list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Conversation 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/The_Conversation/6995/default.aspx Title: The Conversation
Year: 1974
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Plot: Made between The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), and in part an homage to Michelangelo Antonioni's art-movie classic Blow-Up (1966), The Conversation was a return to small-scale art films for Francis Ford Coppola. Sound surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is hired to track a young couple (Cindy Williams and Frederic Forrest), taping their conversation as they walk through San Francisco's crowded Union Square. Knowing full well how technology can invade privacy, Harry obsessively keeps to himself, separating business from his personal life, even refusing to discuss what he does or where he lives with his girlfriend, Amy (Teri Garr). Harry's work starts to trouble him, however, as he comes to believe that the conversation he pieced together reveals a plot by the mysterious corporate "Director" who hired him to murder the couple. After he allows himself to be seduced by a call girl, who then steals the tapes, Harry is all the more convinced that a killing will occur, and he can no longer separate his job from his conscience. Coppola, cinematographer Bill Butler, and Oscar-nominated sound editor Walter Murch convey the narrative through Harry's aural and visual experience, beginning with the slow opening zoom of Union Square accompanied by the alternately muddled and clear sound of the couple's conversation caught by Harry's microphones. The Godfather Part II and The Conversation earned Coppola a rare pair of Oscar nominations for Best Picture, as well as two nominations for Best Screenplay (The Godfather Part II won both). Praised by critics, The Conversation was not a popular hit, but it has since come to be seen as one of the artistic high points of the decade, as well as of Coppola's career. Its atmosphere of paranoia and suspicion, combined with its obsessive loner antihero, made it prototypical of the darker "American art movies" of the early '70s, as its audiotape storyline also made it seem eerily appropriate for the era of the Watergate scandal. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 18
Number of Lists: 46
Number of blog posts: 7
Number of discussion threads: 1
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:27:21 GMTThe Conversation1974Francis Ford CoppolaMade between <a href=/films/13611/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Godfather</a> (1972) and <a href=/films/13612/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Godfather Part II</a> (1974), and in part an homage to <a href="/players/P____79780/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Michelangelo Antonioni</a>'s art-movie classic <a href=/films/39948/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Blow-Up</a> (1966), The Conversation was a return to small-scale art films for <a href="/players/P____85868/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Francis Ford Coppola</a>. Sound surveillance expert Harry Caul (<a href="/players/P____29486/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gene Hackman</a>) is hired to track a young couple (<a href="/players/P___116843/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Cindy Williams</a> and <a href="/players/P____24332/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Frederic Forrest</a>), taping their conversation as they walk through San Francisco's crowded Union Square. Knowing full well how technology can invade privacy, Harry obsessively keeps to himself, separating business from his personal life, even refusing to discuss what he does or where he lives with his girlfriend, Amy (<a href="/players/P____26007/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Teri Garr</a>). Harry's work starts to trouble him, however, as he comes to believe that the conversation he pieced together reveals a plot by the mysterious corporate "Director" who hired him to murder the couple. After he allows himself to be seduced by a call girl, who then steals the tapes, Harry is all the more convinced that a killing will occur, and he can no longer separate his job from his conscience. Coppola, cinematographer <a href="/players/P____83706/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bill Butler</a>, and Oscar-nominated sound editor <a href="/players/P___103815/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Walter Murch</a> convey the narrative through Harry's aural and visual experience, beginning with the slow opening zoom of Union Square accompanied by the alternately muddled and clear sound of the couple's conversation caught by Harry's microphones. <a href=/films/13612/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Godfather Part II</a> and The Conversation earned Coppola a rare pair of Oscar nominations for Best Picture, as well as two nominations for Best Screenplay (<a href=/films/13612/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Godfather Part II</a> won both). Praised by critics, The Conversation was not a popular hit, but it has since come to be seen as one of the artistic high points of the decade, as well as of Coppola's career. Its atmosphere of paranoia and suspicion, combined with its obsessive loner antihero, made it prototypical of the darker "American art movies" of the early '70s, as its audiotape storyline also made it seem eerily appropriate for the era of the Watergate scandal. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide18Tag Target (>10)46714http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t092568lt8n.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Conversation/6995/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_January_19_Neighborhood_Watch/625/39728/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Smooth_J
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 1/20/2009 8:48:54 PM
Body: What if it's drug-induced? Raoul Duke seems to think everyone's out to get to get him--not just people he knows, but stuff that he can't even comprehend. Costa-Gavras' Missing (can't find the link) has some of the emerging-regime-in-South America spooky stuff, with people getting taken to a giant stadium and interrogated/killed. I guess neighbors could turn people in here. If I remember correctly, The Conversation is pretty focused on the paranoia of the surveillance trade--the ending instantly comes to mind. I guess Truman Show might be thrown in here as well, because his whole life is watched...especially by the actors that play his neighbors...
