Fantasia's Recent Activity - Spout

Film:Fantasia

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:35:06 GMT

Title: Fantasia
Year: 1940
Director: Ford I. Beebe, James Algar, Graham Heid, Hamilton Luske, Jim Handley, Albert Heath, Bianca Majolie, Ben Sharpsteen
Plot: Fantasia, Walt Disney's animated masterpiece of the 1940s, grew from a short-subject cartoon picturization of the Paul Dukas musical piece The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Mickey Mouse was starred in this eight-minute effort, while the orchestra was under the direction of Leopold Stokowski. Disney and Stokowski eventually decided that the notion of marrying classical music with animation was too good to confine to a mere short subject; thus the notion was expanded into a two-hour feature, incorporating seven musical selections and a bridging narration by music critic Deems Taylor. The first piece, Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor", was used to underscore a series of abstract images. The next selection, Tschiakovsky's "Nutcracker Suite", is performed by dancing wood-sprites, mushrooms, flowers, goldfish, thistles, milkweeds and frost fairies. The Mickey Mouse version of "Sorcerer's Apprentice" is next, followed by Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring", which serves as leitmotif for the story of the creation of the world, replete with dinosaurs and volcanoes. After a brief jam session involving the live-action musicians comes Beethoven's "Pastorale Symphony", enacted against a Greek-mythology tapestry by centaurs, unicorns, cupids and a besotted Bacchus. Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours" is performed by a Corps de Ballet consisting of hippos, ostriches and alligators. The program comes to a conclusion with a fearsome visualization of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain", dominated by the black god Tchernobog (referred to in the pencil tests as "Yensid", which is guess-what spelled backwards); this study of the "sacred and profane" segues into a reverent rendition of Schubert's "Ave Maria". Originally, Debussy's "Clair de Lune" was part of the film, but was cut from the final release print; also cut, due to budgetary considerations, was Disney's intention of issuing an annual "update" of Fantasia with new musical highlights and animated sequences. A box-office disappointment upon its first release (due partly to Disney's notion of releasing the film in an early stereophonic-sound process which few theatres could accommodate), Fantasia eventually recouped its cost in its many reissues. For one of the return engagements, the film was retitled Fantasia Will Amaze-ya, while the 1963 reissue saw the film "squashed" to conform with the Cinemascope aspect ratio. Other re-releases pruned the picture from 120 to 88 minutes, and in 1983, Disney redistributed the film with newly orchestrated music and Tim Matheson replacing Deems Taylor as narrator. Once and for all, a restored Fantasia was made available to filmgoers in 1990. A sequel, Fantasia 2000, was released in theaters in 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 63
Number of Lists: 68
Number of blog posts: 3
Number of discussion threads: 4
SpoutRating: 3

