Are movies over-hyped?

 
More specifically, are movies over-hyped to the point our expectations for a particular film are raised so high, it makes it next to impossible to truly enjoy that movie?

In the era of the internet, film connoisseurs, geeks, nerds, all have 24-7 access to information regarding any film that's due to come out later in the year (or the year after that!). When I was a kid, the only inside access we had was either movie trailers that we'd see on TV or at the movies, or heading to the local corner store to pick up the latest issue of various film magazines. Word of mouth seemed to be the hype machine 30 years ago, and it wasn't uncommon for a films box office to go up in the second or third week of release as opposed to the first. From my perspective, that limited amount of exposure films received until released, offered a sort of innocence along with going to the movies. Now it's just too damn easy to get access to the latest tidbits, and rumors regarding a highly anticipated film.

For example, Ridley Scott's Prometheus has been over-hyped from day one of being announced it was green lit back in 2011. Maybe for good reason, a lot of closet geeks like myself want to see if he has the ability to catch lightning in a bottle twice, by returning to the "ALIEN" universe he successfully delivered on screen back in 1979. OK, great, but what if it sucks? And what if that suckage really stems more from the constant stream of news related to its production, it's leaked plot information, and all of the current movie fandom websites that spew something new every other day about this film? Time will tell what kind of palpable effect it has on the audience opinion.

It makes me wonder if all of this overabundance of information sort of destroys the point of movies altogether. JJ Abrams, who is a writer/director/producer in Hollywood has always hammered home the point of keeping things a mystery to film audiences. The longer you can keep the audience wondering what the movie is about, the better the payoff when they actually get to see the film firsthand. I agree. It gives you a better chance to be in awe once the theater lights go dark.

In the end, it's probably better to avoid the internet all together when it comes to leaked, upcoming film information. Watch the trailer, and leave it at that until you pay your 10 bucks or whatever the hell it costs to see movies these days. Nuff said.

Retro Review: The Conversation (1974)

Some would argue, myself included, that Francis Ford Coppola was at the top of his game when he made The Conversation in the mid-70s. I've spoken with a few people who viewed it and felt it was boring, and slow. I couldn't disagree more. There's a lot of building in this film from start to finish. It all starts with it's main character, Harry Caul, played so masterfully by Gene Hackman. Caul is an extremely private man, and very paranoid within the confines of his world. His one outlet is playing the saxophone while he's not on the job, a job that has him running surveillance of people he's hired to track. One gets the feeling this guy never has any fun, and his only true outlet is his work.

As the story begins he's tasked with tracking a young couple, in park in San Francisco. The deeper we get into the film's second and third acts we see how increasingly paranoid Caul is that this couple he was spying on in the beginning of the film, are going to get murdered. Add to it, he thinks it will be at the hands of the person who hired him to track their every move. (Uncredited character played by Robert Duvall, as well as his assistant played by a young Harrison Ford) Surrounded by this major plot element are more intimate details of Caul's life, and the relationship he has with his main co-worker, Stan, played by the late John Cazele. Stan never feels as if Caul lets him into the know on what's really going on with their work. That drives Caul to the point of quitting as his right hand man. It all connects to the complexity and darker side of Caul. A very private man who wants to do things his way, regardless of anyone else's opinions. It also lends a connection to how he feels about the women in his life. We see a scene where Caul visits what seems to be his main love interest in the film (played by Teri Garr), yet he keeps his distance from her. It's obvious from this scene Caul is a loner, and has no real need for a woman to be living with him. All of these emotions are sold so well by Hackman in the role, you almost forget he is even acting. Even better, midway through the film, Caul is treated to a party from co-worker friends, and essentially a call girl spends the night in his dark, murky apartment. When he wakes up and realizes she isn't there, it really sets off a rage in his face that lets you know he's got some hidden demons when it comes to the relationships of his past. This is a man who has indeed been hurt before.

