Shining Lights and Smoke and Mirrors - Perhaps when the color came, along with the dollar signs, and the misplaced value of things… I was looking at old black and whites of Hollywood stars of yesteryear, from candids to set photos – it looked like, and was, an entire world away. Was it that the advent of color contributed to the gradual fading away of that world? Before, seeing images and films was like seeing something several degrees removed from reality. We see things in colour of course, so the B&W aspect was reserved for the stars (apart from your family photo albums – but even then, those were records of ‘special’ moments and occasions) – Hollywood was a special occasion unto itself – for all the rest of the us, it may as well have been permanently in Black and White – the world of celluloid existed within a special moment - they were those characters. (Allowing a moment for a special nod to that equally marvelous Technicolor decades of the 60’s and early 70’s) Nowadays, we look for the broken, the incomplete hero, the tormented soul, the dirt behind the velvet curtain, the drugs in the drawer, the running mascara… it’s all about the real (and the advent of reality TV), when celebrities are portrayed as just people, as they always have been, flawed. Of course Hollywood has long been known as the place of lights and shattered dreams, but that’s not why I wrote this. I want to know if there’s a suitable compromise. At best we’re treated to rare occurrences where a modern film can transcend era’s to offer something that would succeed anywhere and still hold true to that sense of mystery, prestige and allure that was the bread and butter of ‘old Hollywood’. We can talk about art and life, integrity and business, and how one side of the industry needs the other to survive, and how the audience will watch what they’re given, or whatever the hype machine spews out… the talk of blockbuster tent-pole productions and that Hollywood is no longer so much a community as it once was, the exclusive hallowed league it once was (or was thought to be) – can that element ever be replicated? In today’s tinsel industry, money is the currency, where talent once was (or at the very least it was more of a narrower contest). We’re desensitized, to the extent that now people seem to want the wool to be pulled back over their eyes, because gritty realism just isn’t real enough, because once Hollywood finds a formula (and makes it a cliché), it will grind it out till every morsel is had. It’s the ‘golden woman’ – that complex that promises everything and brings you so far, but still only ‘so far’, always keeping that last little something out of your reach, because as an audience, we can never be satisfied. I am in a position to look upon those old images with nostalgia because I have the benefit of hindsight – looking at a past I was never a part of and can never be… so it will always seem that much more romantic and appealing, or was it just that appealing? Of course it could’ve been made to look so because the world was a different place, with World Wars, dark and unknown patches remained in the world, no internet… and the media was a different animal too, sort of… but the stars still carried a natural air of class and whimsy though. So, with surrounds made up mostly of dark things, the glamour, appeal and shine of that old-school tinsel, was made that much more brighter, stars glinting – because the world wanted the mystery, because everyday reality was often not such a great dwelling place. Shining lights and Smoke and mirrors – it’s what the world needed back then… and maybe, probably, it’s what the industry- the world – needs right now, again, even if we ignore the dust on the lights, the fire causing the smoke, and the cracks in the old mirrors. "I'm not interested in money, I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe Perhaps its wishful thinking in hoping we can get some of that essence back, considering that the central totem to what made ‘old Hollywood’ so endearing, was the warped innocence of those stars, themselves struggling to come to terms with fame, shoved into the limelight and experiencing the two edged sword of a thing called celebrity - the virgin superstar. You’re not a mega star, until the people make you one. I suppose we'll always hope, and we'll always have... Such things were not meant to last,perhaps, for if they did, we would not hold them in such high regard - (one cannot have caviar, everyday, forever...) *** {article/letter/retrospective by Steven Benjamin... Images from easyart.com, unless otherwise stated}
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The Skin I live In - a sublime Spanish Horror film Trailers of the best foreign films and some forth coming attractions. Since we're into awards season I thought of indulging my film reviewer persona. A recent article/feature I did for In The Kan ("Top 10 films of 2012 you may have missed") got me thinking about foreign language films and how little exposure they receive by English speaking audiences. Often Hollywood attempts a usually less-than-successful remake of non-English films; a typical example of this is 2010's 'The Tourist' starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. This typical romantic comedy wrapped in an action flick was actually a remake of a french action thriller called Anthony Zimmerman starring Sophie Marceau (though I can't give you an accurate review as the original film still eludes me - and I have no motivation to see the remake). You might be wondering how I can make general assumptions like this - well i have a very trustworthy instinct about films with the only real surprise being the recent release of Pitch Perfect - a film I wouldn't have batted an eye at, but somehow ended up watching, much to my delight. To the list then - all these films are good, if not brilliant, and yet I haven't seen all of them yet... see it as a to-watch list. Russia: Twilight Portrait A privileged social worker is gang raped by three policemen, A look into contemporary Russia. Brazil: Elite Squad 2 - The Enemy Within (technically a 2011 film, but so what) A former cop, now head of prison security, gets entangled in a web politics and police corruption after a prison riot. (Those who know me already know that for some reason, I really want to see this film) Denmark: A Royal Affair Nominated in the Best Foreign Language film category in this years Academy Awards. France: The Intouchables Currently in cinemas (art-house/nouveau), watch this trailer then see the film - it'll make you smile. Spain: The Skin I live in My unofficial #1 - technically released in 2011, but as