#wera talks film

[moviestorian]

How about a more recent movie which I enjoyed Knives Out

I vaguely remember that this was a part of some ask game but I can't recall the details XD

I LOVED Knives Out, it was fantastic! Such a cool story, and the cast clearly had plenty of fun filming it <3 I'm totally revisiting it in the future :3

[moviestorian]

Happy new Year! Let's get it rolling with an ask meme :3 12, 25, 31, 36, 39, 42, 50, 63, 87, 97, 99?

Happy New Year! :3

Thank you :-*

3. Favourite television show from the 2010′s +?

Can’t name just one (you know me, it’s like picking a favourite child), so I’m gonna make it a top five, but in no particular order. Breaking Bad (I know it technically first aired in 2008, but hey, the show finished in 2013, and season 4 is my favourite anyway XD), The Haunting of Hill House, The Crown, Trust FX, The Young Pope

12. Best cliff-hanger?

Not the biggest fan of cliff-hangers, I feel like most of them don’t really stand out. Imma pass.

25. Favourite television villian?

Gus Fring (Breaking Bad), Tywin Lannister (GoT), Lydia Quigley (Harlots), George Warleggan (Poldark; I wouldn’t exactly call him a villain, but he’s an antagonist, so I’ll reluctantly count him as one)

Also, James Gillies from Murdoch Mysteries is my guilty pleasure. He’s not great, he’s a bit overrated imo, but so are 90% of the characters, and at least he was fun.

31. Favourite movie from the 2010′s +?

ONE???JUST ONE???

Impossible.

Again, at random: 1917, The Artist, Hugo, Grand Budapest Hotel, The Handmaiden, Phantom Thread, Filmworker (docu), Unfinished Film (docu), Shutter Island

36. Favourite director?

Stanley Kubrick

39. Favourite comic-book movie?

Probably Snyder’s Watchmen; I don’t really care about comic-book movies anymore, but that one had outstanding cinematography and a great cast

42. What’s your favourite animated movie?

Either Spirited Away (I don’t remember the last time I saw it, but I remember it so vividly, it definitely impressed me a lot) or Loving Vincent (exceptional and groundbreaking technique, wish the script was a bit more engaging, though)

50. Horror or psychological?

I love horror (psychological horror in particular, hehe), but psychological movie/show is definitely a win.

63. In your opinion, the best character casting?

Despite not exactly fitting the book description, Malcolm McDowell was spot-on as Alex in A Clockwork Orange. He nailed the role so damn well.

Bette Davies as Baby Jane, CONRAD VEIDT in Caligari, Christopher Lee in LOTR, Joel Grey in Cabaret, Joey Batey in the Witcher, Adrien Brody in The Pianist.

Besides many problems with the film itself (the controversy regarding is creator, but also my personal problems with the script), Louis Garrel was a fantastic choice for Alfred Dreyfus in An Officer and a Spy, the make-up and costume department did a spectacular job as well.

87. Tell us about your worst movie experience?

Nothing really traumatising, but some films definitely have made me painfully uncomfortable.

97. Think of a positive movie experience you will never forget?

I have really positive memories from seeing Bohemian Rhapsody on the big screen. Had a lovely day with my boyfriend, we exchanged gifts, the screen room was totally full and you could feel the positive energy, and I left the cinema with Queen songs stuck in my head & revived love for the band.

99. Best movie soundtrack?

The Lord of the Rings!

Television & film ask game!

[moviestorian]

I watched Mank today. Its the story of Herman Mankiewicz writing the first draft of citizen kane with flashbacks. It says he wrote Citizen Kane, Which i believe is a half truth. From what ive seen he did the first draft but orson welles wrote and changed the further drafts. The concept was his. They offically shared screenwriting credit. I also found out that before fame, Robert Mitchum worked in an airplane factory, his best friend was Jim Doughery, whose wife was Norma Jean Baker. Who became Marilyn Monroe. They knew each other from before fame. Isnt that strange?

Thanks for dropping by and leaving me this! :) I’ve been meaning to watch Mank because I like Fincher’s directing style and the visuals for this film look intriguing enough. I heard, however, some people calling it more of a “critics movie” than an “audience movie”, what do you think of such sentiments? The concept sounds pretty interesting and the cast is a killer. Did you like it overall?

