Post by klep on Mar 15, 2021 10:17:07 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 3/15: Who Killed Captain Alex?
EMERGING MARKETS WEEK
Making films is hard. They require a writer, an editor, a director, a cameraperson, actors, a sound person, a producer, a prop master, and so on. Action movies are even harder, because now you need a stunt coordinator, an action choreographer, and someone to do the effects (you need these things on non-action films too, but the need with action films is much more dire). It's an endeavor that can take a veritable army and a formidable quantity of cash.
Or you can do it with $200 and people you know in Kampala, Uganda.
Who Killed Captain Alex? was made by Nabwana IGG in early 2010 as a labor of love. He grew up on martial arts action films and wanted to make one himself, so he did - working on a computer and camera equipment cobbled together from scrap. He never believed it would be much seen outside of the people in his neighborhood in Kampala, but then the internet got a hold of it and it became a cult favorite.
But is it any good? Well, you first have to define what 'good' means for a movie like this. And I don't mean 'good for an action movie' versus 'good for a character drama.' Most movies we see are backed by a large industry and millions of dollars. There's a framework which defines best practices for creating films and a deep talent pool to draw from. Nabwana IGG had none of that. Everything he did had to be done on a sub-shoestring budget with the tools and people he had available or could make by himself.
If I were watching a conventionally produced Hollywood action film and saw the level of craft on display in Who Killed Captain Alex? I would think it was lazy and unacceptably amateurish. But coming from an impoverished area of Uganda - a country without a long history of filmmaking or well-established film production industry - I can't help but be impressed. The basic plot works even if the core question of the title is never actually resolved, the digital effects work gets the point across, and the action choreography is actually pretty good - I never really felt like I was lost in terms of who was on which side and where in the fight things were taking place. Hell, the martial arts are just damn solid, and I appreciated the way Nabwana IGG made certain moves or moments feel more kinetic by selectively ramping up the camera speed - that speaks to a level of cleverness and innate talent for filmmaking.
So bravo to Nabwana IGG! He wanted to make a film - believed he could make a film - and he did despite having no resources or institutional support. And it's reasonably entertaining besides! I'm delighted to know that he's continued to make films, and hopefully he'll someday get the resources to match his ambitions.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 3/22: Playtime
1960s WEEK!
The adventures of Monsieur Hulot continue with Jacques Tati's exploration of modernity and consumerism in a futuristic Paris. Widely regarded as his masterpiece, Playtime is our next Movie of the Week! Join us on Monday for our discussion of Playtime, available on the Criterion Channel and for rent on Amazon and iTunes.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 3/16: The Last Unicorn
Kicking off a pairing about exotic wildlife preservation, next up the podcast crew is tackling the 1982 Rankin & Bass film The Last Unicorn. Join us Wednesday for our discussion! The Last Unicorn is available on Prime Video, the Criterion Channel, and for rent in the usual places.
EMERGING MARKETS WEEK
Making films is hard. They require a writer, an editor, a director, a cameraperson, actors, a sound person, a producer, a prop master, and so on. Action movies are even harder, because now you need a stunt coordinator, an action choreographer, and someone to do the effects (you need these things on non-action films too, but the need with action films is much more dire). It's an endeavor that can take a veritable army and a formidable quantity of cash.
Or you can do it with $200 and people you know in Kampala, Uganda.
Who Killed Captain Alex? was made by Nabwana IGG in early 2010 as a labor of love. He grew up on martial arts action films and wanted to make one himself, so he did - working on a computer and camera equipment cobbled together from scrap. He never believed it would be much seen outside of the people in his neighborhood in Kampala, but then the internet got a hold of it and it became a cult favorite.
But is it any good? Well, you first have to define what 'good' means for a movie like this. And I don't mean 'good for an action movie' versus 'good for a character drama.' Most movies we see are backed by a large industry and millions of dollars. There's a framework which defines best practices for creating films and a deep talent pool to draw from. Nabwana IGG had none of that. Everything he did had to be done on a sub-shoestring budget with the tools and people he had available or could make by himself.
If I were watching a conventionally produced Hollywood action film and saw the level of craft on display in Who Killed Captain Alex? I would think it was lazy and unacceptably amateurish. But coming from an impoverished area of Uganda - a country without a long history of filmmaking or well-established film production industry - I can't help but be impressed. The basic plot works even if the core question of the title is never actually resolved, the digital effects work gets the point across, and the action choreography is actually pretty good - I never really felt like I was lost in terms of who was on which side and where in the fight things were taking place. Hell, the martial arts are just damn solid, and I appreciated the way Nabwana IGG made certain moves or moments feel more kinetic by selectively ramping up the camera speed - that speaks to a level of cleverness and innate talent for filmmaking.
So bravo to Nabwana IGG! He wanted to make a film - believed he could make a film - and he did despite having no resources or institutional support. And it's reasonably entertaining besides! I'm delighted to know that he's continued to make films, and hopefully he'll someday get the resources to match his ambitions.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 3/22: Playtime
1960s WEEK!
The adventures of Monsieur Hulot continue with Jacques Tati's exploration of modernity and consumerism in a futuristic Paris. Widely regarded as his masterpiece, Playtime is our next Movie of the Week! Join us on Monday for our discussion of Playtime, available on the Criterion Channel and for rent on Amazon and iTunes.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 3/16: The Last Unicorn
Kicking off a pairing about exotic wildlife preservation, next up the podcast crew is tackling the 1982 Rankin & Bass film The Last Unicorn. Join us Wednesday for our discussion! The Last Unicorn is available on Prime Video, the Criterion Channel, and for rent in the usual places.