Classic Double Feature on a Saturday: Retrospective Lives

A double dose of early deaths followed by life stories in this week's Classic Double Feature!

First: The Killers - 1946
Featuring - Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien

Second: Citizen Kane - 1941
Featuring - Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Agnes Moorehead

Theme: Sometimes you only understand the pitfalls of a man's life until after he's lived it.

Noteworthy Accolades:
13 Oscar Nominations - Nine for Citizen Kane (1 Win - Best Writing, Original Screenplay), Four for The Killers
I'm Still Standing Award - Despite being the focal point of overrated rants by roughly 50% of bloggers, Citizen Kane still remains widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. In other words, nana boo boo :P.
Is it steamy in here? - Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner just standing next to one another would melt glaciers.


Univarn's Ratings:
The Killers - 8.00/10
Citizen Kane - 10/10

Classic Double Feature on a Saturday: Cornfield Edition

Alright, technically this is a cheat because only one of them really deserves the title classic, but the combo points are simply too high to pass up:

First: Signs - 2002
Featuring - Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin

Second: Field of Dreams - 1989
Featuring - Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, Timothy Busfield and Burt Lancaster

Theme: If you want to avoid crazy shit happening at your house - never mix baseball and cornfields; they're the juncture for the supernatural.

Noteworthy Accolades:
Three Oscar Nominations - Field of Dreams (Best Music, Original Score; Best Picture; Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay)
Insanely Awesome James Earl Jones Speech - No, I'm not kidding, it is insanely awesome. So awesome in fact, if the film crew didn't start their own clap the second they stopped rolling, they should all be put in cinematic jail.
Most Awesome Invasion Tactic - Nothing quite like building your invasion plans on a map system that's only valuable a third of the year and only available in a small percentage of the global climate. Damn you seasons! We keep having to redraw the maps over and over again. No wonder we ended up invading Pennsylvania three hundred years too late!

Univarn's Ratings:
Signs - 6.50/10
Field of Dreams - 8.25/10

Enjoy.

Classic Double Feature on a Saturday: Sci-Fi Edition

And we're back from outer space! Yeah, I know that's a horrible opening, please forgive me. I ought to know better.

First: Logan's Run - 1976
Featuring - Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Farrah Fawcett

Second: Soylent Green - 1973
Featuring - Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Joseph Cotton, Brock Peters, and Edward G. Robinson

Theme: In the world of science fiction, nothing is ever as it seems.

Noteworthy Accolades:
Does Jenny Agutter Count? If not, she ought to...
The Final Film of Edward G. Robinson - OK, not really an accolade, but it's a final moment worthy of the legend.
No Oscars or Golden Globe nominations- Take that the establishment, these movies have done just fine without your faux golden figurines!

Univarn's Ratings:
Logan's Run - 7.25/10
Soylent Green - 7.25/10

Enjoy!

Classic Double Feature on a Saturday

This one feels a bit timely, and in such honor I must oblige.

First: Avanti! - 1972
Featuring - Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills

Second: Double Indemnity - 1944
Featuring - Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson

Theme: Billy Wilder delivers a double dose of infidelity with alternative ever afters.

Noteworthy Accolades:
1 Golden Globe Award: Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy for Avantai - Jack Lemmon (the film earned an additional five nominations)
Seven Oscar Nominations: All for Double Indemnity, but no wins.

Univarn's Ratings:
Avanti - 7.50/10
Double Indemnity - 9.00/10

Enjoy!

Classic Double Feature on a Saturday Recommendation

New sporadic feature here on LiE featuring some great films from yesteryear that seem born for each other.

First: Separate Tables - 1958
Featuring - Burt Lancaster, David Niven, Deborah Kerr, and Rita Hayworth

Second: Cat On a Hot Tin Roof - 1958
Featuring - Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Burl Ives, Judith Anderson, and Jack Carson

Theme:  The power of self-delusion, love, and want to drown ourselves in fantasy.
Noteworthy Accolades:
13 Oscar Nominations - 7 for Separate Tables, 6 for Cat On a Hot Tin Roof
2 Oscar Wins - David Niven (Best Actor - record only 16 minutes of screen time) and Wendy Hiller (Best Actress in a Supporting Role)

Univarn's Ratings:
Separate Tables - 8.50/10
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof - 9.50/10