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on the Shade
Note: Move the mouse over each picture to see the title
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That face, that profile, is unmistakable. I bet you all knew this was Cary Grant. But how many of you (wrongly) guessed the movie was To Catch a Thief? The location is perfect (French Riviera), and the scene is strongly reminiscent of the romantic fireworks scene. So where did you go wrong? Let me count the ways. First, your list of possible movies should have also included An Affair to Remember, Indiscreet, North by Northwest, The Grass is Greener, That Touch of Mink, and Charade. Note that the above screen shot has an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Only Charade and North by Northwest are available on DVD or Laserdisc in that ratio (or somewhere near it). Forget about what Orlofsky says about Charade. He has it wrong. Both Criterion and some Canadian rip-off publisher offer widescreen versions of the movie in that aspect ratio. Also ignore what dvdexpress and others say about That Touch of Mink. The quizmaster would never do a Doris Day movie in a lower aspect ratio (such as 1.33:1 or 1.85:1), if a 2.35:1 version were available. He's not cheap, like me. Audrey Hepburn looks wonderful in the Criterion issue. It's a shame Dan won't be doing this movie again soon, because it is filled with many memorable shots. Aside from the water pistol scene, and the priceless stamp shot, there are at least four other vivid shots from the movie that you can see by clicking here. |
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In the trade, this is known as a signature shot. If you own a copy of Cinemania, you could have determined the name of this movie by doing a keyword search using nude or back-lit. Another way you could have guessed this movie was to read one of my previous analyses, where I recommended that you buy a copy of the Busby Berkeley laserdisc. If you guessed that the shot was from a musical, then you were one-third of the way to figuring out the name of the movie. Now, if you didn't think along these lines, then there is another way you could have gotten the answer. That would be SEX, as in sex or love goddesses. Buy a copy of Love Goddesses on laserdisc if you are at all interested in legendary screen sirens, or the history of sex in cinema. The above scene is definitely on this disc, in addition to some very racy scenes from Ecstasy (with a nude Hedy Lamarr) and Baby Face (with a steamy and luscious young Barbara Stanwyck). |
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This was easy and nearly everyone got it, but my complaint is that the face is actually recognizable on my copy of the movie. Yes, that is Harrison Ford. Matt must use a low-dynamic range scanning device. |
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There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Good old Freddy Krueger has become a staple of horror cinema, and most of you also got this one right. When in doubt, always guess the best of the breed, which is usually the first movie in a series.
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