It's a Wonderful Life 60th Anniversary DVD
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It's a Wonderful Life 60th Anniversary DVD
Paramount has announced October 31st as the street date for a 60th Anniversary edition of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life which stars James Stewart, and Donna Reed. No word on extras as of yet.
Tom
editors note: Is there anyone else out there that absolutely hates this movie as much as I do????
Tom
editors note: Is there anyone else out there that absolutely hates this movie as much as I do????
Tom,
Wash your mouth out with soap & water. Criticism of 'It's a Wonderful Life' is illegal. Now write 500 times....
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
etc, etc, etc
Wash your mouth out with soap & water. Criticism of 'It's a Wonderful Life' is illegal. Now write 500 times....
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
'It's a Wonderful Life' is THE GREATEST FILM EVER!!
etc, etc, etc
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Re: It's a Wonderful Life 60th Anniversary DVD
Tom, why post the info if you don't care for the film? In general, this picture deserves every accolade it has received since it was first issued.Tom in North Carolina wrote:editors note: Is there anyone else out there that absolutely hates this movie as much as I do????
Unlike many, I don't see it as a "feel good" movie, but much more a gentle look at the gritty realities of mid-twentieth century life. George Bailey never achieves his dreams, and yet realizes that perhaps those dreams weren't so important after all. Maybe.
Stewart and Reed are terrific, and the supporting cast equally good, especially Barrymore.
One question: will we finally get a quality print transfer after 45+ years of looking at crappy public domain, third-generation prints on TV and video?
.
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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I agree with the doc on this one. I think the feel good aspect of it is very earned. Some people say it's schmaltzy but it's not schmaltzy as its message is very important- self sacrifice matters. For most of the movie George does not know this.
Carolyn- I love both the films you mentioned. A couple that don't do it for me though are "The Graduate", "Ben Hur" and "Gone With the Wind". The only one I hate of the three is "The Graduate" which seems kind of smug in its tone.
Carolyn- I love both the films you mentioned. A couple that don't do it for me though are "The Graduate", "Ben Hur" and "Gone With the Wind". The only one I hate of the three is "The Graduate" which seems kind of smug in its tone.
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I know, I know I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Trust me I've heard it all before from many, many different people. I thought Roger Ebert was going to bitch-slap me when I mentioned this to him. I know it's a beloved film classic and I know it's sacrilege to feel this way, but GOD I hate this movie. OK, I'm off to get the soap.
Tom
P.S. Doc,
Carolynlm is right. I posted the info for all of you who love the film. Also, the transfer on this edition is rumored to be pristine, so you can toss your old Artisan/Republic versions.
Tom
P.S. Doc,
Carolynlm is right. I posted the info for all of you who love the film. Also, the transfer on this edition is rumored to be pristine, so you can toss your old Artisan/Republic versions.
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See I don't feel it comes at the cost of realism. We've seen even today communities come together to help out their own. It's a very sad movie before that point at the end. I argue the sentimentality is completely earned. It's not saccharine at all, saccharine is an artificial sweetner and this is genuine.
The idea that the world is this one endless nightmare and anything that says anything positive about the human nature is artificial is just too bleak for me.
I also think that this movie pays the price for a lot of cheap sentimentality that came in later, more inferior films.
The idea that the world is this one endless nightmare and anything that says anything positive about the human nature is artificial is just too bleak for me.
I also think that this movie pays the price for a lot of cheap sentimentality that came in later, more inferior films.
That's a good point, but 'It's a Wonderful Life, 'Scrooge' and the early 'Lassie' movies for example set a standard that's pretty hard to follow when it comes to good old fashioned sentiment.likethebike wrote:I also think that this movie pays the price for a lot of cheap sentimentality that came in later, more inferior films.
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LOL Tom!
