Post by klep on Feb 29, 2016 11:00:36 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 2/29: Lawrence of Arabia
Yesterday evening after I finished watching Lawrence of Arabia, my girlfriend asked me to tell her about it. I found myself at an unexpected loss for words. Sure, I could tell her what happened, but that seemed woefully inadequate for conveying the majesty of this singular and singularly unlikely film. It's a major, big budget picture. A war story. A true epic shot on location in 70mm. And yet, it has little action, no girl, no major star; it defies expectation. Instead, its power and majesty comes from the desert, and from the casting of young Peter O'Toole with his awkward mannerisms and hauntingly clear blue eyes.
On one level, Lawrence of Arabia is about a man and a war and him discovering the darker sides of that conflict both in the world around him and in himself. But on another level it's a film about stillness and quiet. When people talk about the film, you don't hear so much about the fighting or the politics. You hear about the sunrises. You hear about the harsh beauty of the sand-swept rock formations. You hear about a man on a camel emerging from the heat. You hear about the things that can only be experienced, and not properly described. The proverb says a picture is worth a thousand words, but so few is grossly insufficient to describe the splendor of Lawrence of Arabia.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 3/7: Vertigo
We move from one peerless classic to another next week as we tackle Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, currently rated the Best Film Of All Time by the Sight & Sound poll. Vertigo is available for streaming on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 3/2: The Wicker Man (1973)
The original The Wicker Man is paired with The Witch for this week's edition of the Next Picture Show podcast. We'll devote some time on Wednesday to discussing this film and probably also quoting Nicholas Cage a lot because that's irresistible. The Wicker Man is available for streaming on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
Yesterday evening after I finished watching Lawrence of Arabia, my girlfriend asked me to tell her about it. I found myself at an unexpected loss for words. Sure, I could tell her what happened, but that seemed woefully inadequate for conveying the majesty of this singular and singularly unlikely film. It's a major, big budget picture. A war story. A true epic shot on location in 70mm. And yet, it has little action, no girl, no major star; it defies expectation. Instead, its power and majesty comes from the desert, and from the casting of young Peter O'Toole with his awkward mannerisms and hauntingly clear blue eyes.
On one level, Lawrence of Arabia is about a man and a war and him discovering the darker sides of that conflict both in the world around him and in himself. But on another level it's a film about stillness and quiet. When people talk about the film, you don't hear so much about the fighting or the politics. You hear about the sunrises. You hear about the harsh beauty of the sand-swept rock formations. You hear about a man on a camel emerging from the heat. You hear about the things that can only be experienced, and not properly described. The proverb says a picture is worth a thousand words, but so few is grossly insufficient to describe the splendor of Lawrence of Arabia.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 3/7: Vertigo
We move from one peerless classic to another next week as we tackle Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, currently rated the Best Film Of All Time by the Sight & Sound poll. Vertigo is available for streaming on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 3/2: The Wicker Man (1973)
The original The Wicker Man is paired with The Witch for this week's edition of the Next Picture Show podcast. We'll devote some time on Wednesday to discussing this film and probably also quoting Nicholas Cage a lot because that's irresistible. The Wicker Man is available for streaming on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.