Saturday, December 22, 2007
Sweeney Todd
The musical of Sweeney Todd has been a favorite of mine since a very young age. I first heard the score when I was going through my "Sondheim phase" at age ten. Now, I wouldn't recommend going through a Sondheim phase unless you LOVE getting made fun of in school- but I went through it and fell in love with Todd, Into the Woods, Gypsy, A Funny Thing..., and more.
Todd was always my favorite, I loved its darkness, it's brooding nature. Singing the score to Todd made me want to be a singer just as Beetle Juice and Batman made me want to be a director. I used to draw the Todd logo on binders, it reminded me of the Joker meets a "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" drawing.
To see Todd and Burton come together in many aspects is a dream come true. However over the years I have lost faith in Burton. Not just miss after miss, but utter failure after utter failure. Big Fish, Planet, Charlie, Corpse Bride, Sleepy Hollow. I love Sondheim, I love Tim Burton- the last thing I wanted to see was a failure featuring the two combined.
And fortunately...I didn't see that! What I saw was a commendable, near great- imagining of the musical that's very near and dear to my heart. There were some bad choices made, but some great ones also. I don't know that this film succeeding makes me believe in Burton again- because the source material was so solid. If he had jacked this up- it would've shown him to be completely inept. This film belongs to Sondheim- the score soars and Depp and Carter carry it well. Depp doesn't erase the memory of George Hearn for me, and no one can erase Angela Lansbury as Lovett- BUT I did find that the performances in the film were new and different enough- to distance the Broadway memory I had of the musical.
I love musicals, always have. I got giddy watching this film. I thought the casting was spot on- even down to the character of Anthony Hope who I feel could be easily miscast.
I thought there were some effects unneeded (one superzoom through London) and the Title sequence was worse than Spider-man's. But the speed ramps and jolts in the trailer are fortunately not found in the film.
My BIGGEST complaint- is that the famous song "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" is nowhere in the film.
It's this that is causing me to hold back my complete enthusiasm for the film- I have heard there was a "reason" for omitting this, but honestly- it's glaringly absent for anyone that knows the score. I can see removing it from the opening of the film- but I was aching for it to be sung at the end- or at least over the credits! The absence of this song really bummed me out. It was like waiting for your red rider BB gun on Christmas day and then not finding it under the tree.
And it's not by the desk- IT'S NOT BY THE DESK!!!
Johnny Depp played the character in a VERY different fashion than done previously...but not in a different fashion than was expected. Again, the real magic was in the music.
They really should've sold this film on the music- just come out with Guns a Blazin'. Be bold about the fact that Sondheim's score is featured so prominently.
Next on the list...P.S. I LOVE YOU!!!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
An Essay on Film
Ah...Movies.
Movies. Movies. Movies.
For most they are entertainment, for most they are something to watch on a Friday night while snuggled up close to a warm date.
And still for some, they are all they have thought about creating since they were eight years old. For some they have dedicated their lives to studying film, spent thousands of dollars on an education in the history of film- they do all this because they are destined to make films.
For these individuals there will always be a tear, a gaping chasm between the "moviegoer" and themselves. Quite simply, it's because they know too much.
How can you know something is cliche if you haven't seen the very films it's ripping off? How can you know something is predictable unless you've seen the numerous films prior that have gone down the same beaten path?
The individuals that will redefine cinema will undoubtably have a vision for cinema that is unforeseen by the masses. Don't feel bad for these individuals, don't feel bad that they can't self-lobotomize before viewing art- but rather rejoice! Because they will be the artists bringing you the films you're snuggling up to in the near future.
If we all enjoyed I am Legend, there will never be anything better. But for those that strive for more, for those that see in their heads where film can go in the future- we will make films that soar beyond the low expectations of the modern moviegoer.
For those that enjoyed I am Legend, they will sit...and they will enjoy the next film made the same way...and 10 years will pass and the bar will not be raised for them, the standards will never heighten.
When a chef sits down to eat a meal, they can tell you all the spices that were a part of it- all the ways the supper was cooked and prepared. For a person who just wants to get a full belly- they will simply say "dems was good eatin'!"
