Film: Dumbo
Year: 1941
Where I Saw It: DVD
So here we are with another Disney film and like many of you, this film was a staple of my early childhood. When I got to this film in my book, I had to skip over it because I hadn't seen it in such a long time. I probably saw it last over twenty years ago and I wanted to watch it again before I wrote my review. I could only remember vague memories from the film and when I went searching for it I was surprised a bit to find how difficult it was to track down. After all, it is a Disney movie so therefore it should be easy to find. Three nights ago I found it, watched it and promptly wept for my childhood. Yes, it's list time and here are the top ten reasons why you should never let your child watch Dumbo.
1. Dumbo's mother is thrown in jail. Not only thrown in jail, but Dumbo is forced to watch every other animal in the circus snuggle up to their mom's in a constant reminder to Dumbo that HIS MOM'S IN JAIL!!!
2. If you are in any way a supporter of animal rights, just- Umm... Look, just don't watch it. Unless you've thought to yourself recently, "Gee, my blood pressure sure has been on the low side lately".
3. The putting up the circus scene is oddly scary. I mean, really scary. I mean, why did you make this scene so scary? You're putting up a circus!
4. Dumbo gets wasted on a combination of soap and cheap booze.
5. While he's drunk, he experiences the most frightening cartoon sequence I have ever scene. This scene would make Tim Burton say "Hey Walt. Tone it down will ya?"
6. The lesson of the movie is "Hey kids! Do you have big ears? Then throw yourself off a building and you'll fly!"
7. Speaking of flying, I know it's a cartoon but it really seems like they were grasping at straws here. Here's how I imagine the conversation went.
Walt - Alright everybody, we need a new film.
Writer - How about the story of a monkey that can fly?
Walt - No, there's already a movie with flying monkeys. Think bigger.
Writer - Umm... An Elephant that can fly?
Walt - BRILLIANT!!!
8. Dumbo's mouse sidekick is the poor man's Jimney Cricket
9. Dumbo's mouse sidekick is just Mickey Mouse who hit puberty voice-wise.
10. Dumbo's crow friends are voiced by black people. The cartoon could have made them sparrows or cardinals or song birds or ANYTHING ELSE, but no, that wouldn't be racist enough.
One Last Point - The crows really are too much. Youtube Dumbo Crow Scene and you'll see what I mean. This is not a case of "accidental" racism or "we didn't know any better then" racism. It's just flat out racism. They even have the "Jim Crow" voice.
Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Sunday, 4 December 2011
The Great Train - OK I Have No Idea About What's Going On
Film: The Great Train Robbery
Year: 1903
Where I Saw It: DVD
My friend The Projectionist gave me a call again this week. He had found another film I was looking for. This one was a Western and arguably the first one ever made. Again, if your not a fan of the genre still check it out. Even though it's a three parter, it still clocks in at just under fifteen minutes. It's neat to see how with such a short amount of time and no sound, a story (well, most of it) can still be told through film. It's also worth noting that at the beginning of the film (or end depending what version you find) there's a short scene where one of the gunfighters points his gun towards the audience and fires. This was one of the first attempts to make the audience really feel like they were part of the movie.
Having no sound though does have it's drawbacks. With everyone wearing cowboy hats and the film being in black and white, it's very hard to tell who's who. Some of the plot points are hard to follow as well. At one point, the telegraph operator seems to die for no real reason and at another point you see a group of people dancing right after the train robbery and you're left wondering if they are the robbers celebrating or are these people really happy that their train was hijacked. Turns out it was neither of those options.
The people dancing were the pose hired to kill the robbers and this is where it gets really confusing. You have no idea who is fighting who. There's one scene where it looks like the pose is shooting themselves and another scene where everyone is falling down and then the movie ends. It's very confusing.
One Last Point - This Western was entirely filmed just outside of New Jersey. I don't know why I find that so funny but I do.
Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene
Year: 1903
Where I Saw It: DVD
My friend The Projectionist gave me a call again this week. He had found another film I was looking for. This one was a Western and arguably the first one ever made. Again, if your not a fan of the genre still check it out. Even though it's a three parter, it still clocks in at just under fifteen minutes. It's neat to see how with such a short amount of time and no sound, a story (well, most of it) can still be told through film. It's also worth noting that at the beginning of the film (or end depending what version you find) there's a short scene where one of the gunfighters points his gun towards the audience and fires. This was one of the first attempts to make the audience really feel like they were part of the movie.
