With his crew either dead or parachuted out, his craft in flames and falling fast, carter bails out without a chute. A film whose cinematic virtuosity cannot quite make up for a dull story, prosaic characters, and an overly talky script. It is stimulating, thought provoking, a mirror to the post war world and the. Moments in, our heads filled with galaxies, it cuts to an raf pilot in. Powellpressburger a matter of life and death movie. In 1999, a matter of life and death placed 20th on the british film institutes list of best 100 british films. Reeves roger livesey shows off his camera obscura for american friend june kim hunter in a moment of gratuitous razzledazzle in a matter of life and death, 1947, a. Unlike the most bls or this kind of stories that i see where the only thing.
A matter of life and death 1946 company credits imdb. Kim hunter saw the restored version last fall at the museum of modern art in new york and remembered that, at the time, some great movie mogul insisted americans would never go see a film with death in the title so it. A matter of life and death released under the less metaphysical title stairway to heaven in the united states, was one of several films made by the archers that coalesced the elements of lavish budgets, technicolor, and fantasy, and, though an enchantingly light film on a superficial level, is one of the most metaphysically complex films ever. A matter of life and death is the utterly unique, enduringly rich and strange romantic fantasia from michael powell and emeric pressburger. Spaniels erik and spangle make their final appearance on film in dr. Niven resumed his acting career after his demobilisation, and was voted the secondmost popular british actor in the 1945 popularity poll of british film stars. A matter of life and death letterboxd your life in film. Powell and pressburgers cosmic pageant a matter of life and. A matter of life and death 1947 the most elaborate fantasy film attempted by the british cinema since alexander kordas 1940 production of the thief of bagdad, a matter of life and death aka stairway to heaven, 1946 began production on the day that japan surrendered to general macarthur, bringing an end to the pacific campaign. A matter of life and death is the utterly unique, enduringly rich and strange romantic fantasia from. This is a question at the heart of powell and pressburgers classic, a matter of life and death. Shots of soldiers watching as performers act dressed in the 1700 era garb the film being shot is a matter of life and death.
It seems to me that your first introduction to the work of the archers often ends up becoming a lifelong favourite. Timeline world history documentaries recommended for you. Dec 08, 2017 a matter of life and death is a visually extraordinary film. Academy award winning film editor thelma schoonmaker on her husband, the british director michael powell, his partnership with writer and producer emeric pressburger, and the casting of kim hunter. Powells visual imagination makes a matter of life and death a sheer wonderment, aided immensely by jack cardiffs technicolor artistry. But on the whole michael powell and emeric pressburgers film functions outside the typical confines that are put on film as a medium. A matter of life and death, a 2007 stage adaptation of the 1946 film matter of life and death space. Intended to smooth tensions between the wartime allies britain and america, michael powell and emeric pressburgers richly humanistic a matter of life and death traverses time and space to make a case for the transcendent value of love. The day itself that they create for david is a fiction made up of these shared imagesan oedipal birthday party for the robot boy, who never had a birthday because he was.
In 2004, a poll by the magazine total film of 25 film critics named a matter of life and death the second greatest british film ever made, behind get carter. To me a matter of life and death is just that simply the best film ever made. Aug 09, 2015 romantic fantasy film created by the british writingdirectingproducing team of michael powell and emeric pressburger, and set in england during the second world war. Matter of life and death idioms by the free dictionary. Due to the incompetence of an angel, carter escapes his appointment with death. But the officials in the other world realise their mistake, and despatch an angel to collect him. A matter of life and death 1946 david niven and kim hunter in a matter of life and death 1946. Black narcissus 1947 and the red shoes 1948pictures whose way.
To love the films of michael powell and emeric pressburger, among the. A matter of life and death takes place a year before its release, in a world still at war, in a country steeling its mettle. The first film of this jack cardiff postwar troika was 1946s a matter of life. A matter of life and death is the fourteenth studio album by english heavy metal band iron maiden. We go stand in a queue before being assigned a mundane job in heaven. Matter of life and death, a 1947 movie clip camera.
