As we watched Rear Window, it was striking how much movies have changed in the last 50 or so years. In modern times Rear Window would probably be billed as an Art Film. There's no special effects to speak of, the only action is at the climax of the movie, much of the movie is dialog between two characters. Where to start. First, no matter what it may look like, the movie wasn't shot on location at all. It was an enourmous sound stage at Paramount.
The film has been paid homage a number of times, from Disturbia (2007) which earned a lawsuit from the copyright holders, to an episdoe of The Simpsons when Bart breaks his leg and is laid up. Don't forget there is also the remake with the late Christopher Reeve made for ABC which aired in 1998.
From the outset of the film you're drawn into the voyeurism of Stewart as he watches out his hot and muggy window to his Greenwich Village neighbors. You're quickly drawn in with titilation as you watch a topless woman put on some clothes (seen only from behind of course). You are fascinated with the stories and goings on of the people being watched. The newlyweds, the husband taking care of his wife, the spinster and the artist. It's almost like watching a silent movie for much of the spying. The sound is distant if there at all. The cinematography is extremely effective as the focus of the shots are quite often only the center of the screen and framed such that it's hard to make out the details. You need to really work on seeing what you shouldn't be looking at.
I'm sure everyone was or is shocked to hear the leading actress in the movie is a blond. I've mentioned Grace Kelly in the past when writing about High Noon so I won't guss but wow...she was a looker. Hitchcock certainly had taste in leading ladies. From Ingrid Bergman through Grace Kelly (Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief) and Doris Day (The Man Who Knew Too Much) to Kim Novak (Vertigo) and Eva Marie Saint (North By Northwest) or Janet Leigh (Psycho) to Tippy Hedron (The Birds, Marnie). Hitchcock knew how to pick 'em. His leading ladies were all gorgeous and that was what he needed. With his directorial attention to detail and the poses most of his leading ladies were required to make to showcase the Edith Head wardrobe. Sorry but when Kelly poses in an evening gown as she visits Stewart...
So we see the neighbors go about their business. We see the dancer entertain and fight off men. We see the spinster struggle with lonleiness and the newlywed husband called back to the bedroom...again..and again. We watch in fascination as the salesman tends to his demanding and invalid wife. The reversal of roles is interesting. The invalid Stewart, tended by Kelly, as they watch the invalid wife, tended by Thorwald (Raymond Burr). Add the nurse played by Thelma Ritter and the Detective played by Wendell Corey and the cast is complete.
I'm not going to run down the plot since it's almost a part of a Jungian collective unconscious. But the movie is marvelous. The pace is slower than what we're used to now but its strength is that pace. It makes you part of the situation. You feel almost guilty. You were the one watching private things that couldn't be explained in public. During the climax of the film your emotions aren't what you would expect. Don't you almost deserve what's happening?
I can't see the film not being included on the top 100 list in years to come. It's an example of how a film can be complex without action and with large portions being almost silent in nature. Having the audience ride along with the hero is an effective means to entertain.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Saving Private Ryan (1998) #71
How do you start on a film that describes some of the most relevant events of the last century? This is what I've been struggling with and it's the reason this post is so long in the making. In fact if there's a record for the longest time a post has been a draft and no one has clicked that little publish button...I think I might win.
You've probably read something about the opening minutes of "Saving Private Ryan" and how it's violent and extremely intense. Well that's partially correct. There is quite a bit if very intense action at the beginning of the movie and it starts about six minutes in. Make no mistake...at six minutes and twenty seconds you will be affected by the sudden intensity and randomness of armed conflict. In the next ten minutes or so the brutality of war takes center stage. Remember this is Omaha Beach. This is one of the first waves of D-Day and this is one of the very first waves of troops landed. Omaha Beach was the most fortified of the landing beaches and the casualties were significant.
During The landing scenes the film runs the risk of being too violent and having that violence work against telling the story. There was a negative reaction to the level of violence shown but it was portraying violent acts. This isn't antiseptic war. It isn't about showing those nasty "other guys" and the whiter than white American troops. I hope I never see that level of violence in real life. In fact, I wish it were possible for no one to ever see it.
I've often wondered and talked to others in my family on the reality of being in one of those boats. Would I have the courage to get on to one of them with the full knowledge my chances would be 50:50? Not sure. I can't see most of my contemporaries doing it. This, at least for me, drives home the argument the generation that were young adults in World War II were the finest generation produced in modern times.
It would be hard to argue they weren't the best generation produced. The US troops on Utah and Omaha, the Canadians on Juno and the British on Sword and and Gold. Since I'm Canadian I do have to mention that almost 10% of Canada's population (1.1 million of the total population of 12 million at wars end) served during WW II and I find that to be a staggering statistic. As pointed out by my wife, the US had more than 10% (around 16 million of 132 ish million) Conscription wasn't started in Canada until 1944 and a division was sent to Europe in 1940. Given the largely rural nature of Canada at that time I find it surprising
Anyway, on to the movie. Based very loosely on the situation and sacrifice of Agnes Allison who lost four sons during the Civil War (A monument to her was seen by Robert Rodat in 1994) and the Niland Brothers who it was believed to have lost three during action in the Second World War, the movie follows the events after a reading of a letter by then Army Chief of Staff George Marshall. Attributed to Abraham Lincoln, the leter was written to Lydia Bixby whom it was believed lost three sons in battle during the Civil War. The authorship of the letter is in question, and it turns out, also the disposition of the sons. Two of the sons deserted and one was captured and later honorably discharged on his return to the union. Anyway the letter is remarkable and isn't diminished by the circumstances nor the possible change in authorship.
At the end of the first day of battle you see, through the haunted eyes of Hanks, a body lying on the bloodied beach with "S. Ryan" on his back. Since the name of the film is "Saving Private Ryan" it's reasonable to assume that's not the eponymous Ryan. James Francis Ryan was serving in the 101st Airborne and his 3 bothers have died recently in battle. The Army Chief of Staff learns of this and orders the surviving Ryan be found and shipped home. The rest of the movie follows the squad tasked with finding Ryan.
Ribisi's very memorable scene after the squad takes out a machine gun nest again communicates this isn't antiseptic war. Vin Diesel's big scene (Casparza) and the performances from Danson and Giamatti don't point to clinical. The movie uses its immense cast to shape and play off the story. The ability of Hanks to stand up to the incredible cast is a testament to his talent. Not bad for a guy that got his big break wearing drag on "Bosum Buddies" almost 20 years before. I think it was Penny Marshall that called Hanks a national treasure after "Big" and while it's the wrong nation I can't argue with the sentiment.
The movie is paced well and has some of the most powerful combat footage ever shown. A hand to hand in the village they finally find Ryan in is simply chilling. No not chilling. Take chilling and astounding and powerful and amazing and combine them. Whatever word that is. Chillastounerfulzing.
This film will be watched for a hundred years and I haven't done it even close to justice.
Snagged the Oscar for Best Cinematography, Director, Sound Effects Editing, Film Editing and Sound. Also picked up the nominations for (winners in brackets) Best Picture (Shakespeare in Love), Best Actor - Tom Hanks (Roberto Benigni), Best Original Screenplay (Shakespeare in Love). Time to once again face palm at the Academy. Do you think there is ANY chance Shakespeare in Love will show up on a "Best Movies" list? I mean if there was a list the best movies dealing with a playright who's name rhymes with...Beer...and lived in England in the 16th and 17th centuries....sure!
You've probably read something about the opening minutes of "Saving Private Ryan" and how it's violent and extremely intense. Well that's partially correct. There is quite a bit if very intense action at the beginning of the movie and it starts about six minutes in. Make no mistake...at six minutes and twenty seconds you will be affected by the sudden intensity and randomness of armed conflict. In the next ten minutes or so the brutality of war takes center stage. Remember this is Omaha Beach. This is one of the first waves of D-Day and this is one of the very first waves of troops landed. Omaha Beach was the most fortified of the landing beaches and the casualties were significant.
During The landing scenes the film runs the risk of being too violent and having that violence work against telling the story. There was a negative reaction to the level of violence shown but it was portraying violent acts. This isn't antiseptic war. It isn't about showing those nasty "other guys" and the whiter than white American troops. I hope I never see that level of violence in real life. In fact, I wish it were possible for no one to ever see it.
I've often wondered and talked to others in my family on the reality of being in one of those boats. Would I have the courage to get on to one of them with the full knowledge my chances would be 50:50? Not sure. I can't see most of my contemporaries doing it. This, at least for me, drives home the argument the generation that were young adults in World War II were the finest generation produced in modern times.
It would be hard to argue they weren't the best generation produced. The US troops on Utah and Omaha, the Canadians on Juno and the British on Sword and and Gold. Since I'm Canadian I do have to mention that almost 10% of Canada's population (1.1 million of the total population of 12 million at wars end) served during WW II and I find that to be a staggering statistic. As pointed out by my wife, the US had more than 10% (around 16 million of 132 ish million) Conscription wasn't started in Canada until 1944 and a division was sent to Europe in 1940. Given the largely rural nature of Canada at that time I find it surprising
Anyway, on to the movie. Based very loosely on the situation and sacrifice of Agnes Allison who lost four sons during the Civil War (A monument to her was seen by Robert Rodat in 1994) and the Niland Brothers who it was believed to have lost three during action in the Second World War, the movie follows the events after a reading of a letter by then Army Chief of Staff George Marshall. Attributed to Abraham Lincoln, the leter was written to Lydia Bixby whom it was believed lost three sons in battle during the Civil War. The authorship of the letter is in question, and it turns out, also the disposition of the sons. Two of the sons deserted and one was captured and later honorably discharged on his return to the union. Anyway the letter is remarkable and isn't diminished by the circumstances nor the possible change in authorship.
At the end of the first day of battle you see, through the haunted eyes of Hanks, a body lying on the bloodied beach with "S. Ryan" on his back. Since the name of the film is "Saving Private Ryan" it's reasonable to assume that's not the eponymous Ryan. James Francis Ryan was serving in the 101st Airborne and his 3 bothers have died recently in battle. The Army Chief of Staff learns of this and orders the surviving Ryan be found and shipped home. The rest of the movie follows the squad tasked with finding Ryan.
Ribisi's very memorable scene after the squad takes out a machine gun nest again communicates this isn't antiseptic war. Vin Diesel's big scene (Casparza) and the performances from Danson and Giamatti don't point to clinical. The movie uses its immense cast to shape and play off the story. The ability of Hanks to stand up to the incredible cast is a testament to his talent. Not bad for a guy that got his big break wearing drag on "Bosum Buddies" almost 20 years before. I think it was Penny Marshall that called Hanks a national treasure after "Big" and while it's the wrong nation I can't argue with the sentiment.
The movie is paced well and has some of the most powerful combat footage ever shown. A hand to hand in the village they finally find Ryan in is simply chilling. No not chilling. Take chilling and astounding and powerful and amazing and combine them. Whatever word that is. Chillastounerfulzing.
This film will be watched for a hundred years and I haven't done it even close to justice.
Snagged the Oscar for Best Cinematography, Director, Sound Effects Editing, Film Editing and Sound. Also picked up the nominations for (winners in brackets) Best Picture (Shakespeare in Love), Best Actor - Tom Hanks (Roberto Benigni), Best Original Screenplay (Shakespeare in Love). Time to once again face palm at the Academy. Do you think there is ANY chance Shakespeare in Love will show up on a "Best Movies" list? I mean if there was a list the best movies dealing with a playright who's name rhymes with...Beer...and lived in England in the 16th and 17th centuries....sure!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Sixth Sense (1999) #89
Say the name of the movie five times quickly. I dare you! You'll sound like you should be wearing a helmet and drool cup (much like the Academy should have been when they chose the winners that year).
