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Post by angilasman on Mar 8, 2012 21:23:55 GMT -5
Loving the list so far, I mean, any list that includes Billy Wilder, Guillermo del Toro, Buster Keaton, the Powell and Pressburger team, and Ishiro Honda definitely gets my seal of approval... but no Kurosawa?
... might have to make some additions.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Mar 9, 2012 6:25:54 GMT -5
Yup someone ought to do Kurosawa. And technically del Toro hasn't been posted yet. You should lend your expertise to him.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Mar 9, 2012 12:12:37 GMT -5
Joel & Ethan Coen I'm a sucker for something different. Cookie-cutter movies where I can guess the third act in the first 5 minutes frustrate me. I'm also a sucker for ambiguity of theme that holds up to multiple interpretations. Movies should be about something, and if what they're about is still interesting to talk about 5 years later, I'm in. I'm also a sucker for compelling characters played by actors who ought to be more famous than they are. Those are just 3 reasons why I love the Coen Brothers. They are often accused of being too concerned with style over substance. They frustrate viewers who are looking for run-of-the-mill payoffs and comforting explanations. Instead, they load their films with detailed and panoramic cinematography, intricate dialogue, and eccentric character studies. To the Coens, theme is more important than plot. The plot is often secondary, which can be off-putting for viewers who are used to the Hollywood machine. Speaking of the Hollywood machine, the fact that the Coens have been successful in this era of moviemaking is another point in their favor. In previous eras of Hollywood, it was much easier to be an auteur and carve out your own style and make the movies your own way. In this generation of commercialism and overseas markets where dying studios pump out 27 superhero knockoffs every year to dying multiplexes in 3-D, the existence of films like The Man Who Wasn't There or No Country for Old Men is astonishing. Actors line up three-deep for a chance to work with these guys. Their stable of actors is unparalleled: John Turturro, Jon Polito, Michael Lerner, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, John Goodman, George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Stephen Root, Marcia Gay Harden, Tony Shalhoub, and Bruce Campbell. Even with that kind of talent, they never veer from the pre-determined vision they create. More than one actor has told the tale that after a take where they attempted to add something to the performance, Ethan would remark, "That was great. Now try saying what's in the script." When you consider the dialogue in movies like Miller's Crossing or The Hudsucker Proxy, or O Brother, Where Art Thou or even The Big Lebowski, it's apparent that they take their writing very seriously and out-write everyone else in the industry. Their cinematography is also always impressive. They work as laboriously over the details of the shot as they do over the dialogue. It doesn't hurt to have Roger Deakins shooting the majority of your films. Whether it's the forest at Miller's Crossing or the Hotel Earle in Barton Fink or the frozen fields in Fargo or the Texas vistas in No Country for Old Men, you won't find too many films where the cinematography is this important or powerful. One of my favorite characteristics of their films is the hidden meanings of things. Often, the brothers deny that it is intentional (like the many hellish hints to the true meaning of Barton Fink) other times it's underscoring the theme of the movie (like the UFO hints in The Man Who Wasn't There). It's one of the reasons I love A Serious Man so much. The viewer is left to interpret the weirdness of the Dybbuk scene at the beginning and how it matches the theme of the rest of the film, which is weird in its own right. Viewers that want everything handed to them in a nice, tidy package won't "get" the Coens, and people who "get" the Coens can be smug and insufferable. But I think the fun is in the "getting". They had some missteps in the early '00s when they directed some films they didn't write ( Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers). Other films seem to produce strong reactions, even from Coen fans. I love A Serious Man and The Hudsucker Proxy, but only mildly enjoy Lebowski and Raising Arizona. Fargo and No Country for Old Men rightfully sit at the top of their catalog, but I'll take Miller's Crossing and Barton Fink as their two best. My final comment is about how wonderfully they end their films. Miller's Crossing ends with a walk down a long wooded road that's clearly an homage to the end of The Third Man (my favorite last shot ever). Barton Fink ends with an amazing shot on the beach that doesn't answer anything about the main character. Then a bird suddenly plunges into the ocean. After the extreme violence of Fargo, it ends with a domestic conversation about duck stamps. Burn After Reading actually ended with a character admitting that they hadn't learned anything and the entire plot was meaningless. But my favorite endings are the ones that end suddenly and leave you scratching your head: No Country... pissed off viewers by ending abruptly on Tommy Lee Jones's dream without resolving the chase, even though it perfectly illustrated the movie's theme. A Serious Man ended with an oncoming tornado, resolving nothing about the main character's existential questions. Again, perfectly illustrating the theme. I always look forward to Coen Brothers movies because I know the ending will be brilliant. I just love things that end abrup
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Post by mummifiedstalin on Mar 9, 2012 12:40:23 GMT -5
Yes.