[moviestorian]

I saw two movies this week. Loving Vincent and lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth starts Florence Pugh as a Victorian woman married to a man probably double her age as an arrangement. He has no interest in her except berating her and when he leaves she begins an affair with one of the guys who works in the house. It leads to murder and accusations. Its actually based on Nikolai Leskov's Russian novella “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk,” Florence Pugh is great, as is Cosmo Jarvis. 1/?

Loving Vincent follows the son of the postmaster trying to deliver the last letter from Vincent after his death. He inadvertently gets involved about questioning whether it was suicide and all the actors are painted like a van gogh painting. It looks really beautiful and is interesting, all the different accounts from people regarding his death. I love knives out. It was so Agatha Christie. I loved the twist and Daniel Craigs accent ! My question is what’s your dream concert line-up? 2/2

Hi dear, thank you for this & I’m extremely sorry for answering so late! My life’s been very busy recently, now that the academic year has started for good. :3

This time I’ve actually seen both of these movies! :D I wasn’t super fond of Lady Macbeth if I’m completely honest, but the acting was great, definitely - Florence Pugh particularly shines through. I would like to read the original Russian novella! Loving Vincent - as much as I get some of the criticism it got - is lovely, though! It’s visually stunning, the cast was excellent, and I enjoyed the story. I’m really curious about Kobiela’s next project, The Peasants, which is based on a Polish classic novel and is going to be made in the same artistic style as Loving Vincent (aka hand-painted, though with different influences: it’s going to look more like Chełmoński’s painting than Von Gogh’s).

Knives Out is excellent, not a masterpiece, but a piece of well-crafted crime/comedy/drama crossover and fantastic entertainment! Loved the twist, too. Craig’s accent was hilarious. :D

[moviestorian]

Im glad the asks helped! I have anxiety and depression and can understand what youre going through. My ask today is what are your thoughts on Bo Rhap as a movie?

Thanks! :) I’m above all extremely happy to see people on this site being so kind and supportive in time of need, it’s a human quality that will never get enough praise! I’m also really sorry to hear about your problems. :( I send you lots of love, I can imagine how difficult it must be for you, but I’m sure you're strong and coping❤️

As for your actual question - that’s some truly excellent and interesting timing, considering that I rewatched BoRhap (with @incblackbird) literally three days ago. :P It was already my third rewatch, and while I enjoyed the movie overall, I liked it quite significantly less than upon the last time I saw it. Of course, there’s been gazillion discourses about BoRhap, whether it’s genius, extremely evil, etc., but since it’s such a broad topic (and I think some of my opinions could potentially outrage certain parts of the fandom), this time I’m going to stick to purely cinematic terms.

Needless to say, the soundtrack is excellent - with music such as Queen’s you don’t really have to do much, but they made a good choice of songs, alternating between their best known hits (We Will Rock You, Somebody to Love, Bohemian Rhapsody) and songs to fit the narrative (Doing All Right, Now I’m Here, Who Wants to Live Forever, Love of my Life). It’s practically impossible to leave the screening of BoRhap without at least one Queen song stuck in your head.

The cast was overall very good, too. My personal favourites in terms of acting were Gwilym Lee (who I liked even more than Rami), Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton and Allen Leech - I think they did a great job with their roles as they were written (whether their characters were well written or not is a subject for a whole another discussion). All the side characters were well acted, too (Mike Myers, Meneka Das and Aaron McCusker, for instance, I found particularly memorable), but I must admit I wasn’t a big fan of Joe Mazzello and Ben Hardy, but even they weren’t bad. So, acting is definitely one of the strongest points of the film.

Moving on, I also think they did a great job when it comes to costumes (Brian lending some of his old clothing definitely helped) and make-up (except for Roger’s wigs, perhaps); the choreography and stage movement for the characters were super well done, too - and it definitely wasn’t an easy task!

Now, let’s discuss cinematography. I will talk about editing in a separate paragraph, so for now I’m gonna stick to other aspects. The composition of shots struck me as rather mediocre, nothing particularly exceptional in either good or bad way, it was pretty basic but rather correct. Of course, there were some shots I really liked, but if I were to start adding screenshots the post would become way too long. XD The colours I really liked, especially in the musical scenes - they were vivid and lovely, and they used a combination of colours that I tend to appreciate in cinema, like various shades of blue and red. Finally, the camerawork - for dialogue scenes it was correct; again, rather average with some use of handheld camera which served no particular dramatic purpose, but it wasn’t nowhere near very bad, also it’s quite a common thing in modern biopics I would say. Handheld camerawork isn’t bad in default, but my comment largely comes from my personal preferences: in most cases I don’t really like it, especially when it’s particularly shaky. Then, there are scenes in BoRhap which display excellent camerawork, namely Live Aid and We Will Rock You scenes. If most scenes were filmed like that, I would give the movie a higher rating.

