Spot the Leica!

Why do they have more modern weapons, yet ancient cameras (Leica M3 & Arriflex 16S)? Is this supposed to be set in the late 1950's? A little confused. I don't think the M-16's were in common use back then.
 
I realize this is off topic a bit but God I am sick of Hollywood.

Is there a movie out there that is not designed for 13 year olds? Is there a movie out there that is not derivative, repetitive rubbish - yet another version of the same monster movie made one after another for the past two decades since digital special effect rendering became available? Is there no movie that is not about super heros, monsters, the supernatural or otherwise based on children's comic books? Something with at least two dimensional rather than one dimensional characters, ideally with a script that makes sense and has a mental age above single digits? Any movie whose plot twist is not that it has more explosions and physically impossible action scenes than other movies released this year? Something? Anything? It has been years since I have been able to bring myself to pay money to watch pretty well any Hollywood mainstream "block buster". So I gotta say using an M3 in a movie apparently set in modern times is the least of my concerns. (Rant mode off) 🙂
 
I realize this is off topic a bit but God I am sick of Hollywood.

Is there a movie out there that is not designed for 13 year olds? Is there a movie out there that is not derivative, repetitive rubbish - yet another version of the same monster movie made one after another for the past two decades since digital special effect rendering became available? Is there no movie that is not about super heros, monsters, the supernatural or otherwise based on children's comic books? Something with at least two dimensional rather than one dimensional characters, ideally with a script that makes sense and has a mental age above single digits? Any movie whose plot twist is not that it has more explosions and physically impossible action scenes than other movies released this year? Something? Anything? It has been years since I have been able to bring myself to pay money to watch pretty well any Hollywood mainstream "block buster". So I gotta say using an M3 in a movie apparently set in modern times is the least of my concerns. (Rant mode off)


That was my first reaction Peter.
 
I realize this is off topic a bit but God I am sick of Hollywood.

Is there a movie out there that is not designed for 13 year olds? Is there a movie out there that is not derivative, repetitive rubbish - yet another version of the same monster movie made one after another for the past two decades since digital special effect rendering became available? Is there no movie that is not about super heros, monsters, the supernatural or otherwise based on children's comic books? Something with at least two dimensional rather than one dimensional characters, ideally with a script that makes sense and has a mental age above single digits? Any movie whose plot twist is not that it has more explosions and physically impossible action scenes than other movies released this year? Something? Anything? It has been years since I have been able to bring myself to pay money to watch pretty well any Hollywood mainstream "block buster". So I gotta say using an M3 in a movie apparently set in modern times is the least of my concerns. (Rant mode off) 🙂
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4975722/
 
I realize this is off topic a bit but God I am sick of Hollywood.

Is there a movie out there that is not designed for 13 year olds? Is there a movie out there that is not derivative, repetitive rubbish - yet another version of the same monster movie made one after another for the past two decades since digital special effect rendering became available? Is there no movie that is not about super heros, monsters, the supernatural or otherwise based on children's comic books? Something with at least two dimensional rather than one dimensional characters, ideally with a script that makes sense and has a mental age above single digits? Any movie whose plot twist is not that it has more explosions and physically impossible action scenes than other movies released this year? Something? Anything? It has been years since I have been able to bring myself to pay money to watch pretty well any Hollywood mainstream "block buster". So I gotta say using an M3 in a movie apparently set in modern times is the least of my concerns. (Rant mode off) 🙂

There are many, many, many such movies. We are, in fact, in a golden age of independent cinema. This ain't an example of it, but...

Anyway, I'll watch a monster movie anytime, especially one with a Leica in it. So, thanks!
 
I realize this is off topic a bit but God I am sick of Hollywood.

Is there a movie out there that is not designed for 13 year olds? Is there a movie out there that is not derivative, repetitive rubbish - yet another version of the same monster movie made one after another for the past two decades since digital special effect rendering became available? Is there no movie that is not about super heros, monsters, the supernatural or otherwise based on children's comic books? Something with at least two dimensional rather than one dimensional characters, ideally with a script that makes sense and has a mental age above single digits? Any movie whose plot twist is not that it has more explosions and physically impossible action scenes than other movies released this year? Something? Anything? It has been years since I have been able to bring myself to pay money to watch pretty well any Hollywood mainstream "block buster". So I gotta say using an M3 in a movie apparently set in modern times is the least of my concerns. (Rant mode off) 🙂

Yup...Pretty sure Hollywood has officially run out of original ideas...how many times can we do King Kong???
How about something with a decent script, dialogue, acting and ideas...
 

Cool thanks I will look into it.

