Filmmaking/Acting advice and film reviews

[Victory Unlimited]

Oh yeah,

I almost forgot. One of the best flim noir movies I've seen AGAIN recently was "The Narrow Margin". It's all about a detective who plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with a group of gangster assasins aboard a train. His duty is to get a mob witness to the courts so that she can testify against her big time mobster husband----so he put a HIT out on her ass!

It's less than 90 minutes in length, but I'm telling you that there's not a tighter, more suspenseful, and bare knuckled crime movie you'll ever see. Check it out. The Charles Mcgraw version made in the 1950's. There's a pretty good remake of it with Gene Hackman made around 1990, but trust me, the OLD one is the best.

 

[Victory Unlimited]

Oh yeah, Karma,


Jim Thompson is an author I actually don't know too much about (YET), but what I DO know is that anybody who is thought of as argueably a better IN YOUR FACE type writer than Dashielle Hammett has GOT to be worth investigating.

Yeah Dash is probably one of my favorites of the original Hardboiled genre, a lot of HIS and many other hardboiled authors got a lot of their stuff bought by the film industry simply because it WAS so straightforward and visual.

And although I LOVED all the THIN MAN movies (gotta get'em on DVD for Christmas...lol), I have to admit that the original movie "lightened" the subject matter considerably. I mean, come on...if you read the original Thin Man book, Nick and Nora were absolutely, positively ALCOHOLICS. But they diluted that pathos for the movies with just treating them as just a high society, fun loving coupe who enjoyed having their "morning martinis". lol

But then again, if they would have took it TOO seriously, I guess there would have been NO movie series, though. Yeah, Dash's dialogue was snappy and full of wit too. But I'm gonna have to check out Thompson, though, because you've piqued my interest...

And yeah, dude...HITCHCOCK was the mutherfukkin' MAN. Back in the 90's, I was writing and drawing a graphic novel. And whenever somebody would ask me who my artistic influence was, I'd always say Alfred Hitchcock. Why? Because his use of camera angles, the WAY he communicated what was important in the shot, and what was NOT, really influence the way I drew my panels.

HIS way of just telling a story visually (NO WORDS NEEDED), was really awesome. ALL the greats who came after him should send his family at least 10% of their directorial paychecks. With Depalma and Spielberg (Especially EARLY Spielberg) being the two that first come to mind.

Long live THE MASTER.

 

[KarmaSutra]

Film schools usually teach armchair theory with very little practical knowledge. New York Film Academy where I went we were hands on first day but what really schooled me was a quote by David Mamet:

"Let the scene dictate the shot. Let the shot dictate the course of events."

Analyzing and putting this line to use has been more help than anything else when I'm setting the shot list.

Hitchcock uses this as his paradigm which is why he is so well regarded as a director. Vertigo being the best example. Quentin has this same attitude although he tends to be a tad more visceral in the linearity and sequence of shots.

 

[swifTy]

ahh; huge movie fan here. couldn't possible narrow it down to a top 10, but there are certain guys, whose work i really like.

baz luhrmann: moulin rouge / romeo and juliet
david lynch: eraserhead / lost highway / mulholland drive / INLAND EMPIRE
tom tykwer: heaven / run lola run / princess and the warrior
Kubrik: 2001 Space Odyssey / Eyes Wide Shut
Peter Jackson: brainscan
Sam Raimi: evil dead
richard linklater: fast food nation/ a scanner darkly / tape
spielberg: E.T / close encounters / jaws

American Beauty. Adaptation. Donnie Darko. Memento. The Machinist. Old boy. The Apartment. Fear X; also spring to mind as good films.

Best actor; Im !shocked! but Leo Dicarprio impresses me. basketball diaries. blood diamond. gilbert grape. titanic. the departed.

best cinema experience; Mel Gibsons 'Apocolypto'; Next best movie experience i had was watching Harry Potter 5 but there were other factors involved; im sure you understand.

 

[KarmaSutra]

ahh; huge movie fan here. couldn't possible narrow it down to a top 10, but there are certain guys, whose work i really like.

baz luhrmann: moulin rouge / romeo and juliet
david lynch: eraserhead / lost highway / mulholland drive / INLAND EMPIRE
tom tykwer: heaven / run lola run / princess and the warrior
Kubrik: 2001 Space Odyssey / Eyes Wide Shut
Peter Jackson: brainscan
Sam Raimi: evil dead
richard linklater: fast food nation/ a scanner darkly / tape
spielberg: E.T / close encounters / jaws

American Beauty. Adaptation. Donnie Darko. Memento. The Machinist. Old boy. The Apartment. Fear X; also spring to mind as good films.

Best actor; Im !shocked! but Leo Dicarprio impresses me. basketball diaries. blood diamond. gilbert grape. titanic. the departed.

best cinema experience; Mel Gibsons 'Apocolypto'; Next best movie experience i had was watching Harry Potter 5 but there were other factors involved; im sure you understand.

