Prodigal Sons (2008)

               

Kimberly Reed’s 2008 documentary Prodigal Sons is one of those rare, yet rewarding experience of film discovery that one hopes for each time they see a film. Seemingly inspired by the autobiographical documentaries of Ross McElwee (Sherman’s March), Prodigal Sons is narrated by Reed, born Paul McKerrow, and starts out as her story of returning to her hometown in Montana to attend her High School reunion. The film’s focus quickly turns to her older adopted brother, Marc, whom she has been estranged for a decade, as he battles mental illness seemingly caused by brain damage from a previous accident.

                The film addresses preconceived notions in a fresh way. It opens with the title card in font used in Citizen Kane, arguably the greatest film of all time. This immediately comes off as pretentious as it is assumed that the choice of font is meant to signify the filmmaker’s ego in comparing herself to Orson Welles. It is later learned that Marc’s birth mother is Rebecca Welles, daughter of Orson and Rita Hayworth, explaining the choice of font.

                The treatment of Reed as a transgender reflects an ongoing paradigm shift in society. Rather than politicizing or making it the film’s focal point, it becomes an afterthought to the audience. The “so what?” attitude that Reed’s family and former classmates takes towards her new identity is refreshing and allows the central theme of Marc’s struggles to take center stage.

                Marc’s arc in the film is its primary strength. He is first presented as somewhat buffoonish, quick to turn the attention of any conversation to himself and his brain damage. He seems unaware of how inappropriate the behavior is in social situations, causing many people he meets to become awkwardly uncomfortable. Marc’s personality then becomes monstrous and downright scary as he becomes physically abusing to Reed and fellow family members. The violent behavior and homophobic slurs make it easy for the viewer to write him off as crazy and dismiss him as many of his own family members have had to. It is Reed’s continuing love and support that turns that around, causing the audience to question their own beliefs about the violent, unstable nature of mental illness.

                The scenes involving Marc’s abuse at first feels exploitative.  Moments of a family in crisis are inherently private and witnessing them feels inappropriately voyeuristic. These are necessary, however, to get a full picture of the damage Marc causes his family and himself. Witnessing a family falling apart amid the backdrop of Christmas causes the realization that seeking professional help is not only needed, but essential.

                In an age where mass public murders have become the norm, the film serves as a unique tool to look at mental illness and its taboos without also having to discuss gun control. Marc is not evil, even though that is the easiest way to view him. Reed convinces the audience not to approach him this way by standing by him as his strongest supporter, even though she is one of his primary victims of abuse. Her bravery is inspiring and gives the film a hopeful tone that transcends other social problem documentaries.

                As a filmmaker, Reed is revelatory and will hopefully continue to make films that are this personal and raw. She presents herself as a masterful champion and voice for both transgendered and mentally ill, two groups historically neglected or misrepresented. Prodigal Sons is difficult to watch, yet ultimately rewarding in its ability to inspire conversations about topics that are ordinarily easier to ignore.

On Bonnie and Clyde

(Note: This post is comprised of two term papers I wrote this semester in my film appreciation class. One deals with visual style, the other on storytelling.)



          1967’s Bonnie and Clyde, directed by Arthur Penn, uses a Great Depression era setting to convey anti-authoritarian themes of social class struggles, feminism, and a generational disconnect as well as critiquing consumer based culture. The cinematography, editing, and sound design uniquely complement these themes and adds to the overall mood of the film.
          The subversive ideology of the film can be read through various film theories. Primarily a Marxist film, Bonnie and Clyde explicitly sides with the poor and under privileged. Clyde has a disdain for banks, choosing them as his primary target for robberies. Banks are seen as an evil institution, taking advantage of the common man. When introducing himself to C.W. Moss, Clyde states, “We rob banks, nothing wrong with that.”
          The poor, common man is depicted in a similar fashion as the soviet proletariat. Clyde refuses to take a bystanders money during one of his robberies, insisting that the man pocket it himself. While stealing a car from Gene and Velma, he is friendly towards them up. He buys them food and takes them along for the ride, telling them that they are, “just folks, just like us.” While Bonnie and Clyde have a hatred for authority such as police, they depend on the poor to protect them during their getaways. They even stop at a shanty town and the inhabitants are very charitable, providing water and respect to the outlaw gang.
          While the lower class is presented as good, the older generation is seen as either monstrous or void of usefulness. C.W.’s father is abusive both verbally and physically, throwing objects as well as insults at C.W. at every opportunity. He even rats out Bonnie and Clyde to Captain Hamer, betraying their trust in him and coordinating their deaths. Bonnie’s mother is seen as weak and slow witted. After visiting with Mrs. Parker, Bonnie writes her off as useless, telling Clyde “She’s just an old woman now.”
          The film is also a work of feminism, portraying the female characters as dominant over their male counterparts. Prior to their first robbery, Bonnie is calm and collected in comparison to Clyde’s nervous small talk. The character of Blanche seems meek and passive at first, but she clearly wears the pants in her relationship with Buck, even ensuring that she gets her fair share of the loot from robberies. Both female characters are so headstrong that they often clash throughout the film, battling for alpha-female status.
          Clyde’s impotency not only reinforces the feminist nature of Bonnie and Clyde, but also allows for a Freudian reading of the film. Unable to dominate sexually, he uses his gun as a proxy for his manhood. His ability to protect Bonnie with his gun makes up for his inability to satisfy her sexually. It isn’t until he feels immortalized by her published poem that he can overcome his lack of prowess. Bonnie is also psychologically scarred as the film progresses. She becomes more and more obsessed and frightened of death, even kicking their new friend Gene out of the car when she learns he is an undertaker.
          These themes add up to a pessimistic view of the world. Consumerism and fame seeking have driven ordinary, decent people to acts of graphic violence and an unfulfilled life on the run. Logos of brand such as Coca-Cola adorn most buildings in town and getting a picture in the paper is the highlight of existence. The only escape from the world seems to be death. The bleakness of this world is highlighted by the cinematography of the film.
          The movie is primarily shot naturalistically, with straight forward angles and lighting that give off a realistic feel. The color palate of the film adds to the realism. Earth tones such as green, brown, and beige are used for set dressing and costumes. The lighting is bright and sunny for exteriors, while the interiors are more darkly lit and shadowy. The interior shadows cast by the draped and boarded windows shows the realism of the gang in hiding. The crisp photography and sharp focus give the film a down to earth feel.

