With the 12th selection, BF & the BFFs are shocked, amazed, ecstatic and proud to be able to select, in the category of pre-1960s, the film that started it all, that ushered in a new age of cinema, that showed the world what the media of film could be, the greatest of the great American masterpieces... Orson Welles' magnum opus, Citizen Kane.
For me, every serious conversation about film beings and ends with CK. It is epic in every sense of the word, and nobody has yet been able to match its astounding achievements in every aspect of filmmaking. Welles' ability to forge a story, combining the sonic elements of radio that had made him so successful with groundbreaking new filmmaking techniques allowed him to capture imagery of such uniqueness and beauty - never before thought possible, let alone actually captured on film - and these, along with the technical brilliance of everything from the script, to the editing, to the actors, make Citizen Kane truly one of a kind, and the peak of what filmmaking can and should be.
When situating the film in its historical context of 1941, these achievements become even more stellar. The film holds up with the best that Scorsese, Tarantino, Spielberg et al. have to offer today, 67 years after its release.
It was so far ahead of its time, its scary to think about. And not surprising it took people a while to "get it".
All of this, and I haven't even mentioned the whole mystique of art-imitates-life-imitates-art CK possesses. The rise and fall of Randalf Hurst was immortalized by a young prodigious filmmaker, who then proceeded to squander it all away, ending up a shadow of his former self.
Last edited by liamenator; 07-29-2008 at 05:35 AM.
I've actually never seen Citizen Kane but am aware that's it's ranked #1 on many many lists. Liamemator's description has me very intrigued.
I really should find time to see it.
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I've actually never seen Citizen Kane but am aware that's it's ranked #1 on many many lists. Liamemator's description has me very intrigued.
I really should find time to see it.
It's a fantastic movie. Right up there with many others I won't name so as not to influence the draft--but it would probably have been my first choice if I were playing.
Awesome draft so far guys, some real surprises but all interesting picks. I have this feeling that if I want to select a movie I love, I'm going to have to take it a little earlier than I want to, maybe leaving some real classics to slide down the list a little. Complicating things even further.
Awesome draft so far guys, some real surprises but all interesting picks. I have this feeling that if I want to select a movie I love, I'm going to have to take it a little earlier than I want to, maybe leaving some real classics to slide down the list a little. Complicating things even further.
Woo hoo! Good times.
That's exactly what I did. I love Shawshank but fully realize that there are some older classics that probably 'should' be placed higher. CK was obviously on my list and I was tempted. With that said, Shawshank just hits all the right notes with me and no way was it sliding way down to #54. I had to take it then and hope some of my favourite classics are available later. Lot's of fun this.....
Non-fiction -category has two uses. Firstly, some documentary makers argue that you can't make a documentary after the fact, you have to be there when things happen or talk to people who were there at least, or something close to that. So you can't for example make a documentary about the Roman empire, because it's just not there to document anymore. (You could make a documentary about someone studying the Roman empire.) But you could make a non-fictional film about it. That's mostly uninteresting nipicking IMO.
There's other uses for that category, mostly in the sense that not everything that's non-fictional is a documentary.
The TV-series Mythbusters would be one easy example of non-fiction. Definitely not fictional, but no-one would call it a documentary either.
(As examples of what isn't non-fiction, The HBO's "Rome" doesn't qualify, because most of what we see is fictional. There's no record of most of what's seen or many of the characters. "Citizen Kane" is very much fictional, as it isn't even close to being an accurate description of the life of Randolph Hearst.)
There's tons of non-fiction non-documentaries in the TV, it's just that a lot of that stuff isn't what people think when they think of movies.
But if it isn't fiction, it isn't a documentary exactly and it isn't a TV-series, it's propably non-fiction.
If the filmmakers are creating what you see instead of just documenting it, it's non-fiction (unless it's fiction of course
EDIT: I thought of more subcategories that should help: educational films, propaganda films, partisan filmmaking (that's one of the reasons I like to call it "Documentary / non-fiction", no need to debate politics really) and so one. Some quality news specials are essentially documentaries anyway, even if they're not called that.
