I think it can really be boiled down to a few simple things in films
today.. with rare exception.
1) same old ideas rehashed for the 10,000th time
2) lack of any intellectual value
3) blasting action to push up your adrenalin
4) films made just for the sake of making films & making money
and even the best directors have fallen into that arena with the exception
of guys like Tarantino and Ed Burns. It would be hard to say that even
though it was a really good film, that Scorsese's Gangs of New York was
much more than a potboiler and we're talking about an American "auteur"
director. Why has even he "sold out" ?? well first of all most of them
can't turn their noses to the money these films make (Spielberg & Cruise
each get almost 60mil off the top from WOTW) and just like Orson Welles..
if they want to make movies within the current studio system they have to
sell out to do it in general. In other words.. the "art" of making films is
where we are lacking today, and how many smash-em-ups can we handle??
Why does Tarantino for instance still get to make the movies he wants to??
well first of all his off beat trademark has been incredibly profitable for
Hollywood and his producer is Laurence Bender who has also made much dinero
for Hollywood.. So tarantino writes his own ticket
By the way, those that bash Spielberg shouldn't. His career is of a varied
canvas, and if WOTW or Minority Report is below what youthink Spielberg
should make, then I think you should also take into account Amistad &
Schindler's List for their intellectuial & social value and then understand
even the great Steven should be able to make his action films as well..
Rich=========================
At 01:16 PM 7/4/05, Glenn Taranto wrote:
JR,
JR wrote -
"It's not Truffaut or Fellini or even George Cukor or Frank Capra, but
what is these days?"
Isn't that the point in a way? And isn't it a shame?
Not that every director can't have a miscue - but there doesn't seem to be
a standard of excellence anymore. Perhaps I'm too cynical.
There seems to be an attitude of - "That's good enough - that works"
Perhaps that's, in part, why this is the worst year for box office - EVER!
Glenn
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>JR
To: <mailto:MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU>MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 12:22 PM
Subject: Re: [MOPO] 2 bits worth of War of the Worlds
Kirby,
It seems you answer your own question. Aside from a few nits picked, you
admit the film is a fine one. So yes, everyone over 11 years old should
see it -- and on the big screen with the big sound which really add a huge
amount -- despite the small flaws you point out (and with which I agree
for the most part). None of them are significant enough to seriously
detract from the overall effect of the film. It's not Truffaut or Fellini
or even George Cukor or Frank Capra, but what is these days?
--JR
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Kirby McDaniel
To: <mailto:MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU>MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 8:53
Subject: Re: [MOPO] 2 bits worth of War of the Worlds
What hyperbolic drugs did you take? Did we see the same picture?
It's an OK sci-fi pic with exceptional special effects, and a terrific
performance by a child actor. Cruise soldiers thru capably and assures
the producers they will get their money back. Tim Robbin's sequence
almost pointless. Suspension of disbelief issues aside, these three are
the ONLY guys with a car? And where are all these people walking to
and why?
Visual effects, yes. Emotional effects, no. As I said in my little
review, it
is successful at finding the DREAD note in the beginning parts of the
picture.
The tripod snout snooping around bit in Robbin's house is tedious,
however. The
sentiment at the end feels false to me. Cruise does not do male bonding
well, that we know of, and I thought the whole father/son turf wars
typical of Spielberg.
When they arrive at the grandmother's house, it's practically
thanksgiving day.
Spielberg is better at setting things up than playing them out, in my
opinion. Both
physically (blocking actors, using locales) and dramatically. The
endings are usually
disappointing. The ending of this film is typical: Gene Barry walks
out of the house
like some avuncular presence.
Special effects in films are so omnipresent today than when truly vivid
ones appear,
it stands out. It is true that this whole picture looks terrific.
Spielberg's films
usually do. And arguably he has done this old war-horse justice.
But films start with a script. And while this is not the worst script,
if the producers had cared
as much about the words these actors should say and the actions they
should make as they did
about the tripods, then your statement below might not require so much
suspension of disbelief.
Just about everyone over 11 years old will see it, but should they?
Really?
Kirby
On Jul 4, 2005, at 2:52 AM, JR wrote:
> I thought the first two-thirds of the picture a flamin' masterpiece.
> Just about everyone over 11 years old should see it. It is dynamite
> film-making and creates visual and emotional effects I don't think any
> other film has ever achieved to this extent.
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