Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings

[Mister Tee]

I agree that the stage Equus was wildly overpraised. I also concur that Dexter's staging at least made it a palpable theatrical event, as compared to Lumet's ham-handedness. I don't concur with Damien's full-career dismissal of Lumet, but at this point in his life -- with The Wiz to immediately follow -- he was completely out of his depth. What he did to Burton -- who seemed a perfect choice for the Hopkins-originated role -- was cruel: emphasizing ever elocutionary tic. (A friend of mine had, like many that year, considered Burton the Oscar favorite, until he saw clips on the Your Choice for the Oscars show a few days prior to the awards; he pronounced himself "horrified" by what Burton was doing)

Two notes about the nude scenes: onstage, there was considerably less of it. The on-horseback scenes in the first act were done with Firth clothed; it was only in the late stable sequence that he, in the words a female friend of mine used then, dropped trou. Second note: though no one here seems to care, the actress was also nude in this late scene, which sold the play to some of us.

Peter Firth turned out to be a pretty husky old guy; on MI-5, he's about the shape of Brian Cox.

[FilmFan720]

Gah. That's 2 of 3 Sondheim films I've seen and 2 of 3 that have been absolute trash.

The film version of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum isn't that good either but it's eons better than the mess they made of A Little Night Music.

See Bergman's original Smiles of a Summer Night.

The film version of ...Forum is wonderfully entertaining, but you have to take it with the grain of salt that it isn't a good adaptation. Lester has a wonderful sensibility with the film, and it does have a wonderful comedic ensemble, but bears little resemblance to the stage musical and only has 2 or 3 songs in it I think.

[Big Magilla]

Equus (Sidney Lumet, 1977) 4/10

I really did not get this overly hysterical story. Can someone please explain to me why this was a critically acclaimed hit play? To me the only reason for it's sensastion is the fact that the main protagonist walks around nude. Not sure if that was the case on stage but here Peter Firth gets to show himself for long periods of time. In addition the scene of the slashings, which are graphically depicted in the film, could be a second reason for its popularity....although I believe on stage the horses are made of wire or cardboard so the stabbing scene could hardly be graphic.

The play, which opened in 1974, espoused the then-popular nonsense about crazy/disturbed people being the world's truly sane creatures, but some of us even back then knew this to be superficial hogwash and the play to be meretricious junk. John Dexter's stylized staging (the opposite of the clunkmeister Lumet) and the well-hung Peter Firth's nakedness helped turned the play into a senasation, But when it was revived last season, the critics this time around picked up on its triteness.

Wonder if Firth was initially chosen for the part because he was well hung?

Oh come on. Peter Firth was/is a brilliant actor. He has a long list of credits going back to the early 70s.

Tony nominated (as lead) for the Broadway version of Equus opposite Anthony Hopkins, he won a Bafta as well as a richly deserved Oscar nomination for the film version, starred opposite Ann-Margret in the title role in Joseph Andrews and Natassia Kinski in Tess, replaced Tim Curry in the title role of Amadeus on Broadway opposite Ian McKellen and turned down the lead in Caligula (which went to Malcolm McDowell), all in the span of just a few years. A character actor now, he's often still the best actor in anything he chooses to do.

[anonymous1980]

Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson) - 9.5/10

I blindbought the barebones DVD in Singapore. It's pretty much worth it.



Edited By anonymous on 1253358217

[Reza]

Equus (Sidney Lumet, 1977) 4/10

I really did not get this overly hysterical story. Can someone please explain to me why this was a critically acclaimed hit play? To me the only reason for it's sensastion is the fact that the main protagonist walks around nude. Not sure if that was the case on stage but here Peter Firth gets to show himself for long periods of time. In addition the scene of the slashings, which are graphically depicted in the film, could be a second reason for its popularity....although I believe on stage the horses are made of wire or cardboard so the stabbing scene could hardly be graphic.

The play, which opened in 1974, espoused the then-popular nonsense about crazy/disturbed people being the world's truly sane creatures, but some of us even back then knew this to be superficial hogwash and the play to be meretricious junk. John Dexter's stylized staging (the opposite of the clunkmeister Lumet) and the well-hung Peter Firth's nakedness helped turned the play into a senasation, But when it was revived last season, the critics this time around picked up on its triteness.

