starlady: The Welcome to Night Vale Logo, with clouds over the moon (welcome to night vale)
[personal profile] starlady
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), dir. Nicolas Roeg
When David Bowie died I went to the movies. He stole the entire film with his turn as Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006)--I would have paid so much money to have an entire movie of him as Tesla--and of course I've seen Labyrinth (1986), but I'd never seen this one. What struck me immediately was how similar it was, in terms of effects and directorial philosophy, to The Prisoner. The passage of time has been much kinder to the latter; the film never quite coheres, and it's too long. I was also reminded of Under the Skin; this movie is better. I was very proud of myself for correctly identifying Jim Lovell before the on-screen newscaster introduced him. But as a series of striking sequences, and for Bowie's weird, reserved performance, it's worth seeing at least once.

Purple Rain (1983), dir. Albert Magnoli
When Prince died I wore all purple the next day in mourning for the purple Yoda from Minnesota. The next week I went to see Purple Rain, which is amazing. The story is fine, with perhaps more sexism than I was frankly expecting, but wow, Prince. Prince. Prince. I immediately understood that the people who said on Twitter that Prince in concert was pure sex were right, because the Prince numbers in Purple Rain are also pure sex. Even when people in the theater with me got out real actual lighters and held them up during "Purple Rain" and we all clapped and sang along, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him on that First Avenue stage. (I kept looking for friends of mine among the extras in the concert scenes, but no luck.) People on The Current were saying that the movie will endure for the fashion, and it's true that amazing, but the movie will be immortal because it has Prince in it. Like most of his catalog the soundtrack desperately needs a remaster, but even so, it was one of the more mind-blowing concert experiences I've had, never mind that I wasn't actually at a concert.

(no subject)

Date: 2016-05-16 12:23 (UTC)
king_touchy: gold crown with jewels on white background (melancholy)
From: [personal profile] king_touchy
He stole the entire film with his turn as Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006)--I would have paid so much money to have an entire movie of him as Tesla

He was the standout in that movie. I'd be next in line after you to pay for a full-length feature. Death leaves so many what-ifs and never-will-bes.

(no subject)

Date: 2016-05-16 15:13 (UTC)
laurashapiro: a woman sits at a kitchen table reading a book, cup of tea in hand. Table has a sliced apple and teapot. A cat looks on. (Default)
From: [personal profile] laurashapiro
I have a deep fondness for both films, staple viewing during my teen years. Both are kind of terrible and yet magical and transcendent -- it's interesting to me how well they overcome their significant flaws and linger in the imagination.

Of course, I had crushes on both Bowie and Prince, so the eroticism lay like a mist over everything they did.

(no subject)

Date: 2016-05-20 23:29 (UTC)
laurashapiro: a woman sits at a kitchen table reading a book, cup of tea in hand. Table has a sliced apple and teapot. A cat looks on. (Default)
From: [personal profile] laurashapiro
The schmacting, though. Appolonia in particular. ::cringe::

(no subject)

Date: 2016-05-17 18:12 (UTC)
jesse_the_k: Panda doll wearing black eye mask, hands up in the spotlight, dropping money bag on floor  (bandit panda)
From: [personal profile] jesse_the_k
Thanks for picking Purple Rain for my next movie night!

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