Big winner for the 72nd Academy Awards? American Beauty! What? A movie about Kevin Spacey panting over a nubile neighbor is nominated for eight awards and wins five. How is it possible that the screenplay for American Beauty wins over "The Sixth Sense"? OK OK..I should back off a bit I guess, but really. I love Kevin Spacey. I've seen most of what he's done and he's a great actor. And, I do mean great but c'mon. Of course, I should be prepared I suppose, "The Kids Are All Right" may well walk away with best picture in a few days.
M. Night Shyamalan is a remarkable talent. He recovered from the box office disaster of "Wide Awake" to write and direct Sixth Sense which was nominated for six awards (Picture, Original Screenplay, Director, Supporting Actor & Actress and Film Editing). It won zero. Way to go, members of the academy. I can't comment on the film editing since I don't have the expertise, but I would have thought that of the best movies for the year (American Beauty, Cider House Rules, The Green Mile, The Insider and The Sixth Sense) that the only film to be on the AFI's top 100 might have gotten the nod for something. The only other film I would rank nearly as high is "The Green Mile" which I watch every few years.
Blech. Moving on, however, we discuss the film itself. Lots of spoilers here so if you haven't seen it, don't read any further. Sixth Sense can be viewed as a love story, a story of making amends and a story about the continuity of love. I think it's easy to say the movie is just a supernatural thriller with a plot twist. It's about the redemption of Malcolm (Bruce Willis), his love for his wife Anna (Olivia Williams), and the need for him to say that she wasn't second. It's about the continuity of love, such as in a mother's wish to ensure her daughter (Toni Collette) knows the answer to questions that have deep significance.
Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) has the gift to see the dead. As the movie's tag line states, "Not every gift is a blessing." Early in the movie we're given hints that Cole has had this "gift" for his entire life. When his mother looks at photos of Cole there are artifacts in the photos going back to him as a toddler. No wonder the kid is struggling. The psychologist works with him, and finally Cole tells him his secret. "I see dead people", delivered in a slightly breathless fashion. This phrase has since become a part of our culture. Deliver a quote from American Beauty - (sorry I digress). Together, Malcolm and Cole work with each other and Malcolm suggests the dead people might "go away" if Cole listens to them. Helps them. When he makes this transition things do get better. He confides in his mother and is able to deliver a message.
Osment really played his role remarkably. We can all hope the trouble in 2005 (smacked up a car and had to go attend "drinking classes" as some call them) is over with and he can make that transition to adult actor. I certainly hope he can and does.
The films ends with hope. Malcolm is able to tell his wife his message. Cole delivers the message for his Grandmother and we're left with the sense he'll be fine helping the dead find closure.
Big winner for the 72nd Academy Awards? American Beauty! What? A movie about Kevin Spacey panting over a nubile neighbor is nominated for eight awards and wins five. How is it possible that the screenplay for American Beauty wins over "The Sixth Sense"? OK OK..I should back off a bit I guess, but really. I love Kevin Spacey. I've seen most of what he's done and he's a great actor. And, I do mean great but c'mon. Of course, I should be prepared I suppose, "The Kids Are All Right" may well walk away with best picture in a few days.
M. Night Shyamalan is a remarkable talent. He recovered from the box office disaster of "Wide Awake" to write and direct Sixth Sense which was nominated for six awards (Picture, Original Screenplay, Director, Supporting Actor & Actress and Film Editing). It won zero. Way to go, members of the academy. I can't comment on the film editing since I don't have the expertise, but I would have thought that of the best movies for the year (American Beauty, Cider House Rules, The Green Mile, The Insider and The Sixth Sense) that the only film to be on the AFI's top 100 might have gotten the nod for something. The only other film I would rank nearly as high is "The Green Mile" which I watch every few years.
Blech. Moving on, however, we discuss the film itself. Lots of spoilers here so if you haven't seen it, don't read any further. Sixth Sense can be viewed as a love story, a story of making amends and a story about the continuity of love. I think it's easy to say the movie is just a supernatural thriller with a plot twist. It's about the redemption of Malcolm (Bruce Willis), his love for his wife Anna (Olivia Williams), and the need for him to say that she wasn't second. It's about the continuity of love, such as in a mother's wish to ensure her daughter (Toni Collette) knows the answer to questions that have deep significance.
Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) has the gift to see the dead. As the movie's tag line states, "Not every gift is a blessing." Early in the movie we're given hints that Cole has had this "gift" for his entire life. When his mother looks at photos of Cole there are artifacts in the photos going back to him as a toddler. No wonder the kid is struggling. The psychologist works with him, and finally Cole tells him his secret. "I see dead people", delivered in a slightly breathless fashion. This phrase has since become a part of our culture. Deliver a quote from American Beauty - (sorry I digress). Together, Malcolm and Cole work with each other and Malcolm suggests the dead people might "go away" if Cole listens to them. Helps them. When he makes this transition things do get better. He confides in his mother and is able to deliver a message.
Osment really played his role remarkably. We can all hope the trouble in 2005 (smacked up a car and had to go attend "drinking classes" as some call them) is over with and he can make that transition to adult actor. I certainly hope he can and does.
The films ends with hope. Malcolm is able to tell his wife his message. Cole delivers the message for his Grandmother and we're left with the sense he'll be fine helping the dead find closure.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Rocky (1976) #57
Say "YO Adrian" and everyone knows what you're talking about. Few movies have made the same impact on pop culture as the "Rocky" franchise. It turned Sylvester Stallone from a B and soft core porn movie star to a major box office draw. The film was made for around a million dollars and grossed more than 250 million. Amazingly that puts it to only number 7 on the list of best return on investment for films at least according to "The Numbers" but it's a little rough to compete with "Paranormal" with a minuscule budget of under 20K and a gross of almost 200 million. Rocky was a phenomenon and has stood the test of time, so far, very well. Most interesting to me is some of the back story and lesser known items about the movie. It was supposed to be a darker, or at least it was written that way originally, movie. Balboa threw the fight in the original screenplay because he didn't want to be part of the fight game any longer.
The movie was inspired by a fight between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. Wepner was given the opportunity to fight Ali for the championship. Wepner wasn't expected to show well at all and he was a plodding fighter much as Rocky Balboa was. Wepner almost went the distance but was TKO'd late in the 15th round. I've watched the video of that final round and Wepner is lucky Ali didn't hit him again like Tyson probably would have. Wepner was just plain done. Anyway...Stallone saw that fight and started to write "Rocky". The name was from Rocky Marciano but the story was about Ali vs. Wepner.
The movie's casting is interesting. At one point Susan Sarandon was considered to play Adrian but she was too good looking. Burt Reynolds, Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal and James Caan were all suggested by the studio but Stallone successfully appealed to the producers to play the title role. I don't think any of those other actors on the list could have done the job as well. The part just fit Stallone I think. Answer this honestly: Could you imagine anyone else playing any of the major parts? What if Mickey wasn't the penguin (Burgess Meredith) or Paulie wasn't Burt Young? Does that mean the casting was that good or is it just we have grown used to it?
Rocky was the sleeper hit of 1976. It was nominated for ten Oscars and walked away with Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing. You can say what you like about Stallone but he hit this one WAY out of the park both with his performance and his writing.
There are parts of the move that are better than others, of course. There's a scene where Rocky and a teenage girl are walking home which really has no relevance to the rest of the movie, but I suspect the director was looking for another reason to use his new cool steadicam. This wasn't the first movie to use a steadicam rig but it was close. But I dare anyone to not feel a tingle when you hear "Gonna Fly Now" by Tom Conti rise in volume as Rocky runs up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And remember this is more than 30 years after its making. The movie as a whole just works. Rocky is the quintessential underdog . He's a nice guy who finally gets a break and forgives all the slights around him from Mickey's plea to manage him to Paulie's treatment of him and Adrian. He's what everyone thinks they could be deep down.
The movie was inspired by a fight between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. Wepner was given the opportunity to fight Ali for the championship. Wepner wasn't expected to show well at all and he was a plodding fighter much as Rocky Balboa was. Wepner almost went the distance but was TKO'd late in the 15th round. I've watched the video of that final round and Wepner is lucky Ali didn't hit him again like Tyson probably would have. Wepner was just plain done. Anyway...Stallone saw that fight and started to write "Rocky". The name was from Rocky Marciano but the story was about Ali vs. Wepner.
The movie's casting is interesting. At one point Susan Sarandon was considered to play Adrian but she was too good looking. Burt Reynolds, Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal and James Caan were all suggested by the studio but Stallone successfully appealed to the producers to play the title role. I don't think any of those other actors on the list could have done the job as well. The part just fit Stallone I think. Answer this honestly: Could you imagine anyone else playing any of the major parts? What if Mickey wasn't the penguin (Burgess Meredith) or Paulie wasn't Burt Young? Does that mean the casting was that good or is it just we have grown used to it?
Rocky was the sleeper hit of 1976. It was nominated for ten Oscars and walked away with Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing. You can say what you like about Stallone but he hit this one WAY out of the park both with his performance and his writing.
There are parts of the move that are better than others, of course. There's a scene where Rocky and a teenage girl are walking home which really has no relevance to the rest of the movie, but I suspect the director was looking for another reason to use his new cool steadicam. This wasn't the first movie to use a steadicam rig but it was close. But I dare anyone to not feel a tingle when you hear "Gonna Fly Now" by Tom Conti rise in volume as Rocky runs up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And remember this is more than 30 years after its making. The movie as a whole just works. Rocky is the quintessential underdog . He's a nice guy who finally gets a break and forgives all the slights around him from Mickey's plea to manage him to Paulie's treatment of him and Adrian. He's what everyone thinks they could be deep down.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
High Noon (1952) #27
"High Noon" is not just a western. It's a story of ordinary, good people, refusing to stand up for what is right, who ultimately cause ruin for the good person who's doing the right thing. More specifically, it can be directly linked to the nasty business of Hollywood blacklisting in the 1940's and 50's. The blacklisting was a failure of Hollywood, or of the intellectuals involved, or perhaps society as a whole. The studios were complicit as was much of Hollywood; they allowed it to happen. When someone is doing the right thing and the "good people" don't join the fight, then almost anything can happen. This is exactly what took place in "High Noon", where a Marshall faces four gunmen alone or in Hollywood, where hundreds and hundreds of professionals had their lives diminished or ruined.
The screenplay was written by Carl Foreman who was blacklisted by HUAC before the movie was released. He fled to England and later worked on another movie on this list ("The Bridge on the River Kwai"). He was a member of the communist party in the late 30's so I guess he deserved it, right? He refused to name names and was therefore considered an 'uncooperative witness' so..."Buh Bye Now".
Back to the movie at hand. Gary Cooper is a prime example of what the hero in a western should be. He is standing alone against all odds and refusing to leave or run or back down, even when those around him are doing so. Refusing to give up and willing to die for ideals and nothing more. This probably relates all the way back to the birth of Christianity. Christ had the choice to leave or run or back down, but he didn't. If you have faith, you believe he was given the opportunity to back down in the Garden of Gethsemane but didn't. He stayed the course for higher ideals. Perhaps this is why the story resonates so strongly in western culture.
One of the first examples of revisionist Westerns, the movie made some departures from the romanticism of earlier westerns. Cooper was 50 when this movie was made and there were criticisms that he was too old to play the part. He was almost 30 years older than Grace Kelly who played his Quaker wife. He looked older than he was at times because they used little to no makeup, which helped to show the wrinkles and worry on his face. For most of the characters in the movie there is sweat and dirt, dust and grit. There isn't a lot of the violence of later revisionist movies but this is a very early example.
The film follows the real chronology of the events. There are some different cuts but it was released with a matching run time to the 85 minutes of the story between the wedding and the final departure from the town. "24" did that more than 50 years later as a real time narrative. These 85 minutes are spent while the Marshall tries to prepare for the return of Frank Miller from prison to be joined by three members of the old gang. Most hope there won't be trouble when Miller returns, but everyone knows there will be. No one is willing to stand up to the trouble.
