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The Map of Lost Memories
7.0
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The one thing to remember about an adventure is that if it turns out the way you expect it to, it...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Network (1976) in Movies
Feb 9, 2018
All time classic
"I'M MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
One of the most famous lines in film history is as impactful today as it was when it was first uttered by fictitious news anchor Howard Beale in Paddy Chayefsky's (seemingly) parody of where TV and TV news is heading, 1976's NETWORK.
The astonishing thing about this terrific motion picture is how prescient it is. News is now entertainment. Appeal to the disaffected masses. Drive our message to the viewers. Be provocative. The 6:00 news had "less than 1 minute of hard news, the rest was sex, scandal, brutal crime sports, children with incurable diseases and lost puppies."
Sound familiar? This isn't from today, it came from this movie that was made 42 years ago as a cautionary tale of what might happen.
Besides the social ramifications, how does this film hold up? Quite well, indeed. A rare 10 star BankofMarquis film. Starting with the great Paddy Chayefsky's Oscar winning Screenplay. This was the capper on a brilliant career from Chayefsky - who also won Oscar's for his screenplay for 1972's THE HOSPITAL (I'll have to check that one out) and 1956's MARTY.
What does a terrific screenplay do? It attracts top-level talent clamoring to be in this - and they all deliver. Start with Faye Dunaway who won the Lead Actress Oscar for her role as Entertainment Head Diane Christensen - a driven, work hard, play hard individual who has the idea to make news "entertainment". Lost in the fog of time (and MOMMIE DEAREST) is the fact that in the mid-1970's, Dunaway was, perhaps, the greatest leading actress of the day and her skills are in sharp display in this film.
Joining Dunaway in terrific supporting turns are Robert Duvall, following his turns as Tom Hagen in GODFATHER I and II, as network head, Frank Hackett, Ned Beatty as Ned Jennings, President of the company that owns the network - he has a speech towards the tail end of this film that is as good - both in performance and in the way that it is shot - as anything put upon the screen - it was masterful. Speaking of masterful, Beatrice Straight won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in one of the shortest performances to ever win. She is in this film for about 6 minutes in total - but she won her Oscar for a 5 minute scene that is, most definately Oscar-worthy.
And then there are the leading men. William Holden gives one of the last great performances of his extraordinary career as the "voice of reason in this film". He is our everyman caught up in the bizarre, absurd circumstances that evolve around him. It is his effort to try to make sense of this insanity that jumps off the screen. Holden was, deservedly, nominated for a Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscar, but lost (rightfully so) to Peter Finch's turn as crazed newsman turned prophet, Howard Beale. His maniacal (but not over the top) turn is one for the ages. If you do nothing else, see this film for his performance (but there is so, so much more to love here). Unfortunately, Finch passed away from a heart attack in between his Oscar nomination and win, and was the first posthumous winner in an acting role (sadly, Heath Ledger would join this "club" years later).
Finally, enough cannot be said about Sidney Lumet's direction. A movie like this would not succeed without a sure, steady and seasoned hand at the helm - and this is how I would describe Lumet's direction. He lets the camera roll and lets the actors and the screenplay take center stage, not drawing attention away, but adding to the themes of the film throughout - especially in Beatty's speech at the end.
NETWORK was nominated for (but did not win) the Oscar for Best Film of 1976. Did it lose out to other nominees ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN or TAXI DRIVER? Nope, it lost to ROCKY.
Let that sink in.
If you get a chance to watch (or rewatch) this film, I highly recommend you do so. For me, it was GREAT to watch this on the big screen with an audience, one of the reasons I love - and will continue to attend - the SECRET CINEMA series of films.
Letter Grade: A+
10 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
One of the most famous lines in film history is as impactful today as it was when it was first uttered by fictitious news anchor Howard Beale in Paddy Chayefsky's (seemingly) parody of where TV and TV news is heading, 1976's NETWORK.
The astonishing thing about this terrific motion picture is how prescient it is. News is now entertainment. Appeal to the disaffected masses. Drive our message to the viewers. Be provocative. The 6:00 news had "less than 1 minute of hard news, the rest was sex, scandal, brutal crime sports, children with incurable diseases and lost puppies."
Sound familiar? This isn't from today, it came from this movie that was made 42 years ago as a cautionary tale of what might happen.
Besides the social ramifications, how does this film hold up? Quite well, indeed. A rare 10 star BankofMarquis film. Starting with the great Paddy Chayefsky's Oscar winning Screenplay. This was the capper on a brilliant career from Chayefsky - who also won Oscar's for his screenplay for 1972's THE HOSPITAL (I'll have to check that one out) and 1956's MARTY.
