2024 Blind Spot Series
That's a wrap on 2023! Amadeus, The Big City, and Happy Together were my three favorite films from my 2023 list. Below is what I plan on watching for 2024. I say "plan" because unlike previous years, 2023 threw a wrench in my list. Movies got removed from streaming or were no longer available at my local library. You may notice a few titles that are back again this year because I couldn't find them last year. I'm just going to hope for the best, but I may end up with a last minute sub in there.
1) The Last Picture Show
2) La Dolce Vita
3) Valley of the Dolls
4) Notorious
5) The Silence
6) Heat
7) Eyes Without A Face
8) Daughters of the Dust
9) Rebecca (1940)
10)The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
11) Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
12) Forever A Woman
What do you think of my list? Have you seen any of these films? Do you have any substitute suggestions for when Streaming inevitably screws me again?
I've seen 7 of these films. It's likely that many of them are on Criterion. We do share a Blind Spot with Rebecca as I'm hoping to do that one in October and hopefully Notorious as well. Is The Silence the film by Martin Scorsese or Ingmar Bergman? Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is an incredible film as it shows that Marty can make movies about women oh and watch out for a young Laura Dern in that one. Heat is currently on TUBI as I will have my Auteurs piece on Michael Mann sometime in the fall though I'll likely have that one finished first but these changing release dates for Kraven the Hunter has made things difficult but has also given me more time to work on those Auteurs essays for both Mann and J.C. Chandor.
ReplyDeleteDaughters of the Dust is currently on both TUBI and MUBI. La Dolce Vita is likely to be on Criterion though it is over 3 hours but... it's worth it. I fucking love that movie. It's still my favorite Fellini film.
Aside from Rebecca and Notorious, the other 3 films I haven't seen is the original version of The Manchurian Candidate, Valley of the Dolls, and Forever a Woman. The last one is a major surprise as that's a really obscure film and it's currently not on any streaming service right now. If it's not available by November, then you're fucked. That is not an easy film to find. I hope this year's Blind Spot is a good one for you.
I'll have to look into Tubi more, I think the only thing I've ever watched on that is the Weird Al movie. Yeah, we'll see about Forever A Woman. I'll try my best lol
DeleteThat’s a good list with a nice amount of variety. I have seen all but your last pick which is one I’ve never heard of before. I’ll have to see if I can track it down before you watch it.
ReplyDeleteI’m assuming that “Heat” is the 1995 Michael Mann film not the terrible ’86 Burt Reynolds action flick or the 1972 skintastic Andy Warhol produced riff on Sunset Blvd. of the same name.
I would never call Valley of the Dolls a great movie but it is a great piece of camp with a nice spotlight role for the ill-fated Sharon Tate and an amazing take no prisoners turn by Susan Hayward as a barracuda of a Broadway star infamously based on Ethel Merman. The film has quite a backstory to investigate once you’ve seen it.
Of the others of course the one I’m looking forward to the most is the previously bumped “Notorious”. It’s one of my favorite Hitchcock’s. After that I’m most curious to read your take on “The Manchurian Candidate”, a fantastic piece of cinema (forget about the ill-advised remake which is middling at best). I liked all your other picks to varying degrees without any of them being particular favorites so I am anxious to see where they land for you.
Yes! The Michael Mann one. I really hope I can find Notorious this time around. I'm sure my library will have it if Streaming lets me down again.
DeleteFor alternatives should you run into trouble I’m going to offer two from each decade from the 30’s to the 70’s even though I know you won’t need nearly that many (I certainly hope not anyway!!) but it will give you some ideas for different ways to go should it be necessary.
ReplyDelete1930’s:
Libeled Lady (1936)-Witty comedy of conniving newspaper editor (Spencer Tracy) trying to beat a libel suit brought by society girl (Myrna Loy) via behind the scenes chicanery involving his ace reporter (William Powell) and his own put upon fiancée (Jean Harlow). It’s a delight with all four stars working at top speed, especially Jean.
Dark Victory (1939)-A headstrong heiress (Bette Davis) finds inner strength when she is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Bette’s favorite of all her films.
1940’s:
Saboteur (1942)-My favorite Hitchcock. An innocent man (Robert Cummings) races across the country trying to prove his innocence of the title charge with the reluctant help of a blonde (Priscilla Lane) culminating in one of his most famous set pieces.
I Married a Witch (1942)-A sorceress (Veronica Lake) and her father (Cecil Kellaway) are burnt at the stake in Puritan times but not before cursing her accuser (Fredric March) and his descendants to forever marry the wrong woman. When their spirits are unexpectedly freed three hundred years later they decide to continue their mischief with the living heir (also March). Delightful bit of whimsy is Veronica’s best film.
1950’s:
From Here to Eternity (1953)-Best Picture winning look at the lives of numerous soldiers (including Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift and Frank Sinatra) on Pearl Harbor in the weeks leading up to the Japanese attack. Both Sinatra and Donna Reed as Clift’s prostitute girlfriend won Oscars as well.
Imitation of Life (1959)-Perhaps THE ultimate story of mother/daughter conflict blended with social commentary. I wrote about it for one of Dell’s Girl Weeks back when his blog was active.
1960’s:
High and Low (1963)-Kurosawa extortion drama is wonderfully intricate. My favorite of his films, at least so far.
The Lion in Winter (1968)-King Henry II (Peter O’Toole) frees his imprisoned wife Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn) and brings her to his castle for Christmas to determine the succession between their three avaricious sons (Anthony Hopkins (his first film), John Castle and Nigel Terry). What follows is a feast of political maneuvering, grand family dysfunction and great acting.
1970’s:
Three Days of the Condor (1975)-A low level CIA codebreaker-Condor (Robert Redford) sneaks out for lunch through the back door of his office building and when he returns finds everyone dead. Pursued, on the run and not knowing who to trust, he must find out why.
What’s Up, Doc? (1972)-Peter Bogdanovich’s homage to the screwball comedies of the 30’s with a zany Barbra Streisand and a priceless Madeline Kahn (in her screen debut) along for the ride.
I've seen Dark Victory! I had it on a previous list. It's a great film. Thank you for these recs! I will keep them in mind, especially High and Low.
DeleteHigh and Low was such a terrific surprise. The synopsis of the film sounded interesting but not terribly enthralling or special but almost from the first scene it pulled me in and kept me involved all the way through due to a mix of the actor's skill and Kurosawa's touch.
ReplyDeleteI stand behind all the recommendations but the real under the radar undiscovered gem I think is Libeled Lady.
I'll keep that in mind too! I'm sure I'll have to sub something out again.
DeleteI love you Joel...did I say that out loud? Lol I love his choices for you especially What's Up Doc which is a real gem.
ReplyDeleteI still need to see Notorious which is a Hitchcock Gemalto d I plan to see it this year! I really like Alice and used to watch the TV show. I would add Resurrection starring Ellen Burstyn about a woman who legitimately has healing powers. It's a hidden gem..my favourite word for the day agree with Joel's picks. I would add Strangers OnA Trai and Shadow of a Doubt. If you have already seen them...great and forgive my memory lapse
I haven't seen any of those! Thanks for sharing them. I'm sure I'll be back to this post sometime this year due to film availability.
DeleteI LOVE Resurrection!! It's a quiet deliberately paced film with an intriguing concept and brilliant work by both Ellen Burstyn and Eva le Gallienne. It is frustratingly obscure considering it did relatively well upon its release and both those ladies were Oscar nominated for it, Ellen in the leading category and Eva in support.
DeleteI also heartily second the two Hitchcock films Birgit proposed. Both are in my top 10 of his films and Strangers my top 5.