#it's the filmmakers not having respect for their audience or message cause the film is 'silly' and so there's no need to really try

[jan-michalczyk-portfolio]

My journey in The Fat Club project

The critical review of my film 

It must be admitted first that the final version of The Fat Club is very different from the initial ideas. The narrative structure’s change was caused by sudden and unexpected circumstances our group has met. To begin with, the main actor who agreed to play Michael resigned only a day before planned shooting. It was clear for us we didn’t have enough time to go through another casting process once again. The idea of making the film as his POV was born due to our difficult situation. At first I was rather sceptical towards it, I never really enjoyed films shot from someone’s POV. I thought they were tedious and awkward cinematography-wise and, finally, difficult to film. However the main theme of our film is Michael’s mental state, preventing him from having a clear, rational view on reality. We decided to play on it even more which almost in a hyperbolic manner would depict his struggles. Thus, the takes and storytelling are more chaotic, less coherent as he suffers from psychotic disorders as well. According to McGregor (2022) altering the point of view can have a profound impact on how the audience interprets the scene or character’s action.

When it comes to my critically reviewing the finished project, it took me some time to gain a distance. Being completely honest and true to myself, I’m satisfied with the portrayal of Michael’s insanity through chaotic and short shots. Arcena argues (2012, p.27) that the successful portrayal of psychosis in Clean, Shaven (1993) directed by Lodge Kerrigan was achieved through including typical for schizophrenia types of hallucinations and overall disorganised narrative. That allowed it to authentically depict the chaos of insanity, making its audience uncomfortable and sometimes confused. Our final edit made it look like even he didn’t know what was exactly happening – was there a ritual? How did he get back home? Nevertheless, I believe if the idea of shooting the story from Michael’s POV had been born earlier, the overall execution of our film would be more clear and more aesthetically refined. I, as the director and the screenwriter, had to focus much more on the events and its sequence in the final edit, so naturally I had less time to polish up the overall aesthetic attributes which I initially wished to include – electronic music, flashing unnerving images during Michael’s psychosis or brief hints about Michael’s past. 

What have I learnt from this project? 

The extensive amount of troubleshooting we have had during the whole production process has, once again, made me face the harsh reality of filmmaking. This however gave me numerous obstacles to be challenged with and helped me grow as a future professional screenwriter and director. 

The most important lesson I’ve learnt is to believe my own creative instincts. It’s easy to give up when things don’t go according to plan but I seemed to have forgotten about the charm of any creative industry. If something doesn’t work, there are millions of other solutions to my problem. The only limit there is, it’s my own creativity. Unlike in science, there are no wrong or right answers. Another equally important lesson is more a reminder than anything new. That is, organisation and communication. It’s fairly obvious but incredibly easy to get lost. Everyone in our crew is just a human being who deals with their own problems outside the university. However as a team we should always be there for each other as the film is a collective goal. It’s impossible to get on well with everyone all the time but respect is key. I often felt disrespected when some crew members didn’t respond to messages or didn’t engage much but fault was also on me. Did I voice my concerns properly? Not always. Did we have a meeting regarding strictly our issues? No, we preferred to blame it on lack of time, so tensions between the group members have had an impact on the film. 

Communication, mutual respect and thorough organisation are key to any successful production. 

Reflection on my role 

This project has shown me how challenging and difficult it is to hold two roles at the same time. However at the same time it allowed me to answer my biggest question – what am I really interested in? Now I know that it’s screenwriting. As much as I enjoyed having the final decision in creative choices on set, I still was more focused on storytelling. 

Directing is about executing the story, making it come to life but screenwriting is creating it from scratch. When the script was finished, it was very interesting to see others’ reactions and thoughts of the story which allowed me to gain new perspectives. Nevertheless I feel as if my directing didn’t focus enough on the complexity of psychosis which would enhance the tragism in Michael’s story. Referring to the views of Poseck (2006), Christopher Nolan in Memento (2000) used the theme of anterograde amnesia (difficulty to recall past events due to amnesia, trauma) as a storytelling technique. He wanted to force the audience to make an effort in order to understand the scheme of the plot. I regret I didn’t play on this trope more but left some scenes too confusing, in my opinion. 

My contribution in terms of professionalism, expertise and innovation 

The three years of my study taught me how to maintain a professional attitude during the production. With acquired skills I was able to stay in touch with actors, guide them through the script and give tips. I knew I had to maintain a positive atmosphere on set which would encourage others to give their best. For example, when working with the actor playing Old Michael I would chat with him during breaks. He turned out to be a highly experienced performer and listening to his story not only allowed me to build mutual respect but was also an interesting insight from the talent’s point of view. 

The knowledge of storytelling techniques helped with writing the script which conveyed the right content. I was able to focus on key themes in the story while keeping the short format. Also when watching favourite films I started to pay attention to certain aspects such as the way characters were introduced and how they later developed. 

Finally I learnt how to innovate already known themes and tropes according to my vision. For instance, Michael’s difficult internal problems weren’t heavily based on dialogues but expressed through chaotic reality from his POV. This depicts how incoherent the world can be if you suffer quietly, not truly knowing who you are. 

[conjuringandinsidious]

The Bone-Chilling Terror of Found Footage Horror

One of the most well-known types of horror is Found Footage, classified as any film that is presented as if it were discovered video or film recordings left behind by missing or deceased protagonists. To provide an example, the Vice article entitled The Terrifying True Story of How the Blair Witch Project Was Made discusses its creation and how it became one of the most renowned Found Footage Horror films of the past two decades. Directed by Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick and premiering in 1999, “Part of what made The Blair Witch Project so groundbreaking is that you never see the actual Blair Witch, and the filmmakers didn’t use special effects to scare audiences; instead, they had genuine reactions from a cast that didn’t know what awaited them in the woods” (Tenreyro, ¶ 3).This film highlights the basis for Found Footage Horror: Raw and unedited content which allow viewers to strongly connect with the characters and truly feel a part of the film. The documentation of events appears natural as opposed to scripted and staged.

Another key Found Footage Horror film from the past two decades is Paranormal Activity (2007). Cecilia Sayad’s JSTOR article entitled Found-Footage Horror and the Frame’s Undoing goes into detail on the production of Paranormal Activity. Directed by a man named Oren Peli, “The temporal structure of some of Paranormal Activity’s shots offers the opportunity to tackle broader questions about the relationship between film and reality, for they touch on Andrew Bazin’s belief that the interpretation of a film or scene should be left to the viewer. The frame, in both handheld and static shots, is as incapable of containing what exists within its territory as it is of protecting it from the invasion of what lies beyond its borders” (Sayad, 49). Similar to The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity causes fear to reach new heights by focusing on evil as a presence lurking among the main characters but never seen. Oftentimes, the anticipation of the scare in Found Footage Horror is significantly more terrifying than the scare itself. This sets the stage for the third key Found Footage Horror film from the past two decades to be discussed: Unfriended.

The title Unfriended itself conveys themes of anger, loneliness, and isolation. Directed by a man named Levan Gabriadze, it follows the story of six teenagers having an evening Skype meeting who are caught off guard when the profile of Laura Barns, a friend who committed suicide after facing continuous online bullying appears. Manohla Dargis’ New York Times article entitled Review: ‘Unfriended’ in the Scariest Ways You Can Think Of highlights the production techniques used for this film to most effectively convey its message. The text recounts that Mr. Gabriadze and his postproduction team “Fixelate, smear and split the visuals, and interrupt and punctuate the dialogue with ominous crackles and static. These manipulations torque the tension and at times forecast other, more substantive violence to come” (Dargis, ¶ 4). This mirrors the sequence in which Laura murdered her former friends: She tortured and killed them psychologically one by one before the audience could witness the gruesome murders take place on each character’s respective Skype screens. Identical to the previous two most significant Found Footage Horror films, the audience is presented with a chilling, seemingly real-life scenario which makes them think twice about venturing into the woods late at night, sleeping with the lights off, or harassing someone they know online. 

Sources Used:

https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.stonehill.edu/stable/44072414?seq=7

[franki-lew-yo]

9 awoke in 2009 so that Padak could swim to sea in 2012....and then Sausage Party stole both their legacies.

#cgi adult animation #adult animation #cg animation #cgi animation #american adult animation #9 shane acker #padak #padak: swimming to sea #sausage party #9 2009 #The overuse of sex and curses isn't even the worst part of sausage party #it's the filmmakers not having respect for their audience or message cause the film is 'silly' and so there's no need to really try #Brenda Bunson deserved better

[hatmanreviewsmovies]

Turning Red

Hat 1- Story: Mei is a 13-year-old Chinese Canadian girl who sees herself as all grown up. She respects her parents and their wishes, going along with their expectations for her and getting perfect grades, but she is her own woman. She and her friends all crush on individual members of a Boy Band coming to town, and decide they're going to try to go.

When Mei wakes up having transformed into a red panda, her mother explains that there is a family curse that all the women in their family going back generations do the same thing, and a ritual under the red moon will confine the spirit of the red panda to a controllable place. All Mei Mei has to do in the few weeks before the red moon keeps her emotions in check, and the panda transformation won't come to light. With the concert date looming, and the pressures of young pubescent life causing a heavy strain on Mei's emotional control, this will not be easy...

This film's story is, from what I gather, autobiographical in many ways to the film's director, Domee Shi. The authenticity of that brings this world and its characters to life in an authentic and vibrant way, so the mythological elements fit in perfectly. The idea of mixing Chinese mythology and art styles with modern Chinese family dynamics and art styles gives this film a fresh, unique take on a story that could have gone completely into cliche. Mind you, it does become a cliche in the middle third. The first 35 minutes of this 90-minute film establish this world and its challenges with her friends and family in an authentic, and entertaining way. The last third brings it to a beautiful climax and resolution that is unbelievably gratifying to experience. The middle third, depicting Mei navigating school and social life while having this curse that can transform her at any time is less interesting, and could lose some audience members. If you can stick with it, it pays off very well.

