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MOV096: “VIRGINIA!”

In this reel of COL Movies, Carlos returns. We head to the past to check out the southern woman drama “Crimes of the Heart”. In the present, we take a look at Disney’s “John Carter”. Is it a Mars Epic or an epic failure. Lastly we take a look at Intruders. Can you tell Steve picked out the movies this week? In the news we discuss reboots, remakes and sequels. It’s the 96th reel of COL Movies “VIRGINIA!”

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News:

The Past: Crimes of The Heart (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% Fresh, 54% Audience

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Director: Bruce Beresford

Starring: Sissy Spacek, Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange

Trivia:

  • Jessica Lange was pregnant during shooting.
  • The original Broadway production of “Crimes of the Heart” opened at the John Golden Theater in New York on 2/4/1981, ran for 535 performances and was nominated for the 1982 Tony Award for the Best Play. Beth Henley wrote the original stage play and the screen play on which this movie was based.
  • The play “Crimes of the Heart” won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1981

Talking Points:

  • Identifying with the movie
  • Peanuts and coke!
  • Product Placement! Coke, Golden Griddle, Breyers Ice Cream

What We’ve Learned:

  • It’s a human need to talk about our lives
  • Having sex with a black teenager apparently makes you a liberal
  • Birthday wishes don’t count unless you have a cake
  • The more candles on a cake, the stronger the wish

Trailer
I got nothing.

Recommendations:
Jeff: This was a sweet southern chick flick. Not something I’ll probably think about watching again but if it interests you, check it out.
Ray: This is a generally enjoyable movie, although a bit dated.It feels like a lifetime movie of the week. It’s quite possible that I grew a vagina while watching it. It does do a good job of capturing a certain feel of the south, and of sisters interactions with each other which I really Identified with.
Carlos: sigh. This movie makes you sigh; it’s so exactly what it is. Revelations of the past, nosy neighbors, quirks, crying, death, love, odd moments of intimacy. It’s not that these kind of movies are bad it’s just that I’ve seen them so much I really need to be made to care. These actresses kind of made me care.

The Present: John Carter
Rotten Tomatoes: 49% Rotten; 72% Audience

Director: Andrew Stanton

Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Colins, Willem Dafoe

Trivia:

