"The Hot Spot" DVD and Jennifer Connelly

[Disco Stu]

Since seeing "Requiem for a Dream" (extremely intense masterpiece), my girlfriend and I have been on a Jennifer Connelly rant. A couple of days ago we rented Dario Argento's "Phenomena" (not one of his best, the dubbing is awful as is Connelly, and for some reason the movie is really dull and the music is used at all the wrong moments) followed by Keith Gordon's "Waking the Dead" (beautully shot, but has irritating characters and mishandled flashbacks and a terribly frustrating and unexplanatory ending, nice DVD though). I already own "Dark City" which is one of the best disc's out there and I had heard about MGM's DVD of "The Hot Spot." Now I have never seen the film and know nothing of the quality of the transfer. I do know that it is listed at $19.95 retail, which for MGM, means no extras, so no Dennis hopper commentary, or anything else apart from a trailer and a "collectible" booklet. Can anyone either direct me to a review or tell me about their copy? Is it 1.85 or 2.35? 2.0 or 5.1? Is the movie any good? Thanks.

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Disco Stu likes disco dancing

[samuelk]

Don't know about hot spot, but if you want to see an older JC movie, check out Labyrinth (if you haven't already). She did that one when she was about 14.

Sam

[Disco Stu]

Originally posted by samuelk:
Don't know about hot spot, but if you want to see an older JC movie, check out Labyrinth (if you haven't already). She did that one when she was about 14.

Sam

Thanks Sam, but I already have seen Labyrinth, although not the recent DVD.

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Disco Stu likes disco dancing

[Axel]

How can you call Dario's Phenomena dull?
It's certainly better than that piece of shit called Dark city.

When you know something about Dario and his movies then come back and spout of your bullshit.

Phenomena rulezzzz

Axel

[Dehrian]

Hey, bring it down a notch. DVD File may not block foul language but this is still a family forum.

[1138]

Yes, please keep it civil. Though we encourage debate, we don't encourage personal attacks and vulgarity directed at anybody. Thanks.

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Floyd is pink. Lando is a sex machine.

[Mr. Freeze]

About the HOT SPOT, I've seen it on the independent film channel (I don't think it is a movie I would choose to own). It's not a bad movie, but I would definitely suggest you rent it first or check your movie channel listings in case its on (IFC re-runs it now and again). Sorry if this next tid bit breaks the mode of a family forum, but one reason you might want to see it is for the Jennifer Connelly nude scene.

P.S. Dark City is one of the great SciFi movies, even Gene Siskel and Rodger Ebert felt it was one of the best films of 1998.

[1138]

Don't worry Freeze, I think we're all mature enough around here for that stuff. Besides, how can you worry about that stuff with Rock lurking around here? Now that's a low standard!! Bring it on Rocky!!

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Floyd is pink. Lando is a sex machine.

[vinzi]

Yeah, thank God once again for the PAUSE Button and superior picture quality!

JC is quite simply stunningly beautiful in that secene



...and let's not forget Virginia Madsen, she's hot too!


[This message has been edited by vinzi (edited 11-09-2000).]

[Disco Stu]

Originally posted by Axel:
How can you call Dario's Phenomena dull?
It's certainly better than that piece of shit called Dark city.

When you know something about Dario and his movies then come back and spout of your bullshit.

Phenomena rulezzzz

Axel

Axel, just so you know, I have seen at least six Argento movies, "The Bird With The Crystal Plumage, Suspiria, Deep Red, The Stendahl Syndrome, Tenebrae, parts of Phantom of the Opera, and now Phenomena. I am not a huge fan of Argento, but I respect his stylistic flourishes, interesting camerawork (especially in "Deep Red") and use of music. I just found "Phenomena" to be the worst of what I have seen by far. What was most depressing was how many good musicians and music he had for this score and how often he used it at exactly the wrong time. At one point he keeps playing this Motorhead song after the effect he desired has been achieved, as if he felt he needed to play the whole thing because, well since he has the rights, he might as well. Argento had his hands on plenty of suspenseful music, he just layed it over the wrong scenes. I forgive a lot in his films, the shoddy dubbing, resulting in even worse dialogue, the often ridiculous motivations for the killer, as if he felt the need to surprise us by revealing that some character is the killer. But it's often been so long since we've seen the person, that my reaction has often been, "oh wait, who was that again? Oh yeah, I kind of remember." The stop and start pacing can often be a problem, especially because his first scenes are often his best, the letdown is consistent. And I am not sure how you can argue in favor of "Phenomena" and diss "Dark City." "Dark City" may not have the best story, but it is visually gorgeous and is definitely rewatchable for that reason (although it is highly indebted not just to "Metropolis," but to Caro and Jeunet's "The City of Lost Children," which is one of the most beautiful movies ever made, rent the DVD, it looks terrific). Watching "Phenomena," I was bored depressed, Donald Pleasance looked like he was eager to get to the end of each scene so he could pick up his paycheck, Connelly gives us plenty of doubts as to why she was ever cast again, the bug subplot isn't nearly as interesting as it should be (was Argento trying a little "Carrie" rip-off, and then decided to back off?) and the taunting by the other school girls was downright laughable. Now I know that as with many Italian horror films, with Argento and especially Fulci, we have to enjoy the parts more than the whole. I try not to be so critical, and enjoy the film's effective sections, rather than scoff at its inept and inferior moments. But "Phenomena" lacks these effective moments, so much so that my girlfriend was saying, "what would liven this movie up is a lot more gore," and she's not even a gorehound. You have to admit the kills were awfully fake-looking. Remember in the first scene, the part where the girls' head goes through the glass and we are shown this incredibly chintzy slow-motion shot full of grain, obviously tinkered with, that is woefully unconvincing. And what about that supposedly real but obviously plastic head that rolls down the waterfall after? And if in an Argento film, the first scene is ineffective, we know he's off his game.


