[NEohioPAL] Got Milk?
Beverly Kristy
bkristy at mindspring.com
Fri Dec 19 14:05:33 PST 2008
Hi all,
To follow up Maureen's post about Choices and the comment "the film editor, ultimately, who determines what is defined as 'art"...... How aware are we that a film can change to a completely different animal as it changes format?
I saw the film Crash (Oscar for Best Film) in the theater and was awed and inspired by it and thought about it for days after. I was going to recommend viewing the DVD to others who had missed it but when I viewed the DVD I was shocked at the changes. The film deals with cultural and racial stereotypes and how often these are wrong and misleading. DVD viewers will not see many key scenes, including the car crash around which the story is built! Viewers will scratch their heads, wondering why the Oscar was awarded and totally missing some of the hard hitting message. Why was this film softened when they had achieved perfection?
Another case in point. I was gifted a DVD of Daniel-Day Lewis' Last of the Mohicans to replace my aging VHS copy. But can I toss the VHS? No because several of the choice lines uttered by Hawkeye to Duncan to illustrate their growing animosity were deleted. Oh yes the DVD is longer by a few minutes of extraneous footage, but the message and character development suffered.
So from my experience, even knowing what a team effort a film is, the message at the least, is in the hands of the editor.
My advice to anyone interested in seeing Milk or other film, particularly one with a controversial message, is see it in the theater.
I'd love to hear comments from anyone who can shed light on this practice.
Happy Viewing,
Beverly Kristy
440 487 6698
bkristy at mindspring.com
http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/beverlykristy
From: Maureen Dempsey
To: neopal
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: [NEohioPAL] Got Milk?
Oh, yes and we are just scratching the surface of what goes on. When the big shots in Hollywood say, "When you sit in a theater and watch a major film on the big screen, it's a MIRACLE," it is! You can't imagine all the hands that dip into the pot (that pot being the film).
I have a pile of scripts on my nightstand right now from a successful Hollywood writer who has written for television and is about to have his third major studio film made. They are all written about the same story. The first one is FANTASTIC! I love it. And the rest...well, it is downhill from there as all the players get involved. And these are big names. The last script sent to me the screenwriter took a Sharpie and put a line through his own name. And this film doesn't start production until spring.
I use examples from the first script with my students for great scenes. The latest script I used to illustrate choices of opening scenes for a film. The opening from the original script was exciting and visually appealing. The latest version, well…
No, I can't say who it is. It will be in all the theaters within two years.
But, the studio executives are scared. Production Companies want sure things and stars; well they have their own agendas. It is endless. Then you have the personal issues of everyone involved from, "That character reminds my newest wife of her ex-husband, change him,” to “I have an issue from my childhood I want to deal with in this role." Oh, you wouldn't believe what comes up.
That being said, a film is a team effort. Sometimes the collaboration brings about junk and sometimes it produces Magic! You just never know. We have all seen both.
It is always about choices. When the baby is yours you have to choose. Choose how much to give up and for how much money. My friend will make a great deal of money, as he has in the past. His next project after one he is writing now for Robert Redford's company he will probably produce independently on a low budget so that he has control. CHOICES!
Lessons learned. What will you do with your story?
Go! The rise of Independent Filmmaking!
--- On Thu, 12/18/08, Fred Sternfeld <fsternfeld at gmail.com> wrote:
From: Fred Sternfeld <fsternfeld at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NEohioPAL] Got Milk?
To: KevinJosephKelly at aol.com
Cc: neohiopal at listserve.com
Date: Thursday, December 18, 2008, 11:03 PM
On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 6:08 PM, <KevinJosephKelly at aol.com> wrote:
i saw the movie MILK this past weekend with about 10 gay friends
at the end of the movie, we wept openly
we were moved about a story of one man who was strong enough to care about his fellow glbt's so much, that he risked his life so that glbt's could start to have a more secure future
you can say what you will about your feelings about the performances, but what i can tell you is what all of us felt that night, and that was a sense of pride that this story, this also tragic story was told, and told in a way that we felt empowered and proud to be out and gay in our society.
because to this day, it isn't easy for anyone
and by the way, at the end of the movie, the audience applauded
I agree Kevin. I saw MILK a few days ago and thought it was an excellent movie and that Sean Penn's performance was worthy of an Oscar nomination.
respectfully
kjk
In a message dated 12/18/2008 4:34:01 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, kulturekids at yahoo.com writes:
perhaps, but Gus Van Sant (Director) isn't exactly a pushover...it might have just been bad for other reasons....making a good movie is hard no matter how many talented people are involved.
The studio system was draconian, yes...but DAMN if they didn't produce great films (much more so than today).
T.
--- On Thu, 12/18/08, Christopher Fortunato <learnedhand at live.com> wrote:
> From: Christopher Fortunato <learnedhand at live.com>
> Subject: Re: [NEohioPAL] Got Milk?
> To: "Robert Hawkes" <rhhawkes at gmail.com>, neohiopal at listserve.com
> Date: Thursday, December 18, 2008, 1:12 PM
> And that's probably because in Hollywood today, the
> actors drive the movie. Instead of letting the director do
> the stuff that needs to be done, actors like Sean Penn start
> stirring the pot. Penn ruined the remake of "All The
> King's Men" with his one note performance.
> That's because the actors are the bankable ones, and
> since money is power, they select the director, the producer
> et al.
>
> Could you imagine telling Victoria Bussert, Tom Fulton,
> Terri Kent, Fred Sternfeld or Sue Johnson how to direct a
> play or musical? That's not to say they won't let
> you try things in rehearsal, but the director has to helm
> the project and needs to determine the final direction in
> order to create wonderful art. Having worked with all of
> them, I've felt confident in their direction as well as
> others.
>
> I don't doubt, Robert, that Sean Penn stirred a lot of
> stuff in creating that movie.
>
> Chris
>
>
>
> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:00:07 -0500From:
> rhhawkes at gmail.comTo: neohiopal at listserve.comSubject:
> [NEohioPAL] Got Milk?Milk - now playing at the Cedar-Lee and
> possibly elsewhere. See - here's what I mean: a story
> which would have been "powerful" if merely told,
> but which here thoroughly betrays wonderful actors by klunky
> writing, an appallingly manipulative musical score, anxious
> over-editing, distracting focus on the "up close and
> personal" People/In Touch elements - in short, by a
> completely successful attempt to make this film and its
> story as numbingly ORDINARY as possible. A tale of big
> issues becomes as trivial as Capote - a "tour de
> force" for its principal actor, but nothing more. Just
> more TV. What a disappointment. Argh.
> _________________________________________________________________
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