DESPICABLE ME (2010)
Directed by Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
Starring the voices of: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Will Arnett, Julie Andrews, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Fisher
The nefarious Gru (Carell) is the world's greatest villain. His laundry list of high-profile heists includes the Times Square jumbo-tron, the Statue of Liberty (the small one, from Vegas) and the Eiffel Tower (again, from Vegas). But when a mysterious new villain hijacks the Great Pyramid of Giza, Gru sets his sights a little higher. He will steal....THE MOON. But his funding is cut when a up-and-coming villain named Vector (Segel) is revealed to be the one who pulled off the Pyramid scheme (hahaha). Vector is smart, young and technologically savvy. But he does have one weakness: cookies. And when three orphan girls - Margo, Edith and Agnes (Cosgrove, Gaier and Fisher) - easily wander into Vector's impenetrable lair to sell him cookies (he's got to have his Coco-nutties), Gru adopts the girls and uses them to get in and steal a shrink ray. But now that he has what he wants, he can just return the girls to the orphanage, right? But the girls have become attached to Gru, and even though he won't admit it, he's pretty fond of them as well.
Blending superhero action and family-friendly fluff into the same film can be a daunting task, but this film does it pretty well. Not as well as The Incredibles, but still, well enough for itself. It's genuinely funny and heartwarming, and Steve Carell is a hoot as Gru.
But there is one major problem; the movie doesn't really give any reason for the girls' fondness for Gru, and vice-versa. All of a sudden, the time they've spent together forms a bond between them. Gru also has several "mommy issues" - his mother is played wonderfully by Julie Andrews, who is never not wonderful - dealing mostly with her indifference to her son's genius. It could be argued that this lack of compassion in his youth could lead him to bonding with the girls, as real parental love is something he never experienced. But it's never made exactly clear that this is the case, and drawing that conclusion is a bit of a stretch. At first, he hates the girls, but later on, he comes to love them. And it's just taken for granted that this is the case. Because of this oversight, the real emotional moments don't have much resonance.
Also, the film was made for 3D, and I didn't see it in 3D. Throughout most of the film, this isn't an issue. But the end credits don't make any sense in 2D. See, Gru's little mutant minions go through a series of gags meant for a 3D audience, but since I didn't have the glasses, they didn't make any sense. I know that sounds like nitpicking, but you've got to keep in mind that the home video release may not have the 3D capabilities. now we're stuck with an end credits sequence that's just odd more than anything.
But all in all, Despicable Me was pretty good. But with a bit of story tweaking, it could have been great. Still, not a bad first try for a fledgling animation studio.
ADDENDUM - I work at Universal Studios Hollywood, and the next project from the group responsible for this film - HOP - is being advertised to death all around the park. I've seen the trailer about 5,000 times by now (give or take a few), and let's just say...I don't have very high hopes for it. Of course, I could be wrong, and there's really only one way to find out whether or not it's any good. I guess I just hate having ads shoved in my face all the time. End rant.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
My Thoughts at the Halfway Mark
So that's 50 films under my belt. True, I haven't been able to do an actual 100 days, but the fact that I've actually watched fifty new films makes me pretty proud. I don't plan on stopping till I'm done.
There have been some great movies here, and some not-so-great ones, too.
Here are the top five I've watched so far:
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. A Face in the Crowd
3. The Fifth Element
4. Spirited Away
5. Mean Streets
And the "Bottom Five," as it were: the films I just didn't care for.
1. The Jazz Singer (1980)
2. Snakes on a Plane
3. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
4. The Black Cauldron
5. The Day the Earth Stood Still
I'm having a blast doing this, by the way. I can't wait to see what else is out there!
There have been some great movies here, and some not-so-great ones, too.
Here are the top five I've watched so far:
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. A Face in the Crowd
3. The Fifth Element
4. Spirited Away
5. Mean Streets
And the "Bottom Five," as it were: the films I just didn't care for.
1. The Jazz Singer (1980)
2. Snakes on a Plane
3. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
4. The Black Cauldron
5. The Day the Earth Stood Still
I'm having a blast doing this, by the way. I can't wait to see what else is out there!
