Wednesday, October 27, 2004
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Directed by Robert Wiene
In 1920, cinema was changed. When Robert Wiene filmed The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari he started the German Expressionist Movement and created the first ever horror film. The story is based on a 12th century monk who had trained a somnambulist to murder people. In this version, Caligari (Werner Krauss) is a psychiatrist who specializes in somnambulism.
The film opens with Francis (Friedrich Freher) discussing spiritual matters with an unnamed man. A beautiful woman (Lil Dagover) dressed all in white walks by. Her dress is a stark contrast to the dark surroundings. She seems to float by more than walk. Coming on the heels of the two men discussing spiritualism, she has an eerie, dreamlike presence. Francis claims she, who we will later find out is named Jane, is his betrothed and that they have seen something more amazing than anyone could believe. He then begins to recount the tale.
There is a traveling fair that is coming to town. We are introduced to Alan (Hans Heinrich von Twardowski) who is Francis’ best friend. Alan receives a flyer for the fair and he talks Francis into going to it with him. The two friends decide to attend.
The next character we meet is Dr. Caligari himself. The first thing we notice about Caligari is his outfit. He is dressed in mostly black. He wears a cape and top hat that has a magus-like air to it. Judging simply by his clothing, we get the feeling that he is a mysterious and possibly malevolent man. His gloves, in particular, are telling. They are all black except for white stripes along each of the fingers that make them look skeletal. He walks hunched over and hobbles along with a cane. There is a sense of frailty about him. He enters the town clerk’s office and tries to acquire a permit for his concession to be at the fair. We find out that he is a doctor and wishes to display a somnambulist. The clerk, who is apparently in a bad mood, dismisses him and passes him off to a subordinate. Caligari gets his approval.
Francis and Alan end up going to the fair where they attend Caligari’s show. Caligari explains that within this cabinet is a man who has been sleeping for 25 years. He will soon wake and be willing to answer any questions that one wishes to pose. Soon the cabinet is opened and we see Cesare (Conrad Veidt) for the first time. Cesare has excessively pale white skin and is dressed in all black. Under his eyes are dark, black smudges. This makeup technique is used to show that he is evil (it’s used again by Fritz Lang in the 1927 movie Metropolis to allow the audience to distinguish between the Good Maria and the Evil Maria). Cesare stays very rigid as he walks. This non-fluid motion makes Cesare seem even more creepy. The cabinet itself is of interest too. It looks like a coffin. It’s as if Wiene is trying to say that sleep is akin to death. It also provides a Dracula metaphor by having the killer sleep in a coffin.
Since Caligari had said Cesare could answer any question, Alan decides to ask him one. He wants to know when he will die. Cesare replies, “You are not long for this world, you die at dawn.” Thanks to the look on Alan’s face the scene is one of great horror. His expression shows that he believes Cesare and he fears for his life. The two friends leave the fair and return home for the night. As Alan sleeps that night, Cesare creeps into his room and kills him. We never actually see Cesare kill Alan. In what would become a trademark of German Expressionism, the director only shows us the shadows that Cesare and Alan cast upon the wall. Alan’s death has proven Cesare’s prophesy. Francis suspects that Caligari and Cesare have had something to do with the death of his friend. Francis, accompanied by Dr. Olson (Rudolph Lettinger), goes to confront Caligari. They demand to see Cesare and question Caligari about Alan’s murder.
Later in the day, Jane, Dr. Olson’s daughter, goes looking for her father. She comes to Dr. Caligari’s tent at the fair and asks if her father has been there. Caligari invites her to wait for him there. Jane comes inside and Caligari allows her to meet Cesare up close and personal. Jane is taken aback by the appearance of Cesare. She is clearly frightened by him and runs out of the tent. Caligari decides to make Jane his next victim.
The scene in which Cesare goes to kill Jane is a pivotal one in the film. The musical score supplies a great aural backdrop throughout the film, but when Cesare is about to kill Jane the music ceases and the audience is confronted with an eerie silence. Cesare looks down upon his victim and is about to stab her when he suddenly pauses. The audience is lead to assume that it is her beauty that stops him. He feels for her. The evil man falling for the beautiful victim would become a classic motif in horror films. It’s a tradition stretching back to the 1757 fairytale Beauty and the Beast and still present in modern cinema, literature and drama. Instead of killing her, he kidnaps her and tries to run away with her. As he is followed by townspeople, he drops her and runs off on his own. We will later hear that he has plummeted to his death in a nearby ravine.