Before I move to the worst (imo) cinematic aspects of the movie, let’s have a look at writing. It is probably the most divisive thing in the fandom - people seem to either adore or absolutely loathe it; my stance lies somewhere inbetween. The first time I saw the film (I’m gonna remind you that I’ve seen it four times), I had certain objections, but the script didn’t bother me all that much; I was mostly simply having fun in the cinema. With every next watching, the experience was getting gradually worse, but even now I don’t hate the movie. Yes, some of the dialogue is cheesy, trite and makes me cringe a bit - certain parts of the script definitely end on an “overly sentimental” territory, I can’t deny that. Knowing quite a lot about Freddie, Queen and their stories, I generally think they deserve a better script; some characterisation was a bit offputting and chronology was all over the place. Having said that, I understand where some of those narrative choices come from, as scripts for mainstream movies require oversimplification of events, archetypes, and patterns. And quite frankly, I don’t think BoRhap differs any drastically from most modern biopics; it’s not a masterpiece, but - in my opinion - it’s also not bad overall. Regardless the flaws of the script, the movie still managed to emotionally affect a huge, if not major, portion of viewers, entertain and move them, and honestly? I think that was pretty much the point. Btw, there were some lines that I really loved, like “Puritans in public, perverts in private”, and I still think that their decision to cut from Live Aid performance to Ray Foster’s grim face during We Are the Champions was the funniest shit ever. XD Would BoRhap’s script benefit from sticking to historical accuracy? I’m gonna say yes, I think so - the scenes that were the closest to actual events are definitely the strongest - but this approach would require tons of changes, including narrowing down the narrative scope and probably the characters, too. Also, a lot of people keep forgetting that this is not an arthouse, niche film and therefore resorts to narrative and cinematic choice that compromise between satisfying the fans and the newbies; it’s meant to tell a (simple) story and entertain, not educate and provoke existential and philosophical debates. Still, I think the script could have been done a bit better, because some scenes  (the tour “Now I’m Here” montage) feel a bit...random?

Finally, the infamous editing. I totally agree that it was one of the most undeserving Academy Awards that year, because some scenes were simply atrocious, with their unmotivated and overly fast cuts and unreasonably ridiculous face that doesn’t fit the dialogue scenes, and those are honestly the worst when it comes to pacing and editing. I think the editing is the worst aspect of BoRhap; but even here, I could point at some examples of pretty amazing editing (Oscar-worthy? Not necessarily, but definitely very good); again, I’m gonna bring up Live Aid and “We Will Rock You” scenes, especially the latter, because less people talk about it. I already mentioned that it has some really nice camerawork AND colours, but also the editing is actually really cool, because it’s cut to the music! Which makes me think: “what a shame!”, because if they went with different editing choices, the movie would be affected in a positive way. The way we have it, it’s either a hit or miss (sadly, mostly miss), and the badly edited scenes are pretty striking, so the ones that are done nicely are unfortunately a wasted potential.

Okay, this is already waaay too long, so I’m just gonna finish with a few general remarks. Well, despite BoRhap’s flaws, I still like and enjoy it. With every screening slightly less, but enjoy it anyway. I don’t think any amount of discourse will ever take away my positive experiences and memories from seeing it twice in cinema. It sparked my previously dormant love for Queen and united me with some people in the fandom and in real life; making this movie made Brian and Roger happy; as a result, I like this movie. It brings back a lot of positive recollections, which sometimes is more important than critical discussions. And boy, do I adore those - I’m often critical and I adore analysing stuff academically; but I think that not all daily interactions require those and depending on who’s asking and what about, I’m capable of switching between the two options. If somebody asks me in 25 years whether I remember the times of BoRhap’s release, I’ll be far less likely to say “yeah, the editing sucked and writing was cringy, I remember the discourse on tumblr and instagram” than “Yes, I remember that chilly evening in December when I had a really fun time and ended up with 10 Queen songs stuck in my head”, because the latter is the experience I want to remember.

