A Mann, a Plan, a Vanuary: MannVanuary Deux

26 movies  

This is the second annual running of Cinemonster's latest movie challenge, MannVanuary. Celebrating three often-overlooked categories (classic westerns, films noir, and Black cinema), the challenge name is a mash-up of western/noir director Anthony Mann and Blaxploitation auteur Melvin Van Peebles.

I showed up late for last year's MannVanuary, but managed to get in all of my movies (plus the bonus) crammed in by Jan 31. This year I'm doing it on "easy mode" by starting on Jan 1 like a normal person.

Source list: https://letterboxd.com/cinemonster/list/a-fun-challenge-with-a-silly-name-mannvanuary/

RULES: (copied from source list)

Anyway, nothing crazy. 24 films and 2 bonus. What is listed below are the minimums. Use the 'categories' to get to 24, but hit those minimums. Use tag 'mannvanuary2'

1 Anthony Mann Film 1 Melvin or Mario Film 1 Black Western 5 decades (western) 7 films from Black directors 1 Aussie Western 4 westerns from the following: Andre de Toth, Eastwood, Walter Hill, Peckinpah or Boetticher. 7 decades (noir) 4 noir films from: Siodmark, Dmytryk, Lang, Dassin, Aldrich, Melville, Foley.

BONUS - 1 Michael Schultz film and Set it Off

The Dark Mirror (1946) [Movie] Douban TMDB IMDb WikiData
The Dark Mirror
director: 罗伯特·西奥德梅克 actor: 奥利维娅·德哈维兰 / 刘·艾尔斯
other title: 阴阳镜 / 黑暗的镜子
A sister and her disturbed twin are implicated in a murder and a police detective must figure out which one's the killer.
Farewell, My Lovely (1944) [Movie] IMDb Douban TMDB WikiData
Murder, My Sweet
7.2 (11 ratings) director: 爱德华·迪麦特雷克 actor: 迪克·鲍威尔 Dick Powell / 克莱尔·特雷弗 Claire Trevor
other title: 爱人谋杀 / Murder, My Sweet
After being hired to find an ex-con's former girlfriend, Philip Marlowe is drawn into a deeply complex web of mystery and deceit.
Bob the Gambler (1956) [Movie] Douban IMDb TMDB WikiData
Bob le flambeur
6.9 (42 ratings) director: 让-皮埃尔·梅尔维尔 actor: 罗杰·杜切斯尼 / 伊莎贝拉·科瑞
other title: 赌徒鲍伯 / Bob le flambeur
In Paris, Bob Montagne is practically synonymous with gambling -- and winning. He is kind, classy and well-liked by virtually everyone in town, including police inspector Ledru. However, when Bob's luck turns sour, he begins to lose friends and makes the most desperate gamble of his life: to rob the Deauville casino during Grand Prix weekend, when the vaults are full. Unfortunately, Bob soon learns that the game is rigged and the cops are on to him.
Car Wash (1976) [Movie] Douban IMDb WikiData TMDB
Car Wash
director: 迈克尔·舒尔茨 actor: 富兰克林·阿贾伊 / 苏利伯维尔
other title: 洗车场 / 세차
Car Wash is a 1976 American comedy film released by Universal Pictures. The Art Linson Production was directed by Michael Schultz from a screenplay by Joel Schumacher. Starring Franklyn Ajaye, Bill Duke, George Carlin, Irwin Corey, Ivan Dixon, Antonio Fargas, Jack Kehoe, Clarence Muse, Lorraine Gary, The Pointer Sisters and Richard Pryor, Car Wash is an episodic comedy about a day in the lives of the employees and the owner, Mr. B (Sully Boyar), of a Los Angeles, California car wash (filmed at a Westlake car wash at the corner of Rampart Blvd. and 6th Street). Car Wash is a broad and scabrous comedy, in which African American working class and gay characters are depicted in a more forthright manner than was common at the time the film was made.
Overview
Originally conceived as a musical, Car Wash deals with the exploits of a close-knit, multiracial group of employees at a Los Angeles car wash. In an episodic fashion, the film covers a full day, during which all manner of strange visitors make appearances, including Lorraine Gary as a hysterical wealthy woman from Beverly Hills dealing with a young carsick son, Richard Pryor as a hustling, flamboyant, money-hungry evangelist whose pseudo-gospel of financial prosperity is loved by most (including his female entourage, played by The Pointer Sisters) but loathed by one (the one being Abdullah (Bill Duke), a young and frustrated Black Power revolutionary); there's also a man ("Professor" Irwin Corey) whose strange actions and dress fit the profile of the notorious "pop bottle bomber" being sought that day by the police, causing all the employees, customers and Mr. B to fear for their lives, but the strange man's pop bottle "bomb" is none other than a urine sample as he is on his way to the hospital.
Mr B's son Irwin (Richard Brestoff), a left-wing college student who smokes pot in the men's restroom and carries around a copy of Quotations from Chairman Mao, insists on spending a day with the "working class" employees, since he considers them "brothers" in the "struggle", but as he's the boss's son, they give him the first "human car wash" as a joke, which he takes in a good-natured (if pot-induced) stride. Additionally, George Carlin appears as a taxi driver searching for a prostitute who stiffed him for a fare; the prostitute, Marlene, has her own hopes shattered as a customer (unseen) that she apparently has fallen in love with has given her a false telephone number. Lonnie (Ivan Dixon) is an older employee who tries to mentor Abdullah while struggling to raise two young children on the meager salary paid by Mr. B, as well as fending off his parole officer (Jason Bernard). Abdullah has a confrontation with Lindy (Antonio Fargas) and sharply criticizes Lindy's transvestite status, to which Lindy coolly replies, "I'm more man than you'll ever be and more woman than you'll ever get".
Set It Off (1996) [Movie] IMDb Douban TMDB WikiData
Set It Off
director: F·加里·格雷 actor: 贾达·萍克·史密斯 / 奎恩·拉提法
other title: 辣姐妹 / 辣姊妹
Four inner-city Black women, determined to end their constant struggle, decide to live by one rule — get what you want or die trying. So the four women take back their lives and take out some banks in the process.
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