SkyFlinch

               With a brooding and palpitating rhythm in its characters and a mesmerizing sobriety in its tone, ‘Skyfall’ excels through its damaged subjects but ultimately fails to support itself upon an eccentrically off-balance pace. The subtle tenacity and vigorous elegance of the film are found lurking behind its main players; menacingly reserved, poetic, and coarse. The director seems almost enamored with his own characters, attempting to remain faithful to the Bond franchise while avidly re-defining it.  This strained dichotomy of focus fundamentally fails. 
               The quality of villainy in the film is potent and frightening, enough to substantially subvert the assumed Bond narrative in preference of a familiar, yet equally effective, sub-text of eloquent societal decay.  Erratically commenting on the vivid and obstinate malignancy of society’s underbelly, the film breathes through a distinctly somber tone - a tone that eventually fails through a lack of cohesion with the necessary camp and action of the franchise. The refined pathological grimace of the focused yet belligerently malevolent villain is akin to that of ‘The Joker’s,’ and the film’s pre-supposition and effortless illustration of society’s unflinching dependence on 'chaos' provides a tumultuous, thrilling, and eccentric playground for the lead villainous character.  The overall fortitude and profundity of ‘Skyfall,’ however, are injured by the film’s supreme lack of nuance in every other area of the film (save for one silhouette-fight scene).  The film sets up an intoxicating portrait of a villain and a quite literally intoxicated Bond; however seems to carelessly and haphazardly ‘fill in the blanks’ with the remainder of the film’s structure. Lacking directorial wit with the wide-scale action sequences and proceeding with some of the most tiresome repartee that I’ve had to sit through, the film secures its place as a thoroughly iconic portrait of a villain, a successfully damaged James Bond, and a film palpably tired with antiquity. 

Recalling the Subject in Three Acts

On the subject of déjà vu, remaking, and recreating, I’ve taken time to do something rather enjoyable - as a creative outlet and an exercise. A little while ago, during a residence change, I didn’t have access to my film equipment to continue shooting a film that I was working on; however the ever-increasing palpable itch of cinematic story-telling continued to sink its proverbial teeth into my brain and, if you will, into my ‘thought-sickles.’ So, with the resources to create and attain new footage (and scenes) temporarily absent, I took it upon myself to utilize and re-edit footage into a new, unique short film.  This short film, which also serves as a music video, is an experimental story-telling of an abstract narrative, interweaving original footage from both released and un-released films, creating an entirely new story that works to deliver a narrative alongside the lyrics of the musical track. The new sequence of scenes creates a newly formed narrative, and the addition of the hip hop lyrics adds another layer of story and conceptual development to the film.  The end result is an abstract film that utilizes an interplay between re-edited scenes and the lyrics that are heard on top of it.  The new story, although coherent for myself, inevitably must require avid attention and analysis from outside viewers to understand.  However; I found it a surprisingly affective exercise, and a shockingly enjoyable project.  It features the song 'Three-Act Knee-Slap,' an original A Capella hip-hop composition by myself. The short film includes footage from these personal films of mine: 'Two Knives and a Hatchet,' 'Karma' (Unreleased), 'Story About a Character,' and 'Untitled Hanging' (Unreleased).

It does not star either Colin Farrell or Arnold Schwarzenegger…sorry.

Check it out here:

“Total Recall” – Remaking Déjà Vu

           To speak candidly, the sincerity of the “Total Recall” remake is ominously questionable, balancing haphazardly on the fence between an ingenuously and brazenly poignant remake of a science fiction classic and an entirely new film that would be more aptly titled ‘Somewhat of a Remembrance.’  The candor in question is wrapped up in a brightly-packaged, enigmatic and visceral trailer that serves to both titillate and allude to the original film, but also to boldly exhibit a vivid onslaught of nuances, additions, and all-encompassing changes to the original film.  This plethora of apparent alterations inevitably begs the question; how large is the concept-gap between the original and the re-make?  The following question is multiple choice –

Will the 2012 Remake of “Total Recall” be:

A.) A Sincere Homage (and a great new update to the original science fiction classic)