         There are a few instances of formalism, however. The scene of the gang visiting Bonnie’s family is photographed as hazy and dreamlike, almost like a distant memory. Much of the scene is in slow-motion and the characters are primarily dressed in black as opposed to the more natural colors of the rest of the film. The expressionism of the scene shows that Bonnie is no longer a part of that world.
          The color red is also seen throughout as a signifier of death. Before Clyde shoots the bank employee during his getaway, a red car is shown. There is a red chair and roses inside the gang’s rented Missouri house just prior to a shoot-out resulting in several police deaths. Buck wears a hat with a red band around it, foreshadowing his fatal gun wound to the head.
          Several types of camera movement are used, adding to the energetic feel of the world. Many of Bonnie and Clyde’s conversations are filmed with a tracking shot and the getaways combine crane shots, pans, wide shots, and close ups. There is a mixture of both objective and subjective shots. When Clyde enters the first bank he intends to rob, we see the bank from his point of view, humorously realizing that the bank has closed at the same time he does. The film opens with an extreme objective close up of Bonnie’s lips before it zooms out and she turns around to look into the mirror, becoming a subjective shot from her point of view as she gazes at herself.
          The variety of camera movements and shots are enhanced by the editing. The robbery and getaway scenes have an intense feel due to the quick cuts of crane shots, car close-ups, tracking shots, and interior close-ups of the gang inside the getaway vehicle. The more calm scenes use shots longer in length; combining the establishing, medium, close-up classic Hollywood editing format.
          Straight cuts are used within a scene with dissolves used for scene transitions. Each sequence begins and ends with a fade, such as the end of Bonnie and Clyde’s introduction and after the whole gang has been gathered. The film ends with a cut to black.

          The rhythm of Bonnie and Clyde is made up of a mixture of the two types of scenes. There is a dialogue heavy, slower paced build-up to crime followed by a fast paced crime and getaway, which leads the characters back into a slower paced hide out scene. This is repeated three or four times throughout. The mood of the film is always tense even in the quieter scenes due to the anticipation of the gang being discovered.
          There are several scenes that use interesting edits. C.W.’s father is shown exiting an ice cream parlor after conversing with an unknown man. He stops in a medium shot outside the parlor when a truck passes in front of him, obscuring the view. When the truck passes, Capt. Hamer is in his place, revealing him as the mystery man. It is a neat way to hide an edit and serves as a pseudo-graphic match.

         The final scene of the film has a calm dread that builds to Bonnie and Clyde realizing they have been trapped. The edits then speed up, with four quick subjective shots of the couple making eye contact with each other and saying goodbye with their eyes. The massacre is loud and violent, with several cuts back and forth between the guns in the bushes and the outlaws being riddled with bullets. The scene then goes silent with the exception of the sound of wind as the two dead bodies settle in slow motion.
          When Bonnie writes her poem, she then reads it out loud to Clyde inside their car during a rainstorm. The scene cuts to Captain Hamer reading it from a published newspaper clipping as Bonnie’s voice-over continues to narrate the poem. The scene then transitions from a close-up of Capt. Hamer’s clipping to another copy of the newspaper being held by Bonnie while on a picnic with Clyde, her voice finally finishing the narration. It is a cool use of a graphic match with the newspaper as well as sound that goes from diegetic to non-diegetic and back to diegetic without a pause in the reading of the poem.
         With the exception of that scene, the dialogue in the film is diegetic and naturalistic. It is mostly character based as opposed to plot driven exposition. The characters speak their minds in a plain spoken manner, adding to their depiction as salt of the earth types. The characters coded as “bad”, such as Captain Hamer, Moss Senior and Bonnie’s mother, have dialogue and delivery that reinforce this. Both of the men appear trustworthy to Bonnie, Clyde, and Blanche during their face to face conversations and use the gentle façade to gain their trust. Mrs. Parker speaks slowly and doesn’t seem to be all there in the head, implying that senility comes with age.
          Sound effects comprise the majority of the films soundtrack. The soundscape is layered with a combination of background noise, sounds of nature, and the higher volume sounds of cars and guns. The outdoor scenes are enhanced by the sounds of wind rustling leaves, birds chirping, and footsteps on dirt roads. The gun fire during shootouts is noticeably louder in volume, giving the scenes a chaotic feel.
          The score in the film is sparse, made up primarily of the banjo music of Flatt and Scruggs. There are a few other instances of music, such as during the dreamy Ma Parker scene and over the opening credits. The use of the banjo music acts as a leit motif, accompanying the many getaways from crime. Its berserk string picking accompanies the frantic escape of the gang from each robbery and close call with the police. Only after the death of Bonnie and Clyde does the banjo slow to a more peaceful pace as the credits roll, signaling that our main characters no longer have to be on the run from a world that regards them as outsiders.
          In Bonnie and Clyde, Arthur Penn blends the narrative style of the International Art Cinema with the traits of classic Hollywood. This fusion produces a films that serves as a prime example of the themes and motifs that establish Arthur Penn as one of the first auteurs of the New Hollywood cinema. The film also establishes the screen personas that most of its cast continue to perfect over the course of their careers.

