tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post8220238399955036063..comments2024-03-05T21:05:36.848-05:00Comments on CommentaramaFilms: The Great (film) Debates vol. 100AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-66931319144493156112013-11-18T14:12:47.845-05:002013-11-18T14:12:47.845-05:00Andrew,
Progressivium Selfhate. It's quite vi...Andrew,<br /><br />Progressivium Selfhate. It's quite vitriolic, and is widely used as fertilizer.Backthrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02289433396695381105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-19701682161468048882013-11-18T14:00:26.835-05:002013-11-18T14:00:26.835-05:00Backthrow, Or Beanorillium... or is it Liberalilli...Backthrow, Or Beanorillium... or is it Liberalillium? Hmm... both produce the same byproduct.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-6063747374471185882013-11-18T13:58:11.771-05:002013-11-18T13:58:11.771-05:00KRS, Very well said! I concur 100%, especially ab...KRS, Very well said! I concur 100%, especially about the connection you've drawn between the opposition to American exceptionalism and the push of cynicism. Very insightful!<br /><br /><br />BTW, I literally laughed out loud at the idea of "fracking asininite" and I'm still chuckling about that one. :)AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-71968397741287902412013-11-18T13:48:08.152-05:002013-11-18T13:48:08.152-05:00Asininite requires a catalyst, which of course wou...Asininite requires a catalyst, which of course would be cretinium.Backthrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02289433396695381105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-52026028899039190532013-11-18T13:27:52.109-05:002013-11-18T13:27:52.109-05:00This just in -
There's a new instructional v...This just in - <br /><br />There's a new instructional video on fracking asininite, but it’s rated NC-17.<br /><br />KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-47250455167691201152013-11-18T13:21:42.701-05:002013-11-18T13:21:42.701-05:00Btw, a little OT, but I saw a preview for "Th...Btw, a little OT, but I saw a preview for "The Book Thief," with Geoffrey Rush. Very intriguing and hopefully good. I haven't read the story, but I have hopes it will be a perspective on the holocaust that doesn't numb your senses and provides for some inspiration.<br /><br />That's what I think American movies should always have (Yay! Back on topic!) - some element that is uplifting, inspiring or ennobling. We have always been a hopeful, striving race, holding a belief that things can always be made better somehow and each of us will get a chance to make it so. Our cinema needs to reflect that ideal and it used to do it very well. Now, it seems to do it only in fits and bangs, like an engine that's not getting enough air.<br /><br />A movie can be gritty and it can end very badly, but if I come out inspired or uplifted by the sacrifice dramatized on screen - well, that's a helluva good movie. The obvious example being, "300," I am also very much wanting to see "Lone Survivor."<br /><br />That is also why our cinema was and remains the major target of liberals. Until American art is utterly captured by the unrelenting press of European cynicism, the progressive man cannot rule and the free man has a chance. <br /><br />In the end, I think American cinema - before the Age of Cynicism that Andrew critiques so well - found it's success in embracing and expressing American exceptionalism. Hence, the development of the "Hollywood Ending." Uplift, inspire and ennoble - that's exceptional.<br /><br />Finally, big business is risk averse and all too often that puts them in bed with progressives. The few times that Hollywood puts out a good, inspiring movie, it is mostly because it just happened to fit with a low risk business decision - a sequel to a comic book movie being the obvious example.<br /><br />So, I'll point at two causes for the condition of cinema today: deliberate progressive manipulation and unthinking corporate heavy hands.KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-59063390254257451162013-11-18T12:51:34.277-05:002013-11-18T12:51:34.277-05:00I should clarify- every mineral that exists in the...I should clarify- every mineral that exists in the galaxy, however rare, is going to be accessible without having to knock over a sacred tree. MHOKRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-34517247370503093542013-11-18T12:50:56.364-05:002013-11-18T12:50:56.364-05:00KRS, That's awesome! I have to steal that at ...KRS, That's awesome! I have to steal that at some point!AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-16102210224337673412013-11-18T12:48:10.740-05:002013-11-18T12:48:10.740-05:00Tryanmax - I'd go for renaming unobtainium - t...Tryanmax - I'd go for renaming unobtainium - the very concept of a mineral on an alien world that does not exist on Earth is so utterly asinine ...<br /><br />Ooo, I think I've got it - asininite?KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-49725631295918919332013-11-17T22:16:54.347-05:002013-11-17T22:16:54.347-05:00tryanmax, To put a fine point on it, there's a...tryanmax, To put a fine point on it, there's a sucker born every minute. And what that means is that there is a sizable chunk of the population who are little more than morons who can be sold anything if it's shiny... especially if you give them the sense that they actually saw something more.