list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Mulholland Dr. on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Mulholland_Dr/192634/default.aspx Title: Mulholland Dr.
Year: 2001
Director: David Lynch
Plot: David Lynch wrote and directed this look at two women who find themselves walking a fine line between truth and deception in the beautiful but dangerous netherworld of Hollywood. A beautiful woman (Laura Elena Harring) riding in a limousine along Los Angeles' Mulholland Drive is targeted by a would-be shooter, but before he can pull the trigger, she is injured when her limo is hit by another car. The woman stumbles from the wreck with a head wound, and in time makes her way into an apartment with no idea of where or who she is. As it turns out, the apartment is home to an elderly woman who is out of town, and is allowing her niece Betty (Naomi Watts) to stay there; Betty is a small-town girl from Canada who wants to be an actress, and her aunt was able to arrange an audition with a film director for her. Betty befriends the injured woman, who begins calling herself "Rita" after seeing a poster of Rita Hayworth. While Betty's audition impresses a casting agent, and she catches the eye of hotshot director Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux), Kesher's producers and moneymen insist with no small vehemence that he instead cast a woman named Camilla Rhodes. As Rita attempts to put the pieces of her life back together, she pulls the name Diane Selwyn from her memory; Rita thinks it could be her real name, but when she and Betty find a listing for Diane Selwyn and visit her apartment, they discover the latest victim of a mysterious killer who is eluding police detective Harry McKnight (Robert Forster). Rita's emotional identity soon takes a left turn, and it turns out that neither woman is quite who she once appeared to be. David Lynch originally conceived Mulholland Drive as the pilot film for a television series; after the ABC television network rejected the pilot and declined to air it, the French production film StudioCanal took over the project, and Lynch reshot and re-edited the material into a theatrical feature. The resulting version of Mulholland Drive premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, where David Lynch shared Best Director honors with Joel Coen. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 81
Number of Lists: 91
Number of blog posts: 10
Number of discussion threads: 9
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:13:00 GMTMulholland Dr.2001David Lynch<a href="/players/P___100454/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Lynch</a> wrote and directed this look at two women who find themselves walking a fine line between truth and deception in the beautiful but dangerous netherworld of Hollywood. A beautiful woman (<a href="/players/P____32007/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Laura Elena Harring</a>) riding in a limousine along Los Angeles' Mulholland Drive is targeted by a would-be shooter, but before he can pull the trigger, she is injured when her limo is hit by another car. The woman stumbles from the wreck with a head wound, and in time makes her way into an apartment with no idea of where or who she is. As it turns out, the apartment is home to an elderly woman who is out of town, and is allowing her niece Betty (<a href="/players/P____75056/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Naomi Watts</a>) to stay there; Betty is a small-town girl from Canada who wants to be an actress, and her aunt was able to arrange an audition with a film director for her. Betty befriends the injured woman, who begins calling herself "Rita" after seeing a poster of <a href="/players/P____31340/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Rita Hayworth</a>. While Betty's audition impresses a casting agent, and she catches the eye of hotshot director Adam Kesher (<a href="/players/P___200875/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Justin Theroux</a>), Kesher's producers and moneymen insist with no small vehemence that he instead cast a woman named Camilla Rhodes. As Rita attempts to put the pieces of her life back together, she pulls the name Diane Selwyn from her memory; Rita thinks it could be her real name, but when she and Betty find a listing for Diane Selwyn and visit her apartment, they discover the latest victim of a mysterious killer who is eluding police detective Harry McKnight (<a href="/players/P____90191/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Forster</a>). Rita's emotional identity soon takes a left turn, and it turns out that neither woman is quite who she once appeared to be. <a href="/players/P___100454/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Lynch</a> originally conceived Mulholland Drive as the pilot film for a television series; after the ABC television network rejected the pilot and declined to air it, the French production film StudioCanal took over the project, and Lynch reshot and re-edited the material into a theatrical feature. The resulting version of Mulholland Drive premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, where <a href="/players/P___100454/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Lynch</a> shared Best Director honors with <a href="/players/P____85375/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joel Coen</a>. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide81Tag Target (>10)911094http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t26709m0qto.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Mulholland_Dr/192634/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_June_15_That_s_So_Gay/625/42689/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 6/17/2009 2:13:33 PM
Body: Since I picked another winner of discussion this week, I guess it's up to me to try and add something more to this post. My last post focused more on the men, I'll focus on the ladies this time around. I haven't had a chance to see Bound yet but that remains the first movie that comes to mind when I think lesbians on film. Maybe that will change when I finally see it. I was completely unaware that it was a Wachowski brothers movies until a few years ago. Side note, now that one of the Wachowski's is making the transition to be a woman, I guess they are going to have to drop the brothers from their future movies. The Wachowski's also touched on lesbianism in V for Vendetta with the story of the lesbian couple that falls victim to the governments hypocrisy and is jailed for their love of each other. I liked the twisted lesbian relationship of Cameron Diaz and Catherine Keener in Being John Malkovich. Cameron inhabiting John's body to have sex with Catherine's character. Crazy. I love The Hours even though Meryl Streep and Allison Janney as the falling out of love couple was the weakest part of the film. Of course we can't forget Mulholland Dr. and the reason most people saw the film: Naomi Watts and Laura Harring. For those still not in the know, she was in fact a lesbian and most of the film was her masturbatorial fantasy. Thank you David Lynch! Charlize Theron got her Oscar for depicting a fugly serial killer lesbian attracted to the always adorable Christina Ricci in Monster. The rampant lesbianism in Desperate Living is something to be seen. Disturbing and traumatic, just as a John Waters film should be. Anna Faris played a seductive lesbian in the creepy May. I still can't look at Angela Bettis without seeing her with that creepy lazy eye. I'll always love Reese Witherspoon for played a jacked up Little Red Riding Hood in Freeway. The hilariously perverse pseudo sex scene with her and Brittany Murphy in priceless. Lastly, Kissing Jessica Stein was a really funny, adorable romantic comedy about lesbians, or rather a lesbian and a bisexual. Heartfelt and just a really simple, great movie.
