one2watch

Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

one2watch — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:22:27 +0000

I intended this to be part of my French movie marathon weekend, as it’s directed by Francois Truffaut, but it turns out it is the only English movie he ever directed. In keeping with my rule never to watch a movie adaptation until I have read the book, I had read Ray Bradbury’s novel when I was twelve, or thereabouts. In keeping with the general theme of this site, I recall next to nothing about it. There are two things which stand out, though: Firstly, the oppressive, paranoid atmosphere of the novel, which Truffaut captures and creates very well. Secondly, the 3D televisions in the corner of everyone’s living rooms, which, as a kid, I thought would be pretty cool. I wondered how this would be recreated in a 1966 film, and it wasn’t. Instead, they just have some pretty good-sized flat panels. (Imagine the horror of a future where everyone has a flat panel in every room!) Anyway, barring some pretty stilted dialogue and the not very convincing ‘futuristic’ elements, this was a glorious adaptation. It makes you want to read. The censorship of books and Montag’s obsession with them give them an almost sexual attraction. The ending is the most beautiful part of the movie, with the book people walking around in the woods, reciting the works of literature they have committed to memory and, in essence, become. This is truly great film-making, very moving, and everything one could hope for in an adaptation.

Moliere (2007)

one2watch — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:05:56 +0000

Another film from my French movie marathon weekend, this film is based on the life of the 17th century French playwright and actor. Moliere is imprisoned for debts incurred by his acting troupe and his release is secured by a rich man (Mr. Jourdain) who wants Moliere’s help to seduce a beautiful Marquise. Moliere ends up having an affair with Jourdain’s wife. I gather that the plot (other than Moliere’s imprisonment, which is historically accurate) is actually taken from one of Moliere’s farces (at the end of the film, Moliere stages a production at court, which reproduces all the action we have just seen). I had been expecting a film which followed him throughout his life, but this is probably a more interesting and relevant way to approach the subject. There was an especially funny bit where Moliere resists arrest, while on stage, to the audience’s great amusement. Kind of generally pretty much okay, this one.

Asterix in Amerika / Asterix Conquers America / Asterix et les Indiens (1994)

one2watch — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:49:10 +0000

I’m having a French movie marathon this weekend, because I’m starting a new job and I’m supposed to be bilingual. My reading comprehension is fine, I can speak the language fairly well, but, to be honest, truly bilingual quietly slithered out the window a long time ago. So: Immersion. Quickly. This was probably a good movie to start with, since the pictures pretty much tell the story. For you sad people who spent your childhood reading Superman, the Asterix series is one of the greatest comics ever. It features a small village of Gauls who have managed to resist Roman invasion, thanks to a potion brewed by their druid which makes them invincible. Each book has pretty much the same plot: The Romans hatch a plan to finally overthrow the Gauls and, for one reason and another, our two heroes (Asterix and Obelix) end up travelling far and wide to thwart the Romans. Along the way they meet and befriend people of other cultures and help them in some way. Every culture is heavily (and hilariously) stereotyped, often through a very clever manipulation of language. In this animated movie, Asterix and Obelix venture to America, to free their druid who has been captured by the Romans. There were a couple of songs which were pretty rough, but overall it was good fun. I saw a review on imdb which said the wit of the books was lost in the film, and I can’t speak to that, having likely missed any nuances of language. If cartoon violence isn’t your thing, you probably won’t like it.

Better Off Dead (1985)

one2watch — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:49:31 +0000

It’s John Cusack. It’s the eighties. It’s angsty. It’s awesome. This is teensploitation meets magic realism, although the dancing hamburgers were a step too far. Another movie which I’ve actually seen before, but forgotten, I recognized it as soon as I saw the deranged paperboy. Because we see everything through Lane’s eyes, we get a paranoid and fantastical impression of the rest of the characters, who range from the slightly weird to the dangerously odd. Brilliant. As seems to be standard in 80s teen movies, Lane eventually learns to see his popularity-obsessed ex for what she is, and instead ends up with the cooler, but also fringe, French exchange student. She fixes cars, has a great throwing arm and is an enthusiastic Dodgers fan, so I didn’t quite see the attraction. I would have preferred him to find someone a bit less proto-lesbian. Great movie though.

Planet of the Apes (1968)

one2watch — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 07:54:41 +0000

I have a rule always to read a book before I watch the movie adaptation of it. In this case, I read Pierre Boule’s novel as a child, but didn’t remember much of it. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, as the film is quite dramatically different, and famously has a far better ending than the book. Charlton Heston, the gun-toting old bastard, has the lead role here and was the only sore spot for me. He sure does a great deal of grimacing. At first some of the special effects and make-up seemed very dated and kept distracting me, but overall I was really very impressed by how well it has aged. I was a little annoyed by the fact that the apes clearly had a much less advanced civilization than the human one which Taylor (Heston’s character) had left behind. Wikipedia tells me, however, that futuristic buildings and advanced technology had been included in the script and were only written out due to budget concerns. This is a great movie and a true classic of science fiction. Like all good science fiction, it delivers pointed commentary and criticism. I’m always amazed by people who don’t like science fiction and think it’s just boyish fantasy about robots and spaceships and sexy alien girls (although there is, of course, quite a bit of that too). I haven’t seen the 2001 Tim Burton remake yet (as my second rule is always to watch originals first), and I will happily sit through this story again. In fact, I’m kind of inclined to go re-read the book.