Throughout "High Noon", clocks are used as an effective means to build the suspense. The movie follows the gradual disillusionment of Cooper as he watches everyone around him refuse to stand up. The judge who sentenced the returning murderer is first, his deputy Pell (Lloyd Bridges) is second and that sets up the realization this isn't going to go well for "Coop". His woman, friends, co-workers and fellow town members all can't or won't or hide to avoid the trouble. Side note (sorry, yes it's another one) Bridges was Grey Listed by HUAC and Cooper et. al. worked to get him on the film.
The movie is wonderful. I might have mentioned in another post that Grace Kelly is a knockout. Her film debut was a fine start and while the character is a little one dimensional she could stand there mute for most of the movie really. Cooper is the archetype for the strong silent type...well almost silent...and many of the character actors are superb. A really young Col. Potter of MASH fame (Harry Morgan) and an almost baby faced Jack Elam make appearances. One of Cooper's best friends is Thomas Mitchell who played the bumbling Uncle Billy in Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life". An interesting bit of trivia is this was the movie debut of both Kelly and Lee Van Cleef. Kelly wins this one since she has lines of dialog. Van Cleef doesn't have a one.
John Wayne hated the movie and thought it was extremely "Un-American" but ironically accepted the Oscar for Cooper's win of best actor for him since Gary wasn't able to attend. Wayne was credited with saying he would never regret helping to blacklist the screenwriter Foreman. Wayne and the director of yesterday's blog movie ("Bringing Up Baby") made "Rio Bravo" in response to "High Noon". They did see the talent of Dimitri Tiomkin, however, who did the scores for both movies. "Rio Bravo" then spawned "El Dorado" which was also a Hawkes/Duke collaboration.
Without any of the background and the political backdrop of the time, the movie should still be here. With that additional flavour, it most certainly should be here.
The screenplay was written by Carl Foreman who was blacklisted by HUAC before the movie was released. He fled to England and later worked on another movie on this list ("The Bridge on the River Kwai"). He was a member of the communist party in the late 30's so I guess he deserved it, right? He refused to name names and was therefore considered an 'uncooperative witness' so..."Buh Bye Now".
Back to the movie at hand. Gary Cooper is a prime example of what the hero in a western should be. He is standing alone against all odds and refusing to leave or run or back down, even when those around him are doing so. Refusing to give up and willing to die for ideals and nothing more. This probably relates all the way back to the birth of Christianity. Christ had the choice to leave or run or back down, but he didn't. If you have faith, you believe he was given the opportunity to back down in the Garden of Gethsemane but didn't. He stayed the course for higher ideals. Perhaps this is why the story resonates so strongly in western culture.
One of the first examples of revisionist Westerns, the movie made some departures from the romanticism of earlier westerns. Cooper was 50 when this movie was made and there were criticisms that he was too old to play the part. He was almost 30 years older than Grace Kelly who played his Quaker wife. He looked older than he was at times because they used little to no makeup, which helped to show the wrinkles and worry on his face. For most of the characters in the movie there is sweat and dirt, dust and grit. There isn't a lot of the violence of later revisionist movies but this is a very early example.
The film follows the real chronology of the events. There are some different cuts but it was released with a matching run time to the 85 minutes of the story between the wedding and the final departure from the town. "24" did that more than 50 years later as a real time narrative. These 85 minutes are spent while the Marshall tries to prepare for the return of Frank Miller from prison to be joined by three members of the old gang. Most hope there won't be trouble when Miller returns, but everyone knows there will be. No one is willing to stand up to the trouble.
Throughout "High Noon", clocks are used as an effective means to build the suspense. The movie follows the gradual disillusionment of Cooper as he watches everyone around him refuse to stand up. The judge who sentenced the returning murderer is first, his deputy Pell (Lloyd Bridges) is second and that sets up the realization this isn't going to go well for "Coop". His woman, friends, co-workers and fellow town members all can't or won't or hide to avoid the trouble. Side note (sorry, yes it's another one) Bridges was Grey Listed by HUAC and Cooper et. al. worked to get him on the film.
The movie is wonderful. I might have mentioned in another post that Grace Kelly is a knockout. Her film debut was a fine start and while the character is a little one dimensional she could stand there mute for most of the movie really. Cooper is the archetype for the strong silent type...well almost silent...and many of the character actors are superb. A really young Col. Potter of MASH fame (Harry Morgan) and an almost baby faced Jack Elam make appearances. One of Cooper's best friends is Thomas Mitchell who played the bumbling Uncle Billy in Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life". An interesting bit of trivia is this was the movie debut of both Kelly and Lee Van Cleef. Kelly wins this one since she has lines of dialog. Van Cleef doesn't have a one.
John Wayne hated the movie and thought it was extremely "Un-American" but ironically accepted the Oscar for Cooper's win of best actor for him since Gary wasn't able to attend. Wayne was credited with saying he would never regret helping to blacklist the screenwriter Foreman. Wayne and the director of yesterday's blog movie ("Bringing Up Baby") made "Rio Bravo" in response to "High Noon". They did see the talent of Dimitri Tiomkin, however, who did the scores for both movies. "Rio Bravo" then spawned "El Dorado" which was also a Hawkes/Duke collaboration.
Without any of the background and the political backdrop of the time, the movie should still be here. With that additional flavour, it most certainly should be here.
True Grit - Justice is Done
When I first heard the brothers Coen (Ethan and Joel) were doing a remake of True Grit I was excited. I knew it would be at least a little revisionist and I like revisionist westerns. I always thought the story was good and I was pretty sure they would do it well. They did!
The cast is great. While one could argue no one could ever do the part after John Wayne did it, Jeff Bridges rasped his way through a great performance. The story is engaging and the characters complex and multi-dimensional. Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) is tough while flawed, pragmatic, but with a higher sense of justice. As with many Coen brothers films there really isn't a hero. There are characters that may at one point be heroic and the next despicable. Rooster does that epic charge - reins in teeth and guns a blazin' against four outlaws however. Fantastic.
The gem in this movie, for me, was Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) with a remarkable performance of the character. The two scenes with Col. Stonehill (Dakin Matthews) are pure gold. The look of resignation, strike that, fear on Stonehill's face when he asks:
"Are we trading again?"
Brilliant!
Mattie is younger in this version and that works. She is headstrong to a fault and much like the modern US society is quite litigious (sorry but a little dig I couldn't resist). The Texas Ranger admits she's earned her spurs because she does show true grit. Willing to go one on one with any adult at 14 she is a formidable character. I suspect we'll see much more of Steinfeld in the future. This role earned her a nomination for supporting actress. I don't think anyone will beat out Melissa Leo for her role in "The Fighter" but we'll see.
Matt Damon plays LaBoeuf the Texas Ranger and has that same almost too clean sort of look as Glenn Campbell. As was said in the trailer for the original he plays "A Texas Ranger wearing britches a size too big". Barry Pepper plays "Lucky" Ned Pepper (I wonder if they almost didn't cast him because of the name collision). On a side note Barry Pepper was born in the small town of Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada in which I lived for a few years. He has a rather interesting bio actually. Josh Brolin plays the villain Tom Chaney who was played by a much older Jeff Corey in the original. They all play the characters with their own interpretation. All of them are believable and all of them deserve credit.
If you've recently watched the 1969 version, or you have a great memory, you'll see, and hear, many similarities. More than a smidge of the dialog is the same. Some of the scenes are eerily familiar. Ethan and Joel went back to the source novel rather than to the Marguerite Roberts screenplay for inspiration. One can only assume the striking similarities in dialog and scenes are because both worked from the same source and the quality of that novel.
The cast is great. The direction great. The cinematography great (It earned Roger Deakins an Academy Award nomination to go with the one he got for his work on "O Brother, Where Art Thou?") The story great. The movie great. This could easily win Best Picture and I wouldn't argue much if it did. Justice done to both the novel and the 1969 classic. Well done!
I do have one question however. Did the directors decide that Wayne should be missing his left eye and Bridges his right? Or was that just actor's preference?
The cast is great. While one could argue no one could ever do the part after John Wayne did it, Jeff Bridges rasped his way through a great performance. The story is engaging and the characters complex and multi-dimensional. Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) is tough while flawed, pragmatic, but with a higher sense of justice. As with many Coen brothers films there really isn't a hero. There are characters that may at one point be heroic and the next despicable. Rooster does that epic charge - reins in teeth and guns a blazin' against four outlaws however. Fantastic.
The gem in this movie, for me, was Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) with a remarkable performance of the character. The two scenes with Col. Stonehill (Dakin Matthews) are pure gold. The look of resignation, strike that, fear on Stonehill's face when he asks:
"Are we trading again?"
Brilliant!
Mattie is younger in this version and that works. She is headstrong to a fault and much like the modern US society is quite litigious (sorry but a little dig I couldn't resist). The Texas Ranger admits she's earned her spurs because she does show true grit. Willing to go one on one with any adult at 14 she is a formidable character. I suspect we'll see much more of Steinfeld in the future. This role earned her a nomination for supporting actress. I don't think anyone will beat out Melissa Leo for her role in "The Fighter" but we'll see.
Matt Damon plays LaBoeuf the Texas Ranger and has that same almost too clean sort of look as Glenn Campbell. As was said in the trailer for the original he plays "A Texas Ranger wearing britches a size too big". Barry Pepper plays "Lucky" Ned Pepper (I wonder if they almost didn't cast him because of the name collision). On a side note Barry Pepper was born in the small town of Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada in which I lived for a few years. He has a rather interesting bio actually. Josh Brolin plays the villain Tom Chaney who was played by a much older Jeff Corey in the original. They all play the characters with their own interpretation. All of them are believable and all of them deserve credit.
If you've recently watched the 1969 version, or you have a great memory, you'll see, and hear, many similarities. More than a smidge of the dialog is the same. Some of the scenes are eerily familiar. Ethan and Joel went back to the source novel rather than to the Marguerite Roberts screenplay for inspiration. One can only assume the striking similarities in dialog and scenes are because both worked from the same source and the quality of that novel.
The cast is great. The direction great. The cinematography great (It earned Roger Deakins an Academy Award nomination to go with the one he got for his work on "O Brother, Where Art Thou?") The story great. The movie great. This could easily win Best Picture and I wouldn't argue much if it did. Justice done to both the novel and the 1969 classic. Well done!
I do have one question however. Did the directors decide that Wayne should be missing his left eye and Bridges his right? Or was that just actor's preference?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bringing Up Baby (1938) #88
So how is "Bringing Up Baby" related to Sicily and more specifically, Messina? Well the roots of screwball comedy lie in Shakespeare, and the most known example would be "Much Ado About Nothing" which takes place in the port of Messina.
See...simple. If I was really SMRT, I would have known that without doing any research but, sadly, that's not the case. Screwball comedies are one of the most enduring forms of comedy for film and the AFI list has at least one example ("Some Like it Hot"), if not two, ("Tootsie"). Seems a lot of folks consider screwball comedies as being associated with the 30's and 40's but not much since. I disagree. The form is still vibrant and many romantic comedies pay homage to the screwball roots.
This is first screwball comedy I've written about for this blog and it's great. Cary Grant is probably my favorite comedic actor of that period. His delivery is iconic and he was a marvelous performer. His athleticism is highlighted in this movie by his many falls, trips, and other run-ins with stationary objects. For me, he was just always cool even when he was picking himself up from some slapstick. Look for the shot where he motions like he's going to strangle Hepburn. Very similar in timing and effect to the scene in "The General" when Annabelle Lee starts cleaning up the engine compartment. I missed that similarity to Keaton, but it was mentioned on Peter Bogdonovich's commentary.
Katharine was then, is now, and forever will be a treasure. At the time of this film's release she was "box office poison" and didn't leave that behind until a couple of years later with the release of the film version of "The Philadelphia Story" (which also made the list and also stars Grant). After that she never looked back. She is the star of three movies on the AFI list. While Cary didn't manage a win for best actor in his career, Katharine picked up no less than four with twelve nominations.
