Is it a good movie?
Is it a good movie?
"It's a good thing!"--Martha Stewart
The scene of Pookie, in the attic of her dorm, on the phone with Jerry is one of the most sublime, powerful and beautiful scenes ever recorded on 35mm film. The entire scene is played on Liza... no cutaways, no cuts, just the raw painful reality and nowhere to escape. I held my breath through most of it.
Cuckoo is a product of it's time and, by today's standards, may seem slow at times. It was made when there was no Blu-ray or DVD or VHS... movies were in theaters and they weren't watched, they were experienced. Boredom and the sometimes agonizing waits that Pookie goes through, you are meant to feel as well.
Cuckoo it is a beautiful film and Alan Pakula's powerhouse directorial debut.
It is a good movie.
by quickink » 4 hours ago (Wed Dec 17 2014 15:58:56)
IMDb member since July 2000
The scene of Pookie, in the attic of her dorm, on the phone with Jerry is one of the most sublime, powerful and beautiful scenes ever recorded on 35mm film. The entire scene is played on Liza... no cutaways, no cuts, just the raw painful reality and nowhere to escape. I held my breath through most of it.
Cuckoo is a product of it's time and, by today's standards, may seem slow at times. It was made when there was no Blu-ray or DVD or VHS... movies were in theaters and they weren't watched, they were experienced. Boredom and the sometimes agonizing waits that Pookie goes through, you are meant to feel as well.
Cuckoo it is a beautiful film and Alan Pakula's powerhouse directorial debut.
It is a good movie.
Sounds like you're a big fan of the movie!
Thanks, for your well-thought out feedback.
Merry Christmas!
"It's a good thing!"--Martha Stewart
Agreed. Having that scene take place on a phone that was in a closet was a brilliant move. You could just feel the walls closing in on her while she talked.
The bad news is you have houseguests. There is no good news.
Is it a good movie? No. It's a GREAT movie.
The post above is beautifully written and I can't really add much more about "The Sterile Cuckoo" and the really, letter-perfectd performances from Minnelli and Burton (and Tim McIntire).
It's a lean, haunting masterpiece. Pakula's direction is near flawless (especially considering it's his first shot at directing). Alvin Sargent's script is razor sharp.
I have always been in Liza's camp as an actress. She is devastating in this role. Maggie Smith is great in Jean Brodie, but I really think Liza should have won for this.
Once you've seen this film, you will not likely forget it. Especially if you've experience first love in college.
Recommended! And it is FINALLY on DVD.