shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,864
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Post by shaxper on Jan 17, 2015 12:38:08 GMT -5
I had no idea there was a 1918 version of Tarzan!
You know, when you inevitably win this month, I think you should make film serials the next assignment.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 17, 2015 12:43:02 GMT -5
I had no idea there was a 1918 version of Tarzan! You know, when you inevitably win this month, I think you should make film serials the next assignment. It's a pretty great silent film on it's own and like I said the animal photography is pretty amazing...though for my money the best bit was the scene where the apes steel the young Lord Greystoke from his crib. They are very obviously guys in gorilla suits but it's fun none the less. The best part? Like nearly all silent films it's public domain so you can watch it for free at many locations online. Movie serials are definitely one of my favorite types of films(though the 1918 Tarzan was feature length) so I wouldn't discount it if I won. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,864
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Post by shaxper on Jan 17, 2015 12:44:09 GMT -5
Movie serials are definitely one of my favorite types of films(though the 1918 Tarzan was feature length) so I wouldn't discount it if I won. There are so many I still need to see, starting with Captain marvel, Flash Gordon, and the 1915 Les Vampires. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 17, 2015 12:48:52 GMT -5
Movie serials are definitely one of my favorite types of films(though the 1918 Tarzan was feature length) so I wouldn't discount it if I won. There are so many I still need to see, starting with Captain marvel, Flash Gordon, and the 1915 Les Vampires. The Flash Gordon serials are, in my mind, the best and due to their high production values probably the best way to get into serials for anyone not accustomed to them. And, at least for you're first venture(no matter what it may be), I'd definitely suggest only watching a chapter a night. I've been watching them straight through these last few days and while they're still fun their cliff hanger endings really are best experienced with some room in between them. That's what I did with the Phantom and that's been my favorite so far. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 17, 2015 13:30:15 GMT -5
Second up, and a new one for me:
The New Adventures of Tarzan Starring Herman Brix Produced by Burroughs-Tarzan Enterprises 1935  ![]() This is a film I've wanted to see for a while as it's such an interesting piece of Tarzan history. You see by the 1930's Burroughs had pretty much had it with Hollywood, they were making millions off his work and, comparatively speaking, giving him a mere pittance and so in 1934 with the contract with MGM due to expire and with the persuasion of Ashton Dearholt(an expedition film maker) Borroughs formed his own company Burroughs-Tarzan Enterprises and wrote an entirely new story to film on location in Guatemala which was a first for Tarzan films.
Strangely enough, though set to make more off of the film than previous installments due to troubles filming the picture Burroughs decided to renegotiate a deal with MGM who then proceeded to basically squash the film in the United States. As such, it's an often overlooked film(even by me till now) despite being the only film written directly by Burroughs and starring an actor he hand picked for the role. Despite the smear campaign perpetrated by MGM, the reviews of which still stand largely uncontested to this day, this is an excellent Tarzan film. The plot to get Tarzan to get to Guatamala is a little thin, (Tarzan heads there to rescue a party of friends who set out to find the lost statue of the Green Goddess) but exotic locale gives the film a very authentic feel and Brix has the perfect body for Tarzan being athletic but lean and best of all this is the first time on film that we see the well spoken and civilized Tarzan from Burroughs novels! Now I don't hate the, "Me, Tarzan, you Jane" characterization, it has its own charm but it was fun to see a very faithful adaptation.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 17, 2015 15:52:37 GMT -5
Along with Johnny Weissmuller, Gordon Scott is one of my favorite actors to play Tarzan and although I have once seen him in 1960's Tarzan the Magnificent in stunning color I had until this day never seen his first color Tarzan picture Tarzan's Greatest Adventure made in 1959 by Paramount Pictures and I can say its probably the best Tarzan film I've ever seen
Tarzan's Greatest Adventure Starring Gordon Scott Paramount, 1959  Filmed in color and on location in Africa, and not only do we get Scott(who is fantastic in the role of Tarzan) but also an amazing supporting cast that boasted the likes of Anthony Quayle, Niall MacGinnis...and a young Sean Connery, whom I learned in the commentary impressed director John Guillermin so much that he was offered the role of Tarzan in the next film...but before he could say yes he got a call back from an audition he did for a certain film featuring that famous British secret agent. Oh if history had only be different, can you imagine Connery, the hairy chested love god of the 60's as Tarzan? Only if...