Wonder if Firth was initially chosen for the part because he was well hung?

[Damien]

Equus (Sidney Lumet, 1977) 4/10

I really did not get this overly hysterical story. Can someone please explain to me why this was a critically acclaimed hit play? To me the only reason for it's sensastion is the fact that the main protagonist walks around nude. Not sure if that was the case on stage but here Peter Firth gets to show himself for long periods of time. In addition the scene of the slashings, which are graphically depicted in the film, could be a second reason for its popularity....although I believe on stage the horses are made of wire or cardboard so the stabbing scene could hardly be graphic.

The play, which opened in 1974, espoused the then-popular nonsense about crazy/disturbed people being the world's truly sane creatures, but some of us even back then knew this to be superficial hogwash and the play to be meretricious junk. John Dexter's stylized staging (the opposite of the clunkmeister Lumet) and the well-hung Peter Firth's nakedness helped turned the play into a senasation, But when it was revived last season, the critics this time around picked up on its triteness.

[Reza]

Equus (Sidney Lumet, 1977) 4/10

I really did not get this overly hysterical story. Can someone please explain to me why this was a critically acclaimed hit play? To me the only reason for it's sensastion is the fact that the main protagonist walks around nude. Not sure if that was the case on stage but here Peter Firth gets to show himself for long periods of time. In addition the scene of the slashings, which are graphically depicted in the film, could be a second reason for its popularity....although I believe on stage the horses are made of wire or cardboard so the stabbing scene could hardly be graphic.

Burton is good but really not helped on screen because of all the closeups. Not a particularly good looking man even when young, here he looks hideous in close-up....years of drinking and partying clearly show on his face. As always his voice remains a great asset. Firth, I found annoying with his constantly half open mouth. Jenny Agutter is excellent and deservedly won a BAFTA for her performance. There is good support by Joan Plowright, Colin Blakely, Harry Andrews and Eileen Atkins.

[Big Magilla]

Gah. That's 2 of 3 Sondheim films I've seen and 2 of 3 that have been absolute trash.

The film version of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum isn't that good either but it's eons better than the mess they made of A Little Night Music.

See Bergman's original Smiles of a Summer Night.

[Penelope]

The Great Lie (1941; Edmund Goulding) 7/10

Florid melodrama with rivals Bette Davis and Mary Astor competing for the same man, and how a tragedy and a baby bring them together. Best sparks occur whenever Davis and Astor (in an Oscar-winning performance) are at each others' throats.

[OscarGuy]

A Little Night Music (the film version) is crap. Holy shit. I didn't think it could be that bad, but it was. How can they raise the key on EVERYONE and cut some wonderful songs (Liaisons, The Woman Is Mine and The Miller's Son) and then give parts of songs to people that shouldn't have had them (no chorus?) and changed lines around that didn't sound right.

I mean, it says something about your film when you hear the line "If she'd only been fat..." and all you can think is "but she is..."

Diana Rigg was the only thing about the film I even liked and she seemed a poor fit for her part.

Gah. That's 2 of 3 Sondheim films I've seen and 2 of 3 that have been absolute trash.



Edited By OscarGuy on 1253152902

[Hustler]

I´m adding two more recommendable german films:

1. Nordwand (2008/Phillip Stolzl) 8/10
2. Dr. Aleman (2008/Tom Schreiber) 7/10

[ITALIANO]

So, I saw 8 1/2 recently and I can't help but wonder is Anouk Aimee always this good? She was captivating in it.

It's one of her best performances, but yes, she is always at least interesting, and sometimes really impressive (but not in her American movies).

[OscarGuy]

So, I saw 8 1/2 recently and I can't help but wonder is Anouk Aimee always this good? She was captivating in it.

[Zahveed]

I relate life to the laws of gravity. Third law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, for every person who absolutely loves one thing there will be someone who absolutely loathes it.

Not to be anal retentive; but, that is laws of motion, not gravity.

Thank you. And to think I've been saying 'gravity' the past four years.

[Greg]

I relate life to the laws of gravity. Third law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, for every person who absolutely loves one thing there will be someone who absolutely loathes it.

Not to be anal retentive; but, that is laws of motion, not gravity.