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Spoilers What Movie Are You Watching?
- Thread starter Huntn
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Leaving books aside (ahem) for the moment, I am rather struck by the proliferation and popularity of these CGI, crash, bang, bomb, wallop, whizz, explode, these very noisy - and visually very spectacular - movies. They tend to be stories that are full of hot air (literally and metaphorically) and smoke and not much else - and ultimately, from a narrative perspective, are often very shallow - things.
Whatever happened to movies that prioritised plot, script, cast, character, atmosphere, cinematography? Or, rather, why is that nobody seems to be prepared to watch them, or to promote them any longer?
This afternoon, prior to replying to @pachyderm, who wrote a few days ago (on this very thread) that he had watched the movie "The Madness Of King George", I re-visited some of the details of that movie.
In many ways, it is typical of some of the movies made in the UK; the budget is not especially generous, or lavish, and special effects, needless to say, are non-existent.
However, the historical detail is meticulous (and I tend to be anal about such things), the research flawless, and - while most of the elements in the story are supported by verified historical sources, those that are imagined - the 'filling in of narrative gaps' (such as possible motivations for the actions of certain characters) tend to be pretty credible, once context and character are understood.
Then there is the understated style of acting favoured in the UK (and Europe), which I personally, prefer.
And the superb, stunning cast. The kind of cast you would pay to see, on stage, any day of the week.
This is a cast that includes Nigel Hawthorne (of Yes Minister fame), as King George, the outstanding Helen Mirren as his wife, Queen Charlotte, Jim Carter (most recently Mr Carson in Downton Abbey) as Charles James Fox, the radical politician, the wonderful Ian Holm as Dr Willis, Rupert Everett as Prinny, the Prince of Wales, and a host of other wonderfully talented and flawless acting talent in the other roles.
Anyway, this is a lovely, under-stated, brilliant, touching, bitter-sweet - and historically accurate - study of the disintegration of a man (who was a King), this is a movie that is beautifully acted and perfectly scripted. With a sublime soundtrack (and we have G. F. Handel, to thank for that).
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I'll take a stab at this....
It seems that as the world advances on with more and more general crap around the world (with even more presented to us almost instantly), the less and less people want to sit for 2 hours to view a movie that is deep, that you have to sit and ponder about or use a lot of brain power to follow the story.
As life speeds up more and more, the thought of just sitting back and watching something overly fanciful and light in story is easier to swallow and to transition back to dealing with the heavy stuff that life is throwing at us.
Fair enough, and thank you for taking the time to frame a thoughtful response.
Perhaps it is a generational thing, but I find myself bored watching much of what passes for entertainment these days (and the only time I seem to catch this stuff is on long distance flights, as I would never dream of seeing them in the cinema).
In fact, if I am not made to think, - or challenged or delighted in some way - in general - though there are exceptions, my deplorable love of spaghetti westerns being one - I consider watching a movie a waste of my time.
Alas, I would add to this sad state of affairs, the very prophetic statement of a Disney animation executive who said “People say ‘It’s all about the story,'” Hendrickson said. “When you’re making tentpole films, bull..."
I'll add my own thing: I love escaping through genre movies and I much prefer doing so with older films (60s, 70s and 80s) from other cultures partially because you can see all the hard work that goes into making those characters and that story come alive. If there's a story and great characters involved, wonderful. I like to be utterly transported with the characters, but even little girl comic book reading me is getting a little burnt on most of these Hollywood tentpoles because the characterization is left on the cutting room floor. That makes my heart ache just a bit.
And while I may not be looking for deep in my films, a few of the martial arts movies I've watched this past year have proven to be very deep and thought provoking. To the point of making me address my own stuff in real life. I've seen two or three since late April that really helped me on emotional levels and/or echoed I was doing the right thing by myself.
It's very sad, Hollywood no longer takes the time to make stories with people you want to know more about regardless of what type of film it is.
@Scepticalscribe - deplorable love of spaghetti westerns? Schlock Baby here says, Naah aaah. They're everything these current tentpoles are not: full of great characters and story.
Well, it is my - almost guilty pleasure because almost all of the rest of my life takes place on a sort of 'high cultural' plane, and politically - I wasn't a million miles from holding pacifist opinions, so those who thought they knew me tend to be somewhat perplexed at this visceral reaction of savage pleasure in the violence that spaghetti westerns have to offer.
But then, as the wonderful American poet Walt Whitman observed "Do I contradict myself? Very well, I contradict myself; I am large, I contain multitudes."
Anyway, I love spaghetti westerns.