The film follows the extremely square zoologist Dr. David Huxly's (Grant) misadventures at the hands of Susan Vance (Hepburn) as she pursues his affections. Throw in a little humor from the leopard that shows up in Vance's apartment, a fossil buried by a dog, a dash of mistaken identity, a little cross dressing, trying to keep an identity secret and finally, what some argue is the first use of the term gay to describe homosexuality in popular culture and you have an entertaining couple of hours. Cary Grant wandering out of the bathroom in the negligee and his hop as he says "Because I just went gay all of a sudden!" is priceless. Whether the meaning was happy or homosexual is still up for debate. At this point we'll probably never know for sure.
Howard Hawkes said he made a mistake on the film because everyone was nuts. He wished there were more normal folks in the film but all of the characters were crazy. With later movies such as "His Girl Friday" as part of his more than 40 directorial credits, I think it's safe to say he learned his lesson. I also didn't know that Howard and Howard collaborated on the original "Scarface" in 1932 or that later he would direct Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe in "Monkey Business". He was a great director.
The supporting cast is marvelous with Charles Ruggles, Barry Fitzgerald and May Robinson. Whether it was Hepburn or the movie itself that hurt its box office performance isn't clear. Over the years the film has risen in the eyes of the public and the critics and climbed seven spots on the AFI list. A film made in 1938 that has my 17 year old son laughing out loud at places must have done something right.
See...simple. If I was really SMRT, I would have known that without doing any research but, sadly, that's not the case. Screwball comedies are one of the most enduring forms of comedy for film and the AFI list has at least one example ("Some Like it Hot"), if not two, ("Tootsie"). Seems a lot of folks consider screwball comedies as being associated with the 30's and 40's but not much since. I disagree. The form is still vibrant and many romantic comedies pay homage to the screwball roots.
This is first screwball comedy I've written about for this blog and it's great. Cary Grant is probably my favorite comedic actor of that period. His delivery is iconic and he was a marvelous performer. His athleticism is highlighted in this movie by his many falls, trips, and other run-ins with stationary objects. For me, he was just always cool even when he was picking himself up from some slapstick. Look for the shot where he motions like he's going to strangle Hepburn. Very similar in timing and effect to the scene in "The General" when Annabelle Lee starts cleaning up the engine compartment. I missed that similarity to Keaton, but it was mentioned on Peter Bogdonovich's commentary.
Katharine was then, is now, and forever will be a treasure. At the time of this film's release she was "box office poison" and didn't leave that behind until a couple of years later with the release of the film version of "The Philadelphia Story" (which also made the list and also stars Grant). After that she never looked back. She is the star of three movies on the AFI list. While Cary didn't manage a win for best actor in his career, Katharine picked up no less than four with twelve nominations.
The film follows the extremely square zoologist Dr. David Huxly's (Grant) misadventures at the hands of Susan Vance (Hepburn) as she pursues his affections. Throw in a little humor from the leopard that shows up in Vance's apartment, a fossil buried by a dog, a dash of mistaken identity, a little cross dressing, trying to keep an identity secret and finally, what some argue is the first use of the term gay to describe homosexuality in popular culture and you have an entertaining couple of hours. Cary Grant wandering out of the bathroom in the negligee and his hop as he says "Because I just went gay all of a sudden!" is priceless. Whether the meaning was happy or homosexual is still up for debate. At this point we'll probably never know for sure.
Howard Hawkes said he made a mistake on the film because everyone was nuts. He wished there were more normal folks in the film but all of the characters were crazy. With later movies such as "His Girl Friday" as part of his more than 40 directorial credits, I think it's safe to say he learned his lesson. I also didn't know that Howard and Howard collaborated on the original "Scarface" in 1932 or that later he would direct Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe in "Monkey Business". He was a great director.
The supporting cast is marvelous with Charles Ruggles, Barry Fitzgerald and May Robinson. Whether it was Hepburn or the movie itself that hurt its box office performance isn't clear. Over the years the film has risen in the eyes of the public and the critics and climbed seven spots on the AFI list. A film made in 1938 that has my 17 year old son laughing out loud at places must have done something right.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) #25
"Oh Gregory! You have a little pot belly just like my Daddy!" - Harper Lee
The movie is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee. Lee wanted to be the Jane Austen of southern Alabama, and while not as prolific, she most certainly had a great effect on the south. Some scholars argue Mockingbird was a substantial influence in the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's.
During filming for the scene where Jem, Scout and Dill meet Atticus Finch and walk back towards their house while discussing the day, Gregory Peck noticed Harper Lee watching from off camera. She had what seemed to be a glistening or dampness on her cheek. When a rather puffed up Peck inquired about the effect of the scene on the author, that was the quote. Dill was based on Lee's friend Truman Capote. Capote was rumored to be a major contributor in the writing of Mockingbird but that has since been disproven.
1962 was a great year. Most importantly, yours truly arrived kicking and screaming into this world. I guess some of the other notable happenings in the movies should be mentioned as well. Number 7 on the AFI list, "Lawrence of Arabia" was the big winner at the Oscars (10 nominations and 7 wins), followed by "To Kill a Mockingbird" with 8 nominations and 3 wins (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Black & White - , and the best Actor). Gregory Peck won Best Actor in a Leading Role against Burt Lancaster, Jack Lemmon, Peter O'Toole and Marcello Mastrioianni. You probably recognize at least the first three names on that list. This was after a drought for Peck. He was nominated for Best Actor at the 18th ("The Keys to the Kingdom"), 19th ("The Yearling"), 20th ("Gentleman's Agreement") and 22nd ("Twelve O'Clock High") Oscars but didn't win. He then starred in a string of films for 13 years or so. Nothing special, just films such as Moby Dick, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and such.
Peck's favorite movie and favorite role is forever associated with him and affected his life greatly. He formed a friendship with Scout (Mary Badham) that lasted the rest of his life. His grandson was named Harper Daniel Peck. He cherished the pocket watch of Harper Lee's father that was given to him and he remained in touch with Harper for his lifetime. The role transformed Peck as it did countless lives. In a 1999 documentary by his daughter Cecilia Peck, a man asks for Gregory to autograph an original movie poster from Mockingbird. The movie didn't affect the man much at all. He only saw it at 13 and decided to become a lawyer. Then, as he said, the movie was important to him not only because it led him to become a lawyer but more importantly because it taught him about being a father. So much so that he named his first son Atticus.
I wish I had seen this movie once a month while my son was growing up. Every father should be required to watch this movie many, many times. If only once a month I could have shown the patience of Atticus Finch rather than having shown my own impatience, I would look back at my parenting experience more fondly and I'd imagine my son would as well. Sorry, son.
"Miss Jean Louise stand up! Your father is passing." - Reverend Sykes
Peck's performance as the Lawyer Atticus Finch is astounding. The timing is impeccable and gives a weight to the dialog that is jaw dropping. Peck later said he struggled to not go over the top with the performance. He said he needed to reign in the emotion to keep it believable. I don't have a lot of experience in courtrooms, but I certainly bought it. The performance of the cast was spot on in the courtroom. Brock Peters plays the defendant with subtlety and a sense of almost quiet desperation. James Anderson played Robert E. Lee 'Bob' Ewell so well you can almost feel the malevolence. His daughter Mayella (Collin Wilcox Patton) is believable and powerful.
Another small confession to make. At the time of this writing I'm 48 years old. Every time I see/hear that quote above in the movie I tear up. EVERY time.
The scene when Bob Ewell spits on Atticus is amazing. The interplay between the two actors. The indignation and fury of Finch. The fear of Ewell. Awesome.
"Thank you for my children" - Atticus Finch
Arthur 'Boo' Radley (Robert Duvall) has no lines in the movie but still manages significant emotion with only his eyes and body language. This was Duvall's debut in feature films. He only followed that up with appearances in 4 more of the top 100 on AFI's list (M.A.S.H., Network, Godfather (I and II)).
I wish I'd seen this movie years ago. I knew the basic story. I'd seen the movie in pieces over the years but never actually watched the whole thing.
I wouldn't be surprised to see this movie on "the list" for longer than I'm around. But if I'm not around, how would I know? Doesn't matter much.
The movie is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee. Lee wanted to be the Jane Austen of southern Alabama, and while not as prolific, she most certainly had a great effect on the south. Some scholars argue Mockingbird was a substantial influence in the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's.
During filming for the scene where Jem, Scout and Dill meet Atticus Finch and walk back towards their house while discussing the day, Gregory Peck noticed Harper Lee watching from off camera. She had what seemed to be a glistening or dampness on her cheek. When a rather puffed up Peck inquired about the effect of the scene on the author, that was the quote. Dill was based on Lee's friend Truman Capote. Capote was rumored to be a major contributor in the writing of Mockingbird but that has since been disproven.
1962 was a great year. Most importantly, yours truly arrived kicking and screaming into this world. I guess some of the other notable happenings in the movies should be mentioned as well. Number 7 on the AFI list, "Lawrence of Arabia" was the big winner at the Oscars (10 nominations and 7 wins), followed by "To Kill a Mockingbird" with 8 nominations and 3 wins (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Black & White - , and the best Actor). Gregory Peck won Best Actor in a Leading Role against Burt Lancaster, Jack Lemmon, Peter O'Toole and Marcello Mastrioianni. You probably recognize at least the first three names on that list. This was after a drought for Peck. He was nominated for Best Actor at the 18th ("The Keys to the Kingdom"), 19th ("The Yearling"), 20th ("Gentleman's Agreement") and 22nd ("Twelve O'Clock High") Oscars but didn't win. He then starred in a string of films for 13 years or so. Nothing special, just films such as Moby Dick, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and such.
Peck's favorite movie and favorite role is forever associated with him and affected his life greatly. He formed a friendship with Scout (Mary Badham) that lasted the rest of his life. His grandson was named Harper Daniel Peck. He cherished the pocket watch of Harper Lee's father that was given to him and he remained in touch with Harper for his lifetime. The role transformed Peck as it did countless lives. In a 1999 documentary by his daughter Cecilia Peck, a man asks for Gregory to autograph an original movie poster from Mockingbird. The movie didn't affect the man much at all. He only saw it at 13 and decided to become a lawyer. Then, as he said, the movie was important to him not only because it led him to become a lawyer but more importantly because it taught him about being a father. So much so that he named his first son Atticus.
I wish I had seen this movie once a month while my son was growing up. Every father should be required to watch this movie many, many times. If only once a month I could have shown the patience of Atticus Finch rather than having shown my own impatience, I would look back at my parenting experience more fondly and I'd imagine my son would as well. Sorry, son.
"Miss Jean Louise stand up! Your father is passing." - Reverend Sykes
Peck's performance as the Lawyer Atticus Finch is astounding. The timing is impeccable and gives a weight to the dialog that is jaw dropping. Peck later said he struggled to not go over the top with the performance. He said he needed to reign in the emotion to keep it believable. I don't have a lot of experience in courtrooms, but I certainly bought it. The performance of the cast was spot on in the courtroom. Brock Peters plays the defendant with subtlety and a sense of almost quiet desperation. James Anderson played Robert E. Lee 'Bob' Ewell so well you can almost feel the malevolence. His daughter Mayella (Collin Wilcox Patton) is believable and powerful.
Another small confession to make. At the time of this writing I'm 48 years old. Every time I see/hear that quote above in the movie I tear up. EVERY time.
The scene when Bob Ewell spits on Atticus is amazing. The interplay between the two actors. The indignation and fury of Finch. The fear of Ewell. Awesome.
"Thank you for my children" - Atticus Finch
Arthur 'Boo' Radley (Robert Duvall) has no lines in the movie but still manages significant emotion with only his eyes and body language. This was Duvall's debut in feature films. He only followed that up with appearances in 4 more of the top 100 on AFI's list (M.A.S.H., Network, Godfather (I and II)).
