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#11
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by M.10rda - Today at 08:26:19 AMMASSACRE (1934):
Both admirably ahead of its time and tragically a prisoner of that time, MASSACRE tells a similar (true) story to that related in Scorsese's KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, only 90 years ahead of that (truly sprawling) film. (Also MASSACRE tells its story in 1/3 the time that it takes Scorsese.)
Joe is a wealthy indigenous rodeo performer, known nationwide as "Chief Thunderhorse" but living comfortably in a Chicago penthouse. When he learns his father is dying, he returns to the southwestern desert reservation where he grew up, and finds an unchecked criminal conspiracy by the palefaces. They aren't outrightly murdering natives like in KOTFM (usually, anyway) - the old white men (like King Hale) who "administer" the reservation are just [sic] denying the natives appropriate health care and then stealing their property and estate when the natives kick the bucket. An outsider, Joe won't stand for this corrupt status quo, and of course the old white men won't stand for an Injun not standing for their corrupt status quo. The studio probably wanted something like a traditional Western when they greenlit MASSACRE, but instead they got a generally realistic and compelling true-crime thriller.
MASSACRE is well-directed, on location, w/ a wide variety of shot set-ups and nice snappy editing. (There's a very tense, almost altogether silent jail-break sequence that was probably a relief for the early-30s sound engineers but works great onscreen.) It's co-written by Sheridan Gibney, who wrote THE (very good) LOCKET as well as the similarly socially conscious I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG. In a clever twist, the hero with whom the audience identifies isn't a noble white guy but an indigenous American who has fallen out of touch with his community and now needs to catch up, fast. Unfortunately, Joe is played not by an indigenous American but by a(n okay) white actor in brownface.
Yeah, that kinds of hamstrings MASSACRE's potential for being a pure force of Good.
There are a lot of authentic indigenous Americans onscreen in MASSACRE, in supporting roles and as extras, and only one of them (a paid thug for the white guys) is in any way sinister - the rest are purely sympathetic. The central female character is a college-educated Native who's returned to work on the reservation, helps Joe a great deal, and doesn't even have to shoulder a dumb romance subplot w/ him. (They hug in the final shot.) Unfortunately she's also played by a Caucasian technically in brownface
- but here I discover one limit to my enlightenment, as that Caucasian is the terrific actress Ann Dvorak, with straightened hair and what looks like a light tan... and she looks great, better perhaps than in anything else I've seen her in, and I'm always attracted to her. This must be what John Mayer meant when he said his penis was "a racist"? 
3.5/5 I wonder if anyone saw this movie in 1934 and did anything whatsoever about the Osage murders or any other shady crap on American reservations - I'd guess probably not. Historically people are ignorant, oblivious, and apathetic. Then again the same could be said for many people today...
Both admirably ahead of its time and tragically a prisoner of that time, MASSACRE tells a similar (true) story to that related in Scorsese's KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, only 90 years ahead of that (truly sprawling) film. (Also MASSACRE tells its story in 1/3 the time that it takes Scorsese.)
Joe is a wealthy indigenous rodeo performer, known nationwide as "Chief Thunderhorse" but living comfortably in a Chicago penthouse. When he learns his father is dying, he returns to the southwestern desert reservation where he grew up, and finds an unchecked criminal conspiracy by the palefaces. They aren't outrightly murdering natives like in KOTFM (usually, anyway) - the old white men (like King Hale) who "administer" the reservation are just [sic] denying the natives appropriate health care and then stealing their property and estate when the natives kick the bucket. An outsider, Joe won't stand for this corrupt status quo, and of course the old white men won't stand for an Injun not standing for their corrupt status quo. The studio probably wanted something like a traditional Western when they greenlit MASSACRE, but instead they got a generally realistic and compelling true-crime thriller.
MASSACRE is well-directed, on location, w/ a wide variety of shot set-ups and nice snappy editing. (There's a very tense, almost altogether silent jail-break sequence that was probably a relief for the early-30s sound engineers but works great onscreen.) It's co-written by Sheridan Gibney, who wrote THE (very good) LOCKET as well as the similarly socially conscious I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG. In a clever twist, the hero with whom the audience identifies isn't a noble white guy but an indigenous American who has fallen out of touch with his community and now needs to catch up, fast. Unfortunately, Joe is played not by an indigenous American but by a(n okay) white actor in brownface.
Yeah, that kinds of hamstrings MASSACRE's potential for being a pure force of Good.There are a lot of authentic indigenous Americans onscreen in MASSACRE, in supporting roles and as extras, and only one of them (a paid thug for the white guys) is in any way sinister - the rest are purely sympathetic. The central female character is a college-educated Native who's returned to work on the reservation, helps Joe a great deal, and doesn't even have to shoulder a dumb romance subplot w/ him. (They hug in the final shot.) Unfortunately she's also played by a Caucasian technically in brownface
- but here I discover one limit to my enlightenment, as that Caucasian is the terrific actress Ann Dvorak, with straightened hair and what looks like a light tan... and she looks great, better perhaps than in anything else I've seen her in, and I'm always attracted to her. This must be what John Mayer meant when he said his penis was "a racist"? 3.5/5 I wonder if anyone saw this movie in 1934 and did anything whatsoever about the Osage murders or any other shady crap on American reservations - I'd guess probably not. Historically people are ignorant, oblivious, and apathetic. Then again the same could be said for many people today...