          Rejecting the conventional three act structure, Bonnie and Clyde instead relies on a narrative structure that is episodic and filled with character based scenes rather than event based. Although there is plenty of action, the film is more interested in the interplay between the Barrow gang than it is in documenting their careers as thieves. This International Art Cinema influenced narrative structure is one example of how the film breaks with the tradition of classic Hollywood cinema, but the break is not a complete one.
          Clyde Barrow, like most Hollywood heroes, is a white male. He is handsome and confident, but is not simplified as “good”. He is both a thief and murderer, traits that break with tradition. The antagonists are also in conflict with how Hollywood has traditionally depicted “villains”. Here, the primary antagonists are Captain Hamer, a Texas Ranger in pursuit of the Barrow gang and Mr. Moss, gang member C.W.’s father. The antagonists are both white males who are representative of the American values of old, anything but foreign. The conflict between the protagonists and antagonists is not simplified, but complex. The protagonists rob banks and commit murders, while the antagonists seek to uphold the law. Instead of their actions, it is the motivations of the characters (looking out for the poor vs. monetary reward) that defines them as protagonist and antagonist.
          The women in Bonnie and Clyde are not typical love interests, passive and inconsequential. Bonnie is stronger than Clyde, calling the shots and establishing herself as the de facto leader of the gang. Even though Blanche is emotionally fragile, she is also the decision maker in her relationship with Buck and is the only member of the group who is not afraid to stand up to Bonnie and question her leadership role. It is the men in the film who tend to be more passive, adopting the role traditionally given to women in classic Hollywood cinema.
         While the characters represent a break with tradition, Bonnie and Clyde’s style stays true to it. The film has an omniscient objective point of view. No single character is the focal point of every scene and the camera is able to observe any character or event. The editing style is hidden by cuts on action, graphic matches, and other tricks of continuity editing. The visuals are primarily plain and realist, with the exception of the hazy expressionism used for the scene when the gang visits with Bonnie’s family. The narrative is linear, free of any flashbacks or framing devices. Although the film ends abruptly and violently, all loose ends are still tied up. Bonnie and Clyde are killed and the surviving members of the gang, Blanche and C.W. are assumed to have returned to life with their respective fathers.
          The marriage of modernist characters in a classic style is presented within the Gangster genre, taking the conventions of the genre and deconstructing some of them slightly. Like the Warner Bros. gangster films of the 1930’s, Bonnie and Clyde presents a dystopian society beat down by the depression, but the typical urban setting is instead moved to the rural south. The iconography of the gangster film is still intact; including guns, car chases, hide outs, and bank robberies. Instead of detailing the Horatio Alger like rise of a gangster, the Barrow gang seem to never get rich. They are constantly on the run and barely breaking even, not able to enjoy the spoils of their crimes. The film does uphold the most important aspect of the gangster film: The death of the antihero protagonists, allowing the audience to be free of complicity while still rooting for them.
         Similar to the revisionist westerns of the same time, the gangster film is updated to reflect the cultural changes of its time of production. Whereas the gangster film was once a reflection of the prohibition era, it now has characters who seem alienated from society and authority. This seems to be a direct correlation to counter cultural ideals of the late sixties.
          Taking place during the baroque phase of the gangster genre, Bonnie and Clyde tends to deconstruct the genre more than other gangster films of it period. It is in stark contrast with a film like The Godfather, which maintains more of the generic conventions, including an ethnic protagonist, the Italian Corleone. The typical fast talking jargon of the gangsters is replaced by a slower southern drawl, softening the rough edges that marks the depiction of most gangsters.
         Bonnie and Clyde also serves as an example of Arthur Penn as auteur. Although he is not as synonymous with the New Hollywood era as other filmmakers, his films have reflected similar themes which suggest the work of an auteur. Like his deconstruction of the gangster film, Penn uses other genres to reflect the counterculture. He updated the western with Little Big Man, presenting the Native American as protagonist. Penn also directed Alice’s Restaurant, a pseudo-musical based on star Arlo Guthrie’s life. These films, along with his earlier film, The Miracle Worker, seem to present characters who don’t or can’t connect to the mainstream society. This theme is central to his work and is on full display in Bonnie and Clyde.
          Although the film’s central author is director Penn, the cast’s contribution cannot be overstated. Each member of the Barrow gang is a reflection of the personality of the actor portraying him or her and the chemistry between the five leads is a primary driving force in the film’s success. Penn casts the film with a mixture of movie stars (Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway) and character actors (Michael Pollard, Estelle Parsons). Gene Hackman can even be described as both movie star character actor, portraying leads and supporting roles throughout his career.
          One of the most interesting aspects of the cast is how their star personas seems to come directly from this film. Warren Beatty is the only actor in the cast known prior to Bonnie and Clyde. As Clyde, he perfects the weak willed charmer who uses his good looks to mask his ineffectual nature. This character type is revisited by Beatty again and again throughout his career. The remaining cast members establish their personas with the film. Faye Dunaway uses a cold, commanding exterior to mask her inner fears and insecurities. She uses the same qualities to establish herself as one of the most respected actresses of the 1970’s in films such as Chinatown and Network. Gene Hackman’s Buck introduces viewers to his unique ability to use his folksy persona as a way to cover up the darker nature hidden underneath. Michael Pollard’s baby faced naivety as cover for violent perversity has given him a career longevity, specializing in low budget horror. Finally, Parson’s aged her shrill and opinionated performance as Blanche into her signature role as Roseanne Barr’s mother on television’s Roseanne.

       The characters that comprise the Barrow gang are all dynamic; relying on each other for survival, but ultimately failing to survive. The betrayal of Bonnie and Clyde by C.W. and Blanche reflects not only the way the characters interact and change throughout the film, but also another key theme of the gangster film: Loyalty and betrayal. Blanche and C.W. both betray Bonnie and Clyde as a way to ensure their own safety from the law. By the end of the film, Bonnie and Clyde are the only two characters who have remained loyal, which ends up costing them their lives. 
          The unique episodic narrative, Penn’s signature themes and the cast’s charismatic performances coupled with an updating of the gangster genre has allowed Bonnie and Clyde to be timeless, perhaps more so than the real life crime spree the film is based on.

My Favorite Movie Musical Moments

           I finally got around to seeing Les Miserables (2012) the other night and I thought it was solid, but nothing too innovative. Anne Hathaway did blow me away with her performance as Fantine and “I Dreamed a Dream.” The film and Hathaway’s performance in particular made me think of my other favorite numbers from movie musicals. Here they are, in no particular order: (I tried to find clips from YouTube, but I couldn't for a few.)

