Friday 21 June 2013

1 Year Anniversary


 
1 Year Anniversary

Happy anniversary to me!

It is now one year since I started this blog and what a year it has been. This blog started almost as an impulse that took on a life of its own. I was just playing around with Blogspot, wondering if I could do it. I had never thought it would be this fun to write about movies and I have been very well received by the community. Thank you guys!

Over the past year I have covered 46 entries on the list, starting with 114. The Adventures of Robin Hood up to and including 159. The Man in Grey last Tuesday. This is less than my stated target and previous average of 50 films per year, but in the past year I have also had to cover the gap of the first 113 entries. This is going very well and I am only 11 entries from closing the gap. Also I have covered 4 movies far ahead of schedule mostly due to the blog club, so the total reviews amount to 152, which is really okay.

As I am slowly closing the gap I am also slowing down in my pace. There is more to life than watching movies, especially with small children around, and the requirement I have imposed on myself that I want to actually buy the films on DVD if possible means that there is an economic concern as well. Yet a movie per week or so fits me very well.

There have been many highlights over the year, both in the form of excellent films, but also in wonderful responses to my pitiful writings. “Casablanca” was all I remember it to be, but also “The Maltese Falcon”, “The Grapes og Wrath” and “Only Angels have Wings” hit the mark spot on just to mention a few. But the biggest surprise may have been “L’Femme du Boulanger”. Out of nowhere it struck home exactly in the heart with a warm and witty story perform with so much love and skill. See, this is why I do this.

Of course there have been less fantastic experiences as well. I managed to completely miss the point of “Citizen Kane” when I missed the Rosebud hint and must forever live in shame. Also films like “Babes in Arms” or lately “The Man in Grey” have been difficult to get through. But those are the risks I take and that is not really so bad.

So, starting on my second year I wonder where on the list I will find myself next year at this time. What I do know is that there are a lot of titles coming up that look very promising, especially a lot of film noir, but also a lot of blanks that really could be anything, good or bad and THAT is really exciting!.

See you folks in the next season.

11 comments:

  1. Congratulations! It's been fun following your journey.

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    1. Thank you very much! I am happy you have been enjoying it.

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  2. Yay! Congratulations, and keep it up! I always look forward to reading your reviews. And it's so important to do this whole movie watching/movie reviewing thing at your own pace!

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    1. Thank you too! As much as I feel the urge to pace myself I also know I am in for a long haul and I do not want to become fed up with it. It has to be fun.

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  3. "There is more to life than watching movies"

    HERESY!

    (kidding)

    Congrats on your anniversary. I'm also impressed with your ability to continue to watch the films mostly in order. If I had not been jumping around to get more variety I probably would have had less enthusiasm for it.

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  4. I'm with Chip on this--I'd have pulled my hair out long ago if I tried to faithfully watch year by year.

    Congrats on making it a full trip around the sun, and here's to many more!

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  5. Chip and Steve, with a poject this massive you have to find you own way. You are both almost through so obviously you found it. I know myself well enough that it I could choose freely I would start with all the safe films and end up with a bunch chancy, potentially awful films. Now that would be really difficult to get through. Also there is a historical element to this procedure. By focussing on a specific period I really get a feel for it; how people looked, thought and spoke and the reality they lived it. When you get a number of films from the same era you detect similarities that would otherwise be lost on me. Right now I am going through the war years and I can really sense how it is affecting the productions and the attitudes of the films. They are harder, more unforgiving, sometime escapist but never with the abandon of the depression era. Very very interesting.

    and thanks for your well-wishing! You are my heroes.

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  6. Hey, TS, happy anniversary. I've written 240 reviews and I've been at this for over three years, so you are surely doing well. I'm glad you're in our "club" and always enjoy when you stop by my blog (you have read, from what I gather, nearly all my posts through 1942) and I like reading your takes on the films, as well.

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    1. Thank you for your very kind words, Kim. I appreciate your comments and you are very welcome here.
      I have indeed been though you back catalogue pre-43 and look forward to read the rest. Comments are almost assured if I have anything marginally useful to say.

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  7. Belated, Happy Anniversary TS!

    There are so many interesting ways to watch the list. I tried starting with all the silent films (which worked pretty well for me - but might bore some to tears). Watching chronologically does help put the history of film into perspective. Watching by genre is also a lot of fun.

    Good luck, and happy watching in year two - whichever way you head!

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    1. Thank you very much!. Indeed there are and really, whatever works is good, as long as you eventually get through and have fun in the process. For me I had no problem starting out with the silents. In that period the progression through the years is so fast that you can litterally see improvements in tecnique and development of style from film to film. Later this happens at a much slower pace.

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