In Francis’ search for answers to his friend’s death and his beloved’s capture, he comes across a sanitarium. He tries to find out if Caligari is a patient there. When orderlies direct him to the office of the head of the institution he is surprised to find himself face to face with Dr. Caligari again. He convinces the staff of the hospital to investigate the matter. The film cuts back and forth between Caligari’s bedroom where we see him sleeping and Caligari’s office where we see Francis and a few of the hospital staff searching for clues. They find notebooks and case studies dealing with somnambulism. They also find a book detailing the life of the original 12th century mountebank monk Caligari and his exploitation of a somnambulist. When confronted with the evidence, our Caligari denies everything until he is shown the corpse of Cesare. He is restrained in a straightjacket and put into isolation.
The film shifts back to the beginning as Francis concludes his tale. It is only then that we realize that Francis is the one in an institution. The entire story has been told by a madman. All of the principal characters then appear. We see Cesare, sans black eye shadow (but still looking fairly creepy). He is another patient at the asylum. Jane is a patient too, we find out that she believes she is of royal blood and is not really engaged to Francis. Dr. Caligari enters as the head of the institute (walking upright without a need for, or possession of, a cane). Francis begins ranting and raving, claiming that Caligari is evil and dangerous. He is taken away and the movie ends with the doctor realizing that Francis has mistaken him for the legendary Caligari, but he has figured out how to cure Francis of his madness.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a primary example of German Expressionist Cinema. The use of shadow vs. light is a main feature of the film. On top of that the sets themselves are intriguing. Caligari’s trailer in which he lives is skewed. Everything inside and out is slanted. It symbolizes that he, being criminally insane, is also skewed or slanted. The sets were made of paper and cardboard which was then painted to make things appear dark and strange. The film doesn’t follow a typical linear chronology. The entire movie has an aura of strangeness and unfamiliarity to it. Things seem normal while also seeming just slightly off, slightly skewed.
As the first true horror movie, the whole genre has been influenced by this film in some way. If only for that reason, this is a movie that even should its ability to terrify diminish, it will still be held as a classic and revered as a benchmark in cinema history.
Directed by Robert Wiene
In 1920, cinema was changed. When Robert Wiene filmed The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari he started the German Expressionist Movement and created the first ever horror film. The story is based on a 12th century monk who had trained a somnambulist to murder people. In this version, Caligari (Werner Krauss) is a psychiatrist who specializes in somnambulism.
The film opens with Francis (Friedrich Freher) discussing spiritual matters with an unnamed man. A beautiful woman (Lil Dagover) dressed all in white walks by. Her dress is a stark contrast to the dark surroundings. She seems to float by more than walk. Coming on the heels of the two men discussing spiritualism, she has an eerie, dreamlike presence. Francis claims she, who we will later find out is named Jane, is his betrothed and that they have seen something more amazing than anyone could believe. He then begins to recount the tale.
There is a traveling fair that is coming to town. We are introduced to Alan (Hans Heinrich von Twardowski) who is Francis’ best friend. Alan receives a flyer for the fair and he talks Francis into going to it with him. The two friends decide to attend.
The next character we meet is Dr. Caligari himself. The first thing we notice about Caligari is his outfit. He is dressed in mostly black. He wears a cape and top hat that has a magus-like air to it. Judging simply by his clothing, we get the feeling that he is a mysterious and possibly malevolent man. His gloves, in particular, are telling. They are all black except for white stripes along each of the fingers that make them look skeletal. He walks hunched over and hobbles along with a cane. There is a sense of frailty about him. He enters the town clerk’s office and tries to acquire a permit for his concession to be at the fair. We find out that he is a doctor and wishes to display a somnambulist. The clerk, who is apparently in a bad mood, dismisses him and passes him off to a subordinate. Caligari gets his approval.
Francis and Alan end up going to the fair where they attend Caligari’s show. Caligari explains that within this cabinet is a man who has been sleeping for 25 years. He will soon wake and be willing to answer any questions that one wishes to pose. Soon the cabinet is opened and we see Cesare (Conrad Veidt) for the first time. Cesare has excessively pale white skin and is dressed in all black. Under his eyes are dark, black smudges. This makeup technique is used to show that he is evil (it’s used again by Fritz Lang in the 1927 movie Metropolis to allow the audience to distinguish between the Good Maria and the Evil Maria). Cesare stays very rigid as he walks. This non-fluid motion makes Cesare seem even more creepy. The cabinet itself is of interest too. It looks like a coffin. It’s as if Wiene is trying to say that sleep is akin to death. It also provides a Dracula metaphor by having the killer sleep in a coffin.
