The Film:'Death Wish'(1974), Dir. Michael Winner
Starring:Charles"More Man Than You'll Ever Be"Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia and Baby Jeff Goldblum.
Why I Haven't Seen It Until Now:Wait -- Ihaven'tseen it? But I've seen dozens of movies that have completely ripped it off, stealing everything that supposedly makes it work, most likely dulling its edges and making what was unique at the time feel woefully generic to a modern viewer. Doesn't that count? No? That's unfair? Okay, fine. I'll watch it.
Pre-Viewing Assumptions:Charles Bronson is your average, ordinary man, a nice guy with a job and a family and comfortable home in a nice enough neighborhood. That is, until gangsters invade his house and murder his family and get away scot-free after a woefully apathetic and corrupt 1970s New York police force don't do a thing about it. What's a man to do? Well, that's obvious -- he buys a gun and takes the law into his own hands. And since he's Charles Bronson, he not only wins the day and devours an icy dish of bloodthirsty revenge, he does so in style.
Maybe I'm getting the little details wrong, but that's pretty much the plot of 'Death Wish,' isn't it? Although certainly not the first film to deal with a man on a quest for vengeance -- the western had been doing this kind of thing for decades -- it's undoubtedly one of the most famous films of its kind. The poster depicting a pistol-wielding Bronson is iconic and when you think of vigilantes running amuck in the nightmare that was 1970s New York (well, at least in the movies), you most likely think of 'Death Wish.'
But what kind of tone should I be expecting? This is a genre that got run through the wringer in the 1980s and the results weren't pretty. The sheer number of ordinary-man-loses-everything-and-goes-on-a-rampage movies is mind boggling and, let's not kid ourselves, most of them are pretty awful. They're silly and shallow and offer little-to-nothing to chew on. The concept of vigilantism is inherently cinematic (One man against the system! One man against the odds!), but most films that deal with the subject are just simple action movies. Sure, not every movie can be 'Taxi Driver' (which is, let's face it, the best vigilante movie ever made), but that film's depiction of a diseased mind going to war with the local criminal element brings true horror and craft to this genre, giving us something more to say than just"Badass!"
Is 'Death Wish' just a plain jane action movie or did the freewheeling, studio-hands-off spirit of 1970s film rub off on it, making it a film that justifies that iconic poster and is capable of inspiring actual discussion? Has it survived nearly four decades of cheap rip-offs and carbon copies? I'm about to find out.
Oh, and while I'm here ... there arefive'Death Wish' movies? How many families can this guy lose? There's a point when you have to realize you're a death magnet and just give up on that whole relationship thing. You won't have to do all that avenging if you just stop marrying people, Charles.
Post-Viewing Reaction:Action movies are, by their very nature, irresponsible. Sure, we love movie gunfights and car chases and stories of men and women standing up for what's right behind the barrel of a smoking gun, but is it the kind of behavior we'd tolerate in real life? We may love watching Detective Riggs and Murtaugh bicker and banter as they destroy half of the city on their quest for justice in the 'Lethal Weapon' films, but would we actually wantthoseguys on our streets? If you value your safety and property, the answer is probably no.
I'm not going to decry Hollywood's romanticizing of violence -- because movie violence kicks ass -- but the actual nuts and bolts of getting in a gun battle or killing a man with your bare hands, well, I can only imagine what that actually feels like, but I'm pretty sure it's a terrifying, desperate struggle, not a fist pumping action beat. Selling violence as excitement makes for great cinema, but it does little to capture the harsh reality of it.
Which brings us to 'Death Wish,' which is a special kind of beast. Like much of its action brethren, it's ludicrously irresponsible, presenting a protagonist who finds fulfillment after the death of his wife by roaming around town shooting muggers to death, but at the same time, the film presents his situation as a genuine dilemma for citizens and the police. His actions have lowered crime rates and encouraged other potential victims to fight back, but he is breaking the law and committing murder. How could you possible arrest a man who's making headway in the war on crime when the men in blue have essentially stagnated?
The film ultimately seems to fall squarely on the"Rah, rah! Shoot them muggers, Chuck!"side of the argument, but to the film's benefit, it does makes the violence harsh and ugly rather than exciting. There is little that feels heroic about Paul Kersey's (Bronson) actions when we see them actually played out. No big shootouts, very little tough talk ... just a lot of shooting surprised-looking junkie criminals in the chest.