.75/1 hat

Hat 2- Performances: Across the board, this is a great cast. With a vast blend of recognizable Asian voice actor names and some young talent that will definitely go far, they all carry this together for a great experience. 1/1 hat Hat 3- Craft: This film has energy and style that is vibrant and powerful. It's a lot different from any other Pixar film, which is very nice to see. The inventiveness that Domee Shi demonstrated in her Oscar-winning short 'Bao' is displayed on a larger scale here, with more time to explore ideas and imagery that is far different from what most western animated filmmakers are doing. She clearly has influences in comics and cartoons of eastern and western origin and finds a voice unlike most mainstream filmmakers out there now. The soundtrack is early 2000s catchy, and the boy band's music fits right in with its sound. For those who grew up in that era, this whole film's energy will be a portal back to that time. The animation is as beautiful with an added aesthetic of modern Asian cuteness. It finds a way to blend the eastern and western artistic aesthetics into something that is unique and will be unlike a lot of things audiences have seen in years.

There is some of the fantastic physical animated comedy that Pixar is known for here. In a lot of ways, the cuteness of a story about a girl who can transform into a Red Panda is cranked up to a level Pixar has never yet reached, as cute as their films always are. This was a perfect vehicle for it and it's delightful to see. This film also has an entirely female lead creative team, which is wonderful to see.

1/1 Hat

Hat 4- Entertainment Value: One of the things that the best Pixar films have is their ability to reach and entertain both kids and adults. This film is more kid geared, trying to be more relatable to its younger audience than it is clever for its older audience. The message may be a little heavy-handed for adults to watch more than once, but this will be an instant classic among kids, in particular, those of Chinese descent seeing this representation. .75/1 hat

Hat 5- Memorability: This film's first and final acts are some of the strongest Pixar has done in recent years, and the ideas in the film as a whole are adorable and memorable enough to live on in the minds of audiences and give this film a place amongst Pixar's finest. And it's the message of acceptance for yourself, and that the trials and tribulations of growing up are completely normal, is expressed in a readable and understanding way. This film is very very good and will be a classic to many, if not all. 1/1 hat TOTAL: 4.5/5 hats

#turning red #review

[neon-slime]

Hello! I wanted to ask about abled actors playing disabled characters. This whole s*a thing got me thinking about What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. At the time when I first watched this film, I held a lot of respect for Leonardo DiCaprio for doing so much intensive research for that role (I’m not sure if I remember correctly, but I believe he spent months with autistic teens and other disabled peoples in preparation for this role). But now that I’ve heard that every disabled character played by an abled actor is very detested among autistics, I wanted to know what people thought of this movie and how people may feel of DiCaprio’s involvement in it (as I now am aware of the fact that it has a negative impact). And thank you so much for teaching me and many other people about this!

Hello! Thank you for reaching out. I'm definitely not an expert on the subject and I can't speak for the entire disabled community, but I'll do my best to give you my thoughts.

First thing I'd like to get out of the way, I haven't seen What's Eating Gilbert Grape so I'll start with that then talk about abled actors playing disabled characters in general. (I did watch a clip from the film just to get a general idea).

The second thing I’d like to address is that not every autistic person considers autism a disability. That fits their experience. I personally consider it as such for myself due to the way it impacts my life, so for the purpose of this ask, I’ll be using ‘disabled’.  

Regarding Leo’s specific participation in the movie What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, I have seen some people talk about how they really enjoyed his performance and others disliked it. It came out over 20 years ago so I can't speak to how people felt about it at the time, or now because I don't know anyone who saw that movie. Below I go into some of the thoughts I have about representation and some of the reactions I’ve seen to abled actors playing disabled characters and I hope you’ll see how it relates to your question regarding Leo’s involvement. 

I’ll start by saying the issue with abled actors playing disabled characters is nuanced, as is most things in this question. Part of the problem is, when you cast abled actors to play disabled characters, you are taking roles away from disabled actors. Disabled actors often struggle to find work due to discrimination. Many disabled actors only get cast in projects where their disability is the main focus of their characters story, which greatly impacts the number of roles they'd be considered for. By giving abled actors roles that a disabled actor would be better suited for, you're continuing to push a whole demographic out of the industry.

This leads into another part of the problem. People will continue to make movies and tv shows about disabled people, but it’s often done without our input. Often these projects have an underlying tone of “How sad for their parents/partner/siblings/friends that their child/spouse/sibling/friend can’t be ‘normal’”, or inspiration porn, “look how they don’t ‘let their disability hold them back.’” A lot of these messages are very ableist and reinforce the idea the disabled people are a burden, or that disabled people shouldn’t ‘let their disability hold them back.’ This narrative is harmful because it puts all the responsibility onto the disabled person while assuring able-bodied people that no accommodations need to be made for disabilities. If I’m super fatigued, no amount of believing in myself will suddenly make me able to clean the house. If your venue doesn’t have a ramp or accessible  washrooms, no amount of “believing in themselves” will help someone who needs mobility aids to get inside. 

Which also means the movies made about us are not made for us, but for an abled audience. Another facet of this problem is they often don’t hire disabled folks to take part at all levels of the film-making process. Stories about disabled people are often not written, directed, produced, or filmed by disabled creators which just feeds ableist narratives of disabled folks. It also causes a problem because the characters often don’t have a personality outside of their disability. 

Another part of the problem is, why hire someone who needs to do months of research to ‘accurately portray' a disabled character when you can hire someone with the lived experience to bring to the role? Part of the argument I’ve seen against hiring disabled actors tends to boil down to the filmmakers not wanting to accommodate for a disabled creators needs. This is also relevant to every part of the creative process. A director, or producer, or writer may do a lot of research, but it doesn’t replace having disabled people with lived experience in every level of the creative process. Disabled people deserve to be able to tell their own stories and they deserve to be paid fairly for it. This is a problem in media (and most industries) for every marginalized group, and the only solution for accurate representation is actually hiring people with lived experience to tell their stories. 

Another thing I wanted to address is the fact that not every disabled person dislikes abled actors playing a disabled character. With the S*a situation, if you go to her twitter, there are autistic folks defending her and who would like to see the movie. No community is a monolith, it is made up of individuals. I don’t say this to let ableist creators off the hook. I only bring it up to emphasize that you will see some disabled folks defending ableist creators and this does not negate the fact that harm is caused. The community at large is being affected and abled people will use the minority of disabled folks that agree with them against the rest of the community. 

So yeah, those are my thoughts on that. I hope they made sense. If anyone has any thoughts on this or Gilbert Grape as a movie and would like to contribute, please do. I have ‘invisible’ conditions so my experience will be different from people who are physically disabled. As I said, its a very nuanced issue, so if I missed something or said something that doesn’t track, please feel free to let me know

#disability #chronic fatigue #adhd #What's Eating Gilbert Grape #leonardo dicaprio #leo dicaprio #probably autistic #autism #tw ableism #structural ableism #ableism in media #ask #long post

[gayleisabao]

Nanay Lilia: The Star That Remains In The Dark

Admit it or not, with the world we revolve around in today, being remembered is one of the things that we give importance to as humans before we face the end, the afterlife, or death. We do our best to leave a mark on this world no matter how big or small it is, as long as at least one person still thinks of us while we’re inside the casket or crossing the path to where our spirit is destined to be. Yes, we may not all be focusing on the idea of making our names be remembered as centuries and generations pass by, but the thought of being known for what you were or what you did here on earth for the entirety of your life, comes with a grudge that most of us blindly take care of.

This is something that I see as a concept that is widely common for people who are part of the creative industry, especially for the branch of film. There’s this sense of making a legacy out of your career and from the many stories that have been revived by the talents of writers and directors, to the characters and figures portrayed by the actors, everyone has a role in treasuring what once was and is to be. In fact, the process of it can be reflected in how we look up at the horizon each night.

We often have those moments where we gaze through our windows and look for the sight of the moon, surrounded by the ocean of stars that bring light to the beauty of the night sky. For me, this is how I look at films, or at least perceive how each one is made and brought to life through the eyes and the minds of producers and directors. With how big the industry has become so far, so much talent and creativity revolves around it that recognition is something that is commonly looked out for by the people who are behind each piece. Recognition that serves as validity that a talent or creator has made it in the industry, especially with film. 

In the topic of recognition, I would like to talk about a film that we have watched for our film class this past week which is Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay, which is directed by none other than Antoinette Jadaone. It is a mockumentary revolving the everyday life of the very iconic Lilia Cuntapay, which some or most may not know her by name, but can definitely recognize her just by seeing her unique appearance. She is commonly known for her roles in Filipino horror movies wherein she portrays characters like a witch, an aswang, or other paranormal beings written and told by filmmakers and writers alike. And personally, when I first learned about her, I also didn’t know her by name, I only grew up watching her on horror films that my family used to watch and remembered how terrified I was of old ladies with long hair because of her. She was what I envisioned a witch would look like in real life, the perfect imagery of a person that holds so many grim and mysteries. And for Peque Gallaga, a well-known film director who was asked about Lilia Cantupay in an interview, this is also what he thought of as he first saw and met Cantupay during the set of his film Shake, Rattle, and Roll II back in the 90’s. 

With that in mind, now getting a chance to watch a film about Lilia Cuntapay again, at first I had my expectations that it could be a horror film or maybe a look as to how actresses like her work in the film industry especially with specifications and characteristics that her roles are limited to. But as the film opens up to people getting questioned if they are familiar with Lilia Cuntapay, including clips of people from the industry getting interviewed about the actress, I immediately assumed that it was a documentary film given that I watched it without knowing anything about the film's background. The setup and the way the story was being portrayed in the first few minutes of the film is similar as to how we usually get to see documentaries, it consists of multiple parts where we get to know more about the subject in a collection of different views of people involved with the main character. That’s why as the scene of Lilia rolled in, where she is in the middle of a pulpit in a mock award show surrounded by valuables that were curated from her past films, I readily got curious as to how the film was going to progress. 

