Messages

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood picks his favorite 6 Eastwood movies

« on: Yesterday at 09:41:36 AM »

I wonder if Gran Torino might apply. A LOT of younger people (say under 40) have seen that film who may not have seen any of his other work.

Yes, Gran Torino seems to be, and by far, the most famous film Clint made within the last 15 years, with the exception of American Sniper.
Then, Gran Torino probably contributed to introduce Clint to the youngest generations of moviegoers. So, in many ways, you may be right.
However, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly is part of pop culture for more generations of moviegoers all around the world.
The fact is that Clint is still associated to the western genre and especially to the Dollars trilogy.

If you talked about Clint to the average moviegoer, he would think about the Sergio Leone films, the Ennio Morricone's music, the cigar, the hat and the poncho of the Man With No Name. Maybe he would start whistling the music. The image of the Man With No Name is instantly recognizable, like the image of Bruce Lee with his nunchaku or the image of Charlie Chaplin in the clothes of his famous character, the Tramp. The average moviegoer would also think about the Dirty Harry films, I guess. In France, the Dollars trilogy is more popular than the Dirty Harry films. I don't know how popular is the Dollars trilogy in the United States today but I think that the Marvel characters steal the show.

Personnally, I discovered Clint with The Good, The Bad And The Ugly and For A Few Dollars More, when I was 8 years old: by this time, Clint completed White Hunter Black Heart and was about to make The Rookie. I don't know why but after seeing the two Sergio Leone films, I knew that I would follow Clint's career for the rest of my life.
 

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: March 24, 2023, 02:29:48 PM »

Yes, I hope that he is doing fine, although nobody is eternal.
The recent speculations, about his health, are motivated by the fact that his upper back is curved and his bones are supposed to be weak.
Actually, Clint has back issues for many years.
At his peak, he was 6 feet 4 tall. Now, he may be 6 feet tall.

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: March 22, 2023, 01:48:57 PM »

Hi Antonis,

No news, unfortunately

https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2023/3/dk4fnus6odvw3983z84g3u4jvbao5z

The Twitter account, which claims being the only official one on Clint, stated that a directing project is finalizing: in my opinion, it is safer to wait some news from official sources like Variety, The Hollywood Reporter or Deadline.

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood picks his favorite 6 Eastwood movies

« on: March 19, 2023, 03:29:14 PM »

This is a good list. I've definitely heard him speak very positively about all of these films in interviews, so this is what I would have expected to hear from Clint. I agree that these are some of his best films. Although I recognize that it was a passion project for him, and an impressive achievement, as it is technically very proficiently made, and explores its themes well,  I've never really found "Bird" to be entertaining. To me, it is too long, too slow, too dark and too depressing. I generally like jazz, so that is definitely not the reason it's not a favorite of mine.

This is a good list. I've definitely heard him speak very positively about all of these films in interviews, so this is what I would have expected to hear from Clint. I agree that these are some of his best films. Although I recognize that it was a passion project for him, and an impressive achievement, as it is technically very proficiently made, and explores its themes well,  I've never really found "Bird" to be entertaining. To me, it is too long, too slow, too dark and too depressing. I generally like jazz, so that is definitely not the reason it's not a favorite of mine.

Yes, I agree with you, AKA23.
Bird is not entertaining and mostly considered as an art film first. On the other hand, it was not supposed to be entertaining like The Gauntlet, Sudden Impact or The Rookie. In many ways, Bird needed to be long, slow, dark and depressing because of the main subject and the story. Anyway, the more I see Bird, the more I enjoy it.
As you said, it is a passion project for him. Columbia Pictures originally owned the project. So, Clint asked Warners to acquire the project and to give one project to Columbia Pictures in exchange (that project was Revenge directed by Tony Scott, starring Kevin Costner). That showed the determination of Clint to make Bird. Anyway, it was obviously important in his career. It announced his films of the next decades. Today, Unforgiven is fairly seen as the major turning point of his career but Bird could have been seen a little bit like that, had it brought more awards and more success to Clint. An other Clint film from that era which is considered as an art film and that I enjoyed, is White Hunter Black Heart, which is sometimes seen like a piece companion to Bird.