I wish I'd seen this movie years ago. I knew the basic story. I'd seen the movie in pieces over the years but never actually watched the whole thing.
I wouldn't be surprised to see this movie on "the list" for longer than I'm around. But if I'm not around, how would I know? Doesn't matter much.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Winter's Bone - Sleeper?
There's almost no chance I would have sought out "Winter's Bone" if not for the Academy giving out the nomination for best picture. "An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact." (shamelessly stolen straight from IMDB) Wait..no guns, violence, scantily clad nubile women??
Well. It's a great movie and might well walk away with the Oscar in 22 days or so. Jennifer Lawrence has a shot at best actress as well, I suspect, but she would be awfully young to get the nod. Her performance is much different then Portman's but it is compelling. Rather than the tug between good and evil with the vulnerability Portman had to portray, Lawrence plays Ree Dolly and shows great tenacity and courage. She doesn't carry the movie but she more than holds her own.
She needs to provide and protect her family of two sibling children and a mother who's sick, and will continue to be. Her uncle Teardrop (John Hawkes) can't or won't help. Everyone is telling her she has to stop looking, but that means no house for the family. With limited choices, she presses on grimly. The poverty of the film is almost violent. I've never been to the Ozarks and, while I hope there isn't this sort of poverty, I'm shaken to think there probably is.
This film is finely crafted with great pace and feel, as well as fine performances that seem completely believable (well at least to me who's never been within two thousand miles of that world.) There is a realism throughout and the film doesn't seem to embellish much. When someone gets beat up you don't see the acts you just see the results. The story is told without the need for slow motion action sequences.
Wonderful film and well worth seeking out.
Well. It's a great movie and might well walk away with the Oscar in 22 days or so. Jennifer Lawrence has a shot at best actress as well, I suspect, but she would be awfully young to get the nod. Her performance is much different then Portman's but it is compelling. Rather than the tug between good and evil with the vulnerability Portman had to portray, Lawrence plays Ree Dolly and shows great tenacity and courage. She doesn't carry the movie but she more than holds her own.
She needs to provide and protect her family of two sibling children and a mother who's sick, and will continue to be. Her uncle Teardrop (John Hawkes) can't or won't help. Everyone is telling her she has to stop looking, but that means no house for the family. With limited choices, she presses on grimly. The poverty of the film is almost violent. I've never been to the Ozarks and, while I hope there isn't this sort of poverty, I'm shaken to think there probably is.
This film is finely crafted with great pace and feel, as well as fine performances that seem completely believable (well at least to me who's never been within two thousand miles of that world.) There is a realism throughout and the film doesn't seem to embellish much. When someone gets beat up you don't see the acts you just see the results. The story is told without the need for slow motion action sequences.
Wonderful film and well worth seeking out.
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Kids Are All Right - but is the Movie?
After seven years in the making, "The Kids Are All Right" was screened and extremely well received at the Sundance Film Festival. This is a tale about a long term and loving, but flawed and perhaps fading marriage. Nic, the Doctor and breadwinner (Annette Benning), and the "housewife" Jules (Julianne Moore) are the parents of one child each from the same sperm donor. When the eldest child Joni (Mia Wasikowska) turns 18 she's able to inquire on the identity of her father at the request of the younger brother, Laser (Josh Hutcherson) who is 15. They meet the father and the story follows the cast for the summer.
First I need to say that Laser is a stupid name for a kid. Just plain dumb. I enjoy the performance of Mark Ruffalo who plays the father Paul...but how could he manage to keep a straight face when telling a 15 year old "cool name" when the kid is introduced as Laser. I mean c'mon.
"Hi my name is Laser"
"Oh. Cool my name is Transistor"
"Sweet I think to make me they need to use some of you"
"I think my sister Saser makes too much noise" (a saser is like an ultrasonic rather than light based laser)
OR
"Honey I'm not sure if our son is going to be tormented enough in school. He will be in a minority as the child of Lesbian parents but do you think that's enough?"
"OH! Let's give him a name like Laser. That'll help!"
"Can we give him that 'Kick Me' T-Shirt when he's older?"
Anyway...we move on. Critics LOVED this movie. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 95% based on 200 reviews. So about 7% greater than "The Black Swan" or on par with "True Grit (2010)" or 9% higher than "Inception". I'm glad I'm writing a blog about more than just trying to be a critic. NO WAY is this movie that good. Sorry.
Years ago I went to see "Kiss of the Spider Woman" in the theaters when it was in full release. I went to see it based on critical acclaim. To this day I don't really trust critics. Horrible movie.
"The Kids Are All Right" was entertaining, to a point. A little more comedy would have helped, for me at least. The charming Ruffalo and his relationships with the family could have provided more grist for the humor mill. Instead the comedy is almost like meat in a borderline stew (sorry to any vegetarians) - just enough to keep you interested.
If this wins the Oscar the TV might not survive.
First I need to say that Laser is a stupid name for a kid. Just plain dumb. I enjoy the performance of Mark Ruffalo who plays the father Paul...but how could he manage to keep a straight face when telling a 15 year old "cool name" when the kid is introduced as Laser. I mean c'mon.
"Hi my name is Laser"
"Oh. Cool my name is Transistor"
"Sweet I think to make me they need to use some of you"
"I think my sister Saser makes too much noise" (a saser is like an ultrasonic rather than light based laser)
OR
"Honey I'm not sure if our son is going to be tormented enough in school. He will be in a minority as the child of Lesbian parents but do you think that's enough?"
"OH! Let's give him a name like Laser. That'll help!"
"Can we give him that 'Kick Me' T-Shirt when he's older?"
Anyway...we move on. Critics LOVED this movie. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 95% based on 200 reviews. So about 7% greater than "The Black Swan" or on par with "True Grit (2010)" or 9% higher than "Inception". I'm glad I'm writing a blog about more than just trying to be a critic. NO WAY is this movie that good. Sorry.
Years ago I went to see "Kiss of the Spider Woman" in the theaters when it was in full release. I went to see it based on critical acclaim. To this day I don't really trust critics. Horrible movie.
"The Kids Are All Right" was entertaining, to a point. A little more comedy would have helped, for me at least. The charming Ruffalo and his relationships with the family could have provided more grist for the humor mill. Instead the comedy is almost like meat in a borderline stew (sorry to any vegetarians) - just enough to keep you interested.
If this wins the Oscar the TV might not survive.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Black Swan - Cool Ballet?
To understand "Black Swan", it helps to know the previous work of the director Darren Aronofsky. I didn't while watching the movie but I wish I would have. The movie is very well done and draws more than a few parallels with "The Wrestler". I think both movies speak to the dedication and commitment of performers but obviously from different ends of the "High Brow" spectrum. Just as Aronofsky built a level of compassion to the broken down and out Mickey Rourke, he builds empathy with (Nina Sayers) Portman as she struggles with a quest, not only for perfection but also while discovering a darker side she must include in her dance.
Everything I know about ballet could be written on a really small piece of paper with a rather large crayon. I've seen "Swan Lake" but I was a kid and didn't enjoy it even a little bit. I did see a presentation by the local company in elementary school and it was sorta cool...but that's about it. I mean let's remember this was invented by the French. The French know how to cook and surrender. Anything else is a stretch.
Thank goodness for the "Interwebz". Swan Lake was written by Tchaikovsky and the music is superb. Turns out the most common version shown today is based on a "revival" with minor changes to the score and staging. I won't do the story much justice but, just in case you don't know the outline, the plot summary is:
The movie follows a dancer who is obsessed with perfection and is given the lead in Swan Lake. As she goes deeper and deeper into the part of the Black Swan, and as she discovers more of her darker side, the movie turns into a psychological thriller of sorts. The lines between reality and fantasy start to blur for Sayers. She is overly controlled by her mother, overly threatened by another dancer, overly challenged by an Artistic Director (Vincent Cassel). Does she give the perfect performance?
Very solid performances by Portman, Hershey, Cassel and Kunis. I think Portman will win the Oscar for this one. She's grown into a powerful actress and she's certainly showing that. She shows subtlety and finesse which is a far cry from her stiff work on the Star Wars episodes. If my math is right, she's coming up on 30 years old and I believe we'll see some spectacular roles for her in the future.
For the non technical categories the film got nominations for Actress in a Leading Role (Natalie Portman), Cinematography (Matthew Libatique), Directing (Darren Aronofsky), and finally, best picture. The film is a money maker with a budget in the range of 10-12 million and a box office that will top 100 million.
I have no idea on the Cinematography or Editing awards, so I won't comment. I predict no joy on Best Picture or Directing with a walk up the stairs for Portman as best actress.
In another somewhat surprising rating this is also "R"
Everything I know about ballet could be written on a really small piece of paper with a rather large crayon. I've seen "Swan Lake" but I was a kid and didn't enjoy it even a little bit. I did see a presentation by the local company in elementary school and it was sorta cool...but that's about it. I mean let's remember this was invented by the French. The French know how to cook and surrender. Anything else is a stretch.
Thank goodness for the "Interwebz". Swan Lake was written by Tchaikovsky and the music is superb. Turns out the most common version shown today is based on a "revival" with minor changes to the score and staging. I won't do the story much justice but, just in case you don't know the outline, the plot summary is:
- Woman turned to white swan by curse
- Woman can be saved by the true love of a Prince
- Prince is fooled by the black swan
- White Swan dies because foolish Prince got fooled
The movie follows a dancer who is obsessed with perfection and is given the lead in Swan Lake. As she goes deeper and deeper into the part of the Black Swan, and as she discovers more of her darker side, the movie turns into a psychological thriller of sorts. The lines between reality and fantasy start to blur for Sayers. She is overly controlled by her mother, overly threatened by another dancer, overly challenged by an Artistic Director (Vincent Cassel). Does she give the perfect performance?
Very solid performances by Portman, Hershey, Cassel and Kunis. I think Portman will win the Oscar for this one. She's grown into a powerful actress and she's certainly showing that. She shows subtlety and finesse which is a far cry from her stiff work on the Star Wars episodes. If my math is right, she's coming up on 30 years old and I believe we'll see some spectacular roles for her in the future.
For the non technical categories the film got nominations for Actress in a Leading Role (Natalie Portman), Cinematography (Matthew Libatique), Directing (Darren Aronofsky), and finally, best picture. The film is a money maker with a budget in the range of 10-12 million and a box office that will top 100 million.
I have no idea on the Cinematography or Editing awards, so I won't comment. I predict no joy on Best Picture or Directing with a walk up the stairs for Portman as best actress.
In another somewhat surprising rating this is also "R"
Monday, January 31, 2011
Academy Award Nominees
Yep. My bad. I haven't posted in nine days but I do have a good excuse. I've been watching and reading about some/most of the Academy Award best picture nominees. If for no other reason so I can "Pooh Pooh" the choices made with some knowledge of the movie.
The Nominees are:
Before the nominations were made, I'd seen a measly three of the ten. That's part of the reason I took a short hiatus from the AFI list. I thought "Inception" would be there. It was a great movie with enough plot twists to keep you engaged and it was very enjoyable. I still rave about the movie to many of my friends. I was surprised "The Social Network" made the list. ANYONE saying something like "this is a great movie and will be relevant 20 or 30 years from now!" as they watch it? I mean if you were...then...sheesh. The story is good and the acting is good. It follows the book closely and tells a very interesting story, but didn't really add much. It shouldn't be nominated for best picture. "Toy Story 3" is great. Fine movie and Pixar has made nothing but great movies.
The movies I hadn't seen when the nomination list came out, but have since, are "The King's Speech", "127 Hours" and "The Fighter". First, "The King's Speech". Colin Firth got a nomination for best actor and it was well deserved. He does a great job and for my money plays a difficult part very well. He nailed the stammer and cadence of George VI (listen to a recording of the monarch's speech). Geoffrey Rush was very entertaining and the rest of the cast at least solid and in some cases marvelous. Rush has always been a favorite way back to Elizabeth in 1998. Whether or not the movie should have been nominated for as many Oscars as it was...is a topic for further discussion. Do yourself a favour and at least read the story of George V and his sons The Duke of York (George) and the Duke of Windsor (Edward). It will make the movie more enjoyable. Don't worry much about the R rating. It's for a couple. well a few, F Bombs dropped by Firth as part of the speech therapy. It's incomprehensible this film got an R rating.