]]>Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:48:54 GMTSmooth_JWeekly Theme1/20/2009 8:48:54 PMWhat if it's drug-induced? Raoul Duke seems to think everyone's out to get to get him--not just people he knows, but stuff that he can't even comprehend. Costa-Gavras' Missing (can't find the link) has some of the emerging-regime-in-South America spooky stuff, with people getting taken to a giant stadium and interrogated/killed. I guess neighbors could turn people in here. If I remember correctly, The Conversation is pretty focused on the paranoia of the surveillance trade--the ending instantly comes to mind. I guess Truman Show might be thrown in here as well, because his whole life is watched...especially by the actors that play his neighbors... http://www.spout.com/blogs/civex/archive/2009/1/5/39111.aspx Post By: civex
Post To: civex Blog
Post Date: 1/5/2009 3:37:56 PM
Body: This may be the best Seventies paranoia film, chock full of astounding actors: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Frederic Forest, Cindy Williams, Teri Gar, Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall, and others. This was written and directed in 1974 by Francis Ford Coppola, and Coppola and his actors were at the height of their talents. Hackman plays Harry Caul, a surveillance expert who has caused the death of at least one innocent person and may be on the threshold of the deaths of other innocents. Or maybe not. He's so paranoid, who can tell? Forest and Williams play a young couple who walk around Union Square in San Francisco and have puzzling conversations that only Caul can arrange to surveil. Are they going to be murdered? Or are they just lovers on a lunch break? Hackman gives Caul a soul-wrenching angst that lifts "The Conversation" out of the run of the mill genre like "Three Days of the Condor" and "Night Moves," another Gene Hackman movie. John Cazale, Teri Garr, and Harrison Ford make major contributions to the film, as well. The technology, of course, is horribly dated, but this is a character- and paranoia-driven movie, so I'm happy to overlook the equipment. SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER The key to the film is what the couple means when they make a particular statement, which Caul has recorded. Caul listens to it over and over trying to parse it out, but the problem with the film is that Coppola had the statement re-recorded by the actors with different emphases to create the confusion Coppola needs for Caul to feel, instead of having an ambiguous reading of the line to begin with. The meaning changes drastically from our first hearing of the statement to the last because the way the line is said changes drastically. It totally turns the movie around.