Day 50: He's Got The Courage Of His Ignorance
A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957)
Directed by Elia Kazan
Starring: Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau, Anthony Franciosa, Lee Remick, Percy Waram, Marshall Neilan
Everybody knows Andy Griffith. He's the gentle, fatherly sheriff who enforces the law with his warm personality and homespun humor. Or, if you're a little younger, he's an old defense attorney who exonerates his clients in a cantankerous yet likable manner.
However, if you ever want to see another, seedier side of this American folk hero, look no further than A Face in the Crowd.
Griffith plays a wanderer named Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes. While being held for drunk and disorderly conduct in a small Arkansas jail, he is discovered by local radio host Marcia Jeffries (Neal), who persuades the sheriff to let Rhodes sing a song for her show. Rhodes' popularity soars and takes him from a small time radio station in Arkansas to a TV show in Memphis and eventually to New York City. People just can't get enough of "Lonesome." But Rhodes is his own man, and his free-wheeling ways make directors cringe and sponsors nervous. But everything he touches turns to gold, as the Vitajax company finds out when they ask him to endorse their pep pills. The more popular he gets, the more people want to get a hold of him. Marcia seemingly succeeds until she finds out that he's sleeping with half the girls in New York. Fame goes to "Lonesome's" head, and he alienates everyone who helped him get to the top. Now this down-home hero is friends with some of Washington's elite, who know that the public hangs on to Rhodes' every word. And they want him in their corner. Eventually, Rhodes goes mad with power and pushes everything and everyone away to focus on the person who is most important: himself.
This was an interesting film for a number of reasons. Not the least of which was seeing sweet, wholesome Andy Griffith play a totally corrupt, power-hungry jerk. I had my doubts to say the least as to whether or not he could pull it off, but he does so with an amazing amount of energy and verve. His monsterous laugh can, depending on the context, either be infecteous or frightening. And when his world finally comes crashing down around him, his final scenes are just as powerful as anything Marlon Brando did in A Streetcar Named Desire. He's nowhere near as subtle, but then, neither is "Lonesome," so he doesn't need to be.
As for the rest of the cast, everyone is in fine form. Elia Kazan was known as the Actors' Director, and his skills are on display. Both of my readers will remember that I blasted Patricia Neal's performance in The Day the Earth Stood Still, but she redeems herself here. She is at the same time powerful and vulnerable. She deeply loves "Lonesome," but she hates what he's become. And in the end, she knows she's the one who has to knock "Lonesome" down a peg or two. Also of note is Walter Matthau as Rhodes' head writer Mel Miller, who is the first to rebel against the down-home demagogue. And it must be said that, as a young man, Matthau was rather handsome.
Another interesting thing about the film is how experimental it was. There is one scene in particular that stands out the most. A series of quick edits show clips from "Lonesome's" various Vitajax commercials, coupled with quick shots of animated sales charts, some odd cartoon ads and a mish-mash of different ad campaigns, all with the phrase "Watch the rating" repeated over and over again. It's like something out of a fever dream. Or, at least, a David Lynch movie. It's downright strange, especially considering the year it came out. I can't think of one American director who was as willing to experiment with the medium as much as Kazan did. I can just imagine the "I Love Lucy" generation sitting in the theater and having their minds blown by this squence. If I had a time machine, I'd love to go back and see how that went over.
Actually, I don't have to. Thanks to the internet, I have found out that the film did rather poorly on its initial release, perhaps because of its strangeness or overall dark and pessimistic outlook on celebrity. The film was certainly way ahead of its time, and films that are way ahead of their time rarely do well at first. But over the years, the film has become a favorite of many, and I think it's one of Elia Kazan's best.
Directed by Elia Kazan
Starring: Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau, Anthony Franciosa, Lee Remick, Percy Waram, Marshall Neilan
Everybody knows Andy Griffith. He's the gentle, fatherly sheriff who enforces the law with his warm personality and homespun humor. Or, if you're a little younger, he's an old defense attorney who exonerates his clients in a cantankerous yet likable manner.
However, if you ever want to see another, seedier side of this American folk hero, look no further than A Face in the Crowd.