Cabaret (1972) - “Maybe This Time”

Joel Grey’s Master of Ceremonies is my favorite character from the film, but “Maybe this Time” is the most poignant song from the film. It sums up the optimistic, yet cautious attitude that Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) has adopted in response to too many past abandonments. That song alone tells us all we need to know about Bowles.

Dreamgirls (2006) - “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”

                Like Hathaway in Les Miserables, It can be argued that this one song clenched the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Jennifer Hudson. Seeing this during its theatrical release, the audience burst into applause after she finished the number, something I had not seen before or since. This is one of my favorite introduction to an actress I've ever seen.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952) - “Good Morning”

                Arguably the greatest musical ever made, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s film is full of great sequences featuring recycled songs from past musicals. “Make them laugh” and the titular number are both classics; but it is Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connors’ rendition of “Good Morning” that always puts a smile on my face. It’s super catchy to boot.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) – “Somewhere over the Rainbow”

                What now seems like an obvious choice famously almost landed on the cutting room floor to make for a speedier trip to Oz. Like Minnelli’s number from Cabaret, This song serves as an encapsulation of Dorothy’s (Judy Garland) feelings and character. I used to watch The Wizard of Oz at least weekly as a kid, and I would always watch this song, then fast forward to the tornado scene.

Once (2007) – “Falling Slowly”

                2007 was, in my opinion, the greatest year in film that I have seen during my lifetime. Out of all the great films released that year, Once is probably my second favorite. It was one of those films that I didn’t know a lot about going into and it surprised me, putting me in a good mood for the rest of the day. The secret to its charm is in its simplicity. It’s not overly choreographed and doesn’t even have a plot, really. It’s about two people connecting at the right time and the right place. “Falling Slowly” is the first glimpse at that connection. 

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) – “The Sidestep”

                This is without doubt the cheesiest film on this list. It is the standard southernspolitation that Burt Reynolds excels at with musical numbers thrown in. It’s not even that great of a film. That being said, there is something infectious about Charles Durning’s Texas Governor dancing in the corridors of the Capitol while avoiding the press that is attempting to hold him accountable. Durning’s large frame along with his fast paced dance moves are a bizarre juxtaposition that is hard to take your eyes off of. You find honest depictions of the political system in the strangest places sometimes.

Chicago (2002) – “Mr. Cellophane”

                Although the film is known for its jazzier numbers, John C. Reilly’s lone solo performance is what won me over while watching Chicago. I think the surprise of seeing Reilly singing so well is part of why I love it so much. It’s crazy to think that Reilly was in 3 of the 5 Oscar nominees for Best Picture that year, including getting a nod himself for this film. He’s since sort of reinvented himself as a member of the “frat-pack”, but his recent performances in Roman Polanski’s Carnage and Lynn Ramsay’s We Need to Talk about Kevin hint at a return to more dramatic roles.

The Muppet Movie (1979) – “Rainbow Connection”

                My 9 month old son has started to fall in love with Sesame Street, Elmo in particular. It’s amazing that Henson’s Muppet creations are still relevant and vital in the digital age. It’s likely due to the heart behind the felt creations. This is perfectly summed up by Kermit the Frog’s rendition of “Rainbow Connection” from the original Muppet film. It was nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar, losing out to a song from Norma Rae that I’ve never heard of.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – “Sweet Transvestite”

                I’ve never gotten the Rocky Horror screening craze. I love the film, but all the audience participation and props and bad re-enactments only serves as a distraction to me. I’ve been to a few of them, but I always end up getting annoyed at not being able to pay attention. I guess I’m a grouch. My favorite moment in the film has to be the introduction of Tim Curry’s Frank-N-Furter. Curry’s career longevity is a testament to his acting abilities because a lesser actor would have surely been type cast following this film.

The Producers (2005) – “Springtime for Hitler”

                There is something so absurd and ridiculous about this song that it makes me forget how offensive it really is. In the same way that Once finds charm in simplicity, This number’s secret is its over the top choreography, costumes, and editing. It’s also dangerously catchy. I have found myself unconsciously singing it out loud in public on more than one occasion.

Bad Movies: Escape from L.A.

Released 15 years after Escape from New York, John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A. rehashes the original plot as Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is again dropped in a dystopian metropolitan area on a mission from a villainous U.S. President. The film was a huge flop both critically and financially, but most of all, artistically.

Carpenter and Russell together made several classics during the eighties, including The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, and Escape from New York. By the time Escape from L.A. came around, both were in a bit of a slump. Carpenter had just directed the ill-conceived remake of Village of the Damned and Russell’s flattop hair style had appeared in the crap fest, Stargate. It is easy to see why the two would want to capitalize on their past success, I just wish they would have brought their A-game. Here are ten reasons why Escape from L.A. is cinematic garbage:

1.       The CGI. It is beyond bad. Three years earlier, Spielberg revolutionized movie-making and made audiences believe dinosaurs existed in Jurassic Park. This film looks like a bad video game, and the effects are worse than the SyFy channel’s bargain basement monster movies. Carpenter has used practical effects in such inventive ways in the past that it is a shame he didn't employ them here.

2.       Kurt Russell’s acting. Russell’s characterization in this film plays more like an over the top Clint Eastwood impression than the bad-ass Snake. I’m sure the script has a lot to do with that, but Russell is listed as a co-writer. I guess that doesn't let him off the hook.

3.       Kurt Russell’s stunt double. It’s pretty convenient that every time Snake does something dangerous, his back is to the camera and his big hair is blocking his face. I suppose it is more believable than the amateurish green screen work of the rest of the film.

4.       Stacy Keach’s pony tail.

5.       The “message”. Carpenter brilliantly satirized U.S. politics in They Live. It is perhaps one of the best responses to the Reagan administration on film. Here, the satire is both lazy and heavy handed. Sure, Cliff Robertson’s President vaguely foretold the religious zealotry of George W. Bush, but in a completely silly way. Also, the President’s daughter is named Utopia? Way to hit us over the head with ironic symbolism.

6.       The year 2013. Why is the fashion of choice in futuristic 2013 black leather? Why is grunge rock being played from the thugs cars? Why is the password on the MacGuffin only three numbers? Shouldn't it be at least twelve digits; including an uppercase and lowercase letter, at least one number and one special character?  Come on, 1996!

