spintheblackestcircles.org

Playing this week:

THE HUNGER
(1983)

Question:

Is the opening of THE HUNGER the absolutely coolest ten minutes of film ever shot? Spine tingling stuff, incredible. What a thing to have experienced in the theatre.

ScoJo wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:17 pm Question:

Is the opening of THE HUNGER the absolutely coolest ten minutes of film ever shot? Spine tingling stuff, incredible. What a thing to have experienced in the theatre.

It is the coolest, especially when played in a darkened room as the only light source.

ScoJo wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:17 pm Question:

Is the opening of THE HUNGER the absolutely coolest ten minutes of film ever shot? Spine tingling stuff, incredible. What a thing to have experienced in the theatre.

Me and two of my other goth minded friends went to see this at my local Alamo a few years back, I was the only one who had seen it previously and was very excited to catch it on the big screen. Such an awesome opener on that scale. There were maybe 2 or 3 other people in the theater with us. It was a perfect time.

That sounds amazing @hatter.

So- about an hour into The Hunger, walk on parts for Willem Dafoe and John Pankow together as 'phone booth youths'... two years before they appeared together in To Live and Die in LA!

ScoJo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:49 am That sounds amazing @hatter.

So- about an hour into The Hunger, walk on parts for Willem Dafoe and John Pankow together as 'phone booth youths'... two years before they appeared together in To Live and Die in LA!

This was so crazy to see. I clocked Dafoe immediately, but had to rock it back a few frames before I was certain it was Pankow. Fantastic.

The Hunger was a lot of fun to revisit. I watched it at night, stone sober, and got right on top of my modest telly. Musch closer than I usually sit. I wanted that grain in my veins. Loved the photography and the atmosphere. And the opening sequence - well - if you don't love that, you might be undead yourself. Same with the sequence where Miriam is talking with Detective Hedaya and Sarah is almost hit by a truck. There are some moments that sag if one's mind is prone to wander and a couple of things that don't make loads of sense, but this flick is long on style and, for me, that's no bad thing. Atmosphere for days. A dark and beautiful viewing experiance.

Mateo's Order Of the Scott:
1. The Hunger

I started The Hunger tonight, got to the title of the film and shut it off. My wife will kill me if I watch this with out her. So it's on the dock for our Thursday evening viewing.

inksb wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:23 am I started The Hunger tonight, got to the title of the film and shut it off. My wife will kill me if I watch this with out her. So it's on the dock for our Thursday evening viewing.

Heh. I got the green light ahead of time. Mrs Sanboval is a big Bowie babe so she'd already seen it a few times.

It’ll be interesting to see where this all shakes out, and I’m guilty of tony Scott under appreciation myself so this will remedy that, but out of all of his films that I have seen this is the one that most resembles his brothers work to me. The tone, the scope, the operatic plot. I’m also super guilty of watching later Tony movies and going “this is really good who directed this” and then being shocked when it’s him as opposed to knowingly watching later Ridley movies and often going , “man what happened?”

Hatter313 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:37 am It’ll be interesting to see where this all shakes out, and I’m guilty of tony Scott under appreciation myself so this will remedy that, but out of all of his films that I have seen this is the one that most resembles his brothers work to me. The tone, the scope, the operatic plot. I’m also super guilty of watching later Tony movies and going “this is really good who directed this” and then being shocked when it’s him as opposed to knowingly watching later Ridley movies and often going , “man what happened?”

Well said, sir. I thought the exact same thing. There are many shots in The Hunger that felt like they could be straight out of Blade Runner.

I am READY for some Top Effing Gun.

Mateo Sanboval wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:44 am

Hatter313 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:37 am It’ll be interesting to see where this all shakes out, and I’m guilty of tony Scott under appreciation myself so this will remedy that, but out of all of his films that I have seen this is the one that most resembles his brothers work to me. The tone, the scope, the operatic plot. I’m also super guilty of watching later Tony movies and going “this is really good who directed this” and then being shocked when it’s him as opposed to knowingly watching later Ridley movies and often going , “man what happened?”

Well said, sir. I thought the exact same thing. There are many shots in The Hunger that felt like they could be straight out of Blade Runner.

I am READY for some Top Effing Gun.

Those boys like a good cold blue light filtered through some dark window blinds I can tell you that much, like moths to a flame or Spielberg to a beach fence

Hatter313 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:48 am

Mateo Sanboval wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:44 am

Hatter313 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:37 am It’ll be interesting to see where this all shakes out, and I’m guilty of tony Scott under appreciation myself so this will remedy that, but out of all of his films that I have seen this is the one that most resembles his brothers work to me. The tone, the scope, the operatic plot. I’m also super guilty of watching later Tony movies and going “this is really good who directed this” and then being shocked when it’s him as opposed to knowingly watching later Ridley movies and often going , “man what happened?”

Well said, sir. I thought the exact same thing. There are many shots in The Hunger that felt like they could be straight out of Blade Runner.