]]>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:37:56 GMTcivexcivex Blog1/5/2009 3:37:56 PM This may be the best Seventies paranoia film, chock full of astounding actors: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Frederic Forest, Cindy Williams, Teri Gar, Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall, and others. This was written and directed in 1974 by Francis Ford Coppola, and Coppola and his actors were at the height of their talents. Hackman plays Harry Caul, a surveillance expert who has caused the death of at least one innocent person and may be on the threshold of the deaths of other innocents. Or maybe not. He's so paranoid, who can tell? Forest and Williams play a young couple who walk around Union Square in San Francisco and have puzzling conversations that only Caul can arrange to surveil. Are they going to be murdered? Or are they just lovers on a lunch break? Hackman gives Caul a soul-wrenching angst that lifts "The Conversation" out of the run of the mill genre like "Three Days of the Condor" and "Night Moves," another Gene Hackman movie. John Cazale, Teri Garr, and Harrison Ford make major contributions to the film, as well. The technology, of course, is horribly dated, but this is a character- and paranoia-driven movie, so I'm happy to overlook the equipment. SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER The key to the film is what the couple means when they make a particular statement, which Caul has recorded. Caul listens to it over and over trying to parse it out, but the problem with the film is that Coppola had the statement re-recorded by the actors with different emphases to create the confusion Coppola needs for Caul to feel, instead of having an ambiguous reading of the line to begin with. The meaning changes drastically from our first hearing of the statement to the last because the way the line is said changes drastically. It totally turns the movie around. http://www.spout.com/blogs/atacta/archive/2008/11/28/37718.aspx Post By: atacta
Post To: atacta Blog
Post Date: 11/28/2008 3:59:44 PM
Body: A companion piece to Black Book only for the significant contribution of Sebastian Koch as Georg Dreyman. But Ulrich Mühe takes the film and its heart. In a way Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler is a poor man's Oskar Schindler but in this case - he is a champion of the arts first. The production values on the film are first rate (filmed in David Fincher greens ala Zodiac) and the palpable fear of 1980s East Germany is brilliantly portrayed. Back to Black Book. The story concerns the totalitarian state in its last phase just as in Black Book's Nazi Holland.The story of Surveillance harkens back to The Conversation in the way it affects the lives of those on both sides of the table. Earlier this week 'name the plot game' had this as the answer but could have very well been The Conversation.The only weakness in the film is the pat way Wiesler is dismissed at the end.Really enjoyed this film and Ulrich Mühe's performance is fantastic. The Conversation (1974)
]]>Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:59:44 GMTatactaatacta Blog11/28/2008 3:59:44 PMA companion piece to Black Book only for the significant contribution of Sebastian Koch as Georg Dreyman. But Ulrich M&uuml;he takes the film and its heart. In a way Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler is a poor man's Oskar Schindler but in this case - he is a champion of the arts first. The production values on the film are first rate (filmed in David Fincher greens ala Zodiac) and the palpable fear of 1980s East Germany is brilliantly portrayed. Back to Black Book. The story concerns the totalitarian state in its last phase just as in Black Book's Nazi Holland.The story of Surveillance harkens back to The Conversation in the way it affects the lives of those on both sides of the table. Earlier this week 'name the plot game' had this as the answer but could have very well been The Conversation.The only weakness in the film is the pat way Wiesler is dismissed at the end.Really enjoyed this film and Ulrich M&uuml;he's performance is fantastic. The Conversation (1974) http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/9/29/35702.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 9/29/2008 11:06:02 PM
Body: Shia LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso reworked Hitchock's “Rear Window” for the teen set with adequate results in last year's “Disturbia.” With “Eagle Eye,” the two return in an attempt streamline Francis Ford Coppola's “The Conversation” for the text message set. Call it “The CNVRS8SHN.” On second thought, don't call it at all. “Eagle Eye,” a project long-shelved by LaBeouf's number-one cheerleader Steven Spielberg, has a kernel of an interesting idea rattling around in its hollow head, but it defaults back to the clamor and clatter of the worst of summer blockbusters. With visuals that suggest the film was edited in a Jeep traveling at top speed on a cobblestone street, the film does not so much transition but spasms from one scene to the next. The only reason I sat through the various chases is that I honestly did not know who was in what vehicle and was merely interested in who crawled out of the wreckages. That is very different from 'caring' who did. LeBeouf (don't ask me to pronounce his name, as I have trouble just spelling it correctly) stars as Jerry Shaw, a copy-center jockey who's called home following the funeral of his twin brother killed while on duty in