The fact that another brother mentioned The Apartment is cool as hell!

The Apartment is absolutely the best film ever made. Perfectly encapsulates every emotion a man has.

And I'll second the fact that Apocolypto was fvcking great at the theatre. Some other great ones are: Heat, Pulp Fiction, Crash (David Cronenbergs'), Hellraiser (I -II only) and Hostel. Evil Dead scared the be-jeezus out of me when I saw it asa wee little tyke! Loads of fun.

 

[swifTy]

The Apartment is absolutely the best film ever made

I originally saw the Hollywood remake. Dunno if you saw it "Wicker Park" with Josh Hartnett and i thought "hmmm; pretty good" so i tracked down the original and well...you have to give props to the original; even tho nothing wrong with wicker park.

Same thing with Vanilla Sky i guess; I actually liked that film. But the foreign one gets the credit.

I agree with ya on Pulp Fiction. I should have added mr Quentin Tarantino to my list. That guy got style with the camera and he knows what he's doing.

Quentin Tarantino: Pulp Fiction / Kill Bill / Reservoir Dogs / Jackie Brown

also Darren Arronovsky: Requiem for a dream / pi / the fountain

I just checked my dvd collection. !Seriously! there are so many good ones. Twelve Monkeys is UP there with the favourites.

Buffallo '66'. Drop Dead Gorgeous. overlooked and under-rated IMO


do you like David Lynch at all?

 

[KarmaSutra]

The Apartment is absolutely the best film ever made

I originally saw the Hollywood remake. Dunno if you saw it "Wicker Park" with Josh Hartnett and i thought "hmmm; pretty good" so i tracked down the original and well...you have to give props to the original; even tho nothing wrong with wicker park.

Same thing with Vanilla Sky i guess; I actually liked that film. But the foreign one gets the credit.

I agree with ya on Pulp Fiction. I should have added mr Quentin Tarantino to my list. That guy got style with the camera and he knows what he's doing.

Quentin Tarantino: Pulp Fiction / Kill Bill / Reservoir Dogs / Jackie Brown

also Darren Arronovsky: Requiem for a dream / pi / the fountain

I just checked my dvd collection. !Seriously! there are so many good ones. Twelve Monkeys is UP there with the favourites.

Buffallo '66'. Drop Dead Gorgeous. overlooked and under-rated IMO


do you like David Lynch at all?

Wicker Park is a really good picture although I wouldn't put it anywhere in the same sentence when I was talking about The Apartment. I think Josh Hartnett is one of our best actors he just needs the right vehicle. I think 30 days of night may be just what he needs.

Arronofsky is a decent surrealist but not that prolific as a filmmaker. The Fountain was absolutely a piece of sh!t. Both cuts.

Buffalo '66 is only notable for Christina Ricci. Nothing more.

And lastly, David Lynch. What can be said about I guy I've been following religiously since Twin Peaks. Pure, unfiltered talent. A guy who answers for himself. Mullholland Drive is a masterpiece.

 

[swifTy]

The Fountain was absolutely a piece of sh!t.

You know, i do agree, with you. The fountain was pretty bad -and - I told people not to bother with it. But surely, Arronovsk has got talent. How can you not like "Requiem"? He just missed the mark with fountain, although i can see what he tried to do, just didn't quite pull it off. I see good things for him in the future and I'll gladly jump to see a new film by him.

Buffallo '66. Hmmm. I have a soft spot for that one. Its got some appeal. I see it as artistic. Or maybe i just like that dry humour.

At least we agree on Lynch. i get a bit too excited when he brings out a new film. :woo:

did you see inland empire? what u think?

 

[KarmaSutra]

You know, i do agree, with you. The fountain was pretty bad -and - I told people not to bother with it. But surely, Arronovsk has got talent. How can you not like "Requiem"? He just missed the mark with fountain, although i can see what he tried to do, just didn't quite pull it off. I see good things for him in the future and I'll gladly jump to see a new film by him.

Buffallo '66. Hmmm. I have a soft spot for that one. Its got some appeal. I see it as artistic. Or maybe i just like that dry humour.

At least we agree on Lynch. i get a bit too excited when he brings out a new film. :woo:

did you see inland empire? what u think?

Re-read what I said brother. I only said The Fountain was a piece of trash, PI and Requiem are very good films. If I had to choose I would say PI is one of the best debut / experimental films I've ever seen. The writing, the acting and the cinematography are all first class.

I really liked Inland Empire. Laura Dern looks like a shoe but that aside it's pure Lynch. Fodder for the deranged

 

[KarmaSutra]

30 days of night.

The best vampire picture since Blade II.

I was actually expecting it to cheese out but it stayed true. And I'm going on record as saying Josh Hartnett is our generations greatest actor ( Natalie Portman being our best actress ). This guy has the best emotional range I've seen since Jack Lemmon.

This film, as a horror picture, was nearly flawless. The dialogue, set design, cinematography/lighting, the cast were all on spot. I'll be keeping an eye on David Slade.