Let's get this out there: action heroes are fascist fantasies, which clearly presents exactly why fascism is such a problem. From the outside, it may look romantic, it may look like the best way to stay safe, but soon enough, you get sucked in and only then do you realize that you've made a huge mistake. One of the troubling things about 'Death Wish' is that the film directly confronts this accusation, rather than sidestep it like most action movies do, and finds Paul Kersey perfectly in the right. At the start of the film, Kersey is a bleeding heart liberal, but soon he"sees the light,"picks up a gun and does a 180 in the personal beliefs department. Did director Michael Winner actually believe this or is he doing a fine job selling it? Either way, the film's decision to dwell on these aspects keep it interesting, fresh even, giving us room to condemn the film's slightly reprehensible message if we choose to.
Interestingly, much of Kersey's inspiration for his crusade comes from a business trip to Arizona, where a client takes him to see a Wild West stunt show and gives him a .32 pistol as a gift. It's a model he follows to the tee, even at one point telling a potential victim to"fill his hand,"as if he's John Wayne getting ready to ride at him from the other side of an open field. Perhaps Kersey is less of a fascist and more of a cowboy? Or are the two interlinked at some subterranean level that is not instantly visible to the naked eye? Perhaps the dangerous streets of New York are comparable to lawless west, where men had to take matters into their own hands to preserve their existence. One man's fascist is another man's cowboy ... a message that feels just at home in a discussion about modern American politics as it does in discussions about 'Death Wish.'
Potentially dangerous message aside, 'Death Wish' is a helluva lot of fun. It's a breezy ninety minutes and while it's impossible to buy Bronson as a liberal family man, he remains unmatched as a silent, icy killer. There's an old adage that I just made up that goes something like this:"If you want a face that can sell years of weary, coldly suppressed rage, cast Charles Bronson."Because he doesn't look like a movie star and because he looks like a weirdo who'd break your jaw if you looked at him funny, there is a real threat in Bronson's performance, a reality that can only come with that mug. It's a shame that the four 'Death Wish' sequels -- I still can't believe they madefiveof these things -- seem to devolve into standard action movies filled with machine guns and explosions and action set pieces. The small scale, human violence here, coupled with Bronson's understated (although not actuallygoodin the regular sense of the word) performance, makes 'Death Wish' a grimy, wicked little actioner that reeks of post-1960s disillusionment and 1970s desperation.
It's no 'Taxi Driver,' but it'll do.
Next Week's Column:To be perfectly honest, I was expecting the undisputed classic 'On the Waterfront' to be the clear cut winner for next week, but your votes proved otherwise. The John Hughes '80s favorite 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' was the winner by a landslide, so look for that one next week. In the meantime, peruse the master list and vote for what I should watch after that. Cast your votes in the comments or, if you prefer, vote by sending a message my way onTwitter!
'On the Waterfront'
'Sex, Lies and Videotape'
'Mystery Train'
'Altered States'
'Pink Flamingos'
'La Dolce Vita'
'High Plains Drifter'/'Pale Rider'/'The Outlaw Josey Wales' (Triple Feature)
'Return to Oz'
Previous Entries:
'Cannibal Holocaust'
'The 39 Steps'
'Bicycle Thieves'
'Moulin Rouge'
'The Sound of Music'
'Rebel Without a Cause'
'A Matter of Life and Death'
'Julia'
'Bride of Frankenstein'
'The Monster Squad'
'Solaris (2002)'
'Solaris (1972)'
'Soylent Green'
'Silent Running'
'Colossus: The Forbin Project'
'Cocoon'
'Enemy Mine'
'A Boy and His Dog'
'The Thing From Another World'
'Forbidden Planet'
'Logan's Run'
'Starman'
'Strange Days'
'Tron'
понедельник, 10 января 2011 г.
Where Everyone Has Gone Before #25: 'Death Wish'
воскресенье, 9 января 2011 г.
Movie News Quick Hits: 'Wonder Woman' TV Show Halted, Trent Reznor Scoring 'Dragon Tattoo' and More
-- Here's a scanned photo ofHugo Weavingas Johann Schmidt (aka Red Skull) in'Captain America: The First Avenger.' Can you Marvel geeks guess what he's holding in his hand? {via SFX Magazine, courtesy ofComic Book Movie}
-- David E. Kelley's proposed 'Wonder Women' TV showisn't going to happenanytime soon after failing to land a deal with any of the major networks for various reasons (the high budget played a factor, while others were just too indecisive). The script may still be used in the future, and a big-screen version is likely to happen at some point down the line.
