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A Movie A Day: Quint watches MURDER, MY SWEET (1944)
A black pool opened up at my feet... It had no bottom.

Now HERE'S a movie... by Nasty In The Pasty	Jun 24th, 2008 12:14:20 AM
...not some Disaster Movie shit.
Darker than a black steer's toucas on a moonless prairie night by Det. John Kimble	Jun 24th, 2008 12:25:16 AM
The Coens always pull from the best sources.
Looking ahead... by Its a LION	Jun 24th, 2008 02:09:09 AM
I can't wait to see what you think of The Good Father. I loved it. And as we all know, Anthony Hopkins can make a turd watchable, or a good movie great.
5th!! by tme2nsb	Jun 24th, 2008 03:59:07 AM

Cant wait for Sound of Music by tme2nsb	Jun 24th, 2008 03:59:46 AM
Just because it pisses my wife off so much too/.
Eww black and white movies are yucky... by JethroBodine	Jun 24th, 2008 05:49:41 AM
I'm going to start my own movie review site. Seems like all you gotta do to make one work is see a few Spielberg movies and write about them and VIOLA! How can someone seriously have called themselves a movie reviewer or dare I say a critic and they haven't watched any of the films that are considered canon for most cinephiles? There is simply no excuse for it. I will say that finally watching them is a step in the right direction. But to put yourself in an authority type of position concerning film for so long and then not having taken the time to really view anything older than you are are is just asinine.
I love these crazy Marlowe stories... by Knuckleduster	Jun 24th, 2008 08:34:24 AM
... with their ridiculously complex plots that always end up not really having anything to do with the real point of the story. Without them, we wouldn't have The Big Lebowski today.
Dick Powell is the best Marlowe.... by Redbox	Jun 24th, 2008 09:05:38 AM
Ever!!!!!! I love this movie as much as I love the 39 Steps, and the Lady From Shanghi...
The title change... by BizarroJerry	Jun 24th, 2008 09:06:17 AM
Just a little extra trivia, here. The novel's title is "Farewell, My Lovely", but the movie folks were afraid people would assume a movie with that title was a romance, so they went with "Murder, My Sweet". It's hard to fault them for that. It's not like today when we are bombarded with long, plot-spoiling trailers for months in advance, splashed all over TV. Is it Clive Owen who has the rights and wants to make Marlowe movies based on the novels? I'm anxious to see how that turns out. The books do have some more adult things that a movie in 1944 would not have included. If Owen stars, though, I'm a little concerned he'll overdo the "tough guy" angle of Marlowe, not realizing that a lot of the time, it's an act. I've read all of the stories, I think, and he ends up knocked unconscious more times then he throws a punch.
Oh no... by BizarroJerry	Jun 24th, 2008 09:10:22 AM
Just occurred to me after my Clive Owen comments. He was in Sin City, narrating scenes in psuedo-Marlowe fashion. I realize that Miller was partially inspired by that genre, I'd hate to see Marlowe get Millerized, like may be happening with The Spirit. I actually like these Miller movies, but I'd hate to see every noir-related thing turned into that. How much "black & white & red" cinema can we take?
My thoughts from last year on Owen and Powel http://tinyurl.com/ by Redbox	Jun 24th, 2008 09:26:23 AM
http://tinyurl.com/5jkmyp This is great news, but many of the news stories covering this are calling it a Bogart role, just because Bogart played him once. Philip Marlowe is not a great Bogart role. Bogart plays Bogart in "The Big Sleep." He isn't really Philip Marlowe. There is no difference between Bogart's Marlowe or his Sam Spade. Dick Powell is Philip Marlow (in "Murder My Sweet" from the Raymond Chandler book "Farewell My Lovely.)" Powell embodies the coolness mixed with humility and great cynical smoothness that Raymond Chandler's pages created. But you probably are asking, what the heck I'm talking about. Here's the good news in short form: Indiana Jones, Fletch, Han Solo, James Rockford (from "The Rockford Files"), Easy Rollins (From "Devil in a Blue Dress"), John McClane (from "Die Hard"), actually every cool, self doubting hero who takes a few lumps on the head on his way to the truth is based on Philip Marlowe. Philip Marlowe is the original cynical gumshoe with a voice over telling you his story, while he looks where he shouldn't and gets neck deep into trouble with the "wrong people." Clive Owen is a great actor and if this is done right, Philip Marlowe will be his franchise. Well Done!!
