What we’ve been reading – June 23rd:
- Why Isn’t Maggie Cheung a Hollywood Star?
A lengthy 2004 profile on HK (and international) superstar Maggie Cheung from the NYT, with some gorgeous original photos. - Joseph Gordon-Levitt Shows His Fierce Sensitivity
After years of TV sitcoms then dark and quirky film roles the actor stars in his first romantic comedy 500 Days of Summer. - The Films Dave Eggers Wants To Live Within
Films of my life: Dave Eggers goes back to his boyhood to revisit cinematic portrayals of Scotland, Florida and stampeding elk in the wilds of Alaska.
so Eggers singles out Days of Heaven, Do The Right Thing, Before Night Falls, three great great films. Will have to catch Never Cry Wolf on his recommendation.
Do The Right Thing, I was obsessed with that film when it came out, I had Spike’s script and journals, I can’t even fully understand it but that film was really the instigator for me to be interested in film.
It was the pizza and ghetto blasters. I know it. Or Samuel Jackson’s silky smooth DJ.
nah I think it was this impression of a neighborhood that resonated with me. I have always loved films that give you a sense of spatial awareness, that appear to work outside of the confines of the lens and suggest a thriving world just off frame.
speaking of, halfway through Once Upon a Time in America… Oh. My. God.
has mis-en-scene ever been so sublime?
OUaTiA is a doozy to get through in a single sitting. I did it in a repertory cinema once, but have never been able to duplicate the feat on VHS or DVD.
Oh I have stopped it four times so far, mostly because I have other things I need to do, not because it is boring. but my God, I can see the Leone in there but he just amped everything up and made it the most exhaustively detailed depiction of history, I mean I have been watching my share of thirties era cinema as of late, but this puts it all to shame with its unerring attention to detail. I assume it was nominated and won many awards?
If you can get through Once Upon a Time in America in one sitting, it is a very rewarding experience. Sometimes I think I prefer it to The Godfather. It is far more ambitious at least, that is for sure, and everyone – the actors, Leone, Morricone, Colli, the costume and production designers – all bring their very best to the table. It’s a shame it was butchered for its original release and it’s taken twenty years of word-of-mouth to pick up the momentum where people are finally starting to recognize it for the unbridled masterpiece that it is.
I’ve never seen Once Upon a Time in America, either. Sounds like I need to move it up in my queue.
On the other hand, finding time to watch long movies right now is not working out. I’ve had The Godfather, interestingly enough, sitting in my player from Netflix for a month now. (I’ve seen it before, but felt it was time for a re-evaluation before I move on to Part II, which I haven’t seen.)
Stopping a movie is disrespectful.
Hey, it took me three nights to get through Tod Browning’s “Freaks.” When you work long hours I think it’s okay to split a movie up into chapters of your choosing. Do you always read a book all the way through without stopping?
Usually I watch a film without stopping but Once Upon a Time is like four hours long and my time was limited this week.
but thanks for advice Mr. Etiquette.
@Jandy
Having seen the whole OUATIA now I would say its not essential viewing, but it is a spectacle to behold. Maybe in that regard it is essential viewing, I can honestly say I have never seen anything like that, it looks like the most expensive film ever made, or at least for the 70′s. But ultimately I found it over-indulgent to the point of stifling the story, and maybe if there was a shorter edit this could be a great classic, I mean all the ingredients are in the film, they just feel lost in the mix. I’m curious why Leone is preoccupied with the rape of women so much in his movies… it comes off very sexist, his portrayal of women.
I usually read books all the way through in one sitting. THey usually take like 6-7 hours to read though, a movie is rarely more than 4 hours long, and you know exact length going into it, so you make time for it.
You should optimize your experiences, if you ever want something useful out of them. Otherwise it seems like you’re just watching things to say that you watched them.
Henrik apparently wants a medal for not having other important things to do.
I’m just saying that if you want something out of art, you have to give it a chance. A movie is not meant to be seen in parts, when you do so, you’re not giving it a fair chance, thus enhancing the risk of a bad experience. Who wants that?
I understand real life gets you down, but it just seems disrespectful.
I actually agree with Henrik, and I feel the same way when I am sick or in a lousy mood, I try not to watch new things in those conditions. I want to be ready to experience something.
Henrik, you must have loved Andrew’s on the road segments on the cinecast, watching bits of films on his ipod WHILE driving.
That’s America for ya.
Don’t get me wrong. I much prefer to watch a movie in its entirety. It just doesn’t always work out that way. When you have a pile of DVDs as tall as your house you want to get through, sometimes it takes some time. I just think disrespectful is a bit of a harsh term. And kudos for reading all of your books straight through. I would never get a thing read if I expected that of myself… unless you’re Gamble and it’s like 15 pages of pictures. Then maybe.
Oh and on the iPod front…. next week: Paul Blart. Plan on finishing it this evening on the way home.
Oh dear god man. “Paul Blart”? Even I won’t sink that low…
Paul Blart deserves your undivided attention Andrew, how else would you pick up on the layered nuances of its story?
“Paul Blart deserves your undivided attention Andrew, how else would you pick up on the layered nuances of its story?”
See, this attitude sucks. If Paul Blart DID have any semblance of content to offer, you’re sure to never find out watching it without caring. I think my views on Andrew are well-documented rot, no reason to fuel that fire.
“See, this attitude sucks. If Paul Blart DID have any semblance of content to offer, you’re sure to never find out watching it without caring.”
I actually had hopes of getting something out of it. Half way through, don’t think I’ve even chuckled once.
“I think my views on Andrew are well-documented rot, no reason to fuel that fire.”
lol.