Spiderman’s Norman Osborn as Dr. Jekyll Friday, Aug 22 2008

One of the requirements of great fantasy and comic book stories is a great villain. The villain must be as strong as, or even stronger than, the hero to create a compelling conflict in which the hero must use all his or her resolve, cunning and strength to prevail. While the Green Goblin from the first Spiderman film will might not keep company with the likes of Darth Vader or Count Dracula in the villain hall of fame, he he definitely fits the bill of a worthy adversary for Spiderman. What makes him compelling, however, is the allegorical nature of Norman’s struggle against his inner demon. This struggle is instantly familiar as a variation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

In Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story of Jekyll and Hyde, Dr. Jekyll develops a drug which gives birth to Mr. Hyde, who immediately engages in all manner of nefarious activity including a murder. At first, Mr. Hyde only appears when Dr. Jekyll takes the drug. Gradually, however, Mr. Hyde is able to appear without aid of the drug. Jekyll is less and less in control, and it becomes Jekyll who can only appear with the aid of the drug, rather than the other way around. Supplies of the drug run out and Jekyll and loses all hope of regaining control of himself. He is completely destroyed by Hyde.

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What Makes a Good Fight Scene? The Matrix and Matrix Reloaded Friday, Aug 22 2008

The fight scenes in The Matrix were revolutionary in their use of “bullet time” – a slow motion technique used to incredible effect in the original movie. It takes more than eye-popping special effects and great choreography, however, to make a good fight scene. A fight scene is ultimately made memorable or forgettable on the story board. The Matrix action sequences were effective not just through the use of great effects, but more importantly, because each scene was necessary to the plot. The sequel, Matrix Reloaded, proves the point by failing to provide substantial connections between the fight scenes resulting in a rather disjointed movie filled with gratuitous action.

The most important element of an action sequence is that it advance the plot or contribute to a character’s development in a significant way. Indeed, in a well crafted film, every scene should have a purpose relating to the story as a whole, and a fight scene is no exception. If movie action doesn’t serve the narrative arc of the story, then the scene is ultimately unsuccessful.

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The Imagery of the House in Remains of the Day Friday, Aug 22 2008

Remains of the Day is a brilliantly acted movie dealing principally with themes of regret, lost opportunity, and unconsummated love. The movie takes place almost entirely within the confines of the house, which comes to represent the aristocratic way of life – and its decline. Interestingly, in this film we see the aristocratic way of life from the point of view of James Stevens, the butler, who is as much as part of that life as the aristocrats themselves. The decline of the aristocrats is also the decline of the servants way of life.

So strong is the connection between Mr. Stevens and the house that is comes to symbolize him just as much, if not more, than Lord Darlington. The office of butler was evidently a high and respected one. He oversaw all the practical matters of running the household, including hiring, firing and supervising the rest of the servant staff. As such, he was acquainted with the smallest details of the house, as seen when he corrected his staff about the placement of decorative objects in the various rooms, or when he is seen training a younger servant in the exact arrangement of a dinner service. His connection with the house is emphasized more as we see him move in and out of the servant passageways, at one point startling his master with his sudden appearance. He knows the house intimately, and as its manager, the house cannot but reflect some of the butlers character.

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Faramir’s Choice in the Tale of Two Towers Friday, Aug 22 2008

For the record, the film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books are fantastic. They are visually stunning, well acted and well paced (especially for such long movies). The defects of the theatrical releases were largely remedied in the extended DVD releases, which feature much need character development and several plot developments. Despite their excellence, however, they are not above criticism. If the movies falter, they do so where they have departed from the books.

One of the most egregious changes from the book occurs in the character of Faramir. Tolkien deliberately contrasts him with his brash older brother, Boromir who was destroyed by the rings temptation. Faramir, on the other hand, resists the ring. His noble character echoes that of the great kings of Gondor, from whom he is distantly and indirectly descended. His character exemplifies the wisdom and nobility of character which is so strong a theme in the story.

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Place and Travel in The Painted Veil Friday, Aug 22 2008

The Painted Veil presents a story of redemption in such a captivating and gorgeous way that its scenes and characters all too easily take up residence in the mind, quietly, only to reassert themselves at odd intervals with a surprising insistence, causing a mood of reflection that while not unwelcome is nevertheless often distracting to whatever task is at hand.

It is a rich film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Somerset Maugham. (1) Like any great story, there could be any number of ways to approach it. One of the more obvious avenues is through place and travel. As Kitty, the main protagonist, moves from London to Shanghai and finally to a remote Chinese village, she is stripped of the social conventions and artifice through which she had previously related to the world, and is forced to negotiate a new and more authentic understanding of herself and her relations to others.

