Nightmare Alley
Epic noir narrative that is closer to the stunning roman noir
by William Lindsay Gresham
than was the original film version with Tyrone Power
I regret that it ends on the book's bitter dialogue
before he becomes a geek, whereas one of the most chilling moments
in the 1947 film was Tyrone howling in madness at the end
Kate Blanchett's face in the scene were she's putting the knife in
is a nightmare in itself all the way to grotesque
She looks carved like a carousel horse or
like the wooden doll's head of Russian Xmas witch Baba Yaga
like Madam of Waylon and Madam
In a swanky art deco world with lots of snowy scenes
there isn't an Xmas tree in sight
End Credits with "pickled punk"
Nightmare Alley:
Vision in Darkness and Light
Vision in Darkness and Light
Naturally as a life-long Noirist
I went again to see the black & white version on the silver screen
This time at the venerable Grand Lake Theater on a bier screen
Coincidentally it was the night that the Noir City Festival was to begin
Postponed this year due to an ominous Omicron outbreak
I went again to see the black & white version on the silver screen
This time at the venerable Grand Lake Theater on a bier screen
Coincidentally it was the night that the Noir City Festival was to begin
Postponed this year due to an ominous Omicron outbreak
Less than 20 people attended this Friday night premiere in a large theater
The film is beautiful in b&w which is not
to say it looks entirely like original era films noir
When Stanton leaves his burning homestead
we see him in perfect focus close up
and the house burning in the background is also in complete focus
-- 21st century HD digital universal focus I suspect
Other little tell-tale sins like the daytime sky being bright white
resembling art film like Bergman
or drive-in movies like Night of the Living Dead
That said there are numerous moments made numinous by b&w--
unconscious memories of ferris wheels in old movies on TV
On the whole I would say the color version is superior
I ot to revisit and re-cement the experience
in a different modality of perception--
like a newsreel of a fever dream
As I made my way to the EXIT
I noted that the end credits were in color
I noted that the end credits were in color
The Velvet Underground
Luxurious split screen multi-media experience
of one my top five bands of their era
A fascinating survey of the sixties NYC art scene
and the Velvet Underground's place in it
with uneven emphasis on the first two albums
Sterling and Moe are underappreciated
and Doug Yule barely mentioned at all
and he was not interviewed for the film
Criticism aside it's mandatory for any
lover of the VU and of art rock on the dark side
End credits with Lou Reed
No Time To Die
Note the film's release date, the poster is from March 2020
it was up for over a year as the theater remained closed
No Time to Die was finally released
in October 2021 after a year and and a half in the can
it was up for over a year as the theater remained closed
No Time to Die was finally released
in October 2021 after a year and and a half in the can
Everything it should be wit the great assets
of Lea Seydoux and Rami Malek
Daniel as always been up to the job
despite my reservations about is good looks;
of Lea Seydoux and Rami Malek
Daniel as always been up to the job
despite my reservations about is good looks;
he is not exactly conventionally handsome
more like a troglodyte troll doll version of
James Bond
Dune
At this point on my path I can't understand most
of the dialogue in today's feature films as heard
on state-of-the-art DOLBY systems
of the dialogue in today's feature films as heard
on state-of-the-art DOLBY systems
Not a problem at home on my ear buds
The sound of the voice in the theater is too broad --
my ears hear it but can't focus what is articulated
Particularly when the camera doesn't show
the face of the person speaking
Fortunately I had seen the David Lynch version of Dune
so I could generally follow most of the action
Sweeping special effects, interesting design and art direction
The three main roles are adequately filled
although I much preferred Lynch's Baron Harkonnen
A big budget yawn fascinating in its grim way
The sound of the voice in the theater is too broad --
my ears hear it but can't focus what is articulated
Particularly when the camera doesn't show
the face of the person speaking
Fortunately I had seen the David Lynch version of Dune
so I could generally follow most of the action
Sweeping special effects, interesting design and art direction
The three main roles are adequately filled
although I much preferred Lynch's Baron Harkonnen
A big budget yawn fascinating in its grim way
End Credits with Spice storm
Summer of Soul
A recovered project of a series of weekend concerts
in New York City in 1969
featuring prominent Black musical acts of the day
It was shot as a TV special that never saw completion
Called the Black Woodstock and released with the implication
that it was equal to that marathon concert and film
but it was neglected or even intentionally repressed by the Man
But Woodstock was shot on film and this was a video production
The sound and image are a bit diluted
Compare Sly and the Family Stone's appearance
in each of the respective films
And far too many contemporary interviews
stepping on half of the acts shown for bland commentary
That said, there are some very felicitous moments
Nina Simone performance is brilliant,
Mahalia Jackson handing the mic to Mavis Staples,
Some mild scoffing toward Sly's white drummer
in New York City in 1969
featuring prominent Black musical acts of the day
It was shot as a TV special that never saw completion
Called the Black Woodstock and released with the implication
that it was equal to that marathon concert and film
but it was neglected or even intentionally repressed by the Man
But Woodstock was shot on film and this was a video production
The sound and image are a bit diluted
Compare Sly and the Family Stone's appearance
in each of the respective films
And far too many contemporary interviews
stepping on half of the acts shown for bland commentary
That said, there are some very felicitous moments
Nina Simone performance is brilliant,
Mahalia Jackson handing the mic to Mavis Staples,
Some mild scoffing toward Sly's white drummer
when he walks on stage
only to see him straighten out any doubt
only to see him straighten out any doubt
Copasetic scene in a crowded inner city park
The Tragedy of Macbeth
An extraordinary film that might
have been a true masterpiece in film history
Mick Lasalle of the SF Chronicle best makes the point
in his admirably contrarian review:
"Denzel Washinghton and Frances McDormand misfit
in otherwise remarkable Tragedy of Macbeth"
The Macbeths were an ambitious couple in their prime
So obviously Denzel & Frances who are both in their 60s
are just too old for their roles
Denzel recites Shakespeare's blank verse
as if it were a modern script, casually
but one can't really "method act" Macbeth and
it only adds to the unintelligibility of his dialogue,
Both leads recite nearly all their lines
at a pillow-talk volume level
as if constantly afraid of being overheard,
Then there's the issue of casting black actors
as the various Scotsmen involved
Clan allegiances are confusing to say the least
not to mention racial overtones-- I blame Hamilton
The British and Irish actors unlike the American stars
all seem to understand the importance
of articulating the Bard's words clearly
oterwise it's all just a blur
They seem to always get it right
Alex Hassell as Thane of Ross nearly steals the show
Caveats aside, what bravura film-making
Cinematography, art direction, set design,
all in shimmering Bergmanesque black and white
Deceptively minimalist architecture and decoration
form a maze of entrapment and madness
The three witches are all performed by Kathryn Hunter
a phenomenal contortionist-actress with a devil's mannish voice
(She performs Samuel Beckett's demanding works on stage)
Appearing here in incredibly innovative scenes of the macabre
she is pure tour-de-force
A supernatural Symbolist,
chiaroscuro Expressionist version
of the Elizabethan origin of the thriller noir
Try for the largest screen you can muster
The film ends
in a mad rush of crows
The Power of the Dog
(comments to follow)
Alternate reality
Pre-release poster
Pre-release poster
30 December 2021
