"The Dead" (1987) - Director John Houston's Adaption of James Joyce's Short Story, Starring Angelica Houston

[DonRocks]

I'll take exception to your description of the film in the thread title: this film was not a portrayal of Catholic Church abuse.  It was a portrayal of how an investigative journalism group called Spotlight did their jobs to break the story.  That might sound like a semantic quibble but it's a big difference.

I wish Hollywood would make more films like this.  It lacked the typical Hollywood overly dramatized, added love-interest bullshit.  It was tightly written with no side plots to distract.  Also tightly acted, with realistic portrayals.  It was excellent in a quiet sort of way. 

You might enjoy The Atomic Cafe.

Reading your first post reminded me that you're a no-BS type of person. Reading your second post got me wondering what I would recommend to you (besides "Duel," that is (which I really think you'd like)).

Don't take this as a put-down, but an example of a good movie - a really good movie - that I consider to be, quite literally, "lifeless," but that you may like, is John Houston's "The Dead," doubly so because we were just discussing his first film, "The Maltese Falcon," triply so because I *vaguely*, and perhaps incorrectly, think you might have once mentioned that you like James Joyce.

I saw "The Dead" in the theater upon release in 1987, and haven't seen it since (although I did read "Dubliners" about five years ago - and I *still* don't remember what "The Dead" is about, if that says anything about either the short story or me). I remember walking out of the theater thinking to myself, "That was a really well-made movie, even though it bored the hell out of me" (I was also only 26, and my tastes have matured). Now I don't think "Spotlight" was boring by any means, but it was a no-BS film (there was a little bit of over-doing things, but not by Hollywood standards). If you haven't seen "The Dead," I must warn you that it's a period piece (it takes place in 1904, which was contemporary with Joyce), and those "types" of movies have their detractors, me sometimes being one of them. Anyway, just a thought. and I'm thinking of seeing it again myself now that I've read the story.