]]>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:13:33 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme6/17/2009 2:13:33 PMSince I picked another winner of discussion this week, I guess it's up to me to try and add something more to this post. My last post focused more on the men, I'll focus on the ladies this time around. I haven't had a chance to see Bound yet but that remains the first movie that comes to mind when I think lesbians on film. Maybe that will change when I finally see it. I was completely unaware that it was a Wachowski brothers movies until a few years ago. Side note, now that one of the Wachowski's is making the transition to be a woman, I guess they are going to have to drop the brothers from their future movies. The Wachowski's also touched on lesbianism in V for Vendetta with the story of the lesbian couple that falls victim to the governments hypocrisy and is jailed for their love of each other. I liked the twisted lesbian relationship of Cameron Diaz and Catherine Keener in Being John Malkovich. Cameron inhabiting John's body to have sex with Catherine's character. Crazy. I love The Hours even though Meryl Streep and Allison Janney as the falling out of love couple was the weakest part of the film. Of course we can't forget Mulholland Dr. and the reason most people saw the film: Naomi Watts and Laura Harring. For those still not in the know, she was in fact a lesbian and most of the film was her masturbatorial fantasy. Thank you David Lynch! Charlize Theron got her Oscar for depicting a fugly serial killer lesbian attracted to the always adorable Christina Ricci in Monster. The rampant lesbianism in Desperate Living is something to be seen. Disturbing and traumatic, just as a John Waters film should be. Anna Faris played a seductive lesbian in the creepy May. I still can't look at Angela Bettis without seeing her with that creepy lazy eye. I'll always love Reese Witherspoon for played a jacked up Little Red Riding Hood in Freeway. The hilariously perverse pseudo sex scene with her and Brittany Murphy in priceless. Lastly, Kissing Jessica Stein was a really funny, adorable romantic comedy about lesbians, or rather a lesbian and a bisexual. Heartfelt and just a really simple, great movie. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/23/39844.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/23/2009 4:00:40 PM
Body: I don’t want to publish the Twitter identities of those who have won tickets to see The Dark Knight on IMAX, a contest we announced yesterday, but I will tell you what movies they told us, via Twitter, what movies they’d like to see released on the IMAX screen: Caligula Blade Runner Mulholland Drive Once Upon a Time in America / Once Upon a Time in the West Titanic Lawrence of Arabia Young Frankenstein / Close Encounters of the Third Kind Brazil Drunken Master E.T. / The Green Mile As you’d expect there are a lot of epics on the list as well as a couple of offbeat choices - I love the people who suggested Brazil and Young Frankenstein. Thanks to everyone who sent in their suggestions and look for more contests like this in the future. Make sure to keep following @spout for updates, news and more. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:00:40 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/23/2009 4:00:40 PMI don’t want to publish the Twitter identities of those who have won tickets to see The Dark Knight on IMAX, a contest we announced yesterday, but I will tell you what movies they told us, via Twitter, what movies they’d like to see released on the IMAX screen: Caligula Blade Runner Mulholland Drive Once Upon a Time in America / Once Upon a Time in the West Titanic Lawrence of Arabia Young Frankenstein / Close Encounters of the Third Kind Brazil Drunken Master E.T. / The Green Mile As you’d expect there are a lot of epics on the list as well as a couple of offbeat choices - I love the people who suggested Brazil and Young Frankenstein. Thanks to everyone who sent in their suggestions and look for more contests like this in the future. Make sure to keep following @spout for updates, news and more. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_November_17_In_The_Nude/625/37420/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 11/18/2008 8:43:22 PM
Body: So many to list . . . so how about I go with the most shocking (to me). Julianne Moore / Heather Graham / Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights Kevin Bacon in Wild Things Never have I wanted to rip out my eyes so badly before. Denise Richards in Wild Things Makes up for Kevin Bacon. Kate WInslet in Titanic Jennifer Connelly in Requiem for a Dream Holly Hunter in Crash Mena Suvari in American Beauty Michael Pitt in The Dreamers Kate Hudson in Almost Famous Get your pause buttons ready. Dina Meyer in Starship Troopers Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love Monica Bellucci in Irreversible Laura Harring in Mulholland Dr. Out of the middle of nowhere, BAM! Lesbian Sex Scene! Elizabeth Berkley / Gina Gershon in Showgirls From Saved By The Bell to this. Nice transition. Jaime King in Sin City Vinessa Shaw in Eyes Wide Shut Wait? She was wearing a mask? I didn't notice. Milla Jovovich in The Fifth Element Selma Blair in Storytelling Some people only saw a big black censored square over her. Find the unrated version of the film. Selma Blair in A Dirty Shame So they are obviously fake, but holy &#$%! Uma Thurman in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen So she's almost completely naked. Who cares! Sheryl Lee in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me They couldn't do that on television! Rose McGowan in The Doom Generation Erika Eleniak in Under Siege Happy Birthday to me! Erika Eleniak in Chasers Amy Adams in Psycho Beach Party Before she was an Academy Award Nominee. Natalie Portman in Hotel Chevalier Heather Matarazzo in Hostel 2 Christina Ricci in The Opposite of Sex Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan WOW! Isabella Rossellini in Blue Velvet Ewan McGregor in Velvet Goldmine Emmanuelle Seigner in The Ninth Gate Straddling Johnny Depp next to a burning castle. Hot! Demi Moore in Striptease I think that's enough for now. And yes, I am a pervert.
]]>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:43:22 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme11/18/2008 8:43:22 PMSo many to list . . . so how about I go with the most shocking (to me). Julianne Moore / Heather Graham / Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights Kevin Bacon in Wild Things Never have I wanted to rip out my eyes so badly before. Denise Richards in Wild Things Makes up for Kevin Bacon. Kate WInslet in Titanic Jennifer Connelly in Requiem for a Dream Holly Hunter in Crash Mena Suvari in American Beauty Michael Pitt in The Dreamers Kate Hudson in Almost Famous Get your pause buttons ready. Dina Meyer in Starship Troopers Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love Monica Bellucci in Irreversible Laura Harring in Mulholland Dr. Out of the middle of nowhere, BAM! Lesbian Sex Scene! Elizabeth Berkley / Gina Gershon in Showgirls From Saved By The Bell to this. Nice transition. Jaime King in Sin City Vinessa Shaw in Eyes Wide Shut Wait? She was wearing a mask? I didn't notice. Milla Jovovich in The Fifth Element Selma Blair in Storytelling Some people only saw a big black censored square over her. Find the unrated version of the film. Selma Blair in A Dirty Shame So they are obviously fake, but holy &amp;#$%! Uma Thurman in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen So she's almost completely naked. Who cares! Sheryl Lee in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me They couldn't do that on television! Rose McGowan in The Doom Generation Erika Eleniak in Under Siege Happy Birthday to me! Erika Eleniak in Chasers Amy Adams in Psycho Beach Party Before she was an Academy Award Nominee. Natalie Portman in Hotel Chevalier Heather Matarazzo in Hostel 2 Christina Ricci in The Opposite of Sex Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan WOW! Isabella Rossellini in Blue Velvet Ewan McGregor in Velvet Goldmine Emmanuelle Seigner in The Ninth Gate Straddling Johnny Depp next to a burning castle. Hot! Demi Moore in Striptease I think that's enough for now. And yes, I am a pervert. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/14/34014.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/14/2008 5:02:21 PM