B.) An Entirely New, Unique Film

C.) A Messy, CGI Orgy

Serving as an incredible, ground-breaking film based on conceptual advancement, mastery of special effects, and a zealous display of devout ‘action-chops,’ the original “Total Recall” film stands as a difficult piece to re-make.  The original film’s pronounced, dexterous and proficient utilization of advanced special effects (for it’s time) provokes the argument that the remake may rely on an abundance of special effects to ‘awe’ the audience, to ‘live up to the original,’ and of course to sell tickets. The grave mistake in remaking the film based entirely on advanced special effects (if that isn’t a mistake in of itself) is found in the fact that the original classic succeeded mainly through a stellar conceptual basis on which the special effects thrived.  Now - I’m fully aware that I continue to allude to a specific advanced concept, a laudable originality, and a blatant rejection of antiquity…so what exactly am I trying to say?  What exactly am I forgetting to mention?

OH YES – the author of the original short story: Philip K. Dick.

           

Philip K. Dick wrote and released the most conceptually advanced and mind-bending stories to date (arguably), eventually adapted into around 20 films as of today – including groundbreaking classics such as “Blade Runner,” “Total Recall” (1990), and “Screamers,” leading science fiction cinema and story-telling into a new era of ingenuity – bringing along with it more recent Philip K. Dick adaptations including “Minority Report” and “A Scanner Darkly.”

The concepts that these stories base themselves upon are innovative, and the subsequent film adaptations serve as callbacks to Dick’s originality – utilizing the original story and concept with the addition of cinematic nuance, visceral propulsion, and new levels of narrative complexity that contribute to a catalytic synergy of cinematic and conceptual advancement.  So, audiences are currently faced with a questionable remake of a classically unique adaptation based on a conceptually revolutionary story…can one even fathom that this remake will live up to the Dick Standard (yes, I said it) with three degrees of separation existing already between this remake and the original story?

The trailer for the new “Total Recall” film makes it abundantly clear that this remake will utilize a multitude of updates, nuances, and alterations to the story (like most remakes) that will present an entirely new film experience.  At the same time as these distinct changes may potentially provoke a disastrous downfall for the film (and audiences), these same refinements serve as potential signs of validity for the remake, considering that the original film was based on nuance. In fact, if the film was re-made with no alterations whatsoever, I wouldn’t consider that a feasible, recognizable, or honorable remake of the original sci-fi cult classic (Let’s quickly cutaway to the shot-by-shot remake of “Psycho,” followed by a scoff and a depressed moan).  More acutely phrased, the film’s success as a remake is based on the ingenuity of these cinematic nuances, distinctions, and alterations.  Some films have wildly succeeded in this arena, and many have fallen flat.

One such film that exemplifies the almost transcendental success of a Philip K. Dick adaptation, presenting audiences with a new level of mind-bending originality and altered story-telling, is “A Scanner Darkly.”  Written (Adaptation) and Directed by Richard Linkater and released in 2006, the film allows Philip K. Dick to palpably breathe through this adaptation.  “A Scanner Darkly,” filmed, re-created, and exhibited by Linklater with a sense of cinematic and narrative evolution, re-tells the original story with an absurdly affecting delivery, concise direction, and smart, witty dialogue.  In addition, the entire film is rotoscoped.  As Linklater’s second rotoscoped film (The first being “Waking Life”), the film masters the art-form that has rarely been seen since, delivering a unique experience to the viewers. Rotoscoping is an animation-technique used in moving film wherein artists trace over every single frame of the film, one-by-one, to create a hauntingly surreal effect that combines a seemingly animated film with actual captured footage.  The rotoscoping of “A Scanner Darkly” serves as a key element in its success as an adaptation, as it not only re-tells the story but continues to expand the repertoire and preconceived notions of the 'known' and the 'accepted.'  The film embraces the concept of forward movement, enhancement, and evolution of the medium through which the story is told, therefore creating a homage to Philip K. Dick as well as creating an original, stand-alone film.

All of the films that succeed in adapting Dick’s stories have consistently utilized unique, altered and rarely-seen methods of cinematic delivery, re-visiting the story alongside a sense of awe, disbelief, and distinct exhilaration.  Philip K. Dick’s initial story, on which “Total Recall” is based, provides a certain conundrum in of itself (but also a permeating reassurance). The original “Total Recall” succeeded…will the re-make?  Will this new film rely on special effects or, like the original, intertwine the special effects and action with the originality of the story? Will I be paying $14 for a CGI money-shot, or a legitimately unique film? Will this remake sacrifice conceptual development for ticket sales?  In other words; this film combines action, special effects, Hollywood movie stars, and consistent allusions to the original, classic film.  So, it boils down to this (which I wish I never had to ask): Did anybody even make the effort to create a great film? Mostly everything seems to be there in this remake, looking only at the trailer...but my nerves remind me that I should be on my proverbial toes of disappointment.  Having said that - hell yes “Total Recall,” hell yes Colin Farrell, hell yes...Philip K. Dick.  

