Post by klep on Aug 7, 2017 6:42:39 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 8/7: Young Frankenstein
BLACK & WHITE WEEK!
Mel Brooks is best known for his talents at writing comedy - and justifiably so. His best movies are among the funniest you'll ever see, whether he's sending up Star Wars, teaching us about racism, or educating us about world history. But all that wit wouldn't have made moviegoers flock to their seats if it wasn't paired with fine filmmaking skills as well. And perhaps no film of Brooks' better shows off his talents than Young Frankenstein.
Young Frankenstein is the only one of Brooks' films shot in black & white, but he takes to it like an old hand. Indeed, even the choice to use black & white showcases his smart choices, as it's exactly what the film needs. If you want your film to feel like Frankenstein it needs to look like Frankenstein too, and that means going beyond the creepy castle and the steampunk laboratory; it also means you need the sharp shadows and high contrasts that turn a tall dude in makeup into a menacing monster.
And Brooks uses it to great effect, with highly memorable shots like the cart being pulled through town as Fred (Gene Wilder) and Igor (Marty Feldman) steal a body or Fred perched atop the castle playing the violin to lure back his creation (Peter Boyle). He deploys lighting for great effect during the reanimation sequences, or lets the shadows fall to create menace from a few sparse trees on the trip from the train station to the castle.
Naturally the film is very funny as well. People frequently first recall the brilliant "Puttin' on the Ritz" sequence, but between the sharp writing and Wilder's genius (along with the rest of the cast) it's difficult to find more than a few seconds that doesn't have a great gag or reaction in it. Perhaps my favorite is the running gag where the mere mention of Frau Blücher's (Cloris Leachman) name inevitably scares nearby horses. Brooks' genius can run hot and cold, but Young Frankenstein is one of its most consistent and purest distillations.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 8/14: What We Do In The Shadows
Hanna gave it a real fight, but it quickly became clear that our next Movie of the Week would be Taika Waititi's brilliant 2014 mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows, about a small group of vampires just trying to get by in the modern world. Come join us next week as we discuss this hilarious look at a world of monsters (although really, that word is very hurtful)! What We Do In The Shadows is available on Amazon Video, where it is free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 8/8: Planet of the Apes (1968)
Next week's podcast looks at the new War for the Planet of the Apes and sees how the franchise has evolved since its inception back with the 1968 original. We'll have a thread to talk about the first Planet of the Apes on Wednesday. Planet of the Apes is available for rent on Amazon Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
BLACK & WHITE WEEK!
Mel Brooks is best known for his talents at writing comedy - and justifiably so. His best movies are among the funniest you'll ever see, whether he's sending up Star Wars, teaching us about racism, or educating us about world history. But all that wit wouldn't have made moviegoers flock to their seats if it wasn't paired with fine filmmaking skills as well. And perhaps no film of Brooks' better shows off his talents than Young Frankenstein.
Young Frankenstein is the only one of Brooks' films shot in black & white, but he takes to it like an old hand. Indeed, even the choice to use black & white showcases his smart choices, as it's exactly what the film needs. If you want your film to feel like Frankenstein it needs to look like Frankenstein too, and that means going beyond the creepy castle and the steampunk laboratory; it also means you need the sharp shadows and high contrasts that turn a tall dude in makeup into a menacing monster.
And Brooks uses it to great effect, with highly memorable shots like the cart being pulled through town as Fred (Gene Wilder) and Igor (Marty Feldman) steal a body or Fred perched atop the castle playing the violin to lure back his creation (Peter Boyle). He deploys lighting for great effect during the reanimation sequences, or lets the shadows fall to create menace from a few sparse trees on the trip from the train station to the castle.
Naturally the film is very funny as well. People frequently first recall the brilliant "Puttin' on the Ritz" sequence, but between the sharp writing and Wilder's genius (along with the rest of the cast) it's difficult to find more than a few seconds that doesn't have a great gag or reaction in it. Perhaps my favorite is the running gag where the mere mention of Frau Blücher's (Cloris Leachman) name inevitably scares nearby horses. Brooks' genius can run hot and cold, but Young Frankenstein is one of its most consistent and purest distillations.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 8/14: What We Do In The Shadows
Hanna gave it a real fight, but it quickly became clear that our next Movie of the Week would be Taika Waititi's brilliant 2014 mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows, about a small group of vampires just trying to get by in the modern world. Come join us next week as we discuss this hilarious look at a world of monsters (although really, that word is very hurtful)! What We Do In The Shadows is available on Amazon Video, where it is free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 8/8: Planet of the Apes (1968)
Next week's podcast looks at the new War for the Planet of the Apes and sees how the franchise has evolved since its inception back with the 1968 original. We'll have a thread to talk about the first Planet of the Apes on Wednesday. Planet of the Apes is available for rent on Amazon Video, though it is not free for Prime members.