60s Documentary

By the 60s, technology had transformed hugely. The first portable camera was invented and filmmakers were able to record real life. Before, synchronized technologies were limited and filming had to be done in studios, but now it became possible to  follow people, shoot amongst crowds or just observe. The genre of documentary became very dominant.

Here are a few films that were revolutionary at the time:

Primary - 1960

Chronique d'un Ete (Chronicle of a Summer) - 1960

Don't Look Back - 1967

Spring Breakers trailer

Finally here!

New Great Gatsby trailer!

As I posted before, I am so excited about the upcoming film from the my favourite director starring my favourite actor! Baz Lurhmann's remake of The Great Gatsby. Since the date was pushed to May 2013 (instead of this Christmas Day) a new, and BETTER, trailer has been released. The film looks amazing and I can't wait.

I enjoyed the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby (Jack Clayton).  But I found it lacked a lot of spark. As you can see from the trailer above, Baz's version looks so upbeat and eccentric, and of course will be making it more contemporary (just like he did with Romeo + Juliet).

Lift

Marc Isaacs lectured at my university this week. Here is his short film 'Lift' which portrays interesting observations. I enjoyed it as we gradually got to know the characters more each time they entered the lift. Some scenarios are also rather comical.

The Cremator - 1969

quick post about to show a scene from 'The Cremator' 1969, a Czech film by Juraj Herz.

I love this opening showing the juxtapositions between animals and humans. There's some personification/animalisation going on. Notice how certain things match - head movements, body parts, textures etc... There are some lovely technical aspects & cuts too. 

Spring Breakers

I'm excited about Harmony Korine's upcoming film...Spring Breakers, set to come next year. It deals with 4 college girls who get arrested after robbing a restaurant to fund their 'spring break' vacation.
The fact that it's Korine's work is appealing in itself but I'm also intrigued to see the actresses stepping into new characters - Selena Gomez plays Faith, and Vanessa Hudgens Candy. These two famous Disney stars have always been associated with happy-smiley kids shows and PG films, and it's exciting to see them exploring different roles in a darker film. Ashley Benson, who plays Brit, is well known for her role as Hana on Pretty Little Liars. While I enjoy PLL from time to time, it's a pretty far-fetched, melodramatic kind of tv programme, and her we'll see her play a very different character in SB. The fourth college girl is Cotty, played by Rachel Korine, Harmony's wife. I have never seen her act. Never the less, the 4 of them look promising and a good team. It's also interesting that they have been cast  - Korine's other films have mainly used unknowns. Top of the list though is James Franco, who plays Alien, a drugs & arms dealer who bails them out of prison. Similar but oh so different to his character in Pineapple Express.

I am realllllly excited to see this movie! As I said before, I love Harmony Korine & could tell instantly from promos it was his work. :) definitely his style.

Baz Luhrmann

My favourite director. A lot of my favourite films are done by him, and I love his fantastical, slightly weird style. He always brings a sort of modern-twist to his films, always with such bright colours and sparkle and editing and camera work...... I know some people 'don't get' his style but I am so used to it! He is an auteur. 

Strictly Ballroom - 1992

- It's difficult to pick a favourite from his films, but Strictly Ballroom is very very close. It was his first film, and only had a budget of $3 million, but I love low budget films. It's feel-good, funny, lively, and his style is evident in the bright colours, camera angles, and slightly documentary parts (mainly at the beginning) with subtitles. We see this again in Romeo + Juliet. 

                       



Romeo + Juliet - 1996

- As I said, it's difficult to pick a favourite...I love all Baz's films for different reasons, but I love this film sooo much. It's perfect - visually, audibly, the acting... The film portrays an elegant balance between happy and sad - and most other emotions actually - with all the typical Baz colours and glitter and party added to it. The fish tank scene is incredible. Our first proper scene of Romeo (with Radiohead playing) is also one of my favourites, as well as the pool scene. If you know me, you know Leonardo DiCaprio is my favourite actor...and oh he is so beautiful in this one.

Wear Sunscreen - 1999

 - a music video version of an essay "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" by Mary Schmich. I love this.. it's so feel-good, and TRUE. I want Baz to narrate my life. His narration is remixed with the song 'Everybody's Free', from in the wedding scene from R+J.

Moulin Rouge! - 2001

- Definitely my most watched out of his films. It's probably his 'most weird' too, however he recognisably made it his own. I love it so much, I think it takes 1st place as favourite. Really beautiful story, amazing aesthetics aaand is a musical (also in love with the sountrack). When I went to Montmartre in 2010 I was so excited because of this film. 

             

                      

                      

Australia - 2008

- My least watched film of Baz's, but never the less a lovely, enjoyable story. His shots of Australia are amazing and portrays it as such a desirable place to us as the audience. You can tell that it is a Baz Lurhmann film, although there are fewer of his 'signature' features than in his other works...the genre too is slightly different - more action than R+J but less romance than Moulin Rouge...

   

                   

The Great Gatsby! - 2012

Not much I can say about this one yet, apart from that I'm so excited. I love the 1974 version, but a Baz version is going to be amazing. Trailer looks great, Leo's perfect to play Gatsby, love the other main cast...Christmas Day 2012!