Having no sound though does have it's drawbacks. With everyone wearing cowboy hats and the film being in black and white, it's very hard to tell who's who. Some of the plot points are hard to follow as well. At one point, the telegraph operator seems to die for no real reason and at another point you see a group of people dancing right after the train robbery and you're left wondering if they are the robbers celebrating or are these people really happy that their train was hijacked. Turns out it was neither of those options.
The people dancing were the pose hired to kill the robbers and this is where it gets really confusing. You have no idea who is fighting who. There's one scene where it looks like the pose is shooting themselves and another scene where everyone is falling down and then the movie ends. It's very confusing.
One Last Point - This Western was entirely filmed just outside of New Jersey. I don't know why I find that so funny but I do.
Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene
Sunday, 27 November 2011
TO THE MOOOOOOON!!!!
Film: Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip To The Moon)
Year: 1902
Where I Saw It: DVD
So my buddy The Projectionist gives me a call and says, "I've got one of those films you're looking for. In fact, I think it's the first one." So I head over to his house and we throw it on. This is the first science fiction film ever made and at fifteen minutes long, even if you're not a fan of the genre, it's still well worth a watch. It's truly like watching a piece of history. The techniques used in this film may look cheesy now but at the time, they were brand-spank'n new and jaw dropping to watch.
But I do have to make fun of a few points and as much as I respect this film, there are a whole lotta things that don't make sense. So here are a few things you need to know if you ever go to the moon.
1. Make sure your spaceship is just a big bullet.
2. To launch your spaceship, just load it into a massive canon and point it at the moon. Make sure your cannon fires like a cannon you would see on a pirate ship.
3. When you are on the moon, all you will need is a coat, hat and umbrella.
4. Watch out for moon men, but if you do run into them, just hit them with your umbrella and they'll explode.
5. To get back to Earth, just push your bullet off a moon cliff and you'll drop back to the planet.
One Last Point - To become an astronomer/astronaut, all you need is a pointy hat.
Thanks for reading and thanks again to The Projectionist! - Scott Scene
Year: 1902
Where I Saw It: DVD
So my buddy The Projectionist gives me a call and says, "I've got one of those films you're looking for. In fact, I think it's the first one." So I head over to his house and we throw it on. This is the first science fiction film ever made and at fifteen minutes long, even if you're not a fan of the genre, it's still well worth a watch. It's truly like watching a piece of history. The techniques used in this film may look cheesy now but at the time, they were brand-spank'n new and jaw dropping to watch.
But I do have to make fun of a few points and as much as I respect this film, there are a whole lotta things that don't make sense. So here are a few things you need to know if you ever go to the moon.
1. Make sure your spaceship is just a big bullet.
2. To launch your spaceship, just load it into a massive canon and point it at the moon. Make sure your cannon fires like a cannon you would see on a pirate ship.
3. When you are on the moon, all you will need is a coat, hat and umbrella.
4. Watch out for moon men, but if you do run into them, just hit them with your umbrella and they'll explode.
5. To get back to Earth, just push your bullet off a moon cliff and you'll drop back to the planet.
One Last Point - To become an astronomer/astronaut, all you need is a pointy hat.
Thanks for reading and thanks again to The Projectionist! - Scott Scene
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Old and Bold
Film: To Be Or Not To Be
Year: 1942
Where I Saw It: Netflix
Now, I know what you may be thinking. 1942? I thought Mel Brooks made that film in the 1980's. I KNOW! I thought that too! I was just as surprised to find out it was a remake. Having seen both films, I'll say this. The Mel Brooks one is funnier but this film is edgier.
For those of you who don't know the story, it's about a failing acting troupe in Poland right before the Germans take over. When war breaks out, the troupe must now use their acting skills to impersonate Nazis in order to help members of the Polish underground. This is what what I mean by edgier. LOOK AT WHEN THIS FILM WAS MADE!!! Can you imagine even pitching a film with a plot line like this during that time? It would be like pitching a comedy about 9/11 in 2002 or filming a slapstick about Afghanistan.
This film is also incredibly funny. It's got that touch of camp mixed with vindictiveness that only older films of that time can deliver (if you're confused by that statement watch The Three Stooges Meet The Nazis, you'll see what I mean). The whole plot is outrageous and the characters are fantastic. It's a great film. I don't think Mel Brooks remade it with thoughts of making it better, but as an homage to it.
One Last Point - I'm really blown away by the balls of this film. We like to think our time is a lot more edgier when it comes to content of films but after watching this film, I would say we have a long way to go in order to match the issues and content of the past.