The Paracelsus Propulsion

After joining Paracelsus Films on a comically immersive film shoot just a few weeks ago – leaving me with distinct memories of a mind control contest, musings about why Sauron (The Dark Lord from ‘The Lord of the Rings’) was misunderstood in his time, and a corrupt senator spilling the beans about what exactly happened to his secretary – I have avidly followed the Production Crew’s progress in filming their new feature ‘How to Win the Internet: And Other Questionable Endeavors.’  Let’s cut to present day:

EXT. EMPTY FIELD – DAY

Dennis Hurley stands, dressed in a tight, red, full-body suit, holding and waving a somewhat decrepit cardboard sign over his head that says ‘DONATE.’  Flailing his legs side to side haphazardly, and quietly singing ‘How to Win the Internet’ repeatedly to himself with a subtle waiver of nervousness in his voice, we CUT TO Vincent C. Morreale standing opposite - a frozen look of disappointed shock in his face, and a camera in his hands.

Of course this is just their newest Promo.  Paracelsus Films proves that their hilarity-driven productions are nothing short of all-encompassing; reaching even to this scene in their new video.  The appeal video – a reflection of Paracelsus' own quirky hilarity - was produced with no budget, filmed in under two hours, and was primarily written on the spot.  Serving as a hilarious short as well as a motivated promotion for their feature film and the funding for its completion, the video utilizes elements of darkly humorous self-reflection, palpable traces of satire about the crew’s own process, and comically audible punch-lines in their timing. Continuing to write, direct, film, edit and produce with a miniscule amount of funding, the crew members somehow take time to produce this hysterical video, essentially using their time away from filming …to begin filming. That, right there folks, is a true mark of sincerity and passion; taking an active pause to allow propulsion, and filling proverbial and literal empty space with creative motion. In this way, a pause ceases to remain a pause, but rather a drive, with consistency and determination creating a synergistic catalyst of momentum.  By these standards, Paracelsus films and filmmakers with this similar sense of drive create something out of nothing.  To rephrase the cliché; a void becomes void itself. To rephrase the wordy quasi-poetry: Donate!  

After watching the promotional video, I immediately felt the urge to write about and comment on it, asking Vincent C. Morreale – the artistic director for Paracelsus Films – exactly what the promo video cost to make.  He responded verbatim; “As for the budget, well...add in actor costs, props and locations... carry the one...Nothing.” 

            With a list of incentives for donations – my personal favorite being combat training – Paracelsus Films continues to urge viewers, patrons, and otherwise to contribute through their IndieGoGo site, which you can find here

And if you’re interested in checking out an example of their fight choreography, you can watch their short film “Chess Mates” here 

And you can watch their appeal video here

Update - My Original HD Trailers, Upcoming Blog

Readers!

My next post is coming soon!  I conducted a personal interview with a successful independent actor, speaking about his upcoming feature-length film "The Wicker Tree," a sequel to the original 1973 film "The Wicker Man," written and directed by the same 'auteur' and creator of the cult-classic original.

Until my hard-drive digs itself up from the depths of the electronically deceased (George A. Romero, take note - You've done Night of, Dawn of, Day of, Diary of, and Survival of the Dead...when will the zombie-craving cinema hordes be presented with Zombie Hard-Drives and/or Zombie Robots...from space...It's conceptually irrelevant, narratively void, and quite possibly profitable as hell - and 'when there's no more room in hell, the dead walk the earth,' right?...I'm thinking "Inanity of the Dead"), I hope to sate a few appetites with a new playlist - A short selection of my original HD Trailers, personally edited and scored to promote my own Independent Film-making.  Included are trailers for two short films - one of which is making the festival circuit now - one feature length film (currently in-production), and one feature length film (currently in post-production).

In the meantime; look out for my upcoming blog!