Body: There apparently are other reasons to see Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona besides the infamous lesbian kiss between Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz or the threesome between these actresses and Javier Bardem. But as the first things most of us heard about the movie, the sex scenes are certainly a big sell (the ménage à trois is even being used in a promotional contest to win a “threesome” with ScarJo). Even if they’re reportedly underwhelming. Promise of tantalizing footage has been an appeal for moviegoers likely since the dawn of cinema, with film pioneer Eadweard Muybridge’s The Human Figure in Motion - Descending Stairs and Turning Around featuring nudity as far back as the 1880s. And if you’ve seen any of the titles included in today’s list, chances are their respective sex scenes were at least part of what made you buy a ticket (or rent the video). The Brown Bunny (2003) - As if this was the first feature film to show an actual blowjob. Yet the promise of seeing starlet Chloë Sevigny with a mouthful of Vincent Gallo was a huge tool in the marketing of this otherwise artfully shot but depressing movie, an ultimately disappointing follow up to Gallo’s highly enjoyable debut, Buffalo ‘66. Though the trailer above is quite tasteful, American ads for the film exploiting the fellatio sequence include a questionable billboard in Los Angeles and a theatrical spot that simply labeled it “the most controversial American film ever made” and spotlighted that it is for adults only. Too bad it was made in the era of internet porn and so wasn’t nearly as profitable as the blowjob blockbuster Deep Throat. 9 ½ Weeks (1986) - Here is the first of many films on this list that I haven’t actually seen. I guess sex just doesn’t sell me on a film like it does other people. Having such a detachment, though, makes it clearer for me to see how effective most of these sex scenes were, since I have no idea what this movie is about, yet I am sufficiently familiar with the scene involving ice cubes — though I think I’ve really only seen as much as is shown in the trailer above (the fuller, better quality version can be see here), as well as the parody in Hot Shots! I was only 8½ when 9 ½ Weeks came out, and I remember then hearing about the allure of the sex scenes. 22 years later, I still haven’t heard of any other reason to see it. Wild Things (1998) - A decade before ScarJo and PenCruz locked lips for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, this movie was sold on the prospect of seeing lesbian action between Denise Richards and Neve Campbell, who also participate in a threesome with Matt Dillon. Again, the trailer above doesn’t do a good job of exploiting the sex scenes, but fortunately word got out about them and the movie became fairly successful. Similar movies that likely attracted some audiences due solely to the inclusion of lesbian scenes include Bound, Mulholland Dr. and, forty years ago, The Killing of Sister George. Traffic in Souls (1913) - Going back almost a century, this film was one of the first features to be sold for its “sex scenes”, according to the comprehensive (53 page) “Sex in Cinema” guide at FilmSite.org. Historically, it was the first American feature-length sex film, the most expensive production of its time, the greatest moneymaker of its time and, well, there might never have been a Universal Pictures without its being a success for Carl Laemmle and his Independent Motion Picture Company. For those of you disappointed that the film lacks actual nudity, check out this clip from Lois Weber’s 1915 feature Hypocrites, which does contain a completely naked woman prancing around a forest and therefore had a very controversial release. Monika: Story of a Bad Girl (1953)- Kroger Babb, which also had one of the highest grossing films of the ’40s (Mom and Dad) thanks to promises like “EVERYTHING SHOWN!”, distributed this American version of Ingmar Bergman’s Summer with Monika, which was cut down, dubbed and re-scored and marketed solely on the appeal of its nudity and single love scene. American Pie - It may not be a sexy sex scene, but there’s no denying that the love act shared by Jason Biggs and a pie was a draw for audiences hungry for gross out humor. Never mind the scene’s inclusion in the trailer or the poster with the poked-in pie featured prominently, the title alone alludes to the act. Emmanuelle (1974) - I grew up always thinking that the Emmanuelle series of films were simply famous pornos, like Deep Throat or the Debbie Does …. franchise. But that’s probably because it has spawned so many ripoffs and has become synonymous with erotic films. Plus, in my lifetime, softcore movies have been more associated with late night Cinemax (or Skinamax) and straight-to-video titles. I would have never guessed that this was one of France’s highest grossing films of all time nor that film critics such as Roger Ebert paid it attention let alone gave it a good review. But at its time, it must have been very appealing to have so much nudity and so many sex scenes without displaying hardcore penetration. Or, as Ebert wrote: “It’s a relief to see a movie that drops the gynecology and returns to a certain amount of sexy sophistication.” Caligula - Of course, there was also this big-budget, mainstream Hollywood production, to which Ebert gave zero stars and admitted walking out of. He even included a quote from a fellow moviegoer: “‘This movie,’ said the lady in front of me at the drinking fountain, ‘is the worst piece of shit I have ever seen.’” Produced by Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione and starring highly respectable British actors such as John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole and Helen Mirren, the epic period piece was certainly expected to cash in on the popularity of erotic films in the ’70s. Ebert, one more time: “I assume that the crowds lining up for admission to the Davis Theater were hoping for some sort of erotic experience; I doubt that they were spending $15 a couple for a lesson on the ancient history of Rome.” The Crying Game - Possibly the only movie marketed for a sex scene that wasn’t marketed for being a sex scene. Instead, the shocking moment when a seemingly heterosexual love scene is revealed to in fact be a homosexual love scene was famously employed in marketing the secret plot twist that comes with it. Lust, Caution - It’s possible that selling the explicit (and allegedly real) sex scenes in this Ang Lee film hurt it, because the well-publicized embrace of its NC-17 rating made the film seem like these scenes were the main reason to go see it. Never mind the awards the film received or the fair amount of positive reviews. Looking at its dismal $4.6 million U.S. gross, it’s apparent that sex is not as big a sell as it once was. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:02:21 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/14/2008 5:02:21 PM There apparently are other reasons to see Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona besides the infamous lesbian kiss between Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz or the threesome between these actresses and Javier Bardem. But as the first things most of us heard about the movie, the sex scenes are certainly a big sell (the ménage à trois is even being used in a promotional contest to win a “threesome” with ScarJo). Even if they’re reportedly underwhelming. Promise of tantalizing footage has been an appeal for moviegoers likely since the dawn of cinema, with film pioneer Eadweard Muybridge’s The Human Figure in Motion - Descending Stairs and Turning Around featuring nudity as far back as the 1880s. And if you’ve seen any of the titles included in today’s list, chances are their respective sex scenes were at least part of what made you buy a ticket (or rent the video). The Brown Bunny (2003) - As if this was the first feature film to show an actual blowjob. Yet the promise of seeing starlet Chloë Sevigny with a mouthful of Vincent Gallo was a huge tool in the marketing of this otherwise artfully shot but depressing movie, an ultimately disappointing follow up to Gallo’s highly enjoyable debut, Buffalo ‘66. Though the trailer above is quite tasteful, American ads for the film exploiting the fellatio sequence include a questionable billboard in Los Angeles and a theatrical spot that simply labeled it “the most controversial American film ever made” and spotlighted that it is for adults only. Too bad it was made in the era of internet porn and so wasn’t nearly as profitable as the blowjob blockbuster Deep Throat. 9 ½ Weeks (1986) - Here is the first of many films on this list that I haven’t actually seen. I guess sex just doesn’t sell me on a film like it does other people. Having such a detachment, though, makes it clearer for me to see how effective most of these sex scenes were, since I have no idea what this movie is about, yet I am sufficiently familiar with the scene involving ice cubes — though I think I’ve really only seen as much as is shown in the trailer above (the fuller, better quality version can be see here), as well as the parody in Hot Shots! I was only 8½ when 9 ½ Weeks came out, and I remember then hearing about the allure of the sex scenes. 22 years later, I still haven’t heard of any other reason to see it. Wild Things (1998) - A decade before ScarJo and PenCruz locked lips for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, this movie was sold on the prospect of seeing lesbian action between Denise Richards and Neve Campbell, who also participate in a threesome with Matt Dillon. Again, the trailer above doesn’t do a good job of exploiting the sex scenes, but fortunately word got out about them and the movie became fairly successful. Similar movies that likely attracted some audiences due solely to the inclusion of lesbian scenes include Bound, Mulholland Dr. and, forty years ago, The Killing of Sister George. Traffic in Souls (1913) - Going back almost a century, this film was one of the first features to be sold for its “sex scenes”, according to the comprehensive (53 page) “Sex in Cinema” guide at FilmSite.org. Historically, it was the first American feature-length sex film, the most expensive production of its time, the greatest moneymaker of its time and, well, there might never have been a Universal Pictures without its being a success for Carl Laemmle and his Independent Motion Picture Company. For those of you disappointed that the film lacks actual nudity, check out this clip from Lois Weber’s 1915 feature Hypocrites, which does contain a completely naked woman prancing around a forest and therefore had a very controversial release. Monika: Story of a Bad Girl (1953)- Kroger Babb, which also had one of the highest grossing films of the ’40s (Mom and Dad) thanks to promises like “EVERYTHING SHOWN!”, distributed this