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Nebs
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:01 pm
Posts: 6385
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 The Night of the Hunter The Night of the Hunter Quote: The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 film noir, starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters, and the only film Charles Laughton ever directed. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Charles Laughton. The novel and film draw on the true story of Harry Powers, hanged in 1932 for the murders of two widows and three children in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The film's lyric and expressionistic style sets it apart from almost all other Hollywood films of the 1940s and 50s, and has influenced later directors such as David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Jean Renoir, Terrence Malick, and the Coen Brothers.
In 1992, The Night of the Hunter was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in their National Film Registry.
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| Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:26 am |
 
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Jonathan
Begging Naked
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 12:07 pm
Posts: 14737
Location: The Present (Duh)
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Re: The Night of the Hunter As I said over at AwardsDaily: Quote: What a weird, twisted, bizarre and unique film Night of the Hunter is. It's a film that certainly doesn't feel perfect while watching it (The acting rates about 671 on the overacting scale), but once it's over it really does all seem perfect. Part typical '50s horror, part German expressionist (Few American films have so excellently manipulated their fakeness to their advantage so well), part modern day fairy tale, part religious satire, all insanity. Sheer insanity. And I really don't have anything to add about Mitchum's iconic performance, godDAMN. Seeing it on the big screen really complements the cinematography quite well, too. Shame the theater was only half full (The frigid weather didn't help things). It's still growing on me, really. Seriously, will there ever be a film that could possibly match this brilliant mixture of moods and genres and such?
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| Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:40 am |
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trixster
loyalfromlondon
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 19697
Location: ville-marie
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Re: The Night of the Hunter It felt a lot more horror than film-noir to me, so I'm baffled as to why it's widely thought of as the latter, but yeah, I loved it. It's wonderfully expressionistic and deeply metaphorical, and it exploits its over-the-topness to its full advantage. Mitchum is godly and manages to create a chilling villain that's also somehow charming and likeable. It's terrifying and beautiful (I loved, loved, loved the shot of the murdered mother underwater) and wondrously imaginative, and it's probably one of the best films I've ever seen.
_________________Magic Mike wrote: zwackerm wrote: If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes. Same. Algren wrote: I don't think. I predict. 
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| Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:11 am |
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Johnny Dollar
The Lubitsch Touch
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
Posts: 11019
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Absolutely. No hyperbole. One of the greatest films ever made. From Charles Laughton...whouda thunk it?
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| Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:19 am |
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The Dark Shape
Extraordinary
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:56 am
Posts: 12119
Location: Adrift in L.A.
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Re: The Night of the Hunter I didn't like it. It's well-shot but too simple. Robert Mitchum is excellent... both kids are terrible. There came a point when the kids saw Powell across the way from the barn that I hoped he'd find them so we could have an ending and get to the credits already.
Sorry to those who think it's a film classic, but it just didn't click with me.
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| Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:28 pm |
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Johnny Dollar
The Lubitsch Touch
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Don't apologize to us. Apologize to yourself, sir!
Too bad to see you reject the surface simplicity of this, since I think that's where much of the power lies. It's has the feeling of a scary little cautionary fairy tale for children...complete with that tidy warning at the end!
Man, Lillian Gish was cool.
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| Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:22 pm |
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Argos
Z
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 2:20 pm
Posts: 7952
Location: Wherever he went, including here, it was against his better judgment.
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Gone for good.
Last edited by Argos on Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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| Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:50 pm |
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LeSamuraiDeL'Ombre
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:14 pm
Posts: 477
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Re: The Night of the Hunter All die Mühe wird nicht gewürdigt: Frechheit!
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| Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:18 pm |
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Argos
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Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 2:20 pm
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Location: Wherever he went, including here, it was against his better judgment.
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Es hat sich unter all den Arschgeburten kein Wuerdiger gefunden.
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| Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:52 pm |
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snack
Extraordinary
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:18 pm
Posts: 12159
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Es hat sich unter all den Arschgeburten kein Wuerdiger gefunden.
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| Fri May 22, 2009 12:15 pm |
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Argos
Z
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 2:20 pm
Posts: 7952
Location: Wherever he went, including here, it was against his better judgment.
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Re: The Night of the Hunter That is true.
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"Der Lebenslauf des Menschen besteht darin, dass er, von der Hoffnung genarrt, dem Tod in die Arme tanzt."
- Arthur Schopenhauer
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| Fri May 22, 2009 12:23 pm |
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snack
Extraordinary
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:18 pm
Posts: 12159
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Re: The Night of the Hunter The Dark Shape wrote: I didn't like it. It's well-shot but too simple. Robert Mitchum is excellent... both kids are terrible. There came a point when the kids saw Powell across the way from the barn that I hoped he'd find them so we could have an ending and get to the credits already.
