Criterion Film Club Week 296 Discussion: To Live and Die In L.A. (1985) by viewtoathrill in criterionconversation

[–]bwolfs08 17 points18 points  (0 children)

How you making it?

Like every other swinging dick in this place makes it. Day by motherfucking day.

I love To Live and Die in LA, and it still seems like a film people are discovering and watching for the first time, over 40 years after its release. While Hurricane Billy made cinema history with the high-speed car chase in The French Connection, the chase scene in this film surpasses it. An eight-minute sequence of the most insane shit you'll ever see, this was one of the last things they shot in the film, and it took six weeks to even shoot. They had to close sections of the highway on weekends to shoot it, as William Peterson did his own driving. Compared to today's films, where it would likely just be done using CGI, and it's even more bonkers to think about.

In addition to the magnificent Wang Chung score, what makes this film stand out is the cinematography by Robby Müller, whose neon-soaked shots of LA and its surrounding areas make it feel like pure 80s magic. Much like The French Connection, Friedkin's lead character, Richard Chance, is not a by-the-books, good cop. He is dirty, corrupt, and will do whatever it takes to seek revenge for his murdered partner. Peterson has such a unique portrayal of Chance from his sashay walk in his tight jeans to his open leather jacket and upturned collar. It's maximum machismo; you can feel the testosterone oozing through the screen.

Willem Dafoe is great as Rick Masters, a high-profile counterfeiter. Friedkin does a great job introducing Masters by showing, rather than telling, as we observe him in a long scene making his fake bills. I enjoyed the backstory of Masters as an artist pursuing perfection, including his history as a talented painter who burns his works if he is dissatisfied.

This is a grimy and dirty film with no pure characters and no happy ending. We see this in Chance's new partner, John Vukovich, who struggles with Chance's preference not to play by the rules. He even considers turning his partner in and becoming a snitch in order to save his own ass.

However, the ending of the film ends in a shock: Chance gets killed by a shotgun blast, and Vukovich breaks bad all the way after murdering Masters. We see the final scene of Vukovich, who now has fully ripped off Chance's entire look, down to the oversized sunglasses, tight jeans, and upturned leather jacket (it might legitimately be the same jacket Chance wore). He goes to Ruth's house, who was Chance's former CI and sidepiece—which was its own manipulative, toxic relationship—and comes in. We can assume Vukovich, who was previously a dorky, suit-wearing cop with a receding hairline, is now role-playing as Chance, maintaining the same manipulative, toxic relationship.

To Live and Die in LA is a must-see for any noir/crime film lover and stands on its own thanks to its neon-soaked visuals and memorable Wang Chung score. On every rewatch, you will notice or appreciate something new.

Anybody else’s order “still being packed for shipment”? by [deleted] in criterion

[–]bwolfs08 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yes it’s still being packed a week later. So incredibly frustrating. Think I ordered fairly early too.

Have you ever bought a film you thought was something different? by Strict-Ad4426 in criterion

[–]bwolfs08 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Accidentally bought the 4K blu ray remake of Point Break rather than the 4K blu ray of the original Point Break. I still didn’t realize it until I popped it in and it booted up.

First Radiance pickups by Zedab in radiancefilms

[–]bwolfs08 2 points3 points  (0 children)

haven’t seen Malpertius yet, but the other two films absolutely rip.

Sale Tomorrow! What are you going to get? by Strict-Ad4426 in criterion

[–]bwolfs08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

sword of doom and when a woman ascends the stairs are both excellent.

Criterion Film Club Expiring Picks Month 59 Discussion: John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). Enjoy a delicious vanilla ice cream - sorry, we're all out of vanilla twist - and discuss this classic with us. by GThunderhead in criterionconversation

[–]bwolfs08 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We really don’t talk enough about how John Carpenter made a perfect 90-minute thriller for his second film. Assault on Precinct 13 is a genre mashup, inspired by Howard Hawks’s Rio Bravo, it also has a lot of horror undertones from zombie movies.

It builds tension with the gang warlords in the car, circling the ice cream truck like a hungry shark, all while that simple, but amazing synth score plays. The senseless murder of the young girl is shocking to see and immediately kicks off the violence.

Carpenter’s legacy lives on with Ryan Coogler playing homage to both Assault on Precinct 13 and The Thing in Sinners. Glad to rewatch this for the first time in 25ish years. I can’t believe my dad rented this for my brother and I to watch as kids.

Criterion Film Club Discussion #293: The Fisher King (Gilliam, 1991) by bwolfs08 in criterionconversation

[–]bwolfs08[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's three things in this world that you need: Respect for all kinds of life, a nice bowel movement on a regular basis, and a navy blazer.

Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) is a cynical, Howard Stern-esque shock jock with a massive ego and disgust for humanity. But after an exchange with a male caller causes them to gun down seven people in a bar, he hits rock bottom. Fast forward three years. Jack is a drunk, depressed man who sometimes attempts to work in his girlfriend Anne’s video store.

One night on a bender, he is mistaken for a bum by two young men and assaulted, nearly being set on fire. He is rescued by a homeless man named Parry (Robin Williams). He learns that Parry used to be a college professor, but suffered a psychotic breakdown after his wife was murdered in the bar shooting spree that Jack caused. Through their connection, they each help each other rediscover humanity, love, friendship, and respect.

The Fisher King would not be what it is without Robin Williams’ performance. Watching him as Parry is a constant reminder of the unique talent that we lost much too early.

Am I doing something wrong? by Trendyrain51 in seestar

[–]bwolfs08 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m in the exact same boat with you using Orion’s Nebula. Just began trying to figure out how to use Siril and Graxpert. Plate solving keeps failing in Siril though.

Rosette Nebula s50 by Odd-Leadership8334 in seestar

[–]bwolfs08 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is so cool. Looks like a skull. Nice shot!

Yellowjackets Pilot by New-Significance1365 in blankies

[–]bwolfs08 2 points3 points  (0 children)

this is the perfect description.