Found in Translation: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

 [East Coast]

Spoilers spoilers blah blah blah.

Watching the Lincoln Square IMAX fill up that rapidly at 3:30 in the morning was a little startling, but not as startling as how much I loved Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part one!). Anyone who will listen probably knows of my general disdain bordering on loathing for the film adaptation of Prisoner of Azkaban, and on paper, it's for many of the same tactics and decision Yates employed for Deathy Hallows. The results, however, are drastically different.

Some personal framework, here: I think Order of the Phoenix was the last good Harry Potter book. I found Half-Blood Prince to be draggy and largely uninteresting, stifling with the teenage love plots and what felt, for the first time, like a really tedious school year at Hogwarts. The Deathly Hallows I found to be an immense disappointment, from the endless camping trip of doom to the MacGuffins upon MacGuffins, a rankling line of artifacts and characters who had never so much as been foreshadowed suddenly becoming integral to the plot and progression of the story. It felt cheap and unwieldy to me, and the epilogue was just insult to injury. I walked away from the franchise feeling very let down.

However, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet and Fire, and Order of the Pheonix would always be there. The trio at their sharpest, the glimpses of a wizarding world past at their most tantalizing. So it was all right. Damned if I didn't loathe the third movie though, and this is because I felt style ran rough-shod over story. Curaon made a decision to completely excise the pieces of that book that a) made pieces of the story as a seven-book-whole make sense and b) created an emotional bridge between the past and both Harry and the audience. I was horrifically angry that at the end of the movie. If you hadn't read the books, you walked away without knowing who Moony, Padfoot and Prongs were. It was not difficult to find a place to divulge that information. There were opportunities aplenty. They were all exchanged for Lupin waxing loquacious about Lily's virtues;  the boys eating candy that caused them to make animal noises; yet another 'this is where we do a sweeping virtual shot of the school grounds using a magical creature's POV' sequence. By shaving seconds off of the plethora of atmosphere/world-building shots devoid of story, they could have easily inserted one to three minutes of Lupin having ANY OF THE CONVERSATIONS FROM THE BOOK with Harry. Hell, ROLL THEM ALL INTO ONE. And then we would know who the Marauders were and why they mattered, and why Harry's patronus is a stag. Harry doesn't even know why his patronus is a stag. This willful dismissal of easily-addressed details drives me crazy because of the far-reaching effects of their exclusion.

Cuaron "stream lined" it into a "coming of age" story. Well, the entire series is a coming of age story, so how much streamlining did we need to do? The worst part is, the things left out of the third movie can never be revisited, because the books get bigger and more complex. There's no room for that information. What a terrible waste.

So Deathly Hallows comes along. The decision to make it into two films was clearly the correct one, not just from the point of view of We'll All Be Rich Forever, but from a storytelling one. Brava. Now even cleaving the story in twain, we are left with an absolutely ridiculous amount of information to put on screen, largely because the books are not only tying up all the loose ends of the cast of thousands Rowling has given us, but because she introduces a whole new thousand-member-strong cast. It's like 42nd Street with magic, it's insane. Then the director is saddled with giving the extent characters their due and screentime, which is difficult enough in, say, Goblet of Fire. Yet Yates manages, despite having to streamline the hell out of what was a sprawling, often tedious and not infrequently convoluted story.

So far, I much prefer Deathly Hallows the movie to Deathly Hallows the book. The feeling of a world on the edge, of a constant rippling danger, unease and melancholy is palpable. The magic is beautiful. The locations are believable. The people are idiosyncratic and interesting and the characters are so full and easy to connect to- and almost no vital details are sacrificed. I can't even think of one off-hand.  What I'm saying is, this movie has atmosphere out the ass and yet still tells the damn story, considerably more expeditiously than the novel. Everything that annoyed me about the book is gone, and everything I enjoyed has been succinctly and stylishly committed to screen. And the scenes he added in serve a purpose! The Harry-Hermione dance sequence shows us how desperate their spirits are, how close they are to each other, that their love is platonic and that at the end, things aren't right without their third. Unlike all the conversations with Lupin in PoA which were filled with banal advice and no real information or foreshadowing and didn't further the story, the totally new content in Deathly Hallows 2.0 does all of these things. Brava, Yates.

The director has stated that he wants the second half of the story to have a very different feel and a return to the fantasy adventure of the earlier ones, which is of course the perfect way for the movies to end. All I can really hope for is a Gellert/Albus makeout scene, since JK dropped that bomb on us. That awesome gaytastic bomb. Don't let me down, Yates. You haven't, yet. See full post

They Don't Make Movies Like This Anymore...Really, They Don't [Good Movie Alert!]

After the recent re-interest on all things geek be it fantasy, sci fi or superhero, it's about time we got to properly honoring the science fiction film of the 50s in a new, original way. And don't worry, I'm not talking about The Day The Earth Stood Still remake. No, no. I'm talking about a quality movie. Alien Trespass to be exact, a new film from X-Files vet R.W. Goodwin. It's an honest to god throwback to 50s sci-fi that nails the genre from start to finish. Variety called it a "spoof", but I disagree. It has tongue in cheek humor and plays around with anachronisms, but also completely honors the genre its homaging. All the classic archetypes are in place - the goodie goodie teenagers, the friend in a leather jacket, the scientist, the gorgeous woman who helps our alien hero and so on. And these actors play the style to a tee, committing completely.