I love the Baroque violence, the characters (Lee van Cleef in A Few Dollars More and in Sabata is an especial favourite), the stirring and sublime music. And I love the stories, too.
Above all, I thrill to the natural light, that harsh Goyaesque pattern of stark light and deep shadow mirroring the morality tales and the life and death duality of the movies.
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You're welcome. I am glad it came across coherent. I realize that as I get older and my MS slowly progresses, I have become somewhat less articulate. I generally try to re-read before I hit post, but with the scrambled thought process it can still look good and normal to me.
--Case in point to my original post....
I have "Ex Machina" in my queue to watch. From everything I have heard about it I will really enjoy it as it seems like my type of movie. Although since my life has currently gone really hectic with kids, school, work, house stuff... every time I pass it on my queue, I just sigh and think, "I'm really not in the mood to watch this right now." I just know it's going to take a lot of brain power to fully take in the story and not something I have currently in my mostly exhausted state of mind.
Ah, but they are high cultural plane in your heart. The way you describe what these movies mean to you reads no different to me than your wonderfully eloquent posts. It simply means there are many more facets to you than one would guess.
And Lee Van Cleef rules.
Ah, but they are high cultural plane in your heart. The way you describe what these movies mean to you reads no different to me than your wonderfully eloquent posts. It simply means there are many more facets to you than one would guess.
And Lee Van Cleef rules.
Thank you for your very kind words.
What are your thoughts of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon? The best student I ever taught thought it superb.
Oh, yes, agreed, absolutely, Lee van Cleef rules.
That final duel scene in For A Few Dollars More is one I could watch again and again. Cinematic perfection, flawlessly choreographed, stunning cinematography, the haunting music of Ennio Morricone to the chimes of the pocket watch, the composition and timing are sublime.
As are the emotions, because you have become invested in these characters, so what they do - and, tellingly - why they do it - has come to matter.
Thus, you can see the emotions conveyed by van Cleef (as Colonel Mortimer, his heartbroken yet dignified despair coupled with courage when he realises he won't get to the gun that had been shot out of his hand in time - all conveyed with a glance and grimly compressed lips and an unyielding stance), Gian Maria Volontè's stunning and sadistic psychopath, murdering, raping, robbing, maiming, inflicting pain everywhere he goes yet damaging himself irrevocably as he does so and unable to understand why inflicting pain on others won't rid him of his demons, and those mute - yet eloquent - emotions also conveyed by Clint Eastwood (Moncho) - shaking his head wordlessly as he covers Volontè (Indio) with his rifle while moving to give van Cleef support, make this a superb climax to that movie.
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Warcraft (2016)- As a once Warcraft and World Of Warcraft player, I can say this movie was ok, a lot of familiar settings and names. A decent story of how Orcs originally came to Azeroth, hybrid live action/massive CGI, lots of action, good animation, but nothing that gave me chills. At Rotten Tomatoes it gets a 26% but has an audience rating of 83%. Notice, that me saying OK is not raving about it. This was definitely Chapter 1 in a new franchise.
Thought Warcraft Flopped? Nope, It Changed Blockbusters forever- Wired Magazine:
OVER THE WEEKEND, Legendary Pictures’ Warcraft opened in the United States with just over $24 million at the box office. For a summer blockbuster that cost an estimated $160 million to make, that’s a flop any way you look at it; in fact, it made less in its opening weekend than recent summer flops Battleship, The Lone Ranger, even Fantastic Four.
But in China, Warcraft isn’t just doing better than it did in the U.S.—it’s breaking records. In five days, the film raked in $156 million, beating out last year’s Furious 7 to become the country’s highest-grossing opening for a foreign-produced film. To put that in the context of last year’s undisputed global hit: in China, Warcraft made more in five days than Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens did in its entire theatrical run ($124 million).
This was definitely Chapter 1 in a new franchise.
Thought Warcraft Flopped? Nope, It Changed Blockbusters forever- Wired Magazine:
OVER THE WEEKEND, Legendary Pictures’ Warcraft opened in the United States with just over $24 million at the box office. For a summer blockbuster that cost an estimated $160 million to make, that’s a flop any way you look at it; in fact, it made less in its opening weekend than recent summer flops Battleship, The Lone Ranger, even Fantastic Four.
But in China, Warcraft isn’t just doing better than it did in the U.S.—it’s breaking records. In five days, the film raked in $156 million, beating out last year’s Furious 7 to become the country’s highest-grossing opening for a foreign-produced film. To put that in the context of last year’s undisputed global hit: in China, Warcraft made more in five days than Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens did in its entire theatrical run ($124 million).
Claps.
See what I mean about how beautifully you describe these films? And I agree with every word.