It is stimulating, thought provoking, a mirror to the post war world and the relations between peoples. Jul 24, 2018 in those terms, a matter of life and death is the quintessential powellpressburger movie. This turned out to be completely incorrect, as its the other way around. Written, produced and directed by michael powell and emeric pressburger, the film stars david niven, roger livesey, raymond massey, kim hunter. It makes me smile, it makes me laugh, it makes me think, it makes me cry. Thelma schoonmaker, a matter of life and death youtube. A matter of life and death is an extraordinary film that combines drama, fantasy and romance in a wonderful ambiguous story. His miraculous survival allows him to pursue a fortuitous romance with. A matter of life and death 1946 black narcissus 1947 the red shoes 1948 under capricorn 1949 the african queen 1951 the barefoot contessa 1954 the vikings 1958 the girl on a motorcycle 1968 death on the nile 1978 the dogs of war 1981 ghost story 1981 the wicked lady 1983 the far pavilions 1984 mini tv series. No matter how many times i watch the film and i have watched it a lot it never fails to touch me.
It carries the vague notions of a war film, its certainly a romance, and it revels in the throes of fantasy. Watch stairway to heaven a matter of life and death 1946 now on your favorite device. A matter of life and death stairway to heaven is one of the highlights of their incredible body of work. In 2004, a matter of life and death was named the second greatest british film ever made by the magazine total film in a poll of 25 film critics,1 behind only get carter. In this way the film contrasts the energy and vitality of life and love with the slightly musty sterility of the next world as the gloriously camp conductor 71 marius goring puts it on his first arrival on earth, one is starved for technicolor up there. May 30, 2015 everyone at orphaned entertainment is on cloud 9 for this film. A matter of life and death is, among other things, a mystical film about. A matter of life and death, was released in the us in 1947 under the title stairway to heaven, a title powell always disliked. Everyone at orphaned entertainment is on cloud 9 for this film. Mar 09, 2018 matter of life and death is planted in its era. Half of this episode is brought to you by the top of life s head.
But a heavenly messenger has made a mistake, and the airman miraculously survives only to find that heaven doesnt give up so easily. A matter of life and death after miraculously surviving a jump from his burning plane, raf pilot peter carter david niven encounters the american radio operator kim hunter to whom he has just delivered his dying wishes, and, facetoface on a tranquil english beach, the pair fall in love. A soldier survives a crash that should kill him, washes up on a beach and meets the last person he spoke to the on the radio. Also known as stairway to heaven, a matter of life and death is the remarkable british fantasy film that became the surprise hit of 1946. David niven, richard attenborough, marius goring, raymond massey, kim hunter, robert coote, kathleen byron, bonar colleano, joan maude, roger livesey, emeric pressburger, michael powell, a matter of life and death 1946 stairway to heaven a matter of. On seeing a matter of life and death as a child, i was seized with the. The mgm studios art department officesdrafting room facilities had been taken over by the lorimar production services division. And jack cardiffs cinematography is reason enough to watch the film alone, the way he lights kim hunters face makes her all the more beautiful, what a genius, he can make a simple things such as a game of table tennis look exciting. Cast and crew credits for a matter of life and death, 1947, directed by michael powell, with david niven, kim hunter, robert coote, at turner classic movies.
Mark duguid this film is the subject of a bfi film. As movie premises go, a matter of life and death sounds. The film stars david niven, roger livesey, kim hunter and raymond massey and was directed by the famed. Powell and pressburgers cosmic pageant a matter of life. A matter of life and death 1946 a matter of life and. Traduccion al espanol del comic a matter of life and death comic original. Briefed by the ministry of information to make a film that would foster angloamerican relations in the postwar period, innovative filmmakers michael powell and emeric pressburger, came up with a matter of life and death an extravagant and extraordinary fantasy in which david niven stars as a downed pilot who must justify his continuing. A matter of life and death, a 1946 powell and pressburger film starring david niven. The unique brilliance of powell and pressburgers films is rooted in the delicate, contradictory chemistry of their relationship, says ronald bergan.
Their first archers film was a matter of life and death, a fantasy set in world war ii. But by the time audiences were finally getting to see the movie, under one title or another, the archers were already at work on two more dazzling films that would become part of their signature, black narcissus 1947 and the red shoes 1948pictures whose way was paved, stylistically, by a matter of life and death. A matter of life and death zitima zois kai thanatou, a 1972 film by vagelis serdaris based on a crime novel by yannis maris. A matter of life and death moves back and forth between technicolor and black and white. Retrovision theater presents a matter of life and death. A matter of life and death 1946 is a romantic fantasy film set in world war ii by the british writerdirectorproducer team of michael powell and emeric pressburger, starring david niven. An injured aviator argues in celestial court for the chance to go on living. Stairway to heaven a matter of life and death 1947. Watch stairway to heaven a matter of life and death 1946. The film begins with the main character, peter carter, an aviator, wanting to bail out without a parachute. In 2004, a matter of life and death was named the second greatest british film ever made, etc. Kim hunter, american actress of stage, screen, and television who was perhaps best known for her portrayals of two extremely varied roles. The production of the lorimar mow a matter of life and death project was produced by the lorimar television division located on the culver citymgm film lot.