Before I go on, it's important to note the conceit surrounding the film, just as fun and clever as the film itself. The idea is that in the 50s, producer Louie Q Goldstone made an epic science fiction picture starring Eric McCormack's grandfather, M. Eric McCormack and it was gonna be huge, some saying it featured the best performance of M. Eric's career. Then due to a dispute, the film was shelved, never to be released. Now, years later, the film canister has been unearthed and the movie will be released for the very first time. Complete with archival interview footage and press, a featurette detailing all of this was screened both at New York Comic Con & Wondercon and is now available online.

More after the jump

This idea, that the film is genuinely from the 50s, pervades throughout the entire film and whole audience experience. It feels completely from that era, through only a slightly modern lens. I've heard the phrase "Retro-Vision" tossed around to describe the movie, and I think that's spot on. . Goodwin’s take is that they simply didn’t make enough of these movies back in the 50s, so he decided to make one more. Watching Alien Trespass is like stepping away for 80 minutes into a universe we just don't get enough of nowadays. And don't be surprised if afterwards you find yourself craving a burger and a shake at whatever 50s themed diner you can find. Cause I did. It was an odd sensation actually.

But back to the film. Set in 1957, ALIEN TRESPASS chronicles a fiery object from space that crashes into a mountaintop in the California desert, bringing the threat of disaster to Earth. McCormack plays a scientist, Ted Lewis, whose body gets taken over by Urp, an otherworldly federal marshal, in attempt to capture an escaped alien (the one eyed dildo we’ve heard so much about) and save the Earth. McCormack is spot on in his portrayal of both the staid scientist & the fish out of water with a mission alien and every scene he’s in is a joy to watch. McCormack definitely provides most of the laughs, due to his excellent comic timing & delivery. Jenni Baird, as Tammy, the heroine waitress, is also a highlight. She nails the acting style while staying completely truthful and I think is an actress to watch. Other highlights include Dan Lauria & Robert Patrick, who genuinely seem as though they are having a great time and nail their roles in the process. The only weak spots in the acting come from the trio of teenagers, Penny, Dick & Cody. Luckily for them, the poor acting seems oddly appropriate. For all I know, the three of them are brilliant actors, pretending to be bad actors. Though something tells me that isn’t the case…

Now I wouldn’t call this movie a barrel of laughs, but that’s not what it’s going for. Any film the humor has is “deliberately inadvertent”, as Goodwin’s called it during the various convention panels, mimicking the humor that comes from classic 50s films when we watch them today. The Day the Earth Stood Still is not a comedy. Neither is Alien Trespass. Any humor there is, is supposed to stem from the fact that the film takes itself completely seriously. It doesn’t even focus on the “bad parts” of 50s science fiction. It simply tells the story from the POV of that era. This is what makes the film feel totally unique and ripe for a cult following.

So who would enjoy this movie most? Fans of classic Science Fiction, for sure. This is who the film is truly made for. It’s a faithful homage, through and through. But anyone, especially those who understand what this film is and where it’s coming from, should also have a great time. It really does feel like going back in time, between the music, the old school effects and moments like Lewis’ wife enticing him to bed, only to cut to them asleep, fully clothed, Lewis in head to toe flannel pajamas. Subtle throwaways like that were some of my favorite moments in the film.

Who wouldn’t enjoy this movie? Those looking for a spoof or a parody or those who don’t know what they are stepping into. This movie is not for everyone, that’s for sure. See, Alien Trespass also mimics older movies in the sense that it isn’t full of quick cuts. The pacing is rather slow and while I don’t mind and see it as an element of the time it’s referencing, I can see it being an issue for some.

Overall, I found this film to be unique, fun, sweet, full of sound stage charm and a delightful 80 minutes at the movies. It’s not for everyone, but is definitely worth seeing.

(Plus between all these convention appearances, I’ve totally fallen for the talent behind the scenes and the passion that Goodwin and his actors have for the film. They’ve been a nice contrast to the McG “Enough of my yammering, I’ll let the movie speak for itself, but only after I yammer a little bit more about how I awesome I am” bit that’s also come out of every recent big convention. Those of you who went to New York Comic Con & Wondercon know exactly what I'm talking about.)

For convention coverage: Alien Trespass at Wondercon & New York Comic Con
See full post

Let The Right One In [Good Movie Alert!]

Wow.

