Comments for davekehr.com http://www.davekehr.com reports from the lost continent of cinephilia Thu, 17 May 2012 01:17:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Girl Power by Mike Grost http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86323 Mike Grost Thu, 17 May 2012 01:17:14 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86323 I loved Stiller’s EROTIKON. And am looking forward to seeing lots more Stiller. Hollywood made some romantic comedy films in the 1910's. They are less familiar that the silent comedy of Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd. And mainly lack slapstick or visual gags. Young Romance (George Melford, 1915) and Delicious Little Devil (Robert Z. Leonard, 1919) are especially good. I've never been able to warm up to Pillow Talk or the other Doris Day films of its ilk. And don't know why. Doris Day is terrific in Calamity Jane and The Man Who Knew Too Much. And she later got much better material than Pillow Talk in The Glass Bottom Boat (Tashlin). I loved Stiller’s EROTIKON. And am looking forward to seeing lots more Stiller.

Hollywood made some romantic comedy films in the 1910′s. They are less familiar that the silent comedy of Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd. And mainly lack slapstick or visual gags.
Young Romance (George Melford, 1915) and Delicious Little Devil (Robert Z. Leonard, 1919) are especially good.

I’ve never been able to warm up to Pillow Talk or the other Doris Day films of its ilk. And don’t know why. Doris Day is terrific in Calamity Jane and The Man Who Knew Too Much.
And she later got much better material than Pillow Talk in The Glass Bottom Boat (Tashlin).

]]> Comment on Girl Power by pat graham http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86321 pat graham Thu, 17 May 2012 01:05:06 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86321 alex--maybe PATTES BLANCHES is the gremillon you're trying to remember; it played at the film center at some point, though not, i think, as part of that formidable '82 series alex–maybe PATTES BLANCHES is the gremillon you’re trying to remember; it played at the film center at some point, though not, i think, as part of that formidable ’82 series

]]> Comment on Girl Power by jbryant http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86320 jbryant Thu, 17 May 2012 00:09:46 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86320 I'd say there are aspects of romantic comedy in various Harold Lloyd films, or something like the Mary Pickford vehicle MY BEST GIRL (Sam Taylor, 1927). But that's just off the top of my head; I haven't really looked into it. I’d say there are aspects of romantic comedy in various Harold Lloyd films, or something like the Mary Pickford vehicle MY BEST GIRL (Sam Taylor, 1927). But that’s just off the top of my head; I haven’t really looked into it.

]]> Comment on Girl Power by Barry Putterman http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86318 Barry Putterman Wed, 16 May 2012 22:57:40 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86318 Johan, I'm still laughing at Karin Molander rehearsing in front of her mirror in THOMAS GRAALS BASTA FILM, and I haven't seen it in at least thirty years. Johan, I’m still laughing at Karin Molander rehearsing in front of her mirror in THOMAS GRAALS BASTA FILM, and I haven’t seen it in at least thirty years.

]]> Comment on Girl Power by Johan Andreasson http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86317 Johan Andreasson Wed, 16 May 2012 22:34:10 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86317 I guess Stiller’s EROTIKON could be seen as one of the roots of romantic comedy movies. It’s based on a Hungarian play, it influenced Lubitsch and DeMille, and the story revolves around an entomology professor obsessed with the sexual life of bugs, which would link it to characters played by Cary Grant and Henry Fonda in romantic comedies by Hawks and Sturges. I guess Stiller’s EROTIKON could be seen as one of the roots of romantic comedy movies. It’s based on a Hungarian play, it influenced Lubitsch and DeMille, and the story revolves around an entomology professor obsessed with the sexual life of bugs, which would link it to characters played by Cary Grant and Henry Fonda in romantic comedies by Hawks and Sturges.

]]> Comment on Even Stevens by x359594 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1338&cpage=4#comment-86315 x359594 Wed, 16 May 2012 20:31:30 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1338#comment-86315 "SHIN HEIKE MONOGATARI, existing movie is only part one, originally three part movie, because novel was serialized." I'm sure that Junko knows about this, but NHK's current taiga drama (its 51st!)is called "Taira no Kiyomori" (played by Ichikawa Raizo in Mizoguchi's picture) and viewable on TV in Los Angeles. The series is nearing the half way point. This version isn't based on Yoshikawa's novel as was Mizoguchi's film. For anyone who's interested there's an English translation published under the title of "The Heike Story." “SHIN HEIKE MONOGATARI, existing movie is only part one, originally three part movie, because novel was serialized.”

