I think the Coen’s are real masters of their form. However, I don’t particularly care for their nihilistic outlook on the world. The central theme of their movies seems to be that nothing matters, life is random, and bad stuff happens for no particular reason.
I’d just like to point out that before Zodiac, which was originally titled Chronicles, Fincher had done extensive work on The Black Dahlia. It also was a “quest for truth”/procedural film where the main characters’ lives are compromised by their obsession with the case. It spans years. According to James Ellroy, Fincher envisioned it as 3 hours long and black and white. Ah, what could’ve been….
What techniques specifically are you referring to? Granted, it’s been at least nine months since I’ve watched Black Swan, but I remember being struck by the long uninterrupted takes of Nina dancing that would slowly tilt up from her feet to her head. If that’s fakery, then the illusion was seamless for me.
“There are 139 dance shots in the film. 111 are Natalie Portman untouched. 28 are her dance double Sarah Lane… Natalie sweated long and hard to deliver a great physical and emotional performance. And I don’t want anyone to think that’s not her they are watching. It is.”
I disagree with the notion that because you’re paying a ticket, the film should serve one function—pacifying you. Black Swan isn’t one of them, but what about films that are designed to challenge an audience? Can they not also be great? Certainly you should judge a film on what it intends to do; not what you want it to do.
I just watched this one for the first time, and I wish I knew how I had missed it for this long. I wish I could contribute something more substantive to what looks like the potential for a good discussion. I just wanted to give it a bump.
In regard to the OP, the film does try to sort of shoehorn religion into science, and vise versa, and as a result, perhaps the plot is convoluted. I didn’t get hung up on the plot any more than I did with The Ward. The form was impeccable. And especially in the case of Prince of Darkness, it scared the living shit out of me. I’m not too sure Carpenter was deeply fascinated in this idea of anti-matter and subatomic particles as much as they were an excuse for Carpenter to play with another form of “pure evil.”
ack Lehtonen pointed out how wonderful the film works within Carpenter’s body of work. The embodiment of “pure evil” as in Michael Myers in Halloween or the monster in The Thing, is even more of an abstraction in Prince of Darkness.
In short, the convoluted nature of the plot (which could be deliberate) didn’t detract from the experience of it for me. Anyone finally get around to (re)watching this in the last nine months?
Jack, I would love to see that essay, man. This movie has stuck with me all day today. The dream sequences that weren’t dreams, the eerie, abnormal human behavior, and of course the music all still give me shivers. This scared me more than The Thing and Halloween do, although that’s hardly fair because I’ve seen The Thing and Halloween countless times. Still, I can’t help but wonder why Prince of Darkness isn’t as popular as those two.
I wish that the reason M. Night Shyamalan’s The Vilage hasn’t been released on blu-ray is because Criterion’s secretly working on it. That film and director could use some validation.
Anyone care to do a take on a Criterion cover for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village? I have my fingers crossed that Criterion’s working on it, as it’s yet to be given a blu-ray release. Oh, and it’s an under appreciated masterpiece too.
Anyone care to do a take on a Criterion cover for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village? I have my fingers crossed that Criterion’s working on it, as it’s yet to be given a blu-ray release. Oh, and it’s an under appreciated masterpiece too.
You only need to go Shyamalan’s films’ MUBI pages to see what some of his fans are getting from them. There’s substance in his work (yes, even The Happening), and I think it will slowly be reevaluated, particularly when he does start making $30 million-dollar flicks like the Coen bros, as he says he intends to.
I think the hardest science fiction deals with real hypotheticals and moral quandaries. Vincenzo Natali’s “Splice” was a movie that I thought had serious science fiction ideas, all while being a fresh update on the Frankenstein story and breaking some taboos.
Shyamalan has recently stated that after “After Earth” his intent to start making smaller movies that will appeal to smaller audiences, citing the Coen brothers’ films as an example.
Does anyone other than me think going the independent route would be a great thing for an oddball auteur like Shyamalan? The thought excites me. He also tweeted that he was working up the courage to direct a micro budget film.
Another thing: Here’s an interesting breakdown of the mise en scene of Shyamalan’s first three well known flicks:
“Christopher Nolan is probably a fan of The Wire, and its central thesis – that institutions will fail us again and again – looms large in the Batman films.”
Jonah Nolan actually cited The Wire as something he was watching frequently while writing The Dark Knight, and it’s a primary influence.
I’m not sure if anyone’s touched upon this. But a more interesting theme that Nolan seems intent on exploring with each movie is the sanctity of the mind. This gives him a means to play with subjectivity. And by default, characters who are scarred years after the death of a loved one. I don’t think he’s made a movie that explores this to its full potential yet, although I think Memento is excellent. I’m anxious for him to do so, and I’m happy Batman is finally behind him.
