|
|
Post by kims on Oct 14, 2023 18:48:57 GMT
I just watched this. I watch it any time I see it listed to air.
The movie is well done, good cast-is George Saunders ever bad? Great black and white photography-even on the miniature building-that is obviously a miniature-as it burns. That miniature always makes me wonder why this film does not devolve into camp-especially as the eyes come at the camera.
It seems a B-budget film. What I like is the screenwriting seems great-no long melodramatic substories on the myriad diversity of characters, just enough detail to move forward the story and understand characters' motives. One character has been working overseas for a year and his wife is pregnant-no long dramatic scene of wife's denial of infidelity, no protracted accusations by the husband. The facts are presented and the story moves on. Later when the husband confronts the alien children, we know his motivation without a long speech about his feelings and why he wants them destroyed. It's not even necessary to identify which child is his wife's-does it matter?
It is not a long movie, but packed with information and it moves.
Using the Theater Managers' scale, during this film there is not a moment where people go for food or to the restroom.
|
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 21, 2023 23:04:05 GMT
I love your Theater Managers' scale and can't wait to see it applied to other films you discuss. And I liked your observation that the script was so tightly focused on moving the story and relied on viewers being smart enough to put things together without being inundated with unnecessary details. I'm sure that's a big part of what keeps you coming back for repeated viewings. I've always liked it but haven't seen it in a while; you've made me want to catch it again next time around.
|
|
|
|
Post by kims on Oct 22, 2023 16:51:20 GMT
I managed theaters '77 to '89. I can only give the audience behavior for films during that period. I ran midnight shows Sat and Sun-usual fare ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, MONTERY POP. I badgered my booker to get me VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED for midnight showings. Finally he got me a print, so I was able to give the Theater Managers' scale.
Knowing if there was a moment in the films we showed that was boring, I could tell concession staff not to take breaks at that time because there would be mini rushes for food.
The studios employed services to get the grosses opening nights. A crazy procedure the studios used. People called each individual theater for the open night gross. Nope they couldn't wait and call the different theaters' home office for the overall gross. What they thought they could do with the information at that moment I don't know.
I created the scale when the person who called me commented the film wasn't doing so well. It may have been HEAVEN CAN WAIT. I commented that I hoped Paramount would not pull it too soon because everyone in the audience laughed at the same time. I thought it would get good word-of-mouth.
so for comedies good if everyone laughs at the same time-bad if there's scattered laughter.
Dramas worse the more often there's a mini rush for concessions or the restroom.
Horror films great if the screams from the auditorium can startle you in the lobby.
MONTY PYTHON'S MEANING OF LIFE: I was in the office when there was from the auditorium many loud prolonged EWs. I went downstairs to find out what was going on. I forget the character's name, but he was eating everything and vomiting as he ate and then John Cleese serves the wafer thin mint. Never heard as loud or prolonged gross out moment. Thinking about it, I think I'll play my DVD. The film was a definite no going to the concessions, a few weak stomached people rushing to the restroom.
|
|
|
|
Post by intrepid37 on Oct 22, 2023 22:05:21 GMT
MONTY PYTHON'S MEANING OF LIFE: I was in the office when there was from the auditorium many loud prolonged EWs. I went downstairs to find out what was going on. I forget the character's name, but he was eating everything and vomiting as he ate and then John Cleese serves the wafer thin mint. Never heard as loud or prolonged gross out moment. Thinking about it, I think I'll play my DVD. The film was a definite no going to the concessions, a few weak stomached people rushing to the restroom. The part that made me most uncomfortable in Meaning of Life was the taking of organs from the man in his home. His screams were not at all comedic to me. Whereas the barfing was gross and just plain stupid, the idea of the nonchalant butchering of a conscious man made me rather queasy. |
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 23, 2023 12:38:10 GMT
If you ask me, that's as good a rating system as Rotten Tomatoes or any of the others. I don't think there are any more annual film guides like Maltin's or Halliwell's so you've probably missed your calling, but please feel free to apply your system liberally to any of the movies we discuss around here which you showed in your theater. Great stuff.
During that same time period, relatively, a friend managed a small local revival house which consisted of the balcony of the old original theater in town. It was a summer resort town with about one tenth of the population during the offseason, so the auditorium and lobby were converted into small shops and stalls, making a kind of shopping arcade which could pay the rent. Sad in a way, but that balcony theater became a second home to a lot of us and he always aimed to please in his programming. I'm pretty sure I saw Village of the Damned there. Anyway, every year on his birthday he closed the theater for his birthday party and showed things reflecting his oddball taste, like Deadly Weapons with Chesty Morgan, things like that. Celebrating in a movie theater makes perfect sense to me to this day and those parties are some of my best memories of that time.
|
|
|
|
Post by galacticgirrrl on Dec 22, 2023 4:27:09 GMT
Well well well. We meet again. I was just reading ILMs Bad Movies We Love masterpiece thread. Before I could start my myriad of true confessions over there, I spotted this kims gem. (which reminds me I still have some truth telling to do over on that Hallmark nightmare page) The Theater Managers' scale is fabulous insight. I ADORE Village of the Damned for so many reasons. Since nobody likely wants me prattle on about my George Sanders fixation, I'll mention two others. IN THE TIME BEFORE SNOWFLAKE CHILDREN/HELICOPTER PARENTS
This was the first movie that frightened me to death just hearing it described to me as a child. It haunted me for decades before I finally saw it in the 1990s. What were my parents thinking!? I have NEVER gotten over their movie review. To this day I use the BRICK WALL, BRICK WALL, BRICK WALL mantra when trying to block something or someone from intruding into my mind, all thanks to their all too vivid description. DINNER WITH THE GLOWING EYED BOY/GIRL Kim Clarke Champniss Kim Clarke Champniss
 I was at an event at our gorgeous Palais Royal /1922 vintage waterfront dance hall. The Drummer and I ended up at the Much Music (MTV) table with the incredible Kim Clarke Champniss. KCC is a charming renaissance man - author, musician, band manager, VJ, host of City Limits/The New Music tv shows but most importantly he is a former child actor. The Drummer is another casualty of the film, never getting over seeing it and mentioning this OFTEN to anyone willing to listen. I knew poor KCC was doomed. I whispered to him it would be 3 minutes at best before the topic was raised so at least he was prepared. More like 3 seconds. Poor KCC. But he handled it with such grace and aplomb. He has a great blog post about his experience working on the film:
kimchampniss.wordpress.com/2015/11/05/damned-young/
The film sequence in which I am involved lasts just one minute and fifty eight seconds, but it would have a profound impact on movie history and pop culture.
I must have been four or five years old at the time. I remember having to rehearse the scene with George Sanders over and over again (I guess so I could learn how to open the magic box) and eating all that chocolate.
It was so scary that, according to a 2003 article in The Guardian, the censors asked the special effect to be deleted from the original 1960 UK release.
And Now for Something Completely Different... One more small thin wafer is another movie terminology I use often....when people are stuffed but maybe they would like just a wee bit more. |
|
