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Review: _M_ by Fritz Lang (1931)
A distant memory of Peter Lorre's unique screen presence has stayed with me since I first saw him in Casablanca in my youth: his expressive eyes, hunched back, pudgy face, and somehow diabolical screen presence. Now, seeing Fritz Lang's German film M, starring Lorre as a kindermord or child murderer, I understand better the Peter Lorre mystique. Only he could inhabit the definitive doppelgรคnger character of M.
The picture above displays the complex, rich dualities of the film: mirroring, marking, darkness, fear. True, it is an "old" film, but after reading this and listening briefly to the Criterion Collection's DVD commentary, M is even better than you could think. Made in 1930, the film beautifully portrays the paralytic government of the Weimar Republic and the social disorder that led to Nazism.
All the scenes develop the film's intellectual framework, and it's weird to see camera and audio combined so well, considering that M was Lang's first film with sound -- perhaps M is the first great film with sound, since the technology had only just been developed. Many films play off the parallel organizational styles of the cops and the crooks, but Lang flashes between the two groups at work trying to catch the villain, who eventually carries the "M" mark of Cain.
Pathological criminals often seek to be caught, so we know how the film will end. Lorre's kindermord character is eventually brought to justice by the underworld, foreshadowing the rise of Nazi power from the ground up. Like all great filmmakers, Lang is markedly patient with the camera and his cuts, requiring some patience, but I found M as suspenseful as any drama I can recall, much like Kurosawa's Yojimbo. Indeed, it takes an intelligent film for me to think, "Get that bastard!"
So, Internet Movie Database's Top 250 page has served me well again -- M ranks #44. In fact, in looking at the page, M reminds me a bit of Se7en, but with a better representation of social fear due to chaos (and the media's role in this), an empathetic view of the underworld, and a better portrayal of the psychopathic mind as straddling good and evil at once. (Lorrie presages a bit of Heath Ledger's Joker character as well.) What do we do with social outcasts, and who owns justice? M asks for much thought, and Lang's audience must oblige.
A distant memory of Peter Lorre's unique screen presence has stayed with me since I first saw him in Casablanca in my youth: his expressive eyes, hunched back, pudgy face, and somehow diabolical screen presence. Now, seeing Fritz Lang's German film M, starring Lorre as a kindermord or child murderer, I understand better the Peter Lorre mystique. Only he could inhabit the definitive doppelgรคnger character of M.
The picture above displays the complex, rich dualities of the film: mirroring, marking, darkness, fear. True, it is an "old" film, but after reading this and listening briefly to the Criterion Collection's DVD commentary, M is even better than you could think. Made in 1930, the film beautifully portrays the paralytic government of the Weimar Republic and the social disorder that led to Nazism.
All the scenes develop the film's intellectual framework, and it's weird to see camera and audio combined so well, considering that M was Lang's first film with sound -- perhaps M is the first great film with sound, since the technology had only just been developed. Many films play off the parallel organizational styles of the cops and the crooks, but Lang flashes between the two groups at work trying to catch the villain, who eventually carries the "M" mark of Cain.
Pathological criminals often seek to be caught, so we know how the film will end. Lorre's kindermord character is eventually brought to justice by the underworld, foreshadowing the rise of Nazi power from the ground up. Like all great filmmakers, Lang is markedly patient with the camera and his cuts, requiring some patience, but I found M as suspenseful as any drama I can recall, much like Kurosawa's Yojimbo. Indeed, it takes an intelligent film for me to think, "Get that bastard!"
Film Making
Hey everyone new to blogging I am looking for people who have passion in filmmaking. Or for people who want to make it big in life lets do it talk about movies who knows even write screenplays.
Quick review: _Burn After Reading_
The Coen brothers' Burn After Reading: 8.5/10
Hilarious.
Too short.
Brad Pitt steals show.
Ingenious comedy of errors (and ignorance).
Unforgettable characters, motives, symbols, and tongue-in-cheek soundtrack. Top-notch casting.
Definitely DC.
A comedy for the knowing.
Smart, delightful, but will not turn into cult hit a la The Big Lebowski or Donnie Darko.
Recommended.
The Coen brothers' Burn After Reading: 8.5/10
Hilarious.
Too short.
Brad Pitt steals show.
Ingenious comedy of errors (and ignorance).
Unforgettable characters, motives, symbols, and tongue-in-cheek soundtrack. Top-notch casting.
Definitely DC.
A comedy for the knowing.
Smart, delightful, but will not turn into cult hit a la The Big Lebowski or Donnie Darko.
Recommended.
Review: _Pan's Labyrinth_ (or _El Laberinto de Fauno_)
The Anne Frank archetype may have came about in a sui generis fashion, but since WWII her story has given young girls around the world someone to identify with. Pan's Labyrinth, which I think is better titled in its Spanish form, El Laberinto de Fauno, depicts an Anne Frank-esque innocent, bookish young lady thrown into the upheaval of 1944 Franco's fascist Spain. Ofelia has lost her father to the war, and in a desperate situation to keep herself and her daughter safe, her mother has married a sadistic, bloodthirsty army captain, who treats Ofelia's mother as a vessel for his soon-to-be-born son. Mother and daughter join the captain as his camp.
In a forested mountain area, Spanish guerrillas fight valiantly against an arrogant government bent on creating inequality and social control through violence and power. "The war is over, but these people think it isn't," Captain Vidal says through subtitles translating the original Spanish. "We have to show them their place."