<br /><br />I think Hollywood has decided that those people are the more reliable audience worldwide, so that is what they cater to now.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-44729389838257290772013-11-17T22:12:21.205-05:002013-11-17T22:12:21.205-05:00John and Rustbelt, I think there is something to t...John and Rustbelt, I think there is something to that. When you do a film that is basically meant to involve some sort of current event or current personality, that film will likely feel dated and lose a good deal of its interest fairly quickly. That's the thing with "event" films that seem so great when you see them in theaters with a thousand people still in line outside, but seem so dull a year later when you see them on video after the event feel has vanished.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-50019467103988950442013-11-17T22:09:00.128-05:002013-11-17T22:09:00.128-05:00Rustbelt, I see it as a pretty dull film as well, ...Rustbelt, I see it as a pretty dull film as well, but I recognize it's place in cinema.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-1027031478231608172013-11-17T22:04:47.419-05:002013-11-17T22:04:47.419-05:00PikeBishop, it could've been worse. Cameron co...PikeBishop, it could've been worse. Cameron could have called it Macguffinite.tryanmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881154741574720094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-49329868062133802322013-11-17T22:01:16.517-05:002013-11-17T22:01:16.517-05:00John, Essentially, you want me to list my favorite...John, Essentially, you want me to list my favorite films?AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-69215387645754238522013-11-17T21:59:29.839-05:002013-11-17T21:59:29.839-05:00Backthrow, I do not know, but I can tell you that ...Backthrow, I do not know, but I can tell you that I see it in books too. There seems to be this mental barrier to people buying anything that isn't brand new. I don't get it. Let me think about it.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-65476781172649627182013-11-17T21:54:07.076-05:002013-11-17T21:54:07.076-05:00Jed, Them flirting on the train. That is one of t...Jed, Them flirting on the train. That is one of the sexiest scenes in cinema!AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-1177713267755626352013-11-17T21:49:31.224-05:002013-11-17T21:49:31.224-05:00Scott, Those are great points about the grittiness...Scott, Those are great points about the grittiness, especially as related to Superman. A guy who flies isn't real no matter what underwear he wears. I think the "real" argument is just an excuse for making a film that appeals to that person's tastes rather than the tastes of the people who are the current fans.<br /><br />And on the point T-Rav makes, that always strikes me as the artistic version of the "I was just following orders" excuse: I was only giving the public what it wants. That's false and they only use it when they are trying to explain away something crappy they've done... like excessive violence or adding sex to too much CGI. If you don't like something, then do it differently. Don't hide behind what you claim the public wants. That's just trying to pass the blame to a straw man.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-59901646089515395332013-11-17T20:18:11.380-05:002013-11-17T20:18:11.380-05:00Backthrow, in response to your question, I would s...Backthrow, in response to your question, I would say that I observe us in a time where there is more emphasis on the moment over the continuum. As such, there would naturally be a stronger draw to what's current. This is probably something with a natural ebb and flow and will reverse in time, and reverse again. <br /><br />A second consideration is that the aesthetic of film has changed at an increasing pace in recent years. This creates a greater sense of temporal distance from things that are really quite recent. And this sense would make those things seem more foreign and therefore less relatable and interesting. <br /><br />A third consideration is that maybe people are just keeping up on the blockbusters more and want to continue to do so. Along these same lines, maybe everybody just wants to see what their friends are seeing, and that is always more likely to be something recent. tryanmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881154741574720094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-4278641426444391922013-11-17T20:10:29.863-05:002013-11-17T20:10:29.863-05:00My question before the board is this: Is narrative...My question before the board is this: Is narrative the primary objective of cinema? <br /><br />Let me clarify that before the hasty answers come in. Of course there is some cinema which is wholly unconcerned with cinema, like music videos or art house nonsense. However, the popularity of things like the former is piggybacked on something else, and things like the latter generally aren't popular. Clearly as a stand-alone art form, narrative is vital to cinema. <br /><br />But is that the first concern of cinema? Ever increasing production values would seem to indicate that a compelling story takes a back seat to at least a certain degree of spectacle. The "big shiny" would seem at the very least to be the foot in the