-- In a livestream interview with the New York Times (viaSlashfilm),Trent Reznoradmitted that he'll be scoring David Fincher's adaptation of'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.'He's been working on it for about six weeks now, and says we should expect something very different from his score for 'The Social Network.'
-- In a press release sent out yesterday,Elijah Woodwas officially confirmed to be starring in Peter Jackson's'The Hobbit,' though we're still unsure of how big of a role he'll be playing.
-- Despite rumors thatAndy SambergandJohnny Knoxville were among those shortlisted for roles in'The Three Stooges'movie, the film's co-writer Peter Farrelly toldEWthat it's still"wide open to everybody,"meaning they haven't selected anyone to play anything yet.
-- More debunking took place at 'The Dilemma' junket yesterday whereIvan Reitmanclaimed thateverything we think we know about'Ghostbusters 3'is false since the script was just turned in. That said, the main structure of the film -- including the original cast passing the torch to a younger crop of Ghostbusters -- still seems to be the case.
--AMC Theaterswill once again be hosting a marathon of all the films nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Details are limited now since nominations haven't been handed out, though we do know that the marathon will take place on two consecutive Saturdays: February 19th and 26th.
-- On the heels of 'True Grit' becoming the most successful Coen Bros. film ever, the writer-directors gaveEWa list of their five favorite Westerns. Funnily enough, the original 'True Grit' isn't one of them. They are ...
1. One Upon a Time in the West (1968)
2. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
3. Greaser's Palace (1972)
4. Doc (1971)
5. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
-- Here's the latest domestic trailer for Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's 'Paul.'
-- And finally, here's what it would look like ifStanley Kubrickdirected'Iron Man.'{viaio9}
суббота, 8 января 2011 г.
2010 Box Office Wrap: Hollywood Has Second-Best Year Ever
This is the time of year when motion picture industry pundits weigh in on two important issues: The best films (and actors and directors and etc.) of the year and the year-end box office results. The former is a gauge of popularity and art; the later a gauge of popularity and business.
Anne Thompson, of Moviefone sister site indieWIRE,has just posted her take on the 2010 box office, and she paints a mixed picture for Hollywood. According to Thompson, while there was a whole flotilla of sinking"uber-flops ... thanks to holdover 'Avatar' and premium 3-D ticket prices, (the studios) enjoyed their second-best year at the domestic box office with $10.46 billion, off less than 2 percent from 2009's all-time haul of $10.6 billion."Much of that take was due to higher ticker prices: the average price went from $7.46 in 2009 to $7.85 in the third quarter, thanks mostly to premium 3-D pricing. On the other hand, admissions fell 6 percent from 1.42 billion in 2009 to 1.33 billion in 2010. That's a lot fewer butts in seats, Thompson notes.
Despite the yin/yang box office totals (more money/fewer seats sold), Thompson happily reports that"theatrical, which had lost ground to DVDs, the internet and TiVo during the early part of the century, is again the leading film revenue stream against declining DVD sales and fledgling VOD ancillaries."
According to Thompson, consumers are spending less on building DVD libraries and more on movies-as-destinations and"unforgettable visual trips": Giant screen IMAX saw its global box office double to a new record of $546 million over 2009's $270 million, mostly due to Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland' 'TRON: Legacy.'
And audiences flocked to 3-D, of course, paying premium prices for the privilege of wearing nerdy 3-D glasses. Although audiences of 3-D screenings of 'Toy Story 3' and 'Despicable Me' were half that of 2-D viewings, older crowds took to 'Avatar' and 'Alice in Wonderland' in 3-D by a large margin over flat screenings.
According to Thompson,"it remains to be seen how the 3-D story will play out in 2011, which promises 30 3-D titles. Are film fans dying to see 'Smurfs 3-D' and 'Final Destination 5'?"
The Top 10 films of 2010 by box office:
1.Toy Story 3: $415,0 mil
2.Alice in Wonderland $334.2 mil
3.Iron Man 2 $312.1 mil
4.The Twilight Saga: Eclipse $300.5 mil
5.Inception $292.6 mil
6.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 $285.3 mil
7.Despicable Me $251.2 mil
8.Shrek Forever After $238.4 mil
9.How to Train Your Dragon $217.6 mil
10.The Karate Kid $176.6 mil
Thompson's post goes on to analyze box office performance by studio (Warner Bros. is No. 1, followed by Paramount, Disney, Fox, Sony and Universal) and looks at how the industry successfully -- or unsuccessfully -- marketed their films (ill-fated marriages between stars and concepts, banking on fanboys, poor holiday scheduling, adult dramas, etc.) and much more. It's a must read for anyone who wants to take -- and understand -- the pulse of the industry.
