ditto Total Recall which rather massively dumbs down that Dick story, but features all kinds of crazy shit (telepathic Martian rebel leader hanging from a guy's torso, dwarf prostitute firing a machine gun, more punctured human heads than any 'R' movie ever).
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius)
I like it but it might be the most violent film I've ever seen: human shields on elevators, pokers sticking out of eyeballs, arms crunched off, Schwarzenegger checking into a Hilton...
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 14 November 2016 02:45 (seven years ago) link
Flesh+Blood is ranked way too low in that list, and Basic Instinct way too high.
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Monday, 14 November 2016 02:50 (seven years ago) link
human shield on an escalator
i found Starship Troopers profoundly stupid; MAD Magazine looks like Swift in its light
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Monday, 14 November 2016 02:53 (seven years ago) link
I cannot recommend the Troopers commentary track w/ Verhoeven and the cast enough. Let's just say there are some sublime moments of intellectual disconnect.
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Monday, 14 November 2016 02:58 (seven years ago) link
at the NYC retro PV will be appearing with Casper whatzisDiem at a Troopers screening. Perhaps there'll be a whipping.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Monday, 14 November 2016 03:09 (seven years ago) link
Because I saw Total Recall when I was 12, I don't think I realized until just now how truly fucked up it is.
― rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Monday, 14 November 2016 04:40 (seven years ago) link
That said--and while I haven't seen either film as an adult--I remember finding the violence in RoboCop more unnerving than that in TR when I was a kid.
― rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Monday, 14 November 2016 04:54 (seven years ago) link
Yes, Robocop has a cruel streak that gives its violence a real nastiness. TR is basically expensive splatstick.
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Monday, 14 November 2016 17:37 (seven years ago) link
robocop has that melting guy who gets hit by a car and explodes, which i guess is funny but disturbed the shit out of me when i was a kid
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 14 November 2016 17:41 (seven years ago) link
when i went through a bunch of verhoeven movies a few years ago, i was surprised at how much i still loved total recall, which i watched all the time when i was a kid; i guess it dumbs down its source material but it's so fun and well-constructed and michael ironside
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 14 November 2016 17:42 (seven years ago) link
Robocop was on TV last week when I was getting a haircut. The violence really is brutal in that one.
I liked Flesh & Blood a lot; I'm surprised it wasn't higher on that list, in this post-Game of Thrones era.
― Don Van Gorp, midwest regional VP, marketing (誤訳侮辱), Monday, 14 November 2016 17:58 (seven years ago) link
total recall has stuff in it left over from a cronenberg treatment that doesn't have any reason to be in the film. if you tell verhoeven about three boob lady there's no way he's cutting it.
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Monday, 14 November 2016 23:30 (seven years ago) link
Sharon Stone's best performance imo
and yes on Michael Ironside
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 14 November 2016 23:46 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1FS_vKJl8U
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 14 November 2016 23:47 (seven years ago) link
Total Recall is terrible u guys are crazy
― Οὖτις, Monday, 14 November 2016 23:50 (seven years ago) link
Nah, it's the best kind of trash: sustained, well-wrought trash.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 14 November 2016 23:57 (seven years ago) link
I find it joyless and offensive unlike his other, better sustained well-wrought trash tbh
― Οὖτις, Monday, 14 November 2016 23:58 (seven years ago) link
part of it's that I just can't watch Arnold, he's such a painfully terrible actor, I can't get past it. Then there's the relentless misogyny, the butchering of the source material, the willfully stupid plot contrivances, it looks cheap... idk I can't think of anything to recommend it. At least with Robocop and Starship Troopers it feels like something sly and subversive is going on. Showgirls is pure nonsensical camp. But Total Recall is just some reactionary Republican wet dream, it's creepy.