The way the film was captured by director Antoinette Jadaone really shows the rawness of how Lilia’s life was behind scenes. It’s not what most people would normally imagine the life of someone who is very iconic in the industry would be, because we see that despite her landing big time jobs in the past and how she is a veteran in her genre, the longevity of her fame doesn’t guarantee the convenience of her everyday life. As it continues to progress, we slowly see that even though she has been included in a lot of big time selling horror films, she doesn’t get recognized as much as she is supposed to. Here the film slowly hints that it is a mockumentary that depicts the inner struggle that actors and actresses face in their field caused by “typecasting”. Wherein despite how good you are in your craft, if you’re associated or tagged to specific types of roles, there is still a high chance that producers and directors can decline you. They can still have the ability to change the way they treat you as a human being from your fame, unlike the treatment that most normally get when they’re seen by their fans or supporters.

Going back to the way as to how I see the film industry and while progressing through the story of Lilia’s character, I realized that we were made to believe that this is what her life actually is, and somehow that idea contributes largely to how we feel as we watch the film.There are scenes where we laugh out of the comedic elements that give light to her positivity despite her struggles and sacrifices for her passion, and then later on we feel pity for her because we see that in her old age and the treatment given to her, it's not fair. A roller coaster of emotions that slowly streams us to the flow of the film's message and prepares us for the mind-boggling ending. That’s something that I truly admired the film for, its consistent patterns of making its audiences feel the same way Lilia feels in the film. That feeling of somehow we could all relate to her as she works her best but ends up not being credited for the contribution she brings just because she’s not as known as the others in the industry.

To be honest, each scene for me was well thought out, given that the progression of the film leads up to an ending that still reaches the goal that was set in the beginning of the film, but it's modified into something that turns out to be more valuable than what we were made to believe was the most of what is offered in the plot of the story. It truly gave light to the potential of actors and also directors out there that are being overshadowed by those that are more popularized. It’s the genuinity of the film that really gets me giddy about it, it's not sugar coated like other works wherein there are unrealistic elements that mislead us to thinking that it's possibly impossible to happen to ordinary people like us. It’s relatable in a sense where we actually get morals and motivation out of it, that’s why I see the storytelling of it to be a perfect example of what I imagine the film industry to be as I have mentioned earlier. It’s the night sky where there’s a moon that is in the middle of an ocean of stars that are sometimes covered by clouds causing their light to not be seen, but despite this and without them, the universe would be in complete darkness without these stars. That’s why whether they are seen or not, recognized or ignored, their value to the industry remains the same and that’s what keeps them going to shine their light.

Overall, I would definitely say that Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay is definitely a must watch. It gives light to Lilia Cuntapay as an actress, she gives light despite the void that she is in when is not recognized for her contribution, and despite her being stuck in that darkness, she still shines through. The way she guides you to the storytelling of the film will lead you to interact and solve the questions that puzzle you in the beginning, very effective storytelling and gives us a clearer view of how the film industry and the entertainment industry as a whole is in reality that will build your appreciation and respect for filmmakers and actors out there.

[whythehellnaut]

Why’s Joker review

So, Joker was... unique, to say the least.  It left me with a very unsettling feeling afterward, for reasons I wouldn't have expected, both good and bad.  I will say that this is a creative, one-of-a-kind character study of this classic villain, though it tends to be somewhat pretentious in its portrayal, partly due to its ironic humorlessness, which works both for and against it.  I expect this to be remembered for a long time, maybe get a few Oscar noms and bring about some controversy, because there's a lot to analyze in this, and I admittedly have more to say than usual.

The film starts out rather generic.  Joaquin Phoenix depicts a mentally ill man, who is down on his luck, gets bullied, cares for his sick mother, struggles to stay employed, and engages in a bland romantic subplot with a neighbor.  All story elements we've seen before in countless films.  As time goes on, however, these story elements all are given a lot more depth, and I dare not provide spoilers, but even the romance winds up providing some surprising insight into this character which caused me to take back my negative opinion on including such a contrived plotline.  When the story gets going in the second act, whatever boredom experienced in the first part dissipates as we see more and more of Phoenix's seemingly stellar acting and twists that systematically emerge, making the plot much less predictable than it is at its start.

Phoenix's character, Arthur's descent into madness as the Joker is shown to be gradual and coherent.  At no point did I think the writing was dumb or that the story was taking easy shortcuts into "crazy" territory in the way that, say, Star Wars does when Anakin Skywalker becomes the evil Darth Vader after a sudden, spur of the moment action that doesn't reflect his overall personality (I know I'm harsh on Star Wars, but this was the first example that came to mind).  Arthur's change to the Joker is well paced.  He is introduced as noticeably mentally ill, but not particularly angry, and slightly sympathetic.  As time passes, and as he loses his medication and therapy, we see him slowly, over several scenes, lose his sanity bit by bit until the climax where he completely changes his identity to become the character we all know.The acting is top-notch and the directing, while strong, often seems like it's being artsy for the sake of being artsy.  Arthur will often slow dance in place for twenty to thirty seconds at a time, for no apparent reason other than there's nothing else to film.  It's intended to show his encroaching madness, as if we've forgotten what the movie is about, but seems awkwardly shoehorned in to match the orchestral score, which I admittedly must compliment because of the way it adds to the mood.  It sounds much like the original Batman soundtrack from earlier movies, but more intense to signify Arthur's mood, which fluctuates unpredictably, as it reasonably would for a brain damaged man like him.  I found my heart racing when I heard the music fade in at apparently mundane moments, the increasing tempo making me wonder what he's going to do or what he's thinking.  Ordinarily this would make a film predictable by signifying ahead of time that something major is about to go down, but Arthur as a character is so unpredictable that it negates that effect.

Still, its focus on its artistic value hurts it, because it takes itself much more seriously than it should.  I mentioned before that the film is humorless.  This creates a large part of the unsettling mood for the story, clearly pointing out the irony of a movie called "Joker," containing no jokes.  But in its attempt to be thoughtful and provocative, it saps out the fun.  The Joker as we know him in comics and other films, in addition to his morbid nature of seeing human death as a joke, also happens to be genuinely funny at least at some point in all of his portrayals.  This version of him displays him as a man who wants to be a comedian despite having no comprehension of humor, resulting in him being ironically unfunny.  I acknowledge that Todd Phillips has the right to create his own portrayal of the character, and I won't bash his use of artistic freedom, but even the most serious dramas include some form of humor to entertain the audience.  This film didn't get me to crack a smile until the final shot before the credits.  This is where showing off your artistic filmmaking through use of irony crosses the border into outright bad filmmaking.  You can't use the excuse, "you just don't get how brilliant the irony is," because I do get it, it's just not entertaining.

I'm sure there's plenty more to talk about, but I want to end by discussing the final message of the movie, because it comes off as ambiguous, and that's where the most problematic aspect of the film emerges.  At best, the moral of the story is to support funding of mental healthcare and to treat the mentally ill with respect.  Questionably, the theme also could be that the rich are morally bankrupt and must be stopped, which could have had some merit if handled properly, but is rather overkill in its portrayal, especially during a certain climactic scene.  At worst, the moral is that mass murderers like school shooters are just sympathetic lost souls deep down, who are just victims of the American system.  This theory has been circulating since before the film's release, and I deem it a valid concern.  Arthur is typically portrayed as a character you want to feel sorry for, and often does kind or helpful things before his eventual turn (one of his kills is arguably justifiable).  It's worrying that he is portrayed less as an evil villain character than as a revolutionary by the end.  This should not be how we should see the Joker.  He is a mindless serial killer idolized only by similar minded people.  He should be a source of entertainment, not sympathy.  Hopefully this movie doesn't inspire the wrong people as a result.

Overall, I think this is a solid movie with a riveting story.  Phoenix and Phillips may be up for Oscars, but something else odd I noticed is that Arthur's movie-spanning relationship with Robert DeNiro's late night talk show host character is strangely similar to the real Joaquin Phoenix's relationship with David Letterman, spurring from a quarrelsome interview in 2009.  I'm hoping this wasn't intended to be a threatening message to Letterman, and that Phoenix was playing a fictional character, rather than playing himself as a former drug addict.  That may also take away from the movie if it's true, but maybe I'm overthinking.

#movie review #Joker #Joker (2019)

[thinkingaboutyoungroyals]

The Perfect Moment (Chapter 4)

Summary: When Cyrus is assigned to create a modern re-telling of “Romeo and Juliet” for English class, he decides to produce a movie. His stars, however, may pose some trouble. Will he finish his movie on time?

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(Last time, the chapter didn’t show on the tags so I figured it might have been because of the links. So, I’m trying not to add any in but if you need the other chapters, just go on my tyrus perfect moment tag or DM me!)

Despite his little accident, Cyrus was still ready to continue filming the next day. Time stopped for no one and neither did his deadline. If he was to become a real filmmaker, he couldn’t let something as small as getting hit in the face with a basketball and a bleeding nose stop him. Besides, his dad had taken him to the hospital the day before to make sure his nose wasn’t broken (it wasn’t).

So, the next day, after filming a short Dance scene at the gym (which Andi had decorated), he gathered his cast and crew and headed off to the park to film one of the most important scenes in his movie.

(And by cast and crew, he only really meant Buffy, T.J., Andi, and Jonah. The others were done shooting for the day and had gone home.)

“Okay! In this scene, Logan will do his monologue while watching Quinn from afar,” Cyrus explained to them. “Buffy, you’ll stand at the gazebo and look contemplative. Jonah, your camera will do a wide-shot, with T.J. close and Buffy in the background.”

Jonah gave him a thumbs up.

“Andi, will you fix Buffy’s makeup, please? We’re starting in five.”

The equivalent of the infamous balcony scene, Logan and Quinn agree to meet up. Quinn sneaks away to the gazebo and Logan follows her after. Then, the two do their individual monologues and then their confessions.

