gdp's Comments

Big Hollywood : Review: Gomorrah -- Five Minutes of Action Crammed Into Two Hours

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:30:10 +0000

You have a great deal of insight on the technical side of filmmaking. Congrats on all your reading or classwork or something. But you don't have the first clue--really, not even a hint, man--as to why typical people go to the movies. To appreciate any of the things you write about, you have to take yourself out of the picture and back to the classroom, dissect them, then nod in wise approval and return. The point of any filmmaking device is to affect the viewer in the moment, not to allow him to reflect on how smart he is. These tricks---and they did require skill and effort, you're right--are lost on nearly all viewers. What's the point of, say, ingenious blocking, if not to affect the audience's feelings? You seem to want the directors to get a cookie every time they set up an interesting problem to solve. They shot in a small room! Cool! What does your appreciation of that have to do with creating sympathy for the plight of the poor in Gomorrah? Nothing, that''s what. But to you, tha'ts the height of filmmaking. Do you like to spend hours watching skilled welders, too? I invite you to make a movie of that, cos that's what you propose as elegant filmmaking. Read "The Immediate Experience" by Robert Warshow. He understands culture, criticism and entertainment in a way that has never occurred to you. It's not about impressing other people... YaDink. Otherwise cordially, ML

Big Hollywood : My 20 All-Time Favorite TV Series

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Burt, I am beginning to feel like your press agent. Hey, everybody, Burt WROTE about five of the best episodes of MASH, including the famous one in which the solider believes he is Jesus. Burt knows I'm a little bit of his Crazy Fan on this matter--just trying to recruit you all to the cause. Oh--and Green Acres rules.

Big Hollywood : Review: Gomorrah -- Five Minutes of Action Crammed Into Two Hours

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:35:55 +0000

If you were entertained by the movie, Pete, you let us know--if you even saw it. If you had bothered to read what I wrote, you'd see that I explain that the topic deserved a more engaging picture precisely because it is so important and the Camorra so dangerous. But please, pop off uninformed (and anonymously) any time you like.

Big Hollywood : Narcissist On Wire

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:11:36 +0000

Endre--For the record, almost all those scenes were re-enactments. Petit did not have the resources to record his practice runs. This was a source of some controversy when the picture was released. Cheers, Mike Long

Big Hollywood : Review: Gomorrah -- Five Minutes of Action Crammed Into Two Hours

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:03:47 +0000

Either that, or getting it right as entertainment. (See Jimmy C above.) ML

Big Hollywood : Review: Gomorrah -- Five Minutes of Action Crammed Into Two Hours

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:03:24 +0000

My point exactly. Thanks for posting! ML

Big Hollywood : Dylan's Outhouse - Smells Like 'Rank' Hypocrisy

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:55:58 +0000

Here's a long article I wrote in the WEEKLY STANDARD January 1, 2001 about Bob Dylan's career and why he is worth your time. Money quote: "Bob Dylan’s work is art because it does what art should do: edify and entertain, provoke thought, promote truth, extol beauty. ... If we believe character cannot be divorced from the nature of what is produced—that the heart of a man appears in his creations—then the music of Bob Dylan tells us that he is a man of integrity and character, a worker for beauty and truth and good." Link: http://whwg.com/thefirm/sample.php/80/Michael__Lo... I'm a huge fan. If you are a conservative or libertarian who appreciates thoughtful, independent-hearted artists and you're not yet a Dylan fan, you may be about to discover something wonderful.

Big Hollywood : 'Two Lovers': One of the Best of 2009

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:19:28 +0000

I have seen it and I hated it for lots of reasons. Never even got down to the acting. I rarely write about acting cos I don't feel that commenting on acting is much more than random opinion... but I am shifting in that view.

Big Hollywood : 'Two Lovers': One of the Best of 2009

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:06:49 +0000

I assume that by "inside out" you mean feelings beget action, and by "outside in" you mean the actions are intellectually motivated, not driven by assumed feelings? (something like that)

Big Hollywood : 'Two Lovers': One of the Best of 2009

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:30:59 +0000

I tihnk you're getting at the heart of it right here, you and Vince both.