The Paracelsus Paradigm

In a room distinctly brimming with quick wit, attentive detail, and an intoxicatingly captivating sense of humor, I recently found myself stifling my own laughter while observing a film shoot with Paracelsus Films.  Embracing a distinct comical undertone akin to Monty Python, alongside a provocative improvisational style, the three-man crew representing Paracelsus Films proceeded to set-up and shoot a sharply written and cleverly acted sketch, intended to be part of their original sketch-comedy film “How to Win the Internet: And Other Questionable Endeavors,” currently in-production.   This film is an especially collaborative and close-to-the-heart project for these filmmakers, who all recall warm and inspirational thoughts and nostalgia for sketch comedy groups and films such as Monty Python and Mystery Science Theater.   In joining the film shoot with Vincent C. Morreale, Paul Ezzy, and Dennis Hurley, it became abundantly clear that Paracelsus Films was driven by a poignantly sincere and thrillingly rare love for filmmaking. 

As I watched the film production unfold, immersing myself in the vividly collaborative atmosphere, I became engrossed with the original sketch itself as well as the wildly efficient production; Vincent Morreale simultaneously directing, operating the camera, and checking sound, while Paul Ezzy and Dennis Hurley aptly riffed with one another, exchanging a consistent rapid-fire of hilarity, providing the distinctly exciting production with nothing less than a palpably mesmerizing ambiance.   I soon found myself in a room flooded with laughter, pondering the possibilities of the final film.  Observing these filmmakers at work was comparable to taking refuge in the diegesis of an original Paracelsus film. With a visceral edge to their narratives, a stylistic swagger in the performances, and a spell-binding fluidity in their execution, these filmmakers embolden a sense of filmic tactility; thriving with a unique tone, an oscillation of energy, and a character-driven eccentricity. 

Although tackling a diverse variety of genres, films, and structures other than sketch comedy, the group emphasized their resilient passion for this latest endeavor.  Vincent Morreale,  the artistic director for Paracelsus films, passionately stressed that this current film production – “How to Win the Internet” - boiled down to a poetic simplicity, explaining candidly and genuinely that the film was “all about making funny sketches and coming together.” Morreale emphasized the way in which he worked and bonded with his fellow filmmakers and collaborators as a family; each of whom would gladly join to contribute to a film at a moment’s notice.  Paul Ezzy – an actor, writer, and the Director of Photography for Paracelsus Films – articulated his enthusiasm for comedic filmmaking and sketch comedy.  Dennis Hurley - a writer, actor and self-proclaimed “sketch-comedy addict” – specifically noted his love for older Jerry Zucker films, such as Kentucky Fried Movie and Top Secret!  Having been a member of multiple improvisational groups, including “Improv Boston,” Hurley spoke exuberantly about his love for sketch comedy. Dennis, who wrote, filmed and acted in his own satire of “The DaVinci Code” called “The Albino Code,” which subsequently went viral and secured him an appearance on The Daily Show in March of 2010, joked that he has “tried to win the internet” himself.  This inherently driven group of filmmakers that comprises Paracelsus Films effectively combines harmonious comical tastes, congruous visions, and curiously potent styles to create a sort of cinematic synergy.  This collaborative intertwining of engaging methods, honed styles and individual fortes alongside a shared embrace of humor and story-telling yields a uniquely affecting result; dynamic filmmaking. 

Whimsically balanced between joviality and a provocative determination, these film-makers are firmly rooted in an unmistakable passion for film-making.  Consistently producing with little or no funding, Paracelsus Films provokes the inevitable question that Independent film-makers, producers, and bigwig professionals often ask; how would a strikingly self-sufficient production crew thrive with an even slightly increased budget?  As a solo, independent film-maker myself, the enduring question resounds; how dynamically enhanced would the cinematic, visceral and narrative results of a self-sustained production crew be? This question enlivens an essential concept for film-makers, financiers, and producers alike; the impact of a fully-realized potential.  With a sense of profundity in their drive, a sharp poignancy in their collaboration, and a rarity in their efficiency, Paracelsus Films exemplifies the thrilling aptitude and subtle force of independent film.