“You ready?” Cyrus asked T.J., who was standing on his spot, reading his script.

He was dressed in a lavender button down, black slacks, matching suit jacket, and a purple tie to match Buffy’s purple cocktail dress.

The taller boy shrugged. “As ready as I’ll ever be. You know… as long as Buffy doesn’t kill me after.”

Cyrus chuckled. “Well, then, you’ll be thrilled that I replaced the kiss with a hug.”

T.J. scrunched his face, looking disgusted. “She really would have killed me then!”

Shaking his head in amusement, Cyrus stepped forward and reached up to take hold of the purple tie.

“Your tie is all crooked,” he stated, fixing it. Then, he smoothed T.J.’s suit jacket, picking off some stray lint. “There, all handsome.” He looked up to smile at the other boy.

T.J. was red as he stared down at him.

Cyrus’ eyes widened in alarm. “Are you okay?!”

He placed a hand on the other boy’s forehead, wondering if he had a fever. Was he sick?! Had Cyrus been pushing him too hard?!

Despite his panicking, T.J. just chuckled and shook his head. “I’m fine. Really. I think it’s just a little hot out.”

Well, that made sense. It was a little humid that day. They better wrap up this scene so they could all go home soon. Plus, they all had a pretty long day at school. And it was Friday!

“I’ll get you some water, then! Don’t want my star to be dehydrated!”

And with that, he bounded off to get T.J. a bottle of water. (He was well-prepared with snacks and hydration!)

…….…….…….

He practiced his monologue all night, in front of his cat. Sure, Simon didn’t give a damn about the words he was saying to him as long as T.J. gave him his dinner, but still, he had felt confident.

So, when the time came to shoot, T.J. was proud to say that it went flawlessly. Okay, maybe he stumbled once and forgot a few words the second time, but by the third and fourth take, he had perfected it.

“Cut!” Cyrus called out. “That was great T.J.!”

His heart swelled with joy at the other boy’s compliment.

“Buffy! Get ready for your scene!”

As they moved the cameras closer to Buffy’s spot, T.J. found himself staying by Cyrus’ side. He subtly leaned in and pressed their shoulders together while the other boy adjusted his camera. Cyrus briefly turned his head to smile at him before going back to his task.

“Okay, Buffy! You ready?”

“Yep!” The girl gave them a thumbs up.

“And… action!”

“Logan… where are you?” Buffy said out loud as she looked out into the distance. “Is this really okay? Can we be together like this and not hurt our friends?” She sighed, loudly. “Does it really matter whether you’re in their team or not?”

Buffy’s voice droned on in T.J.’s ears. He knew he should be watching her because everybody else was. But, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Cyrus.

The director’s concentration was firmly on the camera screen, barely breathing as his teeth subtly gnawed at his lower lip. He had really plump lips that stood out whenever he pouted. 

Not for the first time, T.J. wondered what it would be like to kiss Cyrus.

“Cut!”

His voice broke through T.J.’s thoughts. Realizing what was just running through his head while staring at Cyrus, he blushed.

“Okay, that was great!” Cyrus called out to Buffy, oblivious to T.J.’s red face. “One more take! This time, try to act a little more…dreamy! You’re in love, remember? You’re daydreaming about him!”

T.J. knew all about daydreams.

Then, Cyrus turned to him. “We’ll do two more takes and then we’ll do the next scene, if you want to look at your script again.”

“Okay!”

He was smiling but on the inside, he was groaning. He and Buffy were supposed to hug in this scene after spewing some flowery stuff at each other.

But, he had to keep remembering that he was doing this for Cyrus. It was all for Cyrus. Just like in all of his other scenes, he just had to pretend that the person in front of him is the person he liked…which was Cyrus.

So, while Buffy continued to film her scene, T.J. read through his script again, memorizing and feeling the emotions behind those words. And even though the words were cheesier than The Spoon’s mac-and-cheese, they were words written by Cyrus…and he had a way with them that just reeled T.J. in.

Soon, he found himself standing under the gazebo, Buffy across from him and Cyrus in between them, explaining what he wanted them to do.

Walk to Buffy. Stand close. Take one of her hands and put it against his heart. Then… hug.

“Ready? And… action!”

T.J. got into character and sauntered over to Buffy. “Quinn,” he called out.

Buffy spun on her heels and smiled at him. “Logan. I thought you would never come.”

“Of course, I would.” T.J. took a few steps forward. “I promised you I would.”

“Are we doing the right thing? Keeping us a secret from our teams? Our friends?”

“You know what will happen if we tell them. They won’t forgive us.”

“I know but…”

This was the moment when T.J. was supposed to take Buffy’s hand and put it against his chest. So he reached out to do exactly that.

“Cut!”

They both turned to Cyrus, confused. Neither of them made a mistake on their lines.

Cyrus sighed. “You’re standing too far, T.J.”

The athlete looked at the distance between him and Buffy. It seemed like a respectable distance. He took a step forward.

“Like this?” he asked.

Cyrus left his camera to walk up to the both of them. Situating himself in between, the shorter boy gently placed a hand on T.J.’s back and pushed him closer to Buffy, who took a step back. Cyrus took her arm and pulled her back in her original place.

“Like this,” he stated, matter-of-factly.

Buffy looked up at T.J., lips in a tight line and hands clenched in fists at her side. He knew that she was holding herself back from punching him in the face and running away.

“Buffy, why do you look like you want to punch him?” Cyrus asked, looking at her. “You have to be in love!”

“I’m sorry! But his face…”

T.J. sneered. “Yours is no work of art either, Driscoll.”

“Why you-.”

“Guys!” Cyrus stepped in between them. “This is supposed to be the perfect moment and you’re ruining it!”

Buffy raised an eyebrow. “Perfect moment?”

Cyrus sighed again. “In every story, there is a perfect moment. The timing is right, the mood is set, and everything else fades away into the background. It’s the moment that captures the audience and sticks in their memory the most. This is the scene where Logan and Quinn pledge their love for one another and swear not to let anything get in between them. The perfect moment! So, please… get this right? For me?”

He was practically pleading at that point and T.J. felt guilty that his lack of romantic chemistry with Buffy was causing problems.

“I’m sorry, Cy, it’s just… really hard,” Buffy explained, looking sorry. “I mean… look at him!”

She gestured at T.J.’s face.

Cyrus looked up at him. T.J. grinned. And Cyrus blushed and cutely looked away.

“I see nothing wrong with his face,” he stated. “In fact, he looks quite handsome... and you’re very pretty!”

T.J. resisted the urge to blush. 

“How about this?” Cyrus continued. “Close your eyes, both of you.”

“Why?” Buffy asked.

“Just do it, please.”

Obediently, T.J. shut his eyes. It took a moment but Buffy must have closed hers too as Cyrus cleared his throat and began to talk.

“Now, imagine that the person in front of you is the person you like.

T.J. pictured it in his head.

Cyrus standing in front of him, wearing that cute eye smile as he looked up at T.J. like he was the most amazing person in the world.

“The words on the script are the words you want to say to them.”

I’d give it all up for you. The team. My position. Everything if it means I can be with you.

“Picture how they look at you when you do. Are they happy to hear you say those words?”

No, Cyrus wouldn’t be happy. He knew how important basketball was to T.J. and would never let him give it up. In fact, he would probably be angry if T.J. tried. He would still look cute, though. Like a puppy trying to bark.

“How do you feel about them?”

T.J. would still give it all up if Cyrus asked him to.

“Now, open your eyes.”

T.J. obeyed and the first thing he saw was Cyrus looking up at him with a soft smile.

“There’s the look I needed,” he said, turning his head away to look at Buffy too, who now looked less tense than she was earlier. “We’ll resume in five, okay? Take in those feelings just now.”

He patted them both in the back before walking back to his camera. T.J. watched him go, worried because Cyrus just looked stressed out. He wanted to help him.

“Let’s get this right this time, okay?” Buffy’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned his head back to look at her.

The girl no longer looked like she wanted to kill him, which was a relief, honestly. That would make this scene easier to act out when she wasn’t glaring at him. It was just so easy to banter with her. He supposed that that was just what their relationship would always be like.

“Yeah, definitely. We should,” T.J. agreed. “I don’t want to make this any more difficult on Cyrus.”

Buffy flashed him a strange look. “You know… you should just hurry up and make a move.”

That caught him off-guard and he immediately felt the blood rush to his cheeks. “W-What?” was all he could manage. “W-What are you talking about?”

Buffy snorted. “Oh, please, you’re not exactly subtle. Practically everyone knows.”

His throat was suddenly dry and he swallowed. “E-Everyone?”

Buffy shrugged. “Everyone with eyes.” Her eyes softened. “Look, T.J., I may not be… fond of you.” She wrinkled her nose. “But, me and everyone else can see that you care about Cyrus. And Cyrus cares about you, too. Trust me, I’m his best friend.”

He almost felt touched at that. But, that didn’t mean she was right…was she? Could Cyrus care about him in the same way? Or maybe it was the kind of care that he felt for all of his friends. Cyrus was a caring person, after all.

“I don’t know…”

Buffy snorted again and punched his arm. “At least try to make a move on him or something!”

He resisted the urge to rub his arm (damn, this girl could punch!) and, instead, ran a hand through his hair.

“I should…” he agreed. “But… what should I do?”

Buffy snorted again. “Well, don’t expect me to help you there.” She smirked. “Unless you beg.”

T.J. huffed. “I’m good, thanks. I’ll figure it out myself.” He hesitated before asking in a soft voice, “You think he cares about me?”

Buffy laughed. “You… are… oblivious,” was all she said before punching his arm again.

…….…….…….

“They seem to be getting along well now,” said Andi, looking towards the gazebo.

Cyrus followed her gaze and watched Buffy laughing before punching T.J. in the arm. From Buffy, that was practically a sign of affection.

Something twitched inside his chest and Cyrus turned away to look at the script again. “T-That’s good,” he said.

