"I never killed a man who didn't need killin"

[Abby Normal]

[QUOTE=Steadmund Brand;321760]

Hi Steadmund,

I'm still working on the fact that the Nigel Hawthorne film changed the title from the play from "The Madness of King George III" because they feared that Americans would think they missed "The Madness of King George I" and "The Madness of King George II".

What is pathetic is they are right... most Americans would think that... I hate to admit that but tis sad but true..

by the way... did you have an example of an Oscar decision that really upset you? or does anyone have an example?

Steadmund Brand

Hi SB
Oh God yes! But I'll just keep to most recent:

Shakespeare in love
American Beauty
A Beatiful Mind
Argo

[Steadmund Brand]

[QUOTE=Mayerling;321693]Hi Steadmund,

I'm still working on the fact that the Nigel Hawthorne film changed the title from the play from "The Madness of King George III" because they feared that Americans would think they missed "The Madness of King George I" and "The Madness of King George II".

What is pathetic is they are right... most Americans would think that... I hate to admit that but tis sad but true..

by the way... did you have an example of an Oscar decision that really upset you? or does anyone have an example?

Steadmund Brand

[Robert]

Hi Jeff

It could also happen the other way round. See 'Underworld' and 'Young Man With A Horn.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_with_different_titles_in_the_United_Kingdom_and_United_States

[Mayerling]

I don't think that was a terrible decision...as you said.. both great films...

we should maybe talk about the worst Oscar moments ever .. the one that sticks in my craw is when Tom Hanks (who I admit is a good actor) was given the best actor Oscar for Forest Gump (ok.. I know I will upset lots of folks now.. but the movie was really not that good.. and his performance was nothing special... ANYONE could have played it that way!!) and he beat Nigel Hawthorne who was nominated for The Madness of King George, and his performance may be one of the great screen performances of all time..that was a crime...but, nobody saw Madness, and well Gump was forced down all our throats...I actually stopped watching the Oscars after that..

Steadmund Brand--

Hi Steadmund,

I'm still working on the fact that the Nigel Hawthorne film changed the title from the play from "The Madness of King George III" because they feared that Americans would think they missed "The Madness of King George I" and "The Madness of King George II". The only similar idiotic title change like that for a British film in America that I recall is a film from the 1940s with Rex Harrison and Lili Palmer called "The Rake's Progress", a reference to the loose living of Harrison's upper crust bounder in the film (and a reference to William Hogarth's 18th Century series of classic cartoons about the rise and fall of Tom Rakewell). It was feared Americans would not understand "The Rake" in the title, and think that Harrison was in a film about gardening or agriculture. The film was shown here as "The Notorious Gentleman".

This nonsense is in other communication venues besides films. In 1892-93 Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote (in the series of stories called "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes") a story called "The Adventure of the Reigate Squires". There is nothing wrong with that title, but in the 1890s there were some bumpy diplomatic moments between the U.S. and Great Britain, and Conan Doyle's American publisher thought the title would offend American democratic feelings. Here the title was changed (and I regret to say remains changed) to "The Adventure of the Reigate Puzzle", which deals with a clue to a murder. I still can't see why it cannot be formally changed back.

Jeff

[Mayerling]

Hi Jeff

I saw a performance of the Cavalcade Titanic scene a few years ago - part of a programme on Coward, probably - and they said that Coward felt that the Titanic reference at the end was slightly over-egging the pudding. I like Coward, though.

What did you think of the decision to give the Oscar to Stalag 17 instead of Shane? Both good films but I prefer Shane.

Hi Robert,

I would say the Cavalcade "Titanic" scene was a bit overdone, but there would have been no other way to end the scene. Somehow the payoff has to be that we know that this sad, happily newlywed couple is doomed due to forces they can't foresee. If you start the scene with them saying how wonderful the "Titanic" is, the scene will wilt away.

I like both "Stalag 17" for the performances of William Holden and Robert Strauss (as "Animal"), and "Shane" which contains one of Alan Ladd's sturdiest performances, as well as having that scene where Jack Palance goads Elisha Cook Jr. into drawing so he can kill him "in self defense" before witnesses. I cannot choose between them as to which is better. The problem is "Stalag" is a great war film, and "Shane" a great western. There is really no fair way of comparing them.

