tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post2186885859969466406..comments2023-12-08T00:45:09.046-08:00Comments on The Fullfillment* Centre: carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17886258675618058752noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post-60838525752435073132010-07-21T15:53:14.105-07:002010-07-21T15:53:14.105-07:00I'm not especially keen on war movies as such....I'm not especially keen on war movies as such. It's just that in the '80's I think Channel 4 and one of the local ITV channels used to show all these now obscure British films from the '60's, just to fill late-night time schedules more than anything else, and in each case I more or less watched them accidentally.<br /><br />It's easy to see why the likes of "Play Dirty" and "The Bofors Gun" weren't commercially successful or fondly regarded, but they were nonetheless extremely powerful films that seemed to stick with me long afterwards. "Robbery" starring Stanley Baker is another good example. (Stanley Baker is a very intriguing character as a sort of precursor to Sean Connery - his career is no doubt worth a re-evaluation). Also "Pulp!" (which I think should have been renamed "Carry On Up The Spider Strategem").<br /><br />Basically, I think there's a treasure trove out there waiting to be rediscovered. It's interesting to see from the Youtube comments that "Play Dirty" is just starting to garner a belated cult following.<br /><br />As for Ingluourious Bastards, I've yet to see it, but I think you're right not to let fashion affect your enjoyment of it. It's often the work that is greeted with the most contempt that turns out to have the most value.Rossikovskynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post-60667064498664448352010-07-21T15:28:09.201-07:002010-07-21T15:28:09.201-07:00Bombard away, all very useful/helpful... i'll...Bombard away, all very useful/helpful... i'll check it out if i can find it...<br /><br />like war movies then, do you?<br /><br />unfashionably, i really liked " Inglorious Bastards" and thought that guy throroughly deseved the oscarcarlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886258675618058752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post-11264573640604828482010-07-21T15:18:37.191-07:002010-07-21T15:18:37.191-07:00Ha Ha! Cheers Mr. Impostume. I'll see if it ...Ha Ha! Cheers Mr. Impostume. I'll see if it lives up to my memory of it.<br /><br />Also, sorry to keep bombarding you with suggestions, but one film that you might want to check out, and is pertinent to the themes explored in "The Hill" is "The Bofors Gun".<br /><br />It's a pretty harrowing film really, especially if one recognises many of the traits of David Warner's character in oneself (i.e. naive lower-middle class Englishman acting mostly in bad faith).<br /><br />I think it takes on many similar issues as The Hill, especially the idea of having the courage (or not in this case) to do your duty, but comes at them from a different angle.Rossikovskynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post-9473297551223006902010-07-21T12:08:27.485-07:002010-07-21T12:08:27.485-07:00i wrote a longish response there rossy, but s...i wrote a longish response there rossy, but somehow it went astray.. for the moment just let me say...<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5TtwQ4uzSA&feature=relatedcarlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886258675618058752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post-35396125243481823882010-07-21T03:50:17.035-07:002010-07-21T03:50:17.035-07:00The idea of the hill/monolith as alien compeller o...The idea of the hill/monolith as alien compeller of growth has pretty mystical roots, as it could be seen as a shard of "The Absolute" which in druidry and esoteric Christianity is the impassive, awesome origin of the universe that compels all growth downstream. The Darian Leader quote is slightly reminiscent of Gurdjieff, although much more optimistic than Gudjieff, who saw almost all human behaviour as impelled/automatic.<br /><br />I've been trying to think of other examples of films which feature this kind of omniescent, inscrutible presence, and can only think of "Picnic At Hanging Rock", though I'm sure there must be plenty of other examples.<br /><br />I've not heard of "Assault" (must do some googling myself) but one other disappeared film that intrigues me is "The Black Windmill". When I saw it as a teenager, it had the same kind of reputation as "Get Carter" i.e. as a remorselessly brutal Caine film with only middling artistic merit, but of course as GC has risen in esteem "The Black Windmill" has disappeared. I remember it being really good. Also, it features one of the earliest (surely accidental) instances of post-modernism when Caine walks past a cinema that is showing "The Battle Of Britain", starring one Michael Caine.Rossikovskynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post-53166787411350296272010-07-20T13:32:48.153-07:002010-07-20T13:32:48.153-07:00errr.. i| may be..except i don't really ha...errr.. i| may be..except i don't really have a take on 2001, though i suppose i do think of the hill as being alien, in the sense that its the non-human form on which humanity is predicated ie why does one become anything at all except that from without and within you are complelled to do so, i think in the fim Roberts fundamentally understands this but is conflicted, torn bewteen an impossible freedom and the possibilty that the hill must be reclaimed.... ( i intend to demonstrate that the film claims this, its not my claim as such) that's why the first quote is there, to demonstrate the conflict<br /><br />I've just googled play dirty.. looks great but i wont be considering it at the moment, I'm sticking to The Hill The Anderson Tapes, The Offence, If, O lucky Man, Brit Hospital. House of Whipcord, frightmare, House of Mortal Sin, the Confessions series with detours into carry ons and british sex comedies.....and cannibal holocaust and deep throat... <br /><br />though if you have a copy of the brit "giallo" Assault hanging around anywhere i'll happily take it off your hands!carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886258675618058752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31416501.post-52459355334638212142010-07-20T05:46:56.978-07:002010-07-20T05:46:56.978-07:00Are you suggesting that the hill is playing the sa...Are you suggesting that the hill is playing the same kind of role as the monolith in "2001: A Space Odyssey"?<br /><br />Also, on a slightly related topic, are you going to be writing about "Play Dirty"? It always gets maligned as a "Dirty Dozen" rip-off, which I think is unfair, as a) it's nothing like TDD and b) I think it's a better (at least much more complex) film anyway.<br /><br />Great last line, too.Rossikovskynoreply@blogger.com