Danny Boyle's direction of "127 Hours" is great and the movie is solid, but I think a 16mm black and white student-done version of this tale would still be solid. The story is so compelling it would be a challenge to mess it up, I think. Think of how you could make a poor movie of that story. There is a great style to the film and you can see the touch of the man who made Trainspotting with some quick cuts and unique camera angles.
Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg are both very believable in "The Fighter". I wasn't aware of the story so I didn't catch the many departures from life in the film. The fight scenes are OK at best but, to be fair, since I recently watched "Raging Bull" any fight scenes are going to pale in comparison. The film is gritty in its portrayal of the poor residents of Lowell MA and Melissa Leo is great. I would say that Amy Adams did a remarkable job as well. But the contrast in character from Charlie Wilson's War might have something to do with that.
I'll either watch another of the Oscar Nominees or back to the AFI list in the next couple days.
The Nominees are:
- "Black Swan" Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
- "The Fighter" David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
- "Inception" Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
- "The Kids Are All Right" Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
- "The King's Speech" Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin,Producers
- "127 Hours" Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
- "The Social Network" Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
- "Toy Story 3" Darla K. Anderson, Producer
- "True Grit" Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
- "Winter's Bone" Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers
Before the nominations were made, I'd seen a measly three of the ten. That's part of the reason I took a short hiatus from the AFI list. I thought "Inception" would be there. It was a great movie with enough plot twists to keep you engaged and it was very enjoyable. I still rave about the movie to many of my friends. I was surprised "The Social Network" made the list. ANYONE saying something like "this is a great movie and will be relevant 20 or 30 years from now!" as they watch it? I mean if you were...then...sheesh. The story is good and the acting is good. It follows the book closely and tells a very interesting story, but didn't really add much. It shouldn't be nominated for best picture. "Toy Story 3" is great. Fine movie and Pixar has made nothing but great movies.
The movies I hadn't seen when the nomination list came out, but have since, are "The King's Speech", "127 Hours" and "The Fighter". First, "The King's Speech". Colin Firth got a nomination for best actor and it was well deserved. He does a great job and for my money plays a difficult part very well. He nailed the stammer and cadence of George VI (listen to a recording of the monarch's speech). Geoffrey Rush was very entertaining and the rest of the cast at least solid and in some cases marvelous. Rush has always been a favorite way back to Elizabeth in 1998. Whether or not the movie should have been nominated for as many Oscars as it was...is a topic for further discussion. Do yourself a favour and at least read the story of George V and his sons The Duke of York (George) and the Duke of Windsor (Edward). It will make the movie more enjoyable. Don't worry much about the R rating. It's for a couple. well a few, F Bombs dropped by Firth as part of the speech therapy. It's incomprehensible this film got an R rating.
Danny Boyle's direction of "127 Hours" is great and the movie is solid, but I think a 16mm black and white student-done version of this tale would still be solid. The story is so compelling it would be a challenge to mess it up, I think. Think of how you could make a poor movie of that story. There is a great style to the film and you can see the touch of the man who made Trainspotting with some quick cuts and unique camera angles.
Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg are both very believable in "The Fighter". I wasn't aware of the story so I didn't catch the many departures from life in the film. The fight scenes are OK at best but, to be fair, since I recently watched "Raging Bull" any fight scenes are going to pale in comparison. The film is gritty in its portrayal of the poor residents of Lowell MA and Melissa Leo is great. I would say that Amy Adams did a remarkable job as well. But the contrast in character from Charlie Wilson's War might have something to do with that.
I'll either watch another of the Oscar Nominees or back to the AFI list in the next couple days.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Vertigo (1958) #9
When Vertigo premiered on AFI's list. it was at number 61. Its climb of 52 spots between the two lists is eclipsed by only "City Lights" (1931) which climbed 65, and "The Searchers" (1956), which climbed 84. Alfred Hitchcock was a <insert your superlative of choice here> director. Consider he has #9 (Vertigo), #14 (Psycho), #48 (Rear Window) and finally #55 (North by Northwest) in the tenth Anniversary Edition of the AFI list. All the movies were on the first list and it was a split (2 up and 2 down) in the rankings for the second. It would be close to, if not completely impossible, to find any meaningful list of the top 5 or 10 directors of all time that wouldn't contain Hitchcock.
Vertigo is an example of him at his prime. Four years previous to Vertigo he directed "Rear Window". He followed that up with To Catch a Thief (1955), The Trouble with Harry (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and finally The Wrong Man (1956). Not bad, right? His next 3 were Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959) and then he capped it off with Psycho (1960). Simply astounding. Hitchcock finds another blond for the female lead in Kim Novak (remember he worked with Grace Kelly, Tippy Hedron, Eva Marie Saint, Janet Leigh) ... He liked his blonds. On a side note I do have to say that Grace Kelly was simply stunning. I certainly wasn't around when she was a big star, but holy smokes. I mean she was stunning in "High Noon", she was stunning in "Rear Window" and she was stunning in every photo I've ever seen of her. But since my wife is already crabby at me for going on about Grace, I'd better shut up now.
The film follows the relationship between John 'Scottie' Ferguson (James Stewart) and Madelaine Elster (Kim Novak), the wife of a college buddy of Ferguson. Since Ferguson has just retired from the police force due to acrophobia (fear of heights), Gavin Elster asks him to follow his wife because she's acting strangely. In fact, his wife is acting so strangely that Elster believes she's been possessed by the spirit of a long dead woman named Carlotta Valdez (no relation to Juan the guy with the mule and coffee). Stewart and Novak fall in love but sadly Novak succumbs to the darkness of Carlotta and jumps out of a bell tower which sends Scottie into a spiral of melancholia. Miss Ellie from Dallas (Barbara Bel Geddes) helps to nurse him back to his feet.
About a year later he meets...well in today's terms stalks and then meets, a woman who looks amazingly like the dead Madelaine. The resemblance is so striking he remakes the woman into Madelaine's image using hair, clothes and makeup. It's really creepy and I think both Stewart and Novak do a remarkable job. What Stewart doesn't know is he's been the victim of a hoax and Kim Novak was one of the set pieces used in the deception. I'm not doing it justice by any means.
As is the case with all of Hitchcock's work the film is very meticulous. The camera angles and shot compositions are remarkable with the use of low camera angles to keep you thinking of height. Gently reminding you they are always there...tall buildings and towers and and and. Very subtle and effective.
A must see and worth the time, effort and money to get and slump in the Lazy-Boy and watch.
Vertigo is an example of him at his prime. Four years previous to Vertigo he directed "Rear Window". He followed that up with To Catch a Thief (1955), The Trouble with Harry (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and finally The Wrong Man (1956). Not bad, right? His next 3 were Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959) and then he capped it off with Psycho (1960). Simply astounding. Hitchcock finds another blond for the female lead in Kim Novak (remember he worked with Grace Kelly, Tippy Hedron, Eva Marie Saint, Janet Leigh) ... He liked his blonds. On a side note I do have to say that Grace Kelly was simply stunning. I certainly wasn't around when she was a big star, but holy smokes. I mean she was stunning in "High Noon", she was stunning in "Rear Window" and she was stunning in every photo I've ever seen of her. But since my wife is already crabby at me for going on about Grace, I'd better shut up now.
The film follows the relationship between John 'Scottie' Ferguson (James Stewart) and Madelaine Elster (Kim Novak), the wife of a college buddy of Ferguson. Since Ferguson has just retired from the police force due to acrophobia (fear of heights), Gavin Elster asks him to follow his wife because she's acting strangely. In fact, his wife is acting so strangely that Elster believes she's been possessed by the spirit of a long dead woman named Carlotta Valdez (no relation to Juan the guy with the mule and coffee). Stewart and Novak fall in love but sadly Novak succumbs to the darkness of Carlotta and jumps out of a bell tower which sends Scottie into a spiral of melancholia. Miss Ellie from Dallas (Barbara Bel Geddes) helps to nurse him back to his feet.
About a year later he meets...well in today's terms stalks and then meets, a woman who looks amazingly like the dead Madelaine. The resemblance is so striking he remakes the woman into Madelaine's image using hair, clothes and makeup. It's really creepy and I think both Stewart and Novak do a remarkable job. What Stewart doesn't know is he's been the victim of a hoax and Kim Novak was one of the set pieces used in the deception. I'm not doing it justice by any means.
As is the case with all of Hitchcock's work the film is very meticulous. The camera angles and shot compositions are remarkable with the use of low camera angles to keep you thinking of height. Gently reminding you they are always there...tall buildings and towers and and and. Very subtle and effective.
A must see and worth the time, effort and money to get and slump in the Lazy-Boy and watch.
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Wild Bunch (1969) #79
For my money, this is the best work of director "Bloody Sam" (Sam Peckinpah). The violence is raw and visceral as are the characters. Peckinpah was a pioneer of the revisionist genre and "The Wild Bunch" is one of the seminal works of the genre. The Production Code was no more and that freedom allowed Pekinpah to present a film with innovative depictions of violence as well as portraying anti-heroes. Pike Bishop (William Holden) is the central character but his shooting of a comrade early in the film solidifies his position as an anti-hero and prepares the viewer for a film that will challenge some of the conceptions of the Western Genre.
Set against the early teens of the 1900's, the story follows aging outlaws whose time is coming to an end. The automobile makes an appearance in the film and the initial gunfight includes actual sidewalks and park benches. This places the film at the end of, rather than the beginning or prime of an era. No longer is all the shooting with Colt revolvers and Winchester rifles, but with Semi-Automatic Pistols, Springfield Rifles and a Browning Machine Gun. The outlaws are dirty and you can almost smell them as you see them on screen. Strother Martin plays a despicable bounty hunter aptly described as "gutter trash" by Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan). The Wild Bunch have to shoot their way out of town with the haul of "steel holes" and lose a significant number. The gunfight is almost climactic in feel and would usually be seen at the end, rather than the beginning, of a movie.
Attempting to make one "big score", they take on the US Army now to steal weapons for Mexican General Mapache (Emilio Fernández). Note that one of his henchmen was Lt. Herrera played by Alfonso Arau, who moved up the ranks of Mexican banditry and by 1986 was El Guapo in "Three Amigos" with Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short. No, I don't know why Three Amigos isn't on the AFI list either. It really is a travesty! OK. Yes I'm kidding but I did have to do the research after I realized I'd seen Arau in other movies. The robbery goes off and they get paid their gold by Mapache. But, then Bishop gets noble and attempts to save one of their own, Angel (Jaime Sánchez). A lot of slow motion and blood would be one way to describe the fight sequence and it is very well done. It's raw just as intended.
The movie runs just under 2 1/2 hours and did move slowly at times. The influence from "Seven Samurai" is then passed on to Tarantino in "Reservoir Dogs" and other movies. Film makers John Woo, Martin Scorsese and others directly attribute influence from "Bloody Sam". Another film on the list, "Unforgiven", is heavily influenced by the Wild Bunch and portrayal of the anti-hero. Later Spaghetti Westerns were certainly influenced as were other movies with Clint Eastwood. The cast is great and includes Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates and Ben Johnson, all of which you'd recognize from other works. The screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay up against "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", "Bob and Carol & Ted & Alice", "The Damned" and "Easy Rider". Losing to Butch Cassidy et. al. had to take some of the sting out of it.
Peckinpah's work influenced a generation of film makers. His hard drinking and drug abuse are legendary as well as his combative personality. Anyone who is mentioned alongside "The Duke, John Cassavetes, Lee Marvin" with a case of whiskey by Denis Leary had to have done something wrong/right.
