A Genre Re-Born

A stunning cycle of films played at select American cinemas this year that not only revitalized the presence of their genre on screens, but also served as three examples of the finest that their genre has to offer. Let it be said that for all of the disappointment and overall lack of films of substance that 2006 has proved to be the year of the concert film. Non-fiction features have experienced their height of popularity in the past six years, but there has been little emphasis on live concert documentation. However, that all changed with the release of Dave Chappelle's Block Party, Neil Young: Heart of Gold and The Beastie Boys' Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That (and to a lesser extent Al Gore's enormously successful An Inconvenient Truth). Astonishingly, too, each film--including Gore's--helps to form a vastly optimistic and hopeful view of America.

The most prominent release was Dave Chappelle's Block Party, the Michel Gondry directed document of comedian Dave Chappelle's day-long Bed-Stuy hip-hop concert. Opening in Chappelle's Ohio hometown, we get a glimpse of the down-to-earth star as he converses with his neighbors. Infectious to the tenth degree, the film is a most heartfelt gesture on the part of the Comedy Central star's effort to give back something positive to the community. Gondry, thanks to cinematographer Ellen Kuras(whose name will appear later), is able to capture this true labor of love, a portrait of the modern revitalized Brooklyn and contemporary hip-hop. This is perhaps the first movie to celebrate hip hop as an art form, a truly inspired, joyous (and at times rebellious) creation that is not merely an escape from poverty as demonstrated in several Hollywood films (see 8 Mile or Get Rich Or Die Tryin'). Boasting performances from Kanye West, Jill Scott, The Roots, Dead Prez and the reunited Fugees, it is easily the most celebratory portrait of the truly American subculture on film. Now, what makes Block Party truly exceptional is Gondry's wandering eye which catches the beauty of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn (especially in a nearby house known as The Angel House), but also Mr. Chappelle at his most candid. Tenderness and emotion are typically not virtues of the concert film, but Dave Chappelle's Salvation Army piano rendition of "Round Midnight" proves that in the hands of a capable filmmaker, even the concert film can have true cinematic moments of emotional resonance.

But, the better example of extending this tenderness throughout the course of a film is the gorgeous Neil Young: Heart of Gold, by the masterful Jonathan Demme. His Talking Heads' film Stop Making Sense has long been seen as the benchmark of the concert film, but he may have topped himself with his film of Neil Young's Nashville-based concert. Framing the narrative with the knowledge of Young's impending brain surgery, the film is immediately tinged as a sort of eulogy, even though Young is debuting new songs and looking forward. Not unlike Robert Altman's so-so A Prairie Home Companion, Heart of Gold is an artist looking back, celebrating the death of Americana and his own eventual passing. Unlike Altman, though, Young has more than a glint of sadness in his eye. "Old man, look at my life. I'm a lot like you were." Never before have Young's haggard words been so haunting (see also his performance of "Heart of Gold" that contains a brief shot of Young framed with his wife that is simply breathtaking). But, the man who once asked, "is it better to burn out than fade away?" is answering his own question -- and siding more with the latter. Wistful, and even oddly talkative, Young seems ready for whatever is ahead of him. Demme's beautiful-looking film, thanks to Ellen Kuras once again, is a true American elegy...even if it is for a Canadian singer-songwriter.

Perhaps the most cinematic of the three films, though, is the one shot on the crappiest video. The Beastie Boys' 2004 homecoming concert at Madison Square Garden was captured on 50 Hi-8 video cameras by 50 fans from all over the arena. Taking Sergei Eisenstein's claim that "editing was the essence of cinema" to heart, the film Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That! is a faithful reconstruction of the show (I should know, I was there). Thanks to the ease of video editing, the task of constructing a 90-minute film from a 150-minute concert from 50 different cameras is much easier. Infusing the editing with the same sense of humor in the Boys' music, making for a film that pushes the very boundaries of the concert film. No longer is the static framing and flawless editing of Jonathan Demme the epitome, but now just another stylistic choice. Instead, in the Beastie Boys' hands, the concert film becomes a democratic experience, from all angles can we see what went down -- and not just on the stage. Detours into the crowd where they dance, drink and take bathroom breaks sit alongside the performances. Eisenstein wouldn't just be proud, he'd be jealous.