At any rate, I think the biggest selling point of this film is that even today it still feels contemporary, I mean all the other films were meant to take place in the then current period, but as you view them now you can't help but feel that they are period pieces where as this 1959 film though nearly as old as the many films that came before it still maintains a timeless feel. I don't know if it's only because it was shot in color or because it focuses on a plot that is analogous with more modern day stories set in Africa like Blood Diamond but other than the youthful Connery and that 1960's technicolor aspect of the film quality you probably would guess the age of this film.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 17, 2015 22:04:17 GMT -5
Tarzan Tony Goldwyn as the voice of Tarzan Disney, 1999  Given the popularity of Tarzan I was surprised to learn that this was the first actual animated adaptation, there were many parodies and homages but this 1999 Disney feature represented his animated debut and boy was it a good one. Through the use of animation we finally got to see a Tarzan that moves through the jungle with animal speed and grace that cannot actually be duplicated by an actual human actor. For the first time ever I got to see there live on the screen what had only once only existed in my imagination which floored me.
In addition to the awesome animation I loved the addition of Tarzan's search for his identity, that feeling of being similar to his adopted ape family yet being definitely apart was a beautiful new layer to Burroughs story that though new felt organic to the original narrative. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 19, 2015 17:37:20 GMT -5
Dick Tracy and the Spider Ring Ralph Byrd as Dick Tracy 1937, Republic Pictures  This is the first of four very successful serials put out by Republic and in my mind the best of the bunch. It's seriously one of the best action serials made and the suspense it creates with its cliff hanger ending as fantastic, with each one putting Tracy in a new peril and unlike many other serials his escapes are at least plausible. And although it lacks the colorful villains of Gould's classic comic the plot with the Spider and his ring of mind controlled minions(including Tracy's brother Gordon) feels right out the comic. The best part though comes near the end with Tracy's final confrontation with his brain washed brother, as he lies dying Gordon regains his memory and that emotional moment is one of the few times in a movie serial where actual sense of pathos is achieved elevating the picture above its B-movie trappings. Dick Tracy Warren Beatty as Dick Tracy 1990, Touch Stone Pictures/Disney  Where as the serials strove for a balance between Chester Gould's colorful comic and the serious pulp detective films of their time Beatty's 1990 picture forgoes the noir sensibilities of the past and fully embraces all the colorful stylings of the comic strip from the deformed villains right on down to the bright, primary colored pallet. And while I love the look, and the actors all turned in great performances the story was slightly underwhelming and the child sidekick got old when he started to fully emulate Tracy right down to dressing like him. Still, that said I love this film and it's unabashed acceptance the comic book medium is something I wish more films would embrace.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,864
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Post by shaxper on Jan 19, 2015 20:46:51 GMT -5
Sadly, as of right now, you and I are the only ones participating in this month's theme. Hoping that will change!
