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SMB Film Thread 2026

Saw on social media the other day a post quoting Paul Thomas Anderson as saying that you can learn more from John Sturges's commentary for Bad Day at Black Rock than you can in 20 years of film school.

I love the film, but somehow hadn't got round to watching it with the commentary. Put that right last night, and wholeheartedly agree. Most commentaries are a waste of time - just the director and/or actors showering each other with praise. But this one gets into the nitty gritty of film-making. Made me appreciate this film all the more, and will also help me to see other films in a fresh light.

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Is this commentary only available on the Criterion site?
 

Is this commentary only available on the Criterion site?

Officially, yes. It was the commentary he did for the Criterion laserdisc. Unofficially, there are versions with his commentary floating around.

There's also an MP3 of the isolated commentary track available to download:
You must be logged on to see media items

Or you can listen to it here:
 
Officially, yes. It was the commentary he did for the Criterion laserdisc. Unofficially, there are versions with his commentary floating around.

There's also an MP3 of the isolated commentary track available to download:
You must be logged on to see media items

Or you can listen to it here:
Cheers Monty. I’ve not seen the film so I’ll watch it first, then give this a try. Good quality commentaries can be so insightful.
 
The Strangers Chapter 2
I've enjoyed all of these films to varying degrees and whilst this is the weakest of the lot (so far) it passed an hour and a half or so.
5/10
 
The Brighton Strangler (1945)

Credit where it’s due: the title is straight to the point. John Loder plays an actor who is tired of the role (the Brighton Strangler) his playwright finance has written for him. On the last night of the theatrical run, an air raid results in him losing his memory. The only thing that gains traction in his mind is the character he’s played hundreds of times. He essentially becomes the Brighton Strangler, pursuing actions that fit his role.

It’s utterly stupid and it’s not very well acted. I did like it, though. It has a simple honesty about it, and there’s some nice cinematography. I found that once I’d forgiven the absurdity of the premise, there was some enjoyment to be had, and at just over an hour, it’s quite a tight psych-noir. But still stupid.

5/10
 
It’s canny. Very slow, but that’s because I expecting the heist to be the focus. All of the goings on are through a 50s Hollywood lens, so it’s all incredibly tame. But the fact that they were looking at the myth of happy small
Town America in the mid 50s at all is interesting. The print on YouTube is in crisp colour widescreen.
I’ll give it a go.
Saw on social media the other day a post quoting Paul Thomas Anderson as saying that you can learn more from John Sturges's commentary for Bad Day at Black Rock than you can in 20 years of film school.

I love the film, but somehow hadn't got round to watching it with the commentary. Put that right last night, and wholeheartedly agree. Most commentaries are a waste of time - just the director and/or actors showering each other with praise. But this one gets into the nitty gritty of film-making. Made me appreciate this film all the more, and will also help me to see other films in a fresh light.

You must be logged on to see media items
Ooooh I like the sound of that.
 
Paris (2008) 7/10
Cédric Klapisch directs one of those multi-stranded movies in which the several stories are tenuously connected: mostly in Paris, but one strand in Cameroon. On the whole it's more Short Cuts than Love Actually, but this being Klapisch it occasionally lays on the sentiment too thickly. (Also, in two of the stories there are male characters who seem to get rewarded dodgy behaviour towards women.)
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Touchez Pas au Grisbi (Don't Touch the Loot) (1954) 9/10
Classic French gangster film. Jean Gabin as a veteran mobster intending to retire on the proceeds of his latest heist; Lino Ventura as the up-and-coming mobster who wants to steal everything and take over Gabin's patch.
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Point Blank (À bout portant) (2010) 8/10
A male nurse's pregnant wife is taken hostage - to save her he must help a criminal escape from hospital. But he ends up on the run from gangs and the police, all the while trying to find his wife. Decent thriller.
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Undertone (2026). Boring,slow and predictable horror. Highly rated by Mark Kermode but he's a fanny so that makes sense. The director will make the next Paranormal Activity. Seems his standard. I haven't watched any of them but I'm sure they are just as garbage as his debut. 0/10 for another Gen Z pile of cack.
 
Undertone (2026). Boring,slow and predictable horror. Highly rated by Mark Kermode but he's a fanny so that makes sense. The director will make the next Paranormal Activity. Seems his standard. I haven't watched any of them but I'm sure they are just as garbage as his debut. 0/10 for another Gen Z pile of cack.

That's a shame, I'm booked to see this on Thursday night
 
The Case Against Brooklyn (1958)

Darren McGavin goes deep undercover into the horse betting ring syndicates. He is trying to root out corrupt rozzers on the take. He puts himself and others in severe danger from the villains and his own workmates.

Standard procedural with a few decent scenes. All round solid performances.

5.5/10
 
Old film alert
1917
Just watched it . Thought it was class
From the sets to the acting .
Imdb etc . 8plus out of ten

Found old smb threads ,pretty much calling it shite or average
Love this place . 😁😁
 
Old film alert
1917
Just watched it . Thought it was class
From the sets to the acting .
Imdb etc . 8plus out of ten

Found old smb threads ,pretty much calling it shite or average
Love this place . 😁😁
The days when Fattie Arbuckle was nothing but a trim teen. The sands of time.
 
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