is usually the case, only reached South Africa in mid Jan 2012. "A man tries to recreate his long lost love". This is a Hitchcock-style horror film (also reminding me of some recent David Morrell novels) thinly veiled as a psychological thriller. It's difficult to describe this film adequately, you just have to see it for yourself, with friends, and then chat about in the middle of the night because sleep will not come easily. --> this trailer gives you nothing really, but it's difficult to really quantify the film in trailer form. What to look out for in 2013 Searching for Sugar Man Something with a distinctively South African flavour! Nominated in the Best Documentary category of this years Academy Awards: And then, for now anyway, My most anticipated film of at least the first half of 2013: Dead Man Down Causing waves all because two names have been reunited - watch to find out. Some other titles to look out for: Most are really getting their panties in a twist over Niel Blomkamp's return to our screens with Elysium (which is NOT really a sequel to District 9 - it's set in the year 2159), and then there's, need I mention, Man of Steel . There's a number of sequels (as always) to big franchises: Die Hard, Hunger Games, Ironman, Anchorman etc... But here are some lesser known titles:
--> Happy viewing... The Hollywood stamp Staying on the pulse of world/current events, sort of, I thought I'd take a gander at an upcoming film about the assassination of Bin Laden by SEAL Team 6 - titled Zero Dark Thirty, from SonyPictures. As we've come to expect; from every major event that occurs in American history, Hollywood needs to throw its version or two cents at us (although they have taken certain other worldly events and cast their own generic spell on them). So basically I'm not holding my breath. It looks like they applied the ol' action/suspense formula to the event, not doubting Kathryn Bigelow's talents, nor those of her cast, but it just seems like this film lacks imagination - here's hoping I'm wrong... then again does anyone really care either way. Bottom line is, it will put bums on seats, so the coffers will, as always, be happy. (interestingly though, even this trailer has received its fair share of "thumbs down".) Okay, been a while since my last post so I'm using this as a news update if you will. 1st; I've been busy this week, finishing the second draft of my novel The Quiet Days - there's still a few kinks, but I'm quite happy with the progress. 2nd and 3rd... Last night I attended "a night of Jazz" with Zeke La Grange and friends. Granted it's a name unfamiliar to most, so let me enlighten you; He's a young talented saxophonist who was raising funds, with the help of some of his student friends (who also just so happen to be superbly gifted and award winning musicians in their own right) for his upcoming trip overseas. So, there we were in the dim candlelight, listening to, I kid you not, some top class jazz you would expect to find on any grand stage of the world, for a fraction of the price. There were classy renditions of some old favorite gospel tracks, to some Stevie Wonder greats and even a cover of Amy Winehouse's 'Valerie' complete with excellent vocals, guitar and piano solos - a night of pure music. Thanks to all involved for a memorable night, wishing Zeke all the best for what surely is a very bright future. And staying on the topic of music; my debut article on In The Kan is up, entitled: In the Kan Friday Top 5: Superhero Theme Tunes Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I hope you're supporting the Paralympics - it really is quite awesome!
By Steven Benjamin I remember the first time I went to see a film in the cinema; it was Toy Story. I smile thinking about it. I had the choice of either that or Independence Day. Some would look at it and wonder, why’d you choose what you did, when you think you could’ve had Will Smith, Aliens and explosions, but at the time I hadn’t seen anything about Independence Day, so I didn’t know what it was – if in doubt, go with what you know… Anyway, I recently went to a cinema, and if I didn’t have a specific plan of what I was going to watch (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – I highly recommend it), I would have wondered straight out and bought an ice cream. All I saw was a rehash of romantic dramedies, Sam Worthington’s ridiculous hairdo in the new Titans 3D CGI fest and I forget what else, oh yes I remember wondering whether the cardboard cut-out of Hermione granger in The Deathly Hallows was life size. Wasn’t going to the cinema/bioscope/’the pictures’/movie house supposed to be a highlight, an occasion even, a moment of time to savour? There was a time when only the rich could afford it, and they would dress up and have a lovely dinner after the showing, or just mingle in the foyer sipping a glass of champagne… those days are long gone. Well, perhaps the only place you’d find scenes akin to this is at art houses where film critics, aficionados and general thespians hang out. Still, instead of bringing the people to the cinema, Hollywood has taken the cinema to the people. The difference? – quality. What you get now is a barrage of mindless explosions, pointless dialogue and CGI with a remote semblance of a storyline. Ideas are borrowed replicated or just stolen and in the end you have several films released within a few months that all look and sound the same with the latest heartthrob or starlet, or even ‘singer’ (think Rihanna) plugging a major role. Of course we all know this, seen it, read it all before; so why did I write this? Well, it seems that whenever someone brings this up, someone inevitably chimes in that: “Oh but part of the reason for the cinema is to escape and just switch off and not think”. Well you’ve got your wish – mindless cinema it is, and I thought there were easier ways to switch off. Mindlessness is not difficult, and now you still want to pay for it – good for you… NAILED IT! What am I looking forward to? I’m like most others that expect a bit of quality with my popcorn. I’m just waiting for The Dark Knight Rises, and several months later, Skyfall. Who knows, maybe in the interim something will come up that surprises me, probably from Europe (The Skin I Live In)… If I include The Artist, that makes five films in one year… FIVE! FIVE… out of how many released? *** there's been an increase of the issuance of Library cards in America - an unprecedented increase...coincidence? - I think not... --->>> YESsSSS, I found it, the explanation, and it's right here. |
[Banner illustration by Joel Kanar]
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