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 19, 2015 22:00:33 GMT -5
Sadly, as of right now, you and I are the only ones participating in this month's theme. Hoping that will change! Yeah, I hoping this one would prove really popular but I guess you just can't predict that. |
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Post by robsuperfriend63 on Jan 19, 2015 23:34:46 GMT -5
Sadly, as of right now, you and I are the only ones participating in this month's theme. Hoping that will change! I've got one 1994 The Shadow: Granted, story wise it was weak in spots, but when I heard that Alec Baldwin was being cast as the Shadow, I knew he would do justice to the part. I first saw Baldwin in the TV drama Knots Landing where he played that dark preacher, Joshua who was real sick. If there is one thing Baldwin can do is be dark. Another thing I liked about the film was they combind the Shadow pulps & the Shadow radio series into this one movie. Meaning, he had is dark hat & cloak from the books, and is power of invisibility from the radio show. For me, I was first introduced to the Shadow by radio recordings which I collect as a hobby. My Dad was a kid of old time radio, and he past that on to me. I of course grew up with TV, but my Dad impressed on me the entertaint of radio cause it's the theater of the mind because you picture the scenes in your head while you listen to the story and it's fun! I also collect movie serials, so I agree, that that would be a cool topic to talk about next month! -Rob |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,864
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Post by shaxper on Jan 19, 2015 23:36:08 GMT -5
Sadly, as of right now, you and I are the only ones participating in this month's theme. Hoping that will change! I've got one 1994 The Shadow:Granted, story wise it was weak in spots, but when I heard that Alec Baldwin was being cast as the Shadow, I knew he would do justice to the part. I first was Baldwin in the TV drama Knots Landing where he played that dark preacher, Joshua who was real sick. If there is one thing Baldwin can do is be dark. Another thing I liked about the film was they combind the Shadow pulps & the Shadow radio series into this one movie. Meaning, he had is dark hat & cloak from the books, and is power of invisibility from the radio show. For me, I was first introduced to the Shadow by radio recordings which I collect as a hobby. My Dad was a kid of old time radio, and he past that on to me. I of course grew up with TV, but my Dad impressed on me the entertaint of radio cause it's the theater of the mind because you picture the scenes in your head while you listen to the story and it's fun! I also collect movie serials, so I agree, that that would be a cool topic to talk about next month! -Rob Welcome to the club, Rob!  |
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Post by robsuperfriend63 on Jan 19, 2015 23:40:47 GMT -5
I've got one 1994 The Shadow:Granted, story wise it was weak in spots, but when I heard that Alec Baldwin was being cast as the Shadow, I knew he would do justice to the part. I first was Baldwin in the TV drama Knots Landing where he played that dark preacher, Joshua who was real sick. If there is one thing Baldwin can do is be dark. Another thing I liked about the film was they combind the Shadow pulps & the Shadow radio series into this one movie. Meaning, he had is dark hat & cloak from the books, and is power of invisibility from the radio show. For me, I was first introduced to the Shadow by radio recordings which I collect as a hobby. My Dad was a kid of old time radio, and he past that on to me. I of course grew up with TV, but my Dad impressed on me the entertaint of radio cause it's the theater of the mind because you picture the scenes in your head while you listen to the story and it's fun! I also collect movie serials, so I agree, that that would be a cool topic to talk about next month! -Rob Welcome to the club, Rob! No problem, glad to share on the topic. Besides, I hate to see a grown CCF Administrator cry. It gets the forum wet.....  LOL |
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Post by robsuperfriend63 on Jan 19, 2015 23:51:12 GMT -5
Finally watched my first film tonight: Trial of the Incredible Hulk from 1989. The last time I saw this film was when it first aired on television. I was nine at the time and, while deeply interested in superheroes, knew very little about the ones who weren't on television and so was instantly enamored with Daredevil as presented in that film. In hindsight, it's a pretty lousy film on multiple levels, but it was a great nostalgia trip all the same.  I agree, it's not really cannon, but to be fair all the Marvel TV stuff from 70s & 80s wasn't too canon, but it was entertaining. I met Rex Smith (Daredevil) at a con once. Nice guy. Last I heard he was trying to do a reunion movie of Street Hawk and get the cast back together for that. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,864
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Post by shaxper on Jan 19, 2015 23:59:47 GMT -5
;Last I heard he was trying to do a reunion movie of Street Hawk and get the cast back together for that. The last time I watched an episode of Streethawk was when it was still airing on TV, but I really loved that show as a kid. |
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LOL