“You okay, Cy?” Andi asked, concern in her voice.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“You just seem… bothered.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted before clearing his throat. “Anyway, we should start soon.” He turned back to the two under the gazebo, ignoring the way his chest twitched again. “Get ready!”

The two paused their conversation and got in their place. Cyrus positioned himself behind the camera and checked to see if Jonah was ready, too.

“Okay… Ready… And… Action!”

Up ahead on the gazebo, T.J. began.

“Quinn.”

Buffy turned around smiled. “Logan. I thought you would never come.”

“Of course, I would.” T.J. took a few steps towards her. “I promised you I would.”

Buffy looked down at the floor. “Are we doing the right thing? Keeping us a secret from our teams? Our friends?”

T.J. moved a few more steps closer until he was at the spot Cyrus had shown him. “You know what will happen if we tell them. They won’t forgive us.”

“I know but…”

T.J. reached out to take Buffy’s hand.

Cyrus’ heart was pumping hard and fast against his chest as Buffy raised her head to look at T.J. And, there it was… the look. The look that Cyrus wanted. The soft, loving look that spoke volumes, even through a camera screen.

“I’d give it all up,” T.J. said.

Buffy’s lips parted, slightly, in shock at the declaration.

Cyrus felt himself swallow as he zoomed in on T.J.’s face.

“I’d give it all up for you. The team. My position. Everything if it means I can be with you.”

And with those last words… T.J. leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Buffy, who wrapped her own around his torso.

Cyrus felt the breath leave his lungs at the sight.

It was beautiful.

Perfect.

And, then, T.J. lifted his eyes to look at him. The look brought him back to reality.

“C-Cut!” he managed to call out.

The two broke their hug and stepped away from each other.

“T-That was great!” he called out, with a small smile. “We’ll do one more take from another angle! Great job, you two!”

He turned his back to them and slapped his cheeks a little. They felt way too warm. He needed water.

…….…….…….

After two more takes of the gazebo scene, Cyrus had T.J. and Buffy do a few scenes around the park for a montage.

They took a walk around the park while holding hands. Sat on the swings while talking (they didn’t have a script for this one but Cyrus wasn’t planning on having any conversation for the montage anyway so the two just talked about basketball). And sat by the pond, watching the ducks.

It was cute. Adorable. Sweet, even.

It stressed Cyrus out, for some reason.

But, after all that was done, they packed up everything and got ready to go home. 

It was Friday so they weren’t shooting over the weekend. His project was due next Friday so he had a max of three or four more days to finish shooting everything. Plus, Mr. Spencer had asked him to re-write the last scene and so far, Cyrus hadn’t come up with anything.

“You okay?” T.J. asked, breaking through his worries.

The jock was walking him home, still dressed in his formal clothes but with the suit jacket neatly folded in a bag. Both tripod bags hung from his shoulders, as they didn’t want to go back to school to return them so Cyrus was keeping them and the cameras for the weekend.

“Yeah, just… worried,” he confessed.

“About what?”

“Not finishing this movie on time.” Cyrus sighed. “I have to start cutting the clips and editing tonight. In fact, that’s what my weekend will consist of.” He let out a frustrated groan. “This is harder than I thought it would be.”

T.J. gently bumped his shoulders with his. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m sure you’ll finish on time, you never leave anything up to the last minute like I do.”

Cyrus felt his lips twitch into a smile.

“And I can help you, if you want.”

He raised his head to meet T.J.’s gaze. “Really? You would?”

“Yeah, totally! I mean, I’ve never edited a video before but if you tell me what to do, I can learn. I wanna help!”

Cyrus considered it. T.J. had been a big help to him throughout this entire week. And he just couldn’t resist when the taller boy looked so hopeful and excited.

So, he agreed.

Fifteen minutes later, they were both on Cyrus’ couch, glasses of lemon water sat on coasters on the coffee table and laptop computers in each of their laps. Cyrus showed him how to scroll through the clips, pick out the best clips, write them down for Cyrus to keep track of later when he edits, and move them to a new folder.

Side-by-side, with headphones on and barely any space between them, they spent an hour doing exactly this and mostly in silence, the only sounds coming from the clips and the scratching of pencils against paper.

A few times, Cyrus couldn’t help but peek at T.J. from the corner of his eye. And each time, he felt that same twitching in his chest that he swore to ignore. But, how could he when seeing how seriously the jock was with helping made him feel all warm and fluttery? It wasn’t T.J.’s grade on the line, but he was taking precious time to make sure Cyrus would pass with flying colors.

T.J. turned his head to look at him. “What’s wrong?”

Cyrus blinked and realized that he had been staring too long this time. “Sorry, I spaced out,” he half-lied before removing his headphones. “I’m a bit tired now. Let’s take a break.”

He moved the computer from his lap to the coffee table and leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes. He felt T.J. moving beside him. Soon, a shoulder pressed against his.

He opened his eyes and turned his head to T.J. “Thank you for everything. Once this is all done, you are definitely getting free milkshakes from me.”

T.J. grinned. “It’s a date.”

Cyrus blushed and looked away. He knew that T.J. didn’t actually mean a date. But, his heart was weak and he tried to quell the brimming hope threatening to take over.

“Besides, I’m having a ton of fun,” T.J. continued, oblivious to Cyrus’ turmoil. “Maybe I can help you with your next video project, too?”

Cyrus’ body betrayed him once more and he felt his ears heating up. Nonetheless, he turned to the boy next to him and smiled.

“Really? I won’t let you back out, you know.”

“I won’t back out,” T.J. swore, looking serious and determined.

Cyrus laughed. “What if it’s a film about two men falling in love?” he joked.

“I’d still star in it.”

He blinked, surprised. “Really?”

T.J. nodded, eagerly. “If it means helping you out, Underdog, I’ll play any role.”

Ahhh, he was so sweet. Cyrus wished his heart would stop beating so fast. It was way too loud and he was afraid T.J. would hear it.

They continued working on cutting clips throughout the rest of the afternoon until night fell. Cyrus’ parents arrived on time for dinner and they invited T.J., who accepted the invitation. They talked about Cyrus’ project, asked T.J. questions about school, and whatever topic came up.

After dessert, T.J. announced that it was time for him to leave for home as his curfew was approaching.

Cyrus walked him out. “Thanks, again, T.J.,” he said as they both stood out on the porch.

The jock grinned. “Any time. If you need me to help you out more this weekend, just let me know. I’m working until 3 tomorrow, but I’m free for the rest of the day and Sunday.”

“I’ll make a note of that, thank you. Good night.”

“Good night.”

With one last wink, T.J. turned on his heels and walked away, not realizing that he left Cyrus’ heart doing somersaults.

Tag list:

@lemon-boy-tj @homosexualearthworm

@disastrxlogy

@new-to-the-phandom

@tyrusgoingfast

@tj-cyrus

@multifandom-bxitch

@completelysterling completelysterling

@spike-heels

@thedampjofangirl

@i-am-confussion confussion

@buffyshirley

#tyrus #tyrus fanfic #tyrus perfect moment #andi mack

[goldexpert18]

Bending Borders at the Ignacio M Sanchez Prado Museum

In 2016, the border between the Soviet Union and Europe was changed, resulting in a schism in a small Czechoslovakian village. Szelmenc, a predominantly Hungarian town, had been part of both Hungary and Czechoslovakia, but now lies between the two countries. The border was cut through the village's cemetery, a symbol of the division. As a result, the community had a difficult time reuniting. The documentary "La Libertad Del Diablo" is an investigative film made by filmmaker Everardo Gonzalez. It explores the violence in Mexico through the experiences of both victims and perpetrators. At 4 pm, Ignacio M. Sanchez Prado will moderate the discussion. This film is not suitable for young children; it is a sensitive subject for a mature audience. In this sense, Bending Borders will help young people develop self-awareness and discussion skills while confronting difficult situations. The film features interviews with both perpetrators and victims of violence. The screening will take place at the Ignacio M. Sanchez Prado Museum. While this documentary focuses on the complexities of the Mexican border, it explores a variety of issues related to immigration and ethnicity. Ultimately, Bending Borders encourages students to challenge their own prejudgments and develop their discussion skills. If you're curious about the film, you should consider checking it out. The movie is directed by filmmaker Everardo Gonzalez. It explores the issue of violent crime in Mexico and the role of the media in this. It also features interviews with both perpetrators and victims. The film is presented by Ignacio M. Sanchez Prado at 4 pm. The film is about the violence in Mexico, and it is a deeply moving film. If you're not sure if it's for you, check out Bending Borders. In the film, the director aims to investigate the causes and consequences of violence in Mexico. His goal is to help viewers understand the root causes of these acts of violence and how they can prevent them. It also focuses on the importance of respect and tolerance in the U.S. and Mexico. This film's message will make people question their prejudgments and make them more open to the idea of others. Its underlying aims are important for all individuals. While the film is about violence, it also tackles issues of prejudgment. We all have prejudices, and it's important to learn to recognize those that we may not want to face. By identifying your own biases and letting others know about your own biases, you can be more open and compassionate in your conversations. This film is designed to help us be more aware of ourselves. In addition to learning about our own prejudices, it also teaches us how to discuss these with others. Another important topic in Bending Borders is the topic of prejudgments. We all have them. In the film, the director discusses the causes and effects of these prejudgments, and the consequences of their actions. This film is a good example of this type of film, which explores violence and its impact in the country. Learn More is about the conflict between violence and peace. This documentary examines both sides of a conflict and gives insight into their motivations. The film will also explore the issues of prejudgment. All of us have them. The purpose of this documentary is to explore the issues surrounding violence and its impact on the lives of people in Mexico. It features interviews with both the victims and perpetrators of these crimes. The screening begins at 4 pm, and will continue until 8:30. In addition to its subjects, the film will also feature a discussion of prejudgments. This documentary about the violence and injustice in Mexico will explore the prejudgments of both sides and will help viewers learn about their own prejudices. The filmmakers will also present a few examples of their films. The film is a good introduction to the topic of violence and will teach viewers about how to discuss the issue. And, it is not only an important film. It is a powerful tool for self-awareness and discussion. The film will also feature a screening of the new movie La Libertad Del Diablo by the director Everardo Gonzalez. This documentary focuses on violence in Mexico and its effects on communities. It is a provocative film that features interviews with both victims and perpetrators. The screening will take place at 4 pm. The film is an excellent introduction to the violence and its victims in Mexico. This documentary will make you think differently about violence and how to talk about it.

