True Romance - Tony Scott 1993

True Romance (1993)

If we take a min, and think about the combination of forces at work during this movie, with what we know now about the people involved...this is a pretty bad ass movie.

You, basically, have Tony Scott...somewhere in between 'Top Gun' and 'The Last Boy Scout' stylistically, and writing by a young and brash Quentin Tarantino.

I mean...that's kinda awesome.

Almost a combination of Terrence Malick's "badlands", and Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde", its a true gem of pulp.  Clearance and Alabama meet clandestinely only to immediately fall in love and go on the outlaw trail to paradise. Where they follow their dreams and deal with the nightmares that follow them. These lovers on the run...but its interesting that they are running to and not from...the crux of the movie. A great twist to the genre.

The acting is a dream, never once have I seen so many against type performances. These are great performances that make me wonder how the actors could have ever made a bad movie (I'm talking to you...Christian Slater) Gary Oldman's wannabe black, white pimp (brilliant I say!) to Bronson Pinchot's whiney producer's assistant, all unexpected, but all owning their rolls to the fullest.

Quentin is a true master of all genres. He blends them together seamlessly, and breathes his own life into them again. The language and pacing of this mad dash of a story is almost literally on fire. His play with the characters, leads you back and forth across awe, humor, terror....and adrenaline cranked thrills. He has you, at the first word of this film...he owns you. That's his true talent.

Tony was right there waiting to clench his teeth into this genre. The noir, the dark rooms, houses...where the sunlight is only seen in beams of spotlights. They never reveal everything that's going on...always part of it kept dark. A taste of which was felt in the "Hunger", but now more refined as a story use...and not a whole character in and of itself. His clean distinct use of light and grain has become so familiar by copycats, but he's the one who created it. With the amazing scripts he used it on...the style has achieved an artistry that, after his death, I'm saddened we won't see again.

I think...for me, and this might alienate others...or maybe just leave them a little in the dark from the obscure references, a huge love of this film....is that its in fact a love letter to film.
There are so many selections of movie geekdom here its not even funny. And its all relatable to fellow lovers of cinema of all kinds.

Thank you for the love letter, Tony & Quentin.
I agree with all your sentiments.

HORSES

We've gone live again for the fundraising of my next short film "HORSES". This is a very exciting project that we've become very dedicated to make a reality. Any and all support is highly appreciated. Any questions can of course be emailed to me as well.

Sharing is caring :)

The Master in 70mm @ The Castro Theater SF

The Master presented in 70mm @ The Castro. 8/21/12

One thing I will say first....the argument of digital vs. film has no basis after viewing this movie. Film is vastly superior to digital. It is very important, if at all possible, to view this in a 70mm presentation.
Stunningly cinematography is shown here. Anderson's fight to shoot this in 65mm was a worthy battle, because every frame of this is breathtaking.

...just had to say all that now so I don't ramble on about it while discussing the rest of the film.

As I was walking down the crowded Castro St, feeling that special cold chill that's only felt in San Francisco, I kept harking back to a moment of the "process" where you go beyond, backwards into your past life, and remember traumatic events, during a type of hypnosis session.

A moving and airy portrayal showing the creation of a person's being, his very fabric being molded. I associated the progression of Phoenix and Hoffman's relationship to that of the relationship parents have to their first born children. Perplexed, scared, protective, in awe of, frustrating, forgiving and patient towards.

During the film, I felt I was in a pure soul's dream. A young soul, fresh outta the gate and has no history to reference back to. A haunting dream of someone wandering through the details of memory, trying to remember how the pieces fit. I thought of the lessons taught down to me through school, parenting, role modals. How do you make sense of all this information. What does it do to the shaping of the soul. The effect of influence on others, in this, is a paramount thought. What kind of power does the idea of "suggestion" really have.

I was watching someone trying to remember a past life, and the remembrance of that is this film. It's a worthy note, that Anderson has been lingering around Kubrick's lineage for a while...and he took a big step closer with this. In a good way.

It's a beautiful character creation by Phoenix. Who I feel rivel's Day-Lewis's performance from PTA's previous 'Blood'.

I'm still a little swept away from the whole of it. Upon a second viewing I will bring further thoughts. But for right now, just hours after watching...My head churns more by the min.

This was still an early print, meaning there was no credits. The 70mm was just beautiful, in a beautiful theater, live organ player and all. A truly memorable movie going experience.

The Hunger - Tony Scott (1982)

  This is a truly original genre film. Tony Scott took on the vampire myth in his first film about an aristocratic older vamp, played beautifully by Catherine Deneuve, who seeks out a young female doctor (Susan Sarandon) to help keep her lover (and blood donor, David Bowie) from aging rapidly from some blood disease.

There is such a natural beauty to this film. The rooms and scenes have such a distinct play with natural light. The sun only seems natural when its being kept out by windows and shutters. Only when it peaks through the cracks does it feel welcome. The city daylight is shot as dusty and antagonistic as the lead characters feel it is. It makes us uncomfortable to be in it, as much as the vampires feel it is.

And it should be said, the film is never distracting by the use of the word "vampire". The characters are only presented as people with a sinister disposition. Never is it mentioned by name what they are. The mystery and seductive nature of these "creatures" is thanks partly to this fact. Its the immortality, the tragedy that surrounds the nature of immortality that is on stage here. The longing for companionship...the longing for something more. Catherine begins with a motivation for survival, and turns into the emotional creature dealing with a sense of loss that humans can't comprehend, looking for solace, and finds in Susan.

The relationship between Catherine and Susan builds like two lovers learning each other for the first time. The resistance to the taboo nature (especially for the times) of two woman falling in love, a young and an old, a monster and a healer. Finally the giving over to the desire of it all. Seductive is almost too soft a word for the metaphors and themes at play.

It's shot with a sure hand, a naive but confident hand. Tony was definitely finding his 'style". It's a romance and horror, social and humanistic film. A mystery with mythological twist.

A beauty of a first film, similar to his brother, Ridley Scott, first film "The Duellests". But with more of what was soon to be, the edgier motief of Tony's work.

FFFFFoooooorrrreeeaaaallllzzzzzz.

8/20/12

Tony Scott...RIP

Tony Scott, the talented and influential director took is own life today.

It's an overwhelming feeling that i am still processing...his work is a big influence on me.

This week I will be looking into his entire filmography in memorial.

My regards go out to his wife and children, as well as his brother.