Since Caligari had said Cesare could answer any question, Alan decides to ask him one. He wants to know when he will die. Cesare replies, “You are not long for this world, you die at dawn.” Thanks to the look on Alan’s face the scene is one of great horror. His expression shows that he believes Cesare and he fears for his life. The two friends leave the fair and return home for the night. As Alan sleeps that night, Cesare creeps into his room and kills him. We never actually see Cesare kill Alan. In what would become a trademark of German Expressionism, the director only shows us the shadows that Cesare and Alan cast upon the wall. Alan’s death has proven Cesare’s prophesy. Francis suspects that Caligari and Cesare have had something to do with the death of his friend. Francis, accompanied by Dr. Olson (Rudolph Lettinger), goes to confront Caligari. They demand to see Cesare and question Caligari about Alan’s murder.
Later in the day, Jane, Dr. Olson’s daughter, goes looking for her father. She comes to Dr. Caligari’s tent at the fair and asks if her father has been there. Caligari invites her to wait for him there. Jane comes inside and Caligari allows her to meet Cesare up close and personal. Jane is taken aback by the appearance of Cesare. She is clearly frightened by him and runs out of the tent. Caligari decides to make Jane his next victim.
The scene in which Cesare goes to kill Jane is a pivotal one in the film. The musical score supplies a great aural backdrop throughout the film, but when Cesare is about to kill Jane the music ceases and the audience is confronted with an eerie silence. Cesare looks down upon his victim and is about to stab her when he suddenly pauses. The audience is lead to assume that it is her beauty that stops him. He feels for her. The evil man falling for the beautiful victim would become a classic motif in horror films. It’s a tradition stretching back to the 1757 fairytale Beauty and the Beast and still present in modern cinema, literature and drama. Instead of killing her, he kidnaps her and tries to run away with her. As he is followed by townspeople, he drops her and runs off on his own. We will later hear that he has plummeted to his death in a nearby ravine.
In Francis’ search for answers to his friend’s death and his beloved’s capture, he comes across a sanitarium. He tries to find out if Caligari is a patient there. When orderlies direct him to the office of the head of the institution he is surprised to find himself face to face with Dr. Caligari again. He convinces the staff of the hospital to investigate the matter. The film cuts back and forth between Caligari’s bedroom where we see him sleeping and Caligari’s office where we see Francis and a few of the hospital staff searching for clues. They find notebooks and case studies dealing with somnambulism. They also find a book detailing the life of the original 12th century mountebank monk Caligari and his exploitation of a somnambulist. When confronted with the evidence, our Caligari denies everything until he is shown the corpse of Cesare. He is restrained in a straightjacket and put into isolation.
The film shifts back to the beginning as Francis concludes his tale. It is only then that we realize that Francis is the one in an institution. The entire story has been told by a madman. All of the principal characters then appear. We see Cesare, sans black eye shadow (but still looking fairly creepy). He is another patient at the asylum. Jane is a patient too, we find out that she believes she is of royal blood and is not really engaged to Francis. Dr. Caligari enters as the head of the institute (walking upright without a need for, or possession of, a cane). Francis begins ranting and raving, claiming that Caligari is evil and dangerous. He is taken away and the movie ends with the doctor realizing that Francis has mistaken him for the legendary Caligari, but he has figured out how to cure Francis of his madness.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a primary example of German Expressionist Cinema. The use of shadow vs. light is a main feature of the film. On top of that the sets themselves are intriguing. Caligari’s trailer in which he lives is skewed. Everything inside and out is slanted. It symbolizes that he, being criminally insane, is also skewed or slanted. The sets were made of paper and cardboard which was then painted to make things appear dark and strange. The film doesn’t follow a typical linear chronology. The entire movie has an aura of strangeness and unfamiliarity to it. Things seem normal while also seeming just slightly off, slightly skewed.
As the first true horror movie, the whole genre has been influenced by this film in some way. If only for that reason, this is a movie that even should its ability to terrify diminish, it will still be held as a classic and revered as a benchmark in cinema history.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Another New Link!
