Film #10 Fall semester NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

film: No Country For Old Men
Directors/ Producers: Joel and Ethan Coen
Studio: Paramount
Release Year : 2007

retrospect and screening by Paul Taglianetti
Faculty instructor/ Idyllwild Arts Academy


After the disappointment of Intolerable Cruelty and the remake of The Ladykillers, The Coen Brothers decided to returned to the blood stained soil of their roots with No Country For Old Men. Based on the book by Cormac McCarthy (Author of the equally violent Blood Meridian), the film follows the path of Llewelyn Moss, an ex-army vet, who stumbles across the spoils of a drug deal gone bad in the middle of a remote Texas desert. Eventually his escape trail is picked up by Anton Chigurgh (an Oscar winning performance by Javier Bardem) a relentless, laconic assassin hired to retrieve the found satchel of cash found by Moss. What follows is a ruthless cat and mouse game taking place along the Rio Grande border between Texas and Mexico.

The Coen brothers stylistically return to the dark, almost noir-ish look of their first feature Blood Simple. Shadows and shapes form eerie motifs in every corner of the frame. Everyday occurrences like the crumpling of a bag of peanuts seems ominous. The Coen's do not rely on typical conventions of the Hollywood thriller to put you at unrest. there is no incidental music, no jump-cuts to excentuaute the surprise moments. Just raw, undiluted tension. As one character remakes to Moss near the end of the film: "Well no one see that coming," and when then end comes, we don't. NCFOM is full of surprises and riddles. And no easy answers

Javier Bardem's Oscar winning performance as Anton Chigurgh

No country for Old Men spoof on The Simpsons

Josh Brolin as Lewelyn Moss

NCFOM is an unrelenting study of the dehumanizing effect that violence has on a society. It paints its landscape with bold colors to enhance mood and feeling of dread. It represents some of the best work that the Coens have done in their illustrious careers. It may be familiar terrian for them, but Ill take that walk with them anytime.


Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Country_for_Old_Men_(film)


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Film #9 Fall Semester "Do The Right Thing"

retrospect and screening by Paul Taglianetti

Faculty instructor/ Idyllwild Arts Academy

This year marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most culturally significant films of the 20th century, Spike Lee's  Do the Right Thing. Released by Universal Studios in the crowded summer of 1989 amid the hoopla of such popular fare as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Tim Burton's Batman, DTRT was a rarity in summer market. A film with something to say but not what everyone in the mainstream necessarily wanted to hear. It is a film that asks important questions of the viewer but gives no easy answers. It allows the viewer to be introspective about their own feelings as well as the motivations of the characters. It is a film that deals with issues of racial inequality, prejudice, hate and injustice.

The film takes place on one hot summer day in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Lee plays Mookie, an indifferent pizza delivery man working for Sal (Danny Aiello) and his two sons Pino (John Turturro) and Vito (Richard Edson). Mookie acts as a conduit to several other characters who walk in and out of the neighborhood. The film sets up various vignettes each focusing on the different characters feelings and motivations. Ultimately these characters eventually collide as the day ends and the racial tensions build.

A controversial film upon first released, the film was ignored by Academy voters during award season. Yet it stands one of the most important films of the 80's. What makes Lee's film so significant 25 years later is that it is still very relevant. Events that are depicted in the film seem to play out on a daily basis (Ferguson, MI is a recent example).

Stand out performances include veteran actors and real life husband/wife Ozzie Davis (Da Major) and Ruby Dee (Mother Sisters) as the patriarchal/matriarchal forces of the neighborhood and Giancarlo Esposito as Buggin out, the militant outspoken voice of race equality. Also interesting to note that this film marks the earliest film appearance of comedian Martin Lawrence. Sam Jackson makes one of his first film appearance as a neighbor hood DJ who is the voice of calm and reason in the growing tensions within the city.

DTRT was Lee's third feature film (after She's Gotta Have it and School Daze) and it solidified his reputation as an important film maker who emerged from the second wave of talented independent filmmakers of the 80's. A filmmaker with more than escapism and fantasy on his mind. A filmmaker with something important to show and something for you to ponder on. That seems like a rare thing these days. But the right thing, nevertheless.