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood picks his favorite 6 Eastwood movies

« on: March 19, 2023, 02:01:38 PM »

I've heard him speak highly of some of those movies as well, like Bronco Billy and Honkytonk Man.

I find it interesting that The Outlaw Josey Wales is the oldest and the only movie from that era of his career that he listed.

With this list being kind of old now, I wonder if he'd list any of his newest movies on there like American Sniper.

Usually, The Outlaw Josey Wales is considered as his first masterpiece as a director: in my opinion, it remains his best film of the 70s, with Dirty Harry. I would add Play Misty for Me, High Plains Drifter, Breezy, Bronco Billy, Honkytonk Man, Pale Rider and A Perfect World among his best pictures.

About his films released since 2008, Changeling, Gran Torino, American Sniper, The Mule and Richard Jewell are perhaps the best films he made. After Gran Torino, many films seemed essentially made for keeping Clint busy (Invictus, Hereafter, Jersey Boys, The 15:17 to Paris). They did not very well at the box office.
J.Edgar is interesting because it was not that bad but especially misunderstood and unexpected: most of the mainstream audience did not care about the intimate life of the main character. Moreover, making Leonardo DiCaprio look older and uglier did not appeal the audience too. They probably expected a film like Public Enemies directed by Michael Mann.

American Sniper is an important film because he was not only successful at the box office and boosted his latest career but also because this film had a true resonance with the themes developed by his films. Even if American Sniper divided the audience because of ideological reasons, it is still a great film.

Sometimes, I wonder what A Star is Born would look like, if Clint directed it instead of Bradley Cooper.

Eventually, if Clint updated the list of his favorite films now, I am not sure that it would be so different from the one he gave in 2010.

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood picks his favorite 6 Eastwood movies

« on: February 28, 2023, 09:18:01 AM »

Yes, I remember that I read an article about Clint giving that list, when Hereafter was released.

I am not sure, because it was a long time ago, but I think that he also included The Bridges of Madison County in it.
In my opinion, his choices are logical since these films are pivotal in his career and represent some great achievement, artistically.
Bird, Mystic River and Letters from Iwo Jima are among the best films that Clint directed without being involved as an actor.
The Outlaw Josey Wales, Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby are perhaps the best films where Clint directed himself: I think that he deserved a Best Actor Oscar for one of these films at least.

On the other hand, Clint's career is so huge and so rich that we can't limit it to these 6 or 7 films.

Sometimes, Clint has also quoted the Dollars trilogy, The Beguiled, Play Misty for Me, Dirty Harry, Bronco Billy, Honkytonk Man as pivotal films in his career.
Even Every Which Way but Loose represented a new departure for him.

I think that The Good, the Bad and The Ugly remains his most famous film in the world, although it was directed by Sergio Leone.
In America, it may be Dirty Harry because it seems to speak better to American society, besides the fact that it is a great film.

I really hope that he will make an other film again.

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The Dirty Harry Films / Re: Which Dirty Harry movie is the dirtiest?

« on: February 12, 2023, 07:34:52 AM »

Dirty Harry and Sudden Impact are probably the darkest films of the franchise. And the best ones with Magnum Force.
The Enforcer and The Dead Pool are more formulaic and work more like TV films. Magnum Force has that aspect a little bit too. Obviously, the five films of the franchise contain some sequences of blood and violence.
However, Dirty Harry and Sudden Impact seem a lot more depressing and melancholic than the others.
It may come from the cinematography of Bruce Surtees who worked on Dirty Harry and Sudden Impact but not on the others. It also may come from the acting performance of Clint, who played the bitterness very well in Dirty Harry and Sudden Impact. Do not forget the great directions of Don Siegel and Clint who managed to introduce Harry Callahan, more lonely and sadder than ever. If I am correct, in the USA, Sudden Impact is famous for the Make my day scene but not really praised by the film critics or the cinema lovers. However, in France, Sudden Impact is generally considered as good as the original film, if not better. In my opinion, Dirty Harry remains the best film of the franchise: Clint delivered one of the best acting performance of his whole career, Scorpio is one of the best villain of film history and Don Siegel succeeded to make an other great crime film set in San Francisco, after the unforgettable Bullitt. However, the fact that Clint directed Sudden Impact, helps to make it more than just an other sequel. I think that Clint brought his own artistic sensitivity: something missing in the other sequels. The final sequence of Sudden Impact is particularly powerful.