Griffith plays a wanderer named Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes. While being held for drunk and disorderly conduct in a small Arkansas jail, he is discovered by local radio host Marcia Jeffries (Neal), who persuades the sheriff to let Rhodes sing a song for her show. Rhodes' popularity soars and takes him from a small time radio station in Arkansas to a TV show in Memphis and eventually to New York City. People just can't get enough of "Lonesome." But Rhodes is his own man, and his free-wheeling ways make directors cringe and sponsors nervous. But everything he touches turns to gold, as the Vitajax company finds out when they ask him to endorse their pep pills. The more popular he gets, the more people want to get a hold of him. Marcia seemingly succeeds until she finds out that he's sleeping with half the girls in New York. Fame goes to "Lonesome's" head, and he alienates everyone who helped him get to the top. Now this down-home hero is friends with some of Washington's elite, who know that the public hangs on to Rhodes' every word. And they want him in their corner. Eventually, Rhodes goes mad with power and pushes everything and everyone away to focus on the person who is most important: himself.
This was an interesting film for a number of reasons. Not the least of which was seeing sweet, wholesome Andy Griffith play a totally corrupt, power-hungry jerk. I had my doubts to say the least as to whether or not he could pull it off, but he does so with an amazing amount of energy and verve. His monsterous laugh can, depending on the context, either be infecteous or frightening. And when his world finally comes crashing down around him, his final scenes are just as powerful as anything Marlon Brando did in A Streetcar Named Desire. He's nowhere near as subtle, but then, neither is "Lonesome," so he doesn't need to be.
As for the rest of the cast, everyone is in fine form. Elia Kazan was known as the Actors' Director, and his skills are on display. Both of my readers will remember that I blasted Patricia Neal's performance in The Day the Earth Stood Still, but she redeems herself here. She is at the same time powerful and vulnerable. She deeply loves "Lonesome," but she hates what he's become. And in the end, she knows she's the one who has to knock "Lonesome" down a peg or two. Also of note is Walter Matthau as Rhodes' head writer Mel Miller, who is the first to rebel against the down-home demagogue. And it must be said that, as a young man, Matthau was rather handsome.
Another interesting thing about the film is how experimental it was. There is one scene in particular that stands out the most. A series of quick edits show clips from "Lonesome's" various Vitajax commercials, coupled with quick shots of animated sales charts, some odd cartoon ads and a mish-mash of different ad campaigns, all with the phrase "Watch the rating" repeated over and over again. It's like something out of a fever dream. Or, at least, a David Lynch movie. It's downright strange, especially considering the year it came out. I can't think of one American director who was as willing to experiment with the medium as much as Kazan did. I can just imagine the "I Love Lucy" generation sitting in the theater and having their minds blown by this squence. If I had a time machine, I'd love to go back and see how that went over.
Actually, I don't have to. Thanks to the internet, I have found out that the film did rather poorly on its initial release, perhaps because of its strangeness or overall dark and pessimistic outlook on celebrity. The film was certainly way ahead of its time, and films that are way ahead of their time rarely do well at first. But over the years, the film has become a favorite of many, and I think it's one of Elia Kazan's best.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day 49: I'm Everyone And No One
DARKMAN (1990)
Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring: Liam Neeson, Francis McDormand, Larry Drake, Colin Friels
Dr. Peyton Westlake (Neeson) is on the verge of creating a breakthrough in artificial skin grafts. Unfortunately, his work is disrupted by local gangster Robert Durant (Drake) and crooked CEO Louis Strack (Friels). Turns out Peyton's lawyer girlfriend Julie (McDormand) found out these two were in cahoots by way of a memo she uncovered. When Durant and his cronies find the memo in Westlake's office, they dunk his face in a vat of chemicals, turn on some flammable gas and blow up the joint. Now scarred beyond recognition, Westlake uses his synthetic skin to assume the identities of the men who tried to kill him while simultaneously tries to rekindle things with Julie. The only problem is, the skin begins to decompose after 100 minutes of exposure.
Don't go into this movie expecting something deep or poignant. This is pure comic-book action. Apparently, this film came as a result of Sam Raimi failing to secure the rights to do a movie version of both The Shadow and Batman. So he decided to do his own vigilante anti-hero film, and it's actually not bad.