American version of Ingmar Bergman’s Summer with Monika, which was cut down, dubbed and re-scored and marketed solely on the appeal of its nudity and single love scene. American Pie - It may not be a sexy sex scene, but there’s no denying that the love act shared by Jason Biggs and a pie was a draw for audiences hungry for gross out humor. Never mind the scene’s inclusion in the trailer or the poster with the poked-in pie featured prominently, the title alone alludes to the act. Emmanuelle (1974) - I grew up always thinking that the Emmanuelle series of films were simply famous pornos, like Deep Throat or the Debbie Does …. franchise. But that’s probably because it has spawned so many ripoffs and has become synonymous with erotic films. Plus, in my lifetime, softcore movies have been more associated with late night Cinemax (or Skinamax) and straight-to-video titles. I would have never guessed that this was one of France’s highest grossing films of all time nor that film critics such as Roger Ebert paid it attention let alone gave it a good review. But at its time, it must have been very appealing to have so much nudity and so many sex scenes without displaying hardcore penetration. Or, as Ebert wrote: “It’s a relief to see a movie that drops the gynecology and returns to a certain amount of sexy sophistication.” Caligula - Of course, there was also this big-budget, mainstream Hollywood production, to which Ebert gave zero stars and admitted walking out of. He even included a quote from a fellow moviegoer: “‘This movie,’ said the lady in front of me at the drinking fountain, ‘is the worst piece of shit I have ever seen.’” Produced by Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione and starring highly respectable British actors such as John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole and Helen Mirren, the epic period piece was certainly expected to cash in on the popularity of erotic films in the ’70s. Ebert, one more time: “I assume that the crowds lining up for admission to the Davis Theater were hoping for some sort of erotic experience; I doubt that they were spending $15 a couple for a lesson on the ancient history of Rome.” The Crying Game - Possibly the only movie marketed for a sex scene that wasn’t marketed for being a sex scene. Instead, the shocking moment when a seemingly heterosexual love scene is revealed to in fact be a homosexual love scene was famously employed in marketing the secret plot twist that comes with it. Lust, Caution - It’s possible that selling the explicit (and allegedly real) sex scenes in this Ang Lee film hurt it, because the well-publicized embrace of its NC-17 rating made the film seem like these scenes were the main reason to go see it. Never mind the awards the film received or the fair amount of positive reviews. Looking at its dismal $4.6 million U.S. gross, it’s apparent that sex is not as big a sell as it once was. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_August_4_Let_s_Talk_About_Sex/625/33611/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/6/2008 3:21:57 AM
Body: [quote user="Smooth_J"] If you're looking for more sadomasochistic sex, I really dug Videodrome and it's whip cracking protagonist Max Renn, who pierces his woman's ear to get her and him off and is completely turned on by whipping a television set with the image of said woman on it. There's some pretty sick sexual stuff in there. Blue Velvet also explores these realms, but it's not so central to the story and more of an asset to it. My favorite line that demonstrates this is probably "Baby wants to (bleep)! Baby wants to (bleep) Blue Velvet!" There's so many others that are slipping my mind right now--I thorougly enjoyed Cronenberg's scenes in A History of Violence, how the one is so innocent and childish and the later one is so abusive and dominating. Cronenberg seems like the kinda' guy that really does highlight all of the f*ck scenes. [/quote] With Lynch it's Mulholland Dr. all the way. With most of the film being a masturbatorial fantasy (depending on your individual analysis) it should definitely be given an honorable mention. I like Blue Velvet, but Crash (1996) is by far my favorite Cronenberg and I can't believe I left it out of my original post. Considering the DVD I own comes complete with both the R-rated version and an NC-17 version, it's naturally chock full of sex, sex and more sex. A couple of car crashes. Some sex, and some sex after a car crash. Yay for bizarre fetishes.
]]>Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:21:57 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme8/6/2008 3:21:57 AM[quote user="Smooth_J"] If you're looking for more sadomasochistic sex, I really dug Videodrome and it's whip cracking protagonist Max Renn, who pierces his woman's ear to get her and him off and is completely turned on by whipping a television set with the image of said woman on it. There's some pretty sick sexual stuff in there. Blue Velvet also explores these realms, but it's not so central to the story and more of an asset to it. My favorite line that demonstrates this is probably "Baby wants to (bleep)! Baby wants to (bleep) Blue Velvet!" There's so many others that are slipping my mind right now--I thorougly enjoyed Cronenberg's scenes in A History of Violence, how the one is so innocent and childish and the later one is so abusive and dominating. Cronenberg seems like the kinda' guy that really does highlight all of the f*ck scenes. [/quote] With Lynch it's Mulholland Dr. all the way. With most of the film being a masturbatorial fantasy (depending on your individual analysis) it should definitely be given an honorable mention. I like Blue Velvet, but Crash (1996) is by far my favorite Cronenberg and I can't believe I left it out of my original post. Considering the DVD I own comes complete with both the R-rated version and an NC-17 version, it's naturally chock full of sex, sex and more sex. A couple of car crashes. Some sex, and some sex after a car crash. Yay for bizarre fetishes. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/1/33404.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/1/2008 2:01:40 PM
Body: Andrew Sarris may be one of the most influential American film critics, but here’s a claim, located within his recent review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, that may not hold up to some of his better-remembered theories: “Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, movies refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle.” Not to ever, ever profess superiority over Sarris, but I’ve nonetheless compiled today’s list as a way of proving the man wrong. There are actually tons and tons of masturbation scenes found in non-porn movies, from the low brow to the high brow, from as indirect as the boy wizard playing with his wand under the covers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to as direct as the non-simulated masturbation in Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs and John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (which would probably feature my #1 pick, from the sound of it, if I ever bothered to see it). The following 10 films are some of the most memorable masturbation scenes, excluding any movies that might be considered examples of, in Sarris’ words, “the fringe exploitation genres” (I’ve even gone so far as to leave out mainstream horror like The Exorcist, considering it’s crucifix masturbation is far from the self-pleasuring moments Sarris is clearly interested in). Oh, and I’ve attempted to chart these films artistically from lowbrow to high. 10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Everybody remembers this scene because of the fantasy: Phoebe Cates emerges from a swimming pool in slow motion and removes her bikini top. And then Cates’ character walks in on the fantasizer, Judge Reinhold, for one of the most awkward moments in the history of awkward comedy. There’s been plenty of uncomfortable scenes of guys being caught in the act, including those moments in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and the most obvious masturbation movie, American Pie. 9. Léolo - Speaking of masturbating with food, not even pie-fucking beats the scene in this French-Canadian gem in which our young titular hero decides that his real father is a man who jerked off with a tomato, which later impregnated Léolo’s mother when she fell onto it. There are other less memorable masturbation scenes involving liver and chicken, too. Yum! 8. Spanking the Monkey - I always found the masturbation scenes in this movie so interesting because of how clean a “job” Ray Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) does with his personal business. I guess when you’re probably fantasizing about your mother, your mind is dirty enough, and so (seemingly) uncomfortably jacking off while sitting on a toilet is the best way to go. But couldn’t he just do it in the shower, like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty? I’m surprised that Sarris forgot about this one, since the title alone refers to the act. 7. The Squid and the Whale - If I have to select one movie involving a little kid masturbating (and writing this sentence has already got me feeling immensely ashamed), I pick this one over Todd Solondz’ Happiness (”I came!”), because while both scenes in question are quite disturbing, the one featuring the real-life son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates jerking off in a library and then wiping his hands off on some books is at least a little amusing. A lot amusing if you take into account his mother’s appearance in movie #10 above. And if you need another little kid masturbating movie to choose from (I’m not judging), Babel has one too. 6. But I’m a Cheerleader - That Natasha Lyonne sure loves to masturbate! is a quick response to the realization that she pleasures herself in both this film and the earlier Slums of Beverly Hills. The reason that this movie is the more significant of the two is because the masturbation scene is very tastefully done, and yet in its original form, it controversially garnered the film an NC-17 rating, only because, as argued in the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, it deals with both homosexual desire and female sexuality. The main evidence: American Pie was released in the same year with an R rating. 