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| D.W.Griffith: An American Life |
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A life in 609 pages...
Minutely researched, Richard Schickel really did his homework. Griffith emerges as an intriguing, if not altogether engaging, character. He seems to have been the first to understand what was to become the accepted language of popular cinema. For example, he showed that intercutting two sequences (a house on fire and the approaching fire engine) would not confuse an audience.
What I missed was more background in the world surrounding Griffith, Hollywood is so briefly sketched that one is left thinking Griffith worked in a vacuum. But maybe thats the point, he chose not to see how the feature film was developing around him.
Schickel lays to rest several myths about Griffith but seems unsure quite what note to strike about his racism. In the end Griffith remains a rather distant character.
When Griffith dies on p.604 its relief and as someone you are intrigued, but not engaged, by you cant help feeling he got what he deserved.
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Paul Newman
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Paul Newman is always going to be an interesting subject to write a biography about, but with this book the author shows an obvious dislike or maybe even jealousy of his subject. It is written in a manner that criticises Newman for very petty things. The author is obviously not a fan and this is enh..
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The 400 Blows - Criterion Collection
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Somewhat mirroring his own past, Truffaut uses the camera to give a sociological account of Antoine Doinels childhood.
Not a patronising account, however, but looking at the world, quite literally, from a childs perspective. Parenting and Authority are very much criticised, as Truffaut poin..
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Dumb and Dumber [WS/P&S] [1995] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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Delivering exactly what its title promises, this celebration of stupidity was Jim Carreys 1994 follow-up to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask. The film pairs the rubber-faced wacky man with Jeff Daniels as the not-so-dynamic duo of Lloyd and Harry, dunderheads who come into the possession of a briefcase containing ransom money that is intended for Mob-connected kidnappers. Lauren Holly co-stars as the woman who lost the briefcase, and with whom Carrey falls in love (both in r..
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Island of Dr. Moreau [WS/P&S] [1996] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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Though this graphic 1996 version of HG Wells The Island of Dr Moreau was roasted by critics, its an utterly fascinating failure, largely due to the performances of David Thewlis, Val Kilmer and especially Marlon Brando in the title role as a mad (and in this case outrageously bizarre) scientist whose experiments in crossbreeding humans with animals have gone terribly awry. Thewlis plays the wayward scholar who is rescued at sea by Kilmer and brought to Moreaus island to discover the docto..
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Play With The Teletubbies
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If your children like the Teletubbies theyll love this BBC game. Players can choose which Teletubby they would like to be and move around Teletubby Land finding lots of exciting activities to do. The activities include hide and seek, find the object and musical clouds, and each activity has instructions on what to do and a time limit so your child doesnt get bored. You can also enter the Superdome where the characters can meet up with Noo-Noo (the hoover!) to make some mess with tubby custard an..
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