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| Joe Vitus |
 Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:41 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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Quote: The reason they have to move to the Boar's head is because a cloudburst pours right into the theatre, the center being open to the sky.
The Globe apparently had a tarp that could cover the top when it rained, but it's easy to see why Olivier made the choice he did. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:43 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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I like this much better than Olivier's Hamlet, but not quite as much as Branagh's Henry V, which is another kind of masterpiece.
I have to disagree, strenuously. Excellent as Branagh's version is, it pales next to Olivier's Henry V, which is the absolutely perfect example of filmed Shakespeare. Olivier's Hamlet, meanwhile, is lousy beyond belief. Guess which one won the Oscar. |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:27 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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| I'd tried in vain several times to watch 2046 but I just couldn't take it. The other night I gave it another shot. And it worked. Maybe my viewing conditions were more appropriate this go-around. It's 2am, I'm not in a very analytical mood. I was comfortable just sitting back and letting the film take me where it wanted to take me. And I loved it. Fuck if I know what it means and fuck if I care. There were plenty of recurring motifs that may or may not signify a thing: the holes, Christmas Eve, the various numbers that repeat themselves time and time again, how we rarely see two characters in the same frame together during conversation, one always being obscured by a door frame, a wall, a lamp shade, a curtain, or something of the sort which creates sort of a split-screen effect... There's a line of dialogue in the film that I think tells us how we're supposed to react to the film. Chow, speaking of the novel that he writes, says, "'2046', a story about men and women looking for love, risking everything...I made it bizarre and erotic without crossing the line...Some didn't take to the science fiction angle, but all '2046' meant to me was a hotel room..." That's pretty much the film in synopsis right there. Don't let it overwhelm you. We're not supposed to think too hard. If Kar-Wai's previous films were Godard, this is his Last Year at Marienbad. Did I mention that I loved it? |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:42 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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Jeremy's thoughts on Disney, the early years. Part 2 to follow subject to demand.
(Full length features only. The views are those of the author only and do not necessarily represent those of Third Eye.)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Innovative, original, brave, pick your adjective.
In 1937 the idea of a full length feature cartoon was so alien that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was dubbed Walt’s Folly. Disney staked the future of his studio on his vision and was rewarded with the biggest moneymaking film of all time (well at least up until 1940 when Gone With The Wind was released). It took 60 years for the competition to catch up.
For a number of reasons, the name Walt Disney provokes mixed reactions among cinephiles. However, if only for his vision and determination in bringing this bold, charming and vibrant film to fruition, he deserves his place on the cinematic roll of honour.
Pinocchio (1940)
Of course as a child, I was enrapt by any full length Disney cartoon, but even then I sensed something unbaptised babies, unlovely at the heart of Pinocchio.
Fantasia (1940)
Ambitious, groundbreaking…boring, pretentious rubbish. As classy as a rat with a gold tooth.
Dumbo (1941)
A near masterpiece. Unemcumbered by text or history, Disney was able fashion his hallmark mixture of charm, entertainment and story telling. It benefits from being short and devoid of unnecessary padding But it’s not for the faint-hearted, the episode where a friendless Dumbo visits his mad elephant mother, confined and chained in a reinforced railway car has to be one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in film history, for adults, nevermind untempered six-year-olds.
Bambi (1942)
Again a tremendously successful film, although re-watching recently, I must confess I found it a little dull and somewhat twee. Perhaps it was lacking in narrative drive. In its favour, the anthropomorphism was kept in check and it had a strong environmental undertone.
The film also contained one of the most talked about moments in cinema history, the shooting of Bambi’s mother. Personally however, even as a seven year old I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. The scene was handled sensitively (the grisly moment occurred off camera) and Bambi’s feelings of loss were only touched on to the extent necessary to acknowledge his mother’s death. Adults should understand that it is as much their reaction as the events themselves that effect children.
Or maybe I’m just a cold hearted bastard.
Saludos Amigos (1942) and The Three Caballeros (1944)
Walt doing his bit for Uncle Sam. Less said the better.
Make Mine Music (1946)
A collection of cheaply made shorts that was less than the sum of its parts. The Peter And The Wolf and perhaps The Whale Who Wanted To Sing At The Met are the only segments that most people will manage to recall.
Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
Starring Jiminy Cricket this ‘film’ is a somewhat cynical reworking of shorter segments into a barely coherent whole. Disney was a pioneer in many ways.
Melody Time (1948)
Another misguided attempt to marry music and animation. It has its moments.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad(1949)
Disney back in the saddle with these two charming, if inexpensively reduced shorts. Mr Toad was Walt Disney’s first visit to British children’s literature and generally the marriage worked. The whimsy and lack of sentimentality provided a good foil to Walts more sacharrine and moral instincts.
Cinderella (1950)
The quintessential Disney film. A reworked fairytale with any grim reality or sexual allegory expunged. Instead we have cute talking animals in waistcoats and a domestic goddess who through hard work and the goodness of heart, gets her man. Powerful and insidious, it’s no wonder that classical Disney is loathed by feminists and left leaning intellectuals alike.
In some respects Disney was a victim of his own success. His films had no sell-by date. Despite being very much a product of their time, they were run out every few years for each succeeding generation of little boys and girls. I remember seeing Cinderella at the cinema in the late sixties, this would have been at the height of flower power, student protests and the Cold and Vietnam wars. I loved it. I was particularly taken with the inventiveness of the scenes with the opportunistic mice who had got about Cinderella’s house using their own system of secret passages. Boys! My daughters enjoyed watching it on video and their children will probably download it at will from a geo-stationary satellite.
