. . . 
They’ve also produced some badass film posters.
(This is a DVD cover. And it has Klaus Kinski in it! I didn’t know he did Spaghetti Westerns!)
(The head on the ground is disgusting. I could do without that…)
. . .
And, in case you missed Mike’s comment, check out this wonderful short film by Salla Tykka featuring music by the great Morricone.
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It’s the perfect introduction to the film. The zither score contributes so much to the tone of this movie and is far more versatile than I ever imagined. The Third Man is about an American writer who travels to Vienna to visit his old friend, but ends up investigating this friend’s death instead — all this to the sweet playfully melancholic sound of the zither. Like I said — versatile.
Other reasons why I enjoy this movie:
1) My infatuation with Joseph Cotten. We also share the same birthday, so I’m pretty sure that if fate did a better job of coordinating the year of our births we would have been an awesome match.
2) The sinister brilliance of Orson Welles.
3) The sharp and clever dialogue of Graham Greene.
4) The subtle and beautiful imagery of Carol Reed, reinforcing the emotion and mood at the core of the scene (a swinging door and a coat on the floor; fingers through a sewer grate; the twisted body of a teddy bear). I would frame the final scene if I could.
If you’ve seen this film, then you know that these are fairly obvious reasons and you understand why ‘The Third Man’ is now stuck in my one-track mind.
Third Man Theme by The Band
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Anyway, that’s what I enjoy about movies that involve playing dress-up. The protagonist develops: an awareness of his/her surroundings; an appreciation for his/her colleagues, peers, and companions; and an understanding of the other gender, as well as his/her self. Plus, it makes for good comedy.
The film posters for Some Like It Hot include hand-drawn lettering, bright colors, and its cast of comedians.
And of course Marilyn.
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Tootsie uses the memorable Dorothy Michaels in its promotion. The Russian film poster even shows the character metamorphosis.
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Just One of the Guys just uses sex appeal– of both genders.
I don’t even get that last poster. Oh well — blame it on the 80’s.
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Stored in a basement somewhere are my old high school notebooks — full of doodles, magazine cut-outs, and MASH results. One of those magazine images was a montage of famous couples. Not only did it cover a range of pop culture references — for example, comic strips (Blondie and Dagwood), cinema (Hepburn and Tracy), and literature (Romeo and Juliet) — but it also included pairings whose share of conflicts made them just as memorable as their ardor (Burton and Taylor). My favorites of these are the ones who work in the same industry; better yet, the ones who share projects. The potential for something productive, constructive, or destructive (usually all three) is great, exposing the complexity of human relationships.
In an attempt to recreate a page from my teenage-decorated notebooks, I offer a collection of photographs of some of my favorite collaborators: Burton & Taylor; Bergman & Rossellini; Fellini & Masina; De Beauvoir & Sartre; Lennon & Ono; Carter & Cash; Hepburn & Tracy. These pairs are far from perfect, but their energy and intensity make even their moments of scandal and dysfunction just as captivating as their displays of tenderness and devotion.