5. Mulholland Drive - A less beautiful yet no less exploitive depiction of female masturbation occurs in David Lynch’s enigmatic film. Despite the fact that guys tend to enjoy watching a girl pleasure herself, only the most sadistic of men could be turned on by Naomi Watts crying and painfully attempting to get off. 4. Bad Lieutenant - When I first heard about the scene in which Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop masturbates in front of two teens in a car he pulls over, I thought it had to be the most debauched scene in film history. Of course, I was only 15 when it came out and wasn’t yet familiar with a lot of cinema. By the time I actually bothered to watch the scene many years later, it was less shocking than I expected. Still, as far as depraved things a character can do in a movie — at least in theory — it’s up there, and it’s certainly one of the first scenes that comes to mind when I think of movie masturbation. 3. Amarcord - Oh, right, here’s another movie with little kids masturbating. But it’s a Fellini movie, so obviously it’s incomparable to the three referenced earlier. Although an amusing scene, featuring a bunch of kids masturbating in unison in a car, it’s much less disturbing, as it simply displays the act as a part of growing up. 2. Being There - “I like to watch.” Hopefully you’ve seen this wonderful film, and that’s all I need to say. But just in case you’re not familiar, here’s the scene: Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to seduce the rather simple Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers), who responds by saying, “I like to watch.” Of course, he means the television, but Eve takes the statement to mean he wants to watch her pleasure herself. And so she proceeds to humiliate herself on the floor while Chauncey hilariously takes enjoys an exercise show on the TV. 1. Adaptation - Really, the whole movie is one big masturbation scene. There is a literal masturbation scene, though, in which Charlie (Nicolas Cage) fantasizes about Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), and it’s pretty good on its own. But it takes the top spot for affirming that screenwriter Charlie Kauffman created the literary equivalent of beating off. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:01:40 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/1/2008 2:01:40 PM Andrew Sarris may be one of the most influential American film critics, but here’s a claim, located within his recent review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, that may not hold up to some of his better-remembered theories: “Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, movies refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle.” Not to ever, ever profess superiority over Sarris, but I’ve nonetheless compiled today’s list as a way of proving the man wrong. There are actually tons and tons of masturbation scenes found in non-porn movies, from the low brow to the high brow, from as indirect as the boy wizard playing with his wand under the covers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to as direct as the non-simulated masturbation in Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs and John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (which would probably feature my #1 pick, from the sound of it, if I ever bothered to see it). The following 10 films are some of the most memorable masturbation scenes, excluding any movies that might be considered examples of, in Sarris’ words, “the fringe exploitation genres” (I’ve even gone so far as to leave out mainstream horror like The Exorcist, considering it’s crucifix masturbation is far from the self-pleasuring moments Sarris is clearly interested in). Oh, and I’ve attempted to chart these films artistically from lowbrow to high. 10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Everybody remembers this scene because of the fantasy: Phoebe Cates emerges from a swimming pool in slow motion and removes her bikini top. And then Cates’ character walks in on the fantasizer, Judge Reinhold, for one of the most awkward moments in the history of awkward comedy. There’s been plenty of uncomfortable scenes of guys being caught in the act, including those moments in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and the most obvious masturbation movie, American Pie. 9. Léolo - Speaking of masturbating with food, not even pie-fucking beats the scene in this French-Canadian gem in which our young titular hero decides that his real father is a man who jerked off with a tomato, which later impregnated Léolo’s mother when she fell onto it. There are other less memorable masturbation scenes involving liver and chicken, too. Yum! 8. Spanking the Monkey - I always found the masturbation scenes in this movie so interesting because of how clean a “job” Ray Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) does with his personal business. I guess when you’re probably fantasizing about your mother, your mind is dirty enough, and so (seemingly) uncomfortably jacking off while sitting on a toilet is the best way to go. But couldn’t he just do it in the shower, like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty? I’m surprised that Sarris forgot about this one, since the title alone refers to the act. 7. The Squid and the Whale - If I have to select one movie involving a little kid masturbating (and writing this sentence has already got me feeling immensely ashamed), I pick this one over Todd Solondz’ Happiness (”I came!”), because while both scenes in question are quite disturbing, the one featuring the real-life son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates jerking off in a library and then wiping his hands off on some books is at least a little amusing. A lot amusing if you take into account his mother’s appearance in movie #10 above. And if you need another little kid masturbating movie to choose from (I’m not judging), Babel has one too. 6. But I’m a Cheerleader - That Natasha Lyonne sure loves to masturbate! is a quick response to the realization that she pleasures herself in both this film and the earlier Slums of Beverly Hills. The reason that this movie is the more significant of the two is because the masturbation scene is very tastefully done, and yet in its original form, it controversially garnered the film an NC-17 rating, only because, as argued in the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, it deals with both homosexual desire and female sexuality. The main evidence: American Pie was released in the same year with an R rating. 5. Mulholland Drive - A less beautiful yet no less exploitive depiction of female masturbation occurs in David Lynch’s enigmatic film. Despite the fact that guys tend to enjoy watching a girl pleasure herself, only the most sadistic of men could be turned on by Naomi Watts crying and painfully attempting to get off. 4. Bad Lieutenant - When I first heard about the scene in which Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop masturbates in front of two teens in a car he pulls over, I thought it had to be the most debauched scene in film history. Of course, I was only 15 when it came out and wasn’t yet familiar with a lot of cinema. By the time I actually bothered to watch the scene many years later, it was less shocking than I expected. Still, as far as depraved things a character can do in a movie — at least in theory — it’s up there, and it’s certainly one of the first scenes that comes to mind when I think of movie masturbation. 3. Amarcord - Oh, right, here’s another movie with little kids masturbating. But it’s a Fellini movie, so obviously it’s incomparable to the three referenced earlier. Although an amusing scene, featuring a bunch of kids masturbating in unison in a car, it’s much less disturbing, as it simply displays the act as a part of growing up. 2. Being There - “I like to watch.” Hopefully you’ve seen this wonderful film, and that’s all I need to say. But just in case you’re not familiar, here’s the scene: Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to seduce the rather simple Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers), who responds by saying, “I like to watch.” Of course, he means the television, but Eve takes the statement to mean he wants to watch her pleasure herself. And so she proceeds to humiliate herself on the floor while Chauncey hilariously takes enjoys an exercise show on the TV. 1. Adaptation - Really, the whole movie is one big masturbation scene. There is a literal masturbation scene, though, in which Charlie (Nicolas Cage) fantasizes about Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), and it’s pretty good on its own. But it takes the top spot for affirming that screenwriter Charlie Kauffman created the literary equivalent of beating off. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/smooth_j/archive/2008/7/28/33178.aspx Post By: Smooth_J
Post To: Smooth_J Blog
Post Date: 7/28/2008 2:21:02 PM
