tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post8324632346877569549..comments2024-03-28T01:36:10.408-04:00Comments on Dancin' Dan On Film: Thursday Movie Picks - Movies with Devastating Crushing Endings that Makes You Want to WeepDanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-61313640687681710022015-08-20T10:44:03.209-04:002015-08-20T10:44:03.209-04:00La Strada totally sneaks up on you. For maximum im...La Strada totally sneaks up on you. For maximum impact, try to forget that I included it in this list when you watch it lol.<br /><br />Yes definitely watch The Passion of Joan of Arc as soon as possible. It's a MUST. One of the greatest films ever made. Dreyer's final cut was actually lost for decades until they found a print in a mental institution in Oslo.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-47915228881502422372015-08-19T17:54:20.300-04:002015-08-19T17:54:20.300-04:00I haven't seen West Side Story in years. Reall...I haven't seen West Side Story in years. Really need to re-watch. My silent film journey is at the earliest of stages, but I'm about to do a Blind Spot on Birth of a Nation. It just has to be done. I think I'll do Passion of Joan of Arc as my next one. I also have La Strada on my Blind Spot list this year. Kevin Powershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04219017960488448934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-10217035660800114162015-08-19T16:04:54.696-04:002015-08-19T16:04:54.696-04:00Ok i there's been some focus on the weeping pa...Ok i there's been some focus on the weeping part, but really I was going more for the devastating part with the theme. Now I realise I should names it soul crushing endings. Anyway you don't have to weep literally, you can weep figuratively for humanity or whatever. Now the only one I've seen is West Side Story. The first time I saw it I couldn't get pass the dancing and singing and switched off. I gave it another try, because I always try to, and I really enjoyed it. It has something more to say than just warring families and puppy love.Wandererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02942463921185187112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-81491531783012533742015-08-14T10:52:35.869-04:002015-08-14T10:52:35.869-04:00THANKS! :-DTHANKS! :-DDanielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-72269007053353346922015-08-14T10:52:23.061-04:002015-08-14T10:52:23.061-04:00Oh yes. You MUST start watching classic movies. RI...Oh yes. You MUST start watching classic movies. RIGHT. NOW. :)Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-17358220827933826192015-08-14T10:51:47.000-04:002015-08-14T10:51:47.000-04:00DEFINITELY time for a rewatch of West Side Story. ...DEFINITELY time for a rewatch of West Side Story. It's only one of the greatest films ever made. Definitely see the other two whenever you can.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-14315376852254945132015-08-14T10:51:05.726-04:002015-08-14T10:51:05.726-04:00I'm always devastated by the ending of West Si...I'm always devastated by the ending of West Side Story, no matter how many times I've seen it.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-16808932040286402952015-08-14T09:20:27.936-04:002015-08-14T09:20:27.936-04:00HELL
YES
to all three of these! OMG! Perfect cho...HELL<br />YES<br />to all three of these! OMG! Perfect choices.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-76015237241979925332015-08-13T20:15:46.510-04:002015-08-13T20:15:46.510-04:00I'm so lost at classic movies. I've never ...I'm so lost at classic movies. I've never seen any of this; I think I need to start seeing classic movies in no time :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-67122953941127257962015-08-13T19:02:08.181-04:002015-08-13T19:02:08.181-04:00I've only see West Side Story. I remember liki...I've only see West Side Story. I remember liking it, but it's been thirty years since I've watched it. Time for a rewatch. Been wanting to see the others for quite a while. Thanks for the reminder.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-3815083579922662872015-08-13T18:18:27.146-04:002015-08-13T18:18:27.146-04:00I used to love West Side Story but the ending is j...I used to love West Side Story but the ending is just so sad. I haven't seen the other two but I know of them, so many sad endingsKatie Hoganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01176992567322682222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-21564964704773923352015-08-13T14:34:56.267-04:002015-08-13T14:34:56.267-04:00Oh golly I'm crazy for Now, Voyager but I'...Oh golly I'm crazy for Now, Voyager but I've always seen the ending as hopeful rather then teary. Even at its sudsiest Bette cuts through it with her resolute strength and if she doesn't Gladys Cooper is busy entertaining us by being one of the greatest bitches of all time!<br /><br />I would LOVE to hear what you think of all three of these films. Completely agree that Christine Lahti is great in everything, Hollywood really flubbed handling her. She should be one of the greats. This is my favorite performance of hers, if I had my way she's have an Oscar for it. When you watch brace yourself for the restaurant scene, you'll be totally undone when it's over.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-39172263482203931532015-08-13T12:52:56.478-04:002015-08-13T12:52:56.478-04:00RITA. FUCKING. MORENO. That is all.