What does a terrific screenplay do? It attracts top-level talent clamoring to be in this - and they all deliver. Start with Faye Dunaway who won the Lead Actress Oscar for her role as Entertainment Head Diane Christensen - a driven, work hard, play hard individual who has the idea to make news "entertainment". Lost in the fog of time (and MOMMIE DEAREST) is the fact that in the mid-1970's, Dunaway was, perhaps, the greatest leading actress of the day and her skills are in sharp display in this film.
Joining Dunaway in terrific supporting turns are Robert Duvall, following his turns as Tom Hagen in GODFATHER I and II, as network head, Frank Hackett, Ned Beatty as Ned Jennings, President of the company that owns the network - he has a speech towards the tail end of this film that is as good - both in performance and in the way that it is shot - as anything put upon the screen - it was masterful. Speaking of masterful, Beatrice Straight won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in one of the shortest performances to ever win. She is in this film for about 6 minutes in total - but she won her Oscar for a 5 minute scene that is, most definately Oscar-worthy.
And then there are the leading men. William Holden gives one of the last great performances of his extraordinary career as the "voice of reason in this film". He is our everyman caught up in the bizarre, absurd circumstances that evolve around him. It is his effort to try to make sense of this insanity that jumps off the screen. Holden was, deservedly, nominated for a Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscar, but lost (rightfully so) to Peter Finch's turn as crazed newsman turned prophet, Howard Beale. His maniacal (but not over the top) turn is one for the ages. If you do nothing else, see this film for his performance (but there is so, so much more to love here). Unfortunately, Finch passed away from a heart attack in between his Oscar nomination and win, and was the first posthumous winner in an acting role (sadly, Heath Ledger would join this "club" years later).
Finally, enough cannot be said about Sidney Lumet's direction. A movie like this would not succeed without a sure, steady and seasoned hand at the helm - and this is how I would describe Lumet's direction. He lets the camera roll and lets the actors and the screenplay take center stage, not drawing attention away, but adding to the themes of the film throughout - especially in Beatty's speech at the end.
NETWORK was nominated for (but did not win) the Oscar for Best Film of 1976. Did it lose out to other nominees ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN or TAXI DRIVER? Nope, it lost to ROCKY.
Let that sink in.
If you get a chance to watch (or rewatch) this film, I highly recommend you do so. For me, it was GREAT to watch this on the big screen with an audience, one of the reasons I love - and will continue to attend - the SECRET CINEMA series of films.
Letter Grade: A+
10 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
BookishWoo (317 KP) rated Lost in Plain Sight in Books
Jun 3, 2020
I freaking loved this! Yes you heard right, if I could sum my review up in 4 simple words that would be exactly what I would write!
So what made this so good I hear you ask?
For starters, Alan managed to bring 2 of my favourite genres together and it just worked, so well. From the 1st page I was sold, it reeled me in and didn’t let go. This was a book I could really sink my teeth into.
Told in multiple POV’s, which trust me when I say it doesn’t always work and you can easily get lost and have to go back on yourself, I can honestly say this flowed with absolute ease. Each Chapter is told by a one of the main Character’s and you know straight away whose POV you are reading as it’s a chapter heading. The main characters are relatable, quirky and I loved getting to know them.
This was really was well written and Alan is very descriptive when setting a scene. As this is not set in a fictitious world and set in Brighton, you can truly imagine yourself there, especially if you know the area well. This is one of the main reasons I loved this so much. As a fantasy lover, I am used to world building and imaginary places, but having the story set in a actual place with the fantasy element running alongside, was refreshing. Everything is there for fantasy fans…..magic, demons, fae folk, The list goes on. For thriller fans there is murder, mystery and an engaging plot.
All in all this had everything to keep me enthralled and not forgetting it had me laughing out loud in places, Alan clearly has a wicked sense of humour which clearly shines through in his writing.
I received Lost In Plain Sight by Alan Camrose for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour for Love Books Tours
So what made this so good I hear you ask?
For starters, Alan managed to bring 2 of my favourite genres together and it just worked, so well. From the 1st page I was sold, it reeled me in and didn’t let go. This was a book I could really sink my teeth into.
Told in multiple POV’s, which trust me when I say it doesn’t always work and you can easily get lost and have to go back on yourself, I can honestly say this flowed with absolute ease. Each Chapter is told by a one of the main Character’s and you know straight away whose POV you are reading as it’s a chapter heading. The main characters are relatable, quirky and I loved getting to know them.
This was really was well written and Alan is very descriptive when setting a scene. As this is not set in a fictitious world and set in Brighton, you can truly imagine yourself there, especially if you know the area well. This is one of the main reasons I loved this so much. As a fantasy lover, I am used to world building and imaginary places, but having the story set in a actual place with the fantasy element running alongside, was refreshing. Everything is there for fantasy fans…..magic, demons, fae folk, The list goes on. For thriller fans there is murder, mystery and an engaging plot.
