The state of Film
Last night I was rewarded for my patience, and got to see a fantastic movie with Sonja. The movie was Hidalgo (or as I affectionately call it, “the horse movie”), and it represents to me what going to the movies used to mean.
The long buildup of days, until schedules and money permits a viewing. A good, well appointed theater, that shows quality films for people in the neighborhood, not the corporate demographic.
No Profanity.
Plot.
Characters.
Subplots.
Values.
I won’t spoil the film, because it really is something that everybody should see. But why don’t films like this sell anymore. Like Miracle before it, the film tells a story. A real life story, one about people.
Most movies today are about explosions, and extreme violence, blood and death. Profanity, sex, adult situations. While these things can be done well, and in spectacular fashion (reference the Lord of the Rings set of films) most times they just sit there on the table.
Even comedies now are filled with all of the above flaws. Sure, there are amusing parts. Sure, there are fantastic performances by talented actors. the people on screen are just doing a job, and I really can’t fault them for opening the garage to the dump truck of money that is backed up.
But why do they accept the parts? Acting in one or two of these bloated monstrosities would garner me more money than I’ll ever need. But more and more of them keep coming out, with the same people, in the same situations.
Why humiliate yourself in front of (hopefully) millions of people?
Why promote a culture of violence and lavicious behavior?
WHy not make more movies about people?
Why not make Casablanca instead? There is war. Betrayal. Sex (romance, really, but something happened during that kiss)? Violence, and Death, set against the inhuman backdrop of National Socialist aggression.
Because a) nothing can compare to perfection, b) nobody got naked, c) nobody cares anymore.
I admit, I have a cabinet full of DVDs that epitomize what I hate about movies, including Hard Boiled and The Killer, two of the bloodiest action movies ever. But I also have My Man Godfrey, The Quiet Man, and Ikiru . Films about people, dealing with plots.
The Woo films listed above are cop movies, about good people in impossible situations. This I like. the characters try everything they can to do the right thing, to not cross the line between good and evil. (In the end, they discover the line is inside, and balanced constantly.) But the buckets of blood, the balletic violence, and criminal underpinnings I could do without.
At this point in my life, I shudder to think that I’ve seen the best movies ever made. I am amazed and thankful that studios are willing to make movies like Hidalgo and Miracle.
But I’d rather see Casablanca.
posted by Bhagwan : 1:13 PM