Spout Post: Revisiting Fantasia for the AFI Project

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:35:06 GMT

Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 7/25/2009 8:35:06 AM
Body: What's the AFI project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here:http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx Fantasia is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#58)10 Top 10's (#5 Animated) I borrowed Fantasia on VHS from my parents because I could not bring myself to rent it when I have seen it a great number of times. Fantasia was a childhood favorite of mine; I always found it soothing to watch when I was sick or wanted to relax because of the motif of impressionistic animation set to classical music. I also enjoyed it because I had and still have a great love for such music; I played the violin through college and always possessed a healthy appreciation for pieces I was able to play or had the possibility of playing. In short, Fantasia always had high appeal with me, so I may be a bit biased in this review; however, I do think my bias is justified, as I think the film receiving AFI ranking is equally justified. Walt Disney was a mastermind and ahead of his time, in my opinion. He had already released a great many shorts and, of course, by the time Fantasia was released, he had already created a handful of feature films, including the much-touted Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which has already been reviewed for this project. If you read my review, you may remember that I appreciated Snow White as a formula creator but otherwise found it a film that has not managed to hold up very well and is not quite as entertaining to me as the films that followed it. Fantasia, on the other hand, is quite the opposite in my opinion. Again, Disney pioneered a concept with this film, which contains no plot. Instead, music critic Deems Taylor introduces segments of classical music played orchestrally under the direction of Leopold Stokowski. Each piece is accompanied by an animated story which may have very little to do with the original intent of the piece, but even in that event, Mr. Taylor clearly states the composer's actual intention as a preface to the animated reconceptualization. The pieces include Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor set to impressionistic lighting and color; Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, depicting a change of seasons through the work of faeries and natural creatures; the Sorcerer's Apprentice, featuring my most favorite incarnation of Mickey Mouse; Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, depicting the early stages of evolution through the dinosaurs; Beethoven's Pastorale Symphony (No. 6), which is set to a story rooted in Greek mythology; Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours, featuring a ballet performed by ostriches, hippos, alligators, and elephants; and a combination finale of Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain and Schubert's Ave Maria, depicting demonic forces held at bay by the light of morning and the faithful. The concept introduced here was original and has not been imitated or duplicated, except when Disney released Fantasia 2000, with new pieces and new animated segments. Disney pioneered new sound techniques to enhance the viewing experience with this film. The colors are vivid, and the sequences are interesting. The only sequence that seems to drag to me is the first one, set against the Toccata - only because the formless animation has less of a logical progression than the pieces that follow. In any event, however, this film, I think, can truly be deemed art. It combined the creativity of Disney's imaginative storytelling with the work of his team of animators (so much smaller in 1940) to enhance the enjoyment of timeless classical pieces, and because the animated renderings are not rooted in period and include no vocal tracks, the visual presentation as well as the spirit of the piece transcend the year in which the film was made. In short, Fantasia is a remarkable entry in the annals of film history, especially in the annals of two dimensional animation. Plus, it can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. Because of its originality and truly timeless quality, I almost feel like Fantasia should be rated higher than Snow White on any list in which the two films appear; then again, Fantasia may not have been the marvel that it is without the initial entry of its sing-songy predecessor to break the mold. What is disheartening is that it did not even get a ranking on the AFI's Revised anniversay list ((it was replaced by The Gold Rush, which jumped several spots from its original ranking). In any event, I think Fantasia is a masterpiece of filmmaking, animated or no, and I am inclined to rate the film a perfect 10 because it is such a masterpiece! Also, it passes the test; the trouble is, it's been locked away in Disney's vault for years, though I read somewhere that a re-release (including to Blu-Ray) is due either next year or the following one. I can't wait! If you haven't seen Fantasia, I highly recommend getting a hold of a copy, sitting back with a cup of tea, and experiencing the undeniable artistic excellence of the film for yourself.

Spout Post: Re:Top 5 weirdest movies

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 10:50:47 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 12/21/2008 5:50:47 AM
Body: [quote user="seely"] Nice choices... I sometimes forget that 'weird' was invented before 1995! [quote user="LonesomeRhodes"] The two Jodorowsky films which I have seen, El Topo and Holy Mountain, make David Lynch-type weirdness seem tame. I would include those two and Eraserhead as the three which leap to mind as incomprehensible (to me anyway). Without giving it much more thought, and probably just because Cronenberg deserves a mention in any category of wierdness, I'll round out the five with The Brood and his adaptation of Naked Lunch [/quote] [/quote] As a guy who specializes in collecting the odd and unusual and WEIRD in the film world, I felt I must comment here. I have seen most of the movies mentioned above and I have Jodorowski's El Topo and The Holy Mountain as well as EVERYTHING by Lynch and Cronenberg and beyond in my collection. Some movies are SO weird (The Holy Mountain) that they just make NO sense at all and therefore have lttle or no entertainment value. However, some films can be completely weird AND highly entertaining as well! 2001 and Fantasia are excellent examples of this. I can't believe no one has mentioned the films of Ken Russel yet including Tommy , Altered States , The Lair of the White Worm and The Devils . Honorable mention should be given to John Waters with films such as Multiple Maniacs and Pink Flamingos . Peter Jackson gets a nod for some of his early work like Bad Taste and Meet The Feebles . Pink Floyd: The Wall and Flavia The Heretic get honorable mentions as well... I know that is more than 5 but I was taking it easy on you guys... I could go on and on on this subject... < GOR >