However, the major problem with the film is the acting, which is hard to believe, considering the powerhouses that are Liam Neeson and Francis McDormand. But they've got a couple things working against them. First, as far as Neeson is concerned, he had to ditch is native Irish brogue for a more generic American accent, and he never quite pulls it off. Second, the script (that had five credited writers) has a lot of lame dialogue and crazy one-liners that made my eyes roll. I never like it when a writer makes his characters speak when it would be more effective for them to remain silent. As a result, we have a pretty cliche-ridden script, which doesn't give the actors much to work with.
But it seems as if Raimi was aware of this, so he did what he does best: he went all out with the visuals. Raimi is an extremely kinetic filmmaker, and there is never a dull visual moment in his films. Cameras swoop, pan, zoom and tilt furiously, making an exciting scene even more so. Many of his tactics, such as the strange montage of images superimposed over Neeson's face when he's about to snap, may seem over the top, and they are, but that's the point. Here we have a director whose love of movie making shines. He makes a habit of overshadowing the negatives (the weak script and stilted acting) with many positives (a definite visual flair). He's having fun, and by showing us how much fun he's having, we as the audience end up having fun as well.
Cineastes and those who look down their noses at films like Darkman will probably disagree with me on a lot of this, but so what? This movie wasn't made for them, anyway. If anything, it was made for Raimi himself. One of the questions filmmakers constantly ask themselves (other than "Can I win any awards for this?") is "What kind of movie would I like to see?" Filmmaking is much more fun and satisfying for the director if they're just making something that makes them happy. And if that enthusiasm shows up on screen, it takes us along for the ride. It may not be deep or meaningful, but it's certainly fun.
Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring: Liam Neeson, Francis McDormand, Larry Drake, Colin Friels
Dr. Peyton Westlake (Neeson) is on the verge of creating a breakthrough in artificial skin grafts. Unfortunately, his work is disrupted by local gangster Robert Durant (Drake) and crooked CEO Louis Strack (Friels). Turns out Peyton's lawyer girlfriend Julie (McDormand) found out these two were in cahoots by way of a memo she uncovered. When Durant and his cronies find the memo in Westlake's office, they dunk his face in a vat of chemicals, turn on some flammable gas and blow up the joint. Now scarred beyond recognition, Westlake uses his synthetic skin to assume the identities of the men who tried to kill him while simultaneously tries to rekindle things with Julie. The only problem is, the skin begins to decompose after 100 minutes of exposure.
Don't go into this movie expecting something deep or poignant. This is pure comic-book action. Apparently, this film came as a result of Sam Raimi failing to secure the rights to do a movie version of both The Shadow and Batman. So he decided to do his own vigilante anti-hero film, and it's actually not bad.
However, the major problem with the film is the acting, which is hard to believe, considering the powerhouses that are Liam Neeson and Francis McDormand. But they've got a couple things working against them. First, as far as Neeson is concerned, he had to ditch is native Irish brogue for a more generic American accent, and he never quite pulls it off. Second, the script (that had five credited writers) has a lot of lame dialogue and crazy one-liners that made my eyes roll. I never like it when a writer makes his characters speak when it would be more effective for them to remain silent. As a result, we have a pretty cliche-ridden script, which doesn't give the actors much to work with.
But it seems as if Raimi was aware of this, so he did what he does best: he went all out with the visuals. Raimi is an extremely kinetic filmmaker, and there is never a dull visual moment in his films. Cameras swoop, pan, zoom and tilt furiously, making an exciting scene even more so. Many of his tactics, such as the strange montage of images superimposed over Neeson's face when he's about to snap, may seem over the top, and they are, but that's the point. Here we have a director whose love of movie making shines. He makes a habit of overshadowing the negatives (the weak script and stilted acting) with many positives (a definite visual flair). He's having fun, and by showing us how much fun he's having, we as the audience end up having fun as well.
