Film #6 Fall Semester Altered States

British filmmaker Ken Russell's  1980 science fiction masterpiece ALTERED STATES is a bit of a forgotten gem in the genre. It deals with serious metaphysical issues, the origin of life, race memory, concepts of religion and what lies beyond this mortal coil. Russell, no stranger to controversy (See his earlier films Tommy,  The Devils, Gothic to name a few) parted ways with screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky (who had his name remove from the credits) due to creative differences.

Based on Chayefsky's novel about a scientist's dangerous experimentation with sensory depravation tanks which was in turn loosely based on John C. Lilly's sensory deprivation research conducted in isolation tanks under the influence of psychoactive drugs like ketamine and LSD.(1)

William Hurt (In his FIRST feature film role) plays Dr Edward Jessup a Harvard professor looking for the origins of life by using physchoactive drugs in conjunction isolation tanks. The result is a genetic change in his physical structure-taking him back to early stages of homo-sapien development. Ultimately the regression continues until

At the heart of the film is a powerful love story. ALTERED STATES carefully walks the line between genres. It is a romance, a science fiction adventure, an experimental exercise, a drama and a psychological thriller all running at pace. Yet it isn't confused about it's convictions. It draws you deep into it's hallucinatory maze and dares you to find your way out.

Russell's film takes the experiment of the book and ups the ante. Using bizarre hallucinatory montages and hypnotically serene photography (By Blade Runner DP Jordan Cronenweth) Russell slowly pulls you into Jessup's madness. One of AS outstanding technical achievements are the amazing make up effects of Dick Smith. Known throughout the industry as Godfather of make-up effects, STATES represents some of his most interesting works to date which included full body and face transformations of actor William Hurt. Other standout technical work are the opening credits by R Greenberg associates and Bran Feren's optical effects and animation.

Dick Smith and crew create a plaster mold of actress Blair Brown

Dick Smith creates mold of actor William Hurt

Another interesting note is STATES is also the film debut of actress / producer Drew Barrymore.

NOTES :
(1) Wikipedia: Altered States

LINKS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altered_States

PHOTOS:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.405837549506399.94335.394337563989731&type=3

VIDEO:

Film #5 Fall semester Singin' in the Rain

Singin' in The Rain

Release date 1951

Studio: MGM/currently released by Warner brothers

Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen

I like to think of films not just as entertainment but as time capsules. To me no film better encapsulates this notion than MGM's Singin in the Rain, arguably the greatest musical ever made. SITR is not just a celebration of art of the Hollywood musical and the tradition of movie making itself in a long-lost era.It's a colorful, brilliant tribute to Hollywood itself and the cumbersome transition from the silents to the "talkie" era. 

At the center of SITR are the mesmerizing dance numbers choreographed by actor Kelly and co-director Stanley Donen. Stand-outs are the "Gotta Dance" sequence where Kelly dances with fantasy girl Cyd Chariesse in a surreal-dreamlike interpretation of  NYC's Broadway and of course Kelly's iconic wet-prance on the studio-back lot city street to the film's titular song. Audiences still marvel at Donald O'Connors comedic acrobatics during the "Make-em-laugh" number and his one-line zingers and facial contortions keep the laughs coming.

For me the heart and soul of the film is Debbie Reynolds's wide eyed and energetic performance as Kathy Selden and of course Jean Hagan as the irascible Lena Lockwood.

The film continues to rank highly on every critics list of all time films and all time musicals. It is at the top of the AFI's 100 Years of Musicals list, and is ranked as the fifth greatest American motion picture of all time in its updated list of the greatest American films in 2007 according to the latest Wikipedia entry. It is a celebration of a beloved Hollywood genre and a tribute to the art of filmmaking and music. After 60 years it hasn't lost any of its brilliance and energy.

Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly in a promotional photo for Singin' in the Rain

Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singin%27_in_the_Rain

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/04/singin-in-the-rain-60-years-later-an-example-of-film-nostalgia-done-right/255732/

Film #4 Fall Semester This is Spinal Tap

When one hears the genre term "Mockumentary" it's hard not to immediately think of Rob Riener's cult classic This is Spinal Tap. From a modest throwaway sketch on the late night 70's rock show The Midnight Special, Actors Christopher Guest (formerly of National Lampoon's Lemmings), Michael McKean(known by fans of sitcoms as Lenny from Laverne and Shirley) and Harry Shearer (best known for his many voice overs on The Simpsons and SNL) built an engaging, almost too real look at a mock british heavy metal band in the waning years of their lifespan. The film establish the fusion comedy/documentary aesthetic by never locking the camera down, keeping the action and the comedy constantly moving and blurring in and out of focus. It keeps the audience tethered to reality while constantly nudging you in the ribs to get the laughs.

Promotional photo of mock band Spinal Tap

Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel

These go to 11

Performing Stonehenge

Christopher Guest and Rob Riener

It's the film's editing by Kent Beyda that also gives the film its brilliant staccato beat. He knows exactly where to cut on a line to always put the emphasis on the humor while never breaking from the film's stone faced earnestness.

But don't let the comedic resumes of the lead cast fool you. They played all their own instruments and wrote the group's classic library of songs including such gems as "Tonight, Im gonna rock you tonight," "Sex Farm Woman," "Hell-hole", "Rock N Roll Creation" and "Stonehenge".

Although Spinal Tap is not the first film to use the documentary format as a narrative platform (Woody Allen's Take the Money and Run did it decades before), It's not a hard to see that a great deal of today's sitcom shows (the Office, Modern Family, Trailer Park Boys to name a few) borrowed liberally from Tap's improvised style of mock-reality fused with satire. The difference is Tap's humor goes to 11.

_Paul Taglianetti

Links

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2014/09/29/351755933/question-of-the-week-whats-your-spinal-tap-moment
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088258/