For all its faults, it has genuine charm, real drama, elements of danger and a strong narrative drive. And, despite rising costs, the quality of the animation remains high.
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| yambu |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:12 am |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
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Location: SF Bay Area
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jeremy wrote: Jeremy's thoughts on Disney, the early years. Part 2 to follow subject to demand...... |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:43 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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yambu wrote: jeremy wrote: Jeremy's thoughts on Disney, the early years. Part 2 to follow subject to demand...... I always skip such long posts, but not this one. I demand Part 2.
So do I. Bring it. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:21 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
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| Shannon..........nice comments on 2046's motifs. Didn't notice that conversations showed only one person. And it's a good film for 2 am when you're done making logical connections about life. But basically, it is a simple film about a writer who wants to find that lost memory of his love in room 2046. And you're right to link Alan Resnais' film. Hiroshima Mon Amour was all about how you forget..........in that case horrible events. |
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| dlhavard |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:59 pm |
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Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1352
Location: Detroit (where the slow are run over)
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Most I agree with Jeremy but
Quote: Fantasia (1940)
Ambitious, groundbreaking…boring, pretentious rubbish. As classy as a rat with a gold tooth.
There were parts that were a bore. However, Night on Bald Mountain gave me nightmares as a child. It was definitely not for children.
Along with Mr. Toad was another short Ichibod Crane. Definitely not for children (Bing Crosby the storyteller and had a couple of songs).
Disney, when he wanted to, did scary very well. His villians were always more memorable than his "one size fits all" heroines and heros. |
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| mo_flixx |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:44 pm |
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Joined: 30 May 2004
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dlhavard wrote: Most I agree with Jeremy but
Quote: Fantasia (1940)
Ambitious, groundbreaking…boring, pretentious rubbish. As classy as a rat with a gold tooth.
There were parts that were a bore. However, Night on Bald Mountain gave me nightmares as a child. It was definitely not for children.
Along with Mr. Toad was another short Ichibod Crane. Definitely not for children (Bing Crosby the storyteller and had a couple of songs).
Disney, when he wanted to, did scary very well. His villians were always more memorable than his "one size fits all" heroines and heros.
When FANTASIA came out in the early '40's, it was lauded by adults. Disney had a very high rep. as an innovator at the time. I remember leafing thru an old book my father owned which was a favorable critique of the entire Disney oeuvre.
Today, we look at Disney with hindsight - and our vision is marred by the merchandising, commercialism, the theme parks, etc. It represents a corporate as opposed to a purely artistic view.
(I was _very_ impressed with the Evil Queen in SNOW WHITE as a child. I thought she was a dramatic beauty and wore a terrific costume. I really liked the hood with the crown worn on top of it.) |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:48 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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| I prefer the theme parks to the movies. |
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| dlhavard |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:48 pm |
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Joined: 24 May 2004
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Location: Detroit (where the slow are run over)
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Quote: (I was _very_ impressed with the Evil Queen in SNOW WHITE as a child. I thought she was a dramatic beauty and wore a terrific costume. I really liked the hood with the crown worn on top of it.)
I used to scare my sister into fits imitating the "queen-to-witch scene" by drinking a glass of water quickly, clutching my throat, and disappearing under the table, all the while making "ghastly" sounds.  |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:01 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: Houston
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| Snow White remains an exciting movie. You still get a kinetic lift from the success of the first full-length cartoon. But I can't agree about most of the others. Each one (Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella) was just a remake with the bland prince hero and princess heroine, devoid of personality, the same "evil witch" character, and always some stand-in for the dwarfs in the form of little creatures (animals, fairies) each with their one little annoying cutesy trick. Everything repeated over and over eagerly trying to milk our endearment. Hack whimsey on demand. |
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| bocce |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:09 pm |
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Joined: 24 May 2004
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jeremy wrote: JFantasia (1940) Ambitious, groundbreaking…boring, pretentious rubbish. As classy as a rat with a gold tooth.
i also disagree with this assessment. all the compositions (other than AVE MARIA) were programatic by nature and design. all of them have inherent dramatic implications, so i hardly find any pretension in interpreting them visually as one sees fit.
are the visualisations boring? well, i guess that would be up to the individual viewer. but bear in mind that this is not music set to enhance a storyline, but rather, the reverse. so, at worst, the viewer comes away with a feeling of "i would have done it this way" having been stimulated by the film or, at best, "gee, that was pretty creative".
as to what, i assume, is a play on words about classical music's snob appeal (As classy as a rat with a gold tooth), none of the five compositions other than beethoven's sixth are much revered by the classical audience. they are more "boston pops"...relegated to common consumption like the "1812" or "william tell overture".
this, of course, was the point in making the film. it was meant to be accessible to the many and a rather unique presentation. its constant cycle of theatre revivals bears witness to its enduring charm. |
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| yambu |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:31 pm |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
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Location: SF Bay Area
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dlhavard wrote: .....Ichibod Crane. Definitely not for children (Bing Crosby the storyteller and had a couple of songs).....
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| dlhavard |
| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:34 pm |
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Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1352
Location: Detroit (where the slow are run over)
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Me too! When he threw that head at the end........  |
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