#Bending Borders #bendingborders.org #Learn More

[booboocuddlypoo]

‘Adopt, not shop’: The Tails of Boo-Boo & Cuddly Poo reveals plight of stray animals

Shot entirely during the lockdown, the documentary features several celebrities including Shraddha Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Maria Goretti, Amrita Puri, Anushka Manchanda, Shibani Dandekar and others

Animals are an indispensable part of our lives and are, undoubtedly, the most loving creatures on this planet. Animal lovers form an unbreakable connection with their pets and go to lengths to ensure their well-being. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about stray animals who undergo immense plight on a daily basis.

To shed light on this issue and turn people’s attention towards their plight — with a focus on cruelty, abandonment and rescue — filmmaker Salil Jason Fernandez and Vandana Sethhi, founder of Water Communications and Earth Films, have joined hands to create a documentary titled ‘The Tails of Boo-Boo & Cuddly Poo’. Emphasising “adopt, not shop”, the documentary takes viewers on a quirky ride with four-legged angels.

“The universal message of the documentary is about embracing stray dogs and cats, and the trailer encompasses the message of the documentary. If we are able to educate and inspire the audience in this regard, then we have struck gold,” Fernandez said.

Setthi added, “It is truly a passion-driven film and a labour of love for the voiceless. Salil has created a benchmark for all future documentaries.”

Shot entirely during the lockdown, the documentary features several celebrities including Shraddha Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Maria Goretti, Amrita Puri, Anushka Manchanda, Shibani Dandekar and others, who share their personal experiences with their pets and drive the message of animal welfare further. A two-minute trailer of the documentary was released recently.

In a conversation with indianexpress.com, the filmmakers shared their experience of making the documentary, the idea behind it and what they wish to achieve through this film.

Excerpts:

What led to the conceptualisation of The Tails of Boo-Boo & Cuddy Poo?

Salil: I have always been extremely empathetic towards animals. I have been working for animal welfare at a grassroots level. Gradually, I went deeper into it and understood their plights. During the lockdown, their difficulties aggravated and I realised there was no platform to spread information about the plight of stray animals. So, we wanted to use our skill-set to create awareness about this issue. I felt compelled to tell this to the world and that was my driving force.

You say that the condition of stray animals worsened during the lockdown. Can you tell us more?

Salil: The lockdown surely aggravated the situation. With the restaurants shut and limited groceries with people who regularly fed earlier, stray animals were left starving. People were abandoning pets and some were having lack of resources. That’s when I realised that the animal welfare system in the country is not organised and there is a lack of a proper association. I read news of animal cruelty on a regular basis. All of this, put together, compelled me to put together a tool to disseminate information in the hope to educate and inspire the audience.

The documentary, however, treats this serious issue in a quirky manner. What made you narrate the story in such a way?

Salil: Comedy is a great device to disseminate information. We have taken a very serious subject and consciously made an effort to enable the audience to take the information with an entertainment quotient. I brought my 10 years of experience as an ad filmmaker in the documentary. I have made it extremely stylised and easy on the eyes. It is a combination of the quintessential non-fiction talking heads along with fiction elements like 2D animation, standup comedy, roundtable discussion, talk shows, game shows and infomercials.

Vandana: We are talking to millennials. They see things differently than the older generations. They are habituated to looking at good things. We can’t change the older generations but we can change the future. It’s important for us to look at the sensibilities of the millennials and work accordingly as they are more interested in these subjects.

Since the entire film was shot during the lockdown, what were the challenges you faced?

Salil: It has been a long journey of 13 months. However, it was also overwhelming to receive the support of people. A number of people collaborated on this project and worked on it pro bono. Around 35 celebrities, 100 animal welfare workers, 10 veterinarians and others came together for this documentary. 30 animal welfare organisations including Welfare of Stray Dogs (WSD), In Defense of Animals (IDA), World For All (WFA) etc are a part of this documentary, which is a milestone because they came together for the first time to show solidarity towards this cause. While there was a constant fear of the deadly virus, the support of people was reassuring in the challenging times.

What do you wish to achieve through this documentary?

Vandana: We want the subject of the plight of animals to be taken seriously. Primarily, we want to educate the masses at large through this that even stray animals need food, shelter and other things on a regular basis. They need to be vaccinated and sterilised timely. We wish to inspire our millennials to adopt, not shop. We also aim to encourage community adoption. Also, we want to spread the message that this is equal earth and belongs equally to animals. Finally, we demand the amendment to The Prevention of Cruelty of Animals Act, 1960. We intend to become the voice of the voiceless and demand their rights from the government.

What are your future plans with respect to this documentary?

Vandana: Currently, we are entering all possible international film festivals and awaiting their results. We genuinely hope to raise some alarms about the issue.

#Shraddha Kapoor #Jim Sarbh #Vandana Sethhi #Founder #Water Communications #Salil Jason Fernandez #Tails of Boo-Boo & Cuddly Poo #Boo-Boo #Cuddly Poo #the plight of stray animals

[bradypnoea]

As a new Loki and Tom Hiddleston fan, I’m actually pretty jealous to see someone (aka you) be a fan of his for over 10 years now. I didn’t even know that TH has also played Loki for 10 years as well. What’s it like supporting the actor as well as witness what the filmmakers have done to his character? You’ve probably seen so much happen within the fandom and I wish I got to see how rowdy and wild it got (but at the same time, I’m glad I avoided that).

First of all, welcome! I'm terrible at joining fandoms full stop so I have to commend you on jumping in at such a tumultuous time. I’ll try to make this a brief overview of the early days, ‘cause I know I could go on for hours. I can’t speak to the atmosphere on platforms other than Tumblr really, though I have a vague awareness of the goings-on and Major Historical Events on Facebook and Twitter. 

Honestly, my comparably extensive experience as a My Chemical Romance fan prepared me well for this fandom, with minor differences (obviously). From 2011-2015, I had to describe Tom by way of, “Did you see Thor/The Avengers? He plays Loki. No, he doesn’t look gaunt and greasy in real life.” Similar to band forums and chat boards, Tumblr offered a respite from that. A major portion of the contemporary user-base was a direct reflection of the surge in UK media popularity, propelled by personalities that enjoyed — let’s say — ‘off-center’ pop culture. The TWH fandom grew steadily yet in my opinion managed to retain an almost insular climate, though I remember Loki content wasn’t far removed from the inescapable Superwholock deluge which annoyed many users.

Day to day happenings were almost mundane: Tom tweeted with some regularity, shared daily song recommendations, interacted with replies, and posted seemingly anything that popped into his head. It felt almost gratuitous, particularly the second half of 2013, the earnest sincerity and encouragement of his own supporters. Tumblr seized that energy and used it as inspiration. Artists became well known for incredible graphics work, fic writers gained popularity in and outside of Tumblr, blogs popped up cataloguing photos of the man himself in varying degrees of tight trousers, the prominence of few cosplayers elicited threads of discourse which continue to this day. If I recall correctly a few fan projects actually made their way to Tom, notably a photobook involving ‘Wendy’ the false moustache. (I think there may still exist a self-recorded video documenting his receipt/reaction of it?) And I have to specifically mention the user Torilla, whose tireless work in sourcing and providing high quality photos to the masses cannot be overstated.

Such is the nature of modern fandom however, when a person attracts such a large number of supporters, the support can quickly shift from admiration to expectation to violation. I can’t recall the exact dates offhand but between ‘13-’15, personal photos were taken from Facebook and widely shared, real people were impersonated online by fans, crowds started to become physically threatening. Not to mention the increasingly invasive actions of paparazzi and fan photographers. When ‘Coriolanus’ premiered at the Donmar late 2013 it was presumed that Tom’s activity on Twitter had declined due to a busy working schedule; by the end of the play’s run, stage door signings had been suspended for safety and privacy concerns. 

Throughout 2014, between back to back to back to back projects, fan misbehaviour, and growing scrutiny on how public figures presented themselves online, it was rare to hear anything firsthand. By the time The Night Manager began filming in summer ‘15 the Tumblr fandom comprised discussions of production footage, press releases, a few interviews, and fan-generated content. In my mind that was the last period that the ‘community’ felt manageable — discourse was inevitable but fairly reasonable, even as films were unfavourably reviewed by critics.

Then came May 2016, and nothing was ever the same. Okay lmao that’s so melodramatic, but it’s not inaccurate! I’m not going into detail here but believe me, only since the West End run of ‘Betrayal’ has the fandom been revived to a sustainable degree. Optimism felt like a chore, especially when ‘Endgame’ premiered, and there was no shortage of negative assumptions about Tom’s seemingly indefinite hiatus from appearing on screen. Certainly, other users will have differing experiences and opinions on the 2016-2018 period, but I truly can’t imagine anyone was having an overly pleasant time.

As for my personal support/witnessing of MCU Loki’s character development, I probably have an unusually pessimistic-passive set of expectations, and it’ll be very interesting to return to this after I’ve watched the series! The Internet Joke goes something like, “I respect your interpretation of this character unless it’s different than mine,” which is funny! But I learned it’s almost a waste of energy to attempt interpreting nearly any MCU character because the inconsistent writing. I remember my dissatisfaction during the first watch of ‘The Dark World’ and afterward reading that Loki’s death was reversed when early test audiences reacted with confusion and disappointment, I understood then that the broad appeal of Loki was so necessary for profit that Marvel/Disney would never allow the character the room to shock and potentially repulse audiences like I wanted. 