I stumbled across Cinefania Online Movie Database today. It's an archive specifically for Sci-Fi, Horror and Fantasy movies.
And check back tomorrow for a new critique....I figured something Halloweenish would be appropriate.
And check back tomorrow for a new critique....I figured something Halloweenish would be appropriate.
Friday, October 22, 2004
New Link Added
I came across Lists of Bests: All Movie List and had to add it to my list of links.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Directed by Blake Edwards
Based on a novella by Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a story about Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) and her search for security and love in the upper stratum of New York society.
Throughout the story we find out small clues about Holly’s past. She comes from the backwoods and has been “created” by a Hollywood producer named O.J. Berman (Martin Balsam). He intended to make her a star in the motion picture industry. What he didn’t count on is that Holly is not a tamable animal. She is a wild thing, born to run free. She ran off to New York because she had never been to New York before. As it turns out, the desire for new experience is often what motivates Holly. She is always up for trying new and different things whether it be marriage or walking the streets of New York in the early morning.
Holly has a pet cat (Orangey). She found him in the street and brought him home. The cat’s name is simply “cat” because Holly doesn’t believe she really owns him and therefore has no right to give him a name. The cat is a perfect mirror image of Holly. She too was a no-name slob that was found on the street. She is undeniably curious. She classifies the men she chases after as “rats” and “super-rats”. There is a sort of cat-motif throughout the movie. Paul Varjak (George Peppard), the man who loves Holly, is a writer. The book he has published is called Nine Lives. When he and Holly steal Halloween masks from a five and dime, Paul chooses a cat mask.
One thing I noticed this time watching the movie were some subtle references to Marilyn Monroe. Apparently she was originally supposed to play the role of Holly Golightly. An interesting thing about that is that Holly and Marilyn have many similarities. Though Truman Capote insists that the character is based on Carol Grace who had been a friend of his when he lived in New York, there is enough in the film version to suggest that Holly is also based on Marilyn. The most subtle is when Paul is reading a letter from José da Silva Pereira (José Luis de Villalonga) to Holly. He refers to her as “a beautiful child” in the letter. Truman Capote once wrote a short story about an afternoon he spent with Marilyn Monroe. It is titled “A Beautiful Child”. When Marilyn asks Truman what he would say if someone asked him to describe the real her, he replies, “I’d say you are a beautiful child”. The more obvious connections are that Marilyn was pulled from humble beginnings, had her name changed and was turned into a star and an icon.
Edith Head (who is best remembered for her work with Alfred Hitchcock) was the costume supervisor for this film. We see Holly’s clothes change drastically over the course of the film but the one thing that remains constant is that they reflect her current mood or circumstance. When she is the glamorous and glitzy starlet she is dressed in elaborate hats, dresses and jewelry. But when she is at her most morose after being cast aside by José she is wearing a simple, bland sweater. Just before she accepts that she is in love with Paul, she changes back into a beautiful black dress. It’s as if the choice of clothing is trying to convey that Holly is back on her feet and ready to take on the world again.
Holly’s world is one of extravagance and luxury. But by the end of the film she is casting all of that aside to be with Paul. She gives up all of it for love. That is one of the things that makes this one of the more beautiful love stories in cinema history. But it is also a coming of age story as we see Holly growing up and realizing what is really important in life is not the $50 you get from some gentleman who desires you for your appearance, but the love you get from the man who desires you for who you are.
Directed by Blake Edwards
Based on a novella by Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a story about Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) and her search for security and love in the upper stratum of New York society.
Throughout the story we find out small clues about Holly’s past. She comes from the backwoods and has been “created” by a Hollywood producer named O.J. Berman (Martin Balsam). He intended to make her a star in the motion picture industry. What he didn’t count on is that Holly is not a tamable animal. She is a wild thing, born to run free. She ran off to New York because she had never been to New York before. As it turns out, the desire for new experience is often what motivates Holly. She is always up for trying new and different things whether it be marriage or walking the streets of New York in the early morning.
Holly has a pet cat (Orangey). She found him in the street and brought him home. The cat’s name is simply “cat” because Holly doesn’t believe she really owns him and therefore has no right to give him a name. The cat is a perfect mirror image of Holly. She too was a no-name slob that was found on the street. She is undeniably curious. She classifies the men she chases after as “rats” and “super-rats”. There is a sort of cat-motif throughout the movie. Paul Varjak (George Peppard), the man who loves Holly, is a writer. The book he has published is called Nine Lives. When he and Holly steal Halloween masks from a five and dime, Paul chooses a cat mask.
