Monday, November 17, 2008

20:08 (Best Pictures From the Outside In)

screenshots from the 20th minute and 8th second of movies.
I use a VLC but different DVDs do come up with slightly different screenshots. It's an inexact exercize.


It's a very plum... plum
Even Pee Wee Herman would love this redundant statement from The English Patient. 'Mmm, plummy!' But it gets at one of the best things about the movie, the feast it offers the senses.


In this first frame from Gone With the Wind, "Good Morning Scarlett", our heroine is all ablur ready to wreak havoc at the Wilkes Plantation. In the second frame (20:08 if you remove the overture) she's transferring her affections to Charles when she can't find a wedge inbetween Ashley & Melanie, newly betrothed.
Charles Hamilton, I want to eat barbecue with you! And mind you don't go philandering with any other girls because I might be jealous.
Such a troublemaker, that one! Or as her husband hunting rivals call her, "a hornet".

Visit Nick's Flick Picks for the new episode of Best Pictures From the Outside In as Mike, Nick and I tackle these two film giants, two of the longest best picture winners evah. "Fiddle Dee Dee"

And here's a chart of all episodes as per requests
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11 comments:

Fox said...

I love this running feature. It's so ingenious it makes me red with envy over not having thought of it myself.

How about selling some of these ideas of yours Nathaniel? :)

Anonymous said...

i love the english patient but one thing has always left me wondering the bump kristin gets from the pipe deliberate or accident is it significant that ralph does not ask how she is,whats is up there.

NicksFlickPicks said...

I love that you considered screenshots with and without the Overture included. You are nothing if not thorough.

Anonymous said...

what's your 1996 leading actress lineup? And do you consider Binoche lead, or Scott Thomas lead?

mine is:
01. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Secrets & Lies
02. Emily Watson, Breaking the Waves
03. Brenda Blethyn, Secrets & Lies
04. Frances McDormand, Fargo (lovely choice)
05. Noni, The Crucible.

Anonymous said...

According to Minghella's commentary the bump on the head was intentional. I always love that unexpected bit of comedy, and I do love the movie. For me, the only other movie from '96 that comes close to it was the woefully underappreciated THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNN (Another movie where those high notes really do sell the whole thing. Watch that scene with the tub if you don't believe me).

As for GONE WITH THE WIND, what is there to say? It defines MOVIE. Everything and the kitchen sink, stove, fridge, and toaster thrown in it and not only does it still works, but has yet to be truly equaled.

-VAL

NATHANIEL R said...

anon -- my lead lineup in 96 keeps changing. but it's some combo of (in no particular order)

mcdormand -fargo
blethyn -secrets and lies
madonna -evita
tilly -bound
scott thomas -english patient
watson -breaking the waves
paltrow -emma

and someone i'm forgetting surely

and i consider BOTH actresses in The English Patient to be leads (preferring Scott Thomas) it's a three lead movie.

I think winona is terrible in The Crucible but that's my normal thing with her: i only really love her in contemporary performances. I cannot praise her work in Reality Bites or Heathers enough.

NicksFlickPicks said...

Wait - Tilly in Bound, but not Gershon? Interesting...

NATHANIEL R said...

to me Gershon is an erotic delight (love her screen presence) but Tilly strikes me as one of the great undersung performances of the 90s. She sizzles, surprises, seduces and other S words!

Pedro said...

What to say? Gone With the Wind is one of my favorite movies. I think that all the different directors actually helped the movie, with the necessary tonal shifts as the story progresses.

As for the English Patient, for me it is a pretty picture to see, but my favorite movie of that year is Secrets and Lies.

Anonymous said...

I love The English Patient (an epic romance that.... isn't really about love/romance). I could take or leave Gone with the Wind - too many cooks spoil the broth. Vivien Leigh though, magnificent. That said, you guys certainly lucked out with this pairing. Now, what parallels can you find between Rebecca and Braveheart? You know, other than messianic overlords.

Nathaniel, on your homepage/film experience, could you provide a page with links to the conversations and the reviews? I like rereading them, and want to see how the grades compare to each other in the end.

NATHANIEL R said...

good idea arkaan. i'll get that up this week