LINKS:

http://www.bkmag.com/2014/08/21/watch-do-the-right-thing-cast-reunites-in-bed-stuy-for-25th-anniversary/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_the_Right_Thing

http://www.thesocialorganization.com/2009/01/just-do-the-right-thing.html

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-do-the-right-thing-20120702

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Film #8 Fall Semester John Carpenter's The Thing

Film: The Thing
Release Date : 1982
Director: John Carpenter
Creature effects: Rob Bottin, supervisor
Studio: Universal

retrospect and screening by Paul Taglianetti

Faculty instructor/ Idyllwild Arts Academy

This week IAA film history is featuring another John Carpenter Classic, The Thing from 1982. Carpenter's version of the story differs significantly from the early 50's Howard Hawks version. It returns to the source material, the science fiction novella "Who Goes there" for its inspiration.

 In the original text, the alien invader had the ability to assume the form of anything it came in contact with. Carpenter and his screenwriter collaborator Bill Lancaster (son of actor Burt Lancaster) kept this major plot point as well as most of the main characters from the novella.

Stop Motion Blair Monster which was cut from the film.

Carpenter on set of The Thing (1982)

Norris -thing designed and created by Rob Bottin

Kurt Russel as RJ McCready

Norris Heads built by Rob Bottin

Artist/designer Mike Ploog's design for the Norris Head

Mike Ploog's design for the Norris creature effect from The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter on set

The Thing is a marvel of pre-digital effects work and stands as one of the great "Creature effects movies of the last 30 years. The film was a huge risk for Carpenter and his first big studio feature (this time with Universal). The creature effects were supervised by talented young artist Rob Bottin, who previously collaborated with Carpenter on his 1980 ghost story, The Fog.

Unfortunately the power that were at the time at the big "U" decided to release the film hot on the heels of Steven Spielberg's mega-blockbuster "E.T."  Consequently audiences were turned off by the grotesque workings of Carpenter's alien intruder and stayed away in droves...initially at least.

The Thing acting cast

make up effects artist Rob Bottin

The original Thing sled dog design

The "Blair-Thing" head designed and supervised by Rob Bottin

artist Mentor Huebner's designs for the Blair-Monster

Like another science fiction classic from 1982, Blade Runner, The Thing eventually found an audience on home video and cable and has since garnered a huge following of fans who now recognize the skill and incredible work Carpenter put into his vision.


Links:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084787/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(1982_film)

http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/th/th.html

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Film #7 Fall Semester John Carpenter's They Live

In the pantheon of genre directors, no one is more celebrated than John Carpenter. A former USC film student whose thesis film Dark Star evolved into a feature length grind-house film, Carpenter has gone on to become one of the most successful director of the Horror and science fiction genres. Most of Carpenter's films have garnered a substantial cult following (Most notably Halloween and his 1982 remake The Thing). Not surprisingly, many of Carpenter's films have hidden or subtle social and political commentary. No film better exemplifies this than his 1988 low budget science fiction thriller They Live. The film, like it's alien antagonists, hides its true intentions from the viewer initially. Because behind its pulp sci-fi coverings lies a sly, deeply subversive commentary on commercialism, oligarchy, right-wing political ideology and advertising. Ironically, this film was so inventive in its critique of commercialism, it inspired graphic designer Shepard Fairey (An Idyllwild Arts graduate) to create a series of graphic posters and clothing line that have become extremely popular. within the mainstream

John Carpenter with actor Roddy Piper on the set of They Live

The film follows an unnamed drifter (played expertly by former WWF wrestler Roddy piper) who stumbles upon a box full of sunglasses which when worn unveil subliminal messages imbedded into everything we read, view or watch on tv. Messages like "This is your god" on our currency and "Do not question authority." are planted into the subconscious of the populace. Materialism and complacency become the new weapon of choice of these Reagan era xenomorphs (who resemble the creatures from the Topps cards "Mars Attacks" series).

Shepard Fairey's famous "Obey" graphic inspired by "They Live"

Artist Shepard Fairey was inspired by the film "They Live"

The film is a wonderful jab a modern conservatism, politics and our endless need for commercialism. Hopefully one day Carpenter will be appreciated for his sometimes complex and subtle nuances within a genre that goes often unappreciated as an art form.



Links
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/features/how-they-live-took-on-the-republicans-and-won-20141027


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