What people should really admire about the director though is his pragmatic style. It’s inspiring to me as a filmmaker to know his first flick was made over the course of a year while living in poverty, and he still says he likes to think of things one shot at a time. Even more important,, he isn’t adverse to being self-critical, unlike many star filmmakers. This makes me think his best work is still ahead of him.
I do think The Dark Knight Rises could have used another year in tidying up the script a bit.
This is bizarre. I’ve been casually going through his filmography these last few weeks. I have two Netflix discs currently in my possession: True Romance and Unstoppable.
What a loss. I think he was finally hitting his stride as an artist.
People Who Hate the Coen Brothers, Why? about 2 years ago
I think the Coen’s are real masters of their form. However, I don’t particularly care for their nihilistic outlook on the world. The central theme of their movies seems to be that nothing matters, life is random, and bad stuff happens for no particular reason.
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Zodiac (2007)--A Metaphor for Truth Seeking or Just Another Police Procedural? over 1 year ago
I’d just like to point out that before Zodiac, which was originally titled Chronicles, Fincher had done extensive work on The Black Dahlia. It also was a “quest for truth”/procedural film where the main characters’ lives are compromised by their obsession with the case. It spans years. According to James Ellroy, Fincher envisioned it as 3 hours long and black and white. Ah, what could’ve been….
Go to Comment
Influential disaster: BLACK SWAN over 1 year ago
Wanderer,
What techniques specifically are you referring to? Granted, it’s been at least nine months since I’ve watched Black Swan, but I remember being struck by the long uninterrupted takes of Nina dancing that would slowly tilt up from her feet to her head. If that’s fakery, then the illusion was seamless for me.
Go to Comment
Influential disaster: BLACK SWAN over 1 year ago
What do people think of this Aronofsky quote?
“There are 139 dance shots in the film. 111 are Natalie Portman untouched. 28 are her dance double Sarah Lane… Natalie sweated long and hard to deliver a great physical and emotional performance. And I don’t want anyone to think that’s not her they are watching. It is.”
Is he just being political?
Go to Comment
Influential disaster: BLACK SWAN over 1 year ago
(double post)
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Influential disaster: BLACK SWAN over 1 year ago
I disagree with the notion that because you’re paying a ticket, the film should serve one function—pacifying you. Black Swan isn’t one of them, but what about films that are designed to challenge an audience? Can they not also be great? Certainly you should judge a film on what it intends to do; not what you want it to do.
Go to Comment
Prince of Darkness (1987): Coherent Philosophy, Theology and Physics or a Jumbled Mess? over 1 year ago
I just watched this one for the first time, and I wish I knew how I had missed it for this long. I wish I could contribute something more substantive to what looks like the potential for a good discussion. I just wanted to give it a bump.
In regard to the OP, the film does try to sort of shoehorn religion into science, and vise versa, and as a result, perhaps the plot is convoluted. I didn’t get hung up on the plot any more than I did with The Ward. The form was impeccable. And especially in the case of Prince of Darkness, it scared the living shit out of me. I’m not too sure Carpenter was deeply fascinated in this idea of anti-matter and subatomic particles as much as they were an excuse for Carpenter to play with another form of “pure evil.”
ack Lehtonen pointed out how wonderful the film works within Carpenter’s body of work. The embodiment of “pure evil” as in Michael Myers in Halloween or the monster in The Thing, is even more of an abstraction in Prince of Darkness.
In short, the convoluted nature of the plot (which could be deliberate) didn’t detract from the experience of it for me. Anyone finally get around to (re)watching this in the last nine months?
Go to Comment
Prince of Darkness (1987): Coherent Philosophy, Theology and Physics or a Jumbled Mess? over 1 year ago
Jack, I would love to see that essay, man. This movie has stuck with me all day today. The dream sequences that weren’t dreams, the eerie, abnormal human behavior, and of course the music all still give me shivers. This scared me more than The Thing and Halloween do, although that’s hardly fair because I’ve seen The Thing and Halloween countless times. Still, I can’t help but wonder why Prince of Darkness isn’t as popular as those two.
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 1 year ago
I wish that the reason M. Night Shyamalan’s The Vilage hasn’t been released on blu-ray is because Criterion’s secretly working on it. That film and director could use some validation.
Go to Comment
The Auteurs' Fake Criterion Covers about 1 year ago
Anyone care to do a take on a Criterion cover for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village? I have my fingers crossed that Criterion’s working on it, as it’s yet to be given a blu-ray release. Oh, and it’s an under appreciated masterpiece too.
