thaddeus_welles

Mark Snow gives you on extreme experimental experience, he has done everything possible to distort his images here and the low hum of sounds continues with sudden jarring high frequency bolts to keep the audience in check. The living room scene is definatly something special, the very high frequency colours seem to almost pop out of the screen at you and the way he controls the objects in that scene is just amazing, esspecially when he starts brining in the real objects in place of the generated ones and making them disappear just as easily. Obviously it is experimental and not for everyone, but Mark Snow is a legend making film for almost 40 years now and this definatly belongs in best work list.

Truly exceptional film making really breaking down the barriers of what is storytelling and letting everything run free. Peter Watkins does what would seem the impossible, not only create a realistic re-enactment of the commune in Paris (just after the siege of the Prussians and the exile of the bourgeois to Versailles) using only an abandoned warehouse and 200 odd unemployed French citizens and illegal immigrants but also to on top of that add a detailed and amazing social experiment. Putting these people through this experience and then have them portray not only their 1871 characters but also themselves in the one film. To hear these people talk about life today and draw parallels between the film they are making and the lives they lead is quite invaluable information. And as if that alone wasn't enough there is the whole other element of the media and how sides are formed and why people believe what they do and how things are taught and passed down so that divides never seem to cease. The use of reporting and television and newspapers really give this film a whole other level from which to operate and constantly throughout the film one has to ask themselves "who do I believe, do I believe anyone" "why am i believing what this person says and not this person" then as if one hasn't had enough thinking to do already you then, like the cast, have to project forward to today and ask yourself who do i believe when it comes to the reporting of current events? Am I receiving an accurate picture of what is occurring? I don't think anyone who offers themselves up to this 6 hour masterpiece can look at the media in quite the same way. Once again I just have to say this film is without a doubt set to become a masterpiece to filmmaking and I urge anyone who happens to see it on a program for a festival or perhaps even on television to sacrifice those few hours, you wont be disappointed. Also is you are left in awe after its viewing as I was then look out for the Universal Clock- The Resistance of Peter Watkins, it acts as a sort of "making of" but is a film in its own right and gives insight to what it was like to be involved in the making of Le Commune Paris 1871

Can anyone just take someones life nowdays and turn it into a complete tale of falsehoods and farce? Just because that persons happens to be dead is no excuse. This film about the life of Norma Jean Baker/Marilyn Monroe is a complete and utter travesty, barely any characters in this film are real. Some are based on true characters such as the photographer who discovered Marilyn however the names have been changed, what is the point of making a biography if you change the names, if one cannot obtain consent from those involved then those involved obviously thought the film to be untrue to the person and didnt wish to be a part of it. Poorly scripted with a plot that jumps all over the place with no real concern as to dates and the like. The only saving grace is that Poppy Montgomery has a few moments, but not nearly enough to save this utter failure of a film. For those of you who know something about the life of Marilyn Monroe steer clear for there are healthier ways to work up your anger and for those not so informed on the actress then please read a book for you will be assured at least a few facts, unfortunatly there are none contained here. How many worthless telemovies will they make to pick at the final remaining dignities of this woman?