Huh. Not nearly as sucky as common sense would dictate, perhaps because there were low expectations on both sides of the cinematic divide, the creators and the audience. Populated by actors who are too good to be considered C-list and not popular enough to be A-list, directed by the son of one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, based on the work of a best selling author who isn't a household name, it's like everyone knew beforehand this thing would have an aura of crapitude from the get-go. So there's a sense of relaxation and freedom to the thing that's refreshing. (How many action movies would you expect to make stinging jokes about the Iraq National Museum and Bush's environmental record?) Seems like Raiders is the template -- and there are several shots that support that -- but as Gabriel noted at Cinemarati, it's more like a Hope/Crosby comedy disguised as action flick. (This is the kind of movie where bullets, generally speaking, don't hit people, no matter how many fired. Flare guns, yes, ancient cannons, yes, but not bullets.) Zahn's in good form, McConaughey isn't annoying, Macy smokes cigars bigger than Keira Knightley, but the real find here is Eisner. He's a natural with the camera, finding interesting compositions, bits of amusing business in the margins (my favorite: Two African guards, one chatting endlessly, the other completely bored, none of it subtitled English), and rediscovering the wide in widescreen (a lot of this won't work in P&S). Goes on a bit too long like these movies do, with one chase too many, but more satisfying than, say, National Treasure. Oh, pretty cool opening credits, too. Remember opening credits? Batman Begins and Cinderella Man don't.
Where we saw it: film | We deign to rate it: 70 outta 100Speaking of 70, that's what MD'A just gave "Land of the Dead". Holy shit. Like I wasn't looking forward to it enough. Two days? I won't fuckin' make it... my head will explode from excitement before then.
Posted by: Steve at June 21, 2005 09:37 PMHa! I just read an email from Mr. Black about this very thing. My reply was: NO!!! Holy m'f'n crap! That's like, 85+ on the Kza scale. (Edit, because, hey, I can: I think my reply only makes sense if you know that Scott's email starts, "Did you know...")
I believe md'a gave the original DotD a 77, so that makes it even more impressive by comparison.
Let the Romero Countdown begin! To the DVD players!
I'm seriously looking forward to "Land of the Dead" (ASIA!) but I'm ALSO really really looking forward to the new Rob Zombie movie. As you may or may not recall, I was the only person on earth that actually kinda liked the "1000 Corpses in the Hiz-ouse."
Y'know, I'd been meaning to blog about this, and since you brought it up...
I'm really looking forward to "The Devil's Rejects" as well -- almost (*almost*) as much as LOTD.
Thing is, I didn't care much for H1000C, at least not as much as I wanted to. (I'm a big White Zombie fan from way back.) RZ obviously knows his horror, but, other than a few isolated moments, he kept relying on a kind of cutesy, neon-glow, carnival-ride kind of atmosphere (that I've seen in his self-directed videos) that I don't think works.
Now, I *know* the man knows his early Craven, early Hooper, "I Spit On Your Grave" type of horror, gritty and offensive. And it looks like TDR will be the kind of despicable and controversial flick that really honors its predecessors. I've got my fingers crossed.
At the very least, Sid Haig looks awesome in a beard.
Posted by: kza at June 23, 2005 01:52 PMI guess that makes me the only person in the world who full-on dug "H1KC"... :-)
And yes, I am also frothing at the mouth waiting for "The Devil's Rejects". But nothing tops "Land of the Dead". I even marked the latter film's opening on the calendar at work. Subsequently, all my coworkers know what 'Z-Day' is...
Posted by: Steve at June 23, 2005 08:21 PMHa! What a *nerd* ;-)
Posted by: kza at June 23, 2005 10:43 PMAgreed. This movie kicked 'National Treasure' in the bum! And doubly agreed on the opening shot. Reminded me of the opener of 'Rear Window'.
Posted by: Quack Corleone at June 24, 2005 01:23 AMThanks, Quack! Considering the meh response this flick got, I thought maybe I was a little out of my head.
Posted by: kza at June 24, 2005 10:50 AM