MOV004: “Every two hours there is a rest period . . . for 3 minutes.” “Yes, Sir”

Rue McClanahan Died at 86, Neal McDonough joins the cast of Captain America, More Transformers News, COL Movies Store Opens, Bent, Killers, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World.

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News:

The Past: Bent (1997)

Director: Sean Mathias

Staring: Clive Owen, Lothaire Bluteau, Brian Webber, Nikolaj Coster Waldau, Jude Law, Mick Jagger

Trivia:

  • Ian McKellen, who appears as Uncle Freddie in the film, starred in the role of Max in the original London West End theatre production in 1979.

Talking Points:

  • Seems like it’s really more of just another WWII Concentration Camp movie?
  • The first “Phone Sex”?

What We’ve Learned: Mick Jagger is an ugly man…and an even uglier woman.

Trailer:

The Present: Killers

Director: Robert Luketic

Staring: Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Tom Selleck, Catherine O’Hara, Katheryn Winnick

Trivia:

  • During filming, Ashton Kutcher accidentally knocked out a stunt man with his fist.

Talking Points:

  • Inferior version of True Lies? (True Lies meets Point of No Return?)
  • Ashton’s best movie to date???
  • Who could you have seen as the female lead other than Katherine Heigl?

What We’ve Learned: The go bag is under the trap door under the kitchen table; if you’re going to hide a gun in your car, put it inside the passenger seat; Anyone can be an assassin…even Mrs. Swan!…In a movie, a constantly drunk mother provides a lot of comedic opportunity…Tom Selleck will always play second fiddle to his mustache…Ashton does look nice without a shirt on and with low rise swim trunks.

Trailer:

The Future: Scott Pilgrim Vs The World

Trivia:

  • After artist Bryan Lee O’Malley completed the first issue of Scott Pilgrim, his publisher Oni Press contacted producer Marc E. Platt with the proposition for a film version. Universal Studios contracted Edgar Wright who had just finished his last film, Shaun of the Dead, to adapt the Scott Pilgrim comics. In May 2005, the studio signed Michael Bacall to write the screenplay for the adaptation. By January 2009, filmmakers rounded out its cast for the film, now titled Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
  • A video game will be produced based upon the film. The game will be made by Ubisoft Montreal
  • A Comic book made into a movie, with video game overtones..made into a video game..

Talking Points:

  • At a test screening, Kevin Smith was quoted as saying “That movie is great. It’s spellbinding and nobody is going to understand what the fuck just hit them. I would be hard pressed to say, ‘he’s bringing a comic book to life!’ but he is bringing a comic book to life.”

Trailer:

Feedback:

Colin’s “A Clockwork Orange” Analysis

Hey Cubs:
Great job on the show last week I found it really amusing that a Clock Work Orange can still generate so many questions and spark good discussion. I think that film can be really difficult to analyze and the point can be easily taken out of context because it’s so tied into what was going on in the world in 71-72. It’s always important to remember that the strong critic assumes the responsibility for analyzing “what a film was attempting to accomplish” rather then weather or not it fit into said critic’s personal tastes. I find it refreshing that you three have been shying away from “liking and disliking” to a degree, but are rather searching out common questions about the pieces of media that you are viewing.
Like I said a Clock Work Orange is a rather difficult one to analyze due to the fact that it’s so wrapped up in both the American and British social political climates at the time it was in production. Also it’s a film that Slack-jawed soon to be Terintino-tards have been over analyzing since the 70’s and there is allot that has been compounded into all that. The fact that we the viewers of the film have so vehemently refused to forgive Alex his wrongs may be in truth: the legacy of this film. As most fans of Alex’s story know: there is a final piece to his tale that is considered his reprieve, we his audience were originally meant to know that the man turns it around and attempts to find redemption at the end of his tale, however both Kubrick and the original American publishers of the novel decided that this was a worthless chapter and omitted it form their presentations of this story. This is not only telling of late 60’s early 70’s Vietnam/ Second Indo china war effected American discourse, but also indicative of a broader world perspective on the queering of Anglican youth culture visa vi Garry Glitter, T.rex, David Bowie and so on. Such queering can be seen all over the film in both the accepted attire of the characters and the films chosen aesthetics. You have in this story a completely English representation of the monsterization of the western Anglican youth. This sort of outlook was not really the norm jus post WWII, up until Vietnam hit phase 3 of the draft (62-63). In comes Alex, the monster, he does drugs, him and his boys are gang rapists, he is insanely Violent until he is he is “rehabilitated” by an egalitarian fascist establishment using Pavlovian brainwashing in a “mad-science” attempt to re-integrate his ilk into the milieu. This is all an analogy for the uncertainty facing our youth in Vietnam and for the response the world was having to young people at the time in general. Kubrick was very much playing at/with an adult response to a monsterised view of youth, indicative but also in satire of culturally accepted norms. Its easy to forget how severe the generation gap we were facing at the time, but it was a world where the kids that were shot at Kent a year before were thought of as monsters for being un-patriotic. Even worse was the fact that we were seeing our kids come home from war completely unable to re-join society. In a way all the young adults were monsters in the eyes of society (adults). There is also a duality being represented by Kubrick here (British/ American) which exists due to the fact that Kubrick was both an American national and a long time English resident, and very much in tune with what was going on with both of our young people Now on the strictly American side we were given this unforgivable (edited) Alex, we who had just suffered the Massacre of May 4th, we who were in no mood to forgive the youth anything (politically speaking) were able to identify with a representation of a true monster and that’s how Alex came to us. Miraculously even after his choice of “quick fix” and without paying for his mistakes what so ever the general response to Alex is still empathy; interesting. So despite my incessant ramblings on this issue I guess my overall point is that: pretty much every film is made with the intent to accomplish something, and that a Clock Work Orange was intending to open a discourse concerning the 1970s dichotomy between adults, youth, and government. It’s making satire out of the adult perspective of the generation gap at the time, you watch this film and see everything that an elderly parent or grand parent in the 1970’s might fear their child was becoming as they lye in bed staring at the ceiling wondering why little Jimmy wears make up, stays our all night, participates in unpatriotic anti-war efforts, or listens to queer glam rock. I think in that context the film is rather clear about what its trying to say to its viewers at the time. That being said: did you know Michael Alig is up for parole in a month or two here and I hear he is completely rehabilitated…
Thanks guys
Colin-