  • In 2004 – when the project was still known as “A Princess of Mars” after the book on which it’s based – Robert Rodriguez had originally been signed and announced as director and had begun pre-production early that year (it would have been his largest project to date with starting budget reported at $100 million). Rodriguez’ most notable contribution was to hire fantasy painter Frank Frazetta (whose most acclaimed works have included striking illustrations of Edgar Rice Burroughs novels, most notably the “John Carter on Mars” books) as production designer on the film. However, when Rodriguez resigned from the Directors’ Guild of America (DGA) the same year (due to a dispute over his film Sin City), Paramount was forced to replace him. The studio has a long-standing arrangement with the DGA in which only the organization’s members may direct Paramount films. He was replaced with director Kerry Conran, who had just finished Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. In 2005, Conran left the project and was replaced by Jon Favreau just before the release of Favreau’s movie Zathura: A Space Adventure; Favreau was on-board to direct until around August 2006. At this time Paramount chose not to renew the film rights, preferring to focus on Star Trek, and Favreau left to work on Iron Man. In January 2007 Disney regained the rights (they had rights to film the story previously: in the 1980s with director John McTiernan), and enlisted Andrew Stanton from Pixar to direct.
  • “A Princess of Mars” was originally published as “Under the Moons of Mars” by Norman Bean (Edgar Rice Burroughs’ pseudonym) in The All-Story (six pulp magazine issues February – July, 1912). Burroughs was originally afraid that he might be ridiculed for writing such a tale, so he decided to use a pen name. The pseudonym was supposed to be a pun “Normal Bean” (as in “I’m a normal being”) to reassure people, but the man who typeset the text thought it was a mistake, so he changed it to “Norman”. However, Burroughs’ fears turned out to be unfounded: the story and its sequels, collectively known as the “Barsoom series”, were almost as popular (and arguably more influential) as those of his most famous creation, Tarzan.
  • Jon Hamm and Josh Duhamel were considered for the role of John Carter.
  • Probably holds the record for having the longest period of “development hell” for any movie, at 79 years. Preproduction for a film version first started in 1931, when Robert Clampett (director of ‘Looney Tunes’) approached author Edgar Rice Burroughs to make an animated feature out of the first book in the series, “A Princess of Mars” (the same story that this film is an adaptation of). Had plans gone through, ‘John Carter’ could have become the world’s first animated feature, beating Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The film finally left development hell in January 2010 when filming officially started in London.
  • The music in the first theatrical trailer uses two instrumental arrangements of “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin. The first (starting at 0:53) was performed by Australian/British string quartet Bond, the second (starting at 1:25) was performed by Corner Stone Cues (this arrangement is called “Ten Years Kashmir Mvt II (Orch, Choir & Perc Mix))”.
  • This marks the third live-action film under the Disney banner to earn a PG-13 rating in the United States. The first being Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (not counting its sequels as they are of the same film franchise) and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
  • Taylor Kitsch claimed to have suffered liver problems due to his rigorous diet and physical training for this film, 5losing 30 pounds in the process.
  • The Teaser features the song “My Body is a Cage”, originally written by Arcade Fire. The version used in the teaser is by Peter Gabriel, released on his 2011 album of cover versions, “Scratch My Back”.
  • The first “John Carter” story by Edgar Rice Burroughs made its debut in 1912 in a magazine serial. Thus, the 2012 feature film marks the centenary (100th anniversary) of the character’s first appearance.
  • The film was originally titled and marketed as “John Carter of Mars”, but director Andrew Stanton removed “of Mars” to make it more appealing to a broader audience, stating that the film is an “origin story… It’s about a guy becoming John Carter of Mars.”
  • Dedicated to the memory of Steve Jobs.
  • When Jon Favreau learned that Andrew Stanton had picked up the film, he gave him a call congratulating him and requesting that he could play a Thark. Favreau voices a “Thark Bookie”.

Talking Points:

  • Plot Holes??
  • Inconsistent physicality (Jumping Fighting Breaking Chains)
  • He can suddenly talk and hear martian how again?
  • Martians can tell an Earth human from a Martian human (even before the jumping)
  • Woola
  • The Cost of this film (just because you have the money, does not mean you should use it)

What We Learned:

  • Being a fool is a great luxury
  • War is a shameful thing unless a noble cause is taken up by those that can make a difference
  • Everyone thinks that their cause is virtuous.

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: I liked this movie. It was a little tough to get into at the beginning but once it got to Mars I was with it. Not that great of a movie so I can understand the critics rating but it still worth seeing. DVD would probably be fine though
Ray: I feel that this should have been named John Carter and the Plot Holes of Mars, a visually interesting film that ultimately and unfortunately fell flat in the plot and action departments for me. It felt a lot longer than it already was. I hear that the source material is wonderful though. I hope this black mark is quickly and quietly erased from Andrew Stantons permanent record. The one bright star for me in this was Woola! I want a Woola!
Carlos: I want more dogs. More dogs. I also want more information. Who was that? Why was this? I normally don’t care about holes…except when all you have is holes. But pretty, decent acting, just needs to be better. It’s makes it to decent, but from decent to good or good to great, it has a lot of work to do.

The Future: Intruders

Release: Limited March 30, 2012

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadilllo

Starring: Clive Owen, Carice van Houten. Izán Corchero

Summary:

Two children living in different countries are visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them

Talking Points

  • Not sure that the whole two different countries thing is really all that apparent in the trailer.
  • Release Date

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Oh, another scary freak me the “f” out movie. Great.
Ray: Not sure I’d go to the theater on my own to see this (not because it looks scary) but I think I’d be more scared watching this on my own at home.
Carlos: I’m confused. I just can’t decide.

Coming Attractions

The Past:

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The Present:

The Future:

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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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