the military. If movies have taught us anything, it's that having a twin rarely has pleasant, uncomplicated outcomes. After the funeral, Jerry returns to his hovel to find it redecorated with the Martha Stewart Terrorist Collection, featuring the latest in weapons, explosives and fertilizer. The discovery is quickly followed by a phone call telling him he's been “activated” and has mere seconds to elude an FBI arrest. He's led on what can only be described as a live-action RPG (role-playing game, for all you geezers out there), in which a faceless female voice directs his every move, while assisting him by manipulating everything from traffic lights to Circuit City Home Theater departments to aid his escape. He accompanied by a yummy mommy Rachel (played by Michelle Monaghan), who is equally befuddled as to her involvement in all this. What “Eagle Eye” attempts is to create panic in a world in which our most prized possession – technology – is both our greatest friend and worst enemy. It delivers him the necessary information to elude the “bad guys,” but it also has compiled every instant message, spending habit, website visit and intersection crossing made in the course of our life. But disembodied voices that inhabit closed-circuit McDonald's televisions and automated parking garage fee signs do not evoke immediate fear from audiences (though Hamburgler can be one scary dude), so we have been given two flesh-and-blood antagonists to occasionally point their guns at our reluctant heroes. Rosario Dawson and Billy Bob Thorton as two Feds in hot pursuit, with Thorton taking on the role of the befuddled, beleaguered agent a la Tommy Lee Jones in “The Fugitive.” LeBeouf, meanwhile, does his LeBest, which is to say that he injects his usual fast-talking, everyguy style in the face of overwhelming (and downright improbable) odds. It's the same card he's pulled in his other big-budget starring roles in “Transformers” and this summer's “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” He's not without his charms, but it's hard to notice talent amidst a cacophony of crashing metal and special effects. Monaghan, meanwhile, is reduced to nail-biting and fretting, which is really all she has time for when the camera remains steady for a nanosecond. The Big Brother paranoia is one rife with thriller possibilities, but “Eagle Eye” opts not to exploit it for all its personal intrusions, but rather replaces it with and Red-Bull-fueled action sequences that numb the senses. It leads to a hacker's fever dream conclusion that is staggeringly idiotic in both explanation and execution. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the release of the kid-friendly paranoid technological thriller “WarGames,” which, aside from its computer graphics, still manages to evoke some nerve-fraying fun. My guess is, in 2033, when “Eagle Eye” reaches the same age, it will hardly register a blip on the radar.
]]>Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:06:02 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog9/29/2008 11:06:02 PMShia LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso reworked Hitchock's &ldquo;Rear Window&rdquo; for the teen set with adequate results in last year's &ldquo;Disturbia.&rdquo; With &ldquo;Eagle Eye,&rdquo; the two return in an attempt streamline Francis Ford Coppola's &ldquo;The Conversation&rdquo; for the text message set. Call it &ldquo;The CNVRS8SHN.&rdquo; On second thought, don't call it at all. &ldquo;Eagle Eye,&rdquo; a project long-shelved by LaBeouf's number-one cheerleader Steven Spielberg, has a kernel of an interesting idea rattling around in its hollow head, but it defaults back to the clamor and clatter of the worst of summer blockbusters. With visuals that suggest the film was edited in a Jeep traveling at top speed on a cobblestone street, the film does not so much transition but spasms from one scene to the next. The only reason I sat through the various chases is that I honestly did not know who was in what vehicle and was merely interested in who crawled out of the wreckages. That is very different from 'caring' who did. LeBeouf (don't ask me to pronounce his name, as I have trouble just spelling it correctly) stars as Jerry Shaw, a copy-center jockey who's called home following the funeral of his twin brother killed while on duty in the military. If movies have taught us anything, it's that having a twin rarely has pleasant, uncomplicated outcomes. After the funeral, Jerry returns to his hovel to find it redecorated with the Martha Stewart Terrorist Collection, featuring the latest in weapons, explosives and fertilizer. The discovery is quickly followed by a phone call telling him he's been &ldquo;activated&rdquo; and has mere seconds to elude an FBI arrest. He's led on what can only be described as a live-action RPG (role-playing game, for all you geezers out there), in which a faceless female voice directs his every move, while assisting him by manipulating everything from traffic lights to Circuit City Home Theater departments to aid his escape. He accompanied by a yummy mommy Rachel (played by Michelle Monaghan), who is equally befuddled as to her involvement in all this. What &ldquo;Eagle Eye&rdquo; attempts is to create panic in a world in which our most prized possession &ndash; technology &ndash; is both our greatest friend and worst enemy. It delivers him the necessary information to elude the &ldquo;bad guys,&rdquo; but it also has compiled every instant message, spending habit, website visit and intersection crossing made in the course of our life. But disembodied voices that inhabit closed-circuit McDonald's televisions and automated parking garage fee signs do not evoke immediate fear from audiences (though Hamburgler can be one scary dude), so we have been given two flesh-and-blood antagonists to occasionally point their guns at our reluctant heroes. Rosario Dawson and Billy Bob Thorton as two Feds in hot pursuit, with Thorton taking on the role of the befuddled, beleaguered agent a la Tommy Lee Jones in &ldquo;The Fugitive.