I always have loved Gosford Park since it came out. So obviously loved Downton Abbey when I recently watched it start to finish. So now I rewatched Gosford Park, and I love all the symmetry.
I think a murder mystery makes such a better arc for that short a story, and I like the darker setting and lighting of the whole thing. More claustrophobic. And Altman truly is a master director.
Anyway, curious other people's thoughts. I hadn't known Fellows was such an interesting dude, I for some reason had missed that he was so involved in Gosford Park until I rewatched it.
One of my favorite movies. Why couldn’t they make more movies like this? I find this movie to be flawless.
A Panoramic shot of one of the parts of the Walled Garden in the grounds of Gosford Forest Park,
More of my photography taken on my ramble through the forest park are up on my Instagram, please check it out below.
Looking for a good (and possibly cozy) whodunit. More than just a murder mystery, I'd like something involving some detective work, clues, etc. 60s and 70s is the ideal time period but I'm open to anything.
I didn't enjoy Knives Out.
I won't try to spoil things intentionally, but reader beware.
So I watched Gosford Park thinking it was something similar to Knives Out, but what I got was something different, and I liked it.
I liked that the movie takes it's time setting up the characters, also that it has so many characters! Also, I really liked to watch the English Culture that movie has portrayed. I didn't know I would enjoy it that much, but I did. The lives "above stairs" and "below stairs".
Are there any other movies made like this one? Doesn't have to be a mystery necessarily, but I would love to see more movies portraying the (older, I presume) English Culture. And a packed great cast like this one would also be lovely.
Thank you :)
I really want their version of Gosford Park and I know Arrow releases some movies in both A and B. I use my ps5 as my blu ray player so I can only watch Region A things. I can’t afford nor do I have any hdmi ports left for a region free player :(
I want to get into more Altman and I really loved these aspects of Gosford Park and The Player, but I’m not sure if it’s one of Altman’s quirks or just a tribute to the Christie whodunnit and noir themes of the movies.
Apparently this is a 'satirical black comedy' which I do not agree with at all. Where is the comedy? Is it during the bore? Because I was bored for most of this movie.
I mean, when the murderer was finally disclosed, one of the characters was "checking the linen rotation". Come on.
It's okay and not bad or boring, but it's not worth watching.
I've been on a little bit of a whodunnit streak lately in anticipation of Knives Out. I saw Gosford Park fairly high on a recommendation list and went into it with a little trepidation. But holy shit, this might be the best one I've ever seen. This movie wasn't just a two hour viewing, it felt like an experience that enveloped me totally. I was completely immersed in a world masterfully created by Robert Altman. I've always heard he's famous for his overlapping dialogue and realistic portrayals of human interaction and conversation, but Gosford Park was next level.
I've never seen that many characters with that much dialogue. It felt like I got to know the backstory and motivations of 30 characters, of which most were played by a long list of great actors that many will recognize. It's one of the best setups/payoffs I've ever seen. Anyway, if you're in the mood for a rated R Downtown Abbey (apparently the show was inspired by the movie!) with a stellar cast and an oscar winning screenplay, I highly recommend. Enjoy!
MAP: 96.59/100
1932 - A weekend shooting party at the English estate of a powerful industrialist goes off with the clockwork precision one would expect.
The downstairs servants are all accounted for and ensuring the prompt completion of chores, each according to their position.
The upstairs guest, full of wants and needs of their own, barely register one another. Everything is as you’d expect for such a fine country home... except that one spot of bother, the uncouth and caustic lord of the manner being murdered. I’m sure the not-quite together Inspector Thompson will work it all out eventually with a minimum of inconvenience.
A whodunit Robert Altman style - where the who, what, why, and when take backseat to the rich portrayal of the varied characters.
I mean I love them both. But while Downton Abbey is a period soap opera that glorifies a really rigid class system, Gosford Park explores its problems and inconsistencies. Plus as a self-contained story, it is really tighter and in better shape that Downton Abbey. And I feel like Downton often hits you over the head with things where every time I watch Gosford Park (now on Peacock!) I notice new things. Any thoughts?
Supposedly Downton Abbey was initially planned as a spin-off of Gosford Park before being reworked into being its own entity so I wondered what people here though about the film. I watched it for the very first time this weekend and was quite struck by the similarities between the characters, especially the ones 'downstairs'.