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Kitty’s Second Chance: Love and Character in The Painted Veil Friday, Aug 22 2008

The Painted Veil beautifully presents the story of a young society woman named Kitty and her redemption from a shallow and self-centered life through her growing ability to love. While there are several significant changes in how her journey toward a better life is portrayed and the particulars of her circumstances, the film nevertheless captures the essential change in Kitty’s character and so remains remarkably true to W Somerset Maughm’s book.

The first half of the film tracing the events taking Kitty from the high society of London to a remote, cholera-stricken village in China contains only minor changes from the book. Her marriage to Walter, move to China, her affair with Charlie Townsend and Walter’s discovery of it and the terrible choice Walter gives Kitty to accompany him to the village or face a scandalous divorce are all very similar. Not surprisingly, the book offers more detail, but the movie admirably portrays the details of the book. (1)

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Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring: Catholic “Tragedy” Friday, Aug 22 2008

Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring are so tightly connected that they could be considered two chapters of the same film. Jean de Florette portrays the Soubeyran’s cruel treatment of Jean, an idealistic middle class man who has resettled his family on a farm he has inherited in Provence, France. The treatment eventually leads to Jean’s death, after which Cesar and his nephew, Ugolin Soubeyran are able to cheaply buy his property from his widow. Manon of the Spring takes place some ten or twelve years later.

Manon of the Spring is a tragedy in the truest understanding of the genre. It unfolds with a relentlessness usually witnessed in plots by Shakespeare or Sophocles. This tragedy, however, is set in a deeply Catholic culture. As Cesar’s tragedy becomes the catalyst for his return to faith, the film turns the the tragic genre upside down, reflecting Christian belief in the supremacy of hope and life over despair and death.

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The Lives of Others: Art and Authentic living Friday, Aug 22 2008

The Lives of Others follows a playwright, Georg Dreyman, and his actress girlfriend, Christa-Maria Sieland, as they struggle through life in the authoritarian state of 1984 East Berlin. The government maintains tight control of artistic activity, blacklisting or otherwise silencing artists who are critical of the political system.Dreyman’s plays are sympathetic to communism and he is generally liked or tolerated by those in power. When even he comes under full surveillance, however, he achieves in his life what the censors will not allow him to achieve on the stage; he touches the soul of an audience he doesn’t even know he has, and opens that soul to possibilities it had never before conceived.

Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler is the stazi (secrete police) official tasked with spying on Dreyman and Christa-Maria. As the movie unfolds, Wiesler’s naive idealism and belief in the communist project is challenged on the one hand witnessing the blatant corruption and hypocrisy of powerful party officials, and on other hand by a growing sympathy with the targets of his surveillance.

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Thoughts on Bella Friday, Aug 22 2008

Bella is the kind of movie that grows on you. My initial impression was that the movie was ‘nice.’ There was something persistent in it, though, that kept the scenes running through my head. The more they did, the deeper my appreciation for the film grew. This film is composed of visually rich scenes and compelling vignettes which become all the more meaningful when contrasted with each other.

Nina, the central character in the film, just got a positive result from a pregnancy test. In her distress, she arrives late to work, for which she is fired. Jose, the chef (and brother of the owner), walks out the restaurant and the film portrays their day together.

For a movie dealing with abortion, arguably the single most politicized and contentious issue dividing the country, the film shows remarkable restraint and subtlety. While I don’t want to get into the issue of abortion per se, I will say that I greatly appreciated the fact that the film examined the issue artistically. That is, there is no sermonizing, lecturing, debating or moralizing in this movie. Rather, themes emerge through gentle conversation and imagery.

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Visual Storytelling: High Noon Friday, Aug 22 2008

High Noon did not became a classic Western flick because it exemplifies the conventions of Western movies. Indeed, the constant action, horse chases, stage coach heists, bar room brawls and expansive scenery expected in a Western film are conspicuously absent from the tightly reigned action in this movie. The suspense, however, is all the greater for building below the surface.

The opening scenes beautifully introduce the tone of the entire film. We see three men meet up in the country side. Initially, it is reasonable assumption that these are the “good guys.” (This is a Western, after all, and though it breaks other conventions, there are still “good guys” and “bad guys.”) As this extended sequence progresses, without one line of dialog, we notice various elements of their characters which call into question what side these men are on. Their clothes are torn and dirty, they are not groomed well, and their manners are somewhat coarse. By the time we see them riding together, it is clear they have some definite purpose, and we suspect that it is a sinister one.

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