Cineastes and those who look down their noses at films like Darkman will probably disagree with me on a lot of this, but so what? This movie wasn't made for them, anyway. If anything, it was made for Raimi himself. One of the questions filmmakers constantly ask themselves (other than "Can I win any awards for this?") is "What kind of movie would I like to see?" Filmmaking is much more fun and satisfying for the director if they're just making something that makes them happy. And if that enthusiasm shows up on screen, it takes us along for the ride. It may not be deep or meaningful, but it's certainly fun.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Day 48: Ea- A- -oe's
A MIGHTY WIND (2003)
Directed by Christopher Guest
Starring: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Bob Balaban, John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Fred Willard
When legendary folk-music promoter Irving Steinbloom passes away, his son Jonothan (Balaban) organizes a concert featuring some of his father's most famous clients. First up would have been The Main Street Singers, but they broke up in 1975. But they were revived as The New Main Street Singers, fronted by Terry and Laurie Bohner (Higgins and Lynch). Also on the bill are The Folksmen (Guest, McKean and Shearer), but the ones holding out are the Sweethearts of Folk Music, Mitch and Mickey (Levy and O'Hara). Since their bitter breakup in the early 70's, Mitch was committed to a mental institution and Mickey married a catheter salesman. We've all got to move on, I suppose. But the two agree to reunite for the one-time-only concert, though there's a hard road ahead for them. Mitch could break down any minute. The Folksmen tend to bicker among themselves a bit too much. The New Main Street Singers are actually a religious cult that worships color, and are managed by a former child star (Willard) who never grew up.
This is yet another of Christopher Guests' "mockumentaries," and is a companion to Waiting for Guffman and Best In Show. I've never seen the other two, but I have seen This Is Spinal Tap (written by Guest, directed by Rob Reiner), so I was expecting something a bit more wacky that what I got. I've been into metal for a while, so Spinal Tap wasn't too hard for me to grasp. Then again, I'm not that big of a folk music fan, so maybe the satire was spot-on and it just flew over my head.
And that's the ironic part: I thought the music was the one of the highlights of the film. Again, my only point of reference was Spinal Tap, so I was looking for something along the lines of "Big Bottom" and "Break Like the Wind." But what we get is much more true to the nature of folk music, and it adds quite a bit of credibility to these fictitious (yet very real) characters. The Folksmen (actually the same members of Spinal Tap, believe it or not) have a great song called "Old Joe's Place" that has been stuck in my head for days. And now it'll be stuck in yours.
But my favorite part of the film was the Mitch and Mickey story. I guess I don't hate romance as much as I claim, because I'm a sucker for a good love story. Mitch is absolutely pitiable as he not only tries to remember the songs, but has to spend time rehearsing with the only woman he ever loved, who has since moved on. I won't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it, but when he and Mickey finally get on stage to play hit song (a beautiful tune called "Kiss At the End of the Rainbow"), there is a bit of an awkward moment that could have been played for laughs, but ends up being one of the most touching moments in the film.
But then again, this is a comedy, right? Yes, and it's the epilogue that is meant to provide most of the belly-laughs. But it's also the part of the film I liked the least. I suppose they meant to give the Mitch and Mickey thing some closure, but Mickey especially comes across as cold and uncaring, which just ruins the previous 88 minutes we spent attaching ourselves to them. They took something nice and tossed it out the window. Oh, and for no particular reason at all, The Folksmen go on tour and their bassist, Mark Shubb (Shearer) got a sex-change operation. Now, for a joke like that to work, there's got to be some kind of setup. And we get none. Just a great time, singing old-timey music and then...Harry Shearer in drag. It's a punchline without a joke, and it's just odd.
But all in all, the film was a lot of fun, and the music was better than I expected. I'm surprised this soundtrack didn't sell a gajillion copies like the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack did. It's all really catchy, but not as funny as some might expect.
Directed by Christopher Guest
Starring: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Bob Balaban, John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Fred Willard
When legendary folk-music promoter Irving Steinbloom passes away, his son Jonothan (Balaban) organizes a concert featuring some of his father's most famous clients. First up would have been The Main Street Singers, but they broke up in 1975. But they were revived as The New Main Street Singers, fronted by Terry and Laurie Bohner (Higgins and Lynch). Also on the bill are The Folksmen (Guest, McKean and Shearer), but the ones holding out are the Sweethearts of Folk Music, Mitch and Mickey (Levy and O'Hara). Since their bitter breakup in the early 70's, Mitch was committed to a mental institution and Mickey married a catheter salesman. We've all got to move on, I suppose. But the two agree to reunite for the one-time-only concert, though there's a hard road ahead for them. Mitch could break down any minute. The Folksmen tend to bicker among themselves a bit too much. The New Main Street Singers are actually a religious cult that worships color, and are managed by a former child star (Willard) who never grew up.
