BEING THERE (1979) FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) ALL THAT JAZZ (1979)

Allhallowsday · March 26, 2022, 12:28:48 PM

Plopped in front of the TV since Tuesday night, something I never do, I sat through 3 wonderful films in a row last night:

BEING THERE (1979) Probably the strangest film I LOVE but hardly laugh at. PETER SELLERS best performance. Very special.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) everything was fine with the intro/outtro this time (last time I looked at it caused me to join TCM forum). TOPOL is perfect, all wonderful songs, so beautiful to look at, and heartbreaking. I love it. One of few movie musicals I love. I also realized the sad tragic connection between LEONARD FREY and PAUL MICHAEL GLASER.

ALL THAT JAZZ (1979) what an achievement for BOB FOSSE! Superb performance by ROY SCHEIDER. 40 years+ and it remains stunning.

RCMerchant · March 26, 2022, 01:24:44 PM

BEING THERE is fantastic. I'm glad he got to do this film before he died.
Iv'e not seen the other 2.

Allhallowsday · March 26, 2022, 02:48:04 PM

Quote from: RCMerchant on March 26, 2022, 01:24:44 PM
BEING THERE is fantastic. I'm glad he got to do this film before he died.
Iv'e not seen the other 2.

They're both musicals, a genre I generally don't watch. FIDDLER is the musical theater I like best, not generally into theater music at all, the songs and story are awesome. I saw a revival on Broadway 15 or 20 years ago with HARVEY FIERSTEIN and ROSIE O'DONNELL. They both sucked. The movie is perfect.

ALL THAT JAZZ is about mortality. BOB FOSSE the director predicting his own death (which happened 8 or 9 years later). It is bizarre, sensual, hilarious. fascinating. The final ZUP always compels the viewer.

indianasmith · March 26, 2022, 05:39:54 PM

Not a huge musical buff, although I will watch them live on stage anytime.
But BEING THERE is a wonderful film that I have loved since I first saw it in high school.

Trevor · March 27, 2022, 09:32:21 AM

Being There came in for a few complaints from the public here then because of the ending scene where Chance walks across the waters of the pond.

Allhallowsday · March 27, 2022, 01:33:50 PM

Quote from: Trevor on March 27, 2022, 09:32:21 AM
Being There came in for a few complaints from the public here then because of the ending scene where Chance walks across the waters of the pond.

I honestly believe that the director was quite intentionally effin with people. What is that film all about? Uhm... not much.
It is mesmerizing watching Chauncey imitating yoga TV shows with others around not noticing...

I had a discussion about that final scene the next day after watching it, and I think the intent was to make you think.

pennywise37 · May 27, 2022, 07:03:50 AM

of the three i've only seen Being there (1979) and i have not seen it in years yeah it's a really damn good movie and i've also seen

All that Jazz (1979) another brilliant film that one though had to have a lot of coke involved in some of that film, much like the film Sisters (1973) had to have a lot of drugs involved for the last half hr or so to make actual sense.

Allhallowsday · May 28, 2022, 11:57:40 AM

I do not understand why someone would form an opinion about a movie they haven't seen.

ALL THAT JAZZ is nothing like SISTERS. Neither is a "drug" movie.

ER · May 28, 2022, 04:39:59 PM

According to that unimpeachable fount of truth Shirley MacLaine, Sellers confided to her that he'd had a "white light" near-death experience shortly before their working together on the film, and she said he described the experience to her in detail and had lost any fear of death as a result.

While I'm thinking about it, Elizabeth Taylor likewise spoke about a similar NDE, complete with the tunnel of white light, which she also claimed removed any fears she had of dying.

(Oddly CS Lewis spoke of his own near death in the same year in which he did go on to die, 1963, and on a famous day too, as simply being like going to sleep, no mention of white light.)

Somehow knowing the real-life future of Peter Sellers has for me always tainted Being There. If he had not been a cocaine addict for so long, or so phobic about doctors, he probably would have been with us for a much longer time.

Allhallowsday · May 28, 2022, 10:43:28 PM

^ It's the only PETER SELLERS performance for me.

When I began to read your post ER, I laughed, but continued reading and became fascinated... and perplexed. Maybe a little spooked.

pennywise37 · May 29, 2022, 01:07:21 AM

i wasn't talking about Fiddler on the roof, i was referring to how in all that Jazz that film goes bat Sh*t crazy and you can never tell what is real if my memory is right, and how that made me think of the film Sisters cause the end of that film does the same thing. i wasn't talking about fiddler on the roof i admitted i haven't seen it and stopped talking about it. both sisters and all that jazz the writers had to be on some heavy drugs at the time they were written to come up with those endings. it's been a long time since i last saw All that Jazz but i've seen that more recent than Being There.

Allhallowsday · May 29, 2022, 11:49:21 AM

Quote from: pennywise37 on May 29, 2022, 01:07:21 AM
i wasn't talking about Fiddler on the roof, i was referring to how in all that Jazz that film goes bat Sh*t crazy and you can never tell what is real if my memory is right, and how that made me think of the film Sisters cause the end of that film does the same thing. i wasn't talking about fiddler on the roof i admitted i haven't seen it and stopped talking about it. both sisters and all that jazz the writers had to be on some heavy drugs at the time they were written to come up with those endings. it's been a long time since i last saw All that Jazz but i've seen that more recent than Being There.

Yes, I read what you wrote. You've only seen BEING THERE.

Quote from: pennywise37 on May 27, 2022, 07:03:50 AM
of the three i've only seen Being there (1979) ...

pennywise37 · May 29, 2022, 05:49:51 PM

i've since fixed that thanks for pointing that out i meant to add that i've also seen All that Jazz (1979) as well

Allhallowsday · May 29, 2022, 10:16:29 PM

Well, one thing's for sure. Any one of those three films might be better on a drug trip, but I don't think of any as a "drug" induced, influenced, movie, EXCEPT drugs are very seriously criticized in ALL THAT JAZZ along with booze and cigarettes. The film is really autobiographical, and ironic. BOB FOSSE died less than 10 years later of the bad habits and ailment examined closely in the film. Zip.

pennywise37 · May 29, 2022, 11:36:32 PM

True i don't know much about Bob Fosse but he was one talented guy. there's a lot of movies out there regardless of how good or bad they are that no doubt are better if you are on drugs than off them. as much as i love Easy Rider (1969) that movie has to be one hell of a trip if you watch it stoned