7.       The helicopter sequence. How does the helicopter catch on fire and burn everyone in the back seat, without the fire spreading to the front? Snake’s luxurious hair doesn't even catch on fire.

8.       The supporting cast. I am a fan of Steve Buscemi, Pam Grier, Bruce Campbell and Peter Fonda; but they are at their lowest in this film. Buscemi’s character somehow has zero personality, which I didn't think was possible. Pam “The Man” Grier should be offended by this film, as should transvestites the world over. She is dubbed with the deepest voice I've heard this side of Darth Vader. Is it supposed to be funny? I missed the joke. Campbell would seemingly excel in a film like this, but he isn't allowed enough screen time to have any fun with his character, instead only serving as the obligatory plastic surgery in L.A. joke. Finally, I have no idea what Fonda is doing in the movie. He serves no purpose other than to deliver lines such as, “far-out” and “bitchin’, man.”

9.       Surfing ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

10.   And hang gliding ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I wish that Carpenter and Russell had gotten together and wrote something that was more than just a lazy remake of the original. I believe that the Snake Plissken character lends itself to franchising. Putting the character in a different situation with more dynamic motivation could have yielded a much better film. Instead, we got post-apocalyptic surfing and hang gliding. Shame. 

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?

            Werner Herzog’s My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? (2009) at first seems like it will be another entry in the hostage subgenre of crime films. A lesser filmmaker would have taken the premise and carried it through to a climax involving Willem Dafoe’s cop character bravely entering the house and having a shoot-out with Michael Shannon’s deranged psychopath following an extended sequence of macho exposition.

            Herzog, of course, is not interested in convention. He turns this genre on its head as he has with countless other genres, including POW movies (Rescue Dawn) and corrupt cop movies (Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call- New Orleans), as well as his numerous meditative documentaries.

            The film is primarily set outside Shannon’s San Diego home as the police, led by Dafoe’s homicide detective, try to piece together why Brad (Shannon) has murdered his mother and holed up with two hostages. Brad’s fiancée, theatre director, and neighbors all provide narration for flashbacks that show Brad’s unraveling following a trip to Peru.

            I may be mistaken, but this film paired with the same year’s Bad Lieutenant is the first time Herzog has set his films in the U.S. Known for his ability to find uniqueness and something new in far off locales, He does the same thing with San Diego. Herzog presents Shannon’s home as a bizarre and colorful structure of 1950’s kitsch. The home informs Shannon’s character, allowing us to see that his upbringing was not quite as “normal” as ours.

            The primary reason behind Brad’s lack of normality is his mother, portrayed by Grace Zabriskie as an over controlling nightmare of a woman, unable to see that her son is no longer an eight year old. Their relationship reminded me a lot of Norman Bates and his mother in the way that they seem to be co-dependent. Brad’s murdering of his mother coupled with Psycho’s similar plot device makes me wonder if the Oedipus complex still exists in single parent houses, the mother eliciting both of the subconscious desires within a child. The use of pink flamingos as hostages serve as symbolism for Brad’s desire to keep his mother’s spirit alive even after murdering her.

            I also found the relationship between Udo Kier’s theatre director and Shannon’s crazy actor interesting. It is hard not to imagine that they are a comment on Herzog himself and his mythical collaborations with the late wild man actor Klaus Kinski. I would like to have seem a whole film focusing on that production of ancient Greek theatre.

 The film is not all gloom and doom, however. There is a lot of humor amidst the insanity, another signature Herzog touch. The scene of Brad Dourif’s uncle planning to have a little person ride a miniature pony is a call back to one of Herzog’s earliest films, Even Dwarfs Started Small. There is also a hilarious sight gag as Shannon is surrounded by the Swat team and one of the Swat members trains his gun on the flamingoes rather than Brad. This is perhaps a nod to Herzog’s passionate aversion to another bird, the chicken.

            The cast is top shelf. Shannon is perhaps the quintessential psycho of modern cinema, also playing crazy in Bug and Take Shelter. He has a face that suggests he is in a different reality from the rest of the world. Shannon is a master at using these facial tics to their maximum effectiveness. Dafoe, another actor whose image lends itself to off kilter characters, plays the straight man here. His detective character seems unfazed by the oddness that is going on around him. Having the usually unhinged Dafoe play the normal character underlines the insanity of the situation. Brad Dourif plays Brad’s racist and homophobic uncle and is presented as perhaps a cog in Brad’s meltdown. Dourif is great as always, but he seems to have worn the same costume in every movie he’s made in the last 10 years. The ensemble is rounded out by Udo Kier, Cloe Sevigny, Michael Pena, Irma P. Hall, and Loretta Devine; none of them a weak link in the cast.

            The film is very inventive and it is amazing that Herzog still continues to produce such strong work so late in his career. Many directors, even some of my favorites, tend to lose their edge as they age and have their artistic appetite replaced with a monetary one. With help from producer David Lynch, this film supports Herzog’s status as one of our greatest living filmmakers. 

Race with the Devil

            1975’s mobile home invasion film, Race with the Devil, is another example of why you should veer off the interstate highways in Texas…ever. On a backwoods getaway, two couples park their RV in a supposedly secluded area in the woods to relax, race dirt bikes, and drink beer. After sunset, they witness a sacrificial murder by some sort of a cult, and the rest of the movie is spent trying to escape from the murderous mob.

            The film is directed by Jack Starrett, a Texas born filmmaker who specialized in southern fried fare such as A Small Town in Texas, Final Chapter: Walking Tall, a couple of episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard, and the intriguingly titled Big Bob Johnson and his Fantastic Speed Circus. He also directed the blaxploitation classic Cleopatra Jones. He is in top form here, utilizing practical effects and stunt work to great effect. Race with the Devil is one of the great fast paced thrillers of the 1970’s.

