Dear Mick: I read an article about the sight and sound poll. I know you don’t think much about lists — including this one?
Jack Abad, San Francisco
Dear Jack: Sight and Sound used to be better, but their recent list is lousy.
The only François Truffaut films included are his first “The 400 Blows” (not his best “Day for Night”), but “Breathless”, “Contempt” and “Breathless” by Jean-Luc Godard. Everything in Pierrot Le Fou’ has become a serious date. (Godard made the immortal film My Life to Live, but that’s not included, of course.)
There are no Ernst Lubitsch films on the list, but his less-talented protégé, Billy Wilder, has “Some Like it Hot” (an OK choice) and another past-the-sell-by date ” Scored in “Apartment”.
Only one Ingmar Bergman film is included (“Persona”). very? How about “cries and whispers”?
Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” is nowhere to be found. Apparently ‘Get Out’ is his 95th of the greatest movies ever made. It’s not even the 95th best movie of the century. In fact, it’s not even Jordan Peele’s best film.
Wow Mick: I read a review of “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” and was surprised to see the little man applauding rather than slipping into his seat.
Bonnie Weiss, San Francisco
Wow Bonnie: I was right in the middle of the applauding Little Man and the interested Little Man. Contrary to what I had in her mind, she punished her director Laure de Clermont Tonnerre for making the “Lady Chatterley” she wanted to make. Not wanting to, she decided to go with the applause.
Dear Mick, Mick, Bobik, Banana Fanna Poffic, Fi Fi Mo Mick, Mick: How do you decide whether to write commentary or answer readers’ questions in the Sunday Chronicle? (Personally, I prefer your “Ask Mick LaSalle” column.)
Ralph Mateo, Fairfield
Dear Ralph, Ralph, Beau Ralph, Banana Fanna for Ralph, Fi Fi Mo Malph, Ralph: Since 2003, it has been my policy to never darken this space. At first, I didn’t believe my editor at the time wouldn’t replace me on vacation, so I did. But I kept doing it.Because I think there are very few things in life that people can expect to be there. all the timeand whenever possible, I wanted to be one of them.
I try to alternate between a regular column one week and “Ask Mick” the next, but I don’t make it a fetish for sticking to a schedule. If something interesting happens (say, Will Smith slaps people again), break the sequence at the second standard column. However, when I’m traveling, I always only do “Ask Micks”, so there are several in a row.
I have no preference. I think the standard column is the same as “Ask Mick”, but in the former you ask yourself a question and then give a very long answer.
Dear Mick LaSalle: A review of “Spirit” notes a mediocre song. In times when actors couldn’t sing or sang poorly, dubbing was used. Now they have to sing no matter what (“Sweeney Todd,” “La La Land”). what happened to dubbing?
David Shironen, San Francisco
DEAr David Shironen: Sure, there was dubbing in the old days.but back in the day Previous Those who could not sing regularly that day sang in musical films. In particular, Claudette in “Smiling Lieutenant” sang her Colbert and Ruby her Keeler in almost all works. Dubbing was common from his 1940s to his early 1960s, but generally people prefer to hear the voice of the person playing the role. Basically, if you can’t sing, it’s a loss, whether you do dubbing or not. It depends on what you want to lose.
I have a question?Ask Mick LaSalle mlasalle@sfchronicle.comPlease include your name and city for publication and a phone number for verification. Letters may be redacted for clarity and length.