Somewhat true with Bogart by BizarroJerry	Jun 24th, 2008 09:39:04 AM
He does generally play variations of "himself". I like his Marlowe but it's not exactly like the book. And Marlowe and Spade are not the same character. I've read Maltese Falcon, and in that, Spade is a much more disreputable guy than Marlowe. He's mostly in it for himself, while Marlowe's pretty much always a good guy. Incidentally, while this is a common theme for fanboys like me, Harrison Ford about 20 years ago woulda been a perfect Marlowe. Hell, maybe even 10 years ago. Which may be why he was such a good Indy, as Redbox suggested.
If I may continue babbling... by BizarroJerry	Jun 24th, 2008 09:41:57 AM
The Big Sleep is a good movie, but it does a common thing often done to movies in the 1940s. It adds a musical number. Yes, the main femme fatale in that film ends up singing a song at some club while Marlowe watches approvingly. It's wrong for so many reasons... totally against character, completely made up, etc. This Powell flick didn't stoop to that.
The cocky, gruff, but deep down good guy anti-hero by Redbox	Jun 24th, 2008 09:50:17 AM
is largely the invention of hard boiled noir. Spider-man and Wolverine have aspects of it, Magnum P.I., John Constantine (the real one, from the books not the movie) Hell, Blade Runner could be a Marlowe in the future movie, so Ford was basically already a Marlowe type. For my money, Raymond Chandler beats out Daschel Hammet every time, because his characters are more than just tough guys, they have humor and cynicism. Elmore Leonard is very much the descendant of Chandler.
Jethro and Soylent by Quint	Jun 24th, 2008 11:06:13 AM
I knew starting this that I was going to catch a lot of shit. I'm sure you, Jethro, would never announce publicly the list of movies you haven't seen. I've never claimed to be an expert on cinema. I didn't spend 4 years in college being told what classics I had to see, I didn't have parents that were huge cinefiles. They loved movies, but in the way most people love movies... they love what they love and almost all of those films are popular. I've discovered film as I've gone along. It's a bit of an overstatement to say that I've never seen anything older than myself. I've seen tens of thousands of movies, watching around 500 films theatrically every year between regular releases, film festivals, revivals and special events. It's also an overstatement that I put myself in some sort of higher position with my work on this site. I've never claimed to be anything but what I am, a film fan. I've seen many, many, many films of the older era, but there are many more I haven't see (obviously). If you've seen every movie ever made, then I'll be humbled by your greatness. If not, you're in the same boat that I am, just not as publicly. Soylent, thanks for reading along. I'm having a blast doing this. We're approaching a month I've only seen one film I didn't like (Pocket Money) and even that was an interesting failure.
Quint... by Redbox	Jun 24th, 2008 11:21:04 AM
Movies are like music, everyone has volumes of classic shit that they always meant to get to but haven't yet. As a former student of film, I applaud your effort and honesty and I hope it gets more people to watch great films that are usually only watched in snobby film classes. I especially appreciate talking about this film. I may send you a list of suggestions if you don't mind. People who laugh at you because of what you don't know are just bitter that their knowledge hasn't got them farther in life. Cheers!
Who cares about these old movies!? by Chadley BeBay	Jun 24th, 2008 11:32:15 AM
You are boring, we get it!
When you get to "The Elephant Man"... by Mavra Chang	Jun 24th, 2008 11:36:52 AM
John Hurt is very obviously paying tribute to Derek Jacobi, who starred with him in "I, Claudius". I realized this after watching a scene in that between the two of them (John Hurt was Caligula and Jacobi was Claudius). In "The ELephant Man", Hurt's Merrick is a dead-on impersonation of Jacobi. It's wonderful.
Hey Chadley... by loogenhausen	Jun 24th, 2008 02:26:24 PM
...go fuck yourself...
BizarroJerry by Matthew Martinez	Jun 24th, 2008 02:49:09 PM
