Cinematic Preferences Survey

Cafe Society
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Part 1: The Films
The Silence of the Lambs
Beetlejuice
Airplane
Risky Business
Almost Famous
–IMHO Silence is one of the best films ever made. And I do so love Risky Business: “Do you hear something . . . unpleasant? A preponderance of bass, perhaps?”
Part 2: The Genres
Comedy
Dark Comedy
Suspense
–When renting with other people, I tend to go for comedy, and really dumb comedy at that. Often comedy with absolutely no redeeming value at all. Dark comedy is a great choice too; I’m one of the only people I know who really liked Monkeybone. And suspense? Oh yes.

Part 3: The Cinematic Elements
Screenplay
Casting
–This was tough. I commented the other day to a friend that contemporary movies are for the most part horribly written, full of cussing (not that I’m opposed to a cuss or two but when it becomes the bulk of dialogue–blech) and filler.

Part 4: The Actors
Robert Duvall
Kathy Bates
–just saw Apocalypse Now Redux and woah-ho Robert Duvall’s delivery of Kilgore’s line “Some day, this war’s going to end” is stunning. For me Kathy Bates is kind of the best of a bunch of not-so-compelling choices (sorry Lib); I just had a tougher time picking actors.

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Part 1

From among the following movies, please select the 5 that you like best overall, ranked from most liked to least.

The Godfather
West Side Story
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Barton Fink
Silence of the Lambs

As I look over this list, it occurs to me that each of the films I’ve chosen can (arguably) be considered the quintessential example of its genre, and transcends its genre in significant ways.

Part 2

From among the following genres, please select the 3 that you generally prefer most often, ranked from most prefered to least.

A meaningless question for me; I’m unable to offer any opinion. A good movie, to me, is a good movie, regardless of genre.

Part 3

From among the following cinematic elements, please select the 2 that you believe are most critical to making an already good film great, ranking them in order of importance.

Directing
Screenplay

You didn’t mention Producing; if you had, I’d put that at number two, above screenplay. If this were top three, of the ones you listed, Editing goes in the third slot.

Film is absolutely not an acting medium. As corroboration, consider the typical habit of Jack Nicholson, who was a well-respected actor before he turned into a cartoon (and, with the upcoming About Schmidt, will be considered an actor again). He knows very well that films are truly made in the editing room, and thus when he knows a director is doing eight or ten takes of a scene, Nicholson will deliver his lines with very slight differences between takes. He thus gives the director and editor the building blocks they need to put together a successful scene in the editing room.

Part 4

From among the following actors, please select the 1 male and the 1 female whom you believe to be the most versatile.

Billy Bob Thornton
Kathy Bates

An interesting exercise, to say the least.

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Cervaise

Ackkk! The last time I saw you post, I asked this, but the thread receded into the darkness of pages past. I hope that this time I caught up with you. I love your reviews. Would you please do Almost Famous?

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Ok, here goes nothing

Part 1
Empire Strikes Back
MP Holy Grail
Beetlejuice
Silence of the Lambs
Barton Fink

Part 2
Sci fi
Suspense
Comedy

Part 3
Screenplay
Music

Part 4
Robert Duval (Hopkins was a close contender)
Kathy Bates (Foster as a runner up)

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Part I

  1. Godfather
  2. Close Encounters
  3. Butch Cassidy
  4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  5. Barton Fink

Part II

  1. Dark Comedy
  2. Drama
  3. Comedy

Part III

  1. Screenplay
  2. Acting

Part IV
John Hurt
Jodie Foster (I have to agree that I wouldn’t think of any of these actresses are terribly versatile. How about , say, Lily Tomlin or even Michelle Pfeiffer, who’s done drama, comedy, romance, musicals, and even a super-villian)?