Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[Page14]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

1970s movies were so bleak that I don't see how so many people made it through that decade without committing suicide.

Fortunately, that decade was also the last decade for true risk-taking with cinematic storytelling, and I'm catching that vibe in the above trailer.

Fat City does not strike me as a "neo-noir" like many claim that it is, but it looks to be a good flick just the same.

You're telling me! Those were in a way, my coming of age years ... my sitting in a theater weekend after weekend years. Surprisingly, I think I appreciate those movies as much now as I did then. (I mean, when you're a kid sitting in the theater, you might think just about any movie you see is great. But to see these movies again 40 years later and still feel as if they're just as good [if not better], well to me, that's surprising ... and wonderful).

Such a treasure and a privilege to be able to own these too! And to see them at home in such clarity! Who could have ever imagined such a possibility at the time!

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

Yes, unfortunately. And it killed United Artists who was a great distributor of films a quite a while. Eventually the execs from UA formed Orion Pictures who had a great run also.

Orion was formed in 1978, before Heaven's Gate, due to disagreements with the humiliating way parent company Transamerica treated five of the top executives, including Arthur Krim, who had saved the historically troubled company back in the 50s: it more or less became United Artists in exile while less experienced execs ran UA and were easily outmanoeuvred by powerful producers and the Transamerica board. TransAmerica had been looking to unload UA for years before Heaven's Gate because it had no positive impact on their share price: Cimino's film was intended as a blockbuster and award winner that would change their mind. Which worked out really well for all concerned...

Ironically, Heaven's Gate really didn't do much damage to either company's bottom line. Transamerica's share price dipped for a couple of days before recovering and when they sold UA to MGM (one of many studios to change ownership in the 80s), although lazy journalists talk of the company making a huge loss, it turned out that even with setting aside a sum equivalent to Heaven's Gate's budget UA had still showed an annual profit of $20m.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by mja345

The point is, what do the majority of films currently produced in Hollywood reflect? Do you think things in society are significantly better than they were in 1975? Most movies now don't reflect anything at all. Hollywood films, without a shadow of a doubt, are worse than they've ever been right now. Hollywood could easily make the kind of films they did in the 70s because there is still a ton of malaise in society at large now. But they choose to make films that are about escapism.

If you want malaise you have television for that now. The Walking Dead. Hannibal. Game of Thrones. True Detective. Dozens of nihilistic TV shows out there now. Compare that to '70s TV. Nowhere near as grim. Goofy sitcoms and action dramas ruled the day. That's your escapism. Now the roles have reversed.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

If you want malaise you have television for that now. The Walking Dead. Hannibal. Game of Thrones. True Detective. Dozens of nihilistic TV shows out there now. Compare that to '70s TV. Nowhere near as grim. Goofy sitcoms and action dramas ruled the day. That's your escapism. Now the roles have reversed.

As a kid in the 1970s, I remember watching all those cop and private detective shows. They filled the airways for years: Barnaby Jones, Cannon, Mannix, Hawaii Five-O, Baretta, Starsky and Hutch, The Rockford Files, Kojak, McCloud, Charlie's Angels, Murder She Wrote, Ellery Queen Mysteries......often starring former movie stars or weekly guest stars who I did not realize at the time were often classic actors from the 1940s to 60s now doing TV. For years I only knew of Angela Lansbury as an elder matron solving murders every week. I think most of these shows all sprung out of the popularity for the gritty cop dramas that were all the rage in the theaters for much of the decade.

Many were geared to certain age groups (or so it seemed). Cannon was a drama focusing on plot and deduction with some action starring an overweight William Conrad and no doubt appealing to older audiences (but even as a kid I loved Cannon - and Barnaby Jones too), while shows like Starsky and Hutch and CHiPs were more youth-oriented and tended to more action and lighter elements.

I don't recall any of these being particularly nihilistic, at least, not nearly as much as some of the movie trends that inspired them and led to their popularity.

[StingingVelvet]

I just remembered I have a doctors appointment at 3pm tomorrow, so no one buy 3,000 copies of 10 to Midnight until I get home. Thanks.

[NoirFan]

It won't go on sale until 4 PM EST, although they should have made an exception this time and put pre-orders up at 11:50 PM.

[jaws3dfan]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

It won't go on sale until 4 PM EST, although they should have made an exception this time and put pre-orders up at 11:50 PM.

Does "Vampires" go on sale tomorrow?

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by jaws3dfan

Does "Vampires" go on sale tomorrow?

Nope.

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

1970s movies were so bleak that I don't see how so many people made it through that decade without committing suicide.

I must say I've never thought of the seventies as bleak. The films weren't quite as bright & breezy as they were in the sixties, but a massive amount of fun & great movies. For me it's the eighties when things started to fall apart (& that goes for music as well). I suppose it depends on how old you are.

[14728]

Does twilight time ever have a sale on their titles?

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by 14728

Does twilight time ever have a sale on their titles?

They've had an "anniversary" sale two times now - but not all titles get included. However it seems that most of the slow selling titles will be $19.99 at least once a year. But they have tended to exclude titles that had released recently, or might be very close to selling out.

[dsman71]

Originally Posted by jaws3dfan

Does "Vampires" go on sale tomorrow?

Not for another month !

[14728]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

They've had an "anniversary" sale two times now - but not all titles get included. However it seems that most of the slow selling titles will be $19.99 at least once a year. But they have tended to exclude titles that had released recently, or might be very close to selling out.

Thanks! I've actually been thinking of getting some twilight time releases, but $30 bucks does seem a bit expensive. But all of them are limited to 3000, so the pricing makes sense. But still... so much to think about!

[ParaOK]

I was on the fence regarding "Angel" but now that I see it's $24.95, I am going to pick that up with "10 to Midnight", "Emperor of the North", and "Fat City".

[jshaide]

Watched AT CLOSE RANGE last night after having recorded it on MGM HD. I quite enjoyed the film, but am happy I didn't jump on the blind buy for it. I think 35 would have been a little much for this one.

[Widescreenfilmguy]

Can anyone recommend Emperor of the North? I've been a movie buff since I was a kid and have never even heard of it before now

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by Widescreenfilmguy

Can anyone recommend Emperor of the North? I've been a movie buff since I was a kid and have never even heard of it before now

I had never heard of it either, but I have this instinctive feeling that it is a must.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Widescreenfilmguy

Can anyone recommend Emperor of the North? I've been a movie buff since I was a kid and have never even heard of it before now

I just took a quick peek at your collection and based on that, I think it's something you would enjoy.

[Petemo2010]

Originally Posted by Widescreenfilmguy

Can anyone recommend Emperor of the North? I've been a movie buff since I was a kid and have never even heard of it before now

Originally Posted by jshaide

I had never heard of it either, but I have this instinctive feeling that it is a must.

If you enjoy Lee Marvin film's you'll like this one. Marvin tends to play a bad ass in most of the films he did and this one is no exception. The final show down between Marvin and Borgnine is not to be missed. This movie will put hair on your chest, buy it.

[tallrichard]

Originally Posted by Widescreenfilmguy

Can anyone recommend Emperor of the North? I've been a movie buff since I was a kid and have never even heard of it before now

I think you will enjoy it. It is one of only 2 from this month I have as a "must buy".

Fat City is the other.