Sorry to those who think it's a film classic, but it just didn't click with me. this guy's a mod. ok.
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:09 am |
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Thegun
On autopilot for the summer
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:14 pm
Posts: 21641
Location: Walking around somewhere
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Re: The Night of the Hunter I'm surprised Yoshue liked a film past 1950
_________________ Chippy wrote: As always, fuck Thegun. Chippy wrote: I want to live vicariously through you, Thegun!
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 2:36 pm |
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Johnny Dollar
The Lubitsch Touch
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
Posts: 11019
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Sometimes you have to make an exception and approve of recent films, like The Night of the Hunter and the feature work of Jacques Tati.
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 2:38 pm |
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Argos
Z
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 2:20 pm
Posts: 7952
Location: Wherever he went, including here, it was against his better judgment.
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Tati smokes an artful pipe.
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"Der Lebenslauf des Menschen besteht darin, dass er, von der Hoffnung genarrt, dem Tod in die Arme tanzt."
- Arthur Schopenhauer
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:15 pm |
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Johnny Dollar
The Lubitsch Touch
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
Posts: 11019
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Re: The Night of the Hunter
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:17 pm |
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Argos
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Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 2:20 pm
Posts: 7952
Location: Wherever he went, including here, it was against his better judgment.
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Re: The Night of the Hunter I do not recognize that, sir, mister.
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"Der Lebenslauf des Menschen besteht darin, dass er, von der Hoffnung genarrt, dem Tod in die Arme tanzt."
- Arthur Schopenhauer
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:19 pm |
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trixster
loyalfromlondon
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 19697
Location: ville-marie
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Re: The Night of the Hunter I'm surprised thegun knows of movies before 1980.
_________________Magic Mike wrote: zwackerm wrote: If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes. Same. Algren wrote: I don't think. I predict.
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 6:40 pm |
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Johnny Dollar
The Lubitsch Touch
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
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Re: The Night of the Hunter He knows they exist, but he doesn't know anything about them. Except that they have no sound and are boring.
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:12 pm |
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snack
Extraordinary
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:18 pm
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Re: The Night of the Hunter too simple, TOO simple, TOO SIMPLE, M. STOOL PIES
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| Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:17 pm |
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Michael A
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:48 am
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Re: The Night of the Hunter I liked the simplicity, the cautionary tale against the power of religion, the mish-mash of styles. I don't really get the overacting comments, I thought everything was rather straight, not exactly a piece of realism but not too stylish or outrageous. I also thought the kids were quite good, the girl was adorable and John was effective. I don't really see this as horror but it definitely leans that way far more than noir, which I agree with trixster, does not make sense. If this was noir it is certainly pushing the boundaries of that definition.
It could use another watch, but I definitely loved it. It's just such a thrilling, enthralling, complex tale. Dark Shape is right that the story and surface feel are simplistic, but the tonal flow and sharp, harsh critique of the culture it convincingly immerses itself in. Yeah, I like that kind of stuff. It's mocking while becoming, satire crying out from the a balanced and sincere construction of the object of satire. Which of course just makes it a more potent and effective critique. I like this one the more I ramble about it. I really think this is top 10 or at least 25 material.
_________________Mr. R wrote: Malcolm wrote: You seem to think threatening violence against people is perfectly okay because you feel offended by their words, so that's kind of telling in itself. Exactly. If they don't know how to behave, and feel OK offending others, they get their ass kicked, so they'll think next time before opening their rotten mouths.
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GuybrushX McMurphy
Cream of the Crop
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:28 pm
Posts: 2794
Location: Germany
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Re: The Night of the Hunter Argos wrote: Gone for good. Where is it, thou fucker? I wanted to read thy fuckin' text after just having re-watched this movie by Karl Lachtonne.
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| Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:14 pm |
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Argos
Z
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 2:20 pm
Posts: 7952
Location: Wherever he went, including here, it was against his better judgment.
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Re: The Night of the Hunter GuybrushX McMurphy wrote: Argos wrote: Gone for good. Where is it, thou fucker? I wanted to read thy fuckin' text after just having re-watched this movie by Karl Lachtonne. In the hands of lesser men.
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"Der Lebenslauf des Menschen besteht darin, dass er, von der Hoffnung genarrt, dem Tod in die Arme tanzt."
- Arthur Schopenhauer
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| Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:38 am |
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