Re: [scifinoir2] Re: A Matter Of Life And Death (Stairway To Heaven)

[Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)]

that's what I thought after I read it.

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> wow , sounds very disturbing. not sure i'd watch it...
>
> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: "ravenadal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 
> Apparently it shocked the "good people" of Britain with its 
> unsettling, disturbing, and unforgettable psychological and visual 
> exploration into the sadistic obsession with fear experienced by a 
> psychopathic killer. 
>
> http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/05/36/peeping_tom.html
>
> Comparisons can be made between Peeping Tom and Psycho, as both these 
> films share a fascination with voyeurism. The two main characters of 
> Peeping Tom and Psycho (Mark and Norman Bates respectively) are both 
> voyeurs. However, Powell takes this voyeuristic notion significantly 
> further in Peeping Tom by implicating both himself and the spectator. 
>
> For example, at the beginning of the film – when Mark murders a 
> prostitute – we are implicated as voyeurs. Powell lets us see exactly 
> what Mark is visualising through the lens of his camera as he 
> prepares to film her gruesome death. Powell focuses on the camera as 
> a crucial prop in the representation of voyeurism. Mark demonstrates 
> this voyeurism through his involvement with the camera and with the 
> filmmaking process. In addition, this fascination with the camera 
> also signifies the transition of Peeping Tom into a film-about-film. 
> Mark's disturbing and bizarre filmmaking project can be viewed is a 
> highly mechanised, yet intensely private, experiment in artistic self-
> expression.
>
> This voyeuristic notion is also demonstrated by the scene in which 
> Mark, having filmed the horrific murder, sits at home in a private 
> cinema to watch his "documentary". The murder is shown from three 
> different perspectives. We see what Mark is visualising from his 
> viewpoint. We also see what Mark's camera is viewing and thus 
> his "directorial" vision. In addition, we see what the murder victim 
> saw at the precise moment of her death.
>
> This was heavy stuff back in 1959.
>
> ~rave!
>
> --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>   
>> what's wrong with "Peeping Tom"? Especially compared to "Psycho"?
>>
>> -------------- Original message -------------- 
>> From: "ravenadal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 
>> You fail to mention it is directed by Michael Powell (the British 
>> Hitchcock - which is an oxymoron since Hitchcock was British, too). 
>> This is a great filmmaker: "The Red Shoes," "Black 
>> Narcissus," "Peeping Tom." His pictures seemed to bleed with color.
>> "Peeping Tom" rivals "Psycho" as a showcase for creepy horror. But 
>> while Hitchcock was hailed for his "shocking" twist, Powell was 
>> reviled for his ("Peeping Tom" all but destroyed his career). 
>>
>> --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Daryle <yokozuna@> wrote:
>>     
>>>
>>> My wife and I came across a movie that I cannot believe I didn't 
>>>       
>> see in
>>     
>>> school. I've never seen this before. It would have completely 
>>>       
>> turned up my
>>     
>>> passion for science fiction filmmaking had I seen this in 
>>>       
> college. 
>   
>> I have
>>     
>>> just seen a film made in 1946 that could have very well have been 
>>>       
>> made the
>>     
>>> other day. It is called "A Matter of Life And Death", which is 
>>>       
>> sometimes
>>     
>>> referred to as "Stairway To Heaven", and it is one of the most 
>>>       
>> ambitious
>>     
>>> science fiction pictures I've seen in a long time.
>>>
>>> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038733/
>>>
>>> So it's "the war". There's a squadron leader, an English dude, 
>>>       
>> played by
>>     
>>> David Niven. His plane's going down. His crew is dead. He has no 
>>>       
>> parachute
>>     
>>> but doesn't want to burn up when the plane hits. So he jumps. 
>>>       
>> Before he
>>     
>>> jumps, he gets on the radio and tells whoever answers of his 
>>>       
>> situation and
>>     
>>> his plan. It's an American woman stationed near the island he's 
>>>       
>> going down
>>     
>>> near. This is important, but later.
>>>
>>> He jumps. The plane crashes...and the dude lives. In 2007, this 
>>>       
>> would be the
>>     
>>> end of the movie. But dig it. Cut to: HEAVEN. His squad is in the 
>>>       
>> afterlife
>>     
>>> and they are all waiting on him, because according to the book of
>>> life...he's supposed to have died in the crash. So they messed 
>>>       
> up, 
>   
>> and he's
>>     
>>> still alive. They have to go get him to balance out the books. 
>>>       
>> There's one
>>     
>>> problem. Not only has the dude survived, but he ends up on the 
>>>       
> same 
>   
>> island
>>     
>>> as the American woman. They fall in love. The American woman's 
>>>       
> hair 
>   
>> does not
>>     
>>> move for 2 hours. I mean, her hair should be in the credits. 
>>>       
>> Outside,
>>     
>>> inside, 100% humidity...it's all good!
>>>
>>> Anyway, There are some really trippy scenes and some "this is a 
>>>       
>> science
>>     
>>> fiction movie" clichés that I won't ruin for you, but I have to 
>>>       
>> tell you the
>>     
>>> good part. There is a TRIAL. Because, you see had he died, as 
>>>       
>> scheduled, he
>>     
>>> would not have fallen in love with ol' girl, and so now that he 
>>>       
>> has, he
>>     
>>> feels that he has a case...against the Afterlife.
>>>
>>> This movie was a lot of fun to watch. I love Turner Classic 
>>>       
> Movies 
>   
>> channel
>>     
>>> because there are no commercials and every now and again they 
>>>       
> pull 
>   
>> some real
>>     
>>> gems out to show. This was one. You can get this movie on VHS and 
>>>       
>> DVD at
>>     
>>> Amazon.
>>>
>>> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001GV0JI/ref=pd_cp_d_0/103-
>>>       
>> 4719542-527502
>>     
>>> 1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-
>>>       
>> 41&pf_rd_r=0H3GRG8XRCH7AZMB2VFY&pf_rd
>>     
>>> _t=201&pf_rd_p=316286001&pf_rd_i=B0001LJCQG
>>>
>>> Many of you HAVE to have seen this movie already, but if you're 
>>>       
>> like me,
>>     
>>> and this is news, do yourself a favor and track it down. It is 
>>>       
> the 
>   
>> perfect
>>     
>>> date movie if you married to someone who is so-so about sci-fi 
>>>       
> but 
>   
>> digs an
>>     
>>> old romance movie.
>>>
>>>       
>>
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>>     
>
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