Just a philosophical question. I don't necessarily disagree with you. What you must consider, however, is that even a film as bleak and savage as "Nil By Mouth" (excellent British film by Gary Oldman -- a must see) says positive things; you just have to watch it properly. Nevertheless, brighter films have their place, and if we were fed a diet of Kubrick films, for example, as children, we'd be VERY screwed up people (as adults, however, those films are essential viewing).
By the way: I'm a fan of "Forrest Gump". Do you hear that? It's the sound of my remaining credibility flying off. Seriously, though, while it may be hideously sweet and condescending to various people, especially Southerners (a significant point to any Elvis fan), I view it in the style I think it was created -- a modern fairy tale -- and in that context, it is a moving and poignant film. Let the savagery commence!
I sat there trying to think of a better word than "saccharine". I obviously failed. Your description of the word is correct. It is a poor word for the concept I was trying to convey. I suppose "sentimental" was the fellow -- sat right under my nose -- that I was looking for.likethebike wrote:See I don't feel it comes at the cost of realism. We've seen even today communities come together to help out their own. It's a very sad movie before that point at the end. I argue the sentimentality is completely earned. It's not saccharine at all, saccharine is an artificial sweetner and this is genuine.
It may be bleak, but what if that is reality?likethebike wrote:The idea that the world is this one endless nightmare and anything that says anything positive about the human nature is artificial is just too bleak for me.
Just a philosophical question. I don't necessarily disagree with you. What you must consider, however, is that even a film as bleak and savage as "Nil By Mouth" (excellent British film by Gary Oldman -- a must see) says positive things; you just have to watch it properly. Nevertheless, brighter films have their place, and if we were fed a diet of Kubrick films, for example, as children, we'd be VERY screwed up people (as adults, however, those films are essential viewing).
By the way: I'm a fan of "Forrest Gump". Do you hear that? It's the sound of my remaining credibility flying off. Seriously, though, while it may be hideously sweet and condescending to various people, especially Southerners (a significant point to any Elvis fan), I view it in the style I think it was created -- a modern fairy tale -- and in that context, it is a moving and poignant film. Let the savagery commence!
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I'm not saying that everything should be bright but the bright things are there and they should be brought to light as much as the other elements. Remember that baby that fell in the well in the late 1908s early 1990s and everyone came out to try and save her. That was like a real life "It's a Wonderful Life". If your friends throw a surprise party for you that's it as well on smaller less dramatic scale.
The most accurate POV I've ever seen in a movie is in Woody Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors". In the movie a doctor orders the killing of an ex-girlfriend because she was inconvenient to him and he gets away with it. Additionally, Woody Allen's shallow boss/brother-in-law steals his true love away from him. Some have said that the movie is bleak but I don't think that was the case. A rabbi grows blind and we see him dance at the end of the movie. We see Allen's love for his niece and other acts of kindness. The statement as I see it made by the movie is that things are this way but they don't have to be. We have the choice to be better. That's closer to the way it is than say "Goodfellas" which is a great but scary and dark movie.
There's nothing to be ashamed of in liking "Forrest Gump" as it's very well done. There's a lot I don't like about it including the things you cite but also I dislike the complete dismissal of the counter culture as insincere posers and the perverse idea that ignorance is bliss. Still, it's an emotionally potent movie.
The most accurate POV I've ever seen in a movie is in Woody Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors". In the movie a doctor orders the killing of an ex-girlfriend because she was inconvenient to him and he gets away with it. Additionally, Woody Allen's shallow boss/brother-in-law steals his true love away from him. Some have said that the movie is bleak but I don't think that was the case. A rabbi grows blind and we see him dance at the end of the movie. We see Allen's love for his niece and other acts of kindness. The statement as I see it made by the movie is that things are this way but they don't have to be. We have the choice to be better. That's closer to the way it is than say "Goodfellas" which is a great but scary and dark movie.
There's nothing to be ashamed of in liking "Forrest Gump" as it's very well done. There's a lot I don't like about it including the things you cite but also I dislike the complete dismissal of the counter culture as insincere posers and the perverse idea that ignorance is bliss. Still, it's an emotionally potent movie.