Spout Post: DVD gifts off the beaten path

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:46:01 GMT

Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 12/9/2008 8:46:01 PM
Body: Folks in the current economy just haven’t warmed to the whole Blu-ray concept just yet. So while they are still commercially viable (even though they are waning in popularity), there are still a number of special edition DVDs funneling into the market. As the holiday approaches, it can be confusing for consumers as they toggle between choosing the “Special Dynamic Super Edition” or the “Ultimate Collectors Shiny Happy Edition” of the same films that have been released, re-released, and re-re-released. I am not going to include the latest films that have perhaps just been released this year in theaters and are receiving their big DVD debuts, but rather the digital roads less traveled, providing a range of options for all to fit every price range for DVD films and box sets released in 2008. As you are striking off names of cinephiles from your holiday gift list, consider some of the following options: For the kids/family: All kids will clamor for the Wall *E and Horton Hears a Who, but do you want your child to be a follower or a leader? Here’s some healthy alternatives: .The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol 2 Woody was sort of like the Rodney Dangerfield of cartoon characters for me and my friends growing up. The ubiquitous bird was really just animated padding as we awaited what we perceived to be better cartoons that would come on when we returned home from school. He was the television equivalent to Ziggy. And while there are several valleys in this three-disc collection of shorts produced between 1952 and 1958, there are countless peaks, including Niagara Fools, which could quite possibly be the best of his entire run on the tube. (About $35 at Amazon.com). Classic Caballeros Collection: (The Three Caballeros/ Saludos Amigos): Walt Disney, cash strapped after spiraling budgets of Pinocchio and Fantasia threatened to bankrupt the company, found himself traveling to Central and South America in search of distributing his product and cashing in to new markets. The results are these two (and a few other) shorts that are bouncy enough to satiate the kids in the house (with staples like Donald Duck and Goofy) , but filled with enough behind-the-scenes travelogues to keep the parents entertained long after the tots head off for bed. It’s a time capsule that shows the first footsteps taken in Disney’s now-global stranglehold on all things relating to childhood. (About $15) American Slapstick 2: In this three-disc compilation of shorts, 30 silent-era films are featured, demonstrating the breadth and depths of this oft-chided comic institution whose public recognition of it usually focuses solely on some guy named Chaplin. Harold Lloyd, then-unknown Oliver Hardy, Bebe Daniels, Snub Pollard all share screen time with even lesser-known pioneers. The popularity of the one-half silent slapstick of this year’s Wall*E will perhaps encourage viewers to uncover these long-forgotten pearls. (About $35) The Red Balloon: A lonely Parisian boy befriends a helium-filled titular object that seems to have a mind of its own in this 1956 film that is still as enchanting today and Janus Films has done an impeccable job in its cleanup of the print. The result in a simple, sweet , funny and even moving tale (the balloon’s flirtatious dance with a blue balloon is priceless) that would still be as meaningful for children today as those in post-war France, when it was made. (About $10) Big beefy sets: For those who still have job security and can perhaps shell out a few extra dollars, here are some options that are actually worth the money: The Godfather (Coppola Restoration Giftset): Yes, Coppola and company have returned to this well many a time on DVD, but if even if you have one of the former incarnations, you may want to start using them as coasters, as this is by far the best-looking version of the films you are likely to find. For those film geeks who appreciate the film for its nuances like the chiaroscuro lighting, era-perfect costuming and flawless framing, this is one sweet canoli. (About $45 for the whole set, though films can be purchased separately to avoid that whole Godfather III mistake) The Pink Panther Ultimate Collection: So the series bats about 500, mostly during Peter Sellers’ earliest work as the inept Inspector Clouseau (but this set also includes interpretations of the bumbling detective by Alan Arkin, Roger Moore (in 1983’s Curse of the Pink Panther), Roberto Benigni and, sadly, Steve Martin in the current re-boot of the franchise. But, the shoddy latter film entries are completely forgiven by this box set’s inclusion of all 190 far-superior Pink Panther cartoons. (About $180, but you are getting a total of 18 discs with this) Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition : Unfortunately, it is true: two decades have passed since this fantastic series first aired, meaning you are that much older. Fortunately, the series contains so many laughs you may forget about all how much hair you’ve lost/wrinkles you’ve gained in that time. Films held up for merry mockery include: First Spaceship to Venus (1960), Laserblast (1979), Werewolf (1983) and Future War (1997). In the past, many MST3K discs have been rather sparse on extras, but this set comes loaded with features, including the show’s history, a reunion Q & A, and countless different versions of the theme song. (About $160, but you get a life-size head of Crow T. Robot, people!) The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus - Collector's Edition Megaset: To know it is to love it: Flying Circus and its co-conspiratorial crew calling itself Monty Python have been purveyors of all modern silliness for more than three decades, leaving many sketch-comedy contenders in their wake. Take a look at any “comedy” channel on the internet today and you will no doubt see the influence of these ground-breaking