Talking Movies Ep 68: SLL- Jungle Fever / List Of Shame

Guys,

I'll be listening later, but before I do, I must put this out there: I'm hoping that Brian has a new spate of films, and that he's worked through his "List of Shame" from our old Fanboy Remix days; if not, I may have to come up there and raise some helvetica!

Lenny,

I wasn't intending to dredge up my own list from back then, but if I'm going to chide Mr. Verderosa, I should come clean about my own shortcomings. 

On our old Fanboy Remix podcast (sadly not archived), an article that I had seen on the subject of the films that "people lied the most about having seen" drove an episode where-in Jacqui, Brian, Bobby, and myself each selected five films that we knew that we should have watched to call ourselves film buffs, but hadn't viewed. We had a "game show" element to our program at that point, so any film checked off the list gave you points toward the year-end title; because I'm a fanatic, and for what it's worth, I had all five of mine viewed within two days, and subsequently purchased three of them for my own collection! (Perhaps you could venture a guess as to which ones?)

Anyhoo, as broadcast on the Fanboy Remix, here was my List of Shame:

1) Battleship Potemkin (1925/Sergei Eisenstein)
2) Rashomon (1950/Akira Kurosawa)
3) Jules et Jim (1962/Francois Truffaut)
4) Leon, the Professional (1994/Luc Besson)
5) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939/Frank Capra)

Lenny,

I think the first two choices on your list would be on my "Must See to Understand Cinema" List, although I'd probably throw in Hitchcock's "Psycho" and Sidney Lumet's "12 Angry Men", with the last spot up for grabs, perhaps Elia Kazan's "On The Waterfront"? 

Bob
ps) I found the article that prompted our "List Of Shame" episode!

Here's the list from Moviefone's poll back in 2011:

'The Godfather' Tops List of Movies People Lie About Having Seen


1. 'The Godfather' (1972) 30 percent

2. 'Casablanca' (1942) 13 percent

3. 'Taxi Driver' (1976) 11 percent

4. '2001: A Space Odyssey' (1969) 9 percent

5. 'Reservoir Dogs' (1992) 8 percent

6. 'This Is Spinal Tap' (1984) 7 percent

7. 'Apocalypse Now' (1979) 6 percent

8. 'Goodfellas' (1990) 5 percent

9. 'Blade Runner' (1982) 5 percent

10. 'The Great Escape' (1963) 4 percent

Now, here's a poser: I've seen all of these films, (6 in theatres), and I own 9 of them. Which is the odd man out? rrr

Lenny,

Not a bad guess, but I do own John Sturges' epic war film "The Great Escape" on widescreen Laserdisc!

The movie absent from my collection is "Reservoir Dogs", mostly due to the nasty streak and a certain 'reality" to the screen violence. I do own other Tarantino films (counting some among my modern favorites), and I understand why others love this one, but it's a bit out of my comfort zone.

Lenny,

I whole-heartedly agree about Tarantino making sure that the violence is paid off; it's one of the many positives in the film, adding to a clever script and some fine performances. The thing of it is, even though I can watch the most gruesome horror films, real "reel" violence can sometimes get in the way of my enjoyment, as in the case of "Reservoir Dogs", I can never hear the Stealers Wheel song "Stuck in the Middle with You" without getting the shivers!

I'm not alone, I guess; whilst watching the original "Halloween II" in theatres, despite many horrific killings by Michael Myers, the moment that drew the biggest audience reactions (based on gasps and exclamations of "E-w-w-w" !) was when a doctor drew blood from Laurie Strode's arm in a close-up that showed the needle entering her flesh!  

ps) As to being on a movie podcast, when Brian had our TC crew on for a "Spider-Man" episode, during my portion of their "Two-Minute Spill" segment, I rambled on for at least a quarter-hour on the subjects of Orson Welles and Audrey Hepburn, whose birthdays I celebrated. I was very much like the "Man Who Came to Dinner"; I was invited in, but never seemed to leave!  rrr

Lenny,

We're much alike; in spinning the William Lustig/Joe Spinell "Maniac" from 1980, the scenes of intimate, personal violence are very affecting, almost hard to watch in their disturbing power, but I have no trouble at all with immersing myself in the Tom Savini effect where-in he has the title character blow someone's head completely to bits!

Sammie,

The performances are spectacular, probably the best in any of Luc Besson's films!

It was weird that I hadn't seen "Leon", as I had loved other Besson films such as "Le Femme Nikita", so due to everyone loving it so in my absence, I had to include it!