Post by idioticbunny on Feb 19, 2018 7:55:47 GMT
Sorry again for another long wait to finish up this year. Work has been kicking my ass and on top of that any time I get to watch a movie it's been something from last year so I can start tidying up my line-ups in time for awards season.
Anyway, this is one of the better years from the decade, but unless 1949 absolutely floors me, I'd say this is probably my least favorite decade for film (thus far anyway, but even with what I've seen in the succeeding decades, I doubt my opinion would change much). Not enough creativity really jolting onto the screen this year, and if there is, it's low-budget stuff that's still not quite reaching it's full potential either.
Either way, the first five are excellent films, especially the top two. I feel like we're starting to dive into the territory that the 1950s gave a plethora of and I'm super excited. John Huston is beginning to prove himself as one of my favorite directors of the decade (and if he keeps it up, maybe all-time). I love the way he frames his shots and moves the camera. Not just in his gradual decline into madness of Sierra Madre, but the ever-mounting tension of Key Largo's storm (both literal and figurative). And it's all just within the way he frames and edits - incredible stuff.
Though all of the top five are directorial feats in their own right. Hitchcock is an obvious choice for my director win, but he wholly deserves it. It's amazing how fluidly the whole film flows and never once feels stale for having it take place in the same room the whole film and with very little editing. Just a masterwork in blocking.
Speaking of masterworks in blocking though, Max Ophuls' Unknown Woman - which is the first film of his I've seen - perfectly utilizes blocking to bring us into the world of these characters, even in the intimate moments.
As for acting, my Lead Actor line-up is fantastic and decade-best stuff, but the other categories (outside of their winners and a couple also-rans) don't have much to be passionate about. Though Staoila does give one of the best child performances I've ever seen, but sadly he's beat out by Huston who is just in absolute top form.
Biggest disappointments were probably The Red Shoes and The Naked City. I've loved what the Archers have had to offer thus far, but it's strange that they're two most widely acclaimed films are the two that I've not been as hot on. The big Red Shoes ballet sequence is absolutely exquisite and probably the greatest stuff they've ever crafted, but outside of the technical aspects (which are unbelievably good), the story was paper thin and offered very little conflict until the last third. Naked City was just disappointing because I expected a noir for all these years and what I got was something of a precursor for slightly goofy TV police procedurals - and the acting wasn't even that great either.
All in all, a great year for directors and makes me excited to see what they all have to offer in the coming decade, but certainly ready for finishing the decade out with 1949 soon! Here are my line-ups:
Best Picture:
01. Rope.
02. Bicycle Thieves.
03. Letter from an Unknown Woman.
04. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
05. Hamlet.
06. The Snake Pit.
07. Key Largo.
08. Drunken Angel.
09. The Red Shoes.
10. Red River.
-----------------
11. Germany Year Zero.
12. The Naked City.
Best Director:
01. Alfred Hitchcock - Rope.
02. Max Ophüls - Letter from an Unknown Woman.
03. Laurence Olivier - Hamlet.
04. John Huston - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
05. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger - The Red Shoes.
Best Actor:
01. Laurence Olivier - Hamlet.
02. Humphrey Bogart - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
03. John Dall - Rope.
04. Anton Walbrook - The Red Shoes.
05. Toshiro Mifune - Drunken Angel.
Best Actress:
01. Olivia de Havilland - The Snake Pit.
02. Joan Fontaine - Letter from an Unknown Woman.
03. Moira Shearer - The Red Shoes.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Walter Huston - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
02. Enzo Staiola - Bicycle Thieves.
03. Edward G. Robinson - Key Largo.
04. James Stewart - Rope.
05. Felix Aylmer - Hamlet.
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Claire Trevor - Key Largo.
02. Jean Simmons - Hamlet.
03. Eileen Herlie - Hamlet.
04. Ingetraud Hinze - Germany Year Zero.
05. Joan Chandler - Rope.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. Drunken Angel.
02. The Red Shoes.
03. Germany Year Zero.
04. The Naked City.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. Rope.
02. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
03. Letter from an Unknown Woman.
04. The Snake Pit.
05. Key Largo.
Best Ensemble:
01. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
02. Hamlet.
03. Key Largo.
04. Rope.
05. The Snake Pit.
Best Editing:
Key Largo.
Best Cinematography:
Hamlet.
Best Art Direction:
The Red Shoes.
Best Costume Design:
The Red Shoes.
Best Makeup:
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
Best Visual Effects:
The Red Shoes.
Best Sound Design:
The Red Shoes.
Best Original Score:
Brian Easdale - The Red Shoes.
Best Original Song:
"Settle Down" - Red River.
Red River wins song by default of being the only one. Also it was really tough not awarding Jack Cardiff in Cinematography for The Red Shoes, but both it and Hamlet are some of the best of the decade. All in all, awesome tech wins and director line-up, the rest is alright.