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood videos

« on: December 02, 2022, 07:44:57 PM »

Hello AKA23,
I am sorry about that.
I have consulted the FAQs of the Arte TV website: it says that if Arte TV has the broadcasting rights of a video in a foreign country, then the video can be viewed from that country, from the Arte TV website: www.arte.tv
You can try it. If it is not available, I hope that the documentary will be broadcast someday in the States.
I have to say that the documentary is pretty good, though the diehard fans will not learn something new.
If you have seen many films, many other documentaries and read many books on Clint, then the documentary will look very familiar to you.

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood videos

« on: December 02, 2022, 07:41:17 PM »

Hello AKA23,
I am sorry about that.
I have consulted the FAQs of the Arte TV website: it says that if Arte TV has the broadcasting rights of a video in a foreign country, then the video can be viewed from that country, from the Arte TV website: www.arte.tv
You can try it. If it is not available, I hope that the documentary will be broadcast someday in the States.
I have to say that the documentary is pretty good, though the diehard fans will not learn something new.
If you have seen many films, many other documentaries and read many books on Clint, then the documentary will look very familiar to you.
 

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood videos

« on: December 02, 2022, 05:22:27 AM »

Hello everyone,

Here is the documentary, Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend, with the comments subtitled in English:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKxmwgP61Dg

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood videos

« on: November 13, 2022, 05:01:50 PM »

Hello everyone,
I would like to share this 2022 documentary on Clint, which is made for Arte, a French-German channel TV.
It is called Clint Eastwood, the Last Legend. Though the narration is in French, many parts are in English.
That video is available until March 19, 2023.

https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/104001-000-A/clint-eastwood-la-derniere-legende/

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: October 22, 2022, 01:27:29 PM »

Hey AKA23,
I agree with you: this article is useless since there is no news.
About that Eastwood official Twitter account, the fact that it pretends to be really official without being able to give a perfect evidence, is kind of boring and annoying.
Beyond the fact that we can look at some rare pictures of Clint and his films, that Twitter account is useless too.
I think that I will be waiting for some good news from more traditional sources like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter.

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: October 19, 2022, 11:49:54 PM »

Two articles (the first one is updated) which deal with the partnership between Clint and Warner Bros.
But nothing that we have not read yet.

https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2022/10/856pa4126ah3vtzmlv9erdzkelnaz2?format=amp

https://abovetheline.com/2022/10/10/clint-eastwood-warner-bros-david-zaslav-relationship/

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: October 11, 2022, 12:39:40 AM »

I would suggest Stephen Campanelli, who seems quite active on Twitter.
As a camera operator, he has worked for Clint, since The Bridges of Madison County.
He also worked as second unit director on The Mule, Richard Jewell and Cry Macho.

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: October 10, 2022, 09:57:18 AM »

Thank you for all your investigations
I think that Twitter, as useful as it could be, is not big enough for Clint, who is actually bigger than life.
Above all, our passion for cinema, and particularly for Clint films, goes beyond a Twitter account, fake or not.
In fact, the best answers that we can have about Clint, the filmmaker, are in his films.
I just hope that we will have some good news for his next project.

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: October 05, 2022, 01:35:28 AM »

Thank you, LB13

Indeed, those answers sound pretty good.