masters of mockery. (About $55) The Budd Boetticher Box Set: What, you’ve never heard of Budd Boetticher? Does the fact that Marin Scorcese, Clint Eastwood and Taylor Hackford all volunteered to introduce films included in this set persuade you at all? The Tall T, Decision at Sundown, Buchanan Rides Alone, Ride Lonesome (1959) and Comanche Station, are but a few contributions to the Western genre from the director, giving James Coburn (in his film debut), Richard Boone, Maureen O'Sullivan, Pernell Roberts, Lee Van Cleef, and Craig Stevens and place to hang their hats, so to speak. (About $45) The Bette Davis Collection, Vol. 3 : Made during the grand dame’s peak of popularity (the non-campy kind) while working with Warner Brothers, this collection includes seldom-seen-but-worthwhile classics as The Old Maid (1939), All This and Heaven Too (1940), The Great Lie (1942), In This Our Life (1942), Watch the Rhine (1943) and Deception (1946). Also tossed into the six-disc set are commentary tracks from film scholars, era-specific film trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, and vintage cartoons. (About $47) The Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection: Spanning eight discs, this MGM set highlights some of the more obscure, but no-less interesting, works from the master, including The Lodger (1927), one of his silent pictures, Sabotage (1936), the Oscar-winning Rebecca (1940), Lifeboat (1944) a mini-masterwork that is set entirely on an inflatable raft and still manages to build tension, Spellbound (1945) , Notorious (1946) and The Paradine Case (1946), starring Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck. Included are the famous Hitchock Francois Truffaut interviews, trailers, radio adaptations, and other nuggets of cinema goodness. (About $60) Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913): Melies’s sad ending was criminal compared to his contribution to the world of film (he died penniless and all-but-forgotten), and this posthumous compilation only further proves just how influential this man was. Some of the ways the effects are done today have changed, but the more things change… A total of 173 short films from this movie master are included in this box set, filled with fantastic journeys, interplanetary travel, and fairy tale lands. The set also includes a booklet documenting his life in and out of film, as well as a famous short documentary on him from another French legend, Georges Franju. (About $90) A really, very, super-special, ultimate collector’s edition: Almost every film today is released in rated and “unrated” director’s cuts. But few of them have any negligible differences. Here are a few that merit a purchase: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (20th Anniversary Edition): Visionary director Terry Gilliam has seldom had smooth sailing from sets to screen (the legendary aborted Johnny Depp project, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, made for a fascinating documentary of the filmmaking process titled Lost in La Mancha), and this 1988 film is no exception. Budgets and schedules spinning out of control led to one of the more intriguing behind-the-scenes lore of film production, which is recounted rather honestly and thoroughly through its cast and crew in this special edition DVD. For those who have never witnessed this hallucinatory fantasy since it was first released, a repeat viewing after following how it was made is required to gain an entirely new respect for it. (About $20) The Thief of Bagdad (Criterion Collection): If you or your children’s only exposure to bottled genies and flying carpets are limited to either Disney and/or Barbara Eden, you owe it to yourself and your kids to pick up this restored gem that featured at-the-time groundbreaking effects (that even today, while dated, still impress), a thrilling adventure and now packed with bonus material such as the original trailer, several commentaries (including a couple of hacks by the name of Scorsese and Coppola), documentaries on Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Muren and Craig Barron and various other features. (About $25) Dark City (Director’s Cut): Hot off the success of The Crow, in the early 90s, director Alex Proyas was given a bigger budget to create an even larger alternate universe, not unlike the ones created in Blade Runner. And it was perhaps a little too close, as the film was initially met with a shrug from many critics (except Roger Ebert) and quickly disappeared. It has developed a sizeable cult following, allowing a DVD rebirth in the form of a director’s cut, inviting newbies and former haters alike to view the film as originally intended. (About $12) Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains!: Here’s another film that a backstory almost as interesting as the one on the screen. Disowned by its writer, dropped by its studio and abandoned by home video, this rarity stars a young Diane Lane, Ray Winstone, and Laura Dern (as well as members from The Clash and The Sex Pistols). After making the rounds of HBO and late-night USA Network back in the day (late 80s), the film vanished into obscurity. Rhino has lovingly picked it up and polished it off with a number of features, including audio commentaries (from Lane and Dern, no less!). (About $15) The General: The Ultimate Two-Disc Edition: No self-respecting lover of film should be without this one in their collection. Be wary, as since this classic has gone into public domain (meaning almost any rag-tag releasing company can distribute a beat-up print for profit), this comedic classic from Buster Keaton has countless versions clotting bargain bins everywhere. Kino, which has already released a fine dust-off of the film years ago, now present a definitive version, including introductions from Gloria Swanson and Orson Welles, a tour of the filming locations (including the train used in the film) and a choice of musical accompaniments for this silent masterpiece of meticulously calculated mayhem. (About $22)