This is yet another of Christopher Guests' "mockumentaries," and is a companion to Waiting for Guffman and Best In Show. I've never seen the other two, but I have seen This Is Spinal Tap (written by Guest, directed by Rob Reiner), so I was expecting something a bit more wacky that what I got. I've been into metal for a while, so Spinal Tap wasn't too hard for me to grasp. Then again, I'm not that big of a folk music fan, so maybe the satire was spot-on and it just flew over my head.
And that's the ironic part: I thought the music was the one of the highlights of the film. Again, my only point of reference was Spinal Tap, so I was looking for something along the lines of "Big Bottom" and "Break Like the Wind." But what we get is much more true to the nature of folk music, and it adds quite a bit of credibility to these fictitious (yet very real) characters. The Folksmen (actually the same members of Spinal Tap, believe it or not) have a great song called "Old Joe's Place" that has been stuck in my head for days. And now it'll be stuck in yours.
But my favorite part of the film was the Mitch and Mickey story. I guess I don't hate romance as much as I claim, because I'm a sucker for a good love story. Mitch is absolutely pitiable as he not only tries to remember the songs, but has to spend time rehearsing with the only woman he ever loved, who has since moved on. I won't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it, but when he and Mickey finally get on stage to play hit song (a beautiful tune called "Kiss At the End of the Rainbow"), there is a bit of an awkward moment that could have been played for laughs, but ends up being one of the most touching moments in the film.
But then again, this is a comedy, right? Yes, and it's the epilogue that is meant to provide most of the belly-laughs. But it's also the part of the film I liked the least. I suppose they meant to give the Mitch and Mickey thing some closure, but Mickey especially comes across as cold and uncaring, which just ruins the previous 88 minutes we spent attaching ourselves to them. They took something nice and tossed it out the window. Oh, and for no particular reason at all, The Folksmen go on tour and their bassist, Mark Shubb (Shearer) got a sex-change operation. Now, for a joke like that to work, there's got to be some kind of setup. And we get none. Just a great time, singing old-timey music and then...Harry Shearer in drag. It's a punchline without a joke, and it's just odd.
But all in all, the film was a lot of fun, and the music was better than I expected. I'm surprised this soundtrack didn't sell a gajillion copies like the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack did. It's all really catchy, but not as funny as some might expect.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Day 47: You Love Me, But I'm Taboo
CARMEN JONES (1954)
Directed by Otto Preminger
Starring: Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Pearl Bailey, Diahann Carroll, Olga James, Joe Adams, Brock Peters; voices of Marilyn Horne, LeVerne Hutcherson, Marvin Hayes, Bernice Peterson
Young Army corporal Joe (Belefonte) and his gal Cindy Lou (James) are planning to get hitched before Joe leaves for flight school. But first, he's got to transport the fiery Carmen Jones (Dandridge) to the civilian jail for starting a ruckus on the base. En route to the jail, Carmen flirts with Joe non-stop, and due to a brokedown jeep, Carmen and Joe end up in her hometown, where she succeeds in finally seducing him, for no particular reason at all. I hate when that happens, I won't lie. If one character falls in love with another, it can't just happen. There's got to be a reason. Joe was all gung-ho for Cindy Lou, but five minutes of Carmen Jones had him asking, "Cindy who?" (And if that kind of joke bugs you, Carmen will get on your nerves in a hurry.)
Anyway, Joe gets some time in the brig for failing to bring Carmen to jail, and in the meantime, Carmen takes up at Billy Pastor's, a juke joint where all the swells come to get their drink on. Carmen's friends Frankie and Myrt (Bailey and Carroll) try to convince her to take up with boxing champion Huskey Miller (Adams), but Joe returns just in time, and after a scuffle with his sergeant (Peters), Carmen and Joe are off to Chicago. But Huskey, still sweet on Carmen, is there, too. Tensions run high as Carmen leaves Joe for Husky, Cindy Lou returns for Joe, but Joe is still hot for Carmen. Carmen finally gives Joe the brush, and Joe plots revenge.