Thank you for this ask! Hope it wasn’t overly exhausting to read, I didn’t proofread this, sorry! xx

[moviestorian]

I watched the death of Stalin about the power struggle after Stalins death. Its directed by Armano iannucci and if you like his comedy the thick of it you will like it. Full of characters in a power struggle which ends in ridiculous infighting and swearing. Michael palin and steve biscemi are great in their roles. I enjoyed it. A comedy of riduculousness that passes the time well.

Hey! :D

I saw The Death of Stalin in a cinema upon its original release in Poland (the USSR under Stalin used to be one of my favourite periods in history), I enjoyed it! I’m not easily amused, but I thought that movie was good, happy to hear you liked it! The cast was great, apart from the actors you mentioned I really liked Jason Isaacs’ performance as Zhukov. I remember feeling slightly underwhelmed by the movie overall, though. Now that you mention it, I wonder what would my opinion be after the second viewing. Perhaps it’s high time for a rewatch! ;)

Are you planning to watch anything interesting this Christmas?^^

[moviestorian]

I saw the 1945 version of the painting of Dorian Gray. Its really interesting as the film is shot in black and white, except for 3 sections ( when you see the painting at first and the painting changing) which are in Technicolor. Angela Lansbury is the singer he first falls in love with originally. Its an interesting adaption and i really liked the idea of black and white and then just the painting in color. My question is which of the queen members style do you most admire?

Hi there!

I love The Picture of Dorian Gray, but I only saw the adaptation with Ben Barnes, and frankly wasn’t very fond of it. :P Unless Penny Dreadful counts, that one I actually liked!

From what you describe it looks like the 1945 film contains some original concepts and cinematography, I’m sure it looks amazing! Sounds really interesting, I’m gonna add it to my list right now. :3

I assume you mean style as in fashion? If so, then well, that’s a tough one, because they’re all so damn iconic. XD Obviously, Freddie’s style was the most outrageous and extravagant, but some of his outfits are not really my thing. I really like Brian’s style, especially his Zandra Rhodes outfits, but his inability to button his shirt never ceases to amaze me. I guess John is the most ordinary when it comes to this aspect, but he also pulled those monochromatic clothes SO WELL. Then we have Roger, our Rainbow Man, with his tendency to mix clashing colours and choices pretty much as bold as Freddie’s. XD Still, he looks good almost all the time, so for me, it’s a tie between Brian and Roger. :D

[moviestorian]

Thank you for the list. Ive added loads to my list to watch. Barry Lyndon is very high up. I believe it used all natural light with candles which sounds amazing. I keep hardback notebooks, one for films to watch, one for books to read. My question is if a film is an adaption from a book or play, do you try and read them first before the movie? I do try to read the story first. Work is good, i work at the hospital booking in and filing specimens after operations. 🐈

Hi! :)

You’re most welcome, glad to be of some help. :3 In Barry Lyndon, Kubrick and John Alcott used natural lighting exclusively for candlelit and outdoor scenes, however in most of the indoor shootings he had some external artificial light to aid, but tried to achieve effect as close to natural lighting as possible. The effect is breathtaking; it’s definitely one of my favourite films in terms of cinematography. Looks hella impressive!

Keeping the notebook for movies to watch and books to read is a marvellous idea! I used to handwrite everything down, but I do it less nowadays.

As for your question - it truly depends. I know some people prefer to see the movie first, read the source material first, or simply stick to one medium and never look into the other one, but I’m on the neutral category - the order doesn’t really matter to me. Obviously, if I read the book or play and love it, and find out that there’s a film adaptation, my adoration for the source material makes me more prone to watch it. It goes both ways - when I develop a particular liking for a film, or get obsessed with it, it’s more than likely that I’m going to get my hands on the book. What I adore to do is comparing both the source material and the adaptation, because another person’s approach adds something different to the story, and often highlights aspects that are a bit overlooked. I find it interesting to see those fresh takes, especially on frequently retold and widely known stories, and I’m usually trying to separate the adaptation from its source material, as I think they’re two versions of the same story. Even if the writer/director strays away from the author’s original vision, I’m willing to turn a blind eye to it, but only when I think it has a clear purpose and the final result is good. I don’t think the film has to be a carbon copy of the book in order for it to be great, you know? For instance, Kubrick’s cinematic adaptations were rarely super faithful to their source material, but his films are still damn great; I would even dare say that some changes that he imposed were for the better.

