Top 5: Most Recently Watched

Unless there’s a story beyond: “The repairman was surprised to discover Ms. Pershwipple’s telephone worked just fine…” I vote we keep porn out of it. Other than that, this could be an interesting and revealing exercise… Very simple, what are the last five movies you watched, and sorry big guy, no exemptions for that secret viewing of Garbo’s “Anna Karenina“ with just you and your box of tissues.

My single caveat is that this list will be the last five I’ve watched but haven’t written about. No point in mentioning them again. So starting with the most recent…

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1. Witness For the Prosecution (1957) –  **SPOILER** This may be the only film where a make-up job attempting to transform a star, in this case Marlene Dietrich, into a different person completely fooled me. That’s her, though, and Dietrich’s acting has more to do with pulling the stunt off than the actual make-up. Sadly, this was Tyrone Power’s last completed film. He was only 42 during filming, but looks 15 years older. Obviously he was a very sick man, even if he didn’t know it. But it’s Charles Laughton and his wife Elsa Lanchester who shine brightest in what is a true actor’s piece beautifully adapted for the screen and directed by Billy Wilder. (more…)