Movies not on DVD

[cherydactyl]

In my college and early married years, I went to a lot of movies at the Michigan Theatre. We saw a lot of offbeat stuff, including the original Pixar short in an animated film fest before Pixar was anything but a tiny computer animation studio struggling to make a name for itself. I saw a lot of foreign and independent films before Sundance got so hot and made indie films le sexay. I remember fondly the Henry V double feature...the Lawrence Olivier version paired with the then-new Kenneth Branaugh one. I miss us being members of the Michigan. *Thinks ahead to life after children are old enough to not need a babysitter; sighs*

I absolutely adored the films of Peter Greenaway, including the infamous The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover. That one is worth a look if you like the odd and shockable, btw, and IS available on DVD.

Two films of his that I would really like to see again, Prospero's Books, which starred John Gielgud as the title character in an absolutely lush vision of Shakespeare's Tempest, and Drowning by Numbers, are not available on DVD. *cries*

Comments

[cornellbox.livejournal.com]

I'm also a great Peter Greenaway fan. I've gotten 'Pilow Book' from the AADL before, and I believe they still have it. However, that's not what you're looking for.

I am pretty sure we have an *unopened* copy of 'Prospero's Books' on VHS in our collection. I know it's all old skool and lo-tech and all that. But I've gots it, I've gots it...

So does AADL along with 'Cook, Thief', 'Draughtsman's Contract', and a DVD of early, short films (which I've requested).

But if that doesn't work out for you, let me know, and I'll see if I can find our copy if you are interested in borrowing it some time.

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

That is a very generous offer, and one that I would be tempted to take you up on if I had a working VCR.

I'll have to go looking for the offerings at the AADL that you cite. I don't think I've seen Draughtsman's. *grins in anticipation*

[sorcycat.livejournal.com]

I have a VCR we aren't currently using if you want to borrow it.

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

As it turns out most of the stuff the library has is on VHS too. I will find out whether our VCR is still in working order (it's just not hooked up at the moment) before taking you up on that. It's not an urgent concern either way. I appreciate the offer, though.

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

*Thinks ahead to life after children are old enough to not need a babysitter; sighs*

Boy do I hear *that!* ;-)

I love the Michigan. We have a nice artsy theater in Burlington but it doesn't comapre to Michigan. Alas. The one in Montpelier might but I haven't been there.

I like Prospero's Books as I recall but "The Cook, The Theif, His Wife, and Her Lover" was too upsetting for me. I am pretty sure I saw all of it and I couldn't tell you now why it bothered me so much at the time but I do remember vividly thinking it was just too disturbing.

Maybe I should give it another try now...

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

Well, it does involve rather disturbing acts of unknowing cannibalism, as I recall, and seemingly oceans of blood at one point. I remember a scene that looked like an army must have been bled in that restaurant. Definitely not everyone's cup of tea, and not my favorite of his for that over-the-top reason.

[cornellbox.livejournal.com]

It's been years since I saw "Cook, Thief..." I remember the whole formal structure of the visuals (the progressions of the gang entering the restaurant, going through the kitchen and into the dining area) as so stylized that the excesses of blood and violence didn't bother me as much as it might have in some other setting.

I'm also a big Michael Nyman fan (he does the music for many of Greenaway's films). I've got a CD of Nyman's work for Greenaway that was a regular in my studio all-nighter rotation when I was in school.