- Ernest Borgnine, Edward G. Robinson, Orson Welles, and George C. Scott were considered by Paramount Pictures for the role of Vito Corleone. Burt Lancaster wanted the role but was never considered. When Paramount considered casting Italian producer Carlo Ponti, director Francis Ford Coppola objected, as Vito was Italian-American and more a New Yorker than Italian, and thus wouldn't speak with Ponti's Italian accent. When asked his opinion by the Paramount brass, Coppola said he wanted to cast either Laurence Olivier or Marlon Brando as the Don. In a September/October 2003 "Cigar Aficionado" magazine cover story, Coppola said, "I wanted either an Italian-American or an actor who's so great that he can portray an Italian-American. So, they said, 'Who do you suggest?' I said, 'Lookit, I don't know, but who are the two greatest actors in the world? Laurence Olivier and Marlon Brando. Well, Laurence Olivier is English. He looked just like Vito Genovese. His face is great.' I said, 'I could see Olivier playing the guy, and putting it on.' [And] Brando is my hero of heroes. I'd do anything to just meet him. But he's 47, he's a young, good-looking guy. So, we first inquired about Olivier and they said, 'Olivier is not taking any jobs. He's very sick. He's gonna die soon and he's not interested.' So, I said, 'Why don't we reach out for Brando?'" Frank Sinatra, despite his reported distaste for the novel and opposition to the film, had discussions with Coppola about playing the role himself and at one point actually offered his services. Coppola, however, was adamant in his conviction that Brando take the role instead. This would be the third time Brando performed in a part sought by Sinatra, after playing Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront (1954) and Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (1955/I). Brando's previous film, Queimada (1969), had been a terrible flop and he could not get work in American pictures, being considered by many producers as "washed up". Paramount executives initially would offer Marlon Brando only union scale for the role of Don Corleone. Finally, the studio relented and paid Brando $300,000, according to Coppola's account. In his autobiography The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002), former Paramount production chief Robert Evans claims that Brando was paid $50,000, plus points, and sold back his points to Paramount before the release of the picture for an additional $100,000 because he had female-related money troubles. Realizing the film was going to be a huge hit, Paramount was happy to oblige. This financial fleecing of Brando, according to Evans, is the reason he refused to do publicity for the picture or appear in the sequel two years later.
- Paramount senior management, dissatisfied with the early rushes, considered replacing Francis Ford Coppola with Elia Kazan with the hope that Kazan would be able to work with the notoriously difficult Marlon Brando. Brando announced that he would quit the film if Coppola was fired and the studio backed down. Paramount brass apparently did not know of Brando's dismay with Kazan over his testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s.
- During rehearsals, a false horse's head was used for the bedroom scene. For the actual shot, a real horse's head was used. The head was acquired from a dog-food factory.
- Marlon Brando did not memorize most of his lines and read from cue cards during most of the film.
Commish, I was wondering if there any chance of you or someone else putting together a list of the flicks taken, but have it in alphabetical order. I know in the hottie draft, it takes awhile to sift thru hundreds of picks to see if yours has been taken. Just a suggestion.
Wow....the picks so far have been amazing - can't believe The Godfather fell to 13th, was pegging that to go higher for sure, good pickup there Prottotype!
The pressure is really on now......the standard has been set high!
PS - I think VanFlamesFan's suggestion is a good one....as the draft goes on it will definitely help to see what has been taken.
Commish, I was wondering if there any chance of you or someone else putting together a list of the flicks taken, but have it in alphabetical order. I know in the hottie draft, it takes awhile to sift thru hundreds of picks to see if yours has been taken. Just a suggestion.
Isn't the draft board searchable for the hottie or music draft?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JerzeeGirl
Wow....the picks so far have been amazing - can't believe The Godfather fell to 13th, was pegging that to go higher for sure, good pickup there Prottotype!
The pressure is really on now......the standard has been set high!
No pressure There's strategy involved because of the categories. Not all of the best movies go right away.
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Last edited by GirlySports; 07-29-2008 at 09:29 AM.
I'm such a nerd that yesterday at work I made a spread sheet with the categories and everyone's names and I'm writting them in with pencil. I don't know how well it would transfer onto the board and I'm away next week so I couldn't keep it updated very well. Plus, I think I forgot to save it.
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I'm such a nerd that yesterday at work I made a spread sheet with the categories and everyone's names and I'm writting them in with pencil. I don't know how well it would transfer onto the board and I'm away next week so I couldn't keep it updated very well. Plus, I think I forgot to save it.
Hehehe I hope to get the draft board up today.
A question to all. Is anyone NOT able to view the hottie or music draft boards? And are they searchable?
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I'm such a nerd that yesterday at work I made a spread sheet with the categories and everyone's names and I'm writting them in with pencil. I don't know how well it would transfer onto the board and I'm away next week so I couldn't keep it updated very well. Plus, I think I forgot to save it.
Thats funny cause I have a spreadsheet in excel and I am highlighting the picks by others in blue and then mine will be in yellow.
Now if people would stop picking my movies that would make me happy.
A question to all. Is anyone NOT able to view the hottie or music draft boards? And are they searchable?
I can view the draft boards, but rather than go thru everyone's team with 15 picks, an alphabetical list would make it easier as you would already know where to go to see if that person had been taken.
I can view the draft boards, but rather than go thru everyone's team with 15 picks, an alphabetical list would make it easier as you would already know where to go to see if that person had been taken.
True. I noticed it does get a bit messy near the end when I was updating last night. An alphabetical list will be included at the top of the draft board for this and any future drafts.
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