tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post6464924444055620277..comments2024-03-15T04:08:16.172-04:00Comments on Only the Cinema: The ConversationEd Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-48549788020378760792013-03-13T16:48:34.154-04:002013-03-13T16:48:34.154-04:00I have not tuned into any of the additional materi...I have not tuned into any of the additional material on the DVD, but can anyone tell me - with full confidence - whether the recording that we hear of what Harry hears of the fateful sentence is actually different at the end of the movie from the one we heard at the beginning (after the three tracks had been united) and throughout? <br /><br />Thank you!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-81869635812632367572010-01-04T10:33:14.316-05:002010-01-04T10:33:14.316-05:00Thanks for commenting, Dave. The 70s were definite...Thanks for commenting, Dave. The 70s were definitely Coppola's decade.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-87692075657343086872010-01-04T09:52:39.034-05:002010-01-04T09:52:39.034-05:00A great movie and a great write-up here, Ed. It&#...A great movie and a great write-up here, Ed. It's amazing to consider that, IMO, a movie of this level is still only the fourth best film that Coppola made in the 70s. Just shows how red hot he was in that decade. The influence of previous films like Blow-Up are obvious, but I think that The Conversation is on another level even from that great Antonioni.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-69438249767798443212010-01-02T19:36:22.323-05:002010-01-02T19:36:22.323-05:00Youth Without Youth and Tetro find Copolla floatin...<i>Youth Without Youth</i> and <i>Tetro</i> find Copolla floating out into the further fields of european "art cinema of a sort that has primarily been trafficked in by Raul Ruiz and Manoel de Oliveira. Neither is quite succesful, though being Coppolla they are of course quite interesting. After all these eyars he remains a "work in progress."DavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-49032512421470155522010-01-01T23:31:24.406-05:002010-01-01T23:31:24.406-05:00Thanks for commenting, JAFB.
Adam, agreed about t...Thanks for commenting, JAFB.<br /><br />Adam, agreed about the ending, I get where you're coming from there. It's basically an invitation into Harry's subjectivity, to think about the implications of his final breakdown.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-9924529321750223012010-01-01T23:15:36.340-05:002010-01-01T23:15:36.340-05:00Yes, yes, yes... This is a wonderful film... The b...Yes, yes, yes... This is a wonderful film... The best of Blow Up and The Lives of Others put together...Just Another Film Buffhttp://theseventhart.infonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-42516371080680443762010-01-01T02:52:43.664-05:002010-01-01T02:52:43.664-05:00The Conversation was the first Coppola film to int...<i>The Conversation</i> was the first Coppola film to introduce me to his more intellectual side. Mind you: I'm as big a fan as anybody of all that hellfire in <i>Apocalypse Now</i> (which has had more of an influence on my life than any other film I've ever seen; I'm being serious), but as a whole I believe Coppola truly excels when his films are more personal. Clearly he's more Adam Zanziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524618281515322239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-11111997793585192492009-12-30T18:43:59.169-05:002009-12-30T18:43:59.169-05:00Forgot to mention The Fabulous Baker Boys in my la...Forgot to mention <i>The Fabulous Baker Boys</i> in my last post. Now THAT'S acting.DavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-43827609790858583002009-12-30T14:10:00.908-05:002009-12-30T14:10:00.908-05:00In many ways, it's a pretty conventional paran...In many ways, it's a pretty conventional paranoid thriller, at least in terms of the fairly minimal plot and the psychology of the hero, so I see where you're coming from, David. It's mainly the wonderfully innovative, complex soundtrack that elevates this film from just another 70s thriller into a truly great film.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-76531124435518978322009-12-30T11:29:11.775-05:002009-12-30T11:29:11.775-05:00Never all that impressed with this one. It's g...Never all that impressed with this one. It's good alright, but when it comes to conspiracy thrillers Alan J. Pakula is DA MAN! Made between the two <i>Godfathers</i> it's quite nice. But for me Coppola is <i>Godfather II, One From the Heart, Rumble Fish</i> and <i>Tucker: A Man and His Dream</i>.<br /><br />Jeff Bridges is especially wonderful in the latter. I've been thinking about DavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-36584673378938113212009-12-30T08:57:26.001-05:002009-12-30T08:57:26.001-05:00Thanks, Sam and Marco, for stopping by!Thanks, Sam and Marco, for stopping by!Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-55913978651033697682009-12-30T08:51:10.752-05:002009-12-30T08:51:10.752-05:00hi there, I like very much your movie blog, I love...hi there, I like very much your movie blog, I love movies too and I wish you happy new year ;)<br />best regards,<br />Marco Michele<br />CNMarco Michelehttp://cinemanotizie.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-28138145932189814762009-12-29T10:18:09.091-05:002009-12-29T10:18:09.091-05:00Excellent review of a film that's always terri...Excellent review of a film that's always terrific to resurrect. Of course in a narrative sense, it's worth mentioning the similarities to Von Donnarsmarck's German masterpiece THE LIVES OF OTHERS.<br /><br />Of course the crucial observation is:<br /><br />"One word, pronounced slightly differently, makes all the difference between innocence and guilt, between the murderer and Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-16837969030885308992009-12-29T09:18:28.903-05:002009-12-29T09:18:28.903-05:00Tony, sadly, I still need to see both the Antonion...Tony, sadly, I still need to see both the Antonioni and the De Palma. This thread's yielding some good nudges towards films I need to see.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-64077233678914432382009-12-29T09:09:06.818-05:002009-12-29T09:09:06.818-05:00Troy Olson:
