March 31, 2003:

ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR

(If talking about The Film bores you, skip reading me now, because that's all I'm going to do. Movie chat. Snippet thoughts. At least that's my plan...)

- I was disappointed in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". I haven't read the books, but I will assume they are written for children only. If adults read them with enjoyment, well, fine, but that wasn't the plan. If anything, the bean counters in the FILM industry would more likely try to influence a movie to "capture" the broadest range of audience, so Harry Potter (the film) probably contains more "adult bits" than the book.

I enjoyed the heck out of the first "Lord of the Rings" film, and I love the original books.

BOTH films center on young, naive characters being suddenly thrown into roles with huge & dangerous responsibilities, while still being surrounded by wise adults, powerful monsters, evil spirits, and very complex environments. Why does one disappoint me, and one excite?

Special effects were better in Rings, but I dismiss that angle. "The Blair Witch Project" was a very smart film, and had NONE of that techno-stuff. "Chuck & Buck" had low production values, yet was a moving, interesting story. The acting was weak in Harry Potter. The kids were flat, the adults cartoon-like. I was given no "real" reason to like or dislike any of the characters. TELLING me someone is a "bad guy" just ain't gonna make it. The story seemed like a clothes line full of separate action/FX bits. A party mix. Short, easy-to-read chapters.

Okay, so I rented a weak movie. No biggie. I try to avoid it, but when renting 300+ films a year, it's going to happen. We watched "One Hour Photo" (congratulations to Robin Williams for using all of his strength to NOT overact), which was an eerie, admirable, visually intelligent story about one man lost in his own tiny world shared by no one. For that reason, story-wise it reminded me of "Taxi Driver". This is a movie that should be studied by art students, and anyone else wanting to begin learning what goes into making right visual choices...which is much - not all - of what makes up a film.

We watched "White Oleander" this week, as well. Are there REALLY kids faced with such lives? Of course there are, and since it was hopefully NOT YOUR experience, THIS is one of the strongest films to take you inside...show you around...teach you a few things...and then - WHEW - let you go. Acting was superb, situations intense and sad, complex motivations made clear and full of insight. Even if the story doesn't seem of direct interest to you, the deeper question - how DO WE react through the random kicks of our lifetimes? - IS useful.

Every tribe has Story Tellers. The Stories are intended for use. As individuals, and as a group, we sit towards the firey bright light, listen to the story, think it over, and find our Reasons.