I realized what they were doing.

[bdgking]

9 to 5 is now sold out

[Jobla]

Over at SAE, I see that HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE is at the top of their sales list report from yesterday. Is that a hint that quantities of it are running low?

[Twilight Time]

UPDATE on THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS - approximately 15 copies remaining - sale-price of $14.95 ends a little less than 1 hour from now!...stock only available at https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/

[Reddington]

Interesting comments on The Kremlin Letter. I've not seen it, but am intrigued (whilst acknowledging the stated misgivings). I think I can get it on-demand from my cable provider.

[T-Rex]

It seems The Fabulous Baker Boys is gone for good.

[RalphoR]

Originally Posted by t-rex

it seems the fabulous baker boys is gone for good.

adios-muchachos.jpg

[oildude]

No back cover art released yet for The L-Shaped Room

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Aside from really, really needing a big star in the lead to carry it, I think the film’s biggest problem is that it’s a classic case of tell, don’t show, playing as a series of briefings that turn much of the film into an info dump and stop the story from taking centre stage for far too long, as if the Bond films shoehorned M into every other scene. The film’s shifting attitude to translating Russian – some scenes start in Russian with the actors then repeating their dialogue in English as voice over, a few repeat this gambit only to continue with the actors speaking in English while others aren’t translated at all – may be a novel approach but at times it just stretches those exposition scenes out even longer while the subsequent action is rushed. Even when a Russian official’s family is kidnapped to blackmail him, we don’t see it, Huston simply presenting it as a fait accompli in another dialogue scene while a fight scene that’s supposed to convince us of one character’s deadly credentials as he takes the new boy on the team down a peg is over in a highly unimpressive few seconds.

The Maguffin is decent enough – a Navy officer with a photographic memory is sequestered to a group of private contractors from the pre-war espionage days in an off the books operation to recover an incriminating letter a US diplomat ill-advisedly wrote to his Russian opposite number promising to support the Soviet Union in sabotaging Red China’s nuclear weapons program. Of course the letter is just a Maguffin and the whole thing a wild goose chase hiding another agenda that’s not too difficult to guess since once they reach Russia (as usual in Cold War films, Helsinki stands in for Moscow) they make no attempt whatsoever to locate the offending document and spend a lot of time talking about the old days before spying became institutionalised. Unfortunately it’s a film that spends nearly two thirds of its running time explaining why and how they’re going to chase that particular wild goose before they actually get the pot out and start turning up the heat. When they do it’s pitiless and cruel as its various dysfunctional sociopaths set about destroying and ending innocent lives on the off chance of slightly inconveniencing the guilty, with a particularly vicious sting in the final shot. It’s just debatable whether the last third is strong enough to overlook all the potboiling exposition it takes to get there.

Just finished watching it via on-demand from my cable company. I actually quite enjoyed the slow-burn approach. And while I understand what you mean about the "tell don't show" trap, I found it supported Huston's efforts to show some of the more the mundane aspects of espionage. Ultimately, there was about as much "action" as I think the story warranted.

The Russian/English dialogue device was novel and quite interesting, but used unevenly - which was more jarring than the device itself.

Overall, quite an oddity. Some big names in the cast, but a bland lead. Relentlessly cynical, and as you and others mentioned, rather unpleasant and cruel. Ironically, I think Huston overplayed his hand here, which somewhat undermined his efforts to show the unseemly side of Cold War spying.

Still, I found enough in it to order the French BD release from amazon.fr. No doubt it will be in the next batch of TT releases...

Edit: At least the French BD is in the correct aspect ratio. Once again, an on-demand film is converted from 2.35:1 to 16x9. Really makes me mad; some are, some aren't. Only after paying your $3.99 do you find out...

[dragon53]

I'm disappointed that the Blu-ray THE HOSPITAL doesn't have any decent special features such as a commentary.

[oildude]

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS - fewer than 50 copies remaining
INHERIT THE WIND - fewer than 100 copies remaining
HEAVEN & EARTH - fewer than 150 copies remaining

Special discounted price continues at $9.95 each

Stock is only at http://www.screenarchives.com

[erlinmeyer]

Originally Posted by oildude

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS - fewer than 50 copies remaining
INHERIT THE WIND - fewer than 100 copies remaining
HEAVEN & EARTH - fewer than 150 copies remaining

Special discounted price continues at $9.95 each

Stock is only at http://www.screenarchives.com

SAE just sent this:
TWILIGHT TIME PERMANENT PRICE REDUCTION!
THE FOLLOWING TITLES ARE NOW PRICED AT $9.95.
ALL TITLES ARE LOW QUANTITY AND WILL SELL OUT SOON AS THEY ARE GOING OUT OF PRINT!



INHERIT THE WIND
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS
HEAVEN AND EARTH (REGION A ONLY)
AMERICAN BUFFALO