#12
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Picture of the day, part I...
Last post by lester1/2jr - Today at 03:16:41 AMAshy barn blob
#13
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Picture of the day, part I...
Last post by Dr. Whom - Today at 02:05:31 AMQuote from: lester1/2jr on March 19, 2026, 02:26:17 PM
Moisturise me!
#14
Off Topic Discussion / Re: bizarre death row stat...
Last post by claws - March 19, 2026, 10:52:16 PM
AI's reply
QuoteOuch—fair point! Tell him I'll take that "L" gracefully. It's the classic AI trap: I tried to explain away the "fun" with a lecture on math, and then the math I used actually failed to back me up.
It turns out I fell for the exact thing I was trying to warn him about—making a broad assumption ("James and John must be higher") without checking the actual leaderboard first.
The reality is that Wayne, Lee, and Ray are the undisputed heavyweights of this specific, weird niche of data. Even if there's a logical naming reason behind it, the sheer gap between Lee (92) and John (8) is pretty staggering. It's hard to argue with a 10-to-1 ratio!
Tell him I'll step out of "professor mode" and just admit: The "Middle Name Theory" is a legitimate statistical rabbit hole, and his data holds up under fire.
Since he's clearly winning this round—does he have any other "glitches in the matrix" or weird stats he's tracking? I'm ready to be less of a buzzkill and more of a spectator this time!
#15
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by FatFreddysCat - March 19, 2026, 08:54:39 PM"Speed Zone" (1989)
The drivers at the annual, illegal Cannonball Run cross-country road race are all arrested at the starting line, so it's up to a new crew of inexperienced substitutes to run the race. The usual automotive mayhem ensues.
This Canadian/American car-chase comedy started life as a 3rd "Cannonball Run" movie (and was released as "C.R. III" in some parts of the world) but the only performer who returns from the previous "Cannonball" films is Jamie Farr, who makes a brief cameo as Sheik Falafel. Despite that, the cast is packed with an impressive number of familiar faces, including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Peter Boyle, Donna Dixon, Tim Matheson, Matt Frewer, Brooke Shields (!), Alyssa Milano, and more. A silly but entertaining time waster.
The drivers at the annual, illegal Cannonball Run cross-country road race are all arrested at the starting line, so it's up to a new crew of inexperienced substitutes to run the race. The usual automotive mayhem ensues.
This Canadian/American car-chase comedy started life as a 3rd "Cannonball Run" movie (and was released as "C.R. III" in some parts of the world) but the only performer who returns from the previous "Cannonball" films is Jamie Farr, who makes a brief cameo as Sheik Falafel. Despite that, the cast is packed with an impressive number of familiar faces, including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Peter Boyle, Donna Dixon, Tim Matheson, Matt Frewer, Brooke Shields (!), Alyssa Milano, and more. A silly but entertaining time waster.
#16
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by FatFreddysCat - March 19, 2026, 04:40:08 PM"The Cannonball Run" (1981)
Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise head up an absolutely amazing cast that includes Dean Martin, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Chan,Terry Bradshaw, and many more in this virtually plotless car chase comedy about a cross-country road race from Connecticut to L.A. with a million dollar prize for the winners. Silly as hell but tons o' fun!
Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise head up an absolutely amazing cast that includes Dean Martin, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Chan,Terry Bradshaw, and many more in this virtually plotless car chase comedy about a cross-country road race from Connecticut to L.A. with a million dollar prize for the winners. Silly as hell but tons o' fun!
#17
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by lester1/2jr - March 19, 2026, 03:17:16 PMI saw that one. I think I remember them driving to the beach at night. That's about it.
#18
Bad Movies / Re: Scary movie backstories
Last post by zombie no.one - March 19, 2026, 03:01:24 PMthere's a bit in the HANDS OF STEEL blu ray extras dedicated to that incident...
I'm pretty sure it was a case of they already had the scene in the bag but for some reason the guy wanted to do it again, and the director even tried to dissuade him? (if that's wrong I'll edit later, but I think that's correct)
love that film!
I'm pretty sure it was a case of they already had the scene in the bag but for some reason the guy wanted to do it again, and the director even tried to dissuade him? (if that's wrong I'll edit later, but I think that's correct)
love that film!
#19
Off Topic Discussion / Re: bizarre death row stat...
Last post by zombie no.one - March 19, 2026, 02:58:33 PMgotta love how AI manages to sound super condescending even when it's admitting being wrong
#20
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Picture of the day, part I...
Last post by lester1/2jr - March 19, 2026, 02:26:17 PM