Among the musicians that Clint admired, Count Basie was occasionally mentioned by him, along with Charlie Parker and Lester Young.

Among the films he directed, Unforgiven and The Outlaw Josey Wales are surely his favorite ones, along with Bird, The Bridges of Madison County, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby and Letters From Iwo Jima. Sometimes, he also mentioned Bronco Billy. Honkytonk Man and A Perfect World would be among his personal favorites, though less mentioned that the others. Magnum Force would be his favorite Dirty Harry film.

In the early 1980s, Clint believed that Dirty Harry and The Outlaw Josey Wales were his best acting performances.

Yes, he liked working with some actors like Meryl Streep, Gene Hackman or Morgan Freeman.

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Eastwood News / Re: Clint Eastwood’s next project

« on: October 04, 2022, 01:45:10 PM »

Hi everyone,
Apparently, according to the Clint Eastwood Forever Twitter account, another Clint Eastwood Q&A session will be hosted by The Official Clint Eastwood Twitter account, this Friday.

Though I do not have a Twitter account, I was able to copy and paste this:

Clint Eastwood Forever
@ClintForever
?
3 oct.
Due to popular demand The Official Clint Eastwood Twitter account will be hosting another Clint Eastwood Q&A session on Friday 7th October. Request to follow
@sue_filmMalpaso
 and submit your question for Clint.
Join us 4pm US time / Midnight UK

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Clint Eastwood Westerns / Re: "Rawhide" episode discussion

« on: October 04, 2022, 05:41:10 AM »

You are welcome, Gant
Rawhide was a pretty good show: so many great actors appeared in it.
I think that Rawhide was the real acting school for Clint.

Though I am not really knowledgeable about John Cassavetes, I think that he was quite influential in the American cinema of the 1970s, and especially in the independent cinema.
John Cassavetes seemed to like Play Misty for Me and would have told Clint that the main problem with the film was that it was not directed by Alfred Hitchcock: that was a pretty good compliment.

After seeing the film Boxcar Bertha, Cassavetes encouraged Martin Scorsese to make more personal films: then, Scorsese made Mean Streets, one of my favorite Scorsese film.

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Clint Eastwood Westerns / Re: "Rawhide" episode discussion

« on: October 02, 2022, 07:48:45 AM »

Has anyone seen the Rawhide episode featuring John Cassavetes ?
He?s one of my fave actors? I?d love to see this ep. Does he share scenes with Clint ?

Hello Gant,

Here is the Rawhide episode in which John Cassavetes appeared (Season 3, Episode 19: Incident Near Gloomy River),
if you would like to see it:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S87RSjCGlqQ&list=PLudYrNy8teJBBcYIY8aMhUCBlbXt2z3n6&index=19

By the way, most of the Rawhide episodes are available on YouTube

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General Discussion / Re: Clint Eastwood videos

« on: September 30, 2022, 03:25:33 AM »

Actually, that interview was made for a French TV show called Cinema, Cinemas, which was aired from 1982 to 1991.
I was too young to remember it but that show was particularly appreciated by cinema lovers.
In fact, many people from film industry were interviewed. That show was also about the technical jobs of filmmaking.
When I saw the Clint interview for the first time, it seemed a little austere and quirky to me. Or maybe half parodic. But that was the style of that show, I guess. What I find interesting about that interview is the fact Clint said that he preferred directing than acting: today, it would not be surprising. But in 1985, Clint was still a major box office star in America. Of course, Clint was already ambitious as a director, at that point of his career.
The weirdest thing about that interview is obviously the questions on that film project with Jean-Luc Godard.
By the way, I have read nothing about it. Anyway, the Clint biographies did not mention a potential film between the two men. Godard, who passed away some weeks ago, seemed to admire Clint, more as an actor than as a director. Godard even dedicated one of his films, Detective (1985), to Clint. He also presented an honorary Cesar (the French Oscars) to Clint in 1998. When presenting the Cesar, Godard told Clint: be yourself, Mr Honkytonk Man.