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Disco Stu likes disco dancing

[filmjax]

I need to put in an opposing viewpoint for Connelly's "Waking the Dead". I think it's a fantastic film, and so far, it's my favorite film AND DVD of 2000.
-----
Chuck Dowling
The Jacksonville Film Journal - http://www.jaxfilmjournal.com/

[This message has been edited by filmjax (edited 11-10-2000).]

[Disco Stu]

Originally posted by filmjax:
I need to put in an opposing viewpoint for Connelly's "Waking the Dead". I think it's a fantastic film, and so far, it's my favorite film AND DVD of 2000.

I think it probably made a great book, but I thought it was a bad sign that the most interesting scene wasn't even in the movie, it was Ed Harris' deleted scene. He had more energy than anyone else in the movie just in that one scene. And since this is your favorite movie of the year, perhaps you could explain the ending.

SPOILER!!! SPOILER!!! SPOILER !!!

Is she dead at the end? Or did she fake her own death? If so, why didn't she try to communicate with him? She could write to him in code. I have read many reviews and all of them seem confused by the conclusion.

SPOILER OVER!!!!

I guess maybe this is your type of movie filmjax, but then again, I didn't like "Ghost" either. After the first fifteen minutes, which I did like a lot, I felt Director Keith Gordon (who I still remember from "Back To School" and especially as the nerdy son in "Dressed to Kill") had lost his way. The flashbacks become very intrusive, as soon as I started to get into the movie, I was taken out again. I wanted to know more backstory, but I don't think Gordon was very successful in his editing choices. The forty five minutes that were cut out of the film wouldn't have helped much, they only seemed to add length, not interest. I admit that I did not listen to the commentary, maybe all of the missing ingredients were in there, but I shouldn't have to have a director explain his movie as the only the means of comprehension.

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Disco Stu likes disco dancing

[Dave McFly]

If you want some good JC movies Stu how about Career Opportunities and Rocketeer, both are on DVD and my personal favs have em both on Disc. If you want all of the stuff she ever did go to: http://us.imdb.com/Name?Connelly,+Jennifer click on any of the movie listings they will tell you if they are availible on dvd or vhs or both look in the top right hand corner if they are avilble on DVD the underlined DVD icon is click able, well i hope you find what you want from one Jennifer Connelly fan to another, good luck

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[Kevin M]

Odd, I rather liked Phenomena. I wouldn't call it his best film by a long shot but I definitely wouldn't call it his worst film (that would be Inferno followed closely by Phantom of the Opera), as far as it being illogical....well....that's Dario Argento for you. Even his very best films are notorious for huge gaps in logic but in this case when you have...

............SPOILER AHEAD............


..a girl who "loves" and talks to insects & an ape that saves the day in the end by killing the bad guy with a scalpel, what are you expecting? Vertigo but with With monkeys & insects?

All kidding aside, the film is amazingly flawed but I dug it anyway.

Of course I dig really bad cinema like Children shouldn't play with Dead Things so I'm a bit mental.


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-----Kevin M.-----
"IwannabeaBossIwannabeaBigBossIwannaBosstheWorldaround
IwannabetheBiggestBossthateverBossedtheworldaround" - 10cc

[This message has been edited by Kevin M (edited 11-10-2000).]

[1138]

Welcome to the forum filmjax!

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[Taxi]

I just wanna clear one thing up. This *isn't* necessarily a family forum. We never have claimed such, and in fact we've had some threads that definitely crossed over into "adult" themes. So swearing is fine, just not swearing at other people, as we have in the example above.

