Kirk Douglas discusses his favorite "Kirk Douglas" movies

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Pete Puma, Dec 10, 2014.

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  1. Captain Groovy

    Captain Groovy Senior Member

    Location:
    Freedonia, USA
    Hey, I will NEVER not be happy when someone posts a Randy classic... just curious what the connection is here?

    Thanks!

    Jeff
     
  2. Andy Lee

    Andy Lee Active Member

    Location:
    North Shields, UK
    Lonely Are the Brave surely inspired this song and the score was written by Jerry Goldsmith on the recommendation of Randy's uncle, Alfred.

    And it's a great, great Douglas movie.
     
    smilin ed and Captain Groovy like this.
  3. I know I'm probably a minority of one here, but my favorite Kirk Douglas film is Young Man With A Horn (1950). It's got beautiful B&W cinematography, some good jazz music, and an implied lesbian relationship between Lauren Bacall and Doris Day. What's not to like?
     
    Paul J likes this.
  4. spudco

    spudco Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Belews Creek, NC
    Lonely Are The Brave is an incredibly great film that many folks haven't experienced.

    Totally worth the time it takes to watch and the time spent in reflection after.

    Supporting cast is also outstanding.
     
    smilin ed likes this.
  5. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
  6. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

  7. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    you're welcome...it's a fun movie.
     
  8. Paul J

    Paul J Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore
    A couple of 'light' films by Kirk that I always love to watch, A Letter To Three Wives and The Devil's Disciple, just saying.
     
  9. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    Young Man With A Horn is one of his best!
     
  10. smilin ed

    smilin ed Senior Member

    Location:
    Durham
    jsayers likes this.
  11. sixtiesstereo

    sixtiesstereo Senior Member

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Don't forget "Young Man With A Horn". Terrific film with both Lauren Bacall and Doris Day. And the
    soundtrack (with Harry James on trumpet) is some of the best singing Doris Day ever laid down.
    Also, I got his book "I Am Spartacus" 2 years ago, and it's a great read to see what he went through
    to get it made. Between Kubrick and Dalton Trumbo the problems were simply remarkable, but they all
    came through in the end. Plus, you get some really juicy "gossip" about Vivian Leigh and Laurence
    Olivier's marriage.........
     
    smilin ed likes this.
  12. smilin ed

    smilin ed Senior Member

    Location:
    Durham
    You're right. I've modified the blogpost now http://fridaynightboys300.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/kirk-douglas-favourite-kirk-douglas.html and I intend to update this later and Young Man... will be included.
     
  13. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Egad, I actually don't remember him in "Out of the Past" -- a sure sign I need to see it again.
     
  14. smilin ed

    smilin ed Senior Member

    Location:
    Durham
    Updated to include Young Man with a Horn and one more.... I didn't want to go past ten on my own list. Have to say, on his own list, the only two I don't care for are The Indian Fighter and Act of Love, but I understand his reason for picking them. My own top five would be Ace in the Hole, Out of the Past, Lonely Are the Brave, Paths of Glory and Seven Days in May.

    http://fridaynightboys300.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/kirk-douglas-favourite-kirk-douglas.html

    It's interesting to see just awful some of the artwork is for the posters, from the awful Van Gogh-lite for Lust for Life to the shoddy looking graphics for Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Champion and Detective Story.
     