Big Hollywood : 'Two Lovers': One of the Best of 2009

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:26:59 +0000

Thanks for the kind words. And I agree with your other comments on this picture, esp re the lighting (I hadn't thought much about it until you wrote that, and you're right) and of course the presence of the preternaturally beautiful Isabella Roselini. I'd be interested in your comments at length about the skill of acting; I gather you have an opinion on that that I might find enlightening, given my present philistinism on the subject.

Big Hollywood : 'Two Lovers': One of the Best of 2009

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:05:15 +0000

If I understood what it took to act, maybe I could get on board with you. Problem is, I see a lot of people (especially comedians) walk in cold and do it just as well as anybody who has been to acting school. That tells me it is more intuition than training, and common intuition at that. I'm willing to be found wrong on this, just haven't heard the argument. Maybe you're the one to make it!

Big Hollywood : 'Two Lovers': One of the Best of 2009

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:54:06 +0000

I'm glad you like your reviews politics-free. I try to write about what I like and tell you why I like it. I happen to believe that doing so without regard to politics is a pretty rare thing--just try to find for a reviewer who doesn't blast away ad hominem at people who hold opinions he doesn't like. Takes guts to say what you like without apology. Most folks eventually give in to the crowd. I'm tryin' not to. Stay tuned.

Big Hollywood : Review: 'The Echelon Conspiracy' Is Shameful

Mon, 9 Mar 2009 22:57:40 +0000

Thanks for the revision. For ease of citation, my source was the Black Book of Communism, but I do not doubt that their estimate is low.

Big Hollywood : Look to DVD for Best of 2008

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 20:52:52 +0000

In any case, you got closer to being the comedy "rock star" than I did. But I have yet to attempt anything more difficult or more satisfying than stand-up. I doubt I'll ever try again--I did it off and on for maybe nine years--but I won't say "never." I'm a more competent writer today than I was back then--maybe I *could* do it. That would put a bit of unfinished business to bed. (And I think this public forum is a curious choice for me to do this mental work, lol.)

Big Hollywood : Look to DVD for Best of 2008

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 19:28:01 +0000

Tim--Oh, man, thanks for that. I'll check it out. By the way, I wonder if our paths crossed in the late 80s/early 90s? I was a house emcee at Zanies Nashville and I remember that you closed there more than a few times, but I don't recall any particular gig. Just sayin'.

Big Hollywood : Look to DVD for Best of 2008

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 19:25:30 +0000

Agreed. This was a particularly weak year for pictures. I feel that way at the end of a lot of years, but then re-group and find more positive than I realized. Not this year. Dittoes on Dirty Harry, by the way. Favorite moment: When Harry confronts the mayor about that suspect "running through the park with a butcher knife and ..." followed by that priceless reaction shot from the Mayor, the truly great character actor John Vernon: "He's got a point."

Big Hollywood : Look to DVD for Best of 2008

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 17:06:03 +0000

Another Sex Drive fan--yes! For me, the title seemed to be the chief problem--and yes it needed tons more marketing. It just feels funny saying you're going to see "Sex Drive." I do hope it finds an audience on DVD, and I hope there are lots of deleted scenes and extras. The first time I saw it (yes, I saw it twice in the theater) I was the only one there.

Big Hollywood : Look to DVD for Best of 2008

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 17:02:53 +0000

Interesting you say that. I read the comic after I saw the movie, the opposite of your experience, and I expected to be even more impressed with the book. As you noted, the only thing they had in common was a set of character names and some of the setting. I got what the author was shooting for in the comic but for whatever reason it did not connect with me. I'm probably in a minority on that one.

Big Hollywood : Look to DVD for Best of 2008

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 15:58:27 +0000

Yes, T3 was a good one, for sure. Wanted was **so** well done. Just amazing to look at. If you haven't seen that director's great Night Watch, go get it. You'll be glad ya did.