Body: The idea for this analysis came to mind when I recently saw Bergman's The Seventh Seal. While I was not quite as blown away by the film as most accolades of the film would suggest, I still found it to be an excellent movie, and could see very clearly the influence it has had on so many films that have come after it. The one scene that I especially noticed a direct legacy in later films was a short, almost gimmicky little snippet during the medieval religious cult scene in the town--where the drums are beating loudly, people are screaming in agony as whips crack, and monks and other repenters are carrying enormous crosses on their backs. There is a short string of profile shots: Antonius, Jons, and "The Girl" (the only specific name I could find for her anywhere on the internet). The cuts between the faces are done with the beats of the drums; they are perfectly centered, with mist or smoke rising in the backgrounds, adding to each image's raw, black-and-white imagery; and each face perfectly describes what each character is feeling in the specific scene. Antonius stares onward at the happenings, in the middle of an intense existential dilemma, scrutinizing the scene and attempting to sort out what it all could mean. Jons observes with amused (yet somewhat disturbed) contempt for not only the people of the scene, but for all of humanity. And The Girl stares ahead in fear, the only one of them who truly realizes the oncoming apocalypse at such an early stage. At first glance, it seems like an empty trick thrown in for effect by Bergman. But such use of tone and the profile shot have been used countless times, seemingly originated by Bergman and his equals at this time of cinematic experimentation. For example, this technique of switching profiles to the beat of something is used pretty much verbatum in the film I'm Not There, where Todd Haynes switches between all the faces of Bob Dylan to the sound of gunshots--all in misty black-and-white photography. What makes a profile shot so effective is that (sorry for this cliche...) every face tells a story, and it only takes a skilled actor, a good director, and a camera with the right film to turn it into a work of art. But I mean, portraits and sculpture dating back to prehistoric times make use of the nuances of the human face, from Egyptian sculptures of pharaohs, the stone heads of Easter Island, and technically even Native American tikis. Different societies and different mediums of art have used the face for various forms of expression, and it is probably one of the most common depictions in art. Look at the Mona Lisa--it's one of the most famous works of art ever created, and it is a painting of a woman's face. It's the mystery behind her expressions, her features, her true identity that makes the work so timeless and so debatable. However, there's something about seeing the human face framed in a camera--especially on a black-and-white one--that is so beautiful and so perfect. In my mind, who cares about Joe Wright's five minute tracking shot. Hundreds of extras, thousands of dollars, all to capture a vast expanse of imagery without any empathy involved. For a well-done profile shot, all one needs an actor, a director, and a camera--nothing else. I'm not necessarily saying that a tracking shot would not be a work of art, since it is one in itself, but I feel as though such broadness cannot capture the undeniable intimacy of human emotion that is shown on any person's face. Even one's eyes, shifting crazily during a "trip" through time and space (2001: A Space Odyssey) have the ability to captivate a viewer, and give them a glimpse into a character's psyche. Last night, while running through this topic in my head, I came up with several movies and genres that utilize the human profile extensively. The first that came to mind was the film-noir genre, with its fims' personal, close feel. Who can forget the faces of the tortured heroes of these films, driving around puffing on their ever-present cigarettes? While my knowledge of this genre is pretty limited, I know enough to recognize the faces of the classic noir heroes. Neo-noir and crime films have taken up these techniques, especially films like Pulp Fiction (and other Tarantino) and Chinatown (which is pretty much classic noir). Another film that really sticks out in my mind is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with its infamous final shoot-out of only profile shots and guns. Leone had a gift for the small touches of the human face, as he also demonstrates his penchant for this in Once Upon a Time in the West. He perfectly illustrates the dirtiness and inherent wickedness in a lot of his characters through perfectly staged shots of their sweaty, grizzled faces. Kubrick was an auteur in many ways, and one that I have especially noticed is his perfect use of a framed, still camera shot. One of my favorites occurs in Dr. Strangelove, with the shot of General Jack Ripper during one of his monologues, where the camera is beneath his face and it basically looking right up his nose at a crooked angle. Just the staging of this shot gives the viewer a perfect sense of how unhinged the man really is. It's hilarity through just good direction. Now, I hate to stray off of my established topic, but I feel as though I can't discuss the profile shot without talking about its cinematic opposite, the subjective shot. While not nearly as popular, in the right hands, it can be nearly as effective as the human profile. David Lynch has pretty much mastered this craft, and he uses it flawlessly to create almost unbearable terror in Inland Empire. One of the most terrifying experiences I've every had while watching a movie happened when I watched Mulholland Dr. for the first time, when the man in the restaraunt is walking to face the monster in the alley--Lynch uses the man's point of view to emphasize the horror being faced. I pretty much shit my pants. Did that aspect of the film really serve much of a purpose? No, not really. But it has an undeniable finesse and effectiveness that makes it essential to the overall tone of the movie. Another film that uses the subjective point of view to enhance horror is one that I watched recently, Dreyer's Vampyr. It is a short scene in which it is used, but creates a great sense of claustrophic fear. A couple of films that go hand-in-hand in terms of use of POV are Being John Malkovich and Diving Bell and the Butterfly. BJM flawlessly portrays being inside the head of someone else, from the sound effects to the imagery. You ARE walking around in someone else's shoes, and it's amazing. DB&tB also uses this technique of seeing the world through someone else's eyes. Schnabel meticulously recreates the feeling of being confined within one's mind, with no escape and no possible sense of escape. It is a beautiful technique used in an absolutely beautiful film, and it heightens the unending and unavoidable sadness of the film. In a convoluted way, the film also makes great use of the profile shot--from the eyes of Bauby. The lighting and camera effects used illustrate the beauty of his nurse's faces unlike anything I have ever seen, framing them in his one eye with the foggy edges. The camera examines their features as though you are Bauby, longing to reach out and touch them, but you can't and it is near torture. For the most part, it is foreign directors that use these sort of simple shots to greatest effect--I feel as though they typically can emphasize beauty better than any American director ever could, not only through profile and POV but also through beauty of landscapes. Now, I know I must address that nearly every movie uses these sorts of methods, and my film repertoire may not permit me to do a full elucidation on such topics. However, I have always been taken aback by the immense possibilities of film-making. As I have dreams of becoming a film-maker, I can't help but analyze such things when I watch movies, and take them to mind when imagining camera angles and writing ideas. And the things that I have always marveled at are the simple things that can be done by anyone with an idea, a camera, and subject. That's where the true beauty of film-making lies, in its simplest artistry.
