Going old school

Toward the back end of 2013, as work slowed and the holidays came into focus, I turned my attention to that which dominated my life for the last two months of the year: film. Obviously it was my own film that was dominating my life, which I enjoyed greatly, but it also inspired a renewed appetite for all things film and television. A general craving of knowledge along the lines of ‘how did they do it?’. So I ended up watching a lot of films. Some I had seen before, others for the first time.
Having made a couple of films myself now, I can appreciate the effort and dedication and focus and sheer will it takes to get a project completed. It is hard and mentally draining work. I mean it is easy to be an armchair critic, trolling on YouTube clips and declaring how awful a performance, story or director was, safe in the knowledge you have not, nor will not, ever do it. The wonderful web gives any chimp with a keyboard the ability to vent an opinion. I have read disparaging remarks on Scorsese’s Goodfellas, seen verbal wars over Twilight saga, Star Wars saga, LOTR, watch the websphere almost explode when various actors are mooted to play fictitious comic book characters. Everybody has an opinion.
I’m no different. I have seen a few films deemed masterworks in my time and wondered what the hell all the fuss was about! I have watched films that I know are kind of awful and enjoyed them immensely. I understand that films are entertainment. It is nice if you can learn something some times, but I really want a film just to entertain me, whether it be with brilliance or sweetness or clever plotting or basic good vs evil. As long as it entertains me, I am good. As long as it entertains me!
Like I said, I watched a lot of films over the holidays. Let me tell you, there is nothing quite like a terrible film to put you in a foul mood on a winters grey day. If you want a really shitty mood, watch two terrible films! Such was my fate on a few occasions over the festive period. Netflix and its ilk are great services, ready to watch films when ever you want. Unfortunately the volume of dross to quality or even passably good films on offer is soul destroying. I mean these film companies do realise how many films have been made in the past century don’t they? There is really no good reason to be allowing a person to pay money for some of these films! I swear even people related to the stars of some of these films would not watch them!
I have two subscription services I pay for and though their post nineties fare is adequate, they only seem to go back as far as 1970! Have they not heard of Frank Capra? Or Cagney, Stewart, Flynn, Davis, Fontaine or Marx Brothers to name a (very!) few?
I have suffered films so appalling that I have truly pondered how they possibly got funded. Somebody green lit Kick Ass 2! Even after reading the script! No wonder Jim Carrey bailed on the promotional tour. Against violence? More likely against association with god awful films! Rappers should also stop being allowed to make films. Man with the Iron Fist? Wow. Really not good. There is a reason Rza (even with my name I am compelled to ask what kind of a name is Rza?!) that filmmaking is collaborative. Other people are suppose to be involved to minimise the chance of a massive ego turning a film into an almighty turd. Take note. Not as bad as Kick Ass 2 though. And whilst I’m at it, ranting that is, Bruce Willis must be stopped! The last Die Hard was so risible that I turned it off after half an hour. Only Sly Stallone can milk a franchise and most of the films be watchable – though he may be pushing it with The Expendables.
No doubt I too will make a film that will make people want to hunt me down and ask for those hours of their lives back, through some financial recompense. Hopefully it will be on a film I did not write!