            Its satanic cult premise is one that was very popular at the time; seen in Rosemary’s Baby, The Wicker Man, and The Omen among others. The sub-genre should have been revived with Ti West’s The House of the Devil. Much to the detriment of our society, we got the vampire craze instead. If taken as more than a throw away thriller, Race with the Devil can also be read as an allegory for religious extremism that is still prevalent in rural America today.

            The film’s visual style is in line with many of the grind-house films of the time. It has a documentary feel that is helped by using non actors as background characters. In true exploitation cinema style, Starrett claimed to have used real Satanists as extras in the cult scenes. The film has a very effective sense of paranoia, shown by suspicious looking close-ups of all the locals.

            Seeing the back of the RV for the first time, I expected one of those cheesy motorbike chase sequences similar to the ones in Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes Part 2. Luckily, the bikes were employed (or rather deployed) in a more realistic manner in the film, acting as roadblocks during the climactic chase sequence.

            The primary weakness of the film is the character development, especially the women. The female characters, played by Lara Parker and MASH’s Loretta Swit spend the movie screaming and cowering. I would much have preferred to see them empowered by the experience in the way that The Final Girl does in slasher films. The one substantial scene they have is the same clichéd sequence all these films have, where the protagonists research the cult at the library, finding the info they are looking for in the first and most conveniently titled book they grab.

            The male characters have it a little better. Peter Fonda gets to do some action hero business, but beyond that, there is little development of his character. The stand out is Warren Oates, mostly due to his approach to the role. He is more vulnerable and down to earth here than in any other film I’ve seen him in. Oates’ characters are typically in control of their environments and it is fun to see him flying by the seat of his pants as he leads his friends in their escape.

            This is a genuinely frightening film. The rattlesnake sequence is one of the best snake scenes I’ve ever seen, no doubt because real snakes were used. Real animals are rarely used in movies anymore, replaced by digitally rendered creatures. The prevalence of CGI today causes a disconnect between me and the action of the film. The ending is chilling as well. It has what I consider a “true” horror movie ending. Scary movies should end with evil triumphing or at the very least, a sense of uncertainty about the good guys’ fate. It’s so much more effective that way. 

Top Ten Films of All Time

There are hundreds of films that I consider great, but the following films are my personal top ten. They are the movies I can watch over and over again and each have informed the person I have become in unique ways. These are my desert island, post apocalypse, save from a fire picks.

There Will Be Blood

There Will Be Blood is a perfect storm of a film. All aspects are perfect: Paul Thomas Anderson’s direction and screenplay, Johnny Greenwood’s horrific in a good way score, Robert Elswit’s cinematography, the production design, editing, and the acting; particularly Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano. Daniel Plainview and Eli Sunday represent the greed of Capitalism and the opportunism of religious zealotry. The nearly three hour run time always passes like an exploding oil rig. A yearly birthday viewing has become my present to myself.

Annie Hall

Woody Allen and I contrast in many ways; including where we were raised, our age, our religion, how we carry ourselves, and our physical attributes. Despite these differences, there is not a filmmaker I know of who I relate to more. Our worldviews are surprisingly in sync and I enjoy all of his films, even finding something admirable in his unsuccessful ones. Annie Hall is his masterpiece. I have not seen a more realistic depiction of remembering lost love.

Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard belongs to Gloria Swanson. Her unsympathetic, pseudo autobiographical portrayal of aging silent film star Norma Desmond is the definition of ballsy. Today, actors routinely give performances without regard to their image or persona. In 1950, it was revelatory and served as a predecessor to the warts and all approach that method actors such as Marlon Brando and James Dean would soon popularize. Wilder’s cynical exposé of Hollywood is largely considered to be one of the most truthful films about movie making ever released.   

The Wizard of Oz

When I was three or four, I would wake up every morning before my mom, make a bowl of cereal (usually with water instead of milk) and pop in my VHS of The Wizard of Oz. It’s the epitome of timeless. The transition from sepia to Technicolor as Dorothy arrives in Oz allows us to experience the amazement from her point of view. With the exception of Star Wars, no other film has a more iconic group of characters.

Harold and Maude

This is always the film I turn to when feeling down. Equal parts romantic comedy and dark reaction to Nixon conservatism, Harold and Maude is both uplifting and depressing. Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon are at the top of their game as the titular couple. The film teaches that there is someone out there for everyone. Cat Steven’s music in the film is almost as iconic as Simon and Garfunkel’s in The Graduate.

Midnight Cowboy

Growing up in Texas, I moved to the Philadelphia area when I left home. It was around this time that I discovered Midnight Cowboy. It is flawless in its depiction of the loneliness, freedom, optimism, and sense of dread that comes with being on your own for the first time. The plight of Joe Buck (Jon Voight) and Ratso Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) is also a reminder that life can always be worse.  

The Jerk

Easily the funniest movie ever, Steve Martin puts on a comedy class as Navin Johnson. His hillbilly naiveté crossed with dead pan delivery makes Martin both the dunce and the straight man of the film. The humor is edgy in the same way that Mel Brook’s films of the era was. The envelope pushing cleverness of those films have since been replaced largely with gross-out gags and lowest common denominator jokes.

The Ox-Bow Incident

The first time I watched this, I was expecting the standard cowboys and Indians fetishizing of the American Myth that most westerns of the time put forth. I was overwhelmingly surprised to find that it was much more than that. A cautionary tale that warns against mob reactionary mentality, it should be mandatory viewing today. In dealing with issues such as school shootings and other disasters; this film can teach a lesson to both the report first, ask questions later media and the internet users who make a habit of spreading misinformation and rumors as gospel; particularly on social networks. Plus, watching Henry Fonda films have been proven to fight cancer.

Scream

Scream is directly responsible for me being a movie geek. At the impressionable age of twelve, my best friend and I rented it on Pay-Per-View. Available for 24 hours, we stayed up all night and watched it nine times in a row. There is something magical about a world that is filled with people as hyper literate about film as the characters in Scream are. Wes Craven manages to both celebrate and subvert the conventions of the slasher genre and led to the rise of Meta.

