Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko had people talking endlessly trying to sort out the puzzle presented by a time rift of quasi-existential nature. In one interpretation, supported by the famous shot set to Gary Farmer’s rendition of “Mad World,” perhaps Donnie was a small-scale Christ figure, dying for all the suburban sinners of the 1980s. Maybe, maybe not.
Regardless, the lingering elements nearly a decade later, for me personally, with that film were the human touches: Jenna Malone waving to Mary MacDonnell in the closing shot. Drew Barrymore being fired from her job (for doing it with integrity) and howling in raw frustration, Holmes Osbourne worried that the insurance company might “fuck him on the shingle match” after part of their house is demolished. American Culture and kitsch played a minor yet resonating role: The Smurfs, Michael Dukakis, the Married with Children sitcom, and in particular SparkleMotion which saw 10 year old Daveigh Chase and her classmates make it to Ed McMahon’s Star Search by way of a highly sexualized dance routine to Duran Duran (or Pet Shop Boys depending on which version of the film you watch).
With Southland Tales, Kelly has upped the politics, kitsch imagery (Uncle Sam, porno, talk shows), religious noodling (here, Revelations) to a pitch that deafens all humanity out of the equation. Maybe that is his point, but much like Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, if you have a film which requires a world populated by crass imbeciles, you may just have shot yourself in the foot. Phillip K. Dick had to good sense to keep his people human, even as they were being slowly digested by the machine. In short, Kelly’s insistence on keeping things messy makes it awful hard to keep any honest-to-goodness emotion on the table. To say the narrative lacks focus, is an understatement of the highest order.
The two clear influences that I get out of Southland Tales are Mulholland Dr. and The Big Lebowski. This may just tell the tale, but it makes Kelly look like a poor imitator despite the film having some memorable imagery toward the end. If the first two hours were as good as the last half hour, and Kelly managed to merge some honest to goodness emotion into the plastic and glitter fabric he is weaving here, we just might have something. Bear with me here. Rebekah del Rio sings the National Anthem here as the apocalypse is at hand. This is not a nod to Mulholland Dr., this is firing the flare gun right between the eyes of that film. The scene in David Lynch’s film is one of my single favourite scenes in cinema, period; and it would be easy to hate on Kelly for appropriating it, but damn if the musical number with back-up violins and a gigantic American flag isn’t a doozy in its own right. At about this point, Southland Tales threatens to resonate, even if it is a little too little too late. Other surreal images, in particular, Orwellian office workers doing stretching exercises in USident’s computer farm or an SUV making sweet CGI love to another vehicle seem to stem from Kelly acting on instinct and subconscious, much like Lynch. He just isn’t that good at it yet.
Furthermore, the smoky beer-soaked Justin Timberlake musical number in the centre of the film, caused by new-age drug and renewable energy source Liquid Karma (it’s hemp, only more sci-fi!), certainly brings to mind The Dude renting shoes from Saddam and teaching Brunehilde-Maude how to roll before being the ball himself. A certain sequence on a floating ice-cream truck above the lights of L.A. looks a lot like another Lebowski acid-flashback. The tableau of urban California, from Venice Beach to Malibu and everything in between seems to recall the Coen’s modus operandi in the Big Lebowski, although there appears to be no sign of either Karl Hungus fixing the cable, or Sam Elliot wandering in to explain things through the fourth wall.
So in the end, we are left with a zesty enterprise, signifying nothing other than the fact that US is going to hell in a hand-basket. Only in such a miasma of media saturation could a movie like Southland Tales be even possible. It is a bitter pill and we don’t have to like it, but there is no denying that it is a product of our times. Much like the business ambitions of porn-star-activist Krysta Now, namely to have a TV Show, pop album and an anthology of digital videos; Southland Tales has a dense website, three thick graphic novels, and the first of (likely) several editions of directors cuts and alternate version DVDs. I’m still waiting on that energy drink though - The Rock tells me that it is mighty tasty (its the electrolytes); but then who is to trust a schizophrenic movie star with political ties.
Comment by Matt Gamble — March 20, 2008
It was a great way to warsh Enchanted (and the post-Enchanted marital tiff) out of the system.
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
Brown Bunny, The Fountain, Escape From LA, Gerry.
Comment by rot — March 20, 2008
On the other side of things:
I loved: Ratatouille, Fellowship of the Rings, King of Kong, 3:10 to Yuma (in agreement with the ‘popular’ opinion)
and I hated: Lady in the Water, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and The Invasion.
(wow, I can’t believe I’m defensive about being IN the consensus!
)
Anything this self-destructively ambitious and over-reaching has to be appreciated on at least some level. It sure beats Spiderman4.
I think I just call ‘em as I see ‘em, although it is nearly impossible to remove expectations, buzz and cultural barometer from the equation…Wait a minute…Gerry was hated?
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
Sure its a bit of a jumble at times and really does try to cover a bit too much but I still enjoyed myself a fair amount. Is it a great movie nope but I bet it will end up with a bit of a cult following in the years to come.
