A Film Questionnaire

This is a meme I found floating about the classic movie blogs that I read. I can't resist a questionnaire, especially one about film!

Who was the actor/actress that you were first interested in?
The first actresses I was interested in were primarily television personalities. I really liked Lucille Ball and Mary Tyler Moore who's shows I watched on Nick-at-Nite. My love of Ball was deeper, and I sought out several of her films and lesser know shows. Hell, I've even seen the half hour commercials she and Desi did for Westinghouse Appliances. That's venturing into morbid curiosity.

How old were you when you really began watching old films?
Nineteen. I was a sophomore in college and decided one day that I would start watching movies. I went to Blockbuster and rented Magnolia (1999) and My House in Umbria (2003). Soon after I shifted from recent indie flicks to older films. Before this, I had watched a few standards (Casablanca, Gone with the Wind), a few classic musicals (The King and I, My Fair Lady), and one silent film (The Phantom of the Opera).

Who is currently your favorite actor?
Paul Newman. I don't believe I'd seen a Paul Newman film before last year. Late last summer, Nana bought the Warner Bros.'s collection of his films plus a handful of others, and we worked our way through quite a few in a short amount of time. He's strikingly handsome, commanding, and he can really act.

Who is currently your favorite actress?
Lana Turner. Recently, I watched two of her later melodramas and fell back in love with her. She looks like Golden Hollywood. The first thing I remember seeing her in was Douglas Sirk's Imitation of Life (1959) which is definitely the apex of melodrama. I'm a big fan of the genre, and she can gasp, sob, and spiral into rage and/or despondency better than any other actress. Well, Susan Lucci could probably hold her own in a "stare forlornly with a twinge of disparity" contest.

What is your favorite old film and why?
Casablanca. I know it's a bit predictable to profess love for this classic, but I have to be truthful. It has all the elements that I love about movies. There's romance, action, mystery, and intrigue - all set in noir shadows. There's even a great song and loads of fun trivia. Despite my love, I cannot bring myself to purchase the newest super-deluxe edition which is as big as many of my box sets.

How many old films do you own?
I suppose it depends on the cutoff. Personally, I'd cut off at 1969 which would put me somewhere around two hundred.

If you could go back in time and visit any actor/actress, who would it be?
I would have drinks with either Humphrey Bogart of Bette Davis. I'm think they would both have great stories to tell.

Who is one actor/actress that you want to know more about?
Recently, I've watched my first Charlie Chaplin film. The few snippets of information I've heard about him are fascinating. I would like to know more about him even though I'm sure that he's not the best person who ever lived.

What film could you watch over and over again?
All About Eve (1950) is definitely a film I could watch again and again. In fact I have. Everything about the film is superbly nuanced. Every time I watch it, I notice something I hadn't before.

What is your favorite Hitchcock film?
Rear Window (1954) is my favorite Hitchcock film, and to my knowledge I've seen all of his "important" works so there's little chance that it will change. While I also love Vertigo, Shadow of a Doubt and Strangers on a Train, Rear Window is my absolute favorite. I think it's the overall tone of the film that I love. It's so claustrophobic and discomforting. The ending conflict always freaks me out.

Who is your favorite director?
Woody Allen. I love his early films; I love his acclaimed films; I love his modern films. I've seen a majority of his films, and I've only disliked one (Melinda and Melinda). In addition to writing witty dialogue and concocting situations that meld intellect with zaniness, he really knows who to direct. His films always set the stage, and the camera is never misplaced. He's also a great comedic writer. One of my favorite of his writings is a short story about a man who carries on an affair with Madame Bovary through a magician's magical box.