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Torgo
Moderator Emeritus
-segment with Crow?
Posts: 15,420
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Post by Torgo on Mar 9, 2012 14:15:14 GMT -5
Our head poobah, ladies and gentlemen! Making his one and only contribution to the thread.
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Post by angilasman on Mar 9, 2012 18:13:35 GMT -5
Yup someone ought to do Kurosawa. And technically del Toro hasn't been posted yet. You should lend your expertise to him. Oooh, I might that.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Mar 10, 2012 0:51:22 GMT -5
Thanks Mr. A - well thought out as expected. Though I'm not sure where I fit in your Coen world view. I love them enough to say that I get them. But don't love them so much that I can be called smug and insufferable. I'm in Coen limbo Edit - In all seriousness, I appreciate the participation folks. I was hoping Mr. A would do the Coen's, and that angilasman might cover del Toro, because I know how much they appreciate those directors. I'll get to my 2 planned pieces eventually, but My Oscar blog has taken up my free time of late, so I'm am happy to see the thread stay alive with entries from others.
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Post by angilasman on Mar 10, 2012 10:45:55 GMT -5
^It'll be a few days before any entry on my part. It's hard to have a modicum of objectivity on something your so fanboyish about.
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Post by Frameous on Mar 11, 2012 2:09:27 GMT -5
Stanley Kubrick Considered by many as the most important American filmmaker of the 20th century, Kubrick seemed destined for greatness. He swiftly evolved from a bright chess playing youth who loved the movies into a professional photographer for Look magazine by the age of seventeen. After teaching himself the technical aspects of film making (by actually making his own low budget features), he slowly found his own voice and made his mark in the Hollywood system with The Killing. Having success adapting source material led him to his next feature, Paths of Glory, which not only sharpened his skills but drew controversy. These two aspects would become staples of his filmography. Ever the strategist, he accepted Spartacus as a job for hire to show the establishment he could handle a large production and turn a profit. He cemented this position with Lolita, all the while finding his comedic voice. With 1964's Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Kubrick hit his stride. His meticulous perfectionism and complex secrecy on set would continue throughout his career, coalescing with his controversial subjects and striking visual eye. 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey has been described by many as the "big bang" that paved the way for Star Wars, Blade Runner, and pretty much what we all know as the modern sci-fi film. 1971's A Clockwork Orange pushed the boundaries of sex and violence in cinema, and 1980's The Shining emerged as one of the most complex and terrifying horror films, defying all the genre's conventions. As the years went on, it took longer for him to realize a project from conception to screen, and his output slowed greatly. 1987's Full Metal Jacket, while a great film and Kubrick through and through, fell victim to the onslaught of Viet Nam films that came in the wake of Platoon. To some, it seemed the master had been outpaced, but hindsight has shown us that no matter what the climate of the times, the man made films on his own terms, and we continue to look to them for inspiration and depth. As someone who has studied his work and read his biographies, the man is an unparalleled genius. His thorough knowledge of the movies extended into his involvement in the marketing and preservation of his films, and his defiance to speak openly about them only spurs further fascination and study. He is probably the most immitated director of all time, influencing everyone from his peers to the staff of The Simpsons and Pixar. TrademarksThe Kubrick Stare, as seen here: listverse.com/2011/04/08/top-10-kubrick-stares/CRM-114 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRM_114_(fictional_device)His use of symmetry in shot composition. His films were often met with mixed critical acclaim, only to later be lauded as masterpieces. His films often deal with war, sex, power, and the darker side of human nature. His use of psychology on set when dealing with actors and crew members. The staggering number of takes he allegedly demanded from his performers. TriviaThere is a great deal of confusion regarding The Shining and the number of retakes of certain scenes. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the scene where Wendy is backing up the stairs swinging the baseball bat was shot 127 times, which is a record for the most takes of a single scene. However, both Steadicam operator Garrett Brown and assistant editor Gordon Stainforth say this is inaccurate - the scene was shot about 35-45 times. Brown does say however that the scene where Hallorann explains to Danny what shining is was shot 148 times, which is a world record. Academy Awards1968 Best Visual Effects No Oscar for Best Makeup existed until 1981. Arthur C. Clarke and others commented that in the same year that 2001 was released, a special honorary Oscar for ape makeup was given to Planet of the Apes, but the more realistic ape-makeup in 2001 was ignored. Many believe that the committee didn't realized the apes were actors. All of his films from 2001 onward (with the exception of The Shining) all received multiple Oscar nominations. Quotes "The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good."