A matter of life and death is a 1946 british fantasyromance film set in england during the second world war. Returning home from a bombing mission over germany, royal air force squadron leader peter carter, survives a jump from his burning plane without a parachute. Stairway to heaven a matter of life and death movie. Stairway to heaven a matter of life and death 1947 rotten. The film tells the story of a british airman david niven who must plead his case in heavens court so he may return to earth to be with the woman he loves kim hunter. A matter of life and death is a visually extraordinary film. The only thing i thought i knew about a matter of life and death before i first saw it was that heaven would be in color and the world would be black and white. There is only one first place, if you come second, so to say behind only get carter my emphasis is superfluous.
Stella kowalski in the stage 1947 and film 1951 versions of a streetcar named desire and the sympathetic chimpanzee psychiatrist dr. Michael ellison met her in new york to talk about the revival of her husbands a matter of life and death stabbings in the dark peeping tom was the film that buried michael powells career. A matter of life and death is a 1946 british fantasyromance film, written, produced and directed by michael powell and emeric pressburge its good id recommend it if you like this genre. A matter of life and death 1947 film a matter of life and death is a 1946 british fantasyromance film set in england during the second world war. Among the curious but effective artistic choices in a matter of life and death was the decision to film the earthbound scenes in technicolor and the heaven sequences in blackandwhite. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. A matter of life and death 1946 black narcissus 1947 the red shoes 1948 under capricorn 1949 the african queen 1951. Matter of life and death, a 1947 movie clip this is a. Interestingly, its the afterlife that is shown in monochrome, i suppose to stress the importance of life.
Its a fantasy love story, imaginative to the point of being hallucinatory, one of the most outthere pictures of the last century. A matter of life and death is a 1946 british fantasyromance film written, produced and directed by michael powell. Written, produced and directed by michael powell and emeric pressburger, the film stars david niven, roger livesey, raymond massey, kim hunter and marius goring. It was originally commissioned as one of the last films.
I absolutely adore a matter of life and death its one of the most well written comics ive read and the art work is just flawless. Could this be an early example of talented film making men instinctively knowing that if the women were in charge, its really our only hope, our only chance of heaven. A matter of life and death is all about the power of love and just how important life is. This film raises plenty of interesting questions, but fails to deliver anything but frivolous answers. Ambitious celestial animation and narration by john longden in this framing piece from michael powell and emeric pressburgers a matter of life and death, 1947, a. Black narcissus 1947 and the imperious technicolor ballet fantasia the. Dec 28, 2017 a matter of life and death takes place a year before its release, in a world still at war, in a country steeling its mettle. A matter of life and death 1946 the criterion collection. A british wartime aviator who cheats death must argue for his life before a celestial court. Synopsis in the 1946 film a matter of life and death, david niven stars as raf bomber pilot peter carter. Link to shot 4680 film director michael powell and soldiers chatting with actor david niven, who shows canadian womens army corps girls how to embrace and kiss. Neither heaven nor earth could keep them apart when a young airman miraculously survives bailing out of his aeroplane without a parachute, he falls in love with an american radio operator. The lines and dialogs are impressive, with citations of philosophers and historic events, and it is never possible to know whether peters destiny was decided in this or in the other world.
I liked him best as shylock in the merchant of venice 1947. If i were allowed just one film to keep and watch again a matter of life and death would be that film. Matter of life and death, a 1947 movie clip camera obscura clever dr. He informs june, a radio operator, of his intentions and jumps. Matter of life and death, a 1947 movie clip camera obscura.
The cinematography is simply stunning and the effect. Black narcissus 1947, the red shoes 1948 and the tales of. Gestapos most wanted french resistance documentary timeline duration. He appeared in a matter of life and death 1946, the bishops wife 1947 with cary grant, and enchantment 1948, all of which received critical. A matter of life and death is a rare picture in many ways.
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