It always burned me up. Here's this terrific gangster/caper film with a lot of action, memorable and interesting characters, beautifully constructed, with deeply philosophical thematic undertones, and nobody likes it.
It appears as if this year I finally got through. All the heavy hitters have weighed in with the thumbs up, the Mayor, the Professor, T-Bone, Irina and a few others. A few formerly stellar names have gone to ground, but to quote a great anonymous teenager, "whatever."
I think the key is the crystal clear print, on a 6 foot screen, with sub-titles. Years past I showed everything on a 27 inch TV using VHS. It was very hard to decipher the slang of the American actors. Forget about "Herr Doktor." And the word "hooligan" was lost on everybody. That great speech that the Doc gives while Dix is sponging the blood off his head is very important for understanding the theme of the film. In teh past, I used to have to write it on the board.
It's always been one of my favorite films. I love the part where Emmerich asks Dix to shoot him and he says, "ok" and moves to shoot him, only to have Riedneschneider intervene.
I'm so gratified you liked it. In fact, the Mayor gave me such a nice compliment after class on Friday when he said that he was amazed that I've been able to show one great film after another with no loss of power. Each film just seems to build in intensity. There's been no anti-climax.
And now, my friends, just when you thought the class just has to be on the wane, we will see "Dark City," the film most of my previous class voted as their favorite of the year.
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I hope you've changed "The Mayor" to an affectionate nickname rather than your past usage of it haha.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for Dark City. I watched another Alex Proyas film today: Knowing. It was very recent, with Nicolas Cage. It was a bit silly and predictable, but it wasn't the worst movie I've seen. I enjoyed his 2004 film I, Robot. I thought that was very well put together.
I am confused as to why this film wasn't a hit in the past. I enjoyed it, and it seems as though the rest of the class did as well. Within the next few days, I will step to the plate and take quite a hack at this movie and hopefully I will knock it out of the park... or maybe I'll harmlessly pop up.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I use the word "hooligan" all the time, but maybe that's just because I'm a little weird. But to quote Mr. Bennett quoting a great anonymous teenager, "whatever."
For starters, I'm glad that the class' reaction to the film didn't disappoint you this time around...
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the recent change in media, I believe this to be a very crucial point. When looking back at the days of olde, a certain memory comes to mind -> Back in our wonderful second term AP American History class, you used the 27-inch Television Screen in order to show us a fascinating documentary on the life and deeds of our nation's most heroic and greatest president to date, Teddy Roosevelt. I remember it was actually pretty hard to absorb everything when sitting from the front rows - I can only imagine how much of a challenge it would have been for the kids banished from the rest of society, sitting in the farthest, coldest nether-regions of the room (kinda like where I am now)
"All the heavy hitters have weighed in with the thumbs up, the Mayor, the Professor, T-Bone, Irina and a few others."
Just out of curiosity,
What is my alias supposed to be again? ;-)
hahahahahaahha
ReplyDeletecould the previous failure of the film simply be a fault of the previous students, and not the tv or the teacher? Perhaps this is yet another reason added to the never ending list of why our grade is the superior class in Tech history.
Just a thought.
And I'm confused, Dark City is by the same director as iRobot? I don't know, I don't think the movie did justice to Asimov.
Yes Alex Proyas directed both I, Robot and Dark City. You say it didn't do justive to Asimov, but I've never felt that a film based on a written work owed anything to that work. When I watch a film based on a book, I consider the book irrelevant and just watch the film. Same goes for when I read a book that has a movie based on it. I just read the book and make the movie irrelevant. That is just my way of viewing things. Your's is also genuine and respectable.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I use the word hooligan on a regular basis just like Steve. I joke with my girlfriend because I say she lives in the part of the island filled with "hooligans and ruffians that are out to steal her sixpence that she was going to use to buy some toffee". I'm an odd individual.
ReplyDeleteWhat's not to be liked about The Asphalt Jungle?
ReplyDeleteThe plot? No. The characters? No. The lines? No. The deeply philosophical thematic undertones? No. The hooligans, hoodlums, ruffians, delinquents, goons, punks, and thugs. No.
If there is nothing to be disliked then The Asphalt Jungle was perfect. Just perfect.
I see what you're saying, Nick. It's just I had high expectations for a philosophical commentary on the capabilities of our own creations but got a kick ass action movie instead. I admit, there was one point (when the robots are all in the container huddled together) that this commentary comes through, but otherwise I wasn't seeing the deeper layer. But eh, it's totally possible that I missed it.
ReplyDeleteand to bring it back to Asphalt Jungle - I second Danny White's comment. Although it's a litle light on the shit imagery. I don't know, after watching Unforgiven for so long I just grew accustomed to it.
In consulting with my brother on the Asphalt Jungle, (He took the film class in fall 2002,) he said that he liked the film but was not overly impressed but it. So, clearly something is different this year, and it could be the screen or maybe that we were frightened into liking it by "our Fearless Leader." Either way, all of the elements of this film were great and I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteLike Danny White said, what is there to not like about the film, except of course the Hays Code.
I forgot to mention that it could have always had to do with the class mentality, that much like most of the class gave Top Hat and negative review and it fell flat, people seemed interested in this film and it was a hit.
ReplyDeleteLet's see if Dark City can live up to the Asphalt Jungle.