Two thumbs and both big toes up !

 

[swifTy]

that film looks good man. i wanna check it out. too bad its not out here yet.

horror movies are wick! but theres so much crap out there. its the genre i like the least.

Evil Dead and Wolf Creek are my idea of a good scary film and even then wolf creek is more thriller but damn its good and australian to boot

hey karma, you ever knock about with any script ideas or come up with anythin or filmed anythin? i got a fukked up script or two. well not really a script, more a description of scenes. but you can take a read if you want. its lynch in style.

 

[swifTy]

Have you seen Paris, Je T'aime??

its not bad ay. just finished watching it. lots of talent. nat portman is in one segment of it and that particular bit is directed by tom tykwer. That was cool. I also like the segment that the Coen bros filmed. Plus theres a cool vampire segment with elijah wood.

Its just overall good. For film geeks anyway.

 

[KarmaSutra]

I don't watch too much of the French stuff. They tend to wax too politically for my taste.

They really take Mise en scene to a whole other level of blightness.

 

[KarmaSutra]

Best Film: Star Wars

Best Noir Film: Star Wars on a black and white TV.

Sorry brother but talent borrows and genius steals.

I just stole this line. Nicely done.

+rep point for you as a consolation prize.

 

[KarmaSutra]

Best film of the past two years (at least) . . .

No country for old men.​

Holy fvcking sh!t. That's pretty much the extent of how I feel for this picture.

Everything was perfect. Javier Bardem is enthralling as Anton Chigurh. You cannot anticipate what this bastard will do next. This is acting at it's most impeccable. There is a distinct humanity within this film which is never lost in it's perfect violence. Happenstance being what it is, every character gets what's coming to them. Either by accident or by the decisions they've made.

Roger Deakins cinematography was vast in it's openness then in the next shot claustrophobic and strangling. Dialogue, sh!t, this is how people who think before they speak engage in conversation. Props also to Tommy Lee Jones who I feel tends to over-act. Not this time. The Coens managed to wrangle him into simplifying the character. Not a small feet. I won't go into the plot,theme or subplots because the impropriety would not do any of you justice. Go and spend the $10 and see this film.

I'll be seeing this again and again.

 

[Nip/Tuck]

I don't watch too much of the French stuff. They tend to wax too politically for my taste.

They really take Mise en scene to a whole other level of blightness.

Have you seen "District B13"? Probably the best action movie ever.

Another great movie that didn't get the recognition it deserve is "Mr. Brooks" the story was so interesting and the plot twists were really original.

 

[wayword]

I think acting and improv can be great for Game. Any good tips, resources or sites on these, fellas?

 

[Victory Unlimited]

Yo Troops!

I'm sure General KARMA will be coming here pretty soon to give his take on the "I am Legend" movie starring Will Smith.

But before he does, although I haven't read the book yet. I know that this story was made into AT LEAST two other movies prior to this one. So to anybody with a love for films, I'd like to suggest to you guys to ALSO check out the other two versions as well.

One was called "The Omega Man", starring Charleston Heston-----which I'm sure MOST of you already know about.

The other one was called "The Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price-----which I'd be surprised if many of you even knew existed...lol.

Either way, each movie has it's strong points and weak points. But all are worth watching-----if only for comparison's sake alone.

So have fun...




Peace...one day.

 

[KarmaSutra]

I am Legend

The official review will be tomorrow evening. I would like to comment on Victory's suggestion of watching both of the I am Legend precursors.

The Omega man is a good watch if only for Charlton Heston. This is the only role I've not recognized him as Moses so that's a treat. The screenwriters pretty much left the theme of the book intact they played heavily with the plot and characters.

The Last Man on Earth is another decent picture if only for Vincent Price. They changed his name to Robert Morgan but kept his nemesis' name, Ben Cortman intact? I could never understand that. This film has pretty good tempo and good lighting up until the halfway point. Then it seems the Editor had chronic diarrhea and just split leaving the rest of the film to fall on the floor. The effects were pretty horrible too, but being mid-sixties it's forgivable. I will say though, If Hammer films had taken the reigns on I am Legend it would have been thier best film. As it stands The Devil Rides Out holds that title. That is an entirely different post altogether as it glamourizes one of my heroes; Aleister Crowley as the evil Mocata. Check it out if you can.

 

[KarmaSutra]

I am Legend: The review.

I liked the tone of this film more than anything else. Will Smith is really getting his acting chops, though there was a bit more than necessary during a couple of scenes. One in particular is when his wife is scanned and fails. I thought it a tad over dramatic and reaching for effect.

Is this the definitive version of Matheson's wonderful fiction? No. They should have titled it: 28 Years Later and it would have suited me fine. There was no real tension throughout the film. It had it's peaks and valleys but nothing long enough to truly keep me interested. The CGI was way over the top and unrealistic which turned me off.

I won't be watching it again.

:nono: