|
||
Intermarkets' Privacy Policy Support
Donate to Ace of Spades HQ! Recent Entries
Libs of TikTok's Book Event in New York City Cancelled Due to Credible Threats; Latitia James' Government-Sponsored Drag Queen Strory Hour for Children Goes Off Without a Hitch
CNN's Vile Propagandist Manu Raju Spins for John Fetterman, Claiming His Health Is Just Terrific Media Declares Another Code-Red on DeSantis San Fransisco District Supervisor Has Completely-Unexpected Complaint About City Police Force Teenager Sues Doctors and Health Care Company For Cutting Her Healthy Breasts Off, Telling Her Parents That They Had to Choose Between "A Dead Daughter or a Live Son" The Democrats Want a Civil War and They Might Wind Up Getting One THE MORNING RANT: 20th Century “Think Tank Conservatism” Cannot Save Our Cities Mid-Morning Art Thread The Morning Report — 3/20/23 Daily Tech News 20 March 2023 Absent Friends
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022 Dave In Texas 2022 Jesse in D.C. 2022 OregonMuse 2022 redc1c4 2021 Tami 2021 Chavez the Hugo 2020 Ibguy 2020 Rickl 2019 Joffen 2014 Cutting The Cord And Email Security
NoVaMoMe 2023:
06/10/2023
Details to follow |
« Saturday Afternoon Chess/Open Thread 03-11-2017 |
Main
| Overnight Open Thread (11 Mar 2017) »
March 11, 2017
Saturday Evening Movie Thread [Guest Post by TheJamesMadison]Introduction So, I love movies. I’ve loved movies since I only loved the Indiana Jones movies and Star Wars. What really got me to expand my view of movies was jumping into the deep end early by wanting to watch the movies that inspired George Lucas, in particular, Hidden Fortress by Kurosawa. From there, a whole world of visual entertainment opened up to me. Over the years, I’ve traveled the corners of Sweden with Ingmar Bergman, explored the cosmos with Star Trek, and discovered almost every movie that ever won Best Picture at the Oscars. I’ve had a Netflix subscription since my mother bought me a three month gift about 10 years ago, and I’ve kept the watching up ever since. I currently have about 5,000 ratings movies rated on Netflix and a queue that I keep at about 400 movies long. I’m no expert, though. I just love movies. I love watching them, and I love talking about them. I’m hoping that this thread will become a weekly thread with the support of the Horde. I want to thank OregonMuse for helping to get this started and Ace for keeping the blog going.
![]()
My first professor at Virginia Tech was in a literature and film class (he also ended up teaching several creative writing courses that I took while there), and he paraphrased Albert Camus, who said, “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.” So, yes, the effects, the actors, the words are all fake, but there’s an endeavor on the part of everyone involved to tell some truth. What truth, though? That depends on the efforts of the specific creative team making the film.
Movies are Made for Everyone, and No One. ![]() When I was growing up, my mother had a book of 500 reviews written by Pulitzer Prize winning film critic (as it said on the book’s cover) Roger Ebert. That Pulitzer Prize notification did a lot to convince me that Ebert knew what he was talking about when it came to films. I focused on movies that I already loved (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc.), but as I watched new movies that my mother showed me (Stalag 17, for example), I’d go back to Ebert to see what he said. I didn’t read them before I watched the movies, but afterwards. If a film review is meant to either persuade you to see a movie or dissuade you of the same thing, then what possible point was I making in reading them after the fact? I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was learning HOW to watch movies. Imagine a conversation with someone who has just seen The Godfather for the first time: A: “That movie was terrible!” B: “What do you mean? It’s a classic.” A: “I didn’t laugh once! It was the worst comedy ever!” B: “But, it’s not a comedy. It’s a drama.” A: “That doesn’t matter! I wanted to watch a comedy!” Person A may have a point that he was in the mood for a comedy, but is his criticism of The Godfather valid? No. It’s not. The Godfather isn’t meant to be a comedy, so it should not be judged as a comedy. Whether the movie is successful or not depends on the kind of movie that Francis Ford Coppola was trying to make, not what the audience wants to see. The audience may not like what the artist intended, but if the audience can’t address the intention of the artist, then the audience’s reaction, no matter how visceral or genuine, isn’t a valid criticism of the work. That does not mean that the artist is always successful at attempting their goal, just that valid criticism has to start from the assumption that the artist is trying to do something and go from there.
![]()
A: “That movie was terrible!” B: “What do you mean? It’s a classic.” A: “I didn’t believe that Michael would suddenly be able to take charge of the family. He didn’t seem to have the skillset required to pull that off.” B: “I disagree. I think that Michael’s time in the Army, as well as the growth that we observe through the film, demonstrates that Michael is very capable of becoming Don to the family.” So, what to think of Person A’s reaction now? You may agree or not (I certainly hope not. I just made that up on the spot.), but at least it’s based on the idea that The Godfather was a drama that was trying to tell the story of a character and family. It’s valid as a criticism, no matter what Person B thinks of it. It’s an argument that can be had about the nature of truth within the film. About the truth of Michael as a man. Which brings me back to where I started: Movies are all lies, but they tell a truth. Michael Corleone is not a real person. He may have some inspiration in the real world, but he’s ultimately fake. He’s a creation of Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola, and Al Pacino. And yet, we’re asked by these same people to care for Michael as a person, as well as his journey. Whether that cadre is successful or not is entirely up to the audience, so long as the audience understands what the creators are trying to do.