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 15 November 2016 00:01 (seven years ago) link
Basic Instinct is the Hollywood effort I take no joy in, despite the Jan de Bont factor
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 00:12 (seven years ago) link
i don't see a whole lot that's 'Republican' about TR, unless all their divorces are done w/ a bullet. Agreed that Stone is a blast in it. It is dense, entertaining trash (with a brain, sort of).
Once the Schwarz came on board, it was apparently rewritten to his "strengths." In the previous incarnation they'd been considering Matthew Broderick for the lead.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:17 (seven years ago) link
She looks smashing in period Madonna suits too.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:28 (seven years ago) link
i get bored w/ Ironside's deadeye shtick after 10 mins. He even did it in a Charles Burnett film.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:30 (seven years ago) link
Total Recall is just some reactionary Republican wet dream, it's creepy.
― Οὖτις, Monday, November 14, 2016 6:01 PM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I'd argue that it's knowingly so, as opposed to 90% of the other action movies released from like '80-'92.
― i need microsoft installed on my desktop, can you help (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:36 (seven years ago) link
it fades to white at the end, suggesting Ahnuld has gotten a long-overdue lobotomy
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:37 (seven years ago) link
i also love the scene where the head of Rekall (?) comes in and explains why everything is a dream, before A.S. sees a bead of sweat and offs him. Nice narrative jerk.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:39 (seven years ago) link
SWALLOW IT
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:41 (seven years ago) link
certainly more 'eventful' than The Matrix. And the climax is a hologram rip of Lady from Shanghai.
but really, check out that gang rape in Spetters sometime. So fucked up.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:44 (seven years ago) link
Total Recall >> Robocop
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:47 (seven years ago) link
Blasphemy. I do enjoy the TR >>> Blade Runner challops from earlier itt though
It's not that hard to imagine Broderick in a Cronenberg version of TR, really
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:54 (seven years ago) link
i believe spetters was his attempt at being as offensive as possible -- not only with the rape but also with the suicide of the guy who lost his legs being treated positively.
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 05:46 (seven years ago) link
didn't find that positively presented
According to the Dutch filmmaker, the reason Hollywood’s remakes (“Total Recall,” “Robocop”) and sequels (“Basic Instinct,” “Robocop,” “Starship Troopers) of his films fail is “the studios always wanted not to have a layer of lightness, a layer of irony, sarcasm, satire.”
Referring to the announcement that the new “Starship Troopers” reboot would go back to science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein’s original novel was particularly troubling to Verhoeven.
“It said in the article [that] the production team of that movie of the remake, that they would go back more and more towards the novel. And of course, we really, really tried to get away from the novel, because we felt that the novel was fascistic and militaristic,” said Verhoeven. “You feel that going back to the novel would fit very much in a Trump Presidency.”
http://www.indiewire.com/2016/11/paul-verhoeven-slams-starship-troopers-remake-fascist-update-perfect-trump-presidency-1201747155/
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 16 November 2016 15:20 (seven years ago) link
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 15 November 2016 02:44
Pretty nasty gang rape in Flesh + Blood too.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 16 November 2016 23:05 (seven years ago) link
"nasty" is the main descriptor for that movie really, though it's also pretty funny. it's the only movie set in medieval times that I've seen that feels as gross as it must have actually been
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Wednesday, 16 November 2016 23:12 (seven years ago) link
I was going to say I couldn't imagine a big film being made like that now but it was probably an oddity at the time too. I read that Verhoeven originally didn't intend there to be a female love interest and regretted including that. It would have been a totally different film without it.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 16 November 2016 23:20 (seven years ago) link
i believe spetters was his attempt at being as offensive as possible
well, i saw Turkish Delight ('73) last night, based on a big Dutch bestselling novel, and hoo boy! The missing link among Love Story, Last Tango in Paris, and Judd Apatow.
PV did a Q&A after, chalked up the whole nudity/every-bodily-fluid vibe to the unleashing of the Dutch sexual revolution etc.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:05 (seven years ago) link
or as simonabrams wrote on L'boxd, "A sophomore film. Also sophomoric!"