I've got some bad news for you, then. Last I heard, Frank Miller is writing the script for Clive Owen's first outing as Marlowe. It's based on the short story "Trouble Is My Business." I don't really have a problem with this, but if you don't want Marlowe to be "Millerized," it appears you're out of luck.
Re: The Big Sleep by Matthew Martinez	Jun 24th, 2008 02:53:45 PM
When it comes to the books, I prefer The Big Sleep to The Maltese Falcon, but when it comes to the films, I feel exactly the opposite. The problem with Hawks's adaptation of The Big Sleep is the fact that it forces a romance into the story where I don't think one really belongs. (It's really difficult to refer to what goes on in Falcon as a romance. Spade is just out to get some tail.) Aside from that, there are some elements that just couldn't be incorporated due to the production code (e.g., the pornography ring). I really hope Clive Owen gets a chance to remake it.
took directing class w/ Ed Dmytryk by DukeRay	Jun 24th, 2008 03:16:09 PM
Ed taught a popular directing class at USC film school when I went there. He was a tough, highly opinionated guy (he called Hitchcock's directing style "anachronistic") from whom I learned a lot (Ed was big on grammar). Basically, the class was a live version of a commentary track as we'd watch his films. Murder, My Sweet was Ed's big break as a director, and is arguably his best film. He was a fine editor getting his chance to show his stuff as a director and you can see the hunger and creativity of a younger filmmaker at work there; it's really a terrific film and highly influential, oft-imitated. Pop culture homages I've noticed are several Bugs Bunny cartoons, as well as a line in an Elvis Costello song: "A black pool opened up at my feet..." (trivia points to the first geek who can name the song). He lived a controversial life as one of those blacklisted artists who testified a la Elia Kazan, and he worked with legends like Gable, Liz Taylor, Monty Cliff and Bogart. Good to see this, one of his best, getting more exposure.
Aw, man... by BizarroJerry	Jun 24th, 2008 03:49:46 PM
I hate when I'm right about such things. Miller's version's gonna make it all "cool" and over the top, I fear. Maybe at the very least we'll get a full color palette? I always felt Sin City was half-way parodying the genre.
For a second I thought that said "The Godfather" by Big Jim	Jun 24th, 2008 04:00:46 PM
That would have shocked me.
Sin City by DennisMM	Jun 24th, 2008 04:28:41 PM
Is Miller having fun with the form, of course, but he's very serious about it in the process. You should have seen Miller with Mickey Spillane at ChicagoCon in the mid-'90s. It was as if he'd reached out his hand and touched the face of god.
500 theatrical movies a year? by hst666	Jun 24th, 2008 05:41:26 PM
How many festivals? and what is that like 5 movies a day at each festival? Nonfestival viewingwise, are you going to the theater daily? There are only 365 days in a year. On top of that you watch how many movies on DVD annually?
hst by Quint	Jun 24th, 2008 08:34:37 PM
It didn't used to be that much, but now that I cover Sundance in January and follow that up with Santa Barbara FF, by the time we're in February I'm already at or over 100 films seen theatrically. Then there's SXSW, AFF, Fantastic Fest, etc. I don't see a movie theatrically every day, but there are weeks where I see 5 or 6 movies a day (my schedule at Sundance).
The remake is good, too. by Ricky Retardo	Jun 24th, 2008 09:41:20 PM
This was remade in the 1970's as, "Farewell My Lovely." Robert Mitchum played Marlow. The cinematography was by the same guy who did Chinatown. It's a great looking film and Mitchum is terrific. Check it out.
Robert Mitchum was a Bad MuthaFucka! by Redbox	Jun 25th, 2008 08:40:02 AM
I just needed to mention that..
GIVE ME THE AMULET, YOU BITCH!!!! by DRACULA_WANTS_THE_AMULET	Jul 5th, 2008 11:02:06 PM

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A Movie A Day: Quint watches MURDER, MY SWEET (1944)
A black pool opened up at my feet... It had no bottom.

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A Movie A Day: Quint watches MURDER, MY SWEET (1944)A black pool opened up at my feet... It had no bottom.

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A Movie A Day: Quint watches MURDER, MY SWEET (1944)
A black pool opened up at my feet... It had no bottom.