Year: 1942
Where I Saw It: Netflix
Now, I know what you may be thinking. 1942? I thought Mel Brooks made that film in the 1980's. I KNOW! I thought that too! I was just as surprised to find out it was a remake. Having seen both films, I'll say this. The Mel Brooks one is funnier but this film is edgier.
For those of you who don't know the story, it's about a failing acting troupe in Poland right before the Germans take over. When war breaks out, the troupe must now use their acting skills to impersonate Nazis in order to help members of the Polish underground. This is what what I mean by edgier. LOOK AT WHEN THIS FILM WAS MADE!!! Can you imagine even pitching a film with a plot line like this during that time? It would be like pitching a comedy about 9/11 in 2002 or filming a slapstick about Afghanistan.
This film is also incredibly funny. It's got that touch of camp mixed with vindictiveness that only older films of that time can deliver (if you're confused by that statement watch The Three Stooges Meet The Nazis, you'll see what I mean). The whole plot is outrageous and the characters are fantastic. It's a great film. I don't think Mel Brooks remade it with thoughts of making it better, but as an homage to it.
One Last Point - I'm really blown away by the balls of this film. We like to think our time is a lot more edgier when it comes to content of films but after watching this film, I would say we have a long way to go in order to match the issues and content of the past.
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Lessons from Pinocchio
Film: Pinocchio
Year: 1940
Where I Saw It: DVD
This week I saw Pinocchio, another childhood standard. This was Walt Disney's second feature length film and even though it was created so long ago, it still holds up as one of the best animated films of all time. Let's take a look back and review some of the life long lessons it taught us.
1. Smoking will turn you into a donkey.
2. If you get a bunch of kids to smoke, after they turn into donkeys, they will provide an excellent cheap labour force.
3. A favourite snack of whales is people.
4. If you do get eaten by a whale, you can live quite comfortably inside it providing you have a raft of some sort.
5. When you wish upon a star, a strange woman claiming to be the "Blue Fairy" will appear in your room.
6. The preferred choice of clothes for crickets is upper class Victorian wear.
7. Making fun of other cultures is OK providing you do it with marionettes.
8. It is easier to build a wooden puppet, pray for him to come to life and chase him around on a series of whacky adventures instead of adopting a real child.
9. Gepetto is a greedy jerk. He's got a cat AND a fish and he STILL wants company? Bastard.
10. The Blue Fairy can change a wooden boy to a real boy but refuses to end world hunger.
One Last Point: Disney is pretty good at drawing animals but I feel they dropped the ball on Jiminy Cricket. He looks nothing like a cricket. He has a closer resemblance to ET.
Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene
Year: 1940
Where I Saw It: DVD
This week I saw Pinocchio, another childhood standard. This was Walt Disney's second feature length film and even though it was created so long ago, it still holds up as one of the best animated films of all time. Let's take a look back and review some of the life long lessons it taught us.
1. Smoking will turn you into a donkey.
2. If you get a bunch of kids to smoke, after they turn into donkeys, they will provide an excellent cheap labour force.
3. A favourite snack of whales is people.
4. If you do get eaten by a whale, you can live quite comfortably inside it providing you have a raft of some sort.
5. When you wish upon a star, a strange woman claiming to be the "Blue Fairy" will appear in your room.
6. The preferred choice of clothes for crickets is upper class Victorian wear.
7. Making fun of other cultures is OK providing you do it with marionettes.
8. It is easier to build a wooden puppet, pray for him to come to life and chase him around on a series of whacky adventures instead of adopting a real child.
9. Gepetto is a greedy jerk. He's got a cat AND a fish and he STILL wants company? Bastard.
10. The Blue Fairy can change a wooden boy to a real boy but refuses to end world hunger.
One Last Point: Disney is pretty good at drawing animals but I feel they dropped the ball on Jiminy Cricket. He looks nothing like a cricket. He has a closer resemblance to ET.
Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene
Sunday, 30 October 2011
The Grapes of - HEY! There's No Grapes Here!
Film: The Grapes of Wrath
Year: 1940
Where I Saw It: Netflix
When I first had to read this book for a university course, I was hoping it would be about angry fruit wanting to get revenge on the human race for eating so many of its comrades. Maybe they would roll into people's mouths while they slept thus causing the person to choke to death. Sadly, this wasn't the case. I still enjoyed the book but I still feel Steinbeck missed the bigger picture. Why write a book about the trials and tribulations of the Great Depression when you can write about grapes with a vendetta?
When I sat down to watch this movie, I still had the old hope that I was about to be treated to two hours of people being attacked by fruit. Again though, this was not to be. But as with the book, I still enjoyed this film. It has great characters, an excellent plot and really gives you an insight to just how much people put up with back then. I can't imagine myself doing half of what the family in the film does in order to make a living and provide for themselves.
