Guilty Pleasures

[Johann]

I'm curious to know what guilty pleasures everybody has film-wise.

I like to consider myself a film buff on a level of seriousness, but there are some films that "authorites" would consider crap that I watch every year (sometimes more than once):

Bitter Moon-the most erotic comedy ever made
Cry-Baby-pure fun
The Rocky Horror Picture Show-pure fun
The Little Death-Dwight Yoakam, sex & death-great midnite movie
Hair-the songs, the hair, the hippies
Buffalo 66-Christina Ricci will never be more beautiful
Last Tango in Paris- Jaw-dropping Brando film
Embrace of the Vampire-Alyssa Milano naked
Ed Wood-pure genius
Waterworld-what was so bad about it?
Purple Rain- The pouting Prince made a pretty good movie
The Mod Squad-Claire Danes in her panties. That's it.
The Bridges of Madison County (I have a huge crush on Streep's character)
Clue- triple threat ending
Showgirls- I like it for the acting :) :) :)
Jesus Christ Superstar- "So you are the christ, the great jesus christ..." insane musical
Exit to Eden- I hate to say it, but this movie got me laid. That's why it's on this list. No other reason. (because it's HORRIBLE!)

and last but not least

the epic of emancipation

CALIGULA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I ask you, has your opinion of me changed?

[oscar jubis]

I watched CALIGULA while attending Ohio State University in one of those now extinct repertory theatres that showed a different double bill everyday. It is the only film I walked out of due to revulsion. The fisting and the sight of labia in contact with barbed wire proved too much for me.

I love LAST TANGO and consider BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and ED WOOD must-sees. I never tire of ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL and RUDE BOY because I am a huge fan of The Ramones and The Clash. I will watch anything starring Ms. Jennifer Jason Leigh.

My real guilty pleasures are:

Brian DePalma's PHANTOM OF PARADISE
James Cameron's TITANIC


Best Kept American Secrets:

Charles Burnett's NIGHTJOHN
De Felitta's TWO FAMILY HOUSE
Gordon Green's ALL THE REAL GIRLS
Golberger's TRANS

[Johann]

I must give a little clarification on Caligula & the carnage relating.

While I'm certainly not a psychotic/sadistic person, I have read all of the Marquis de Sade's works-"The 120 days of Sodom" being the most vile thing I've ever read- seen the Pasolini film Salo, seen a german snuff film that I seriously regret (I don't know if it was real or not, but it LOOKED real), and I've seen the uncut caligula about 10 times. I also thoroughly enjoyed films such as Gummo, Natural Born Killers, American Psycho, Taxi Driver and The Baby of Macon- all of which have extremely violent/shocking content. Not to mention the Vietnam documentary "Hearts and Minds" which has the most shocking scene I've ever seen- an execution at REALLY close range. Or how about Michael Moore's 'Roger and Me"? One minute a lady is petting a cute bunny rabbit, the next, she's clubbing it to death with a bat! Should these films be banned? Never. At the very least they remind the living that so many have suffered. It's just too sad that we don't do something about the cro-magnon idea of murder.
Humans will always find ways to justify destructive asinine behavior.

I must state that there ARE some scenes in Caligula that even disgust me. Oscar Jubis mentioned two, and there are a couple of murder scenes that are just horrific. I am not advocating ANY of the scenes in the life of the Caesar Gaius, but neither am I denouncing them. They are what they are. Human beings have a history of being the most remorseless killers/abusers of like-kind since we appeared on the earth. In a utopia, these types of things would not cross our minds,but they do, and we all deal with it in our own way.

I've gotta see "The Phantom of The Paradise". What is it about this film oscar?

[tabuno]

Demi Moore in Striptease was an underrated, overlooked sensual movie with some of the best striptease performances found on film. While the movie was ripped apart by critics and the public, this movie's focus was not so much on the pornographic, explicit sexual content, but one the trials and frantic efforts of a single mother trying to keep custody of her child and the artistry of sensual dance performances.

Liquid Dreams is an erotic, mystery thriller which combines a quality soft porn genre with a solid script and the film noir influence of the fifties - one of the best examples of this blend of bondage and detective thrillers around.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Johann
While I'm certainly not a psychotic/sadistic person, I have read all of the Marquis de Sade's works- I've seen the uncut caligula about 10 times. I also thoroughly enjoyed films such as Gummo, Natural Born Killers, American Psycho, Taxi Driver and The Baby of Macon- all of which have extremely violent/shocking content. Not to mention the Vietnam documentary "Hearts and Minds" Should these films be banned? Never. At the very least they remind the living that so many have suffered.Humans will always find ways to justify destructive asinine behavior.I must state that there ARE some scenes in Caligula that even disgust me. I am not advocating ANY of the scenes in the life of the Caesar Gaius, but neither am I denouncing them. They are what they are.

Indeed. My walk-out of Caligula was visceral, not a moral judgement. Lately though, I'm increasingly suspect of films which milk the cash cow of glorified violence. At the very least I seem more concerned about a film's posture towards violence. This wasn't such an issue when TAXI DRIVER and GOODFELLAS came out. By the release of NATURAL BORN KILLERS(another outrageously entertaining tour de force) it weighed on my mind. I am also less inclined to confuse eagerness to shock and offend with courage or innovation. Seems too easy to make money by showing violence as a heady thrill without denouncing it or at least exploring its implications. For instance, I value the posture towards revenge taken in the current object d'shock IRREVERSIBLE. This french film by Argentine expatriate Gaspar Noe includes a 8 min rape scene and the most brutal face'n'cranium puree ever inside club Rectum while horrid Industrial/Goth music plays loud. I came out moved by the suffering of the principals and comforted by its anti revenge stance. Others interpreted the film differently because of Noe's stylistic winks, including my man J. Rosenbaum. Others left much too early to opine.

