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in The Believer
by
Rolf Potts, March/April 2008
When the 2007 blockbuster Transformers hit DVD rental shelves, a few confused souls accidentally brought home the similarly titled, though completely different, Transmorphers. The same occurred when the thriller Snakes on a Plane found itself facing competition from a rushed-to-production knock-off called Snakes on a Train. In fact, any big-budget sci-fi, horror, or suspense movie is likely to wind up sharing shelf space with a low-budget, direct-to-DVD doppelganger, most likely produced by the Asylum company. Potts investigates the profitable world of the "mockbuster" and discovers that, although the inspiration behind them is entirely mercenary, the passion that goes into their creation is surprisingly earnest. Though it's been covered before, Potts pens a particularly colorful report.
Posted 11:37, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
Darren Franich, March/April 2008
In this initial entry in a series laying bare the expenditures that go into producing various artistic projects, Franich presents a condensed budget for an unnamed independent film. Although the format -- a six-page excerpt from a ledger -- doesn't make for terribly compelling reading, the careful reader will be rewarded with interesting food for thought. Details such as the disparity in pay between a first lead actor ($1 million) and a 6th lead ($20,000), and the cost for producing sufficient copies of the script ($3,000) elucidate details of the process many of us might not have otherwise considered.
Posted 11:35, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
The authors of this piece present a veritable rogues' gallery of forgotten 1930s Hollywood leading men, character actors, and bit players. Each entry is accompanied by a charming illustration of said actor by artist Seth, and a short dossier describing their achievements, general persona and trivia. Standing out among the group are Mischa Auer, a Slavic "limpid skeleton" whose "Mad Russian Persona" propelled him to comic celebrity, and Eugene Pallette, a rotund, frog-voiced "umbrage machine" whose post-Hollywood life was spent hunkered down in his personal fallout shelter, awaiting an imminent attack from the USSR.
Posted 10:45, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
Erik Lundegaard, March/April 2008
It might seem like a common-sense assertion that the overall quality of popular movies has degraded over time, but Lundegaard decides to put the theory to the test by comparing the top ten films of March 19, 1958 with those of March 16, 2007. 1958's list features The Bridge on the River Kwai and The Brothers Karamazov, while 2007's has Norbit and Wild Hogs. The game might seem over before it's really begun, but Lundegaard delivers a thoughtful rumination on the changing standards that have led us to the Hollywood of the present day, and he manages to avoid all-too-easy elitist posturing.
Posted 10:34, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
Nick Hornby, March/April 2008
In accordance with the magazine's film issue this month, Hornby's column features anecdotes and ramblings based around movies instead of books. Unfortunately, Hornby is overtly uncomfortable with the thematic change, and though he gamely attempts to work that discomfort into a feature instead of a detraction, his uncertainty inhibits the usual free flow of ideas that make his column stand out. But Hornby's witty prose and insightful ruminations are still present, and his take on films such as I'm Not There, The Simpsons Movie, and Juno makes the experiment worthwhile.
Posted 10:23, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
Devin McKinney, March/April 2008
Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo is regarded as one of cinema's standout suspense classics, but as far as McKinney's concerned, one fatal flaw keeps it from greatness -- James Stewart. McKinney asserts that Stewart's quirkily wholesome persona is entirely wrong for the ambiguous, tortured Scottie and his twisted desires. In fact, he convincingly argues, there was only one man who could fit the bill -- the brooding Henry Fonda, who could convey volumes of pain with his eyes alone. The article is an exercise in idle fantasy, as McKinney himself is quick to admit, but one that offers an intriguing what-if for Hitchcock fans to mull over.
Posted 9:48, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
Jim Shepard, March/April 2008
Shepard offers a riveting analysis of the 1988 Dutch film The Vanishing, which portrays a man's obsessive quest to discover the final fate of his abducted wife. According to Shepard, the film's moral ambiguity (the motivations of the protagonist are revealed to be more suspect than those of the wife's actual killer) extends well beyond the celluloid, becoming an implication of society itself and the horrific acts committed to ensure safety and comfort. Shepard keenly ties this theme to US citizens' compliance in their country's war on terror, particularly their ability to think highly of themselves despite the atrocities committed in their name.
Posted 9:40, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
Erol Morris, March/April 2008
Two formidable artistic minds meet in this moderated discussion between documentarian Errol Morris -- best known for 2003's The Fog of War -- and German auteur Werner Herzog, whose considerable body of work includes Grizzly Man, Fitzcarraldo, and Aguirre, the Wrath of God. The two offer a fascinating commentary on subjects ranging from the meaning of "ecstatic truth" to the dissemination of cinema verité tropes into the popular consciousness. Additionally, the men share some anecdotes from the early days of their friendship, when they interviewed serial killer Edmund Emil Kemper III together, as well as seriously planning grave robbery (Morris chickened out.)
Posted 9:16, 27 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
The Believer, March/April 2008
Vladimir is an artist known for her award-winning experimental "films," which are presented in a unique medium: View-Master discs. During a performance of her work, audience members "click through picture reels of dioramas, action figures, and abstract photographs of trains" to the accompaniment of narration helpfully punctuated by tones to indicate when it is time to turn to the next image. In this brilliant interview, Vladimir discusses her work, the meaning of "performance" in film presentation, the oft-overlooked role of the film projectionist, and her endless appreciation for vintage Atari video games.
Posted 5:17, 25 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The Believer
by
Chuck Klosterman, March/April 2008
Klosterman looks into the American tradition of the road movie with one question on his mind: What exactly makes a road movie? To answer this, he examines films such as Duel, Smokey and the Bandit, Vanishing Point, and Two-Lane Blacktop. Along the way he interviews director Gus Van Sant, despite the filmmaker not having actually made any road movies. Perhaps it's a conscious attempt to mirror the road-movie format, but the essay's meandering turns detract from any cohesiveness argument, and Klosterman's conclusions -- that road movies are about either "(a) going nowhere fast or (b) going somewhere slow" -- are unforgivably obvious.
Posted 5:13, 25 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Ty Bannerman
and edited by Brijit.