Review of Modern Life

The opening image of Modern Times is a herd of sheep pouring through the gate of an open pen which melds into an image of men rushing to work. I'm not sure if this image was iconic then, but it certainly is now. It is also an icon for the whole movie: a satire of industrial society. Seeing this film, it makes sense that it alarmed many wealthy industrialists and their allies in government, and earned the ire of such men as J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI.

Charlie Chaplin's also iconic Tramp character and his thief girlfriend get jobs, systematically lose them, and waltz in and out of jail more times than you can count. It's all very funny. I also find it interesting that The Tramp, in one scene, is mistaken for a communist and gets in trouble with the authorities. Was this a prophetic vision of things to come, or was Chaplin already getting in trouble for his leftist leanings in the 1930's?

Although films had ceased to be silent many years in the past, Modern Times plays like a silent film, with only sound effects, music and brief snippets of dialogue. The only dialogue spoken is phrases like, "Get back to work!" Regarding the music, I wish I had read about the movie beforehand, because apparently the love theme from the movie became famous later as the song "Smile".



Watching this movie made me think about the 1930's as compared to the 1990's. While life must have surely been harder for people in the 30's, in retrospect, my time as a Gen-Xer in the 90's recession was similar. Jobs were scarce for young people and many found themselves depending on the elder generation for support. Droughts were common. Both eras were followed by a baby boom as the elder generation aged and the newer one took over their jobs.

The comparison is interesting when examining how each generation bore the hardships. In the 30's, throughout all media, including Modern Times, one can see a simple message: "Times are tough, but smile, because things will get better". Compare that with the 90's, when times were easier than the 30's, but still pretty bad (but not for rich people). My generation's culture was saturated with sarcasm, cynicism, disillusion, depression, anger and apathy. If Gen-X 90's culture could speak about life, it would sullenly say, "It's all bullshit anyway." Both cultures valued smiles, but my generation appreciated a sardonic, knowing smile.

I'm not saying one generation handled it better than the other. I'm just saying it's interesting how they coped.

This is, no doubt, a strange digression from the subject of the movie review. Returning, I heartily commend it for its courage in dealing with what must have been painful subjects with humour and smiles. It is fascinating and funny.

4 1/2 cogs in the machine out of 5

Review of The Apartment

I find myself at a loss for words. This is not because the movie was exceptionally good or bad. I think it is because I have no strong opinion about this show.



I think what makes The Apartment different from other movies is that it has distinctly dark subject matter. Halfway through, a character attempts suicide and the threat of suicide lingers for the rest of the film. What made this so disorienting for me was that IT'S A COMEDY! Not only that, but a comedy in the hokey, all-American style with tons of snappy dialogue, which seemed to be the fashion in the 40's to 60's.

Frankly, I don't know what to make of it. While it certainly had its share of laughs, I didn't think there was much chemistry between the two leads. Something just seemed missing for me.

What is perplexing is that I think I was alone in being confounded. The rest of the audience present at the screening seemed to really enjoy it. I guess you'll have to ask somebody else why they thought it was great. Sorry!

2 and a half tennis raquets out of 5

Review of Spartacus

This was my first time watching Spartacus. In many ways it is a remarkable movie. There are breathtaking shots that you will never see in any other film. But on another level it is very long-winded and imperfect. I'll start with the good things.

A word about extras. Hollywood seems to hate them these days. Perhaps for good reasons, monetary-wise. They must be paid, wrangled, clothed and managed in every way. They are necessary, but computer animation has found ways to reduce their number. Look at the epic battle sequences of today and you will see hordes of clone warriors clashing on a computer-generated canvas.

I always knew it was no substitute and now I have proof. Spartacus contains wonderfully framed shots with throngs of extras. These shots stole my breath. Imagine, if you can, a hillside crowded with pilgrims spilling down its side like rivulets of rainfall. Imagine thousands of Roman soldiers in tight battle-lines marching-in step toward you in such vivid detail that you can see the sunlight reflected in their weapons and shields.

I've seen movies with a cast of thousands but never before like this.



But now for the not-so-good. Let's start with the star, Kirk Douglas. Spartacus is a man of few words. Usually characters of this stripe have impressive things to say when they deign to open their mouths. Not so with Spartacus. He tends to say obvious stuff. Douglas lends to the role a certain gravelly manner of growling, but fails to convey to the audience what Spartacus is thinking when he's not talking. Spartacus has no dimension of character beyond all the gruff and gravel, other than a perfectly virtuous soul. It kinda made me want him to die.

Because I didn't buy the uncharismatic Spartacus, I didn't buy his romance either. It made me want the girl to die.

The plot is compelling up until the last act. The movie essentially ends after a climactic battle sequence. But wait, no! It keeps on going and going! The minutes turn to millennia as the story repeatedly fails to resolve itself. It made me wish director Stanley Kubrick, writer Howard Fast and screenwriter Dalton Trumbo would die. But how do you kill that which is already dead?

Maybe it's just me, but the dubbing seemed to have problems too. Half the characters spoke with gruff voices that sounded straight out of the mouth of a big thug from an Anime flick.

That all sounds pretty negative, but most of the bad fell to the wayside as I was watching it. In the end, I was always curious to find out what happened next and dazzled by the spectacle of it all. I would recommend strongly it for history buffs like myself, but I suspect it would irritate most people.

3 defeated Roman cohorts out of 5

Review of Sunrise

A surprisingly good film. I know I have said many times that movies don't age very well. Sunrise defies my blanket statement.

Sunrise surprised me. I had no idea that I could ever enjoy a silent film. As somebody who has lived his entire life in the era of sound, specifically the era of the blockbuster, I might naturally believe that films with sound, realistic sets and special effects are just BETTER than anything that could be produced in 1927. How wrong I was.

The sets and models, laughable by modern standards, simply melted into the background like they should in any stage play. I was perfectly willing to suspend my disbelief for the sake of the story. I simply wanted to find out what happened next and not once did I find myself scoffing at the studio sets, model city and water tank.

As for the sound, this really threw me for a loop. I'm a pretty auditory guy, so dialogue and sound are very important to me. Yet this was no hamper for my enjoyment. I wasn't counting, but the movie probably used only ten dialogue legends on the screen. TEN in an hour and a half! The rest was simply implied by the action. Amazing that the story could be told so lovingly through imagery only! Let this be a lesson to screenwriters! Film is a visual art form first and foremost. Dialogue is simply entertaining fluff. A story can be told without it.

I know I already mentioned I liked the story, but I'll mention it again. It was simple, touching and especially at the end, tear-jerking. There was a bizarre scene in the middle involving a pig, but I can't criticize it for that, mainly because one of my own screenplays has a bizarre scene involving a pig as well. Each scene flows lovingly into the next, somehow more affecting because of the visual style.

In short, the more I think about it, the more I love it.
4 1/2 sunrises out of 5