Oh and Rot, The Fountain is an amazing movie, Brown Bunny is slow but good, I’m no the biggest fan of Escape from LA and haven’t seen Gerry.
“It was a great way to warsh Enchanted (and the post-Enchanted marital tiff) out of the system.”
So how long did you and the wife argue about Enchanted?
Comment by John Allison — March 20, 2008
Comment by Ross Miller — March 20, 2008
I’ve got you figured out Kurt. if something is ambitious it tends to get a pass, whether or not the substance is there.
Comment by rot — March 20, 2008
Must say that I’ve a soft spot for DOMINO too, which was raked over the coals, again mostly for Tony Scotts visual wankery (which was far better put to use in the BMW short “Beat the Devil”)
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
Maybe.
But some folks consider LADY IN THE WATER ambitious….
Really, I thought you might like The Brown Bunny in a Gerry meets Broken Flowers sort of way…
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
The first hour or so makes for some “this has potential to get good” moments and then just peters out with multiple story threads, very little character development and trying to appear as an existential, intelligent think piece that really is just someone trying to either just look more intellignet than they really are OR their idea is so huge it just doesn’t fit in a 3 hour film. Maybe a mini-series would’ve worked better?
It does have some moments though. I really like the Justin Timberlake segment. But really, what’s the point of it? Your story is already almost three hours in length and convoluted as hell. What is the point in adding a broadway-esque dance sequence? The entire final act is so filled with a sense of “I don’t care” by that point, that it makes it nearly unbearable.
Comment by Andrew James — March 20, 2008
http://www.rowthree.com/2007/11/17/southland-tales/
Comment by Andrew James — March 20, 2008
Comment by Henrik — March 20, 2008
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
Just because the masses hated it yet it’s quirky and something new, doesn’t nec. mean that Kurt will defend it to the death - though sometimes it can seem that way. Examples where he does may be ‘The Brave One’ or ‘Bug,’ but he’s right about those, so there you go.
Comment by Andrew James — March 20, 2008
I still say There Will Be Blood is all hype and auteur festishizing.
Comment by rot — March 20, 2008
(that above statement is assumes that I agree with the auteurist fetishization, which I don’t)
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
Comment by Andrew James — March 20, 2008
But we aren’t talking about other people’s opinions, we are talking about yours. And I don’t think you consider LITW ambitious in the slightest.
And while ambition is all well and good, ambition is meant to lead as a catalyst towards achieving a goal. And Southland Tales failed spectacularly at reaching its goals. So liking something simply because it was completely unsuccessful at living up to its premise seems utterly ridiculous.
My eyes are rolling Kurt. Rolling!
Comment by Matt Gamble — March 20, 2008
When we watch a lot of TV and news, the emotion is bled out due to the 24-hour nature of the coverage, so something very emotional (like say, Terry Shiavo) turns into something of a pawn piece and vulgar in its intrusion….And its very success at that is the films totally stunting any sort of emotional connection to the characters by way of media/technology/culture saturation, which of course, chopps the film off at the knees, and we are left to see it bleed to death. (Hmmm, the image of the Japanese Business man, and the margin of error, is even explicitly in the film..)
And for the record, I felt in hindsight anyway, that Lady in the Water had serious ambitions which where hamstrung by M Night’s reputation and seeming prima donna preening (self-casting-stunt) and ultimately hedge its bets by getting post-modern with Bob Balaban (Funny Games, this is NOT!). M. Night and Co. certainly were ambitious in their choice of lead actor (Giamatti) and Cinematographyer (Christopher Doyle)….and the film does *look* pretty good most of the time….
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
Southland Tales might contribute to the general dilution of emotional connection, but the film is clearly trying to generate one with the viewers. From the rampant pop culture “icons” in place throughout the film, to the pithy dialogue that is meant to resonate, to the fucking marketing of it on goddamn MySpace.
Southland Tales is the type of film that is practically begging for a cult following to develop around it. It wants to be viewed as “cool” and “unique”, so that the people who like it can pass those same properties onto their own existence. But Southland Tales isn’t either. It’s terrible science played as technical insight, shitty psychology played off as astute observations, and crappy filmmaking in a pretty package of easy to digest morsels that have no nutritional value for the viewer.
Metaphor my ass, it’s McCinema.
PS - Princess Mononoke sucks ass too!
Comment by Matt Gamble — March 20, 2008
-Yes. Well. Sort of. In that it aimed to achieve a state of media ‘babble’ I have no doubt about that.
If Southland tales becomes a cult film, then it’ll be a very, very small cult, the lack of emotional connection will actually damn this film to the very ether it tends to mimic. I think it will end up more of a curio than a cult favourite…
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
“When we watch a lot of TV and news, the emotion is bled out due to the 24-hour nature of the coverage, so something very emotional (like say, Terry Shiavo) turns into something of a pawn piece and vulgar in its intrusion….And its very success at that is the films totally stunting any sort of emotional connection to the characters by way of media/technology/culture saturation, which of course, chopps the film off at the knees, and we are left to see it bleed to death. (Hmmm, the image of the Japanese Business man, and the margin of error, is even explicitly in the film..)”