door. Furthermore, any number of films devote large portions of time to spectacle that doesn't forward a plot, to the chagrin of some but evidently not most. <br /><br />This is perhaps a question from the mind of a marketer. In my line of work it can sometimes be confusing whether we are trying to build an audience or engage it. Of course, the ideal is to do both, but ideals don't report in on a quarterly basis. And while it's true that sequence or prominence don't necessarily denote primacy, oftentimes they do. tryanmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881154741574720094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-43806062285146952072013-11-17T19:23:36.130-05:002013-11-17T19:23:36.130-05:00Rustbelt, many thanks for the link. That is quite ...Rustbelt, many thanks for the link. That is quite striking, assuming it is genuine. It is interesting to note that Stroheim is critical of the nonlinear narrative, something that modern audiences embrace (if it is done well, e.g., Memento, Usual Suspects). Where his analysis still resonates is in the observation that without the "rosebud" gimmick, the nonlinear narrative, and the implied contemporary Hearst reference, there is not enough substance here for such a substantial movie. That is why modern viewers often find it so boring.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18105609617071999765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-58513025031937918932013-11-17T19:04:51.843-05:002013-11-17T19:04:51.843-05:00Scott, that's actually a thought I've had ...Scott, that's actually a thought I've had before. While I can understand the desire of filmmakers to create movies that reflect our times, that can quickly turn into a cop-out. Not always, but you can't just make that your excuse. Sure, the present-day atmosphere encourages "grittiness," but you can either bow to that trend or make something totally against type, and hope that the audience will become more optimistic as a result. <br /><br />I think that's one reason why I like <i>The Avengers</i> so much. It's more colorful than a lot of movies nowadays, for one thing; and it's not afraid to be flat-out funny. T-Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10861218035729479354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-17690937905691847482013-11-17T18:43:09.951-05:002013-11-17T18:43:09.951-05:00John, it's interesting you bring up 'Citiz...John, it's interesting you bring up 'Citizen Kane.' Now, personally, I consider it a dreadfully boring movie- the worst example of a director's over-indulgence. <br />And for a while, I thought I was the only person who didn't get the film. But recently, I discovered a contemporary review of 'Kane.'<br />Erich von Stroheim took a look at the movie for a magazine called 'Decision'- which, according to the brief description, was a short-lived, anti-Nazi magazine. <a href="http://www.fredcamper.com/M/VonStroheim.html" rel="nofollow">LINK</a><br />It's pretty interesting. In particular, Stroheim has strong opinions on 'Rosebud' and the whole Hearst controversy that Welles-worshipping film snobs might consider heresy today.<br /><br />Feel free to read it and tell me what you think.Rustbelthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190297078043033514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-34004465932207434682013-11-17T16:58:43.110-05:002013-11-17T16:58:43.110-05:00I like the auction scene in NORTH BY NORTHWEST, Gr...I like the auction scene in NORTH BY NORTHWEST, Grant's drunk driving sequence, and the 'will-she-spot-the-note-or-will-they' in the mountain lodge, just prior to the Mt. Rushmore sequence, which I also like. Backthrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02289433396695381105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-11759398028268524992013-11-17T16:56:15.174-05:002013-11-17T16:56:15.174-05:00Andrew, I'd seen your Top 25s, and like them v...Andrew, I'd seen your Top 25s, and like them very much, partly for the reason you suggest: that you look for objective criteria. On the other hand, the influence on the genre is something that I might not care so much about as a modern viewer. For example, Citizen Kane was wonderfully innovative, but many people today would find it dull. Also, Empire Strikes Back is often regarded as a stronger movie than Star Wars, but does not appear on your list, as the main innovations already appeared in Star Wars. I guess I'm looking for a list that pretends all films were made yesterday. To appear on such a list, it is not enough for a movie to be "extraordinary for its time": it must have stood the test of time, and compare favorably with more recent films of similar type.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18105609617071999765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-43433445578682710632013-11-17T16:45:31.390-05:002013-11-17T16:45:31.390-05:00And as for North by Northwest, I love Saul Bass...And as for <i>North by Northwest</i>, I love Saul Bass' opening titles with Bernard Herrmann's playful theme, and I'm fond of using Grant's line, "...there's no such thing as a lie. There's only the expedient exaggeration..."<br /><br />And everything at the UN, culminating with that God's eye view <a href="http://mubi.com/notebook/posts/echoes-6" rel="nofollow">matte painting.</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com