пятница, 7 января 2011 г.
'Three Stooges' Short List Includes Samberg, Knoxville and ... Jacobson?
Seems like it's been years that we've been hearing about some sort of 'Three Stooges' movie ... and that's because we have. Once upon a time, people like Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn were actually involved with the project, but let's get real for a second. Nobody ever expected to see Sean Penn playing a Stooge.
But now comes some intriguing word fromThe Wrap, and that word is this: Fox's"short list"for the flick -- which the studio recently took over from MGM, with Peter and Bobby Farrelly set to direct -- now includesJohnny Knoxville('Jackass'),Andy Samberg('Hot Rod') and an Australian comedian namedShane Jacobson, whom some may remember from the funny import called'Kenny.'For those who are unfamiliar with the actors' appearances, or (gasp!) The Three Stooges, the tentative line-up would have Knoxville as Moe, Samberg as Larry and Jacobson as Curly.
Here's an interesting tidbit, though:"The plan is to divide the PG-rated film into three, 27-minute segments driven by physical comedy, with a start date of March 14."Sounds like an interesting plan the Farrelly brothers are cooking up.
More information on this one as it becomes available.
четверг, 6 января 2011 г.
Exclusive 'The Dilemma' Clip: Vince Vaughn Rolls Into Some Nasty Plants
In'The Dilemma,'Vince Vaughndiscovers that his best friend's wife (Winona Ryder) is cheating on him and sets out to prove it.
But his plan isn't without a few bumps in the road -- and on the face. In this exclusive clip, which aired tonight at thePeople's Choice Awards, Vaughn rolls into some nasty foliage after seeing the adulterous couple kiss, resulting in some pretty bad side effects.
Queen Latifah also makes her mark, offering Vaughn some karate lessons from her personal trainer. (Doesn't look like he's game though.)
'The Dilemma' premieres January 14, 2011.
Vaughn's played a lot of funny men in his career. But, aside from this upcoming film, which do you think has been his best role?
среда, 5 января 2011 г.
Roger Ebert Announces New 'At the Movies' Co-Host -- Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
But last month, the soon-to-be-revived show hit a snag. Mitchell was out of the program, leaving a starring spot to fill. However,sources revealedthat two replacement choices were already being pondered --"a young male in his mid-20s with little or no experience as a movie critic or as a TV talent,' or another critic said to be the"female version of tart-tongued former 'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell."
And now we'll just have to keep wondering who the female Cowell was because the 'At the Movies' team has decided to go with the young man -- Ignatiy Vishnevetsky.
Vishnevetsky might be a new name on the scene, but he's got a slew of solid references. He's a critic and essayist at Mubi.com (previously The Auteurs), which features streaming arthouse and foreign films, he co-founded Cine-File.info, writes for The Chicago Reader and is a programmer for the University of Chicago's Cine-File Selects series. Having moved to the U.S. from Russia when he was 9, he's also only 24 years old.
According to Ebert's press release, he was"struck by the depth and detail of {Ignatiy's} film knowledge, and by how articulate he was."To give you a feel forhis spin:
On 'My Little Chickadee':"Mae West is paired with (or, really, against) W.C. Fields, whose nose is roughly the shape and size of one of her breasts. West had by this point already graduated from plump, foul-mouthed sexpot to biologically female drag queen. Fields, vaudeville juggler turned hooch-scented misanthrope, misogynist, mis-everything, seems like the perfect foil to deflate her everything (not the least of which is her ego)."
On 'Centurion':"The writer/director's usual men vs. women dynamics (or, more accurately, characters governed by allegiances and social conventions against characters governed by principles) get a good workout, and there's almost enough ridiculously-hard-boiled dialogue and narration to qualify this as a 'Roman noir.'"
On 'True Grit':"'True Grit,' for better or worse, is an object d'art, and at a certain point it becomes impermeable. This makes it all the more ironic (and fascinating) that the character-driven non-plot of 'True Grit' -- a small group of people whose sense of identity, purpose and the world expresses itself through 'inevitable' petty actions, and ultimately through a selfless act -- is essentially the story of the old (still extant) cinema."