If all of this sounds familiar, it should. Georges Bizet's classic opera Carmen was retooled for a brand-new audience as an all-black musical (with new lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II), starting on Broadway and ending up as a film. While it's a pretty novel idea - not to mention and ambitious one - it never really gels. First of all, this is a movie, not a play. But everything is shot in a very theatrical style rather than a cinematic one. There are a lot of very long takes, which add to the feeling of watching a stage play. The whole thing was even shot in CinemaScope, which seems like a waste of money if all you're going to do is really long takes of people singing.
This leads us to the second problem. Otto Preminger was so intent on getting back to Bizet's style of music that he had the Broadway score retooled and brought in professional opera singers to dub the singing for his stars. And Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte were already established singers, but they lacked the range required for the parts. Only Pearl Bailey got to do her own singing, and her rendition of "Beat out that Rhythm on the Drum" is one of the highlights of the film.
Third, and maybe the most important; as good singers as Dandridge and Belafonte are, as actors, they're really not that spectacular. In fact, unless they're "singing," they're pretty wooden. Again, Pearl Bailey is the exception. She's always the glue in every scene she's in, holding the film together. Now it's fine if you want to put non-actors in your film, but cast them in bit parts rather than the leads. Your leads need to have charisma to spare, and both Belafonte and Dandrige left me wanting.
I can't fault Otto Preminger for trying something new. He was always a pretty daring filmmaker. But this is an instance of the idea being bigger than the execution. But at least Bizet's music is still good.
Directed by Otto Preminger
Starring: Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Pearl Bailey, Diahann Carroll, Olga James, Joe Adams, Brock Peters; voices of Marilyn Horne, LeVerne Hutcherson, Marvin Hayes, Bernice Peterson
Young Army corporal Joe (Belefonte) and his gal Cindy Lou (James) are planning to get hitched before Joe leaves for flight school. But first, he's got to transport the fiery Carmen Jones (Dandridge) to the civilian jail for starting a ruckus on the base. En route to the jail, Carmen flirts with Joe non-stop, and due to a brokedown jeep, Carmen and Joe end up in her hometown, where she succeeds in finally seducing him, for no particular reason at all. I hate when that happens, I won't lie. If one character falls in love with another, it can't just happen. There's got to be a reason. Joe was all gung-ho for Cindy Lou, but five minutes of Carmen Jones had him asking, "Cindy who?" (And if that kind of joke bugs you, Carmen will get on your nerves in a hurry.)
Anyway, Joe gets some time in the brig for failing to bring Carmen to jail, and in the meantime, Carmen takes up at Billy Pastor's, a juke joint where all the swells come to get their drink on. Carmen's friends Frankie and Myrt (Bailey and Carroll) try to convince her to take up with boxing champion Huskey Miller (Adams), but Joe returns just in time, and after a scuffle with his sergeant (Peters), Carmen and Joe are off to Chicago. But Huskey, still sweet on Carmen, is there, too. Tensions run high as Carmen leaves Joe for Husky, Cindy Lou returns for Joe, but Joe is still hot for Carmen. Carmen finally gives Joe the brush, and Joe plots revenge.
If all of this sounds familiar, it should. Georges Bizet's classic opera Carmen was retooled for a brand-new audience as an all-black musical (with new lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II), starting on Broadway and ending up as a film. While it's a pretty novel idea - not to mention and ambitious one - it never really gels. First of all, this is a movie, not a play. But everything is shot in a very theatrical style rather than a cinematic one. There are a lot of very long takes, which add to the feeling of watching a stage play. The whole thing was even shot in CinemaScope, which seems like a waste of money if all you're going to do is really long takes of people singing.
This leads us to the second problem. Otto Preminger was so intent on getting back to Bizet's style of music that he had the Broadway score retooled and brought in professional opera singers to dub the singing for his stars. And Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte were already established singers, but they lacked the range required for the parts. Only Pearl Bailey got to do her own singing, and her rendition of "Beat out that Rhythm on the Drum" is one of the highlights of the film.
Third, and maybe the most important; as good singers as Dandridge and Belafonte are, as actors, they're really not that spectacular. In fact, unless they're "singing," they're pretty wooden. Again, Pearl Bailey is the exception. She's always the glue in every scene she's in, holding the film together. Now it's fine if you want to put non-actors in your film, but cast them in bit parts rather than the leads. Your leads need to have charisma to spare, and both Belafonte and Dandrige left me wanting.