Work in a hospital sounds like a really responsible job! And definitely socially significant.

[moviestorian]

So i saw young Frankenstein today and it was very funny. Some crude jokes but very funny. Now i know where that gif of the lady clapping comes from! Whats your favourite comedy film? 🐈

I have to see that one! :D

In all honesty, comedy is amongst my least favourite genres; my sense of humour is quite peculiar and I’m rather picky with what I find funny. As a result, most films or film scenes that are meant to be hilarious make me cringe more often than they amuse. :P I do like some black and visual comedies, anything that combines comedy with drama and I do enjoy slapstick. My favourite comedies include The Artist, Delicatessen, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fearless Vampire Killers, Sherlock Jr., SOME LIKE IT HOT. I also love Edgar Wright’s directing style and his unique way of creating humour via combination of music and editing. :3

[moviestorian]

helloo 👋 today i’ve been watching a film called Lion- it’s based on a true story and it made me cry crocodile tears 😭 i think it was a well plotted narrative, though i think there should’ve been a bit more emotional drama in the second half but overall i loved it! so my question today is of what film is your favourite cinematography? (not sure if that makes sense?) - 🦄

Hi! *waves back*

Nice! I’ve heard about this movie, but hadn’t the chance the watch it myself. I’m pretty sure it’s on my to-watch list, though! :)

Yes, I know perfectly well what do you mean! I feel like a lot of my favourite movies actually fall on the list, but I’m gonna add some more^^. I couldn’t possibly pick one!

- Barry Lyndon (18th century paintings made alive)

- The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (German Expressionism in general is very aesthetically pleasing to me, but this one stands out on its own)

- Persona (one of the most beautiful movies in black and white)

- Suspiria (the Argento one, the colours are stunning!)

- The Elephant Man (see Persona)

- The Neon Demon (colours, symmetry, composition!)

- Hugo (colours and lovely camerawork!)

- Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson’s movies are lovely in general)

What about you? :)

[moviestorian]

Hi, im the anon with the b&w movie reccomendations and asked about bo-rhap. Can i be your 🐈 anon? Sorry i disappeared, i got called back to work. My query is what are some reccomendations from you of films i must see? I feel there are many gaps in my film knowledge.

Hi there! :D

Ooooh, looks like I have not one but two film anons! <3 That’s truly awesome. Yes, please, you totally can be a cat film anon.^^ How’s work?

Hmhmhmhmh, all depends on what you like! I’m just gonna briefly go through my favourite movies and directors and catalogue them via genres. If you’d like something more specific, please let me know! The following aren’t in any particular order, I’m gonna list them in the way they pop up in my head.

Drama/period drama

- Barry Lyndon (1975 - this one’s hella long, though!)

- 12 Angry Men (1957)

- Cabaret (1972)

- Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

- Persona (1966)

- Autumn Sonata (1978)

- Paths of Glory (1957 - my favourite WWI film so far)

- Hugo (2011)

- A Short Film About Love (1988)

- Shutter Island (2010)

- The Handmaiden (2016)

- A Single Man (2009)

Horror

- Eerie Tales (1919)

- The Student of Prague (1926)

- The Shining (1980)

- The VVitch (2015)

- Midsommar (2019)

- Hereditary (2018)

- The Man Who Laughs (1928, more like a drama than horror tbh, but still a part of the Universal Monsters)

- Psycho (1960)

- The Orphanage (2007)

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

- Pan’s Labirynth (2006)

Other

- A Clockwork Orange (1971)

- Old Boy (2003)

- Rope (1948)

- Delicatessen (1991)

- Reservoir Dogs (1992)

- Filmworker (2017)

- Baby Driver (2017)

- Loving Vincent (2017)

- Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

- Some Like it Hot (1959)

[moviestorian]

hello! soo rn i’m watching the pianist on netflix and i was wondering if you’ve seen it and what it means to you being polish? also what other biopics that you’ve seen would you recommend watching videos - 🦄 (the film anon

Hello dear film anon! :)))) I’m really happy to see you again! Shall you keep attaching the unicorn emoji to your asks so that I can recognize you? :))))

I ADORE The Pianist! I’ve seen it many times and it’s definitely one of the earliest war films I saw in my life (insofar). It had quite a huge impact on me - I don’t remember how exactly old I was first saw it, but it made an impression memorable enough to imprint the movie on my brain. I frequently rewatch it and I count it as one of the best World War II movies ever, I hold in a particular value because it feels to me like a very fair movie that’s neither black-and-white nor unnecessary pathos or drama, it sticks quite faithfully to its original source.