I’m sure that Junko knows about this, but NHK’s current taiga drama (its 51st!)is called “Taira no Kiyomori” (played by Ichikawa Raizo in Mizoguchi’s picture) and viewable on TV in Los Angeles. The series is nearing the half way point. This version isn’t based on Yoshikawa’s novel as was Mizoguchi’s film. For anyone who’s interested there’s an English translation published under the title of “The Heike Story.”

]]> Comment on Girl Power by Alex http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86314 Alex Wed, 16 May 2012 20:25:25 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86314 David Boxwell I've only seen the wonderful LE CiEL EST A VOUS so far, but it's not the film I saw at the Chicago Art Institute in '82-- nor quite the frolic I think of as romantic comedy. Looking forward to seeing REMORQUES and LUMIERE D’ETE, but I've peaked ahead enough to discern that REMORQUES has more tug boats and LUMIERE less Paris than the film I'd recapture. Of it I recall key scenes in the central Parisian produce market at night, as well as in a mildly haunted castle. David Boxwell

I’ve only seen the wonderful LE CiEL EST A VOUS so far, but it’s not the film I saw at the Chicago Art Institute in ’82– nor quite the frolic I think of as romantic comedy. Looking forward to seeing REMORQUES and LUMIERE D’ETE, but I’ve peaked ahead enough to discern that REMORQUES has more tug boats and LUMIERE less Paris than the film I’d recapture. Of it I recall key scenes in the central Parisian produce market at night, as well as in a mildly haunted castle.

]]> Comment on Girl Power by Alex http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86311 Alex Wed, 16 May 2012 19:48:38 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86311 Barry Putterman, You mean 1932-1942 Americana -- rich, young 1932-1942, Manhattan Americana in particular--doesn't define the universal in romantic fun? Thanks for the Duvivier and Wilder tips, and word or a Siodmak film blanc. Barry Putterman,

You mean 1932-1942 Americana — rich, young 1932-1942, Manhattan Americana in particular–doesn’t define the universal in romantic fun?

Thanks for the Duvivier and Wilder tips, and word or a Siodmak film blanc.

]]> Comment on Girl Power by Robert Sweeney http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86310 Robert Sweeney Wed, 16 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86310 That's true, Dave. I wasn't thinking big picture. But as you said, what institution could financially sustain a long litigation process from invoking 108(h)? Have you spoken to any organizations that are thinking about invoking it? That’s true, Dave. I wasn’t thinking big picture. But as you said, what institution could financially sustain a long litigation process from invoking 108(h)? Have you spoken to any organizations that are thinking about invoking it?

]]> Comment on Girl Power by Barry Putterman http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341&cpage=1#comment-86309 Barry Putterman Wed, 16 May 2012 18:44:29 +0000 http://www.davekehr.com/?p=1341#comment-86309 I would imagine that every culture has a long, deep tradition of romantic comedies and that very few of the films cross international borders because, well, every culture has a long, deep tradition of romantic comedies, so why would the home audience want to look at somebody else's? The Julian Duvivier series at MoMA had a rather clever early sound romantic comedy called ALLO BERLIN? ICI PARIS!. There were some nice examples in the German Weimar series as well, including a few with Billy Wilder in the writing credtis such as DAS BLAUE VON HIMMEL. And Siodmak's MISTER FLOW has some good ideas in it. None of those films quite make it to Lubitsch level. But a lot of comic behavior depends on your familiarity with the local customs. And that's another reason why not too many of the films wind up crossing international borders. I would imagine that every culture has a long, deep tradition of romantic comedies and that very few of the films cross international borders because, well, every culture has a long, deep tradition of romantic comedies, so why would the home audience want to look at somebody else’s?

The Julian Duvivier series at MoMA had a rather clever early sound romantic comedy called ALLO BERLIN? ICI PARIS!. There were some nice examples in the German Weimar series as well, including a few with Billy Wilder in the writing credtis such as DAS BLAUE VON HIMMEL. And Siodmak’s MISTER FLOW has some good ideas in it.

None of those films quite make it to Lubitsch level. But a lot of comic behavior depends on your familiarity with the local customs. And that’s another reason why not too many of the films wind up crossing international borders.

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