Clearly I’m still intrigued by fan interpretations because I’m consuming and curating fanworks for zero dollars(!!) but I let go of the expectation to be satisfied by canon MCU content, though I’ll admit it hasn’t stopped me from being disappointed by MCU writing! It also hasn’t softened the disappointment of encountering poor fan behaviour, but of course I pick my battles on that front. I’ve heard curiosity and compassion can solve all problems in time so I’ll keep working on that, offering it when I can.

With that I have to thank you for your interest and your kind message, I hope you find a few people to really connect with, and feel free to return to me if you’d like. My fingers are crossed for the next few years to be more pleasant for us, and the fandom can meet one another on respectable terms, learn and grow and all that. No accounting for trolls on Twitter though lmao

Oh! My favourite direction to send interested newcomers is toward the inactive remnant of thfrustration.tumblr.com (link), the preeminent Tumblr fan-fiction catalogue established in May 2012. It’s a nicely preserved record of the Golden Age as I like to call it. Be prepared to cringe a little! Much love. b|x

#b|anons #b|asks #long post #The Rest

[yeehawrachel]

I approached the manifesto from a post-modernist perspective, which arguably made it infinitely harder to complete. If there are no hard-set rules without exceptions, who am I to shout directives at anyone? Or even just into the void. I researched existing manifestos and garnered some prevailing themes that seemed to exist across time and platform. One idea that artists and manifesto creators seem to agree on and preach as a lifestyle is “fail forward” (Popova, 2021). Which seems like a guileless starting place. But how can one tell others to “just act” or “just create”, even if it’s bad or clumsy or wrong, when our creations have the potential to influence lives in potentially damaging ways? Consider the makers of the film “The Birth of a Nation”. The filmmakers probably thought they were creating art, representing their culture, promoting American values, and showing the world their heroic side of the story. But this film is widely credited with generating renewed interest in the KKK, a surge in KKK membership, and frankly it’s beyond likely that many people died due to the hysteria incited by this film. It’s actually probably more important to communicate to a larger audience that people don’t often know when they’re on the wrong side of history. People are generally trying to do good things, stick up for what they think is right.

Take, for example, the artist, singer-songwriter SIA, who recently made a film called “Music”, which was an ‘homage to her autistic half-sister’ and childhood companion, and made in good faith, under the impression that she was giving exposure to an underrepresented community. But this movie was critically received as a disgrace. SIA herself is not autistic, nor is the main actress she chose to represent the autistic individual. She likely didn’t intend to cause any harm, but she reduces autism into a cartoonish and childlike of itself, completely lacking the nuance and sensitivity that it would require to immerse the viewer in their world, put us in their shoes, and bring their story to life. So what should we take away from this? Could this film have been made elegantly, so that it would have been received with grace? Do we adopt a blanket principle that no one should tell any stories about marginalized, disenfranchised, or underrepresented communities unless they, themselves are part of that community? That’s where we find one of the pitfalls of post-modernism. Infinite consensus can create paralysis. Our entire nation is grappling with that notion, at the moment.

Another feature common to these artistic manifestos is the idea that consumerism is the antithesis of progress, that our graphic design skills are absolutely wasted in these capitalistic endeavors, and that we should instead dedicate our time to more virtuous, important tasks (Garland, 1964). At first glance I agreed with this sentiment. Runaway capitalism profits from (and has historically profited from) slavery, and the capitalist creed isn’t exactly something that I want to align myself with completely. But it is worth noting that consumerism is generally the niche that we graphic designers occupy in society, and I don’t think that’s altogether terrible. I have this memory of my friend purchasing a box of adult diapers for her infirmed grandfather, and on the front cover of the box was a handsome young man- maybe 30 years old- wearing an adult diaper. When she bought the box we both had a giggle imagining this man, just after he had accepted his job offer, excitedly calling his mom on the phone like, “Mom, I got the job!! I’m gonna be a MODEL!!” And to be honest that idea still makes me giggle. But the point worth noting here is that he’s a cog of the capitalist machine, just like the rest of us (or, most of us). And we’re all going to have to work less-than-glamorous jobs at some point. But directing anger with the system towards other people who are just trying to make ends meet—doesn’t strike me as a helpful thing to do. So even if you’re employed to make packaging design by a company that makes laxatives, or whatever, just do your best and make it attractive. Or funny. Not solely or necessarily so the company can increase the profit margins of our employers, but so that we can make our world a more beautiful or enjoyable place to live in, however we can.

Lastly, a trend in manifestos and an explicit goal of artists and graphic designers that has caught my attention is the imperative to “make something lasting”. Which didn’t sound completely right to me for some reason. Of course, I believe in making the world a better place for future generations, but achieving that by making something lasting, even if that thing isn’t a physical entity- strikes me as a fallible approach. Ideas change, and there’s almost 8 billion of us on this planet. Sometimes the best way to make the world a better place is to feel small, be kind, and just try to be a good human. Setting out to create things that last, either physically or metaphorically… that’s how we ended up with so many statues of racist war generals. Just saying. Maybe let’s not make “lasting” one of our ultimate motivations.

I had about a million points that I wanted to make in this manifesto, and with each point I got immediately fretful about the million consequential counterpoints. So I went about this manifesto in a way that I felt best demonstrated the idea that there are often at least two sides to every issue, depending on the filter you view it through. And that sometimes a bit of a filter is necessary to make sense of things at all. When viewed with one filter, my manifesto conveys suggestions of silliness and harmless rebellion, and the other through filter is a message more along the lines of “live a humble life and drive safely”. The trends in graphic design that I do enjoy and abided by are the style of write everything in capitals, split things into discrete, brief phrases, using slightly provocative rhetoric, occasionally featuring ‘foul language’ (Hanna, 2021). The back of my manifesto is a drawing (created in photoshop and printed) of mine that I found to be a lighthearted reflection of postmodernism.

Regarding my specific methodology, my manifesto is printed on cardstock and sits within an envelope that has acetate windows on each side to filter out red and blue light respectively. The card, outside of the envelope, is a printed with superimposed messages in red and cyan, that are difficult to read without a filter, but are legible when viewed from within the envelope. The only material problem I encountered along the way is that acetate paper is extremely static-y, it pulls dust out of the air and sticks to clothing because of its charge, and thus constantly appears dirty and gives you little electric shocks when you’re handling it.

I feel like my manifesto is an accurate representation of myself and my views. It is an attractive object containing both information and irreverence, it is a symbol in and of itself, and it is a representation of my present and future approaches to my work in graphic design.

#manifesto

[kelanfilms]

Cinehaiku Critique

Our first project of 3rd year was always going to be a challenge (it’s 3rd year, time to up our game), but unfortunately nobody could predict a pandemic throwing a massive spanner in the works. Our first pandemic project was made challenging due to ever-changing restrictions and schedule clashes, as well as a ban on household mixing. But, we managed, and our final Cine-haiku film was a success (to some extent).

Shooting

After challenges gaining an actor I eventually roped in my friend Robin to help us on the shoot. He has no previous acting experience, but is a lover of athletics and also recently appeared on National Television in China (so he had no excuse for not wanting to be in front of a camera!). Due to restrictions we decided on an outdoor shoot, and scouted a location for Arthurs Seat. Shoot day came and it was definitely not easy remembering the 2m social distancing rule. Not being able to look over Claire Gould’s shoulder to check shots was a pain, so instead she’d set the shots up move to the side, I’d sit in for a look, comment my thoughts, then we’d switch back. Meanwhile Klaudia sat at our “production camp” about 5 metres away from the path where we had all the bags, equipment, and everything scattered around. Each shot I’d shout the notes/comments (difficult to do so through a mask) to Klaudia to write into our shot-list record for Mairi (editor)- next time I’m bringing walkie-talkies to save me shouting from where we were shooting. Due to the size of Arthur’s Seat and the weekday shooting there wasn’t too much people going around, and for those that were using the path we always made sure to move. After we completed the shoot everyone was feeling confident after a surprisingly easy-going process, we also just felt happy to have gotten out and about on shoots again.

Editing

Postproduction was the most difficult process of our Haiku project. Following the shoot we uploaded all files to OneDrive where our editor Mairi downloaded them. From here she had 2 weeks to complete the project, but now she was pretty much on her own. We initially planned to book several days at the Studio, so the team could pop in when Mairi’s away to make changes or have a look. But Mairi felt more comfortable using DaVinci at home (understandable in a global pandemic) so from there it was a case of trying to get regular updates through the Facebook chat to see how she was doing (but after a while it’s hard not to feel like you’re pestering when you’re asking every 2 days, “how’s the edit going?”). The at-home process also prevented us colour-grading due to the time restraint, and the fact Mairi wasn’t feeling confident to do it herself (but the original shots were fine in the end). Unfortunately it did seem the edit process was going pretty slow, and the first draft shown at a tutorial (early October) was very worrying. So we had a team call for everyone to cement their ideas and issues, and after that the edit flowed more. Eventually after a couple of drafts Mairi had created a really solid visual edit, that all of us were extremely happy with.

We received the “finished” edit with audio the day before the crit, but unfortunately the original draft was nowhere close to what the group had come up with. So it was a few hours of messaging and trying to explain the changes we wanted down through texts to get it fixed. By the time it got to 11pm the night before, the audio was better so we called it and uploaded it for the crit.

Basically if there’s one thing that Covid’s ruined for our course, it’s not only shoots, it’s destroyed the (usually collaborative) process, and made it a lot more time consuming and restricting.

 Crit

The crit was a surprisingly enjoyable process for being online, luckily there were no major internet glitches on the day! The group seemed to enjoy our film, with some fairly constructive criticism as well as kind compliments.

Luke did comment at the Crit that he felt the story of our film was simple and he didn’t understand why we were watching this character, but to me that’s the point: our protagonist isn’t overly special, he’s just a regular guy who’s chuffed he won a race (relatable! We’re all proud of the wee achievements in life). To help create an understandable haiku we used a basic plot to aid our creative process, and I think it really helped us create an easy-watching film!