Certainly should be on the list. It's a seminal work of a genre. Great Movie.
Set against the early teens of the 1900's, the story follows aging outlaws whose time is coming to an end. The automobile makes an appearance in the film and the initial gunfight includes actual sidewalks and park benches. This places the film at the end of, rather than the beginning or prime of an era. No longer is all the shooting with Colt revolvers and Winchester rifles, but with Semi-Automatic Pistols, Springfield Rifles and a Browning Machine Gun. The outlaws are dirty and you can almost smell them as you see them on screen. Strother Martin plays a despicable bounty hunter aptly described as "gutter trash" by Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan). The Wild Bunch have to shoot their way out of town with the haul of "steel holes" and lose a significant number. The gunfight is almost climactic in feel and would usually be seen at the end, rather than the beginning, of a movie.
Attempting to make one "big score", they take on the US Army now to steal weapons for Mexican General Mapache (Emilio Fernández). Note that one of his henchmen was Lt. Herrera played by Alfonso Arau, who moved up the ranks of Mexican banditry and by 1986 was El Guapo in "Three Amigos" with Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short. No, I don't know why Three Amigos isn't on the AFI list either. It really is a travesty! OK. Yes I'm kidding but I did have to do the research after I realized I'd seen Arau in other movies. The robbery goes off and they get paid their gold by Mapache. But, then Bishop gets noble and attempts to save one of their own, Angel (Jaime Sánchez). A lot of slow motion and blood would be one way to describe the fight sequence and it is very well done. It's raw just as intended.
The movie runs just under 2 1/2 hours and did move slowly at times. The influence from "Seven Samurai" is then passed on to Tarantino in "Reservoir Dogs" and other movies. Film makers John Woo, Martin Scorsese and others directly attribute influence from "Bloody Sam". Another film on the list, "Unforgiven", is heavily influenced by the Wild Bunch and portrayal of the anti-hero. Later Spaghetti Westerns were certainly influenced as were other movies with Clint Eastwood. The cast is great and includes Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates and Ben Johnson, all of which you'd recognize from other works. The screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay up against "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", "Bob and Carol & Ted & Alice", "The Damned" and "Easy Rider". Losing to Butch Cassidy et. al. had to take some of the sting out of it.
Peckinpah's work influenced a generation of film makers. His hard drinking and drug abuse are legendary as well as his combative personality. Anyone who is mentioned alongside "The Duke, John Cassavetes, Lee Marvin" with a case of whiskey by Denis Leary had to have done something wrong/right.
Certainly should be on the list. It's a seminal work of a genre. Great Movie.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Apocalypse Now (1979) #30
Apocalypse Later?
There was a whole list of things that went wrong during the filming of Apocalypse Now. A star had a heart attack (Martin Sheen), there was severe weather that destroyed sets (Typhoon Olga), and another star showed up very overweight for filming (Marlon Brando). Heck, the movie took so long to produce that Laurence (billed as Larry) Fishburne, who was 15 when he said in the movie he was 17, was 17 when the movie was released. Clear?
The uncharitable part of my soul wonders if Coppola shouldn't have taken a hint. If the primary reason for a film's “being” is to entertain, then this fails. I don't think Coppola wanted to entertain much since he was depicting the difference between good and evil and making a statement on modern warfare. He was trying to get a reaction rather than entertain.
If you haven't seen the movie yet, then you probably want to stop reading. Lots of spoilers to follow.
The movie is an adaptation of the novella "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. In the written work, the introspective Marlow journeys up the Congo River to meet the reputedly idealist and very able Kurtz. During the journey Marlow views abuse, excess and insanity on the river. He witnesses brutality to civilians and a lack of leadership. You should get picture. Apocalypse Now has the same general elements. Captain Bejamin L. Willard (Sheen) stands in for Marlow and witnesses much of the same type of excesses. He continues to read reports and information about Kurtz as he travels up the river and begins to admire him.
So the plot is:
- Officer asked to travel up river to kill renegade (and nuts) Colonel
- Officer reads about Colonel and starts to admire and empathize with nutty Colonel
- Officer sees strange, cruel and “insane” actions by both the US and the Vietnamese/ Cambodians
- Officer makes it to Colonel. Colonel IS nutso, army officer kills Colonel and gets back on boat
- Boat heads up or down river (in the version I watched it's not clear which). The Officer has either fulfilled his mission and is going back to base or has decided to take over the position of nutty Colonel.
A few days ago I wrote about "Duck Soup" and felt it was a number of gags held together by a little story. I think Apocalypse Now is a bunch of images and snap shots held together by a little story. Coppola shot millions of feet of film for this movie and many of the images are stunning and interesting. But, how many times do you need to see 20 helicopters flying in formation in one sequence? Does that add to the emotional impact of the film or does it just show everyone how pretty the cinematography is? Some of the imagery is as it is because Brando was so overweight. Not only did that require filming in a very dark and stylistic fashion, but it also required changing the ending from what was originally intended by Coppola. The ruins where Kurtz is found look like Khmer, most notably the carvings/statues of faces that have weathered until it's clear they are a bunch of rocks not just one big rock. But...this wasn't filmed in Cambodia but in Manilla....so...full marks for historical accuracy I guess.
There are some very memorable scenes/quotes such as Robert Duvall and his famous little chat about napalm smelling like victory. Dennis Hopper plays semi nutty and frenetic Dennis Hopper...again...as the photojournalist who's spent time with Kurtz. Some of Kurt's lines are memorable and even have some deeper meaning I suspect. But honestly I don't like to think that hard when I'm watching a movie. I like to watch movies to be entertained. Sure the movie can have a message and I'll even ponder the deeper meaning and symbolism but only to a point. T. S. Elliot's "The Hollow Men" is recited by Kurtz but I don't think the most famous portion of the poem, the conclusion, is:
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but with a whimper
Should it be on the list? I think so. Many people much smarter than I am rave about the movie. Critics are mixed but the film is widely touted as great and did portray how messed up Vietnam was, or at least how messed up we've been lead to believe it was. How's that for recursive? It's about good vs evil and gives us a message about being ruthless in war and whether that makes the war worth winning.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) #98
I'm Canadian and my wife 'merican. Our thoughts on this movie will differ some I suspect. The Biopic based on the life of George M. Cohan has just a little flag waving...well a lot of flag waving. But that only makes sense. Cohan was a loud and boisterous patriot based on his work. He even received a Congressional Gold Medal from FDR, but it was in June of 1936, not during WW II as portrayed. The medal was for morale during WW I for the songs You're a Grand Old Flag and Over There. He was the first recipient from the entertainment industry, as mentioned by FDR. I think I might have the indentations of stripes and stars on my forehead from being beaten with the flag...but this was 1942 and Cohan was a flag waver. I'm pretty sure my wife was sniffling with pride whenever one of the patriotic numbers was being shown.
Cagney beat out Gary Cooper (Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees) to win his only Oscar for Best Actor that year. Ironic, since Cagney is best remembered for his work as playing gangsters. It was only a decade since his breakthrough movie The Public Enemy (1931) that contains the fantastic scene of him smushing a grapefruit into the face of Mae Clarke. Cagney was like, as my Grandfather would say, a Bantam Rooster always looking to push back. And this part of his personality shines through in this role. Cagney started as a song and dance man and his singing style matched Cohan's. I don't think anyone would say he wasn't a much better hoofer than singer.
Now, you may have noticed this is a Musical and the AFI seems to LOVE musicals. But, the movie was nominated for Best Picture although it lost to Mrs. Miniver?? Good job on that one Academy! I can't say for sure on Mrs. Miniver (since I haven't seen it...but to be fair I hadn't even heard of it until I looked to see who won the Oscar in '42) but it's surprising to me how many best picture winners don't appear on the list at all. The Last Emperor or Shakespeare in Love or Cimarron or The Life of Emile Zola are "probably" not going to make an appearance. I REALLY like Mel Gibson as an actor. I loved the Mad Max movies and thoroughly enjoyed Braveheart. But does anyone think it'll be on the list of the 100 greatest movies of all time?? Anyway, Yankee Doodle Dandy was well received when released, and Cohan was a titanic force on Broadway. He's probably the father of musical comedy for stage. Cagney can dance, and sings well enough so the movie is enjoyable to watch even now. My only real complaint is they could have cut a bunch of Fay Templeton (Irene Manning) singing with a more operatic style.
Probably should be on the list. Just don't expect me to be waving the Stars and Stripes while watching it.
Cagney beat out Gary Cooper (Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees) to win his only Oscar for Best Actor that year. Ironic, since Cagney is best remembered for his work as playing gangsters. It was only a decade since his breakthrough movie The Public Enemy (1931) that contains the fantastic scene of him smushing a grapefruit into the face of Mae Clarke. Cagney was like, as my Grandfather would say, a Bantam Rooster always looking to push back. And this part of his personality shines through in this role. Cagney started as a song and dance man and his singing style matched Cohan's. I don't think anyone would say he wasn't a much better hoofer than singer.
Now, you may have noticed this is a Musical and the AFI seems to LOVE musicals. But, the movie was nominated for Best Picture although it lost to Mrs. Miniver?? Good job on that one Academy! I can't say for sure on Mrs. Miniver (since I haven't seen it...but to be fair I hadn't even heard of it until I looked to see who won the Oscar in '42) but it's surprising to me how many best picture winners don't appear on the list at all. The Last Emperor or Shakespeare in Love or Cimarron or The Life of Emile Zola are "probably" not going to make an appearance. I REALLY like Mel Gibson as an actor. I loved the Mad Max movies and thoroughly enjoyed Braveheart. But does anyone think it'll be on the list of the 100 greatest movies of all time?? Anyway, Yankee Doodle Dandy was well received when released, and Cohan was a titanic force on Broadway. He's probably the father of musical comedy for stage. Cagney can dance, and sings well enough so the movie is enjoyable to watch even now. My only real complaint is they could have cut a bunch of Fay Templeton (Irene Manning) singing with a more operatic style.
Probably should be on the list. Just don't expect me to be waving the Stars and Stripes while watching it.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Duck Soup (1933) #60
In the original AFI list, Duck Soup was #85 so it climbed a healthy 25 spots. The new #85 is A Night at the Opera (1935) which debuted on the tenth anniversary list. Ain't coincidence great? Duck Soup was the last Marx Brothers film for Paramount. During production there were bitter contract negotiations going on. The plot is simple and the movie relies on gags from the Marx Brothers glued together with a little story. Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) is appointed leader of bankrupt Freedonia at the insistence of Mrs. Gloria Teasdale (Margaret Dumont). Harpo and Chico are spys for rival state Sylvania. Zeppo, in his last Marx Brothers film, plays the straight man secretary to the over the top Groucho. There's a war between Freedonia and Sylvania later in the movie due to Groucho's insults of the Sylvanian Ambassador. That's the plot summary.
The gags are funny. Chico and Harpo messing with a street vendor and all three of them swapping hats is funny. Not laugh out loud funny...but amusing. The mirror gag (two actors facing each other with one pretending they are the reflection of the other) was a classic then and Harpo and Groucho perform it well. If you like the Marx Brothers then you'll love the movie. If you don't then you won't. I don't think the movie has aged well. It would seem the judges for AFI thought it did but I can think of half a dozen comedies I'd much rather see that weren't even on the list. Just being old shouldn't be any part of the criteria for inclusion.
Actually it's probably time to lay out the process used by AFI to come up with the list. There was a ballot of 400 movies sent to 1500 judges. There are some fantastic comedies that didn't even make the list of 400 movies. I suspect the inclusion of the film boils down to two basic items:
The gags are funny. Chico and Harpo messing with a street vendor and all three of them swapping hats is funny. Not laugh out loud funny...but amusing. The mirror gag (two actors facing each other with one pretending they are the reflection of the other) was a classic then and Harpo and Groucho perform it well. If you like the Marx Brothers then you'll love the movie. If you don't then you won't. I don't think the movie has aged well. It would seem the judges for AFI thought it did but I can think of half a dozen comedies I'd much rather see that weren't even on the list. Just being old shouldn't be any part of the criteria for inclusion.
