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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: El Barto on April 09, 2011, 12:21:42 PM

Title: Sidney Lumet 1924-2011
Post by: El Barto on April 09, 2011, 12:21:42 PM

Quite a guy.  Nobody was as good at ratcheting up the tension as him.  No music.  Claustrophobic camera angles.  Intense performances from his actors.  The guy really had a real knack for putting his audience into the same pressure-cooker as the characters in his films. 

Title: Re: Sidney Lumet 1924-2011
Post by: Dr. DTVT on April 09, 2011, 01:02:37 PM

RIP.  The man has his share of Hollywood classics.  Maybe I'll watch Network tonight.

Title: Re: Sidney Lumet 1924-2011
Post by: Cool Chris on April 09, 2011, 09:57:26 PM

Lots of views, not enough replies.

12 Angry Men, The Verdict, Dog Day Afternoon... all awesome. It's a shame Fail Safe got lost in the shadow of Dr. Strangelove. it is an amazing, thought-provoking, taut, thrilling, and scary movie.

Title: Re: Sidney Lumet 1924-2011
Post by: RandalGraves on April 09, 2011, 10:16:30 PM

RIP

Really enjoyed his last flick too, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.

Title: Re: Sidney Lumet 1924-2011
Post by: El Barto on April 09, 2011, 11:15:53 PM

Quote from: Cool Chris on April 09, 2011, 09:57:26 PM

It's a shame Fail Safe got lost in the shadow of Dr. Strangelove. it is an amazing, thought-provoking, taut, thrilling, and scary movie.

Indeed.  I watch Failsafe once a year or so.  Probably my favorite of his movies.  I love the contrast between Hagman who's scared shitless and acting like it, and Fonda who's scared shitless yet cool as ice.  And the idea of file clerks battling murders for control of post-apocalyptic Earth is just wonderful. 

There are a handful of very good films that I always thought would have been much better if Lumet had directed them.  I can't think of any other director with such a pronounced style that I could say that about.