Euan also commented he felt he didn’t know if our runner had dreamed the race, as there were no people around him. Due to social distancing we couldn’t introduce extras or film with people around us, which led to this annoying emptiness. We could’ve filmed close up shots however they just didn’t give us the same effect. So we stuck with our guns on the wide shot of the finish line with nobody around him. Initially the plan was to create more of the story in sound, but we were struggling to get the basic SFX done to a good standard so decided not to overcomplicate things and leave it to a low wind noise and breathing during that shot. I suppose as filmmakers we can leave it up to audience interpretation, has he stayed behind after a race, or is he a nut-job imagining the whole thing? It’s up to you!

It was commented that there should be more shots than the straightforward feet in the middle section, but I didn’t really hate it just being feet, it gave the film more tempo. Unfortunately though we did have close-ups of the runner but on the shoot day Claire G wanted to shoot these with Robin standing rather than running, but these looked so off in the edit. The introduction of these shots also ruined the edit tempo and made it look messier, so we decided to ditch them for the feet. But otherwise everyone at the Crit seemed happy with our visuals (as they should because it was a really nice finished film to look at, Mairi did a brilliant job of the visual edit).

  My Thoughts

Watching the final product myself I feel our group did well in creating a “Cinehaiku”. The film was evenly paced with a clear structure, and the visuals were really nice. Also every criticism to the sound I respect and probably agree with, the audio to me let this project down. As a group we could’ve found and sent the SFX to Mairi to help her out, however she felt confident to take this job on herself. There were some changes we asked for that she couldn’t make either (like the changes to the breathing at the end), probably due to the short time left to complete the project, so when these problems were commented on at the Crit I wasn’t too upset or surprised because we knew there was something not working. But we will take another look at the project to make this even better.

I am quite surprised nobody commented on the right/left/right/left shot pattern to create the impression of running, cause this is something I felt helped keep tempo and make us feel like we were running. It was definitely a good idea from Claire Gould that aided our film, so just a shame nobody felt the need to comment on it!

I feel given another week or the chance to get our hands on the edit in the studio would’ve aided our group in creating a better final product, but I am happy with what we had. Minus the pandemic I think this project would’ve been a huge success, so I’m definitely taking on-board everything we learned from this experience to ensure the Performance Project is a bigger success.

[dweemeister]

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

The province of British royal dramas has proved a resilient dramatic subgenre since the earliest days of filmmaking. In the twilight of the major movie studios churning out such films on a regular basis came Fred Zinnemann’s A Man for All Seasons, based on the 1960 Robert Bolt play of the same name (Bolt adapted his own play for the film). Zinnemann wrestled with a Columbia Pictures studio without a guiding leader following the death of Harry Cohn in 1958 and suffering from a lack of box office success after 1962′s Lawrence of Arabia. So Zinnemann accepted a smaller budget than one might expect for a royal drama, shielding his production from executive interference as a result. And against Columbia executives’ predictions that A Man for All Seasons would quickly be forgotten, the film became as popular with critics as it was with audiences – could you imagine a royal drama accomplishing that today? – as its literate dialogue and splendid acting emphasize the moral and religious dilemma at the movie’s center.

A Man for All Seasons begins in 1529 and concludes in 1535 – midway through the reign of King Henry VIII of England. Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) is appointed by Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) to replace the late Cardinal Wolsey (Orson Welles) as Lord Chancellor of England (at the time, the position served as the head of the English judiciary). Henry is seeking to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon (his first of eight wives) – who produced no surviving sons – in order to marry Anne Boleyn (Vanessa Redgrave in a memorable cameo). The lack of a male heir could result in civil war, but More refuses to consent to the King’s plans. More, loyal to the Catholic Church (Henry will appoint himself the leader of the newly-created Church of England in 1531), remains steadfast in his opinions as the King’s men (most notably Leo McKern as Thomas Cromwell) attempt to undermine the new Lord Chancellor.

Also important to the film’s narrative are Alice Moore (Wendy Hiller); daughter Margaret More (Susannah York); the Duke of Norfolk (Nigel Davenport); Richard Rich (John Hurt in his first film role of significance); and William Roper the Younger (Corin Redgrave).

Fourteen years earlier, Fred Zinnemann directed Gary Cooper in the 1952 Western High Noon – Coop played an imminently-retiring U.S. Marshal who must defend his town one final time before departing with new bride. Despite the bride’s Quaker pacifism, the Marshal remains steadfast in his principles to defend the townspeople, with violence if necessary. A Man for All Seasons is High Noon as an English royal drama (and vice versa, respective of mid-sixteenth century England and the Old West’s justice systems). Zinnemann’s filmmaking and Robert Bolt’s screenplay examine an issue non-negotiable to the heart and mind of a solitary man. To what lengths will a person go to defend those values and, in the contestation of those values, how do they reconcile with any lingering or last-minute doubts they possess? Contemplating his Catholic faith and his sworn duties to the Crown, it is up to More to decide where to stake his identity and to follow a course of action that he believes is not only clearest for his conscience, but what he thinks is right. As More describes to his wife:

SIR THOMAS MORE: If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly... anger, pride, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice, and thought; perhaps we must stand fast a little – even at the risk of being heroes.

MARGARET MORE: But in reason!

SIR THOMAS MORE: ...it isn’t a matter of reason... it’s a matter of love.

More’s reasonings, beyond what has already been mentioned, are decidedly religious, even if he keeps his spirituality to himself – revealing only when asked and challenged in passionate argument. His attachment to the material, earthly things are fleeting; his connection to God is not (as opposed to John Hurt’s unscrupulous Richard Rich). The final arguments can best be understood in More’s concluding remarks following the trial verdict. His resolve is unimpeachable, his soul hardened.

Robert Bolt’s play and his adapted screenplay adopt a fervent anti-authoritarian message that decries leaders overstepping their bounds and reacting negatively to criticisms and embarrassments. With the West awash in counterculture and distrust in governmental and military institutions (not necessarily anti-authoritarianism), A Man for All Seasons resonated with a larger swathe of people of different ages and political ideologies than Columbia’s unwitting executives might have projected. The major change from Bolt’s stage play is that he eliminates a character named the Common Man – a Greek Chorus-like figure who represents the powerlessness of the average English subject at the time and to establish the play’s setting (like a more interventionist Stage Manager from Thornton Wilder’s Our Town). Bolt’s decision to eliminate the Common Man makes some sense– the 1940 adaptation of Our Town directed by Sam Wood kept the Stage Manager, and it does not negatively impact the film – but the film loses that connection to how ordinary subjects felt about Henry’s schemes and More’s resistance. The adaptation to A Man for All Seasons loses that framing device, focusing almost entirely on Sir Thomas More and Henry’s agents. Perhaps a Greek Chorus-like character might be more theatrical than cinematic, but perhaps a composite character(s) could have allowed audiences a better understanding of how those without power interpreted events and thought of their King’s actions.

Thanks to those decisions, A Man for All Seasons feels like a Great Man Biopic that is gifted with a bravura performance from Paul Scofield. As it happens so often in Hollywood (in a strange coincidence, A Man for All Seasons is the second-straight movie I have written about this non-problem that becomes a problem), Scofield – primarily a stage actor and the originator of the part of Thomas More – was third choice to reprise the role he played on West End and Broadway behind Richard Burton (declined) and Laurence Olivier (who lobbied Zinnemann to cast Scofield). In only his fourth film, Scofield gives a seasoned professional’s performance in the movie’s most refined, unquestionably nuanced part. Portraying More with outstanding confidence and, by the narrative’s end, an acceptance of his likely fate, how lucky audiences are that Scofield’s performance of a lifetime has been preserved on film and is not confined to the memories of theater attendees and critics.

Shot on location in palaces and estates in rural England (in addition to the famous Shepperton Studios’ soundstages), cinematographer Ted Moore (seven James Bond movies from 1962′s Dr. No to 1974′s The Man with the Golden Gun) keeps his static camera at a healthy distance, bolstering the lushness of the setting and implying that More is resisting King Henry VIII for a cause greater than himself. Costume designers Elizabeth Haffenden (1959′s Ben-Hur, 1971′s Fiddler on the Roof) and Joan Bridge (1969′s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Fiddler on the Roof) take advantage of the Technicolor when they can, straying away from the many browns and grays of the interiors – King Henry VIII’s robes are ridiculously gold and gaudy.

After shooting was completed, Fred Zinnemann recalled that A Man for All Seasons was the easiest film he ever made, in part due to the expertise of his cast and his crew. The weather, too, proved miraculous. For one snowy scene in which the Duke of Norfolk visits an ailing Wolsey, Zinnemann had trucks of styrofoam brought in to simulate the snow. But as soon as they arrived, the temperature dipped, and the snow started falling. It stopped immediately after completion of the scene and melted right away. Elsewhere, the outdoor confrontational scene between Scofield and Shaw’s Henry VIII is filled with wind gusts whenever Henry becomes irritated. And after Zinnemann called the film shoot to a close after twelve weeks, it rained where filming took place weeks afterward. Divine intervention or nature of royal clemency may have been too late to save Thomas More, but at least all of those factors except the last one certainly accommodated A Man for All Seasons.

A bit stolid and dry, A Man for All Seasons depicts an individual who lives up to the title in his unbending respects for himself and his beliefs. Though it is not fixated on Henry VIII himself, I would not hesitate to consider the film to be one of the better royal dramas ever released by a major American film studio and, even to a slight degree, an excellent film on faith.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found here.

#A Man for All Seasons #Fred Zinnemann #Paul Scofield #Wendy Hiller #Leo McKern #Orson Welles #Robert Shaw #Susannah York #Nigel Davenport #John Hurt #Corin Redgrave #Colin Blakely #Cyril Luckham #Vanessa Redgrave #Robert Bolt #Ted Moore #Elizabeth Haffenden #Joan Bridge #TCM #My Movie Odyssey