As for The Pianist’s influence on my identity as a Polish person, that’s a very interesting question because I’ve never really thought about it this way. Now that you’re asking me this, I started considering it and would say the movie (btw, it doesn’t bother me at all that the actors don’t speak Polish) actually means quite a lot to me, especially when I’m in Warsaw. It sparked my interest in World War II (I’m more into WWI these days, but for many years the other war was my absolutely favourite historical period), made me read Władysław Szpilman’s memoirs (which are brilliant btw, I totally recommend the book, especially if you like the cinematic adaptation), and then reach out for Wilm Hosenfeld’s letters and diary - I still find him a deeply fascinating person and an admirable character. Then, I already mentioned Warsaw: upon my first visit in the capital I saw Szpilman’s grave, he is also present in certain museums (such as the Warsaw Uprising Museum), so whenever I contemplate Warsaw’s fate during the Second World War and after, my thoughts frequently stray to images and events depicted in the literary and film version of The Pianist, because one could say that the city is, in a way, a character of its own (btw, before putting the final version, Szpilman wanted to name his book Death of the City, after one of the chapters). In discussions about WWII and every day life in occupied Warsaw, I tend to bring up the Pianist as well, so it had an influence on me as a historian and an academic. Finally, it definitely contributed to the fact that Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp minor, Op. posth is my favourite of Chopin’s compositions, and whenever I hear this piece, it makes me recollect either the movie or history, specifically Warsaw between 1939 and 1945.

As for the biopics, I would totally recommend: The Elephant Man (that one is very emotionally engaging and REALLY sad, but a beautiful movie), The Favourite (stylistically a very unusual one, but really good), Downfall (2004), I, Tonya, Foxcatcher, King’s Speech, Chaplin (1992 - I saw this one ages ago, but at least RDJ’s performance is really amazing).

Thanks for this question again, I really love your asks, they are very original and stimulating! <3 Btw, please let me know what’s your opinion on the movie!

[moviestorian]

Have you seen portrait of a lady on fire yet? I loved it. I saw the blue Angel. Its about a schoolteacher who finds postcards of a songtress at the local club called the blue angel on his srudents. He ends up going to the club to confront hhs students and her. She is so unreseved and so beautiful she tempts him, they get married. He loses his job and ends up as a clown who gets egg thrown on his face whilst she is with her new lover. He ends up breaking into the school drunk 1/2 🐈

And falls asleep at his old desk whilst she performs falling in love again " men cluster to me like moths to a flame, and if they burn, im not to blame". Dietrichs performance is what makes it good. I must do some reading as well. I really wanna read some more classics. Dickens, austen etc...i need to finish my reading pile first though. Ive just started ill be gone in the dark by michelle mcnamara about her search to find the golden state killer. 🐈 hope your well and happy.

Hi dear!

Please accept my sincerest apologies for my very much belated response! Hope you’re safe and sound.^^

Yes, I’ve seen Portrait of a Lady on Fire and really loved it! I approached it with a touch of reservation, as I always do with overhyped films, but it really won me over. I really loved the aesthetics, the acting (especially Haenel’s <3) and the tranquility of the script. My favourite part was probably the ending, mostly because of the brilliant combination of Vivaldi’s music and Heloise’s emotive face (tbh this kind of ending worked FAR way better here than in Call me by Your Name).

I also recently watched Citizen Kane (finally!) and Winter Light (probably the first Bergman movie that didn’t impress me whatsoever, despite my thorough enjoyment of Bjornstrand’s excellent role), I’m also six episodes in Nights and Days, a tv show from the 70s based on a Polish literary classic. Very much enjoying it, the copy’s been digitally restored and the viewers are now treated with ravishing scenery reminiscent of various 19th century painters’ works. The acting and characters are good, too, and I love the soundtrack.

The Blue Angel is the one I totally should watch! I added it to my list.