&rdquo; LeBeouf, meanwhile, does his LeBest, which is to say that he injects his usual fast-talking, everyguy style in the face of overwhelming (and downright improbable) odds. It's the same card he's pulled in his other big-budget starring roles in &ldquo;Transformers&rdquo; and this summer's &ldquo;Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.&rdquo; He's not without his charms, but it's hard to notice talent amidst a cacophony of crashing metal and special effects. Monaghan, meanwhile, is reduced to nail-biting and fretting, which is really all she has time for when the camera remains steady for a nanosecond. The Big Brother paranoia is one rife with thriller possibilities, but &ldquo;Eagle Eye&rdquo; opts not to exploit it for all its personal intrusions, but rather replaces it with and Red-Bull-fueled action sequences that numb the senses. It leads to a hacker's fever dream conclusion that is staggeringly idiotic in both explanation and execution. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the release of the kid-friendly paranoid technological thriller &ldquo;WarGames,&rdquo; which, aside from its computer graphics, still manages to evoke some nerve-fraying fun. My guess is, in 2033, when &ldquo;Eagle Eye&rdquo; reaches the same age, it will hardly register a blip on the radar. http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2008/8/7/33688.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 8/7/2008 10:01:11 AM
Body: Ostensibly looking to replicate the success of their existing, cinema-inspired period series, AMC is planning to spin a series off of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 film, The Conversation. The original is topical, says producer Erik Jendresen. “Watching The Conversation today is fascinating in light of the Patriot Act. But this is not a series that’s blatantly making a statement; it will still be very true to the original vision of the character.” Another day, another name for the Inglorious Bastards call sheet. This time it’s B.J. Novak from The Office. Meryl Streep will continue her midlife career resurgence as star of glossy chick coms by toplining the latest effort by Nancy Meyers. She’ll play a woman at the center of a love triangle with two men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth
]]>Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:01:11 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog8/7/2008 10:01:11 AM Ostensibly looking to replicate the success of their existing, cinema-inspired period series, AMC is planning to spin a series off of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 film, The Conversation. The original is topical, says producer Erik Jendresen. “Watching The Conversation today is fascinating in light of the Patriot Act. But this is not a series that’s blatantly making a statement; it will still be very true to the original vision of the character.” Another day, another name for the Inglorious Bastards call sheet. This time it’s B.J. Novak from The Office. Meryl Streep will continue her midlife career resurgence as star of glossy chick coms by toplining the latest effort by Nancy Meyers. She’ll play a woman at the center of a love triangle with two men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/7/33687.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/7/2008 10:01:01 AM
Body: Ostensibly looking to replicate the success of their existing, cinema-inspired period series, AMC is planning to spin a series off of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 film, The Conversation. The original is topical, says producer Erik Jendresen. “Watching The Conversation today is fascinating in light of the Patriot Act. But this is not a series that’s blatantly making a statement; it will still be very true to the original vision of the character.” Another day, another name for the Inglorious Bastards call sheet. This time it’s B.J. Novak from The Office. Meryl Streep will continue her midlife career resurgence as star of glossy chick coms by toplining the latest effort by Nancy Meyers. She’ll play a woman at the center of a love triangle with two men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:01:01 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/7/2008 10:01:01 AM Ostensibly looking to replicate the success of their existing, cinema-inspired period series, AMC is planning to spin a series off of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 film, The Conversation. The original is topical, says producer Erik Jendresen. “Watching The Conversation today is fascinating in light of the Patriot Act. But this is not a series that’s blatantly making a statement; it will still be very true to the original vision of the character.” Another day, another name for the Inglorious Bastards call sheet. This time it’s B.J. Novak from The Office. Meryl Streep will continue her midlife career resurgence as star of glossy chick coms by toplining the latest effort by Nancy Meyers. She’ll play a woman at the center of a love triangle with two men. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/3/25/26585.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/25/2008 12:01:12 PM