Date started 2/1/20
I knew very little about this movie going in except that it was a murder mystery. Having seen Knives Out recently I was hungry for more original mystery movies. Most modern mystery movies tend to get pulled into the thriller genre a lot, which is fine. I like thrillers but sometimes i want to watch a more mellow mystery and not something in tune with David Fincher. This was definitely that movie. It’s slow and takes its time before the actual murder. That can be frustrating but by the end you understand why it takes so long. There are a lot of characters in this movie, so much so that you’d struggle to find a proper lead. The first 20-30 minutes of this movie you’ll spend trying to understand who everyone is. I can see how that may turn a lot of people off but I found it a lot of fun. Ultimately, this is a very slow mystery movie and the mystery only takes up around 30% of the movie but the other 70% is a lot of fun. If you enjoy Downton Abbey this is your movie. An upstairs/downstairs drama with a bunch of seemingly pointless drama all building up to a satisfying conclusion. I give this an 8/10. More rewatches will be needed for sure.
Looks like Arrow is adding another Altman film in November. I still haven't picked up Images though
I saw Gosford Park in theaters but I honestly don't remember liking it that much; however, i've at least seen more Altman in the years since then so I'm eager to try it again.
I'm looking for movies with a memorable setting/world, that involve murder or general mysteries that preferably aren't too dark (more lighthearted and maybe having more elements of comedy than the Scandinavian noir genre, for example).
I'm terrible at remembering movies that I'm seen, so I'm sorry that I can't provide more examples of what I'm looking for. It's not exactly a murder myster, but Hateful 8 is another example of the kind of thing I'm looking for.
Thanks in advance
Since a good-quality home media release finally arrived, it was time to revisit "Gosford Park" (2001), arguably the last masterpiece by one of the most prominent filmmakers of the New Hollywood era.
It is delightful how an American director is able to address the depths and quirks of the British class society in the 30s, and at the same time both define and redefine the genres of period drama and murder mystery. The clichéd elements are used skillfully; more often than not it feels like the movie is laughing at the conservative setting and characters, which feel familiar to anyone who has ever gotten into Agatha Christie or Downton Abbey. But as the film goes on, it penetrates that surface and allows us to see the authenticity and tragicality of these people and the situations they are in. The viewer's presumptions are challenged many times, to rewarding effects.
There are obvious comic aspects, such as the striking snobbery of the character played by Maggie Smith, or the failures in utilizing authority and professionalism by Stephen Fry's police inspector. However, all the characters and their features, both funny and tragic, are crafted so meticulously that it is easy to fall in love with and be enchanted by each and every one of them.
The most intriguing aspect of Altman's style is how he can build and focus on those characters so profoundly, that the plot becomes almost obscure, and remains in the background. There are some 30 characters in this film, and initially the viewer struggles to grasp who they all are and what is their purpose in the story. At the same time the murder mystery is developing, and you try to get the idea of that classic whodunit. Watching this film several times is rewarding in regards to these issues, but it also strengthens the notion that those questions are more or less irrelevant. It is quite enough to just marvel how complete the characters are, and how most of the scenes they occupy are so deliciously bewildering. There is also the social commentary, which feels poignant but never preached.
Altman utilized the potential of his ensemble cast tremendously. Every one of the ~30 actors are pushing themselves to stand out and be memorable in the vast spectrum of the cast. My favorites are Helen Mirren and Emily Watson, who both deliver such nuanced performances which are simply beautiful to watch.
"Gosford Park" was the first film I ever saw from Altman and it prompted me to see more of his work, which hasn't really gotte
... keep reading on reddit ➡I am looking for a few movies like Gosford Park and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Something with inspires that old, classy, sitting around a fireplace smoking a cigar and drinking a glass of brandy feeling. A murder mystery in there wouldn't hurt either. I am suddenly in love with that old vibe described above. Old or new, I don't care.
Overall I liked it, it's not just an hommage to old murder mytery films but also spoofs them and itself in a rather understated and clever way (not necesserily subtle but not in the sledgehammer way of Clue is what I'm saying).
However I don't think it really deserved an Oscar for the Screenplay as everything from the characters to the dialogue feels like it could have been better and more elaborate. While the ending wrapped up things nicely i feel like the rest of the film didn't really know what it wanted to be, which isn't an exlusively bad thing but kind of makes neither the comedic parts nor the mystery parts achieve their full potential.
I'd give this an 8/10
I'm trying to find more like this but don't really know what to search for or what to call it.
I recently picked this up on DVD but have never seen a Robert Altman movie, can anyone please tell me what you thought of this film or his other movies?
They don't need to be Victorian. I love Zodiac, Memories of Murder. A police procedural is fine, as long as it's good. I'm looking for hidden gems, off the radar titles. Thanks a bunch!