Actually it's probably time to lay out the process used by AFI to come up with the list. There was a ballot of 400 movies sent to 1500 judges. There are some fantastic comedies that didn't even make the list of 400 movies. I suspect the inclusion of the film boils down to two basic items:
- Everyone has heard of the Marx Brothers and while you may not have seen it recently or remember specifics you "know" they're funny since well...everyone knows they're funny.
- The mirror scene/gag. While not the first it was a great rendition and was then used a number of times by others.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Platoon (1986) #86
For the first time it's a film I actually saw in the theatre when it was released. If this was the twenty-fifth or seventy-third entry that would be unusual I guess. But since it's really only the third I've blogged about, it's probably not worth mentioning. You're not going to get those 15 seconds back you spent reading that. Sorry.
Oliver Stone's second movie about Vietnam might be the best film he's made to date. You can't really count the first Vietnam film since it was a short made during film school. Platoon is a fine piece of film making and I assert was a major component in the healing of the wounds produced by Vietnam. When Platoon was released the Vietnam War was just over ten years past. The fall of Saigon was in April of 1975. The US involvement was largely over at that point and an interesting side note is that the oil crisis of late 1973 meant the South Vietnamese couldn't make use of the advantage they held in aircraft and armor. Since the oil crisis was brought about by an embargo because the US chose to resupply Israel during the Yom Kippur War, one could say the attack by Syria and Egypt on Israel caused the fall of Saigon. Sort of...
I digress. The movie did help to start the healing however. I clearly remember interviews with Vietnam veterans regarding the movie and the dialog and change in perspective since there was at least some nobility to the grunts. Charlie Sheen is the "child" of the two fathers one good, Elias (Willem Dafoe) and one bad, Barnes (Tom Berenger). The movie portrays the struggle of the men in the platoon between the two factions. I wasn't in Vietnam nor have I seen any shots fired in anger (well, except around the dinner table during holidays and the shots are verbal), but the combat scenes were touted as very realistic and veterans were cautioned to take someone with them when seeing the film.
Remember the time. Ten years since the national insanity that Vietnam brought on. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall was only completed a few years earlier (1982). I'm not aware of any feature length movies about Vietnam that portrayed any of the combatants in a positive light released before this. Good Morning Vietnam (1987), Full Metal Jacket (1987) or even Casualties of War (1987) all followed Platoon. Platoon set the stage for a dialog that I would argue allowed the public to heal from some of Vietnam.
Purely on the merit of the film...well the writing is good and the performances are good. Look for a very young Johnny Depp. Re-watching the movie it doesn't surprise me much that it dropped on the list from 83 to 86, which might mean it's in danger of being removed in the future. I mean it is a good movie and perhaps even a great movie. But for my money it's on the list more for the significance of its time and its material more than its quality as a movie. It's worth watching but I'm not going to add it to the list of movies I would like to see again in the next few years.
Oliver Stone's second movie about Vietnam might be the best film he's made to date. You can't really count the first Vietnam film since it was a short made during film school. Platoon is a fine piece of film making and I assert was a major component in the healing of the wounds produced by Vietnam. When Platoon was released the Vietnam War was just over ten years past. The fall of Saigon was in April of 1975. The US involvement was largely over at that point and an interesting side note is that the oil crisis of late 1973 meant the South Vietnamese couldn't make use of the advantage they held in aircraft and armor. Since the oil crisis was brought about by an embargo because the US chose to resupply Israel during the Yom Kippur War, one could say the attack by Syria and Egypt on Israel caused the fall of Saigon. Sort of...
I digress. The movie did help to start the healing however. I clearly remember interviews with Vietnam veterans regarding the movie and the dialog and change in perspective since there was at least some nobility to the grunts. Charlie Sheen is the "child" of the two fathers one good, Elias (Willem Dafoe) and one bad, Barnes (Tom Berenger). The movie portrays the struggle of the men in the platoon between the two factions. I wasn't in Vietnam nor have I seen any shots fired in anger (well, except around the dinner table during holidays and the shots are verbal), but the combat scenes were touted as very realistic and veterans were cautioned to take someone with them when seeing the film.
Remember the time. Ten years since the national insanity that Vietnam brought on. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall was only completed a few years earlier (1982). I'm not aware of any feature length movies about Vietnam that portrayed any of the combatants in a positive light released before this. Good Morning Vietnam (1987), Full Metal Jacket (1987) or even Casualties of War (1987) all followed Platoon. Platoon set the stage for a dialog that I would argue allowed the public to heal from some of Vietnam.
Purely on the merit of the film...well the writing is good and the performances are good. Look for a very young Johnny Depp. Re-watching the movie it doesn't surprise me much that it dropped on the list from 83 to 86, which might mean it's in danger of being removed in the future. I mean it is a good movie and perhaps even a great movie. But for my money it's on the list more for the significance of its time and its material more than its quality as a movie. It's worth watching but I'm not going to add it to the list of movies I would like to see again in the next few years.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The General (1926/1927) #18
Notice the year of release. IMDB says 1926, as does Wikipedia in its main article. Then Wikipedia cites 1927 in a reference from the article on Buster Keaton and the AFI list says 1927. Since I wasn't alive I guess I'll never know for sure!
But I do know Buster Keaton was a genius! Keaton co-wrote and co-directed the film, and starred in it as well. It's a gem and it made its debut on the on the tenth anniversary AFI list at number eighteen. Remarkable that it wasn't on the first list and yet debuted so highly on the second.
"He had two loves. His engine, AND --"
Keaton plays the engineer of the "General" for a railroad in Marietta GA during the Civil War. When Fort Sumter is fired upon Keaton (Johnnie Gray) rushes to be the first in line to enlist. Sadly he is rejected because he's more valuable to the South in his current capacity. This greatly distresses his second love Annabelle Lee who considers him a coward.
His redemption occurs when the Union Army steals the General and Johnnie travels across enemy lines to rescue not only the General but also Annabelle.
"In the enemy's country - hopelessly lost, helplessly cold and horribly hungry."
"The Great Stone Face" is remarkable. Throughout the movie he expresses confusion, joy, sadness and surprise with incredible subtlety. With those huge eyes and a blink or two he can express a remarkable amount of emotion. I'm not sure anyone else even comes close on the deadpan scale.
Keaton was a master of physical comedy and does a wonderful job of scampering over the train or climbing in and out of windows or any other number of sight gags. Watch for him making a perfect throw with a chunk of firewood to try and knock the cannon's aim away from him. I have no idea what it's called but he does a great hopping on one leg as he rounds corners or changes direction much like Charlie Chaplin. Or perhaps Charlie Chaplin does it much like Buster Keaton? I guess it has to be Keaton like Chaplin since Buster was six years the junior to Charlie.
Very enjoyable seventy-five minutes or so!
But I do know Buster Keaton was a genius! Keaton co-wrote and co-directed the film, and starred in it as well. It's a gem and it made its debut on the on the tenth anniversary AFI list at number eighteen. Remarkable that it wasn't on the first list and yet debuted so highly on the second.
"He had two loves. His engine, AND --"
Keaton plays the engineer of the "General" for a railroad in Marietta GA during the Civil War. When Fort Sumter is fired upon Keaton (Johnnie Gray) rushes to be the first in line to enlist. Sadly he is rejected because he's more valuable to the South in his current capacity. This greatly distresses his second love Annabelle Lee who considers him a coward.
His redemption occurs when the Union Army steals the General and Johnnie travels across enemy lines to rescue not only the General but also Annabelle.
"In the enemy's country - hopelessly lost, helplessly cold and horribly hungry."
"The Great Stone Face" is remarkable. Throughout the movie he expresses confusion, joy, sadness and surprise with incredible subtlety. With those huge eyes and a blink or two he can express a remarkable amount of emotion. I'm not sure anyone else even comes close on the deadpan scale.
Keaton was a master of physical comedy and does a wonderful job of scampering over the train or climbing in and out of windows or any other number of sight gags. Watch for him making a perfect throw with a chunk of firewood to try and knock the cannon's aim away from him. I have no idea what it's called but he does a great hopping on one leg as he rounds corners or changes direction much like Charlie Chaplin. Or perhaps Charlie Chaplin does it much like Buster Keaton? I guess it has to be Keaton like Chaplin since Buster was six years the junior to Charlie.
Very enjoyable seventy-five minutes or so!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Wizard of Oz (1939) #10
The Wizard of Oz is the first movie I selected from the list and it's at least a little appropriate. My wife swears her youngest daughter watched it on VHS once a day for a few years. The ball n' chain also says she can remember very clearly running out of the room screaming when the monkeys flew in to drag Dorothy away.
I've got to be honest. I don't like musicals much. The genre never made much sense to me even when I was a kid and thought there was no way anyone could just make up songs like that! The Wizard of Oz is part of our culture however. Oddly I don't think I ever watched it when I was a kid. It's possible I did but regardless, it's part of the shared experience I think. You can make reference to a cowardly lion and almost anyone will know what you're talking about. "We're not in Kansas anymore" is a phrase I have used when leading raids in WoW for pete's sake. Guild members in their teens will still know what the heck I'm talking about.
There's a chant that the guards of the Wicked Witch of the West sing while the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion are watching during their rescue attempt of Dorothy and Toto. It's the same chant that's heard in O Brother, Where Art Thou? has when the KKK is about to string up a black guitar player. This is another example of how the the movie has become part of our culture and should be on the AFI list.
The transition from black and white to colour, and the belief of some that it was the first feature live action colour film, adds to this cultural significance. We should note it wasn't even close to the first live action colour film. Aside from dyed films or films painted frame by frame there were colour films all the way back to 1912 using Kinemacolor. There are also Technicolor films dating back to the early 20's.
No doubt it should be in the top 100 but the top 10? Not so sure. A great film and I think Bert Lahr was absolutely fabulous! The history and stories about the film are also very interesting. From the Munchkins being rowdy to the allergic reaction of Buddy Ebson to the aluminum make-up that was originally powder rather than paste. The Munchkin stories are myth and in part due to a movie Under the Rainbow staring Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher. The movie depicted a Culver City hotel that has some Munchkins as guests during filming.
Only 99 more to go!
I've got to be honest. I don't like musicals much. The genre never made much sense to me even when I was a kid and thought there was no way anyone could just make up songs like that! The Wizard of Oz is part of our culture however. Oddly I don't think I ever watched it when I was a kid. It's possible I did but regardless, it's part of the shared experience I think. You can make reference to a cowardly lion and almost anyone will know what you're talking about. "We're not in Kansas anymore" is a phrase I have used when leading raids in WoW for pete's sake. Guild members in their teens will still know what the heck I'm talking about.
There's a chant that the guards of the Wicked Witch of the West sing while the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion are watching during their rescue attempt of Dorothy and Toto. It's the same chant that's heard in O Brother, Where Art Thou? has when the KKK is about to string up a black guitar player. This is another example of how the the movie has become part of our culture and should be on the AFI list.
The transition from black and white to colour, and the belief of some that it was the first feature live action colour film, adds to this cultural significance. We should note it wasn't even close to the first live action colour film. Aside from dyed films or films painted frame by frame there were colour films all the way back to 1912 using Kinemacolor. There are also Technicolor films dating back to the early 20's.
No doubt it should be in the top 100 but the top 10? Not so sure. A great film and I think Bert Lahr was absolutely fabulous! The history and stories about the film are also very interesting. From the Munchkins being rowdy to the allergic reaction of Buddy Ebson to the aluminum make-up that was originally powder rather than paste. The Munchkin stories are myth and in part due to a movie Under the Rainbow staring Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher. The movie depicted a Culver City hotel that has some Munchkins as guests during filming.
Only 99 more to go!
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