In which I'm amazingly on-track

Captain's Log: 26 January

Last movie watched: Nanny McPhee (shut up, I like kids' movies)

Song currently in head: "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey". Don't ask why.

Today, dear ones, our lecture is about the 1940s, during which a number of films won the Best Picture award, but unfortunately I've only seen one of them. I know. But it's a good one! In fact it's often cited as one of the best scripts ever written, not to mention appearing on about a million top ten lists. Yes, people, it's the movie that inspired The Usual Suspects. It's 1943's Casablanca.

Of all the gin joints in all the world... Humphrey Bogart is the owner of Rick's Cafe American in Casablanca, Morocco, and specialises in keeping out of everyone's way. Then his ex-girlfriend shows up with her husband, and they want him to conspire against the Nazis to help them escape. And she's still in love with him. And he's pissed at her. And he's in love with her. And she's in love with her husband. Corruption, Nazis, piano music, Ingrid Bergman and a love triangle. It's the sort of movie people are talking about when they say "They just don't make films like that anymore..." Not only is the story an interesting one, but the film itself is really interesting to watch. Despite having about a zillion writers and directors attached, this film manages to come away with a real art to it. The construction of the shots is all about story-telling, and the characters are well-rounded and well-expositioned. Ingrid Bergman looks magnificent, Claude Rains (one of my favourite Golden Age actors - case in point: "I learn the lines and pray to God") is fantastic, and the script is very smart. Found this piece of trivia:

Director Michael Curtiz's Hungarian accent often caused confusion on the set. He asked a prop man for a "poodle" to appear in one scene. The prop man searched high and low for a poodle while the entire crew waited. He found one and presented it to Curtiz, who screamed "A poodle! A poodle of water!"

Ahahaha.

Moving on up the Oscar list, today's topic is the Animated Feature. I'm so glad this is a regular fixture now, and I'm hanging out for WALL*E to pick up the award this year. It's such a gorgeous little film, with scant dialogue, beautiful animation and one of the cutest little robots since Johnny Five. It's also incredibly clever. Very little is ever said, and so it's quite a feat to get the nuances of emotion and subtleties and humour of the story across with visuals alone. The filmmakers not only researched Chaplin and Keaton, but they consulted with Roger Deakins (cinematographer for such films as The Man Who Wasn't There and Doubt, The Reader and Revolutionary Road) to see how he would light the scenes if it were live-action. Not to mention the sound effects.

You know what else I love about it? The closing credits, which are constructed out of an evolving series of different art periods and artist genres. And the highlighting of the best and simplest things about life on Earth. It's just altogether enchanting.

Oh films.

Captain Renault: Rick, there are many exit visas sold in this café, but we know that you've never sold one. That is the reason we permit you to remain open.

Rick: Oh? I thought it was because I let you win at roulette.

Captain Renault: That is another reason.

--- Claude Rains, Humphrey Bogart - Casablanca ---