I can't fault Otto Preminger for trying something new. He was always a pretty daring filmmaker. But this is an instance of the idea being bigger than the execution. But at least Bizet's music is still good.
Day 46: If You Think This Country's Bad Off Now, Wait Till I Get Through With It
DUCK SOUP (1933)
Directed by Leo McCarey
Starring: The Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo), Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern, Raquel Torres
They say that most films made today cater to the ADD audience. I think that's a bit unfair. ADD films have been around forever, and Duck Soup is proof.
There's really not much of a plot. Everything centers around the zany antics of the Marx Brothers, and the plot is secondary. But for the purposes of discussion, the small country of Freedonia is bankrupt, so they appoint Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) as its new president. The rival country of Sylvania looks to start a war with their neighbors, and Ambassador Trentino (Calhern) hires two spies (Chico and Harpo) to dig up some dirt on Firefly. As both Firefly and Trentino try to woo the wealthy Mrs. Teasdale (Dumont), insults lead to a declaration of war. The war itself is rather short, as Trentino is captured and surrenders after being pelted with fruit.
Like I said, the plot isn't what matters here. This movie is all about the gags, which mostly center on the hypocrisy of government and the absurdity of war. But the overall effect is less political that one might think. As Groucho himself put it, "We're just four Jews trying to get a laugh." And there's plenty to laugh at here, no matter what your political leanings might be. The famous mirror scene is one of the best examples, and has been copied endlessly by everyone from The Three Stooges to Bugs Bunny. What little plot there is only serves as the setup for the next punchline. And I was surprised how much zaniness could be crammed into 68 minutes.
There's always been a huge debate as to which Marx Brothers film is considered "The Best." Many site Duck Soup as their masterpiece, while others may prefer A Night at the Opera. Personally, I think if you've seen one Marx Brothers movie, you've seen them all. But that's not to say they get repetitive or boring. In fact, it's a lot of fun to go back and see the group that inspired every sketch comedy team and/or show from Monty Python to Saturday Night Live to Animaniacs. Of course, there were other comedy teams around at the time, but few of them caused as much controlled chaos as The Marx Brothers. And if you've never seen any of their films, this is as good a place to start as any.
Directed by Leo McCarey
Starring: The Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo), Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern, Raquel Torres
They say that most films made today cater to the ADD audience. I think that's a bit unfair. ADD films have been around forever, and Duck Soup is proof.
There's really not much of a plot. Everything centers around the zany antics of the Marx Brothers, and the plot is secondary. But for the purposes of discussion, the small country of Freedonia is bankrupt, so they appoint Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) as its new president. The rival country of Sylvania looks to start a war with their neighbors, and Ambassador Trentino (Calhern) hires two spies (Chico and Harpo) to dig up some dirt on Firefly. As both Firefly and Trentino try to woo the wealthy Mrs. Teasdale (Dumont), insults lead to a declaration of war. The war itself is rather short, as Trentino is captured and surrenders after being pelted with fruit.
Like I said, the plot isn't what matters here. This movie is all about the gags, which mostly center on the hypocrisy of government and the absurdity of war. But the overall effect is less political that one might think. As Groucho himself put it, "We're just four Jews trying to get a laugh." And there's plenty to laugh at here, no matter what your political leanings might be. The famous mirror scene is one of the best examples, and has been copied endlessly by everyone from The Three Stooges to Bugs Bunny. What little plot there is only serves as the setup for the next punchline. And I was surprised how much zaniness could be crammed into 68 minutes.
There's always been a huge debate as to which Marx Brothers film is considered "The Best." Many site Duck Soup as their masterpiece, while others may prefer A Night at the Opera. Personally, I think if you've seen one Marx Brothers movie, you've seen them all. But that's not to say they get repetitive or boring. In fact, it's a lot of fun to go back and see the group that inspired every sketch comedy team and/or show from Monty Python to Saturday Night Live to Animaniacs. Of course, there were other comedy teams around at the time, but few of them caused as much controlled chaos as The Marx Brothers. And if you've never seen any of their films, this is as good a place to start as any.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)