I suppose I have to admit I was being just a bit hyperbolic and some good movies creep out - but often the ones that do best and who get all the advertising (perhaps they need it to break even) are the merde ones that are just special effects and action hero fliks. By the way I can handle some action hero movies - when they are done with some style and especially, humor. The old "Alien" movie (the original) and "Terminator" were not bad, with the latter, especially having a touch of humor. Far better though was "Blade Runner" in my view as it raised serious issues in a sensitive and exciting / interesting way and was a s entertaining as all get out. So Hollywood can do intelligent movies if it wants to. It just does not want to these days (the above being what, 20+ years old).

Another recent movie I do propose watching when released in Oz, is Martin Scorcese film "Silence" set in ancient Japan and dealing with interesting issues.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490215/?ref_=nv_sr_1

But nothwithstanding its director being Scorcese, I bet this will receive no where near as much media hype as Matt Damon saving the Middle Kingdom in "Great Wall" (puke). And the fact that the latter was made by Zhang Yimou a terrific Chinese Director who has turned some wonderful stories into movies (Check out "The Road Home" and "Under the and Hawthorne Tree" and whom I admire greatly does not save it in my view based on its trailers and advertised story line. About as good a concept as Keanu Reeves saving Japan from monsters in 47 Ronin. The real 47 Ronin story BTW is a great real life story in Japanese history so I can only imagine what the poor Japanese thought about this mish mash of non historical nonsense. (Well actually I can - apparently it grossed $100m less than the $200m+ it cost to make so maybe audiences are getting the message that too many Hollywood movies have nothing going for them than big name "stars" and even bigger special effects budgets.)
 
1973, supposedly. It is perplexing that she would use an M3 and not an M4 if she wanted to use a 35mm lens. My guess is basically because it looks more wacky-old-timey than tools of the time.

The M-16 was adopted some 10 years prior - so it's feasible.

Doesn't mean this movie doesn't look awful.

I would say she had an M3 because someone in the cast or crew owned owned an M3, and the director said, "Hey, we can use that." I know for a fact, it has happened before. I know an actress who owns a red fez and was told, "Bring it, wear it, we'll use it."
 
Cool thanks I will look into it.

I suppose I have to admit I was being just a bit hyperbolic and some good movies creep out - but often the ones that do best and who get all the advertising (perhaps they need it to break even) are the merde ones that are just special effects and action hero fliks. By the way I can handle some action hero movies - when they are done with some style and especially, humor. The old "Alien" movie (the original) and "Terminator" were not bad, with the latter, especially having a touch of humor. Far better though was "Blade Runner" in my view as it raised serious issues in a sensitive and exciting / interesting way and was a s entertaining as all get out. So Hollywood can do intelligent movies if it wants to. It just does not want to these days (the above being what, 20+ years old).

Another recent movie I do propose watching when released in Oz, is Martin Scorcese film "Silence" set in ancient Japan and dealing with interesting issues.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490215/?ref_=nv_sr_1

But nothwithstanding its director being Scorcese, I bet this will receive no where near as much media hype as Matt Damon saving the Middle Kingdom in "Great Wall" (puke). And the fact that the latter was made by Zhang Yimou a terrific Chinese Director who has turned some wonderful stories into movies (Check out "The Road Home" and "Under the and Hawthorne Tree" and whom I admire greatly does not save it in my view based on its trailers and advertised story line. About as good a concept as Keanu Reeves saving Japan from monsters in 47 Ronin. The real 47 Ronin story BTW is a great real life story in Japanese history so I can only imagine what the poor Japanese thought about this mish mash of non historical nonsense. (Well actually I can - apparently it grossed $100m less than the $200m+ it cost to make so maybe audiences are getting the message that too many Hollywood movies have nothing going for them than big name "stars" and even bigger special effects budgets.)

There really is a world of great films you can see in theaters and stream on your TV that are far removed from the stuff you typically see advertised. If you have a local art house theater, go to it. Rent or buy some Criterion Collection stuff. Sometimes really great films break through and become popular, like this year's Moonlight, a coming-of-age drama set in urban Florida, with strange and beautiful cinematography and extraordinary acting; or Arrival, a very dark and quiet sci-fi flick that's really about linguistics and learning how to grieve. People are even receptive enough to these films to make them actually earn money and award nominations. I honestly think people are more willing to see, read, or listen to something truly wonderful than at any time that I've been alive.

The superhero and action stuff is mostly (not all, mind you) just mass-market noise, just like the most popular offerings in every entertainment medium since the dawn of time. Complaining about it is pointless. There are so many great movies to see.
 