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:06 (seven years ago) link
going back to what shakey said a couple of days ago on total recall
Then there's the relentless misogyny, the butchering of the source material, the willfully stupid plot contrivances, it looks cheap... idk I can't think of anything to recommend it.
part of the reason i like total recall a lot is that the stupid plot contrivances and the cheapness actually kinda work in its favour when you take the view that everything after arnold goes for the procedure at rekall is his implanted memory, which is supported by the fact that the rekall team summarise the entire plot of the movie before it happens. quaid is supposed to be paying for the memory of a trashy numbskull spy adventure on mars, which is exactly what he gets, and so do we.
i'm still kinda bummed that verhoeven and schwarzenegger never got to make their megabudget crusades movie :(
― not all those who chunder are sloshed (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:26 (seven years ago) link
Yeah the pulpy ridiculousness of Total Recall is what makes it work.
― Rob Boss (latebloomer), Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:39 (seven years ago) link
as much as i love the social-commentary splatter of robocop and starship troopers sometimes i just wanna watch some subtext-free gore y'know?
― not all those who chunder are sloshed (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:43 (seven years ago) link
Ah yes, the "i meant to do that" defense
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:46 (seven years ago) link
i kinda thought i might get that response but a) death of the author etc etc, i think it is a valid reading of the film either way and b) i'm pretty sure i remember from the dvd commentary that it is verhoeven's explicit intent that quaid is dreaming and the over-the-topness of everything post-rekall is absolutely intentional
i guess we're not gonna see eye-to-eye on this one but i'd advise anyone with an interest in the movie to listen to the commentary if they haven't already cuz it's a fuckin hoot - verhoeven getting super-excited about the amount of fake blood they packed into squibs while arnold robotically points out in excruciating detail exactly what's happening on-screen and pedantically explains the paper-thin motiviations of his character
― not all those who chunder are sloshed (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:52 (seven years ago) link
Arnold is vulnerable in the movie, eh? He's never vulnerable. Even in the scene where the doctor comes in and goes, "You think you're here on Mars? Well, haha, you're not!" I mean, Arnold is very vulnerable there, yeah? And Arnold is a great guy to work with, in fact. Probably the most dedicated... well, Isabelle is dedicated, too, but Arnold! Arnold is the most dedicated guy I've worked with. He works very, very hard. He's willing to try everything to make the movie work. And he has no ego. I could say to Arnold, "That scene doesn't look good. Watch this video, it's not good, what you're doing. Let's do another take," and he would take direction. I mean, he's obviously not a trained actor in any way, but his really wanting to get the best out of himself and out of everybody is rare.
http://www.metro.us/entertainment/paul-verhoeven-talks-elle-and-how-hollywood-really-is-now-all-about-money/zsJpkj---H2mJKQWBL49nA/
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 17 November 2016 16:58 (seven years ago) link
i think Elle needs its own thread
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:00 (seven years ago) link
otm
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:01 (seven years ago) link
xp sure - by all means start it! it's not out here in the uk in march but i'll happily check the thread out once i get the chance to see it
― not all those who chunder are sloshed (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:02 (seven years ago) link
a discussion
http://www.filmcomment.com/blog/film-comment-podcast-paul-verhoeven/
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:10 (seven years ago) link
xp to Morbs: Turkish Delight is, to this day, the most successful Dutch film of all time. 3.3m people (on a population of 13.5m) saw it at the cinema back then.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:22 (seven years ago) link
That was mentioned ("like twice Star Wars" Verhoeven said), and voted Greatest Dutch Film of the Century in 1999. Sad!
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:25 (seven years ago) link
just call me "ilx silverware" btw (i've "learned nothing")
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:26 (seven years ago) link
Don't think thats sad tbh, it's a good movie. The list of 25 most viewed Dutch movies contains six Verhoevens, and quite some other smut films from the 70s :)
― Le Bateau Ivre, Thursday, 17 November 2016 17:30 (seven years ago) link