Finally saw Let The Right One In and can't get it off my mind. Especially after this past couple months - watching every episode of True Blood, reading & seeing Twilight and approaching the end of New Moon, this film has a very particular resonance. It really takes the question of "What if vampires were real and you fell in love with one?" and answers it with quiet, beautiful & terrifying honesty. If such a scenario were possible, anyone involved would be facing the harsh reality of a difficult, disturbing and often disgusting life. It would only take the open hearted innocence of a child to be aware of this possibility, but move forward anyway. Understanding this immediately separates Let The Right One In from its predecessors. Its protagonist, Oskar, is of an age where he can perceive the difference between right and wrong, but isn't in a place yet where the magnitude or consequences of any given act can really sink in or seem tangible. He meets a girl who is smart, pretty enough and most importantly, pays attention to him - gives him the respect he can't find anywhere else in his life. So she is a vampire too - what does that matter? What should be a grave thought to an adult or even a teenager is lost on a twelve year old.





***Spoiler Alert***





The real world ramifications demonstrated in this film are beyond harrowing. There is no synthetic blood, no hunting animals for these vampires. There is only the thirst for honest to god human blood that must be quenched somehow. In the case of Eli, the indeterminately aged woman trapped in the body of a 12 year old, she has Hakan, an older man posing as her father, go out, slit someone's throat, drain him of all his blood and bring it back for Eli to drink. Eventually we come to realize, though it's never spelled out or made perfectly clear, that this man is in love with Eli himself. According to the book, he is a pedophile who believes his love for Eli is pure and perfect since she will always be young. This is downplayed in the film so as not to distract from the main storyline, but with Hakan's painful request that Eli not see Oskar for just one night, we understand their relationship. This man is an outcast who will sacrifice anything for Eli and eventually does, in one of the more horrifying sequences on film this year.

Another consequence of having a vampire fall in love you? Should anyone fuck with you, they will die. They will die horrible horrible deaths. That is just the reality of the situation. No matter how far away the vamp is, she will come to you. None of this talk to you in your head then go to Italy to commit suicide stuff coughnewmooncough, but straight up, rush to your side, pull the heads off some mean 12 year olds and save your life like a blood soaked angel. And don't tell me that isn't the image that entered your head in that moment, cause I won't believe you. What I found especially beautiful about the ending swimming pool scene was the careful build, the tension that ran throughout as we thought that Oskar was actually about to die. Then just as we remember Eli's promise to him that if he didn't hit the bullies back, she would, the film's exceptional sound design begins to bring her back to us, our confirmation in the form of a severed head tossed into the pool.

I also couldn't help but appreciate the fact that once Oskar witnessed Eli unable to control herself when his blood was spilled (more likely the true reaction a vampire would have, Bill & Edward....) he came to the natural conclusion that she must be a vampire. Clearly they exist in real world environment, where everyone knows what a vampire is from the numerous books and movies on the subject. To Oskar, who we are to understand has been suspecting the existence of vampires for a while, it is clear what she is. To the adults in the story, it isn't so obvious. They don't have the openness, the willingness, the imagination of a child, and therefore despite all the clear signs, they view it as an "infection" more so than jumping to the immediate conclusion of, oh, vampires, duh. It is only in the final moments of a bitten adult woman's life that she realizes what she may be and asks for the hospital curtains to be opened as a way to reach death and the end of her new found suffering.

By the way, while some say Eli is manipulating Oskar the whole time in the hopes of turning him into the next Hakan, I am of the belief that she genuinely cares for Oskar. The vampires in this world maintain the mental age of when they were bitten, not just the physical age, and I like to think Oskar is her first love. If he does become her next way of getting blood (which I believe he is too humane to do anyway - he isn't a killer) it won't be because Eli had that intention from the beginning. It makes it all the more heartbreaking to think that soon, whether Oskar likes it or not, he may be considered a pedophile, an outcast himself - facing the real world reality of what happens when you fall in love with someone who never ages.

And if you're wondering about that genitalia shot, check out Moriarty's interview with Alfredson over on Aint It Cool. Very strange stuff that I definitely did not get from a first viewing.





***End of Spoilers***





I can't recommend this film enough, especially for vampire fans who, you know, are having a pretty great year. It's both horrifying and sweet, disturbing and romantic and really points out the possibilities completely overlooked by the Twilight series and most other tales dealing with the forbidden love between a vampire and human. And though I don't know much about the technicalities of filmmaking, Tomas Alfredson nails it for me. It was beautifully shot and edited, resulting in a slow steady tension that most modern day horror films WISH they could pull off. And I can't remember the last time I was so affected by a film's sound design. Not to mention, the audience is hit over the head with nothing. Most of the vampire rules are in place, but we see them in action, rather than have them explained to us. The film trusts that we as an audience know enough about vampire lore to understand why events unfold the way they do. Everything is in the details, the nuance. Instead of ever learning just how old Eli is (in the movie - the book makes it clear), we are left to postulate for ourselves based on her clothes, the music she listens to, and the objects she collects. And what happens to her face when...well you'll see for yourself.

I could go on, about how the film brilliantly uses what we DON'T see as a storytelling tool and how it shows that vampires wouldn't be glamorous, but rather kind of gross and always reeking of blood, but we don't want to be here all day. If you want to see a true Vampire film, put Let The Right One In at the top of your list. And please, if you have any thoughts on the film, post below!


Trailer for Let The Right One In See full post