[Johann]

I have not seen Irreversible. Sounds like I should. I've heard a lot about it, but I tend to buck new releases when at the video store- If I didn't see it at the theatre, I usually wait about a year to see the ones I missed- that way all the hype (if applicable) is in a vacuum and I can just see the film for what it is. That's how I agree/disagree with the "hits".

I make exceptions to the rule- like I will for "Lost in La Mancha" & Herzog's latest- which Ebert put in his top ten for 2002.

My guilty pleasure films make me seem like a bit of an pervert, but trust me-my heart lies with cinema classics and foreign films. (But! Being a true Greenaway admirer and a trumpeter of Trier is even making me wonder about my "emotion chip" :) Shock and awe in cinema can be a good thing sometimes, no?

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Johann
I've gotta see "The Phantom of The Paradise". What is it about this film oscar?

Brian de Palma had already made Hi Mom! and Sisters but these are still the glitter 70s, before The Ramones returned rock'n'roll to its fast+loud origins. This film is reflective of this druggy dreamy time. The music is schlocky but it fits the fevered melodramatic tone well. The U.S. was carpet-bombing Cambodia (where the enemy was said to be hiding),we had Watergate, and the 60s revolution had crashed with McGovern's defeat. PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE was pure escapism when I needed it. I saw it multiple times as a teen but a couple of adult viewings convinced me of its charms and thrills. It's a Grand Guignol pastiche of Phantom of the Opera and Goethe's Faust. Oh, how my teenage heart lusted for Jessica Harper!

[Johann]

The Ramones returned rock'n'roll to its fast+loud origins.


I am unfamiliar with the work of The Ramones, The Clash, X, The Sex Pistols, etc.. I never had a "punk" phase.- London never called me!.

You've got me a little interested in exploring this angry music, oj.
Where do I begin? I do have a Patti Smith album, though. I think she's great.

[Johann]

Originally posted by tabuno

Demi Moore in Striptease was an underrated, overlooked sensual movie with some of the best striptease performances found on film. While the movie was ripped apart by critics and the public, this movie's focus was not so much on the pornographic, explicit sexual content, but one the trials and frantic efforts of a single mother trying to keep custody of her child and the artistry of sensual dance performances.

Liquid Dreams is an erotic, mystery thriller which combines a quality soft porn genre with a solid script and the film noir influence of the fifties - one of the best examples of this blend of bondage and detective thrillers around.[QUOTE]



Striptease was indeed underrated. I quite liked it in 1996. Promoter to Demi: How about CREAM CORN WRESTLING?
Demi: No.

I haven't seen Liquid Dreams. Quality soft porn? hmmmm.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Johann
Being a true Greenaway admirer and a trumpeter of Trier is even making me wonder about my "emotion chip" :) Shock and awe in cinema can be a good thing sometimes, no?

Yes, specially when there is a worthy purpose. Are you implying that Greenaway is a cold aesthete, j? But what a stylist ah!? Problem is, for moi, his films get smaller outside the theatre. As Janis would say "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a large screen tv?...
I honestly don't get how you connect him with Trier. His Breaking the Waves moved me so. I see parallels with the story of Abraham and the sacrifice of the first born. But that's me.

[Johann]

I thought Janis sang "a color tv"?

Greenaway & Trier- I only grouped the names on an "awe" level. They are completely different in objectives. The subject matter they both show us can be a little off-putting- especially the ending of "Cook, Thief" and most of "The Idiots". I love all of their films and some people would call me daft. -because of the wierd nature of the pictures they make, I assume...

[Johann]

Breaking The Waves


This is one film that I truly don't have words for.
Dancer in the Dark I enjoyed more, but the admiration level is higher for "Waves". It is just so sublime.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Johann
I never had a "punk" phase.- London never called me! You've got me a little interested in exploring this angry music, oj.
Where do I begin?

New York City in the 70s. How do I stop? Well, The New York Dolls injected intensity and urgency to the glitter rock circa '73 then The Ramones added speed and cartoonish ingenuity to a rock'n'roll style dormant since 'bout '59. Then you had an explosion of extremely talented bands playing legendary clubs like CBGB. If you want a guitar god, how about Tom Verlaine of Television. Virtuoso is not a punk term but it fits Tom. The neat and geeky Talking Heads with the nervous energy of David Byrne. The porno starlet/girl-next-door dichotomy of Debbi Harry of Blondie. The please-kill-me nihilism of Richard Hell of The Heartbreakers and The Voidoids. You know about Patti.

Do you want anger? UK's Sex Pistols and early Clash is the way to go. The Clash in particular always knew where to point the finger. Joe Strummer is a hero of mine for his smarts, charm and verve. Soon punk spread elsewhere. L.A.'s X and Cleveland's Pere Ubu were excellent.
10 Punk Era Classics: "The New York Dolls", The Ramones' "Rocket to Russia", Television's "Marquee Moon", Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks, "The Clash", Wire's "Pink Flag", Blondie's "Parallel Lines", Pere Ubu's "Dub Housing", The Clash's "London Calling" and "Wild Gift" by X.

[Johann]

I've always wondered if Alice Cooper was the first punk rocker. (Never listened to him either)
He said something that's always stuck in my mind:

"I was the guy who drove the stake through the heart of the love generation".

[oscar jubis]

Alice had a knack for self-promotion and stage theatrics. He was pretty good for a song or two per album.