  15. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
    I worked at Borders Books in Baileys Crossroads, Virginia in 2003 when Kirk's book "My Stroke Of Luck" came out, and we had him come to our store for a book signing. Besides grabbing a couple signed first editions and meeting Kirk, I brought in my vhs copy of Lonely Are The Brave <it wasn't out on dvd at that time!> and my Criterion dvd of Spartacus and had Kirk sign them in silver ink. When he held the LATB vhs in his hand, he said almost to himself with a smile, "my favorite movie". I already knew this of course and it's one of mine as well.
    Kirk had to leave the signing early for some reason and that meant he didn't get to the stack of a hundred or so books he was to sign for stock and our other stores in the area, although he did sign all the customer's books that showed up to see him. The next day we got a call and were told that Kirk and his wife were at a hotel in Georgetown, Wash DC just across the river and if one of us wanted to bring the books to his room he would gladly sign them. Well, you guessed it - I'm loading up the car in a flash and drove over to the hotel with Kelly, my co-worker who helps with events and next thing you know, we're sitting in Kirk's hotel room around his desk prepping the books to sign, handing them to him, and putting them back in boxes. I'm literally sitting right across the desk from him while his wife come in and out from the bedroom checking on Kirk. Lots of non-verbal signals between them which is unique to a couple who have lived together for so long. Very quiet - no tv on, no music, not much talking. I've noticed in my life that many older people like quiet, unlike myself and most younger people that likes something going on in the background at least. We talked a bit, but everything was so relaxed and friendly I didn't want to spoil it with a bunch of inane questions he's heard a million times before - just enjoyed the hour or so we were there. In case I haven't said it - I am a HUGE Kirk Douglas fan and am in absolute heaven spending a little time with him while he's not "on", just being himself.
    His wife really looks after him and you can tell she runs the show. Kirk really looked old up close with no make-up, and this was 11 years ago. I'm so glad that he is still with us and really hope he makes it to 100 along with his wife - what a celebration that will be. :agree:
     
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  16. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Great frigging post !!!! Thanks again, for the German Blu ray heads-up.
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2014
    jsayers likes this.
  17. Evan L

    Evan L Beatologist

    Location:
    Vermont
    98 years old. Bless him, a true legend.
     
  18. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
    No problem! There's a cheaper, no-frills German blu-ray out there, but this one is deluxe packaging with a booklet, dvd and a bd in it. Oddly, as I recall, the dvd is PAL region 2 but the bd is all regions. Anyway, it's a beautiful package and the price was right. Let us know what you think when you get yours.
     
    Myke likes this.
  19. smilin ed

    smilin ed Senior Member

    Location:
    Durham
    Wonderful post!
     
  20. The Panda

    The Panda Forum Mutant

    Location:
    Marple, PA, USA
    I concur with the others, this was fun to read. Thanks
     
  21. Andy Lee

    Andy Lee Active Member

    Location:
    North Shields, UK
    I think I'd have to have Spartacus in my top five, but I don't know which of yours I'd have to drop.
     
  22. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    A Gunfight w/Johnny Cash...proud to have the DVD.
     
  23. Andy Lee

    Andy Lee Active Member

    Location:
    North Shields, UK
    There's one I need to see!
     
  24. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

  25. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
    If one looks at Kirk's resume on IMDB, it's plain to see that most of his films weren't exactly "great" films, just so-so films that were made a lot better due to his appearing in them. While he may have "walked" through some of his performances, I think that he gave even his low profile films his best or close to it efforts. He certainly is the highlight of many of those films.
    One of his lesser-known films I really like is "Strangers When We Meet" with Kim Novak and Ernie Kovacs from 1960. In it he plays a middle aged man who's unhappy <a theme he would tackle again in "Two Weeks In Another Town" and "The Arrangement", two other favorites of mine> in his marriage to Barbara Rush and gets the hots for his blonde neighbor Kim Niovak, who's also ytrapped in a passion-less marriage. Ernie Kovacs, in a straight role and surprisingly effective as Kirk's friend and client is another highlight. This was briefly released on dvd in 2005 <and quickly disappeared from the shelves>and I picked it up, but when I was in dire financial straits a while back I sold it for like $70 or something like that on Amazon as it's so rare. Wish I still had it, but not enough to spend that kind of $ on it. Rarely shown on television these days, I think I first saw it on TCM over a decade ago. Check it out if you get a chance - a real guilty pleasure!

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054345/?ref_=nv_sr_1

    http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-When-Meet-Kirk-Douglas/dp/B00070HK3I/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1418757085&sr=1-1&keywords=strangers when we meet

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056625/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_55

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064041/?ref_=nv_sr_1
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2014
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