Spout Post: Wall-E Should Not Be Nominated for Best Picture

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:00:35 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/8/2008 5:00:35 PM
Body: It’s beginning to look a lot like 1991. A former Disney starlet is on track for a Best Actress nomination. One of cinema’s greatest villainous performances is a sure thing for an acting Oscar. And, due to a relatively disappointing crop of Academy Award contenders, an animated feature is being talked about for Best Picture. One major difference between now and 1991, however, is now there’s a separate Oscar category for Best Animated Feature. While that doesn’t mean Wall-E can’t be the first animated film nominated in the top category since Beauty and the Beast, it does potentially mean that it shouldn’t be. Historically, animated features have been marginalized by the Academy, though not unfairly. The first of its kind in the U.S., Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was not adequately recognized at the 1938 Oscars, so the Academy gave Disney a special Honorary Award (in the form of one normal-sized statuette and seven miniature statuettes) in 1939 to make up for it. The official credit given to Snow White was that it was a “significant screen innovation,” that “pioneered a great new entertainment field.” Basically, but not technically, this designated animated features as a new, separate art form from live-action motion pictures. Fantasia was similarly set apart a few years later with two Honorary Awards spotlighting the film’s achievements in sound and music, yet this time credit was given to the film for “widening the scope of the motion picture as entertainment and as an art form.” Still, for almost fifty years, the closest an animated feature came to being nominated inclusively in such a scope for Best Picture were live-action films incorporating animation, such as Anchors Aweigh and Mary Poppins. It should have officially been made clearer in the 1930s or 1940s that animated features are in a class of their own. Since 1932, the Academy has differentiated between animation and live-action with its short subject categories, but no corresponding distinction was ever made for features, possibly because there weren’t enough animated features to recognize with a separate award for many decades. Even today, the Best Animated Feature Oscar is only given if there are a certain number (eight) of animated features eligible in that year. Thanks to the Best Animated Feature Oscar, though, there is greater encouragement for the mainstream production of this kind of film and also a greater acknowledgement of foreign feature animation. Some critics might argue that it seems to lower the esteem of animated features, yet the creation of the category was in fact pushed for by animators, according to the AMPAS press release announcing its inception (the animators’ campaign, spearheaded mostly by Dreamworks Animation’s Jeffrey Katzenberg, was apparently fueled by the snub of Chicken Run as Best Picture in 2001). The Academy’s error, then, was in continuing to allow animated features to be eligible for Best Picture rather than renaming that “top” category Best Live-Action Picture. Now, if Wall-E or any other animated film is recognized in that category, the Best Animated Feature Oscar will indeed appear to be a lesser honor. An unsourced claim on Wikipedia says the existence of the Animated Feature category creates a sort of psychological effect, which blocks voters from considering an animated feature for Best Picture. However, with enough campaigning from Disney and plenty of prodding from the media (blogs especially), Wall-E may have sufficient placement in the consciousness of Academy members to allow such a nomination to happen. The call for a Best Picture nod for the film has been around and growing since New York magazine’s Vulture blog first championed the idea back in June, writing that it “would be the smartest thing the Academy’s done in years.” For ratings, perhaps, but individual members themselves do not think of nor are they encouraged to consider telecast viewership when marking their ballots. As a celebration of great filmmaking, though, it would be smarter for voters to acknowledge Wall-E’s place and prestige as a front-runner in the Best Animated Feature category and then pick another deserving film, which isn’t likely to be recognized elsewhere, to nominate as Best Picture. For example, how about a popular and critically acclaimed foreign film that hasn’t been submitted for consideration in the foreign-language category, such as Tell No One or Let the Right One In? In July, Time magazine, which referred to the separate Animated Feature category as “Oscar’s cartoon ghetto,” began sampling quotes from supporters like New York and went so far as to call the film an “Obamaesque trailblazer.” In some way, Wall-E could resonate with Academy voters with relation to Obama, but perhaps only because it is one of the few hopeful, feel-good movies contending at a time when Bush–inspired negativity is supposedly no longer welcome (New York writer Logan Hill also acknowledged Best Picture candidate Slumdog Millionaire as similarly fitting the optimism bill after Fox Searchlight’s COO referred to the film as “Obama-like”). And maybe the environmentalist theme of Wall-E will be heavily supported by liberal Academy members, but ultimately the film seems even more preachy and, at times, dystopic than even The Dark Knight, let alone An Inconvenient Truth (which, by the way, had to settle on Oscar’s documentary ghetto and wasn’t considered Best Picture material, either). One significant point against the likelihood Wall-E receiving a Best Picture nomination was noted by Anne Thompson at Variety: actors tend to vote for live-action films because they feature live actors. Surely actors, forever in fear of being replaced by computer-generated characters, look at an eerily realistically rendered computer-animated film like Wall-E and contemplate the worst for their profession. Still, on the other hand, actors could actually celebrate Pixar for making an animated film that incorporates live actors (a kind of reversal of Anchors Aweigh and Mary Poppins, no?). But if actors want to pay respect to this technique, they should completely surprise Oscar prognosticators (and pay them back for another 2001 snub) by nominating Fred Willard for Best Supporting Actor. Maybe Wall-E is one of the best films of 2008, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it should be recommended for a Best Picture nomination. The Oscars are never an exact or fair measure of a year’s best in cinema, and even Oscar bloggers should be aware of the politics and logic of the Academy. This is the same organization that, for its first awards, ruled The Jazz Singer ineligible for Best Picture (or “Best Production” as it was named then) because it had the unfair advantage of being a sound film. Instead, the landmark film received a Special Award (almost like Disney received in 1939). Perhaps it is best, then, to think of animated features as also having an unfair advantage. After all, particularly with computer animation, they allow for more ease in certain aspects of direction, cinematography and special effects. In that case, let us, if not the Academy, view the Best Animated Feature category as the actual “top” category and shake off this unnecessary desire for an animated film to win “Best Picture.” Now, can we re-channel our energy into campaigning for Wall-E to be nominated in other categories, like Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Art Direction? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: Re:Top 5 weirdest movies