Concert films are not a dead genre anymore, thanks to Block Party, Heart of Gold, and Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That. Even if these films were not box office smashes, they still represent a vital part of forming a portrait of America. Music is a universal language(and, yes, your the level of enjoyment still hinges on your level of appreciation for the music in the films presented here). Concerts, and their filmed counterparts, bring together a wide range of people in myriads of ways. There is simply no denying that. If pop-culture reflects our current state, then, these concert films are also part of that mirror. What do they show us exactly? In Dave Chappelle's words, "it's a celebration, bitches!"

Trade Screenings

Bonjour Blogarinos,

It feels great to be back in the blogosphere-o-diarama-rama! Thank you to all who welcomed me back with open arms and open links (thank you, GreenCine!). Coincidentally, or not, Roger Ebert had his first review since undergoing emergency surgery back in June published today. It is great to see Roger back at the helm. He has surely been missed!

But, today, I won't bore you with any reviews or predictable points of view. Perhaps, I can offer some insight into one area of the theatrical distribution process. How to secure a movie screens is perhaps the most intriguing part of the job I do. On paper, you would think it is as easy as saying "Hey! Do you guys want to show the new Jet Li movie?" But, it is not...

Due to legislation in more than 20 states, a studio is required to screen a movie before its release to exhibitors. The practice is known as "trade screening."

Before trade screenings were mandatory, many studios simply told exhibitors what they were releasing, and from there exhibitors would make an offer for the film. This is known as "blind bidding" for a film. In the 1970s, The National Association of Theatre Owners had gotten legislation passed that outlawed blind bidding in 23 states. Exhibitors in those states have the right to view a film before they see fit to show it in their theatre. Part of my job is to book these screenings, typically a few weeks prior to publicity and press screenings.

Contrary to what you might think, trade screenings offer little benefits to studios. It cannot track a film's "buzz" or playability. Recently, one film of ours played very well with exhibitors, but did not do great business at the box office. Trade screenings exist solely for the benefit of the exhibitor and, therefore, the filmgoing public.

If you would like to know more about this particular practice, please feel free to ask...

THE DEPARTED.

"A History of Violence" is what they could have called THE DEPARTED, if the name had not been taken already. And just like David Cronenberg's masterpiece, Martin Scorsese's new film is an insanely fun and twisted ride. But, unlike Cronenberg's movie, Scorsese's picture fails to resonate as one of the auteur's greatest works.

Opening amidst the intense period of violence in the 1970s in Boston's predominantly Irish innercities and zipping through the INFERNAL AFFAIRS' beyond-brilliant set-up (mob grooms undercover cop, cops groom undercover goodfella), missing is Scorsese's usual sense of urgency. He saves it for later. The 20-minute opening, before a title card, should be exhausting and head-spinning, but it does improve upon the original film by using the same Hollywood stars to play younger ages as to not confuse us. Finally, though, the title drops and the music explodes: The Dropkick Murphy's signature Boston-Irish-punk sound giving us "I'm Shipping Up To Boston." Things finally get frenetic.

Now that all the set-up has been handled a little too delicately, Scorsese and company get on with the intense cat-and-mouse potboiler. Deveating very little from Andrew Lau's original film, THE DEPARTED simply Americanizes the original film; gone are the overly dramatic stings that accompany most standard Asian action pictures, here we get The Stones' "Gimme Shelter" as a sort of theme (which strikes me as arather weak choice for Scorsese). William Monahan's Mamet-esque screenplay displays games of verbal gymnastics that this fabulous cast is up for; each player is excelling at delivering this harsh, fuck-laden dialogue. Monahan is constantly elevating the B-movie leanings to greater heights with aspirations and allusions to Joyce, Shakespeare and Freud. However, his most authentic moments come from casual mentions of Irishness; this is the film that STATE OF GRACE wanted to be. The Italian-Catholic Scorsese is clearly on a similar wavelength as the Irish, making two of America's finest depictions of the two largest Irish diasporas in America (GANGS andTHE DEPARTED).