Coming Attractions:

The Past: Chuck&Buck
The Present: The A Team
The Future: Inception

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MOV003: “No Time For The Old In-Out, Love”

News about a new TMNT movie, Dennis Hopper has died, Darnell writes in, A Clockwork Orange, Prince of Persia, and The Expendables.

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News:

Hey guys,
Great show. I was so excited to hear how much you guys liked Rope. Rope is one of my favorite Hitchcock movies. My other favorite is Rear Window with Grace Kelly. The gay subtext in Rope is so awesome especially when putting the movie in an historical context it was so before its time. I also agree it seemed like Philip and Brandon were going to kiss at any minute…lol
On to the present regarding Iron Man 2 I have to agree the middle did lag a little for me, but for a mindless summer blockbuster it was just ok.
Finally the future…WOW that trailer is out of sight. I have no idea what is about to happen but I know that whatever it is I want to see it.
Keep up the great work guys. The transitions were definitely tighter this time around. Also on a side note I would love to hear a discussion on what your takes are on the state of gay cinema and where you see gay films in 20 years. To be clear when I refer to gay films I mean films whose main protagonist and/or antagonist is gay/bi/trans

Peace,
Darnell

The Past: A Clockwork Orange (1971)

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Director: Stanley Kubrick

Staring:Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke, John Clive

Trivia:

  • Alex performing “Singing in the Rain” as he attacks the writer and his wife was not scripted. Stanley Kubrick spent four days experimenting with this scene, finding it too conventional. Eventually he approached Malcolm McDowell and asked him if he could dance. They tried the scene again, this time with McDowell dancing and singing the only song he could remember. Kubrick was so amused that he swiftly bought the rights to “Singing in the Rain” for $10,000.
  • One of only two movies rated X on its original release (the other being Midnight Cowboy (1969)) to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
  • Julian The muscle bound body guard in hot pants of Mr Alexander would later don a black helmet cape and suit to play the physical portion of Darth Vader in 1977’s Star Wars. “David Prowse”
  • The Soundtrack was composed by Wendy Carlos, who would also score the movie “Tron” Wendy was born in 1939 as Walter Carlos and underwent SRS in 1972
  • Tim Curry & Jeremy Irons were both offered Alex – but when it came down to the offer to Malcolm McDowell (Linderman from Heroes!), Kubrick said he would not make the film if he didn’t take it.
  • Talk about a glutton for punishment…Malcolm McDowell was almost drowned when an underwater breathing mechanism stopped working in the police scene, he had his cornea scratched which left him temporarily blinded, as well as he cracked ribs in the fight scene on the stage. Not to mention, Kubrick found out he was afraid of snakes, so he put in the scenes with the snake!
  • There are a couple nods to other Kubrick films – the 2001 Space Odessy homage with the soundtrack available for purchase in the music store scene & the wall painting in the Milk Bar was also in the Shining

Trailer:

The Present: Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

Director: Mike Newell

Staring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Steve Toussaint

Trivia:

  • The third highest opening for a video game adaptation, behind Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Pokémon: The First Movie.
  • Director Mike Newell stated that, as he has known ‘Jake Gyllenhall’ since Jake was 7 years old, he always wanted Jake for the part. He went on to say that he selected Gemma Arterton because of “how very old seeing the back of her beautiful neck” made him feel.(CREEPY!)
  • The other lady that was considered for the part that went to Gemma Aeterton, was detained by Iranian police and not allowed to leave to do the movie because she had stared in “Body of Lies”

What We’ve Learned:
There’s always something lurking under the sand – whether it’s a snake, a hole, or the steps that will get you to an important location; Parkour isn’t something new…it’s been around since Persia; Whips are apparently en vouge…as this is the second movie we’ve reviewed with really cool whips in them

Trailer:

The Future: The Expendables

Trivia:

  • Sylvester Stallone broke his neck in a fight scene with Stone Cold Steve Austin
  • Jean Claude Van Dam was originally offered Dolph Lundgren’s part, but turned it down. It worked out because Stallone originally wrote the role with Dolph in mind
  • For Dexter fans, there are several connections – David Zayas (Sgt Batista on Dexter) plays the bad guy & Julie Benz (Dexter’s wife) talked Charisma Carpenter into auditioning for the role she has in the movie – because they worked together on Buffy & Angel (Darla & Cordelia)

Talking Points:

  • Mickey Rourke looks like the same character…again!
  • Should appeal to a wide audience because of the plethora of action movies stars from different eras and countries

Trailer:

Coming Attractions:

The Past: Bent
The Present: Killers
The Future: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

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