I'm with ...RITA. FUCKING. MORENO. That is all.<br /><br />I'm with you on not really being a fan of Quinn but I was totally blown away by him in that final scene of La Strada.<br /><br />Dark Victory is a wonderful choice - almost picked it myself (and contemplated that other great Bette weepie, Now, Voyager). I REALLY need to see It's My Party. I love Eric Roberts. Also need to see Running On Empty, if only for Lahti, who is great in everything.<br /><br />I ADORE Glynis Johns and wow both of those titles just guarantee a tear jerker, don't they? Yet another title from you that I've never heard of that I MUST seek out! THANK YOU!Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-42700034250641958002015-08-13T10:52:07.199-04:002015-08-13T10:52:07.199-04:00Wonderful picks and great for the theme as well. I...Wonderful picks and great for the theme as well. I completely agree with your statement that devastating films leave you with a hollow feeling but aren't cathartic the way a more sorrowful picture can be where they alleviate some emotion within and even if you're watching the end through tears in a weird way you feel better. For me those are the kinds of films I'd re-watch again and again whereas something that makes me feel like a defeated husk is a one and done, wished I'd never watched in the first place kind of experience.<br /><br />My favorite of your three is West Side Story, ya the dancing gangs are something you have to be good with but the music, the story and Rita Moreno!! make up for the absence of a certain reality. Natalie is all wrong for Maria but I still love her in the film, Richard Beymer, well he's very beautiful but...<br /><br />La Strada is beautifully done, even Quinn who I'm not much of a fan of is excellent but a shadow of Masina. Just saw Passion of Joan of Arc last month, it was quite the experience. <br /><br />I thought of Imitation of Life too but since it figured heavily a previous week I looked elsewhere but my love of it remains and I think its everything the theme is meant to represent.<br /><br />My picks all, at least to me, fall on the side of sad but with an underlying beauty side.<br /><br />It's My Party (1996)-Eric Roberts, in the best performance of his career, plays Nick Stark a man with AIDS who chooses to end his life when told by his doctor that he is entering the final stages of PML which will reduce him to a vegetative state prior to death. Before doing so though he throws one last big party to say goodbye to all his friends and family. Randal Kleiser, director of Grease, based this on personal experience and called on many industry friends to work for scale. The film is loaded with a star filled cast including Olivia Newton-John, Margaret Cho, Marlee Matlin, Lee Grant (wonderful as Roberts’ mother) and a host of others. Laced throughout with gallows humor this will still punch you in the gut by its conclusion.<br /><br />Running on Empty (1988)-In their youth protesting American involvement in the Vietnam War Arthur and Annie Pope (Judd Hirsch & Christine Lahti) bomb a napalm plant resulting in the blinding of a man who was there by mistake. They’ve been on the run ever since along with their two children. It's now sixteen years later and the musically gifted older son Danny (River Phoenix) longs to quit running and pursue his own dreams but his leaving will tear the family apart and he may never see them again. Can the family spare him and can he handle the loss if he decides to go? The film doesn't go for easy answers leading to an emotional workout. Phoenix was nominated for an Oscar and Lahti should have been.<br /><br />Dark Victory (1939)-Bette Davis plays Judith Traherne a headstrong somewhat reckless 24 year old heiress who lives life on her own terms until she starts suffering from crippling headaches. It's discovered she has a brain tumor and she has what appears to be successful surgery. During her recovery she falls for her handsome doctor and they plan a life together only for her to stumble across the fact that her prognosis is negative and she only has a short time to live. How she copes with that information fuels the rest of the movie. Beautifully acted with a poignant deeply moving final act.<br /><br />Honorable Mention-All Mine to Give (1957)-A young Scot couple (Glynis Johns & Cameron Mitchell) face many hardships as well as joys as they build a life in the logging town of Eureka, Wisconsin during the 1850’s, having six children along the way. When the family is hit by a succession of tragedies the mother extracts a promise from oldest son Robbie to secure the futures of his siblings. As Christmas approaches he sets out to fulfill her wish. The audience weeps. Based on a true story the British release title of this picture was “The Day They Gave Babies Away”. <br />joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-22716997272857712522015-08-13T09:28:09.497-04:002015-08-13T09:28:09.497-04:00Couldn't get past the dancing gangs of West Si...Couldn't get past the dancing gangs of West Side, huh? I love it - definitely one of the greatest movie musicals ever made - but I can see where it's a bit much for some people.<br /><br />Passion of Joan of Arc is just incredible. See it even if it is in crappy quality on an iPhone screen. It's so powerful that it will still work.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-12745145344500659212015-08-13T09:26:30.489-04:002015-08-13T09:26:30.489-04:00Holy wow but that sounds like quite the incredible...Holy wow but that sounds like quite the incredible way to see Joan. I can only imagine what an experience that must have been!<br /><br />Yeah, the dancing gangs of West Side Story are kinda ridiculous, but the movie as a whole works once you accept the stylized nature of it.<br /><br />La Strada completely floored me. I was not expecting it at all. Wonderful, beautiful film.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-5423620173954766412015-08-13T09:14:01.244-04:002015-08-13T09:14:01.244-04:00La Strada is high on my list to see films. West Si...La Strada is high on my list to see films. West Side Story is quite good and the ending is excellent but I always snicker at the beginning when the rough and tumble gangs start dancing. I finally saw The passion of Joan of Arc in a church last year. It was done through our university here and the George Eastman house along with Chorus Niagara. To say it was an experience is an understatement. It is pure cinema at its finest!Birgithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09439720285857050428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-32320041184747841972015-08-13T09:06:27.641-04:002015-08-13T09:06:27.641-04:00The only one of these I've seen is West Side S...The only one of these I've seen is West Side Story, and I didn't care for it. The Passion of Joan of Arc is one I'd like to see eventually. You have me more intrigued nowBrittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.com