One thing I noticed this time watching the movie were some subtle references to Marilyn Monroe. Apparently she was originally supposed to play the role of Holly Golightly. An interesting thing about that is that Holly and Marilyn have many similarities. Though Truman Capote insists that the character is based on Carol Grace who had been a friend of his when he lived in New York, there is enough in the film version to suggest that Holly is also based on Marilyn. The most subtle is when Paul is reading a letter from José da Silva Pereira (José Luis de Villalonga) to Holly. He refers to her as “a beautiful child” in the letter. Truman Capote once wrote a short story about an afternoon he spent with Marilyn Monroe. It is titled “A Beautiful Child”. When Marilyn asks Truman what he would say if someone asked him to describe the real her, he replies, “I’d say you are a beautiful child”. The more obvious connections are that Marilyn was pulled from humble beginnings, had her name changed and was turned into a star and an icon.
Edith Head (who is best remembered for her work with Alfred Hitchcock) was the costume supervisor for this film. We see Holly’s clothes change drastically over the course of the film but the one thing that remains constant is that they reflect her current mood or circumstance. When she is the glamorous and glitzy starlet she is dressed in elaborate hats, dresses and jewelry. But when she is at her most morose after being cast aside by José she is wearing a simple, bland sweater. Just before she accepts that she is in love with Paul, she changes back into a beautiful black dress. It’s as if the choice of clothing is trying to convey that Holly is back on her feet and ready to take on the world again.
Holly’s world is one of extravagance and luxury. But by the end of the film she is casting all of that aside to be with Paul. She gives up all of it for love. That is one of the things that makes this one of the more beautiful love stories in cinema history. But it is also a coming of age story as we see Holly growing up and realizing what is really important in life is not the $50 you get from some gentleman who desires you for your appearance, but the love you get from the man who desires you for who you are.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Good Burger
Good Burger (1997)
Directed by Brian Robbins
This is a movie that should not be underestimated.
Some people write this off as a child’s movie. It was created by Nickelodeon Studios and was based on sketches from their comedy series All That. It is true that it comes from childish beginnings, but like many things intended for children, there is more to it than meets the eye.
It’s a classic film of good versus evil. Odds this great have not been overcome since the men of Israel sent a young child out into the valley to face the Philistinian giant. The story pits the small restaurant Good Burger against the giant corporation Mondo Burger. In modern times it is a reflection of the true punk rock attitude. Punk kids everywhere shout, "Bring down the man!" and that is one of the themes of this movie.
The movie stars Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson as Ed and Dexter. They have an unlikely meeting as Ed rollerblades in front of Dexter’s car. They meet again when Ed gets Dexter a job at Good Burger. Shortly after we find out that Mondo Burger is about to open and put Good Burger out of business. The tone of the movie shifts from being a buddy film to being a story of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
The scenes inside Mondo Burger are pure parody. Anyone who has ever worked at a major fast food chain feels a certain bond with Ed and Dexter as they try to bring down this corporate giant. We see the employees of Mondo Burger slaving away on an assembly line. They are mindless automatons that work for the Man. They are told that from this moment forward, their lives belong to Mondo Burger. How true is that to the ideals of corporate America?
One of the major differences between Good Burger and Mondo Burger is in the decor. Mondo Burger is awash with vibrant colors. The employees wear uniforms made of shiny, colorful vinyl. The inside of Good Burger is drab by comparison. The employees wear somber, light colored clothing. It harkens back to a time when what was important was good food and good service rather than dazzling the consumer and hoping they don’t notice your shortcomings. The irony is, the movie itself is part of that. I love this movie, so it pains me to point this out. But the movie itself is vibrant and multi-colored. It has a quick pace. It is made to appeal to a crowd that is unaccustomed to deep, contemplative films. This is not a film that gets by on its great plot and great acting. It is not a benchmark in cinematic history.
That said, the acting is above average for this type of film. The legendary Abe Vigoda appears as a senior citizen working at Good Burger. He delivers cynical and bitter one-liners throughout the film. Sinbad makes an appearance as a schoolteacher who has some awful luck and an even more awful fashion sense. The two main characters don’t give the greatest performance ever, but they do admirably well considering their age.