As a studied filmmaker, I know the spices, I know the history. A film isn't just a film, it has a recipe and a pedigree. I can tell you why it was made, where it was made- and how long it was "cooking". A heart surgeon knows the heart, studies the heart, knows the ins and outs the arteries and ventricles. We don't yell at them for "caring too much about the heart!"
We need to respect the artists, the creators, as we respect the Professors and the technicians.
A man destined to create will always want more and see more than is on the screen- if he didn't , his destiny wouldn't be in that art.
A lot is subjective...but a lot simply is not. There is a science to film, a language to cinematography. Fans of painting can tell when certain brushstrokes were introduced by certain artists, they can also explain which artists lifted those brushstrokes for the next 100 years. A lover of music can tell you which Jazz musician pioneered a sound that is still influencing modern radio today. A man whose mind is dedicated to creation in cinema will see cinema like no other, he will understand it so deeply- that cinema's flaws will become glaring. Films that trick most, will be mocked by the passionate filmmaker, films that bring in millions, will mean nothing to the passionate filmmaker. Because the filmmaker will see how to make it better, he will know how to take something to a territory that others haven't even seen maps for yet.
I don't want those who disagree with me to change their opinions on films. I want them to respect the differences between the intentions of those groups viewing the films. Don't expect us to view art the same way you do, don't call us names for having passion for greater things. Don't expect us to see world the way you do.
That's how it goes in history, those who change the arts- are ALWAYS dissatisfied with the current state of the arts. I encourage you to read an Art History book.
Who in this discussion can tell me the name of the man who invented the Steadicam without going to Wikipedia?
There's a reality to film and filmmaking as a profession that those on the outside will never understand. The outsiders see it as entertainment, as an escape. We see it as our life's work. God have mercy on me if my life's work is whittled away to mindless entertainment.
We are dedicated to honing our skills, refining the talents. Making music video after music video, short film after short film, researching and writing feature films since we were children. We have been pitching a feature film in Hollywood for 12 months now. We've learned so much, gained so much insight into this industry that you can only gain by DOING it. I can tell you what color the wallpaper was in Akiva Goldsman's office if you'd like. Before you check Wikipedia, he's the man that wrote and produced I am Legend. Some would say "What does that have to do with anything?" It means everything, knowing this industry means everything. Hearing from a producer from inside Weed Road Pictures paints a picture for every film they will ever make. I've heard first hand their opinions on films and I know just why they produced I am Legend. I sat on a couch in an office at Warner Bros. Studios (again Wikipedia if you don't know what that is) and heard opinions and faux insight from the very studio that backed I am Legend. Things become tangible when you're out there, faces matched with names and it begins to make sense just why this industry has fallen so low.
All of this means something, soaking in film, meeting the people that make the films, it is all building toward something- toward eventually expressing ourselves in this format.
If you side on the argument that if something makes bundles of money - than it has artistic worth to any great extent- than I feel sorry for you- because monetary prowess has never been a sign of spiritual or emotional depth.
A film of great worth can also make a great amount of money, but please know that they don't go always go hand in hand.
Don't feel bad for us, because movies aren't meant to mean the same thing to you as they are meant to mean to us.
They aren't meant to be simply enjoyed or not enjoyed- they are meant to help build and refine me as a filmmaker, or show me what mistakes not to make when I helm a feature of my own. What needs to happen amongst friends of mixed interest is that they need to once and for all recognize and respect the difference between the groups. Now, it's not better or worse, dumber or smarter- it's simply different. You are not a heart surgeon, you'll be happy as long as yours keeps ticking. But you won't ever ache to know how it ticks or dream about performing a transplant that saves an infant's life. You'll simply smile if it's ticking.
The filmmaker will never be satisfied, but that is his place- he will always say it could do more and be more. He will desire to know what light was set up where and why. He will desire to see new paths blazed and new genres defined.
That's how invention occurs- when someone sees something that for years prior simply wasn't there. One day film will be reinvented by those who saw what most thought...was simply never there.
In all my reviews of films and all my criticism of films I NEVER insult the viewer calling them "diseased" or ignorant. I criticize the artists behind the camera and the talent in front- because it is there jobs that I feel I could do better.
