4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Elia Kazan Edition


4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

117 years ago, on this date, Elia Kazan was born Istanbul.  Kazan would go on to become a groundbreaking director, both for the stage and in movies.  He would play a key role in turning both Marlon Brando and James Dean into stars and he made films, like Gentleman’s Agreement and A Face In The Crowd, that challenged the political pieties of the day.  Of course, he also named names in front of HUAC, a decision that continues to be controversial to this day.  Two of Kazan’s films — Gentleman’s Agreement and On The Waterfront — won the Oscar for Best Picture.  A Streetcar Named Desire was widely expected to win before it was upset by An American In Paris.  A Face In The Crowd is often cited as being one of the most prophetic films ever made.  When Kazan was given an honorary Oscar in 1999, many in the auditorium refused to applaud but his influence as a filmmaker cannot be denied.

It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Elia Kazan Films

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Harry Stradling)

On The Waterfront (1954, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Boris Kaufman)

East of Eden (1955, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Ted D. McCord)

A Face In The Crowd (1957, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Gayne Rescher and Harry Stradling)

Monday Live Tweet Alert: Join Us for The Omega Syndrome!


As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in hosting a few weekly live tweets on twitter and occasionally Mastodon.  I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of Mastodon’s #MondayActionMovie!  Every week, we get together.  We watch a movie.  We snark our way through it.

Tonight, for #MondayActionMovie, the film will be The Omega Syndrome!

If you want to join this watch party, just hop onto Mastodon, pull up The Omega Syndrome on YouTube, start the movie at 8 pm et, and use the #MondayActionMovie hashtag!

Enjoy!

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Tommy Lee Wallace Edition!


4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films is all about letting the visuals do the talking.

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to director Tommy Lee Wallace!

4 Shots From 4 Tommy Lee Wallace Films

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982, dir by Tommy Lee Wallace)

Fright Night Part 2 (1988, dir by Tommy Lee Wallace)

It (1990, dir by Tommy Lee Wallace)

Vampires: Los Muertos (2002, dir by Tommy Lee Wallace)

Live Tweet Alert: Join #ScarySocial For The Last Shark!


As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in a few weekly live tweets on Twitter and Mastodon.  I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of #MondayActionMovie!  Every week, we get together.  We watch a movie.  We tweet our way through it.

Tonight, at 10 pm et, #ScarySocial presents The Last Shark!

If you want to join us this Saturday, just hop onto twitter, start the movie at 10 pm et, and use the #ScarySocial hashtag!  It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.

The Last Shark is available on Prime!  See you there!

Scenes That I Love: Aguirre Declares Himself To Be The Wrath of God


In honor of Werner Herzog’s birthday, today’s scene that I love comes from one of his best films.  1972’s Aguirre, The Wrath of God not only established Herzog as a major filmmaker but it also showed that he was the director who could get the best out of the notoriously difficult Klaus Kinski.

In this scene, Kinski plays the mad conquistador, Aguirre.  Lost with his men in the Amazon, Aguirre establishes control over the dwindling expedition.

8 Shots From 8 Films: Special Werner Herzog Edition


4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to one our favorite directors, the great Werner Herzog!  It’s time for….

8 Shots From 8 Werner Herzog Films

Fata Morgana (1971, dir by Werner Herzog, DP: Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein)

Aguirre The Wrath of God (1972, dir by Werner Herzog. DP: Thomas Mauch)

The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974, dir by Werner Herzog, DP: Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein)

Stroszek (1977, dir by Werner Herzog, DP: Thomas Mauch)

Woyzeck (1979, dir by Werner Herzog, DP: Jorg Schmidt-Reitwein)

Nosferatu The Vampyre (1979, dir by Werner Herzog, DP: Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein)

Fitzcarraldo (1982, dir by Werner Herzog, DP: Thomas Mauch)

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009, dir by Werner Herzog, DP: Peter Ziedlinger)

Live Tweet Alert: Join #FridayNightFlix for They Live!


As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in a few weekly watch parties.  On Twitter, I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday and I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday.  On Mastodon, I am one of the five hosts of #MondayActionMovie!  Every week, we get together.  We watch a movie.  We tweet our way through it.

Tonight, at 10 pm et, I will be hosting #FridayNightFlix!  The movie?  John Carpenter’s They Live!

If you want to join us this Friday, just hop onto twitter, find They Live on Prime, start the movie at 10 pm et, and use the #FridayNightFlix hashtag!  I’ll be there happily tweeting.  It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.

See you there!

 

 

Scene That I Love: Queeg Cracks in The Caine Mutiny


The Caine Mutiny (1954, dir by Edward Dmytryk, DP: Franz Planer)

Today’s scene that I love comes from 1954’s The Caine Mutiny.

In this scene, Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) is cross-examined by Barney Greenwald (Jose Ferrer).  The court martial concerns whether or not an officer under Queeg’s command was justified in taking over the ship from Queeg.  Greenwald, tasked with defending the head mutineer, knows that the only way to win the case is to expose Queeg himself as a paranoid and unstable officer.  Greenwald does his job but he’s not happy about it.

This scene, directed by Edward Dmytryk, features both Bogart and Ferrer at their absolute best.