![]()
Yes and no. If your tastes demand only the most up to date special effects when used, then fine. You are limiting your ability to enjoy quite a bit of cinema’s history. But, the question isn’t really whether a special effect looks real or not, but whether it is effective. Looking real is only part of being effective. What does this have to do with King Kong? Kong is a character in the movie as much as Ann Darrow. In fact, Kong’s desire for some kind of interpersonal connection is very easily understood by many people. The fact that he can’t get the time of day from the pretty blonde is the tragedy that leads him to his ultimate ruin. The fact that Kong looks fake, changes size depending on what set he’s on, and never says a word, doesn’t change the fact that we can understand him and feel for him. In the end, it’s a fake looking monkey dead on the streets of New York, but it’s a fake looking monkey that we’ve grown to love in some small way. The effects in Kong are no longer believable, but they are effective. In the specific instance of King Kong, the “sin” of unrealistic effects don’t matter because of the work that went into the character of Kong himself. Was the movie’s intent to convince you that a giant gorilla was real or that we should sympathize with him? It was definitely both, but the fact that they succeeded in getting the audience at large to feel something for Kong is why the sin of unrealistic effect becomes a non-sin. Next week, I will break down my theory on narrative and how it relates to film.
Opening in theaters: Kong: Skull Island | Recent Comments
epiphyte:
"Tⲟday, while I wɑs at ԝork, my s ..."
Kindltot: "The AI Chatbot writing is too bouncy and bright. I ..." Seems Legit: "Why do people still care about covid? ..." torabora : "Yes Who lost to Fetterman in the primary? ..." Village Idiot's Apprentice: ""But he's fine. Tote's has the mental capacity to ..." polynikes: "Maybe that evil nurse has hammered his feet so he ..." Christopher R Taylor [/i][/i][/s][/s][/b][/b][/u][/u]: "I don't know whether this has been posted here or ..." They intend to crash the banks with Trump's arrest : "Eliza, that was it. Thanks. The technology has ..." Red Turban Someguy - The Republic is already dead!: "409 "It is the tragedy of the modern day that no o ..." Skip: "Agree this thread is a 10 on the Cruel Factor ..." bonhomme[/i][/i][/i][/b][/b][/b][/s][/s][/s][/u][/u][/u]: "SDNY Judge Rakoff says two women may pursue their ..." whig: ""It is the tragedy of the modern day that no one u ..." Recent Entries
Libs of TikTok's Book Event in New York City Cancelled Due to Credible Threats; Latitia James' Government-Sponsored Drag Queen Strory Hour for Children Goes Off Without a Hitch
CNN's Vile Propagandist Manu Raju Spins for John Fetterman, Claiming His Health Is Just Terrific Media Declares Another Code-Red on DeSantis San Fransisco District Supervisor Has Completely-Unexpected Complaint About City Police Force Teenager Sues Doctors and Health Care Company For Cutting Her Healthy Breasts Off, Telling Her Parents That They Had to Choose Between "A Dead Daughter or a Live Son" The Democrats Want a Civil War and They Might Wind Up Getting One THE MORNING RANT: 20th Century “Think Tank Conservatism” Cannot Save Our Cities Mid-Morning Art Thread The Morning Report — 3/20/23 Daily Tech News 20 March 2023 Search
Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Primary Document: The Audio
Paul Anka Haiku Contest Announcement Integrity SAT's: Entrance Exam for Paul Anka's Band AllahPundit's Paul Anka 45's Collection AnkaPundit: Paul Anka Takes Over the Site for a Weekend (Continues through to Monday's postings) George Bush Slices Don Rumsfeld Like an F*ckin' Hammer Top Top Tens
Democratic Forays into Erotica New Shows On Gore's DNC/MTV Network Nicknames for Potatoes, By People Who Really Hate Potatoes Star Wars Euphemisms for Self-Abuse Signs You're at an Iraqi "Wedding Party" Signs Your Clown Has Gone Bad Signs That You, Geroge Michael, Should Probably Just Give It Up Signs of Hip-Hop Influence on John Kerry NYT Headlines Spinning Bush's Jobs Boom Things People Are More Likely to Say Than "Did You Hear What Al Franken Said Yesterday?" Signs that Paul Krugman Has Lost His Frickin' Mind All-Time Best NBA Players, According to Senator Robert Byrd Other Bad Things About the Jews, According to the Koran Signs That David Letterman Just Doesn't Care Anymore Examples of Bob Kerrey's Insufferable Racial Jackassery Signs Andy Rooney Is Going Senile Other Judgments Dick Clarke Made About Condi Rice Based on Her Appearance Collective Names for Groups of People John Kerry's Other Vietnam Super-Pets Cool Things About the XM8 Assault Rifle Media-Approved Facts About the Democrat Spy Changes to Make Christianity More "Inclusive" Secret John Kerry Senatorial Accomplishments John Edwards Campaign Excuses John Kerry Pick-Up Lines Changes Liberal Senator George Michell Will Make at Disney Torments in Dog-Hell Greatest Hitjobs
The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny More Margaret Cho Abuse Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed" Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means Wonkette's Stand-Up Act Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report! Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet The House of Love: Paul Krugman A Michael Moore Mystery (TM) The Dowd-O-Matic! Liberal Consistency and Other Myths Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate "Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long) The Donkey ("The Raven" parody) |