One of the interesting things that this movie tackles is the common American belief that "bigger is better". The plot of the story has Mondo Burger adding a chemical to their ground beef that makes the meat swell up to a size that is two or three times larger than a Good Burger even though they are using the same amount of meat (we assume). People flock to the bigger burgers because people love bigger things, more for your money. But Good Burger wins the day by adding a special sauce to its burgers, this "Ed's Sauce" is what saves the restaurant.
Mondo Burger wants to put Good Burger out of business. They are frustrated by the fact that Good Burger is still open thanks to the new sauce. Is that really parody? Sadly, it's quite true to the real world where we see big, corporate chains opening up next door to family owned businesses and shutting them down completely. It is true that Mondo Burger goes to far greater lengths to get rid of Good Burger than any real corporation would. They have the new sauce chemically analyzed in order to steal the recipe. They send a woman (played by Carmen Electra to seduce Ed and try to steal the sauce recipe away from him. They even send people over to Good Burger to contaminate the sauce with poison.
In order to keep Ed and Dexter occupied while they are trying to contaminate the sauce, Kurt (the manager of Mondo Burger played by Jan Schweiterman) has them locked away in an insane asylum. In an amusing homage to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ed, Dexter and Otis (who had been thrown in with them because he'd caught the Mondo Burger employees tampering with the sauce) escape with the help of an over-sized, speechless man. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the great performance by Mr. George Clinton as an inmate at the asylum who leads his fellow inmates in some line dancing.
The humor in the movie is often infantile and sophomoric. It relies heavily on slapstick, physical comedy. However, there are traces of more subtle forms. Ed, though portrayed as chronically dimwitted, occasionally surprises the audience with bursts of super-intelligence. There are several instances of quick repartee between Ed and Dexter as well as between Ed and some Good Burger customers. The gag of Kurt always speaking of Kurt in the third person is an entertaining bit of scriptwriting.
Another issue of the film is friendship. The bond between Ed and Dexter is based on Dexter's using Ed to get money. However, as the film progresses we see the two of the become close friends and Dexter's using him lessens. That is a rather realistic description of how friendships can come from quite unlikely partnerships. We really see the bond forming when Ed shows Dexter his "special, thinking place".
Ultimately, this movie is a fun time. It mocks the conventions of society while mocking itself. It is a story about friendship and loyalty. It is a tale of good triumphing over evil despite enormous odds.
Directed by Brian Robbins
This is a movie that should not be underestimated.
Some people write this off as a child’s movie. It was created by Nickelodeon Studios and was based on sketches from their comedy series All That. It is true that it comes from childish beginnings, but like many things intended for children, there is more to it than meets the eye.
It’s a classic film of good versus evil. Odds this great have not been overcome since the men of Israel sent a young child out into the valley to face the Philistinian giant. The story pits the small restaurant Good Burger against the giant corporation Mondo Burger. In modern times it is a reflection of the true punk rock attitude. Punk kids everywhere shout, "Bring down the man!" and that is one of the themes of this movie.
The movie stars Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson as Ed and Dexter. They have an unlikely meeting as Ed rollerblades in front of Dexter’s car. They meet again when Ed gets Dexter a job at Good Burger. Shortly after we find out that Mondo Burger is about to open and put Good Burger out of business. The tone of the movie shifts from being a buddy film to being a story of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
The scenes inside Mondo Burger are pure parody. Anyone who has ever worked at a major fast food chain feels a certain bond with Ed and Dexter as they try to bring down this corporate giant. We see the employees of Mondo Burger slaving away on an assembly line. They are mindless automatons that work for the Man. They are told that from this moment forward, their lives belong to Mondo Burger. How true is that to the ideals of corporate America?
One of the major differences between Good Burger and Mondo Burger is in the decor. Mondo Burger is awash with vibrant colors. The employees wear uniforms made of shiny, colorful vinyl. The inside of Good Burger is drab by comparison. The employees wear somber, light colored clothing. It harkens back to a time when what was important was good food and good service rather than dazzling the consumer and hoping they don’t notice your shortcomings. The irony is, the movie itself is part of that. I love this movie, so it pains me to point this out. But the movie itself is vibrant and multi-colored. It has a quick pace. It is made to appeal to a crowd that is unaccustomed to deep, contemplative films. This is not a film that gets by on its great plot and great acting. It is not a benchmark in cinematic history.
