An American in Paris

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... An American in Paris!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th March 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 24 (1951)

One thing that has arisen from partaking in this year long quest to watch more Best Picture Oscar-winning movies is that I will be stepping out of my comfort zone and watching movies and genres I wouldn't otherwise have given the time of the day. I don't have the best connection with musicals - as I believe the greatest musical movie ever made is the South Park movie - but I am willing to give a chance to any movie to see if it surprises me, 

Well I did enjoy the music and I was astonished by the dance chorography - in particular that astonishing fifteen minute one at the end. But this movie has not aged well: Beyond the spectacle there's not a lot else to this movie and the plot of 'guy hitting on friend's girlfriend' will certainly rub more than few people the wrong way. 
And to think that this won Best Picture over A Streetcar Named Desire. Sheesh....

A Streetcar Named Desire

And this week's Friday night movie has been... A Streetcar Named Desire!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st May 2021

It's one of the most famous movies ever made - and yet i only know of it because a) it was parodied in an episode of The Simpsons and b) it apparently made an impression on one Tommy Wiseau.

Once again, it is difficult to assess something like this: It has been referenced and parodied so many times that the orignal comes across as being somewhat devoid of the bite it originally had. Much has been written about how this was a career-defining film for Marlon Brando, with his acting skills ("Stell-AAAHHH!!!!") and the image of him in a t-shirt two sizes too small.
But saying that this movie catapulted Brando into superstardom overshadows the fact that this movie really is about one woman's descent into madness. As such, this movie really is Vivien Leigh's show all the way. Seventy years on and she is still a presence in this movie, giving it her all and still maintaining audience interest. And hey, lest we forget it was Leigh that won the Oscar for this film. not Brando.
So in the end, I always find it a gamble to visit a movie from the Pre-New Hollywood era as they tend to be tarnished by both age and being replicated by its students. But this one? Still has a spark. And that's saying something