Idiocracy (2006)

one2watch — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 05:07:02 +0000

I knew Idiocracy was a long shot. It stars Luke Wilson and is directed by Mike Judge, so the signs were not good. I had also never heard about it, despite the fact that it’s a recent, mainstream, big budget American movie. Ominous. However, I decided to take a risk, because the premise seemed cool. Joe, an average guy, finds himself transported five hundred years into the future, where the world has become so dumbed down that Joe is now the smartest man alive. Had this been done well it could have been a great sci-fi flick, tragic and disturbing. Unfortunately, most of the movie is devoted to showing how the stupid people of the future entertain themselves. This is a movie about people who are getting dumber, for people who are getting dumber. I saw very little in the supposedly vastly different future that would seem out of place today. The cult of the idiot is alive and well.

Withnail and I (1986)

one2watch — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:27:22 +0000

This is supposed to be both a classic and a cult favourite. Critics call it hilarious. Withnail (Richard E. Grant) and Marwood (Paul McGann) are unemployed actors in London in 1969. They’ve been going pretty hard on the drugs and the drink, they’re broke and their flat is squalid, so they borrow a cottage from Withnail’s uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths) and take a break in the country. Here’s where the movie missed me, or I missed the movie: 1. The two men are supposedly flat broke, but they always have money to buy drinks, smokes, and food, so I had trouble figuring out why they were in such distress. 2. The narration by Marwood is embarrassing. I got the feeling that it was meant to be poetic and/or profound, but it was neither. 3. Both characters, but especially Withnail, are alternately melodramatic and whiny. Everything is a cause for histrionics, from the offer of a cup of tea to an absence of aspirin to a bit of rain. 4. Withnail made me think of no one so much as Kirsten Dunst’s poor little rich girl character in Crazy/Beautiful (worst movie ever made). Perhaps this is meant to be ironic, but the closing scene of the movie makes me doubt that. Even if it is irony it’s not interesting. Richard Griffiths, as Withnail’s raving homosexual uncle, is the movie’s saving grace. Griffiths’ portrayal of Monty is complex and moving. He is at once a parody, a villain and an unlikely hero. The storyline concerning homosexuality is marginally interesting and, depending on your perspective, you could take the closing speech by Withnail as confirmation that he’s been in love with Marwood all along and that’s why he behaves like such a prick. In any case, his self-conscious displays of crazy are tiresome. Nice irreverent quote, by Uncle Monty: “As a boy I used to cry in butcher shops.”

Creature Comforts (1989)

one2watch — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:41:35 +0000

The first in what is likely to be a long series of reviews where I realize that I just watched something that I have seen before. Creature Comforts is an Oscar winning claymation short by Aardman Animations and director Nick Park (the team who brought you Wallace & Gromit). It was later made into an animated series, on CBS in America. As it was released in 1989, it’s likely that I saw it as a child, but it’s even more likely that I saw it during the lost years of my early twenties, when something to watch was invariably partnered by something to smoke. In the former case, this film would have been lost on me. In the latter case, it was just lost. The five minute film features animals in a zoo who are interviewed about their satisfaction with their living arrangements. Most fascinating is the fact that the dialogue comes from actual interviews conducted with London residents. My favorite, the puma, was actually a Brazilian student, who is very disdainful of the English weather and his cramped London accommodation. As with Wallace & Gromit, the animation is brilliant, and the depth of expression that the clay figures convey is spot on. Funny and stunning and sweet and clever. Perfect.

Al Franken: God Spoke (2006)

one2watch — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 05:55:13 +0000

Documentary which follows Al Franken as he promotes his book “Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them,” starts his radio show on Air America and makes the decision to run for Senate. As with Michael Moore’s films this was a bit middle of the road for me, although it seems clear that both Franken and Moore are seen as fringe lefty radicals by the American Press. Mind you, I always feel that O’Reilly, Limbaugh etc. come across as SNL parodies of themselves, and I can’t imagine that anyone can possibly take them seriously. Like Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Corporation, this is another valiant effort to persuade the American people to a semblance of sanity. If it drags in parts it is only because Franken is passionately trying to make a point that is transparently obvious to the rest of the world, and a little redundant to those of us who watched in horror and disbelief as Bush was re-elected in 2004. This does not alter the fact that Franken’s message is liable to be received as propaganda of the vilest order by the extremists who currently hold power in American politics and media. Franken, who targets his intended audience with a balanced, everyman rhetoric, tinged with a touch of humor, is therefore absolutely tuned to the times. Best quote: “On the Franken show, we get our labour statistics from the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Rush gets his statistics from the Bureau of Rush’s Butt.”