]]>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:21:02 GMTSmooth_JSmooth_J Blog7/28/2008 2:21:02 PMThe idea for this analysis came to mind when I recently saw Bergman's The Seventh Seal. While I was not quite as blown away by the film as most accolades of the film would suggest, I still found it to be an excellent movie, and could see very clearly the influence it has had on so many films that have come after it. The one scene that I especially noticed a direct legacy in later films was a short, almost gimmicky little snippet during the medieval religious cult scene in the town--where the drums are beating loudly, people are screaming in agony as whips crack, and monks and other repenters are carrying enormous crosses on their backs. There is a short string of profile shots: Antonius, Jons, and "The Girl" (the only specific name I could find for her anywhere on the internet). The cuts between the faces are done with the beats of the drums; they are perfectly centered, with mist or smoke rising in the backgrounds, adding to each image's raw, black-and-white imagery; and each face perfectly describes what each character is feeling in the specific scene. Antonius stares onward at the happenings, in the middle of an intense existential dilemma, scrutinizing the scene and attempting to sort out what it all could mean. Jons observes with amused (yet somewhat disturbed) contempt for not only the people of the scene, but for all of humanity. And The Girl stares ahead in fear, the only one of them who truly realizes the oncoming apocalypse at such an early stage. At first glance, it seems like an empty trick thrown in for effect by Bergman. But such use of tone and the profile shot have been used countless times, seemingly originated by Bergman and his equals at this time of cinematic experimentation. For example, this technique of switching profiles to the beat of something is used pretty much verbatum in the film I'm Not There, where Todd Haynes switches between all the faces of Bob Dylan to the sound of gunshots--all in misty black-and-white photography. What makes a profile shot so effective is that (sorry for this cliche...) every face tells a story, and it only takes a skilled actor, a good director, and a camera with the right film to turn it into a work of art. But I mean, portraits and sculpture dating back to prehistoric times make use of the nuances of the human face, from Egyptian sculptures of pharaohs, the stone heads of Easter Island, and technically even Native American tikis. Different societies and different mediums of art have used the face for various forms of expression, and it is probably one of the most common depictions in art. Look at the Mona Lisa--it's one of the most famous works of art ever created, and it is a painting of a woman's face. It's the mystery behind her expressions, her features, her true identity that makes the work so timeless and so debatable. However, there's something about seeing the human face framed in a camera--especially on a black-and-white one--that is so beautiful and so perfect. In my mind, who cares about Joe Wright's five minute tracking shot. Hundreds of extras, thousands of dollars, all to capture a vast expanse of imagery without any empathy involved. For a well-done profile shot, all one needs an actor, a director, and a camera--nothing else. I'm not necessarily saying that a tracking shot would not be a work of art, since it is one in itself, but I feel as though such broadness cannot capture the undeniable intimacy of human emotion that is shown on any person's face. Even one's eyes, shifting crazily during a "trip" through time and space (2001: A Space Odyssey) have the ability to captivate a viewer, and give them a glimpse into a character's psyche. Last night, while running through this topic in my head, I came up with several movies and genres that utilize the human profile extensively. The first that came to mind was the film-noir genre, with its fims' personal, close feel. Who can forget the faces of the tortured heroes of these films, driving around puffing on their ever-present cigarettes? While my knowledge of this genre is pretty limited, I know enough to recognize the faces of the classic noir heroes. Neo-noir and crime films have taken up these techniques, especially films like Pulp Fiction (and other Tarantino) and Chinatown (which is pretty much classic noir). Another film that really sticks out in my mind is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with its infamous final shoot-out of only profile shots and guns. Leone had a gift for the small touches of the human face, as he also demonstrates his penchant for this in Once Upon a Time in the West. He perfectly illustrates the dirtiness and inherent wickedness in a lot of his characters through perfectly staged shots of their sweaty, grizzled faces. Kubrick was an auteur in many ways, and one that I have especially noticed is his perfect use of a framed, still camera shot. One of my favorites occurs in Dr. Strangelove, with the shot of General Jack Ripper during one of his monologues, where the camera is beneath his face and it basically looking right up his nose at a crooked angle. Just the staging of this shot gives the viewer a perfect sense of how unhinged the man really is. It's hilarity through just good direction. Now, I hate to stray off of my established topic, but I feel as though I can't discuss the profile shot without talking about its cinematic opposite, the subjective shot. While not nearly as popular, in the right hands, it can be nearly as effective as the human profile. David Lynch has pretty much mastered this craft, and he uses it flawlessly to create almost unbearable terror in Inland Empire. One of the most terrifying experiences I've every had while watching a movie happened when I watched Mulholland Dr. for the first time, when the man in the restaraunt is walking to face the monster in the alley--Lynch uses the man's point of view to emphasize the horror being faced. I pretty much shit my pants. Did that aspect of the film really serve much of a purpose? No, not really. But it has an undeniable finesse and effectiveness that makes it essential to the overall tone of the movie. Another film that uses the subjective point of view to enhance horror is one that I watched recently, Dreyer's Vampyr. It is a short scene in which it is used, but creates a great sense of claustrophic fear. A couple of films that go hand-in-hand in terms of use of POV are Being John Malkovich and Diving Bell and the Butterfly. BJM flawlessly portrays being inside the head of someone else, from the sound effects to the imagery. You ARE walking around in someone else's shoes, and it's amazing. DB&amp;tB also uses this technique of seeing the world through someone else's eyes. Schnabel meticulously recreates the feeling of being confined within one's mind, with no escape and no possible sense of escape. It is a beautiful technique used in an absolutely beautiful film, and it heightens the unending and unavoidable sadness of the film. In a convoluted way, the film also makes great use of the profile shot--from the eyes of Bauby. The lighting and camera effects used illustrate the beauty of his nurse's faces unlike anything I have ever seen, framing them in his one eye with the foggy edges. The camera examines their features as though you are Bauby, longing to reach out and touch them, but you can't and it is near torture. For the most part, it is foreign directors that use these sort of simple shots to greatest effect--I feel as though they typically can emphasize beauty better than any American director ever could, not only through profile and POV but also through beauty of landscapes. Now, I know I must address that nearly every movie uses these sorts of methods, and my film repertoire may not permit me to do a full elucidation on such topics. However, I have always been taken aback by the immense possibilities of film-making. As I have dreams of becoming a film-maker, I can't help but analyze such things when I watch movies, and take them to mind when imagining camera angles and writing ideas. And the things that I have always marveled at are the simple things that can be done by anyone with an idea, a camera, and subject. That's where the true beauty of film-making lies, in its simplest artistry. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_weirdest_movies/190/32464/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: indieabby88
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 7/12/2008 2:09:17 PM
Body: [quote user="Smooth_J"] Surreal, absurd, disturbing, or just plain strange movies. I got this idea from a discussion on IMDB, and I believe some movie website or magazine released a list of the top 20 a while back. In terms of overall weirdness, here it goes: 1. Un Chien Andalou The old Bunuel-Dali collaboration. This had me at the part where the eye gets sliced with a razor-blade. It is quite possibly one of the most disturbing images I have ever seen, and it was made in 1929. It is almost unsettlingly bizarre. This easily takes the cake at a whopping 16 minutes. Watching this film makes you realize how warped the human mind can be, and it's amazing. It is where every David Lynch film is originated, and really where the surrealist genre was created. 2. Eraserhead Not much about this film can be explained that hasn't already been said a million times. It is adequate to say that never has anything like it ever been seen, and it began a long and illustrious career of nightmares and dreamscapes. 3. The City of Lost Children This one is not quite surrealism, more like a plot-driven sci-fi nightmare that more than delivers on the absurdities. However, it also makes up for such strange detachment with likeable characters and genuine horror. 4. Brazil Also one of my favorite movies, it is the crowned jewel of Terry Gilliam's catalogue. The way in which the dream sequences are paralleled by Lowry's just as bizarre existence makes this a masterpiece of surrealism. 5. So many to choose from!!!!!! I can't pick this last one. So, I'll make a list of honorable mentions: Inland Empire, Mulholland Drive, Videodrome (and other Cronenberg), Dead Man, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Time Bandits (and most other Gilliam), 2001, Donnie Darko, all of Guy Maddin's shorts (some of which aren't in the Spout database......), Pi. Considering this is labeled "Top 5 Weirdest movies", I'm afraid to include 8 1/2, since it's not per se "weird", but more dreamy and surrealist, which does not necessarily mean weird in my book. All of the surrealist films I mentioned were really by-the-book WEIRD. Am I wrong here? [/quote] For some reason I don't like putting Giliam in the "weird" category, although I know his stuff generally is pretty off-the-wall. I grew up watching "Munchausen" and "Time Bandits," so I guess that kind of thing is just part of me. I've been sporadically watching "Fantastic Planet" lately. Now that is a weird movie. It actually feels like I'm watching a feature-length Gilliam animation from the old Monty Python series.