As for 1949, the only film I've seen is The Third Man (recently re-watched it for like the fifth time in my life, love it), but the rest is up for grabs. Really excited for Kind Hearts and Coronets and Jour de fete though.
Anyway, this is one of the better years from the decade, but unless 1949 absolutely floors me, I'd say this is probably my least favorite decade for film (thus far anyway, but even with what I've seen in the succeeding decades, I doubt my opinion would change much). Not enough creativity really jolting onto the screen this year, and if there is, it's low-budget stuff that's still not quite reaching it's full potential either.
Either way, the first five are excellent films, especially the top two. I feel like we're starting to dive into the territory that the 1950s gave a plethora of and I'm super excited. John Huston is beginning to prove himself as one of my favorite directors of the decade (and if he keeps it up, maybe all-time). I love the way he frames his shots and moves the camera. Not just in his gradual decline into madness of Sierra Madre, but the ever-mounting tension of Key Largo's storm (both literal and figurative). And it's all just within the way he frames and edits - incredible stuff.
Though all of the top five are directorial feats in their own right. Hitchcock is an obvious choice for my director win, but he wholly deserves it. It's amazing how fluidly the whole film flows and never once feels stale for having it take place in the same room the whole film and with very little editing. Just a masterwork in blocking.
Speaking of masterworks in blocking though, Max Ophuls' Unknown Woman - which is the first film of his I've seen - perfectly utilizes blocking to bring us into the world of these characters, even in the intimate moments.
As for acting, my Lead Actor line-up is fantastic and decade-best stuff, but the other categories (outside of their winners and a couple also-rans) don't have much to be passionate about. Though Staoila does give one of the best child performances I've ever seen, but sadly he's beat out by Huston who is just in absolute top form.
Biggest disappointments were probably The Red Shoes and The Naked City. I've loved what the Archers have had to offer thus far, but it's strange that they're two most widely acclaimed films are the two that I've not been as hot on. The big Red Shoes ballet sequence is absolutely exquisite and probably the greatest stuff they've ever crafted, but outside of the technical aspects (which are unbelievably good), the story was paper thin and offered very little conflict until the last third. Naked City was just disappointing because I expected a noir for all these years and what I got was something of a precursor for slightly goofy TV police procedurals - and the acting wasn't even that great either.
All in all, a great year for directors and makes me excited to see what they all have to offer in the coming decade, but certainly ready for finishing the decade out with 1949 soon! Here are my line-ups:
Best Picture:
01. Rope.
02. Bicycle Thieves.
03. Letter from an Unknown Woman.
04. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
05. Hamlet.
06. The Snake Pit.
07. Key Largo.
08. Drunken Angel.
09. The Red Shoes.
10. Red River.
-----------------
11. Germany Year Zero.
12. The Naked City.
Best Director:
01. Alfred Hitchcock - Rope.
02. Max Ophüls - Letter from an Unknown Woman.
03. Laurence Olivier - Hamlet.
04. John Huston - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
05. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger - The Red Shoes.
Best Actor:
01. Laurence Olivier - Hamlet.
02. Humphrey Bogart - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
03. John Dall - Rope.
04. Anton Walbrook - The Red Shoes.
05. Toshiro Mifune - Drunken Angel.
Best Actress:
01. Olivia de Havilland - The Snake Pit.
02. Joan Fontaine - Letter from an Unknown Woman.
03. Moira Shearer - The Red Shoes.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Walter Huston - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
02. Enzo Staiola - Bicycle Thieves.
03. Edward G. Robinson - Key Largo.
04. James Stewart - Rope.
05. Felix Aylmer - Hamlet.
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Claire Trevor - Key Largo.
02. Jean Simmons - Hamlet.
03. Eileen Herlie - Hamlet.
04. Ingetraud Hinze - Germany Year Zero.
05. Joan Chandler - Rope.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. Drunken Angel.
02. The Red Shoes.
03. Germany Year Zero.
04. The Naked City.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. Rope.
02. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
03. Letter from an Unknown Woman.
04. The Snake Pit.
05. Key Largo.
Best Ensemble:
01. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
02. Hamlet.
03. Key Largo.
04. Rope.
05. The Snake Pit.
Best Editing:
Key Largo.
Best Cinematography:
Hamlet.
Best Art Direction:
The Red Shoes.
Best Costume Design:
The Red Shoes.
Best Makeup:
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
Best Visual Effects:
The Red Shoes.
Best Sound Design:
The Red Shoes.
Best Original Score:
Brian Easdale - The Red Shoes.
Best Original Song:
"Settle Down" - Red River.
Red River wins song by default of being the only one. Also it was really tough not awarding Jack Cardiff in Cinematography for The Red Shoes, but both it and Hamlet are some of the best of the decade. All in all, awesome tech wins and director line-up, the rest is alright.
As for 1949, the only film I've seen is The Third Man (recently re-watched it for like the fifth time in my life, love it), but the rest is up for grabs. Really excited for Kind Hearts and Coronets and Jour de fete though.