In this wartime adult world, Ofelia creates a fantasy world to deal with the conflict around her, filled with fairies, a bewitching faun from the woods, a monster frog, and a freakish murderer of children. The script develops parallel narratives -- Ofelia's fantasy world and the guerrillas versus Captain Vidal -- which meet seemlessly in the denouement. Ofelia develops her courage, while the guerrillas gain the courage to attack Vidal's regiment and protect their land and liberty. All the while, Vidal proves himself more and more villainous, and regarding the finish, we know what happens to Anne Frank, but you still won't know what happens to Ofelia.
For me, the sine qua non for a good film is for me to be able to describe it as "stylized." Guillermo del Toro takes stylization to new heights with this film, which is currently rated number 60 on Internet Movie Database. The script is ingenious in its development, the CGI fantasy-characters inspire awe, the "adult" side of the narrative displays impressive acting, and dizzyingly disparate plot and thematic elements come together seamlessly. El Laberinto de Fauno is an amazing accomplishment, a children's movie that will keep adults in suspense, an adult's movie that will introduce the realities of adult life to children, and a film that defines itself by bending the rules of cinema.
This film will shock you, kindle the fire of your imagination, and the viewer will not forget this one anytime soon, if at all. El Liberinto de Fauno is so technically sound that I will not point out areas it could be improved out of respect for Guillermo del Toro's talent. I am 100% positive about this film, and recommed it to all audiences.
The Anne Frank archetype may have came about in a sui generis fashion, but since WWII her story has given young girls around the world someone to identify with. Pan's Labyrinth, which I think is better titled in its Spanish form, El Laberinto de Fauno, depicts an Anne Frank-esque innocent, bookish young lady thrown into the upheaval of 1944 Franco's fascist Spain. Ofelia has lost her father to the war, and in a desperate situation to keep herself and her daughter safe, her mother has married a sadistic, bloodthirsty army captain, who treats Ofelia's mother as a vessel for his soon-to-be-born son. Mother and daughter join the captain as his camp.
In a forested mountain area, Spanish guerrillas fight valiantly against an arrogant government bent on creating inequality and social control through violence and power. "The war is over, but these people think it isn't," Captain Vidal says through subtitles translating the original Spanish. "We have to show them their place."
In this wartime adult world, Ofelia creates a fantasy world to deal with the conflict around her, filled with fairies, a bewitching faun from the woods, a monster frog, and a freakish murderer of children. The script develops parallel narratives -- Ofelia's fantasy world and the guerrillas versus Captain Vidal -- which meet seemlessly in the denouement. Ofelia develops her courage, while the guerrillas gain the courage to attack Vidal's regiment and protect their land and liberty. All the while, Vidal proves himself more and more villainous, and regarding the finish, we know what happens to Anne Frank, but you still won't know what happens to Ofelia.
For me, the sine qua non for a good film is for me to be able to describe it as "stylized." Guillermo del Toro takes stylization to new heights with this film, which is currently rated number 60 on Internet Movie Database. The script is ingenious in its development, the CGI fantasy-characters inspire awe, the "adult" side of the narrative displays impressive acting, and dizzyingly disparate plot and thematic elements come together seamlessly. El Laberinto de Fauno is an amazing accomplishment, a children's movie that will keep adults in suspense, an adult's movie that will introduce the realities of adult life to children, and a film that defines itself by bending the rules of cinema.
This film will shock you, kindle the fire of your imagination, and the viewer will not forget this one anytime soon, if at all. El Liberinto de Fauno is so technically sound that I will not point out areas it could be improved out of respect for Guillermo del Toro's talent. I am 100% positive about this film, and recommed it to all audiences.
The Theater Going Experience
So basically I am going to talk about a movie (which will be nameless unless someone specifically wants to know) that has a child molester in it. I am writing this disclaimer in case the subject matter may bother anyone, even though I am not going to be that graphic.
So first of all, in the middle of this movie, I see a light flashing from the side. I thought it was a cell phone, but I didn't see one. Then I realize it was an earpiece that was blinking. The guy was in front of me and about four seats down. Since this was going on for several minutes, I actually said something to him. In Babel I let this guy sitting next to me text throughout the whole film. Never again (and it was a second and free viewing of Babel, so I wasn't completely upset).
Anyway, on to the movie. A minor spoiler. It was about a 13 year old girl. She was precocious and could have been accused of coming on to an older, married guy. Although, not at first. He took advantage of her. Finally, at the end, he was arrested. And the guy in front of me (sitting next to Mr. Cell Phone) scoffed as if it was a crime for him to be arrested, as if "come on, how could they do that to him, when she was the one coming on to him?"
Which led me to think...had he molested any girls? Raped them? Or was he just a pig? I know, dark thoughts. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking them or watching movies with dark subject matter. But whatever. I couldn't let the creepy guy in front of me get away with it. Or the cell phone guy either. Men must pay for their crimes!!
So first of all, in the middle of this movie, I see a light flashing from the side. I thought it was a cell phone, but I didn't see one. Then I realize it was an earpiece that was blinking. The guy was in front of me and about four seats down. Since this was going on for several minutes, I actually said something to him. In Babel I let this guy sitting next to me text throughout the whole film. Never again (and it was a second and free viewing of Babel, so I wasn't completely upset).
Anyway, on to the movie. A minor spoiler. It was about a 13 year old girl. She was precocious and could have been accused of coming on to an older, married guy. Although, not at first. He took advantage of her. Finally, at the end, he was arrested. And the guy in front of me (sitting next to Mr. Cell Phone) scoffed as if it was a crime for him to be arrested, as if "come on, how could they do that to him, when she was the one coming on to him?"
Which led me to think...had he molested any girls? Raped them? Or was he just a pig? I know, dark thoughts. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking them or watching movies with dark subject matter. But whatever. I couldn't let the creepy guy in front of me get away with it. Or the cell phone guy either. Men must pay for their crimes!!
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