Jurassic Park

My parents took me to see Jurassic Park during its initial release. It was the most terrifying experience I've ever had in the theater. I spent most of the movie crouched under my seat and literally burst into tears the first time the T-Rex showed up. The CGI is now dated and the seams are now visible, but to a seven year old in 1993, there were real dinosaurs on screen. Growing up as a movie geek in a post Star Wars/Pre Lord of The Rings era, this was my quintessential popcorn flick.

Notes on James Bond

Connery

            Eon productions released their first film, Dr. No, in 1962 based on Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 book series. The film was a success and has produced twenty three films total in the series over fifty years, pioneering the modern action film. Known for elaborate action sequences, beautiful women, and exotic locations; the combined series has grossed almost 8 billion dollars worldwide.

            Aside from two other adaptations of Casino Royale, six men have played the part of James Bond. The first and most famous 007 is Sean Connery, who appeared in 6 of the Eon films. He established the character as cool and clever. The role made Connery a sex symbol and launched his career. Connery’s Bond was slightly paranoid, reflecting the Cold War mentality. He often checked his hotel rooms for microphones or other tampering and was often right in his suspicions. Easily the most popular actor in the role, all who followed him have been compared to him.

Lazenby

            George Lazenby starred in only one film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. He brought a youthful swagger to the role and until Daniel Craig, was the best brawler of the Bonds. His take on the part was derided by fans of the series and his off screen behavior led to Connery’s return for one more film. I found him very entertaining in the part and would have liked to have seen more him in the role.

            Following Connery’s return in Diamonds are Forever, Roger Moore assumed the role for the next seven films over twelve years. He brought a winking sense of humor to the part and his Bond relied more on his charm than his physicality. Because of Moore’s lack of action star appeal, his Bond films became more and more absurd, almost parodies of the earlier films. His later Bond’s became increasingly distracting as he aged with the role while the Bond Girls remained youthful.

Moore

            Moore finally relinquished the role in the late 1980’s. The first choice for his replacement was Pierce Brosnan, who couldn’t take the job due to his commitment to NBC’s Remington Steele. Instead, Timothy Dalton assumed the 007 mantle. Dalton was a much more serious Bond than the previous actors, doing away with the one-liners. The AIDS scare also affected Bond’s sex life, meaning fewer women being bedded by Dalton. The fans were not ready for such a drastic change in tone and rejected him after two films. His last outing, License to Kill is actually one of the best films in the series. Making Bond’s mission personal refreshed the tired megalomaniacal plots of the previous films.

            Following a six year absence from the screen, Bond returned in Goldeneye. Pierce Brosnan was finally 007 and brought some of Moore’s humor back into the fold. He was extremely confident as Bond and was very popular in the role. His Bond suffered from increasingly bad screenplays and by 2002’s Die Another Day, Bond had once again become too absurd to handle.

Dalton

            Timothy Dalton was in many ways ahead of his time as Bond. The tongue in cheek aspects of the role were no longer relevant in a post 9/11 world and the part was once again recast with the current Bond, Daniel Craig. Early fan reaction was overwhelmingly negative due to Craig’s blonde hair and much different physique from the previous Bond actors. Casino Royale changed the minds of the fans. Craig is both the most physically intimidating and the most emotionally vulnerable of all the Bonds. He has updated all the traits of Bond and made them in line with current times.  

            Bond is backed up by many allies from MI6 throughout the series. The most important is his direct superior, code named M. Bernard Lee originated the role and played the part with exasperated charisma as he tried to keep Bond focused on his missions. Following Lee’s death in 1981, Robert Brown took over as M. Brown’s M was serious and lacked the personality that Lee brought to the role. Beginning with Goldeneye, M was portrayed by Dame Judi Dench. Dench brought a no-bull shit authority to the role, as well as a loyalty to Bond that was often tested. Dench’s stature as an actress allowed for an expanded role for M, especially in Skyfall, whose plot was focused on M’s past. The conclusion of Skyfall sets up Ralph Fiennes as the newest M. Fiennes is great in everything and I look forward to him and Craig testing each other’s patience in future films.

Judi Dench as M

            The Bond films are well known for their gadgets, provided by Q. The character was played by Desmond Llewelyn from 1963-1999. Llewelyn is the heart of the bond series, the only link from the original Connery films through the Brosnan films of the 1990’s. His Q was excited to show off his new inventions and innovations, while constantly scolding Bond for destroying them. His final film, The World is Not Enough, introduced John Cleese as his replacement. Cleese only appeared in the final two Brosnan Bonds. He continued the comedic touch of Llewelyn while injecting his own unique personality into the part. The casting of Cleese always struck me as stunt casting. Q was absent from the first two Craig films, but returned in Skyfall, this time played by Ben Whishaw as a young tech nerd. The casting of Whishaw seems perfect as his age is in line with most of the leaders in the technology field. His age should allow him to stay in the role for the foreseeable future, possibly breaking Llewelyn’s seventeen film record.

Desmond Llewelyn as Q with Dalton

            My personal favorite supporting character is Miss Moneypenny. Moneypenny is the assistant to M and seems to carry a torch for James Bond. Lois Maxwell is most associated with the role, appearing in the series from Dr. No until Roger Moore’s final appearance in 1985’s A View to a Kill.  She starts out as a sex-pot in the earlier films, always ready to trade a double entendre with Bond. Her chemistry with Connery was electric and their scenes together were some of the best in the films. As she aged with the role, Maxwell became less flirtatious and suffered from decreasing screen time. Caroline Bliss played Moneypenny in the two Dalton films. Like Robert Brown’s M, she lacked the charisma of her predecessor. Goldeneye introduced Samantha Bond as an updated Moneypenny. Working for Dench’s M, This Moneypenny was less sexy secretary and more modern personal assistant. Miniskirts were replaced with professional pant suits, however, Moneypenny still carried a flame for 007. Bond’s best scenes as Moneypenny were from Die Another Day, were she gets a chance to make out with Brosnan, albeit in a fantasy sequence. The character would not return after that until Skyfall, this time portrayed as more of a badass by Naomie Harris. Paired with Craig’s Bond, This Moneypenny comes the closest to the original Connery/Maxwell chemistry.  