I couldn't agree more. As much as...Troy Olson:<br /><br />I couldn't agree more. As much as I love THE CONVERSATION, I think that THE PARALLAX VIEW is even better. And, of course, you've got another great paranoid thriller, also by Alan J. Pakula, with ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-27133443226647367492009-12-28T18:05:21.211-05:002009-12-28T18:05:21.211-05:00Here's a great triple bill: BLOWUP, THE CONVER...Here's a great triple bill: BLOWUP, THE CONVERSATION, and BLOW OUT. All represent their respective directors at their apogee, tell virtually the same story, but in cinematic language distinct from each other.Tony Dayoubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-18402124370950293202009-12-28T14:53:47.050-05:002009-12-28T14:53:47.050-05:00Excellent points, Steven. I think actually his job...Excellent points, Steven. I think actually his job is the whole reason that Harry is so sensitive to these disruptions of his personal space in the first place. He may not be aware of the moral contradiction — or else he's semi-consciously suppressing it, which would be consistent with his semi-suppressed feelings of guilt — but he's definitely hyper-aware of violations of privacy. One ofEd Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-79721795006745508152009-12-28T14:46:43.688-05:002009-12-28T14:46:43.688-05:00One of the ideas I believe is key to Harry Caul is...One of the ideas I believe is key to Harry Caul is how offended he seems whenever he feels his privacy is invaded. His resistance of Stan trying to be his friend as opposed to being just a partner. Or that moment when he calls his landlord to complain about the gift left inside his apartment. <br /><br />Caul sets such strict boundaries for himself but doesn't consider that listening in on Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05571206086671634525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-78122970149142755102009-12-28T13:33:28.181-05:002009-12-28T13:33:28.181-05:00Thanks, J.D. and Troy. Obviously I really need to ...Thanks, J.D. and Troy. Obviously I really need to see <i>The Parallax View</i> as well; I've heard a lot of good things about that film. And Troy, I think you're right that this film demands multiple viewings. Most films don't really exploit the possibilities of sound, so it can take a while to adjust to just how much Coppola is conveying here with just audio.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-74208351902764280982009-12-28T13:28:59.673-05:002009-12-28T13:28:59.673-05:00This is one that has to be viewed more than once, ...This is one that has to be viewed more than once, I'd say, especially if coming in expected any kind of modern-day conspiracy themed film -- at least for me I ended up missing a lot of the nuances you bring up until I watched it a second time (a viewing which raised my initial so-so reaction to it). Between Hackman's performance and the brilliant sound editing, this is a classic in the Troy Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14843741571724231174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-42296893263489096832009-12-28T12:53:36.397-05:002009-12-28T12:53:36.397-05:00This is a great film, as you so eloquently point o...This is a great film, as you so eloquently point out, and one of the best paranoid thrillers of the 1970s (right up there with THE PARALLAX VIEW). Through the intricate sound design, Coppola gradually gets us into Harry's head in such a unique way. Through sound and film editing, we being to perceive the world as he does. In some respects, the film is a fascinating study of obsession and how Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-75313710601911508672009-12-28T11:25:04.252-05:002009-12-28T11:25:04.252-05:00Jake, it's definitely one to watch for the sou...Jake, it's definitely one to watch for the sound above all else, and I imagine its wonderfully layered soundtrack is stunning even in the worst circumstances — you'd have to be watching it totally silent to miss out on how much information, both emotional/psychological and narrative, is conveyed through the sound.<br /><br />William, definitely check it out. It's one of those classicsEd Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-59464323416728791932009-12-28T10:34:48.316-05:002009-12-28T10:34:48.316-05:00Gee, I've got it at home and haven't watch...Gee, I've got it at home and haven't watched it yet. It looks like II'll need to do that now soon...William Kretschmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08338853206337389818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-5308086828346852342009-12-28T10:08:16.696-05:002009-12-28T10:08:16.696-05:00Absolutely one of my favorite thrillers. It was th...Absolutely one of my favorite thrillers. It was the one film I hadn't already seen in my Intro to Film Studies class -- slim, slim pickings indeed at Auburn -- and even among all the others that I'd seen and mostly loved it was my favorite. I don't really agree with Rosenbaum's prejudices against The Godfather films, but at least by setting them aside he can champion this one a Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09078001374402400232noreply@blogger.com