What Do You Think About Spoilers?

Posted on April 9, 2013 at 8:00 am

Do you remember a movie that really surprised you?

Do you remember having a big movie surprise spoiled for you? Did that make the movie less powerful?

Jennifer Richler has an excellent story in The Atlantic about spoilers and why they matter to us. She points out that there are movies like “Argo” (and “Apollo 13” and “Lincoln”) where we know what is going to happen but still feel the tension. And plenty of movies are so good that we will watch them over and over again, even if we already know that — spoiler alert — Darth Vader is Luke’s father. But spoilers take the magic of anticipation away from us. Film School Rejects wrote an equally fine piece about spoilers, inspired by Richler’s article. Most important conclusion from both — in the world of social media, they are almost impossible to avoid. Not to mention these.

Related Tags:

Understanding Media and Pop Culture

Iconic Movie Posters

Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:51 pm

Trailers are so accessible these days that we sometimes overlook the power of a really great movie poster. I like this list of the greatest movie posters of all time because it is a great reminder of some iconic images and because it includes commentary from designers on what makes those posters so good. Not surprisingly, most of the film posters are horror/sci-fi/fantasy, as that provides the greatest opportunities for imagination, but there are also strong images for crime movies like “Pulp Fiction” and “The Usual Suspects.” Without looking, can you guess what they picked as the all-time best? You might also want to compare it to the list of best-selling movie posters.

A Little Help from a Friend Named Spielberg

Posted on March 5, 2013 at 8:00 am

The New York Times has a very sweet article about how the most successful director in Hollywood acts as a sort of fairy godfather to other directors, giving them advice about cinematic storytelling.

Mr. Spielberg, 66, is considered the most influential director of our time, thanks to the impact of the 27 features that he has directed (which now include “Lincoln”). And then there are the more than 175 films that he, in one form or another, has been ultimately responsible for, mostly through his production company, Amblin, and his studio, DreamWorks.

But less recognized is the feedback that Mr. Spielberg has provided as a sounding board for filmmakers not necessarily under his authority.

My favorite of the examples in the article comes from the nifty little thriller that came out last summer, Premium Rush because of what it reveals about the language and history of film as well as about Spielberg’s attention to detail, generosity, and willingness to act as mentor due to his devotion to his colleagues and to the craft.

Mr. Koepp asked Mr. Spielberg to read an early draft of the script for 2012’s “Premium Rush,” which Mr. Koepp directed but to which Mr. Spielberg had no affiliation. The film features a bike messenger engaged in several chase sequences from one tip of Manhattan to another and back again.

Mr. Spielberg’s advice to Mr. Koepp was to show the main character entering the screen consistently from one side when he was going downtown, and to enter the other side when he was going uptown, to help orient the audience.

“He is exceedingly practical and grounded in the storytelling,” Mr. Koepp said. In giving his notes Mr. Spielberg referred to how Peter O’Toole’s character, in “Lawrence of Arabia,”does the same thing when his character crosses the desert.

Floor Plans of Movie and Television Living Spaces

Posted on March 4, 2013 at 3:49 pm

On Etsy, you can find floor plans of the homes of movie and television characters by Iñaki Aliste Lizarralde that are works of art in themselves. Look at the homes of Will and Grace, Carrie Bradshaw, Dexter, the Golden Girls, Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and Joey, and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Holly Golightly.

Maltin on Music: Old Songs in New Movies

Posted on March 1, 2013 at 8:00 am

One of my very favorite writers on film is Leonard Maltin so I was delighted to see his new essay on the use of classic or obscure older songs in new movies.

Classic songs and selections from what’s now called the Great American Songbook still turn up in contemporary films, either suggested by music supervisors or thought of by savvy directors. Sometimes the usage is ironic or odd, as when Andrew Dominik chose to have Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards warbling “It’s Only a Paper Moon” while someone was being brutally murdered in Killing Them Softly.

More often, older music is used to evoke a particular mood or era. I anticipated hearing familiar tunes in Hyde Park on Hudson, which is set in 1939, but I was especially pleased to recognize two songs by The Ink Spots, “If I Didn’t Care” and “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire,” before a word was sung, as their guitar-and-piano introductions are so familiar.

I also listen for great songs and appreciate very much what they can do to enhance a movie’s mood and message.