]]>Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:09:17 GMTindieabby88Top 57/12/2008 2:09:17 PM[quote user="Smooth_J"] Surreal, absurd, disturbing, or just plain strange movies. I got this idea from a discussion on IMDB, and I believe some movie website or magazine released a list of the top 20 a while back. In terms of overall weirdness, here it goes: 1. Un Chien Andalou The old Bunuel-Dali collaboration. This had me at the part where the eye gets sliced with a razor-blade. It is quite possibly one of the most disturbing images I have ever seen, and it was made in 1929. It is almost unsettlingly bizarre. This easily takes the cake at a whopping 16 minutes. Watching this film makes you realize how warped the human mind can be, and it's amazing. It is where every David Lynch film is originated, and really where the surrealist genre was created. 2. Eraserhead Not much about this film can be explained that hasn't already been said a million times. It is adequate to say that never has anything like it ever been seen, and it began a long and illustrious career of nightmares and dreamscapes. 3. The City of Lost Children This one is not quite surrealism, more like a plot-driven sci-fi nightmare that more than delivers on the absurdities. However, it also makes up for such strange detachment with likeable characters and genuine horror. 4. Brazil Also one of my favorite movies, it is the crowned jewel of Terry Gilliam's catalogue. The way in which the dream sequences are paralleled by Lowry's just as bizarre existence makes this a masterpiece of surrealism. 5. So many to choose from!!!!!! I can't pick this last one. So, I'll make a list of honorable mentions: Inland Empire, Mulholland Drive, Videodrome (and other Cronenberg), Dead Man, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Time Bandits (and most other Gilliam), 2001, Donnie Darko, all of Guy Maddin's shorts (some of which aren't in the Spout database......), Pi. Considering this is labeled "Top 5 Weirdest movies", I'm afraid to include 8 1/2, since it's not per se "weird", but more dreamy and surrealist, which does not necessarily mean weird in my book. All of the surrealist films I mentioned were really by-the-book WEIRD. Am I wrong here? [/quote] For some reason I don't like putting Giliam in the "weird" category, although I know his stuff generally is pretty off-the-wall. I grew up watching "Munchausen" and "Time Bandits," so I guess that kind of thing is just part of me. I've been sporadically watching "Fantastic Planet" lately. Now that is a weird movie. It actually feels like I'm watching a feature-length Gilliam animation from the old Monty Python series. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Top_5_weirdest_movies/190/32168/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Smooth_J
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 7/5/2008 11:01:33 PM
Body: Surreal, absurd, disturbing, or just plain strange movies. I got this idea from a discussion on IMDB, and I believe some movie website or magazine released a list of the top 20 a while back. In terms of overall weirdness, here it goes: 1. Un Chien Andalou The old Bunuel-Dali collaboration. This had me at the part where the eye gets sliced with a razor-blade. It is quite possibly one of the most disturbing images I have ever seen, and it was made in 1929. It is almost unsettlingly bizarre. This easily takes the cake at a whopping 16 minutes. Watching this film makes you realize how warped the human mind can be, and it's amazing. It is where every David Lynch film is originated, and really where the surrealist genre was created. 2. Eraserhead Not much about this film can be explained that hasn't already been said a million times. It is adequate to say that never has anything like it ever been seen, and it began a long and illustrious career of nightmares and dreamscapes. 3. The City of Lost Children This one is not quite surrealism, more like a plot-driven sci-fi nightmare that more than delivers on the absurdities. However, it also makes up for such strange detachment with likeable characters and genuine horror. 4. Brazil Also one of my favorite movies, it is the crowned jewel of Terry Gilliam's catalogue. The way in which the dream sequences are paralleled by Lowry's just as bizarre existence makes this a masterpiece of surrealism. 5. So many to choose from!!!!!! I can't pick this last one. So, I'll make a list of honorable mentions: Inland Empire, Mulholland Drive, Videodrome (and other Cronenberg), Dead Man, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Time Bandits (and most other Gilliam), 2001, Donnie Darko, all of Guy Maddin's shorts (some of which aren't in the Spout database......), Pi. Considering this is labeled "Top 5 Weirdest movies", I'm afraid to include 8 1/2, since it's not per se "weird", but more dreamy and surrealist, which does not necessarily mean weird in my book. All of the surrealist films I mentioned were really by-the-book WEIRD. Am I wrong here?
]]>Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:01:33 GMTSmooth_JTop 57/5/2008 11:01:33 PMSurreal, absurd, disturbing, or just plain strange movies. I got this idea from a discussion on IMDB, and I believe some movie website or magazine released a list of the top 20 a while back. In terms of overall weirdness, here it goes: 1. Un Chien Andalou The old Bunuel-Dali collaboration. This had me at the part where the eye gets sliced with a razor-blade. It is quite possibly one of the most disturbing images I have ever seen, and it was made in 1929. It is almost unsettlingly bizarre. This easily takes the cake at a whopping 16 minutes. Watching this film makes you realize how warped the human mind can be, and it's amazing. It is where every David Lynch film is originated, and really where the surrealist genre was created. 2. Eraserhead Not much about this film can be explained that hasn't already been said a million times. It is adequate to say that never has anything like it ever been seen, and it began a long and illustrious career of nightmares and dreamscapes. 3. The City of Lost Children This one is not quite surrealism, more like a plot-driven sci-fi nightmare that more than delivers on the absurdities. However, it also makes up for such strange detachment with likeable characters and genuine horror. 4. Brazil Also one of my favorite movies, it is the crowned jewel of Terry Gilliam's catalogue. The way in which the dream sequences are paralleled by Lowry's just as bizarre existence makes this a masterpiece of surrealism. 5. So many to choose from!!!!!! I can't pick this last one. So, I'll make a list of honorable mentions: Inland Empire, Mulholland Drive, Videodrome (and other Cronenberg), Dead Man, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Time Bandits (and most other Gilliam), 2001, Donnie Darko, all of Guy Maddin's shorts (some of which aren't in the Spout database......), Pi. Considering this is labeled "Top 5 Weirdest movies", I'm afraid to include 8 1/2, since it's not per se "weird", but more dreamy and surrealist, which does not necessarily mean weird in my book. All of the surrealist films I mentioned were really by-the-book WEIRD. Am I wrong here? http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Top_5_Films_That_You_Had_to_Research_Afterwards_in/190/27259/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 4/13/2008 3:52:20 AM
Body: Something that seems to happen more and more these days are movies in which people see them, leave the theater going "Huh," or "Umm," or "That was interesting," and then go home and spend hours reading up on the motivation behind the film and what exactly the filmmakers were trying to convey with it. I'm torn on this (shouldn't a good film need no explanation?) but acknowledge that I am myself guilty of this.Here we go:1.) Mulholland Drive - Not that I was completely oblivious to most of the films goings-ons (this undoubtedly being what everyone says when justifying their love for it), I was just so in awe of it all that I wanted to find out what the film was born out of (it was originally going to be a television show that never got anywhere so Lynch turned it into a film).2.) The Hours - Having just read Mrs. Dalloway the year before and loving it, I felt inclined to research how much of the film was actually based on Virginia Woolfs life and how much was just exaggerated.3.) Waking Life - Basically self-explanatory, the plethora of philosophical ideas discussed throughout the film was just too much of an overload for my tiny head that I needed some clarity afterwards.4.) I Heart Huckabees - Again, being a novice of existential theories, I needed some explanation.5.) Primer - Mathematics + Physics + Me = Incompatible. Needed to buff up on most of the concepts involved and pay extra special attention the next time I watched it.
]]>Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:52:20 GMTmercurialTop 54/13/2008 3:52:20 AMSomething that seems to happen more and more these days are movies in which people see them, leave the theater going "Huh," or "Umm," or "That was interesting," and then go home and spend hours reading up on the motivation behind the film and what exactly the filmmakers were trying to convey with it. I&#39;m torn on this (shouldn&#39;t a good film need no explanation?) but acknowledge that I am myself guilty of this.Here we go:1.) Mulholland Drive - Not that I was completely oblivious to most of the films goings-ons (this undoubtedly being what everyone says when justifying their love for it), I was just so in awe of it all that I wanted to find out what the film was born out of (it was originally going to be a television show that never got anywhere so Lynch turned it into a film).2.) The Hours - Having just read Mrs. Dalloway the year before and loving it, I felt inclined to research how much of the film was actually based on Virginia Woolfs life and how much was just exaggerated.3.) Waking Life - Basically self-explanatory, the plethora of philosophical ideas discussed throughout the film was just too much of an overload for my tiny head that I needed some clarity afterwards.4.) I Heart Huckabees - Again, being a novice of existential theories, I needed some explanation.5.) Primer - Mathematics + Physics + Me = Incompatible. Needed to buff up on most of the concepts involved and pay extra special attention the next time I watched it. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12478

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