All in all this had everything to keep me enthralled and not forgetting it had me laughing out loud in places, Alan clearly has a wicked sense of humour which clearly shines through in his writing.
I received Lost In Plain Sight by Alan Camrose for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour for Love Books Tours
For the Love of Money: A Memoir of Family, Addiction, and a Wall Street Trader's Journey to Redefine Success
5.0
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"Part coming-of-age story, part recovery memoir, and part expose of a rotten, money-drenched Wall...
Ivan Lendl- The Man Who Made Murray
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When Andy Murray broke the news in March 2014 that he was parting company with Ivan Lendl it caused...
Kurt Vile recommended Interstellar Space by John Coltrane in Music (curated)
Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen
10.0
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Elizabeth I is one of England's most famous monarchs, whose story as the ‘Virgin Queen’ is well...
Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated The Bletchley Circle - Season 2 in TV
Feb 8, 2019
This continues on from the first series of The Bletchley Circle, following for friends and former colleagues after WWII.
This series is split in two. In the first part, one of their fellow former colleagues is accused of murder. Can these ladies unravel the truth and prove her innocence? In the second part, as the ladies caused a few headaches for the military in uncovering their secrets and shady ways they find they have lost their security clearances so some of the women are no longer able to carry on with their jobs such as translation work. So they have to give other avenues to make money and it winds one of them up in a very sticky situation.
As before, I really warmed to the characters and was genuinely sad when one moved on to another life. I grew to love these women; I felt they were almost my friends and I actually cared for them and their outcomes.
You could feel the suspense of them closing in on the truth but realising time was running out. It really kept me gripped until the end.
I do love how they made being intelligent cool by being steps ahead of the police but also in forming such bonds with one another.
We could learn a thing or two from these ladies and their bravery.
This series is split in two. In the first part, one of their fellow former colleagues is accused of murder. Can these ladies unravel the truth and prove her innocence? In the second part, as the ladies caused a few headaches for the military in uncovering their secrets and shady ways they find they have lost their security clearances so some of the women are no longer able to carry on with their jobs such as translation work. So they have to give other avenues to make money and it winds one of them up in a very sticky situation.
As before, I really warmed to the characters and was genuinely sad when one moved on to another life. I grew to love these women; I felt they were almost my friends and I actually cared for them and their outcomes.
You could feel the suspense of them closing in on the truth but realising time was running out. It really kept me gripped until the end.
I do love how they made being intelligent cool by being steps ahead of the police but also in forming such bonds with one another.
We could learn a thing or two from these ladies and their bravery.
Sam (74 KP) rated A Place Called Here in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I’m a massive fan of Cecelia Ahern and I hadn’t even heard of this one until I saw it at a charity book stall at the hospital. So, for 50p, I definitely couldn’t resist.
This is one of Ahern’s more abstract novels, based on the idea that all lost things that people have stopped looking for end up in the same place – a little village called ‘Here’.
Sandy is a private investigator who has always had to find missing things since a girl from school went missing when she was younger. She was always losing things but always made a task out of trying to find every single one, hardly ever giving up. She finds herself in a strange place, surrounded by missing people and objects, and no knowledge of how to get home.
Jack’s brother is missing, and he enlists on Sandy’s help to find him. Only, Sandy never shows up when they arrange to meet.
Sandy is the person to go after the missing people, so who will look for her when she goes missing?
I loved reading this and loved the question it raised over what really happened to Sandy when she went missing. The book is based on such a unique idea and made an interesting read and one of my favourite books of 2017.
This is one of Ahern’s more abstract novels, based on the idea that all lost things that people have stopped looking for end up in the same place – a little village called ‘Here’.
Sandy is a private investigator who has always had to find missing things since a girl from school went missing when she was younger. She was always losing things but always made a task out of trying to find every single one, hardly ever giving up. She finds herself in a strange place, surrounded by missing people and objects, and no knowledge of how to get home.
Jack’s brother is missing, and he enlists on Sandy’s help to find him. Only, Sandy never shows up when they arrange to meet.
Sandy is the person to go after the missing people, so who will look for her when she goes missing?
I loved reading this and loved the question it raised over what really happened to Sandy when she went missing. The book is based on such a unique idea and made an interesting read and one of my favourite books of 2017.
On Solid Ground (On Solid Ground #1)
8.0
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When Jacob "Dax" Daxton returns home from war, he has to fight a new battle – the one to find his...
M_M Military Contemporary Romance