My one warning (if you want to call it that) about this film though is that the script follows the play version of the book more than the book itself. The result is you feel like you're watching a movie of a play. There's minimal scene changes and more often than not, the camera is in a fixed point as apposed to multiple camera angles in a single scene. This sometimes makes the film feel longer than it is. But if you're familiar with the play, it's great to see some big name actors of the time tackle a fantastic piece of literature.
One Last Point - To see if my idea had any subsistence to it I threw a grape at my brother. It hit him in the face. I definitely would be able to watch two hours of that. No problem.
Year: 1940
Where I Saw It: Netflix
When I first had to read this book for a university course, I was hoping it would be about angry fruit wanting to get revenge on the human race for eating so many of its comrades. Maybe they would roll into people's mouths while they slept thus causing the person to choke to death. Sadly, this wasn't the case. I still enjoyed the book but I still feel Steinbeck missed the bigger picture. Why write a book about the trials and tribulations of the Great Depression when you can write about grapes with a vendetta?
When I sat down to watch this movie, I still had the old hope that I was about to be treated to two hours of people being attacked by fruit. Again though, this was not to be. But as with the book, I still enjoyed this film. It has great characters, an excellent plot and really gives you an insight to just how much people put up with back then. I can't imagine myself doing half of what the family in the film does in order to make a living and provide for themselves.
My one warning (if you want to call it that) about this film though is that the script follows the play version of the book more than the book itself. The result is you feel like you're watching a movie of a play. There's minimal scene changes and more often than not, the camera is in a fixed point as apposed to multiple camera angles in a single scene. This sometimes makes the film feel longer than it is. But if you're familiar with the play, it's great to see some big name actors of the time tackle a fantastic piece of literature.
One Last Point - To see if my idea had any subsistence to it I threw a grape at my brother. It hit him in the face. I definitely would be able to watch two hours of that. No problem.
Sunday, 23 October 2011
We're Off To See The Wizard, Cause We Got Some Questions!
Film: The Wizard of Oz
Year: 1939
Where I Saw It: Mpix OnDemand
This movie makes me smile. I've seen it about four times through out my life and it never fails to make me laugh. Sometimes in a good and honest way ie. everything the Lion says (Come on! Put'em up! Put'em up!). Sometimes in a cheezy way ie. the flying monkey costumes. But there are some questions to be posed. To pose a few:
1. Where does the red brick road go?
2. Why does the Wicked Witch of The Easy wear socks and The Wicked Witch of The West doesn't? Also, red and white striped socks do not scream evil.
3. What does the witch of the south call herself? I like to think it's The Lazy Witch of The South... It's why she's not in the movie.
4. Why build your city out of emerald?
5. What do witches do when it rains?
6. Did Dorthy ever realize that rainbows are a visual effect in which distance is needed so therefore you can never get somewhere over the rainbow?
7. What purpose could the Lollipop Guild possibly serve besides singing hello to people?
8. Did Dorthy develop a habit of jumping in tornadoes in order to get back to Oz?
9. How come the Tinman never uses his axe to kill the flying monkeys?
10. Why flying monkeys? Why not flying bears? Bears would be much better.
One Last Point - If anyone needs me this week I'll be in the lab making flying bears.
Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene
Year: 1939
Where I Saw It: Mpix OnDemand
This movie makes me smile. I've seen it about four times through out my life and it never fails to make me laugh. Sometimes in a good and honest way ie. everything the Lion says (Come on! Put'em up! Put'em up!). Sometimes in a cheezy way ie. the flying monkey costumes. But there are some questions to be posed. To pose a few:
1. Where does the red brick road go?
2. Why does the Wicked Witch of The Easy wear socks and The Wicked Witch of The West doesn't? Also, red and white striped socks do not scream evil.
3. What does the witch of the south call herself? I like to think it's The Lazy Witch of The South... It's why she's not in the movie.
4. Why build your city out of emerald?
5. What do witches do when it rains?
6. Did Dorthy ever realize that rainbows are a visual effect in which distance is needed so therefore you can never get somewhere over the rainbow?
7. What purpose could the Lollipop Guild possibly serve besides singing hello to people?
8. Did Dorthy develop a habit of jumping in tornadoes in order to get back to Oz?
9. How come the Tinman never uses his axe to kill the flying monkeys?
10. Why flying monkeys? Why not flying bears? Bears would be much better.
One Last Point - If anyone needs me this week I'll be in the lab making flying bears.
Thanks for reading! - Scott Scene
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