That said, the acting is above average for this type of film. The legendary Abe Vigoda appears as a senior citizen working at Good Burger. He delivers cynical and bitter one-liners throughout the film. Sinbad makes an appearance as a schoolteacher who has some awful luck and an even more awful fashion sense. The two main characters don’t give the greatest performance ever, but they do admirably well considering their age.
One of the interesting things that this movie tackles is the common American belief that "bigger is better". The plot of the story has Mondo Burger adding a chemical to their ground beef that makes the meat swell up to a size that is two or three times larger than a Good Burger even though they are using the same amount of meat (we assume). People flock to the bigger burgers because people love bigger things, more for your money. But Good Burger wins the day by adding a special sauce to its burgers, this "Ed's Sauce" is what saves the restaurant.
Mondo Burger wants to put Good Burger out of business. They are frustrated by the fact that Good Burger is still open thanks to the new sauce. Is that really parody? Sadly, it's quite true to the real world where we see big, corporate chains opening up next door to family owned businesses and shutting them down completely. It is true that Mondo Burger goes to far greater lengths to get rid of Good Burger than any real corporation would. They have the new sauce chemically analyzed in order to steal the recipe. They send a woman (played by Carmen Electra to seduce Ed and try to steal the sauce recipe away from him. They even send people over to Good Burger to contaminate the sauce with poison.
In order to keep Ed and Dexter occupied while they are trying to contaminate the sauce, Kurt (the manager of Mondo Burger played by Jan Schweiterman) has them locked away in an insane asylum. In an amusing homage to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ed, Dexter and Otis (who had been thrown in with them because he'd caught the Mondo Burger employees tampering with the sauce) escape with the help of an over-sized, speechless man. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the great performance by Mr. George Clinton as an inmate at the asylum who leads his fellow inmates in some line dancing.
The humor in the movie is often infantile and sophomoric. It relies heavily on slapstick, physical comedy. However, there are traces of more subtle forms. Ed, though portrayed as chronically dimwitted, occasionally surprises the audience with bursts of super-intelligence. There are several instances of quick repartee between Ed and Dexter as well as between Ed and some Good Burger customers. The gag of Kurt always speaking of Kurt in the third person is an entertaining bit of scriptwriting.
Another issue of the film is friendship. The bond between Ed and Dexter is based on Dexter's using Ed to get money. However, as the film progresses we see the two of the become close friends and Dexter's using him lessens. That is a rather realistic description of how friendships can come from quite unlikely partnerships. We really see the bond forming when Ed shows Dexter his "special, thinking place".
Ultimately, this movie is a fun time. It mocks the conventions of society while mocking itself. It is a story about friendship and loyalty. It is a tale of good triumphing over evil despite enormous odds.
Monday, October 11, 2004
Changes Galore!
Often when I am wandering around IMDb, I come across movies I am interested in but are still in production. So, I went through and made a list of these. Partly so I can keep track of them without having to look them up each time and partly so y'all can see what I am looking forward to. Some of them are remakes of movies I love. Some are sequels of movies I love. Some are based on books I love or by authors I love. Some are just movies that may be interesting. Some are movies that are just going to be too awful to miss.
On a side note, there may be a potential problem. I rented the movie that I intend to review first. Sadly, my Playstation will not play it. I may have to change movies. This is what sucks about only having a Playstation for a dvd player. Fortunately, my birthday is next week and I have asked for a real dvd player, so life should get better soon. I promise that if I have to choose a different movie as my first one, I will still do this one as soon as I am able.
On a side note, there may be a potential problem. I rented the movie that I intend to review first. Sadly, my Playstation will not play it. I may have to change movies. This is what sucks about only having a Playstation for a dvd player. Fortunately, my birthday is next week and I have asked for a real dvd player, so life should get better soon. I promise that if I have to choose a different movie as my first one, I will still do this one as soon as I am able.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
New Additions!
Ok, I added a list of The Top 25 Movies complete with IMDb links for each. I have decided on which movie to start with here at I.R. Critic. I have Tuesday off from work and I will watch it then. The review will be up sometime Tuesday or Wednesday.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Grand Opening of I.R. Critic
A friend of mine suggested that I start blogging movie critiques. He knows I have a great love of film and a greater love of being an opinionated bastard. So, this will be the home of I.R. Critic!
Now I just have to choose a proper first film to critique....
Now I just have to choose a proper first film to critique....