As for his televised persona,Ray Prideoffers up the below taste, at 1:03.
The show debuts on January 21. Will you tune in?
вторник, 4 января 2011 г.
Top Film Events of the Week: Midnight Movies Galore, Ben Affleck& 'The Thing'
Now that everyone's gotten through the holidays and the new year and exchanged all of their unwanted gifts and bought all of that stuff that went on sale and relaxed with their families and gorged themselves on delicious, decadent food, it's time once again to take a look at the best way to work off all of that end-of-year indulgence: by sitting in a movie theater. Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of programmers spent more time watching movies than setting up screenings for them, which is why this week's offerings are fairly anemic, at least until the film festivals get cranked up.
But before we get to the stuff we think you should see elsewhere in the country, we would like to remind you to please leave comments and send in emails (leads AT cinematical.com) with any suggestions you may have for events, screenings, or other opportunities film fans may have to share with others in their celebration of the medium. Also, when and if you attend any of the events listed below, please let us know about your experiences, and let the organizers know where you found out about it!
Austin
For a truly bizarre and unforgettable moviegoing experience, head to the Alamo Ritz on Wednesday,January 5, for a screening of the so-underground-cult-doesn't-define-it flick'The Black Gestapo.'Recommended highly byBadass Digest Editor-in-Chief Devin Faraci, the film is a wild blaxploitation film from 1975 that must be seen to be believed. Check out theAlamo Ritz websitefor screening details and ticket information.
Tickets are going fast, but get thee into the Alamo Ritz''Lord of the Rings' Trilogy Hobbit FeastonJanuary 9. Seven courses are served over the course of all three films, so rest assured that you'll get a chance to have both first and second breakfast, as well as a few other dishes that even Hobbits might not have thought of. Check out theAlamo Ritz websitefor screening details and ticket information.Dallas
At midnight on Friday and Saturday,January 7and8, cult luminary Tommy Wiseau will make an in-person appearance at the Inwood Theatre to introduce and discuss his long-running cult sensation'The Room.'Come on down and see if he always meant for it to be laughed at instead of with and make sure you check out theInwood Theatre websitefor screening details and ticket information.
Los Angeles
At the Aero Theatre onJanuary 6, seeBen Affleckin person as he hosts a screening of his two directorial efforts,'The Town'and'Gone Baby Gone.'The first film starts at 7:30 PM, but make sure you check out theAero Theatre websitefor screening details and ticket information.
On Friday night,January 7, head to the New Beverly Cinema for their monthly screening of theater-owner Quentin Tarantino's classic film'Pulp Fiction.'Rumor has it that Tarantino sometimes shows up to chat with attendees, but make sure you check out theNew Beverly Cinema websitefor screening details and ticket information.
Meanwhile, over at the Cinefamily,January 7marks the opening of their limited run for the acclaimed Greek film'Dogtooth.'A totally messed-up portrait of totalitarian rule as re-enacted in an upper-middle-class household, it's the sort of film you have to see, just so you can say you survived it. Make sure you check out theCinefamily websitefor screening details and ticket information.And if you haven't had enough of movies after 'Dogtooth,' stick around the Cinefamily for a midnight show of the hilarious horror comedy'Tucker& Dale vs. Evil.'Not only is this an extremely rare screening of the film, which has yet to secure theatrical distributions, but director Eli Craig will appear in person to introduce the film and host the screening. Make sure you check out theCinefamily websitefor screening details and ticket information.
New York
In a shocking turn of events, at midnight on Friday and Saturday,January 7and8, the Sunshine Cinema is playing Edgar Wright's'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.'Make sure you check out theSunshine Cinema websitefor screening details and ticket information.
San Francisco
Thankfully not a midnight screening, but make sure you head to the Castro Theatre onJanuary 7thfor a double feature of'The Princess Bride'and'Time Bandits,'starting at 7:30 PM. Make sure you check out theCastro Theatre websitefor screening details and ticket information.
Washington D.C.
More midnight madness ensues at the E Street Cinema onJanuary 7and8with screenings of John Carpenter's remake of'The Thing.'Worth seeing as the only movie from Carpenter's career for which he didn't compose the score himself, or, we suppose, for being a totally awesome, scary movie on its own merits. Check out theE Street Cinema websitefor screening details and ticket information.
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