Body: Yesterday, in response to David Gordon Green’s talent being (presumably) wasted on Pineapple Express, I brought you my picks for the 5 worst directorial sellouts of all time (or, as I should have titled it, 5 Worst Attempts at Mainstream Success). And now, as promised, are my picks for the best, because occasionally a great filmmaker can take a seemingly sellout gig and deliver a masterpiece. (tie) The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974) - Everyone should know that Francis Ford Coppola didn’t want to make the first Godfather film. He wanted to make smaller movies, such as The Conversation, which he was able to make at Paramount only because he directed The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. I prefer the film he wanted to make, but there is no denying his first two Godfather films were worth Coppola’s time and, more importantly, ours. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:01:12 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/25/2008 12:01:12 PM Yesterday, in response to David Gordon Green’s talent being (presumably) wasted on Pineapple Express, I brought you my picks for the 5 worst directorial sellouts of all time (or, as I should have titled it, 5 Worst Attempts at Mainstream Success). And now, as promised, are my picks for the best, because occasionally a great filmmaker can take a seemingly sellout gig and deliver a masterpiece. (tie) The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974) - Everyone should know that Francis Ford Coppola didn’t want to make the first Godfather film. He wanted to make smaller movies, such as The Conversation, which he was able to make at Paramount only because he directed The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. I prefer the film he wanted to make, but there is no denying his first two Godfather films were worth Coppola’s time and, more importantly, ours. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/minerwerks/archive/2007/7/23/15655.aspx Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 7/23/2007 11:47:00 PM
Body: I first considered myself at a disadvantage to comment upon a filmed version of 'The Great Gatsby,' being that I hadn't read the book for years, and even then, I really wasn't old or experienced enough to really appreciate it. But this is instead the best way to approach a film adaptation of a novel - if you have no prejudices based on another incarnation, you can be free to interpret the material fresh.I last saw the 1974 film version of 'The Great Gatsby' at the same time I read the novel - roughly 15 years ago when I was in high school. At that time, I can't remember the film making much impression on me, other than seeing a parallel to the character Robert Redford played in 'Indecent Proposal.' Today, it's hard to believe this film came out in the midst one of Hollywood's greatest periods. I was surprised to see Francis Ford Coppola credited as the screenwriter. This film was released, in fact, the same year that Coppola's masterpieces 'The Godfather Part II' and 'The Conversation' were released. Actually comparing 'The Conversation' to 'The Great Gatsby,' the two films seem to come from completely different eras of filmmaking.The story is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway (Sam Waterston), who lives in a modest Long Island home next door to the mysterious Gatsby (Robert Redford), who it turns out carries a torch for Nick's cousin Daisy (Mia Farrow). The tale eventually turns to tragedy worthy of Shakespeare, though as it plays out in this film version, it feels contrived. The biggest sabotage to this film is putting too much emphasis on the Daisy-Gatsby romance, carried on with much gauzy, soft-focus photography and sappy music. I'm not sure what audiences thought of this stuff in the '70s, but I know it's laughable to modern audiences (ask any of the hundreds of people who showed up to Tampa Theatre this past weekend). The spends a lot of time building up the characters coming together, then revels in their time together, neglecting the thematic reasons it all happens. The romance is its own end. A lot of the film feels as if it were directed for the stage. Some performances (particularly Farrow's) are ridiculously over-the-top, as if the actors were trying to make their presence felt in the rafters. In scenes that involve more than dialogue, the film is hobbled by perfunctory staging and editing that feels like cheap television work.The tragedy of 'Gatsby' for me is that there are a lot of ideas swimming around under the surface that are never quite crystalized. Bruce Dern turns in an interesting performance as Daisy's husband, Tom, spouting off ignorantly about the world, but not as a caricature. The themes about the world of class and privilege lacking morality are glossed over in some ways, but other elements of the story are incredibly heavy handed (the visual and theme of the Dr. T.J. Eckleburg billboard are horribly belabored). The scenes of Gatsby's parties are effective spectacles however, with various patrons dancing and drinking with abandon, spilling over into fountains and in some cases, never leaving. But all of that spectacle never paid off thematically. All it did was make me want to return to the novel and see what this story was supposed to be about in the first place.