I am READY for some Top Effing Gun.

Those boys like a good cold blue light filtered through some dark window blinds I can tell you that much, like moths to a flame or Spielberg to a beach fence

Or British advertising to the Eighties.

The Hunger is such a mood piece, I honestly can't imagine the studio being thrilled when TS delivered such an art-soaked, sombre piece. It must have stood out so wildly against the other 'horror' films of that time. I can also imagine auds having an issue with the lady-on-lady action that is so iconic looking at it now - it's like the movie that virtually created lipstick lesbianism!
TS definitely got his arty rocks off with his first effort anyway, and immediately swerved hard into 'populism' going forward, so this film stands as perhaps the purest expression of his aesthetic.
If there's anything that I would change about the film, watching this time I noted that the opening sequence is SO strong that it would maybe have been nice to have another scene or two with the couple hunting/feeding in that cool subterranean world before the film settles into the dark, dour section detailing Bowie's decline. But then, I could happily watch a two hour film of that first ten minutes without a whiff of plot progression or three act structure!
Anyone read the Streiber book?

Showing Next:

TOP GUN
(1986)


I'll be cueing this up over the weekend for sure. Get your engines revved with a little warm up Loggins action!




.

Mateo Sanboval wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:25 am

inksb wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:23 am I started The Hunger tonight, got to the title of the film and shut it off. My wife will kill me if I watch this with out her. So it's on the dock for our Thursday evening viewing.

Heh. I got the green light ahead of time. Mrs Sanboval is a big Bowie babe so she'd already seen it a few times.

I saw Bowie's name, the music and bits of imagery, I knew she would not be happy knowing a I watched something like this with out her.

ScoJo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:28 am Showing Next:

TOP GUN
(1986)


91CpZp7oQHL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


I'll be cueing this up over the weekend for sure. Get your engines revved with a little warm up Loggins action!




.

I’m 40 and never seen this in it’s entirety. First time I’ve admitted this publicly.

ScoJo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:22 am The Hunger is such a mood piece, I honestly can't imagine the studio being thrilled when TS delivered such an art-soaked, sombre piece. It must have stood out so wildly against the other 'horror' films of that time. I can also imagine auds having an issue with the lady-on-lady action that is so iconic looking at it now - it's like the movie that virtually created lipstick lesbianism!
TS definitely got his arty rocks off with his first effort anyway, and immediately swerved hard into 'populism' going forward, so this film stands as perhaps the purest expression of his aesthetic.
If there's anything that I would change about the film, watching this time I noted that the opening sequence is SO strong that it would maybe have been nice to have another scene or two with the couple hunting/feeding in that cool subterranean world before the film settles into the dark, dour section detailing Bowie's decline. But then, I could happily watch a two hour film of that first ten minutes without a whiff of plot progression or three act structure!
Anyone read the Streiber book?

the book goes into a lot more detail around Miriam and what exactly her deal is and the deal with her past partners. I totally agree with you, I'd love an hour or more of the first act.

inksb wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:07 pm

Mateo Sanboval wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:25 am

inksb wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:23 am I started The Hunger tonight, got to the title of the film and shut it off. My wife will kill me if I watch this with out her. So it's on the dock for our Thursday evening viewing.

Heh. I got the green light ahead of time. Mrs Sanboval is a big Bowie babe so she'd already seen it a few times.

I saw Bowie's name, the music and bits of imagery, I knew she would not be happy knowing a I watched something like this with out her.

yeah its quite a combo for a certain type of person with a certain type of taste. I didn't have a chance the first time i read the description, instant obsession. i hope you guys enjoy it!

Jimmy_Mike wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:35 pm I’m 40 and never seen this in it’s entirety. First time I’ve admitted this publicly.

I've never watched Top Gun from beginning to end. I've seen it all over the course of the last 3 decades, from catching parts at friends houses, bits on TV and of course the many many parodies/jokes in various TV & film over the years. 2021, the year I watch Top Gun from beginning to end in one sitting.

inksb wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 2:06 pm

Jimmy_Mike wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:35 pm I’m 40 and never seen this in it’s entirety. First time I’ve admitted this publicly.

I've never watched Top Gun from beginning to end. I've seen it all over the course of the last 3 decades, from catching parts at friends houses, bits on TV and of course the many many parodies/jokes in various TV & film over the years. 2021, the year I watch Top Gun from beginning to end in one sitting.

* oily, homoerotic high-five! *

ScoJo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:28 am

Directed by Tony Scott!

Have any of you cats seen ‘In Loving Memory’? I don’t think it technically counts as a film due to the length, and it’s completely different to his style from the 80s onwards.

I clocked it in his filmog - looks like it's rentable from BFIplayer. Dang, I shoulda hit this first! Ahh well, I will add it to my weekend viewing of Top Gun for maximum contrast! (it sounds very intriguing for sure...)