Do not try to convince or condemn someone out of a mindset or thought process.- that is presumptuous and unfair.
As far as the "then do it yourself!" directive...I assure you brothers, we're well on our way.
Movies. Movies. Movies.
For most they are entertainment, for most they are something to watch on a Friday night while snuggled up close to a warm date.
And still for some, they are all they have thought about creating since they were eight years old. For some they have dedicated their lives to studying film, spent thousands of dollars on an education in the history of film- they do all this because they are destined to make films.
For these individuals there will always be a tear, a gaping chasm between the "moviegoer" and themselves. Quite simply, it's because they know too much.
How can you know something is cliche if you haven't seen the very films it's ripping off? How can you know something is predictable unless you've seen the numerous films prior that have gone down the same beaten path?
The individuals that will redefine cinema will undoubtably have a vision for cinema that is unforeseen by the masses. Don't feel bad for these individuals, don't feel bad that they can't self-lobotomize before viewing art- but rather rejoice! Because they will be the artists bringing you the films you're snuggling up to in the near future.
If we all enjoyed I am Legend, there will never be anything better. But for those that strive for more, for those that see in their heads where film can go in the future- we will make films that soar beyond the low expectations of the modern moviegoer.
For those that enjoyed I am Legend, they will sit...and they will enjoy the next film made the same way...and 10 years will pass and the bar will not be raised for them, the standards will never heighten.
When a chef sits down to eat a meal, they can tell you all the spices that were a part of it- all the ways the supper was cooked and prepared. For a person who just wants to get a full belly- they will simply say "dems was good eatin'!"
As a studied filmmaker, I know the spices, I know the history. A film isn't just a film, it has a recipe and a pedigree. I can tell you why it was made, where it was made- and how long it was "cooking". A heart surgeon knows the heart, studies the heart, knows the ins and outs the arteries and ventricles. We don't yell at them for "caring too much about the heart!"
We need to respect the artists, the creators, as we respect the Professors and the technicians.
A man destined to create will always want more and see more than is on the screen- if he didn't , his destiny wouldn't be in that art.
A lot is subjective...but a lot simply is not. There is a science to film, a language to cinematography. Fans of painting can tell when certain brushstrokes were introduced by certain artists, they can also explain which artists lifted those brushstrokes for the next 100 years. A lover of music can tell you which Jazz musician pioneered a sound that is still influencing modern radio today. A man whose mind is dedicated to creation in cinema will see cinema like no other, he will understand it so deeply- that cinema's flaws will become glaring. Films that trick most, will be mocked by the passionate filmmaker, films that bring in millions, will mean nothing to the passionate filmmaker. Because the filmmaker will see how to make it better, he will know how to take something to a territory that others haven't even seen maps for yet.
I don't want those who disagree with me to change their opinions on films. I want them to respect the differences between the intentions of those groups viewing the films. Don't expect us to view art the same way you do, don't call us names for having passion for greater things. Don't expect us to see world the way you do.
That's how it goes in history, those who change the arts- are ALWAYS dissatisfied with the current state of the arts. I encourage you to read an Art History book.
Who in this discussion can tell me the name of the man who invented the Steadicam without going to Wikipedia?
There's a reality to film and filmmaking as a profession that those on the outside will never understand. The outsiders see it as entertainment, as an escape. We see it as our life's work. God have mercy on me if my life's work is whittled away to mindless entertainment.
We are dedicated to honing our skills, refining the talents. Making music video after music video, short film after short film, researching and writing feature films since we were children. We have been pitching a feature film in Hollywood for 12 months now. We've learned so much, gained so much insight into this industry that you can only gain by DOING it. I can tell you what color the wallpaper was in Akiva Goldsman's office if you'd like. Before you check Wikipedia, he's the man that wrote and produced I am Legend. Some would say "What does that have to do with anything?" It means everything, knowing this industry means everything. Hearing from a producer from inside Weed Road Pictures paints a picture for every film they will ever make. I've heard first hand their opinions on films and I know just why they produced I am Legend. I sat on a couch in an office at Warner Bros. Studios (again Wikipedia if you don't know what that is) and heard opinions and faux insight from the very studio that backed I am Legend. Things become tangible when you're out there, faces matched with names and it begins to make sense just why this industry has fallen so low.