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:10:33 GMT

Post By: GradysGhost
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 12/2/2008 7:10:33 PM
Body: [quote user="seely"] Hm, so many of the ones I would pick have already been picked. Theres a few notables missing, however. One of the all-time weirdest: The Fountain Darren Aronofsky (sp?) at his weirdest. I would try to explain it, but I'm not sure I can anymore. If you're interested, I reviewed it here. Requiem for a Dream Same director as Pi and the Fountain. The really trippy drug induced fantasies and hallucinations, plus the steady downward spiral of all the characters in this film make it a weird one. Fantasia Satan. Mickey Mouse. Pluto. Wizards. Demons. Nuff said. Me and You and Everyone We Know I saw this one twice and still can't really figure out quite what it is about. I've heard a wide range of theories. All I know is there is a 5 year old making out with a 35 year old woman, and he's obsessed with 'pooping back and forth forever'. Is it a metaphor? Is it funny? I don't really know. Stranger than Fiction / The Science of Sleep I don't know why, but I always think of these films together. Anyways, I think they both should be included on any 'weird' list. Both have pretty strange concepts that seem like they wouldn't work/be that interesting, but somehow both of them turned out to be good films--a big compliment to STF considering I don't like Will Ferrel as a rule of thumb. Both will definately mess with your mind a bit. [/quote] It's been ages since I've seen Fantasia, but I will vouch for The Science of Sleep and Me and You and Everyone We Know for being weird. Science of Sleep is such an amazing movie. Another thread around here somewhere spoke of Amelie as being a "gateway drug" to other foreign flicks. My brother has always adamently refused to watch foreign movies on the basis that he doesn't like to "read his movies." But he caught the last half of Science of Sleep and loved it. Something about how they keep switching between three languages for the entire film has this whirlwind effect that just sucks you up and moves you through the narrative, even when it's not so narrativey. Stranger Than Fiction is a pretty good metafiction film, but as far as metafiction is concerned, I have to offer up a couple of Michael Haneke films, Cache and Funny Games. While neither of these movies might be considered "weird," they have a fourth-wall-breaking aspect that your average film doesn't. And that's the understatement of the century. Cache has some disturbing imagery at one point, which seems more gruesome than that of Funny Games, even though Funny Games is far gorier. I think it has something to do with the way Funny Games incorporates its violence, the way that the "bad guys" let you, the audience, know that you know what these games are all about, and you're used to it by now. It's quite convincing, which I guess is the true horror of the film.