For a Few Dollars More is my favorite of those films because of Van Cleef, Volonte and Eastwood. Gian Maria Volonte was an amazing actor. If you've never seen Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (stop me please if you have), it's a perverse satire, but superb (won the Best Foreign language Oscar in 1970 or 1971.) Criterion finally released it in 2014.
I thought Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was wonderful upon first viewing, but now that I have seen many films which inspired it I no longer think so. For modern Chinese swordplay films, I do enjoy Yimou's House of Flying Daggers (which is lovely on every level, I think you'd enjoy that) and the rather somber Curse of the Golden Flower (Crouching Tiger's Chow Yun-Fat plays one heck of a nasty Emperor), but I have to be in the right frame of mind to watch that.
"Harvey" with James Stewart just came on TCM. Great movie. One of my favorites of all time.
Claps.
See what I mean about how beautifully you describe these films? And I agree with every word.
Gian Maria Volonte was an amazing actor. If you've never seen Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (stop me please if you have), it's a perverse satire, but superb (won the Best Foreign language Oscar in 1970 or 1971.) Criterion finally released it in 2014.
I thought Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was wonderful upon first viewing, but now that I have seen many films which inspired it I no longer think so. For modern Chinese swordplay films, I do enjoy Yimou's House of Flying Daggers (which is lovely on every level, I think you'd enjoy that) and the rather somber Curse of the Golden Flower (Crouching Tiger's Chow Yun-Fat plays one heck of a nasty Emperor), but I have to be in the right frame of mind to watch that.
Ah, re the movie Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion I must admit that I have never actually seen it - although as someone who loves the much of Ennio Morricone, I have some of the soundtrack music on CDs, and hence, iPods.
Will most certainly keep an eye out for it, as I love those subtle and stylish European movies.
Thank you, also, for your recommendations re Chinese sword play movies.
Over the past weekend I saw Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016).
I always love Tim Burton films and especially with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
I always love Tim Burton films and especially with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
Citizen... is one of a few wonderful and darkly satirical films Italian director Elio Petri made. This and his earlier Science Fiction satire The 10th Victim are available through iTunes U.S. (Note sure about other territories.)
And as great as Gian is in For a Few Dollars More, he's terrific in Citizen... As is Florinda Bolkan who plays a sort of creepy stalker to his homicide detective. Morricone's music is very good here too.
If you can play All region dvds, boy do I have a couple of spaghetti western flavored Shaw Brothers films I can recommend.
Another old favorite tonight...
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Judgement of An Assassin (1977) Not just one of my most favorite Shaw Brothers films (in my top 3), but one of my most favorite movies period. The usual clan wants to take over the martial arts world goes several steps beyond. To wit, the awesome villain, the aptly named Bloody Devil sets up a very nasty and insidious way to take out his enemies and then take their leaders to court. And the court is corrupt.
And I get all giddy just laughing at the pitch perfect us vs. them scuffles between the young characters and the older folks. The people playing the older characters are just great. They totally get the crank against the youthful leads and it's both endearing and hilarious in the best of ways.
Besides being thought provoking, funny, fun and exciting: the kung fu is glorious (tombstone crushing kick is the bomb.)
I want this on digital and blu ray so badly. Celestial! Stop putting out lesser Shaws and give me more Sun Chung movies dammit.
Yes, I now own this poster.
And I get all giddy just laughing at the pitch perfect us vs. them scuffles between the young characters and the older folks. The people playing the older characters are just great. They totally get the crank against the youthful leads and it's both endearing and hilarious in the best of ways.
Besides being thought provoking, funny, fun and exciting: the kung fu is glorious (tombstone crushing kick is the bomb.)
I want this on digital and blu ray so badly. Celestial! Stop putting out lesser Shaws and give me more Sun Chung movies dammit.
Yes, I now own this poster.
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I saw it on Friday, mindless fun. I'm not a Warcraft player so I didn't catch all the inside stuff, but as a fantasy movie it was entertaining.
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This is pretty interesting.
This year been a good year for films for me;
Creed - good
The Martian - not for me
Selma - good
IP Man 3 - it's OK
Star wars: Episode 7: brilliant
Star wars marathon: brilliant
Batman vs Superman - not for me
The revenant - not for me but the supporting actor kept me going, the squirrel thing did make me laugh
Captain America Civil war - brilliant
Creed - good
The Martian - not for me
Selma - good
IP Man 3 - it's OK
Star wars: Episode 7: brilliant
Star wars marathon: brilliant
Batman vs Superman - not for me
The revenant - not for me but the supporting actor kept me going, the squirrel thing did make me laugh
Captain America Civil war - brilliant