All of this means something, soaking in film, meeting the people that make the films, it is all building toward something- toward eventually expressing ourselves in this format.
If you side on the argument that if something makes bundles of money - than it has artistic worth to any great extent- than I feel sorry for you- because monetary prowess has never been a sign of spiritual or emotional depth.
A film of great worth can also make a great amount of money, but please know that they don't go always go hand in hand.
Don't feel bad for us, because movies aren't meant to mean the same thing to you as they are meant to mean to us.
They aren't meant to be simply enjoyed or not enjoyed- they are meant to help build and refine me as a filmmaker, or show me what mistakes not to make when I helm a feature of my own. What needs to happen amongst friends of mixed interest is that they need to once and for all recognize and respect the difference between the groups. Now, it's not better or worse, dumber or smarter- it's simply different. You are not a heart surgeon, you'll be happy as long as yours keeps ticking. But you won't ever ache to know how it ticks or dream about performing a transplant that saves an infant's life. You'll simply smile if it's ticking.
The filmmaker will never be satisfied, but that is his place- he will always say it could do more and be more. He will desire to know what light was set up where and why. He will desire to see new paths blazed and new genres defined.
That's how invention occurs- when someone sees something that for years prior simply wasn't there. One day film will be reinvented by those who saw what most thought...was simply never there.
In all my reviews of films and all my criticism of films I NEVER insult the viewer calling them "diseased" or ignorant. I criticize the artists behind the camera and the talent in front- because it is there jobs that I feel I could do better.
Do not try to convince or condemn someone out of a mindset or thought process.- that is presumptuous and unfair.
As far as the "then do it yourself!" directive...I assure you brothers, we're well on our way.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
"I am not Legend" review
Clever title right?
It seems like no filmmaker knows how to finish anymore. They can execute great beginnings, even keep the suspense through the "second act" of a story. But by minute 80 it falls apart. This film is a failure. It's a failure for numerous reasons- one of the greatest reasons is its deviation from guts-having. The bottom line is, why doesn't anyone have the guts to be original? Is it that horrifying a thought to just end a film on a NEW note as opposed to the note that is continually played by films with far less visual appeal and budget?
Also, on the topic of the overuse of CG. Um...I am Legend overuses CG. It's not as simple as "the creatures looked lame" it's more like..."the creatures looked like Casper the friendly ghost quality CG...like the Ricci version of Casper...and his uncles or cousins...or whatever the other three ghosts were...the CG sucked in that movie..."
Hmm...that was a succinct point.
Why did I have faith in F. Lawrence? The "I'm like a bird" video? Who knows. Let me say this...the movie ends with Will Smith finding out that he is not in fact "Legend"- but rather that there are many men still alive in a colony in Vermont.
Okay...so...F you "I am Legend" just call yourself "Will Smith and some other dudes are still alive...THE MOVIE".
It wasn't even a "plot twist" it was a "plot cop-out". This movie was castrated from frame one, with no cojones intact from the book or graphic novel interpretation. This movie was a eunuch. JUST GO in a DIRECTION...hollywood filmmakers and hollywood stars. Take us SOMEWHERE instead of meandering around in mediocreville waiting for the next train to sameplacetown.
There are some well constructed moments in the film, I trusted it through Sam dying, I trusted it through Robert losing it on the edge of the piier however...as SOON as the female character and her son are introduced- I lost interest in this movie like I was watching Miami Ink without Kat Von D. There was no point to the film existing from that point on. No point in the tension that was built- no point in the atmosphere and mood that was built- and no point in Will Smith's teary-eyed action hero performance.
The film was a waste and a disappointment. However, what was not a disappointment was the trailer for this film...
Now, it may not be how I would portray the Joker if I was Nolan. I miss the angular face and sharp chin from the comics. I still want to know what Crispin Glover or Vincent Gallo would have done with the role. But the TRAILER, the edit, the pacing and execution of shots- was breathtaking and suspenseful like no trailer I've seen since...the trailer for Batman Begins.
I watched the 6 min. prologue as well and hmm...perfection.
That's it for now...until P.S. I love you...
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