Spout Post: Re:Top 5 weirdest movies

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:35:16 GMT

Post By: seely
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 9/23/2008 2:35:16 PM
Body: Hm, so many of the ones I would pick have already been picked. Theres a few notables missing, however. One of the all-time weirdest: The Fountain Darren Aronofsky (sp?) at his weirdest. I would try to explain it, but I'm not sure I can anymore. If you're interested, I reviewed it here. Requiem for a Dream Same director as Pi and the Fountain. The really trippy drug induced fantasies and hallucinations, plus the steady downward spiral of all the characters in this film make it a weird one. Fantasia Satan. Mickey Mouse. Pluto. Wizards. Demons. Nuff said. Me and You and Everyone We Know I saw this one twice and still can't really figure out quite what it is about. I've heard a wide range of theories. All I know is there is a 5 year old making out with a 35 year old woman, and he's obsessed with 'pooping back and forth forever'. Is it a metaphor? Is it funny? I don't really know. Stranger than Fiction / The Science of Sleep I don't know why, but I always think of these films together. Anyways, I think they both should be included on any 'weird' list. Both have pretty strange concepts that seem like they wouldn't work/be that interesting, but somehow both of them turned out to be good films--a big compliment to STF considering I don't like Will Ferrel as a rule of thumb. Both will definately mess with your mind a bit.

Spout Post: Re:Double features

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:32:49 GMT

Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: B Movies
Post Date: 4/29/2008 2:32:49 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] Remember when we turned the radio to that amazing children's Christian music program instead of the movie audio? That made it a bit more entertaining for a while. [/quote] That was surreal! That reminds me, I recommend doing that with all kinds of films. I once borrowed a VHS from my cousin, it was a visual/musical experience using state-of-the-art 1999 digital effects and music. My roomate and I would watch it with the sound turned off, listening to it with Black Sabbath, REM, whatever we were in the mood for. No matter what music we picked, it always interacted in interesting ways with the graphics. Which included a fantasy-art-style dolphin. Anyone got a favorite record to play with Fantasia? [quote user="Risselada"] I still can't believe Bad Boys 2 is two and a half hours long!!! [/quote] The most vivid thing for me was my confusion about what to feel when Martin Lawrence was under the sheet with the attractive, naked corpse.

Spout Tag:Classic

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMT

Classic
Number of films tagged: 816

Number of people who tagged: 312

Number of times used: 1453

Spout Tag:beautiful

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:08:38 GMT

beautiful
Number of films tagged: 259

Number of people who tagged: 149

Number of times used: 416

Spout Tag:music

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:51:44 GMT

music
Number of films tagged: 4341

Number of people who tagged: 144

Number of times used: 481

Spout Tag:fantasy

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:54:25 GMT

fantasy
Number of films tagged: 1044

Number of people who tagged: 128

Number of times used: 480

Spout Tag:musical

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:03:25 GMT

musical
Number of films tagged: 174

Number of people who tagged: 109

Number of times used: 356

Spout Tag:Boring

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:44:27 GMT

Boring
Number of films tagged: 177

Number of people who tagged: 105

Number of times used: 207

Spout Tag:masterpiece

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:28:28 GMT

masterpiece
Number of films tagged: 226

Number of people who tagged: 101

Number of times used: 215

Spout Tag:magic

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:58:47 GMT

magic
Number of films tagged: 818

Number of people who tagged: 69

Number of times used: 173

Spout Tag:animation

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:34:12 GMT

animation
Number of films tagged: 295

Number of people who tagged: 58

Number of times used: 209

Spout Tag:dancing

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:46 GMT

dancing
Number of films tagged: 94

Number of people who tagged: 49

Number of times used: 131

Spout Tag:Dance

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:46 GMT

Dance
Number of films tagged: 80

Number of people who tagged: 47

Number of times used: 101

Spout Tag:disney

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:53:40 GMT

disney
Number of films tagged: 70

Number of people who tagged: 39

Number of times used: 128

Spout Tag:water

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:09:09 GMT

water
Number of films tagged: 444

Number of people who tagged: 36

Number of times used: 62

Spout Tag:visual

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:54:25 GMT

visual
Number of films tagged: 140

Number of people who tagged: 28

Number of times used: 161

Spout Tag:odd

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:49:46 GMT

odd
Number of films tagged: 37

Number of people who tagged: 27

Number of times used: 41