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Post by TheNewMads on Mar 12, 2012 7:46:25 GMT -5
nice. i was gonna do kubrick, after my weirdos. that's a great writeup.
the story about the planet of the apes getting the makeup award because they thought the 2001 apes were real is priceless.
also, there's a documentary about "The Shining," "Room 237," came out a few months ago. i've been continually drumming my fingers waiting for it to come out on DVD. My fingers hurt. The number of takes trivia is interesting, i knew vaguely that he did a lot of takes, but didn't know the specifics.
by "coincidence," i've been boning up on the Kubrick-faked-the-moon-shot conspiracy theories last couple weeks. though i don't believe kubrick actually faked the moon shot, those guys come up with some real fascinating connections, esp. with an intriguing re-reading of "eyes wide shut" that almost makes me want to see that utterly torturous movie again. is there really a connection between Stanley Kubrick and Pedobear? You'll have to google "Kubrick conspiracy" to find out...
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Post by Frameous on Mar 12, 2012 12:44:01 GMT -5
nice. i was gonna do Kubrick, after my weirdos. that's a great writeup. Thanks, sorry of I stole him out from under you. I feel like I could have gone on and on about him, but went for the stripped down approach (maybe even a homage to SK himself, reluctant as he was to dissect his work). I personally don't buy the faked moon landing conspiracy, but I do believe Kubrick himself was a conspiracy theorists (for lack of a more dignified term). I've posted about it on here before, but it's worth checking out the website mentioned here for any SK fanatic: forrestcrow.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=movies&action=display&thread=20875I don't think Room 237 will see the light of day anytime soon due to rights issues, but I keep hope alive it will find a life online. Regardless of what theories you subscribe to, it's a hell of a lot of fun to read about them, and see all the images and ideas that he took the time to weave into his films. I really enjoyed Mr. A's Coen write up. They are probably my favorite living film makers, and their work features many Kubrickian influences (notice the POE/OPE graffiti in the rest stop bathroom in Raising Arizona?). What I think I love most about them is that no matter how heady and dense their material is, I can always find a sense of humor in it. My buddy and I found ourselves the only ones chuckling in theater during the gas station quarter speech in No Country. And I saw The Big Lebowski thrice theatrically because it was so damn funny and bizarre. I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite, but Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing usually tie for first. I will NEVER get tired of watching those.
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Post by TheNewMads on Mar 12, 2012 13:39:41 GMT -5
no worries on stealing kubrick. i've started prepping some research for my other guys i wanna do and on the schedule i'm on, i'd probably have gotten around to stan sometime around 2016.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Mar 12, 2012 14:52:35 GMT -5
I really enjoyed Mr. A's Coen write up. They are probably my favorite living film makers, and their work features many Kubrickian influences (notice the POE/OPE graffiti in the rest stop bathroom in Raising Arizona?). What I think I love most about them is that no matter how heady and dense their material is, I can always find a sense of humor in it. My buddy and I found ourselves the only ones chuckling in theater during the gas station quarter speech in No Country. And I saw The Big Lebowski thrice theatrically because it was so damn funny and bizarre. I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite, but Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing usually tie for first. I will NEVER get tired of watching those. Thanks. I was worried it was too personal and subjective compared to the other writeups. I could do 3000 more words on their work and still barely scratch the surface.
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Post by Frameous on Mar 12, 2012 14:56:28 GMT -5
Youse fancy pants, all of youse.
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Torgo
Moderator Emeritus
-segment with Crow?
Posts: 15,420
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Post by Torgo on Mar 12, 2012 15:58:13 GMT -5
nice. i was gonna do Kubrick, after my weirdos. that's a great writeup. Thanks, sorry of I stole him out from under you. I feel like I could have gone on and on about him, but went for the stripped down approach (maybe even a homage to SK himself, reluctant as he was to dissect his work). I personally don't buy the faked moon landing conspiracy, but I do believe Kubrick himself was a conspiracy theorists (for lack of a more dignified term). I've posted about it on here before, but it's worth checking out the website mentioned here for any SK fanatic: forrestcrow.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=movies&action=display&thread=20875I don't think Room 237 will see the light of day anytime soon due to rights issues, but I keep hope alive it will find a life online. Regardless of what theories you subscribe to, it's a hell of a lot of fun to read about them, and see all the images and ideas that he took the time to weave into his films. I really enjoyed Mr. A's Coen write up. They are probably my favorite living film makers, and their work features many Kubrickian influences (notice the POE/OPE graffiti in the rest stop bathroom in Raising Arizona?). What I think I love most about them is that no matter how heady and dense their material is, I can always find a sense of humor in it. My buddy and I found ourselves the only ones chuckling in theater during the gas station quarter speech in No Country. And I saw The Big Lebowski thrice theatrically because it was so damn funny and bizarre. I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite, but Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing usually tie for first. I will NEVER get tired of watching those. The only one who'd be pissed you stole Kubrick is Forrest, but it' his own damn fault for having a life outaide the board.
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