There really is a world of great films you can see in theaters and stream on your TV that are far removed from the stuff you typically see advertised. If you have a local art house theater, go to it. Rent or buy some Criterion Collection stuff. Sometimes really great films break through and become popular, like this year's Moonlight, a coming-of-age drama set in urban Florida, with strange and beautiful cinematography and extraordinary acting; or Arrival, a very dark and quiet sci-fi flick that's really about linguistics and learning how to grieve. People are even receptive enough to these films to make them actually earn money and award nominations. I honestly think people are more willing to see, read, or listen to something truly wonderful than at any time that I've been alive.

The superhero and action stuff is mostly (not all, mind you) just mass-market noise, just like the most popular offerings in every entertainment medium since the dawn of time. Complaining about it is pointless. There are so many great movies to see.

I do agree in fact I agree absolutely, but here's the thing.

My two favourite movies right now and perhaps all time are Twilight Samurai (a really sensitively told love story set in 1870s Japan at a time of great change and directed by a Japanese Director) and Elegy (also a love story set this time in USA but actually made and filmed in Canada and directed by a Spanish female Director). Neither are what I would call "Hollywood movies". They are superb, tender intelligent movies and I could never imagine them being made in Hollywood although I suppose (I cannot recall without checking) they were released and perhaps funded by the Hollywood machine.

So I pretty much turn to non Hollywood independent offerings now for movies I think may be interesting. Part of this I must admit is that while the above movies had well known actors in them they were not really major big time "Hollywood stars" which I think helped the movies. I don't know what it is but when you get a big Hollywood "star" in a movie 9 times out of 10 the script has also been given the "Hollywood treatment" and so has just about everything in the movie. Its as if the movie was made by a Hollywood committee which applies a formula and seldom departs from it. And the formula pretty much detracts from the final product every time. Yes I think even insiders admit there is a Hollywood formula and even if the movie is a "serious movie" ie not a wham bam action spectacular that formula tends to affect the final product and not in a good way.

Any way that's just how it is I guess. I must have several hundred DVDs in my collection but it is harder and harder to find good ones that are worth getting these days.
 
There are many, many, many such movies. We are, in fact, in a golden age of independent cinema. This ain't an example of it, but...

Anyway, I'll watch a monster movie anytime, especially one with a Leica in it. So, thanks!
Ditto. I will even accompany friends with kids to the new Batman Lego movie, I only draw the line at any more "Star Wars."

I can't watch Terrence Malick all the time. Although Netflix has been a fountain of binge-worthy stuff I love lately -- like the Russian series "Silver Spoon," or "The Break" from Belgium. And of course "The OA." And can one ever get enough of Indira Varma?

As for "Arrival," I have now watched it 4 times and talked to friends endlessly about it. She will always tell her husband.
 
Even in serious films, classic camera rigs rarely get realistic treatment. I believe there is exactly one existing audio track in Hollywood for flash bulbs firing on a Graflex. I just saw a handheld Rolleiflex TLR in the Netflix series "The Crown" being used (probably by Snowdon) to shoot portraits of Churchill with cigar. Subject was completely backlit in a dark room, suggesting a shutter speed of about 2 seconds. 🙂 Or maybe ASA 3200 roll film had just been invented by the Brits! Perhaps the most satisfying depiction of proper camera usage was Jack Nicholson and a RF in "Chinatown"—at least the sun was shining. His wind-on had perfect cadence.
 
I can't watch Terrence Malick all the time. Although Netflix has been a fountain of binge-worthy stuff I love lately -- like the Russian series "Silver Spoon," or "The Break" from Belgium. And of course "The OA." And can one ever get enough of Indira Varma?

As for "Arrival," I have now watched it 4 times and talked to friends endlessly about it. She will always tell her husband.

It's really something! The director's last movie, Sicario, is actually a great example of an action/suspense drama—about FBI agents trying to stop drug trafficking—that has amazing writing and acting and real emotional drama.

The OA left me cold, in the end, but I've really been enjoying The Expanse on SyFy, Atlanta on FX, and The Leftovers and The Night Of on HBO. I feel as though all the non-franchise filmed-entertainment money is going into television. I will be sure to check out those Russian and Belgian shows. Are they subtitled in English?
 
I cringed when I saw the trailer for this movie--another "original" idea from Hollywood, yippee.
But the M3 in 1973 is still better than this from the horrible 1976 King Kong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smxi39TgZ24

As to science fiction movies, in general, I don't think Hollywood really knows what sci-fi actually is. It is decidedly not "action, but with rayguns."

Rob
 
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