Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Silence of Distortion: An Interview with Nicolas Winding Refn and Peter Peter



On the website Pop Matters, their was a great interview with one of my favorite current directors Nicolas Winding Refn and the making of the soundtrack of his 2009 film " Valhalla Rising". In this article it talked about the process of creating the soundtrack and sound effects for the movie. This movie takes place in 1000 A.D. in Scotland as it chronicle the journey of  Norse (German) Warrior as he goes out and seeks the crusades. It was really interesting to read Refn interview and how he didn't want any sound in the movie because of the time it takes place in. It was also intersting to read about how the first cut of the movie was six hours long. If they ever do a special edition of the movie I would really like to see the six hour director cut of the movie. If anybody is a fan of Refn work , or his 2011 film " Drive" they should defiantly check out the article which can be found below.


 http://www.popmatters.com/column/175788-the-silence-of-distortion-an-interview-with-nicolas-winding-refn-and//







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Thursday, October 17, 2013

“Argo” Screening Report


 

 

                 The 2012 film “Argo” directed and starring Ben Affleck is about the CIA operation lead by Tony Mendez to rescue six diplomats during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. This operation is known as the “Canadian Caper” because Mendez and the six diplomats disguised themselves as Canadian filmmakers scouting for locations for their new sci- fi film “Argo” and after the success of the operation Canada took full credit because of the strong tension between the United States and Iran at that time.  I overall really enjoyed this movie for the third time that I’ve sat down and watched it. It really keeps you on the edge of your seat with its fast paced editing and pacing in storytelling. There are many important and key scenes in this movie, but one really stood out too me.  In the following I will share why this scene is the most important and moving scene that encapsulates the whole theme and point that this movie is conveying.

                At about the one hour and twenty marks up till the one hour and twenty-two marks we see the main protagonist Tony Mendez going through an interpersonal dilemma and decision. Mendez has been told by his boss that the operation has been called off due to high risk of capture or death of the diplomats and Mendez. Mendez then drives back in darkness to his hotel and drinks a bottle of what appears to be whisky as he decides what his next actions are going to be. Since Mendez has already exposed the diplomats he has no other option but to attempt to get them on the plane and back to the United States. We can see this by the image of the sun rising up and Tony looking through the window his eyes down, but then he looks up and the audience knows that he’s not leaving without attempting to finish the job and rescue the diplomats.  

                This scene pretty much sums up the movie for the following reasons. We see the protagonist Mendez isn’t the most ideal perfect CIA agent we look for in films like in “James Bond” movies. Mendez life is a mess, he lives on his own, he’s sloppy, and not really put together. Throughout the whole movie it’s been about the underdog Mendez and his chance to do something right for his country, but more importantly for his fellow man.  In that one moment we don’t care we believe in Mendez and we want to see him pull through because we know then that he might accomplish the impossible.  That’s what great movies are all about!     




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