]]>Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:47:00 GMTminerwerksminerwerks Blog7/23/2007 11:47:00 PMI first considered myself at a disadvantage to comment upon a filmed version of &#39;The Great Gatsby,&#39; being that I hadn&#39;t read the book for years, and even then, I really wasn&#39;t old or experienced enough to really appreciate it. But this is instead the best way to approach a film adaptation of a novel - if you have no prejudices based on another incarnation, you can be free to interpret the material fresh.I last saw the 1974 film version of &#39;The Great Gatsby&#39; at the same time I read the novel - roughly 15 years ago when I was in high school. At that time, I can&#39;t remember the film making much impression on me, other than seeing a parallel to the character Robert Redford played in &#39;Indecent Proposal.&#39; Today, it&#39;s hard to believe this film came out in the midst one of Hollywood&#39;s greatest periods. I was surprised to see Francis Ford Coppola credited as the screenwriter. This film was released, in fact, the same year that Coppola&#39;s masterpieces &#39;The Godfather Part II&#39; and &#39;The Conversation&#39; were released. Actually comparing &#39;The Conversation&#39; to &#39;The Great Gatsby,&#39; the two films seem to come from completely different eras of filmmaking.The story is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway (Sam Waterston), who lives in a modest Long Island home next door to the mysterious Gatsby (Robert Redford), who it turns out carries a torch for Nick&#39;s cousin Daisy (Mia Farrow). The tale eventually turns to tragedy worthy of Shakespeare, though as it plays out in this film version, it feels contrived. The biggest sabotage to this film is putting too much emphasis on the Daisy-Gatsby romance, carried on with much gauzy, soft-focus photography and sappy music. I&#39;m not sure what audiences thought of this stuff in the &#39;70s, but I know it&#39;s laughable to modern audiences (ask any of the hundreds of people who showed up to Tampa Theatre this past weekend). The spends a lot of time building up the characters coming together, then revels in their time together, neglecting the thematic reasons it all happens. The romance is its own end. A lot of the film feels as if it were directed for the stage. Some performances (particularly Farrow&#39;s) are ridiculously over-the-top, as if the actors were trying to make their presence felt in the rafters. In scenes that involve more than dialogue, the film is hobbled by perfunctory staging and editing that feels like cheap television work.The tragedy of &#39;Gatsby&#39; for me is that there are a lot of ideas swimming around under the surface that are never quite crystalized. Bruce Dern turns in an interesting performance as Daisy&#39;s husband, Tom, spouting off ignorantly about the world, but not as a caricature. The themes about the world of class and privilege lacking morality are glossed over in some ways, but other elements of the story are incredibly heavy handed (the visual and theme of the Dr. T.J. Eckleburg billboard are horribly belabored). The scenes of Gatsby&#39;s parties are effective spectacles however, with various patrons dancing and drinking with abandon, spilling over into fountains and in some cases, never leaving. But all of that spectacle never paid off thematically. All it did was make me want to return to the novel and see what this story was supposed to be about in the first place. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/murder/MemberTagFilms.aspxmurder
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