Have you finished I’ll be gone in the dark? I managed to finish Little Women only a couple of days ago and I’m currently reading four books simultaneously (I like me some variety :P), including Madame Bovary, a classic I’ve been meaning to read for literal ages. The rest is all historical books, all pretty damn interesting: one about the Dreyfus family, one about historical writing about history films, written by a postmodernist historian, and one about shell shock after the battle of the Somme. If anyone’s interested, I’ll give authors and titles. :)

I’m pretty well, thank you! After all the disturbances of the past weeks, I’m trying to keep myself busy as well as relaxed. I think I succeed fairly well. :)

Wish you all the best and Imma wait for your next ask/message! <3

[moviestorian]

Hi 👋 ive just finished the pianist and i absolutely loved it !! adrien brody’s portrayal of wladyslaw was very moving and now that ive finally seen it i can say he deserved that oscar. also chopin’s music makes it all the more better. so my question today is what kind of film industry job would you be interested in pursuing and why is it interesting to you? - 🦄 (i’m going to try and ask questions daily if you dm

Hi dear!!! <3

I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the Pianist! It really is a superb movie. Fully agreed re: Adrien Brody’s performance, he really put his whole self into acting, creating a poignant and heart-wrenching role. I know that playing Szpilman was extremely emotionally demanding, and at some points of the filming he was pretty much so depressed that didn’t have to even pretend anymore... Not to mention the additional factors like losing weight and learning how to play piano - I might not always agree with Academy Awards, but he totally deserved that Oscar!

If I were to pursue a job in film industry, I would like to be a director! Acting was my early childhood dream, and I’ve done my fair share in acting at school drama performances (plus two film projects in high school and one play in a youth competition which our group actually won), but I don’t think I would go this way if I were to choose now. It attracts me less as I get older, although some of my friends and family members claim that I would make a good actress (they also say that I would be a great lawyer, but I’ve made my choice about that four years ago!). Screenwriting also appeals to me because I like to write, if slightly less than the concept of directing - in case I ever actually get to make a legit film, I would love to both direct and write (or co-write)it, that’s how greedy I am! :D

Anyways, you asked for reasons. Why, I think that directing, while very demanding and requiring a ton of social and planning skills, gives you many opportunities to have a say in artistic aspects of the film and more freedom (well, in the idealistic scenario at least), plus it’s very prestigious, and I really like to be respected: but you have to be good to be respected, and knowing myself I’d never be fully satisfied with my achievements. Being a director of arthouse films would be a dream, honestly! However, I’d be just as content with being a director of documentary films - which was a position I was once quite close to achieving.

On more doable options - I can also see myself as a historical consultant! Since I’m a historian with a passion for cinema, I think I could do well and perhaps, with some acquaintances in the industry, actually get that job (please...?), even if just once.

And of course I don’t mind daily asks! <3 Please go ahead, hon, as long as you’re not bored with me! xx

[moviestorian]

Do films in black and white put you off? I know people who say they cant watch a black and white film. I think theyre missing out. If you want i could reccomend some if you'd like.

Hi anon! :)

No, not at all! I really like black and white movies, especially if they have good contrast and lighting (stuff that looks like Bergman’s Persona or Kubrick’s Paths of Glory, also the use of shadows like in German expressionism), they can be so aesthetically pleasing! Like you, I also know people who can’t stand black and white movies or say that they would prefer an X movie in colour, but to me it doesn’t matter as long as overall cinematography is good and the story interesting (sometimes you can’t have both, but if at least one of the two is above average I’m more than inclined to like it).

I’m always up for some recommendations! Send me them titles! :)

[moviestorian]

I hope you’re feeling a little better, hopefully you can get some sleep soon! I haven’t seen hardly any old movies- if you were were to suggest one (your favorite or most memorable?) what would it be, and why??

Thanks a billion times! <3 Yes, I’m already feeling slightly better - you guys are helping!

Hmmm, that’s not an easy choice, there are so many great old movies that I’d totally recommend, but if I were to go with my gut feeling at the moment, I would say Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. It’s definitely my favourite silent film and one of my favourite movies in general. One of its advantages is that it’s really short (about an hour and 17 minutes I think), so if you’re not really used to silent films, the length will definitely make it easier to go through the whole thing. Secondly, the aesthetics is magnificent (I highly recommend watching the restored version, the quality really makes a difference!), it looks like something taken straight out of an expressionist painting or a dream (a nightmare even), not just the sets, but the actors’ movement (especially Conrad Veidt and Werner Krauss’s performances, they are magnificent), intertitles, the general feel... I find the story itself equally compelling and fascinating, with a pretty unexpected, if divisive and frequently debated twist. It was a very influential movie and I think it’s super interesting to talk about and what it symbolizes and represents. :)