criterionmaster
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Post by criterionmaster on Aug 5, 2006 3:54:25 GMT -5
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captainofbeef
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Beauty Hides in the Deep
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Post by captainofbeef on Aug 5, 2006 9:46:26 GMT -5
Superb noir. Excellent plot and great performances by the whole cast.
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kiddo
Hitchcock
"I live now in a world of ghosts, a prisoner in my dreams."
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Post by kiddo on Aug 27, 2006 14:47:03 GMT -5
Sadly to say, I find this noir highly tame and unsatisfying. It is pretty solid - in that it is shot in quite a nice, though "safe" (and maybe "traditional") way. The acting is far from convincing and the plot just irritatingly empty. What do we get out of this story? I didn`t find anything particulary memorable in this Huston-classic. If you`r gonna see some film noir, pick up Touch of Evil by Welles.  |
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criterionmaster
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Bitches all love me 'cause I'm fuckin' Casper! The dopest ghost around.
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Post by criterionmaster on Feb 9, 2007 13:32:15 GMT -5
Well generally the noir films I have seen have been empty, and dark. I think the best part about it is Bogart's dialogue delivery though. It is so fast and funny. I think a lot of old 40's-50's Hollywood films are shot in a "traditional" way; at least traditional to us now. How many times have you seen it? I have only seen it once, but I loved it. Really want to pick up the DVD. What other Huston films have you seen? Isn't there one part where someone gets slapped in Maltese Falcon? I seem to remember loving that. And I also like how it is such a simple idea for a film, then it just lets you see these guys who all want one thing act and react.
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kiddo
Hitchcock
"I live now in a world of ghosts, a prisoner in my dreams."
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Post by kiddo on Feb 9, 2007 17:06:06 GMT -5
I understand what you mean about noirs beeing generally "empty", but at the same time I think you overlook the eras/film styles' often exploration of the dark, dusty and gritty part of the society/human being. There are many shades and colourful antiheroes in the film noir universe, which you for example can see in Welles' masterpiece Touch of Evil. It's basically the content of The Maltese Falcon I remember i couldn't stand; It has nice enough photography (not mindblowing, as Touch of Evil ( )), and some cool, cynical lines, but the story didn't do anything for me. Only seen it once, though, so I probably should rewatch it... I haven't seen any other Hustons, but I really wanna see The Asphalt Jungle (I haven't given up on Hustons noirs). Oh, and I have The African Queen at my house for the moment, borrowing it from a friend. I saw the first 20 minutes this other day, but I didn't feel like watching the rest... Thought some parts of it was very pompous and somewhat exaggerated. But I will probably finish it one day soon... |
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criterionmaster
Cool KAt
Bitches all love me 'cause I'm fuckin' Casper! The dopest ghost around.
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Post by criterionmaster on Feb 11, 2007 16:58:42 GMT -5
I understand what you mean about noirs beeing generally "empty", but at the same time I think you overlook the eras/film styles' often exploration of the dark, dusty and gritty part of the society/human being. There are many shades and colourful antiheroes in the film noir universe, which you for example can see in Welles' masterpiece Touch of Evil. It's basically the content of The Maltese Falcon I remember i couldn't stand; It has nice enough photography (not mindblowing, as Touch of Evil ( )), and some cool, cynical lines, but the story didn't do anything for me. Only seen it once, though, so I probably should rewatch it... I haven't seen any other Hustons, but I really wanna see The Asphalt Jungle (I haven't given up on Hustons noirs). Oh, and I have The African Queen at my house for the moment, borrowing it from a friend. I saw the first 20 minutes this other day, but I didn't feel like watching the rest... Thought some parts of it was very pompous and somewhat exaggerated. But I will probably finish it one day soon... I haven't seen Touch of Evil, but I want to. I haven't seen an extreme amount of film-noirs but I can see what you mean about the films, while being empty and dark/distant, they can still deal with the dark sides of humans, etc. And in some ways this film does, like what they would go through to get this item, greed, which is the theme that runs through another Huston film, Treasure of the Sierra Madre. And the falcon itself could even be looked at symbolically, as it representing money, fame, fortune, being a celebrity or whatever and what people will go through to get it (or become famous, rich, etc.) But maybe I am totally off since I haven't seen the film in so long, so I am going to stop there lol. You really need to see the film I mentioned, Treasure of the Sierra Madre. It is one of the best films I have ever seen, and demolishes this film in every way. I think you would love it, to the fullest. So don’t give up on Huston. And if you liked Bogart in this film, wait till you him in that. Holy fuck, now that is acting. |
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kiddo
Hitchcock
"I live now in a world of ghosts, a prisoner in my dreams."
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Post by kiddo on Feb 12, 2007 2:25:57 GMT -5
I dont't think your completely off. I guess the theme is, as you say, greed. Basically. But I didn't feel anything for the characters and I thought that girl (femme fatale, if you want) was mindblowingly irritating. Seriously, there's not often I am that much annoyed by a character, but fuck... It's not the fact that she can't act (althought she can't, as I rememeber), her attitude is so irritating. Oh well. I'll be checking Sierra Madre...
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ie
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Post by ie on Mar 28, 2007 16:36:38 GMT -5
Just finished this "last night" and I could see why you don't like the movie, kiddo. It takes a little while to pick up and the payoff is mostly subtle. Also, the plot does rely on a MacGuffin, and while I'm sure there are some pretty good movies that can use MacGuffins well, it's easy to be disappointed when you realize the whole movie was about nothing. I wasn't that annoyed by the woman with three names  , but I could see what you mean; if anything, I was expecting her to be edgier and more of the dark side of the femme fatale. That said, I really liked the movie, especially toward the middle and end. |
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Post by Clark Nova on Mar 29, 2007 9:15:37 GMT -5
a movie about...nothing? on the contrary, this movie's about Sam Spade. Forget everything about some bird and all the twists and who's after what and all the characters, the point is to see it all from Sam Spade's point of view...it's more of a character study of him than a mystery story.
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Post by fresh on Oct 15, 2007 12:58:40 GMT -5
I dont see anything special in the Maltese Falcon. I rather watch a more superior Noir Films like the Third Man, Sunset Blvd., and Touch of Evil.
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captainofbeef
Cool KAt
Beauty Hides in the Deep
You should have asked me for it, how could I say no...
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Post by captainofbeef on Oct 15, 2007 13:32:23 GMT -5
^Those noirs are better, but The Maltese Falcon is still great.
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Post by Clark Nova on Oct 15, 2007 15:02:57 GMT -5
by any sense of logic, The Maltese Falcon should be a lousy movie. I'd say it's about 75% (at the very least) expositionary dialogue in some arbitrary room. But the delivery of that dialogue by everyone is just so damn good that it draws you in...
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, but I could see what you mean; if anything, I was expecting her to be edgier and more of the dark side of the femme fatale.