Lois Maxwell and Sean Connery 

            Other Bond allies appeared in the films, including CIA agent Felix Leiter and MI6 Chief of Staff Bill Tanner. These characters lack the consistency of having the same actors in the role for multiple films and rarely made as big an impact as the likes of M and Q.

            007’s love interests, popularly known as Bond Girls, generally fall into 3 categories: A partner who teams up with Bond in sharing a common enemy, A lover of the villain who has a change of heart and helps Bond in his mission, or a Villainess herself who uses her sexuality to get to Bond. Whether a Bond Girl is effective as an on-screen character often depends on the actresses’ chemistry with Bond. The first, Ursula Andress, is perhaps the best. Honey Ryder as played by Andress is strong, smart, and sexy. Other great Bond girls include Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Barabara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me, and Eva Green in Casino Royale. The most high profile actress to play a Bond Girl would have to be Halle Berry in Die Another Day. I expected not to like the character due to stunt casting, but the opposite turned out to be true. The film as a whole is ridiculously over the top and the effects have not aged well, but Berry is the one saving grace. She is the closest Bond has come to meeting his match and I understand why there was talk of giving her a spin-off franchise. Not all Bond Girls are spectacular, however. Denise Richards seems over her head in The World is Not Enough, and most of the later Roger Moore Bond girls are unbelievable due to their age difference from Moore.

Andress in Dr. No

            Equally hit or miss is the villains of the film. In an attempt to differentiate between them in the films, the writers often give them odd idiosyncrasies or physical malformations which tend to make them cartoonish. However, in the fifty year history of Bond films, 007 has gone against some great bad guys.

            Without doubt, Bond’s greatest nemesis is Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The leader of the terrorist group SPECTRE, Blofeld is at first portrayed as a man behind the curtain, seen only from the waist down or from behind. His is recognizable by his gray jumpsuit and the fluffy white cat he is often stroking. Blofeld has been played by a different actor in each film he is in. The most effective is Donald Pleasance in You Only Live Twice. Pleasance brings a manic energy to Blofeld that explains the motivation behind his deeds. I wish that Pleasance would have returned to the role, but his successors, Telly Savalas and Charles Gray did a great job at filling in. Legal issues behind the scenes kept Blofeld and SPECTRE from officially appearing after Diamonds are Forever.

            Before Blofeld, there were two other classic titular villains in Dr. No and Goldfinger. Dr. No was the first to feature the physical abnormality that has become a trademark of the series. He lost his hands in a previous accident and have been replaced by steel stumps that make fighting easier, but climbing difficult. Goldfinger is portrayed by Gert Frobe as ruthlessly obsessed with gold and is usually one step ahead of his enemies.

Donald Pleasance as Blofeld

I enjoyed Christopher Lee in The Man with the Golden Gun. Lee is a master at playing the heavy and his deep voice and dark persona was a good counterbalance to Moore’s lighter take on Bond. Christopher Walken in A View to a Kill makes his character a full on sociopath, not matched in menace until Javier Bardem’s Silva in Skyfall. Joe Don Baker contributed another looney bond villain in The Living Daylights as wanna-be military power player Brad Whitaker. Baker’s appearance in the later Brosnan film as a good guy CIA agent were less effective due to being over shadowed by his Whitaker. Sophie Marceau is the best of the villainess’s as Elektra King in The World is Not Enough. The Daniel Craig films have had the strongest antagonists in Bardem as well as Mads Mikkelsen’s ball busting Le Chiffre.

            For every menacing baddie, there is a less than intimidating one. Hugo Drax in Moonraker has the silliest of all the plans for world domination. His attempt to destroy the earth and repopulate it with only good looking couples is the epitome of the series disconnect with reality. Jonathan Pryce’s Elliot Carver in Tommorow Never Dies is another example of the character being overshadowed by his motives. Attempting to be timely in the internet age, his media mogul stages crimes to sell his newspapers and television broadcasts the next day. He is the least intimidating of all the adversaries.

            In addition to the big baddies, unique henchmen also grace the series. From Russia with Love gave us Rosa Klebb as the one woman Bond could never bed. Her small stature was offset by her hidden shoe knives and her determination not to become shark bait for Blofeld. Goldfinger’s Odd Job was another early menace, using his razor sharp hat brim as a throwing weapon. Famke Janssen in Goldeneye effectively used her sexuality to literally crush her targets.

Brosnan

            Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd are perhaps the most bizarre of the henchmen. Appearing in Diamonds are Forever, they seem to be in another movie entirely. Their style and personality are offbeat and strike me as an attempt to appeal to the counter culture by being “far out”. Nick Nack and Jaws represent the cartoonish nature of the era and never seem like credible threats. The most dated of the henchmen would have to be Grace Jones in A View to a Kill. A mixture of body builder and punk, she has 80’s MTV culture written all over her.

            The final thread that run throughout the Bond series is the elaborate opening title sequences and theme songs. In some cases, these serve as the best part of the films. Dr. No’s opening is pretty straightforward and features the signature Bond score. Goldfinger sets the bar for openings with its classic theme performed by Shirley Bassey, who also performed the themes for Diamonds are Forever and Moonraker. Paul McCartney’s theme for Live and Let Die has taken on a life of its own. Duran Duran’s theme song for A View to a Kill is the worst of the theme songs. Like much of the aesthetic of the film, it is now dated and cheesy. The majority of the Brosnan films opening titles are also underwhelming due to its use of CGI, which was still pretty new and has been greatly improved on since then. The Craig openings are good, particularly Casino Royale which uses a simple template that is similar to the opening of the AMC series Mad Men.

Craig

            The influence of the Bond series on modern action films cannot be overstated. Most summer blockbusters now open with an elaborate action sequence and over designed title sequences. The Bourne films and the Mission: Impossible series also borrow heavily from Bond’s blueprints. With the success of Skyfall, Bond is as popular as he has ever been. I would like future films to introduce a villain similar to Blofeld who will stick around for multiple films and present 007 with a larger challenge. The introduction of the Quantam organization in Quantam of Solace provides the chance for this to happen. Until then, I just look forward to spending more time with Bond, M, Q, and Moneypenny.