If you’d like to gain a glimpse into some recent Paracelsus Films productions, you can check out their 2011 promotional reel here

If you’d like to learn more about Paracelsus Films, you can visit their website at http://www.paracelsusfilms.com/

Or sign up for their newsletters here

And if you would like to contribute to Paracelsus Films through their Indie Go Go site, you can do so here

Intermission; Alex's 2012 Oscar Predictions

 Predicting the Oscars is like trying to psychoanalyze a rotary; it’s clear where some cars are entering, and it’s apparent where some are leaving, but in between is a confoundingly hap-hazard system of yielding, stopping, swerving, breaking, speeding, and honking.  It’s the modern-day labyrinth, the socially applicable maze, and the crossword puzzle of pauses, blanks, and multi-syllabic slurs.  It’s that damned Rubik’s Cube that’s all solved except for one side, that 51-card deck, and that game of boggle missing all the vowels. It’s the rotary of personality. Having said that, however, my view of the Oscars is as follows; during a trip to Puerto Rico, I watched a man drive into a rotary, swiftly pull over, park his car in a crevasse in the center, unbuckle his seatbelt, get out of his car, and simply walk away.  Now that is the Oscars, my friends, and that guy is the winner.  But who’d have guessed that? (Other than that guy).

Besides, how is a quasi-anonymous group of voters supposed to accurately represent the larger whole? Now I don't mean to spill my 'melodrama ink' all over this, but let's take a quick look; Kate Ward recently reported that "The Academy Awards chooses its winners based on the votes of a select group of Hollywood insiders” and continues to note that "According to a study conducted by The Los Angeles Times, the Academy, which boasts 5,765 members, is 94 percent Caucasian and 77 percent male.” Well My Oh My! Let's cut to a visual, shall we?

 

Let's clear something up; that film was amazing and worthy of praise, nominations, and wins...and the irony strikes my funny bone with a hammer. Ward also notes that “Only 14 percent of the Academy is younger than 50, and as for its minority voters: Only 2 percent are African-American, while 2 percent are Latino." The artistry of this industry is really becoming black and white, isn’t it? (Yeah that pun was terrible). In essence, we have a steaming crock-pot of film-makers, viewers, large sums of cash, bigger sums of investments, more film-makers, judges, judges who are also filmmakers, TV producers, rating necessities and objectives, maybe a slightly bias group of voters, and yes...a sincere celebration for the art-form. This can more aptly be described as 'Showbiz.' 

This profoundly nostalgic year of the Oscars also stands out among many others for me – not because the films are better, or worse, but rather because there is a greater gap in my predicted winners and my personal favorites.  In other words, the films I believe and predict will win differ entirely from the films I believe should win.  And so I struggle to divorce my emotions from my logic (I suppose a more universally existential issue concisely micro-managing my struggle to accurately predict the Oscars). I first look objectively at the set of nominees and predict who I believe will win, taking into account the film/performance itself alongside the political foreplay.  I then begin to feel a sense of discontent bubbling in my stomach, rising into my chest like heartburn, gripping my throat and forcing me to realize my distinct frustration; that my personal favorites - the films that have moved me, awed me, and sincerely stood out over all the others - are almost completely different from my predictions, all across the board.  And so; I predict, I reject, and subsequently accept.  The following are my logical predictions, with a few un-movable, prideful, hubris-stricken, desired outcomes over-shadowing my deductive and objective predictions (maybe more than not!).  As this task of predicting the outcome of a ceremony that amalgamates talent, blurry politics, and an expert utilization of surprise and shock in the name of publicity and marketing becomes slightly more complex, apparently so do my transitions…here are the predictions!

Best Picture – The Artist

Best Director – Michel Hazanavicius

Best Lead Actor – George Clooney

Best Lead Actress – Viola Davis

Best Supporting Actor – Christopher Plummer

Best Supporting Actress - Octavia Spencer

Best Original Screenplay – Midnight in Paris

Best Adapted Screenplay – The Descendants

Best Cinematography – The Tree of Life

Best Editing – The Artist

Best Original Score – The Artist

Best Original Song – Man or Muppet

Best Makeup – The Iron Lady

Best Art Direction – The Artist

Best Costume Design – Hugo

Best Visual Effects – Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Sound Mixing – War Horse

Best Sound Editing – War Horse

Best Foreign Language – A Separation

Best Short Live Action – The Shore

Best Animated Short – The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Best Documentary Short – The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Best Documentary Feature – Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Best Animated Feature – Rango