The Academy ought to return to a differentiation in awards they dropped far to early. In 1928 they had a special category, "Best comedy direction", as opposed to "Best direction". I believe Lewis Milestone won the award for one of those "Quirk and Flagg" follow-up films ("Women of all Nations" may have been the title - not, I believe, either Chaplin's "The Circus" or Keaton's
"The Cameraman", or LLoyd's "The Kid Brother". What the Academy could have done would have been to make "Best Western Award", "Best Musical Award", "Best Historical Drama", "Best Mystery" - well you can see it would have made more sense. However, the rivalry of the major studios, and the tremendous clout of MGM in voting, reduced the chances of this (it would look more tremendous if MGM's "Grand Hotel" won the 1932-33 Best Picture Oscar than if it was compartmentalized into a genre of some type. It surprises me that in the early years Oscars went to a Western ("Cimerron" with Irene Dunne and Richard Dix") and a Musical ("Broadway Melody"), and that Frederic March got the 1932-33 best actor Oscar for a horror role ("Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde") though MGM forced additional late votes to be counted to give a tie award that year to Wallace Beery for "The Champ". March was the last performer to win for a horror or science fiction part until Anthony Hopkins did as "Hannibal Lector" in "Silence of the Lambs" six decades later.

Jeff

[DVV]

!!!!!

[Robert]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD8EtvWW8nw

[DVV]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8ZA_8l3YVg

[GUT]

G'day Steadmund

Or like Bluto off Popeye. In fact I walk into Court and one Solicitor always calls me Bluto.

Nowdays I'm only about 6'1" was 6'2" and down to about 250lb having lost almost 70, but with the same beard and all.

[DVV]

"The man who doesn't exercise the first law of nature - that of self preservation - is not worthy of living and breathing the breath of life."

John Wesley Hardin

[Steadmund Brand]

Lol sorry how bout hang em high...I like the spaghettis..Franco Nero vs Eastwood.. Django vs blondie who wins...whose faster?

Just ask GUT or myself.... NOBODY is fastest

Steadmund Brand

[Steadmund Brand]

Hi Jeff

I saw a performance of the Cavalcade Titanic scene a few years ago - part of a programme on Coward, probably - and they said that Coward felt that the Titanic reference at the end was slightly over-egging the pudding. I like Coward, though.

What did you think of the decision to give the Oscar to Stalag 17 instead of Shane? Both good films but I prefer Shane.

I don't think that was a terrible decision...as you said.. both great films...

we should maybe talk about the worst Oscar moments ever .. the one that sticks in my craw is when Tom Hanks (who I admit is a good actor) was given the best actor Oscar for Forest Gump (ok.. I know I will upset lots of folks now.. but the movie was really not that good.. and his performance was nothing special... ANYONE could have played it that way!!) and he beat Nigel Hawthorne who was nominated for The Madness of King George, and his performance may be one of the great screen performances of all time..that was a crime...but, nobody saw Madness, and well Gump was forced down all our throats...I actually stopped watching the Oscars after that..

Steadmund Brand--

[Steadmund Brand]

Personally I liked them all, actually I shouted my best mate to come see "Nobody" with me, Ive got a few on DVD but some are hard to find.

I loved the scene where the gunman is bragging "Nobody s faster than me" and then Hill beats him cold.

If you want to know what look like I've been told it's Bud.

you look like Bud eh? then you are much smaller than I ( I'm a bit giant... even for Americans... 6feet 5 inches tall and over 300 pounds).

I love Terence and Bud films... I found quite a few on DVD ( I am lucky, I bought an all region DVD player.. as well we all know how terrible the US format is.. especially for those of us who like foreign films)

I have Nobody on dvd, quite a good print too....made the woman watch it... actually she is quite a fan of the boys now....plus she thinks Terence is nice to look at so she never complains , I have to admit I wasnt a big fan of the "sequel" A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe.. but it was ok.....

I think we need an International Terence and Bud night


Steadmund Brand

[Robert]

Hi Jeff

I saw a performance of the Cavalcade Titanic scene a few years ago - part of a programme on Coward, probably - and they said that Coward felt that the Titanic reference at the end was slightly over-egging the pudding. I like Coward, though.

What did you think of the decision to give the Oscar to Stalag 17 instead of Shane? Both good films but I prefer Shane.

[GUT]

And was worth every minute I bet!!!!

Steadmnund Brand

I almost think a what is your favorite Terence and Bud film thread is needed... but probably too few people on here remember or like them...Watch Out We're Mad is my favorite by the way

Personally I liked them all, actually I shouted my best mate to come see "Nobody" with me, Ive got a few on DVD but some are hard to find.

I loved the scene where the gunman is bragging "Nobody s faster than me" and then Hill beats him cold.

If you want to know what look like I've been told it's Bud.