As for the cast, they are all in excellent form. Leonardo DiCaprio gets the more introspective, tortured character. He does very fine work here that we come to expectfrom him now, but compared to Tony Leung he is weak. Matt Damon, however, plays one of the most evilcharacters of recent memory; his manipulation and deceit allow himto be despicable without being entirely unlikable. He does not one-up Andy Lau so much as match his icy antagonist. With glee he saddles back into his Boston brogue; here, he is Bad Will Hunting.

Then, there's Jack. I don't even have to say his full name and you know who I'm talking about --Jack Nicholson. Nicholson is easily the most watchable actor of thelast 30 years, and again he is working on his evil mode that he elevated to a new artform in THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK and BATMAN. The Boston Jack prevents him from playing himself intially, but once Nicholson gets situated he plays "Jack" yet again, veering at times into a cartoonish category. Thankfully, THE DEPARTED shows him as an evil monster before he lets loose. In many ways, it's an extended riff on William Hurt's Philly-Irish gangster from A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE; a paranoid, violent, drunk who gets to have the best lines (notice how similar Jack and Hurt's Oscar clips will be...hint: Jack's playing drunk, too). It's not a career best performance, but watching Jack chew scenery is always a pleasure.

Two unsung heroes steal the picture whenever they are on-screen: Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg. The former is an artist at deliveringthe rapid-fire obscenity-laced dialogue, while the latter deserves the Best Supporting Oscar statue. Wahlberg's intense cop is at first charicature, but eventually gives way to an honest, hardworking Boston detective. His arch is eeriely similar to that of Kang-ho Song's character in MEMORIES OF MURDER -- and similarly, the two men's antics resonate. (oh yeah! and, Wahlberg gets to use his real voice, too!) Lastly, I cannot not write a word about Vera Farmiga who is given theweight of being the only female of the film. She does strong work here with a little role, and deserves a chance to play outside of an American genre film.

While the performances and script satisfy, the only one who leaves you wanting more is Scorsese himself. It seems as though the RAGING BULL-auteur has abandoned his normally expressive movie geek camera and settled strictly for making standard grade fair. It is a backhanded compliment, as he does unbelievably tight and solid work, but there are no flourishes of visual style that he peppers his films with. An aborted attempt to approximate a Wong Kar-Wai slow motion chase through a neon-lighted street is reduced to a single shot here. Perhaps in the pursuit of Oscar, Scorsese has forgotten why is often considered America's greatest living director. THE DEPARTED is by no means a step back, but perhaps a step forward that is a more a step-to-the-side that will give way to more expressive pictures from the New York filmmaker.

While fans of INFERNAL AFFAIRS will have exactly ONE surprise waiting for them with this film, there is still so much left to recommend. It is a superior film in many respects; Scorsese makes fireworks out of the original's lackluster climax. While not entirely satisfying as a Scorsese picture, the film still stands head-and-shoulders above most Hollywood films. THE DEPARTED could have been a masterpiece, but instead it settles for greatness.

"Hey! Wha' Happen'?!" -- The Return of the Curse of YOU KNOW, FOR FILM.

Bonjour Blogarinos!

It's been quite some time since I last updated the old web-log. Much has changed, mainly my address and employment. The Upper East Side of Manhattan was traded for the quiet streets of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenwood Heights (aka SOUTH Slope). As for my new office of employment, in interest of full disclosure, I must come clean and admit to being a studio's hired goon now. Focus Features' wonderful Theatrical Distribution team acquired yours truly back in June. It has been a wonderful, eye-opening experience. I could not be part of a better, more passionate and film-savvy group of people. I didn't just join a team, but a family.

And, I have been torn on how to deal with this on the blog (how could I write objectively about film if I work within the industry?), but I will just try to avoid writing about Focus releases. However, if I can offer any objective insight into the distribution process, that will be handled here as well. After all, this is... you know, for film.