Go to Comment
The Auteurs' Fake Criterion Covers about 1 year ago
Anyone care to do a take on a Criterion cover for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village? I have my fingers crossed that Criterion’s working on it, as it’s yet to be given a blu-ray release. Oh, and it’s an under appreciated masterpiece too.
Go to Comment
THEATRICAL CUT BETTER THAN THE DIRECTOR'S CUT about 1 year ago
Donnie Darko and Miami Vice were the first to come to mind for me.
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection about 1 year ago
M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village and Roman Polanski’s Frantic.
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection about 1 year ago
Also, I’d add Todd Haynes’ Safe, which I believe has been out of print for a while.
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection about 1 year ago
Also, I’d add Todd Haynes’ Safe, which I believe has been out of print for a while.
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What do you consider the best Modern Noir of the past thirty years? about 1 year ago
The Salton Sea
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What do you consider the best Modern Noir of the past thirty years? about 1 year ago
^ Just throwing that one out there since it hadn’t been mentioned. It’s not anywhere near my favorite.
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Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux about 1 year ago
I wish it was real.
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HOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS YOU WISH WOULD GO "INDIE". about 1 year ago
M. Night Shyamalan. It was a fluke that he ever hit the mainstream in the first place.
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HOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS YOU WISH WOULD GO "INDIE". about 1 year ago
Re: Shyamalan
You only need to go Shyamalan’s films’ MUBI pages to see what some of his fans are getting from them. There’s substance in his work (yes, even The Happening), and I think it will slowly be reevaluated, particularly when he does start making $30 million-dollar flicks like the Coen bros, as he says he intends to.
Go to Comment
Favorite Audio Commentaries about 1 year ago
Oliver Stone has incredibly informative, insightful audio commentaries, particularly on Nixon.
I’d also say that Guillermo Del Toro’s commentaries are very educational if you’re interested in production design.
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Sci-Fi Films That Boldly and Daringly Explore Its Sci-Fi Ideas about 1 year ago
I think the hardest science fiction deals with real hypotheticals and moral quandaries. Vincenzo Natali’s “Splice” was a movie that I thought had serious science fiction ideas, all while being a fresh update on the Frankenstein story and breaking some taboos.
Go to Comment
Shymalamadingdong about 1 year ago
Bumping this.
Shyamalan has recently stated that after “After Earth” his intent to start making smaller movies that will appeal to smaller audiences, citing the Coen brothers’ films as an example.
Does anyone other than me think going the independent route would be a great thing for an oddball auteur like Shyamalan? The thought excites me. He also tweeted that he was working up the courage to direct a micro budget film.
Another thing: Here’s an interesting breakdown of the mise en scene of Shyamalan’s first three well known flicks:
http://www.horschamp.qc.ca/new_offscreen/shyamalan_pt1.html
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VULGAR AUTEUR RANKING 11 months ago
Rob Zombie.
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The Dark Knight Rises 10 months ago
“Christopher Nolan is probably a fan of The Wire, and its central thesis – that institutions will fail us again and again – looms large in the Batman films.”
Jonah Nolan actually cited The Wire as something he was watching frequently while writing The Dark Knight, and it’s a primary influence.
I’m not sure if anyone’s touched upon this. But a more interesting theme that Nolan seems intent on exploring with each movie is the sanctity of the mind. This gives him a means to play with subjectivity. And by default, characters who are scarred years after the death of a loved one. I don’t think he’s made a movie that explores this to its full potential yet, although I think Memento is excellent. I’m anxious for him to do so, and I’m happy Batman is finally behind him.
What people should really admire about the director though is his pragmatic style. It’s inspiring to me as a filmmaker to know his first flick was made over the course of a year while living in poverty, and he still says he likes to think of things one shot at a time. Even more important,, he isn’t adverse to being self-critical, unlike many star filmmakers. This makes me think his best work is still ahead of him.
I do think The Dark Knight Rises could have used another year in tidying up the script a bit.
Go to Comment
RIP Tony Scott 9 months ago
This is bizarre. I’ve been casually going through his filmography these last few weeks. I have two Netflix discs currently in my possession: True Romance and Unstoppable.
What a loss. I think he was finally hitting his stride as an artist.
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John Carpenter 6 months ago
1. Halloween
2. Prince of Darkness
3. The Thing
4. They Live
5. In the Mouth of Madness
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John Carpenter 6 months ago
1. Halloween
2. Prince of Darkness
3. The Thing
4. They Live
5. In the Mouth of Madness
Go to Comment
John Carpenter 6 months ago
1. Halloween
2. Prince of Darkness
3. The Thing
4. They Live
5. In the Mouth of Madness
Go to Comment