So as the story nears the films climax, Caul is running around watching his back, and ever so paranoid about what may happen to this young couple that he's convinced will be taken out by his former boss. There's no time to spoil what happens, but if you've never seen this film, the end result of Caul's findings will more than likely have you covering your mouth. Sure, it's not as extreme as some of the vivid things you see in the cinema today, but for 1974, it was a pretty big deal! The rest of this classic is wrapped up beautifully by the soundtrack of David Shire (Some may remember his contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack a few years later), as well as the fantastic sound design, that brought the audience into the world of a surveillance expert. You get to hear so many unique and interesting sounds, and voices you've probably never heard mixed in a film before. For that reason alone, this film begs a viewing on blu-ray, in 7.1 surround sound. You'll think your sucked into the world that Coppola created with this tense, and dark masterpiece. I'm even going to say this film reminded me a lot of the same themes you see in another classic of the same era, Taxi Driver. Two main characters who really start to open their eyes at how dark the world can be, without any light at the end of the tunnel. Nuff said.

Retro Review 2: Rocky II

 
Rocky II has to be one of the more underrated sequels to any movie franchise in the history of cinema. The film's writer/director/actor, Sylvester Stallone, managed to take a character that went through an incredible character arc of the first film and classic, Rocky, and give the character new life. Definitely not an easy thing to do from a writers standpoint. So how did he (Stallone) accomplish this? He wrote a tale about life after a taste of the spotlight.

Yes, Rocky II picks right up where its predecessor left off, and you see a badly bruised and injured Rocky Balboa in the hospital recovering from going the distance with his nemesis Apollo Creed. There's a scene early on in particular that really gave this movie a sense of humility early on. Rocky wakes up in the middle of the night and walks over to Apollo's hospital room. He quietly asks Apollo if he did indeed give him his "best". Apollo (played so well by Carl Weathers) responds by saying he did, and in a tone of voice that exudes mental and physical exhaustion. This wasn't the norm for Apollo's character, who usually is as bombastic sounding as real life boxer Muhammad Ali. Not only did this scene add a true sense of complexity to Apollo's character, it also reminded the audience of just how important the final fight was in the first film.

From there, you get to see Rocky try and find a real job, and life after boxing. He's been told he should never fight again, due to the eye damage incurred from the beating he took from Apollo. Not only going on the job hunt, Rocky and Adrian get married. A lot of subtle, yet touching scenes that continue the magic both characters displayed on screen in the first film. However, after several attempts at finding a regular job, and the frustration that goes along with that, Rocky decides he has no choice but to try and fight again. Not only does he want to do this to support Adrian, but the child that Adrian is now carrying. This leads to seeing Rocky become extremely vulnerable, having to relearn how to box now that he has the added distraction of a wife, and a child on the way. The conflict's that brew central to this character also come from his manager, Mickey, who truly doesn't think it's a smart idea that Rocky goes back into the ring. Add to this, even Apollo's character is going through his own arc of being told he's a loser by fans for allowing Rocky to take him the distance. This motivates Apollo to really go after Rocky in the media, cementing a motivation and drive that forces Rocky to want to fight him again to prove the first fight wasn't just luck.

Now, let's get to the real gem of this film. The final fight. This is in my opinion the best choreographed boxing match I've ever seen in the cinema. Sure, it may not be completely realistic in terms of how many punches are thrown, but it's just a thing of beauty to watch nonetheless. Add to it, the insanely classic score from Bill Conti, and it truly sucks the audience into it, and gets the adrenaline pumping at key points during the fight. It not only tops the fight from the first film, it ups the stakes in the best way possible. I couldn't imagine seeing this film for the first time, before the internet and fan boards ruining plot details, and wondering whether Rocky or Apollo will get up before the ten count. Absolute edge of your seat drama, and I'm not sure many films of today have that kind of gravitas going for it in the third act.

So take a trip down memory lane. Watch Rocky II (especially if you haven't seen it before, shame on you!), and make sure you do it with an adequate surround sound set-up to really make the movie pop the way it should. Nuff said.