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| Syd |
 Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:54 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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Joe Vitus wrote: I should add the whole "Mozart was a hip, horny doofus--who was also A GENIUS!" irritates the hell out of me. It's not a problem in the stage version, which is very stylized and clearly the addled memories of Salieri. But Forman's heavily naturalistic style, and the greater emphasis on Mozart--who's a supporting character in the play--turns the movie into what seems a realistic biography of Mozart. And it definitely is not that.
I never thought of it as realistic, just as a romp on the Mozart legend. I may have to see Anonymous. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:14 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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Joe Vitus wrote: I should add the whole "Mozart was a hip, horny doofus--who was also A GENIUS!" irritates the hell out of me. It's not a problem in the stage version, which is very stylized and clearly the addled memories of Salieri. But Forman's heavily naturalistic style, and the greater emphasis on Mozart--who's a supporting character in the play--turns the movie into what seems a realistic biography of Mozart. And it definitely is not that.
Totally agree with you, Joe. About everything in this post. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:18 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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carrobin wrote: Last night, Keith Olbermann gave an enthusiastic rave review for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," which he had loved as a TV show; he found the film somewhat different in the actors' performances but the equal of its predecessor, and even showed a few clips. I've never seen him plug a movie before. Of course I intend to see TTSS anyway--I love Le Carre, read the book, saw the old series, adore the actors, have always been fascinated by the spy business. And the trailer would have gotten me even if none of the above were true.
Olbermann said something like "If you loved the television show you'll love the movie." Well, since I heartily disliked the show (despite the presence of my favorite actor Alec Guinness) I knew going in that the odds were against my liking this version, and the first fifteen minutes reminded me why. So much talk about unfathomable things I can't remember. The only movie that was so unintelligible was Syriana, which I loathed from first frame to last. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:21 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: Houston
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billyweeds wrote: Joe Vitus wrote: I should add the whole "Mozart was a hip, horny doofus--who was also A GENIUS!" irritates the hell out of me. It's not a problem in the stage version, which is very stylized and clearly the addled memories of Salieri. But Forman's heavily naturalistic style, and the greater emphasis on Mozart--who's a supporting character in the play--turns the movie into what seems a realistic biography of Mozart. And it definitely is not that.
Totally agree with you, Joe. About everything in this post.
Thanks. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:22 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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| I missed "Syriana"--looks like I should check it out. Even unintelligible spy stories intrigue me. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:30 pm |
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I liked Syriana and thought I was making sense of it as I watched. Later, I wasn't so sure.
Never would think of Amadeus as aspiring to be "a realistic biography of Mozart." As Syd said, it seems like a "romp on the Mozart legend." It's not that good a movie, and I had just mentioned it as one of those rare biopics (using the term loosely) that I could stand to watch, due to my enjoyment of the soundtrack. And speaking of watchable biopics, I recently realized how sadly deficient was my knowledge of the Herzog oeuvre, and have just borrowed a copy of Grizzly Man. |
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| grace |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:30 pm |
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Joined: 11 Nov 2005
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| I, too, am looking forward to The Artist, but my lack of sophistication is well documented so there you go. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:35 pm |
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Location: Houston
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| "Romp" is so not the word for Amadeus, with it's Freudian anxiety and murderous Salieri. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:53 pm |
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Joe Vitus wrote: "Romp" is so not the word for Amadeus, with it's Freudian anxiety and murderous Salieri.
I can dig it, however. Amadeus may be about homicidal instincts, but it's an essentially comic vision. IMO. Salieri is such a fool and Mozart such a twit that you can't really take their battle seriously. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:35 pm |
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| I would entirely agree with you that this is true about the play. But not the movie. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:34 pm |
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| Forgot to mention that one sequence in The Artist recycles music from Vertigo and it doesn't work at all. |
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| yambu |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:32 pm |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
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billyweeds wrote: Joe Vitus wrote: "Romp" is so not the word for Amadeus, with it's Freudian anxiety and murderous Salieri.
I can dig it, however. Amadeus may be about homicidal instincts, but it's an essentially comic vision. IMO. Salieri is such a fool and Mozart such a twit that you can't really take their battle seriously. |
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| Ghulam |
| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:30 am |
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Melancholia is a wonderful accomplishment for von Trier and for its ensemble cast. Both Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg are splendid.
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:34 am |
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yambu wrote: billyweeds wrote: Joe Vitus wrote: "Romp" is so not the word for Amadeus, with it's Freudian anxiety and murderous Salieri.
I can dig it, however. Amadeus may be about homicidal instincts, but it's an essentially comic vision. IMO. Salieri is such a fool and Mozart such a twit that you can't really take their battle seriously. Salieri doesn't figure in Mozart's death scene.
He only caused it, that's all. |
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| whiskeypriest |
| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 9:33 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: "It's a Dry Heat."
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Joe Vitus wrote: I should add the whole "Mozart was a hip, horny doofus--who was also A GENIUS!" irritates the hell out of me. It's not a problem in the stage version, which is very stylized and clearly the addled memories of Salieri. But Forman's heavily naturalistic style, and the greater emphasis on Mozart--who's a supporting character in the play--turns the movie into what seems a realistic biography of Mozart. And it definitely is not that.
As an aside, I kept seeing references here to WBAZ and kept thinking, what is that, FM 91.1, Boston's Home for Light Jazz? Even when the movie is being discussed one paragraph earlier. I'm getting as bad at these acronyms as BW. |
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