The fact that you agree at the end of the paragraph that while maybe this is the intention of the film, it is also the film’s undoing and is exactly (or at least partially) what makes it suck so much ass.
Comment by Andrew James — March 20, 2008
Comment by Matt Gamble — March 20, 2008
Comment by John Allison — March 20, 2008
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 20, 2008
I think we all find ourselves on that side of the fence from time to time; where we loathe something popular or love something misunderstood.
Comment by Rusty James — March 20, 2008
I don’t think I will ever outgrow your ridiculous attack on my country during WW2 though.
Comment by Henrik — March 20, 2008
Both of them lose major points for the awful narration, however the difference is that Idiocracy uses it because it bit off way more than it can chew plotwise, whereas in Southland Tales - which also bit off more than it could chew - it simply uses narration to flush out its awful Revelations theme, which to me was one of the more obvious flaws of the film.
Man, I just finished watching it. It was truly one of the most awful messes I’ve ever come across, a truly spectacular failure, pure fiasco. Its like they asked a 12 year old to write a sci fi script and then had a director with style take it seriously and try to make it satirical at the same time. Neither end up working. The B and C list casting seems to want to make the satiric dumb-on-purpose elements more obvious but at the same time it robs it of its more clearly serious intentions.
The Timberlake lipsync scene and the Star Spangled Banner scenes were pretty cool, and theres great shots everywhere you look, but overall its still a horrible mess, one I’d recommend people check out just to see…
Gotta love a couple quotes, which were so awkward…
“Do ya wanna fuck, or do ya wanna watch a movie?” - thanks Jon Lovitz for ruining my picture of you forever. He’s always played sleazy losers, but man - that was way passed the line. Even Solondz didn’t go there with him like that.
It seemed at some point in the movie every character either expressed a love for cock, or tried to kill themselves.
Comment by Goon — March 22, 2008
“…when the story finally starts to come together, it comes together to form: Donnie Darko. Time travel, an unwilling time traveler forced to sacrifice himself to save the world, aircraft being involved in the climax in the form of a blimp and a flying ice cream truck, and one of the time travelers gets shot in the eye just like Frank.”
Comment by Goon — March 22, 2008
Comment by Goon — March 23, 2008
http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/whats-in-the-box-first-look-at-richard-kellys-next/
Comment by rot — March 27, 2008
and in the Kelly interview on the creative screenwriting podcast he had the audacity to suggest the audiences at Cannes didn’t get it because he hadn’t finished the CGI sequences… how about every moment a character opened his/her mouth to speak.
you know how some trailers are deliberately elusive of the plot and strive to capture the spirit of the work, a bunch of disjointed one liners and pop songs overlaying slo-mo action… Southland Tales is the longest trailer ever made.
Comment by rot — March 27, 2008
Ultra-Popular Culture is Juvenile (Heck look at post 1980 Saturday Night Live - I say that because Kelly takes modern SNL actors and peppers them liberally throughout the movie). Note Mike Judge’s Idiocracy is also a victim of being a difficult to watch movie for trying to capture the essence.
Note how difficult Tropa De Elite is in trying to capture the social strata of Rio by diving in head first (see also Bus 174). It’s difficult to watch in the same sense for squeezing so much into such a narrow (2 hour) time frame.
I’m not saying Kelly is Genius. Far from it. He seems to be hedging his bets by making something as silly as what he is trying to hold a mirror up to. On that level, Southland Tales has a lot to love.
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 28, 2008
I give him credit for that, but at the same time it has to be acknowledged that Kelly himself is also silly, and also very pretentious, and also after Donnie Darko became a bit of an egomaniac.. the DD director’s cut is absolutely terrible and more evidence that Southland Tales isn’t simply misunderstood. As silly as ST is, he takes many parts genuinely seriously, and specifically any part where he has to have Bible narration is amazingly hard to sit through…
if you removed the Revelations overtones itself it would be a better movie. you let the viewer pick up on the obvious theme instead of hammering it home… and you get rid of dialogue that is so frequently vague and flowery that it actually more often makes little sense in the films context, and is usually forgotten by the time you get to the next section
Comment by Goon — March 28, 2008
I absolutely agree. And this is in stark contrast between the two cuts of Donnie Darko. The initial cut is far superior to the more spelled-out Directors Cut. Also, bafflingly the ‘compromised’ musical choices works better than the songs that Kelly ‘really wanted’ .
I’ll take KILLING MOON over NEVER TEAR US APART
I’ll take Duran Duran as shameless sexualization over The Pet Shot Boys.
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 28, 2008
the only spectacle of the film is to imagine how it was ever made, as a work of performance art in the tradition of Freddy Got Fingered.
Comment by rot — March 28, 2008
I like a lot of the imagery and media wankering though, Easy target or not…
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — March 28, 2008