Stephen M (harrycaul)

Jules et Jim seems to me to exemplify both the strengths and weaknesses of the Nouvelle Vague, and it shows how pro and con can often stem from the same root. The bold inventiveness with which these former critics of Cahiers du Cinéma tore up and rewrote the moviemaking rulebook makes watching their films an exhilarating experience, even today. Unfortunately, the flip side of this is that I sometimes find their movies rather soulless and artificial; I can't see the content for the style. Take Jules et Jim. There's that early scene in which Catherine (Jeanne Moreau) confounds Jules (Oskar Werner) and Jim (Henri Serre) by dressing as a man - that's how the whole film feels to me: like three kids playing with a dressing-up box. As a period piece, I just don't buy it; it covers a period of twenty-odd years without ever managing to escape 1962. I still loved it though. In spite of the title, it's Catherine one remembers, and it's impossible to imagine anyone but Moreau playing her.

"C'mon, Ace, let's go fishing"

Ordinarily I'm very cynical of so-called director's cuts and the reasons for their release. The way I see it, unless there was outside interference, the director should have got it right first time. And with something like Apocalypse Now, frankly I have much more respect for Coppola's artistic integrity circa 1976-1979, when he made it, than in 2001 when he re-edited it. Anyway, here's a potentially great little movie that really was ruined by studio interference and which, I feel, would not need a great deal of tweaking to improve it immeasurably. First to go, obviously, would be the unbearably corny, tacked-on ending. I'm trying not to give too much away for those who haven't seen it, but why not just end the movie directly after the tense climax, on the optimistic note that Allan (Jason Beghe) has done enough to guarantee his spinal surgery? It would, however, be unfair to blame the studio for everything that is wrong with this picture. Back in 1976/1977 when he made his brilliant modern day vampire movie, Martin, Romero was clever enough not to make an issue of pointy teeth, unless it was to poke fun at the silliness of traditional vampire lore. In Monkey Shines, Romero's own, unnecessary, equally silly dental fixation suggests a significant erosion of his artistic good sense over the intervening decade.

The most beautiful, imaginative and ambitious fantasy film ever made. Everyone should see it. Originally commissioned to improve Anglo-American relations at the tail end of WWII!

More of a character study than a thriller, though it does have a lovely twist at the end. Easily the best thing Coppola ever made and undoubtedly Gene Hackman's finest hour. I annoy people by declaring this Harrison Ford's best movie!