Here's the basic rule list here:

Don't attack other users.
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That's about it.

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[manigrasso]

Hey, Taxi, I personally saw you with a donkey, AND punching extra holes in Florida ballots, so F*** OFF, MONKEY BOY!!! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!!!

OK, that wasn't me breaking all the rules, that was the Evil Kirk. You could tell by the goatee.

[Rock]

Please, do not force us to layeth the smacketh down.

And Tax-man is right, we are not a family forum. In fact, screw families! I think I'm gonna go start me a Jenna Jameson thread right now...

Seriously, though, as long as you don't use too many curse words in a thread (no, there is no concrete limit, it's purely up to our arbitrary judgement) and aren't insulting others or flapping your gums with the intention of spreading false info, we is cool wit' you.

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[mahavishnu]

Dario Argento is the lamest, most overrated director in the history of cinema. Worse than Steven Spielberg.

[Kevin M]

Odd, I rather like Dario Argento's films...oh well.

[Rock]

Well, there are only two ways to settle this. A) We at DVDFile.com will sponsor a Pay-Pay-View fight betwixt the two of you or B) You must both qualify your statements, in a civil manner, in either this thread or a seperate one with a title of your choosing.

As Mills Lane would say, let's get it on!

(Note: The Rock may have just come up with an EXCELLENT new pick-up line. )

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The VCR industry in the 1800s was more primitive than today, largely because VCRs wouldn't be invented for another 75 years or so.

[Axel]

Originally posted by mahavishnu:
Dario Argento is the lamest, most overrated director in the history of cinema. Worse than Steven Spielberg.

Says you Asswipe

Now go and jerk off to your powerpuff movies..

[clortho]

Hey now, everyone's opinions are valid, please try to stay away from personally attacking each other.

Clortho

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[mahavishnu]

Don't worry, I like verbal abuse!

Argento is always desperately clawing for the elegant style of Leone or Fassbinder and the results, without exception, are laboured, stilted and completely lacking in cinematic flair.

For example: "hey, I know, lets have the camera crane up the side of an appartment building, showing different things going on on each floor". Yeah, reasonable (if derivative) idea... completely nullified in the execution.

And of course, Argento then hangs all of these lame stylistic reachings onto the most tedious horror and detective plots one can possibly think of.

The final candle on the cake is that this is the man who saw fit to re-edit Romero's masterpiece, Dawn of the Dead!


[This message has been edited by mahavishnu (edited 11-14-2000).]

[Dominik Pfleghaar]

Axel,

this was the second time in this thread that you attacked somebody personally.
If you do that again, I shall get angry!

Now put your verbal weapons down and play nice!

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My HT My dvd collection

[This message has been edited by Dominik Pfleghaar (edited 11-14-2000).]

[Disco Stu]

This is all fine and dandy, you two waving your dicks around at each other and all, but can anybody really answer the question of the quality of the DVD of "The Hot Spot"? Is it 1.85 or 2.35, dolby surround or 5.1, etc?

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Disco Stu likes disco dancing

[Hank]

Quality of Hot Spot? Probably fair to good you can bet on dolby surround instead of 5.1 and it is anamorphic widescreen and was released in June so it should be of decent quality. Get the $20 off 50 in the bargain area for express and take a chance.

Anyway also Career Opportunities is with Jennifer Connelly and pretty good

[quote]Originally posted by mahavishnu:
[b]Don't worry, I like verbal abuse!

I'm with you Axel..Looks like another loser who doesn't understand a Dario movie.

Yeah and didn't romero insert some lame library music over Goblins superb score.

Tell you what man,You havent a clue what you're on about.

You say you love verbal abuse..where at up the ass.....


Dario and Fulci Rule......

[Axel]

LOL

[1138]

Whoa!! Way out of line guys. This needs to stop now!

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Floyd is pink. Lando is a sex machine.

[Kevin M]

Odd, flaws & all I still like Dario Argento's films (albeit his early films are much better then his latter, umm, "works")......Oh well."it takes all kinds of critters to make farmer Vincent's fritters"

However concerning Jennifer's Hot Spot I didn't like the film so much as to care if it had 5.1 or not but.....well.....I didn't watch it for that reason.

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-----Kevin M.-----
"IwannabeaBossIwannabeaBigBossIwannaBosstheWorldaround
IwannabetheBiggestBossthateverBossedtheworldaround" - 10cc

[manigrasso]

I guess that's the pretentiously cool thing about discussing films. If you say "I don't like it," someone can huff "No. You don't GET it."

[chlngr1970]

LAST WARNING!

One more personal attack, and the discussion will be over.

j

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