Change Your Image
Once Upon A Stage
Reviews
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
This Side Of Sane
At the risk of being called corny, I have to assert my complete love of this zany movie. As a writer and teacher, I find it's a rare film (or any work) which can hold the same impact and resonance viewing after viewing. By that I mean to say that I immediately find myself in tears of laughter with every replay - which makes me out to be someone who would derive pleasure from just looking at shiny objects for hours on end; but that is not the case, at least not most of the time.
I think today's "comedies" have taken on a meaner spirit. Although slapstick is as mean as you can get in the genre of comedy - I mean that this particular style of comedy seems kinder in a weird kind of way. I don't hate or even pity these poor souls who have given into their baser selves and are completely overwhelmed by avarice. And I don't particularly take joy in their suffering through what may be considered some of the most brilliant pratfalls ever to be filmed. I relish the idea that any of us could succumb to lunacy if the price were right. Maybe not to the level in the movie, but something this side of sane. So the comedy is as sharp and full of wit and relevant today as it was in 1963 - adjusted for inflation of course.
Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed (1926)
An Old-Fashioned Art
In our age of CG and digital enhancements, it's difficult (for some) to remember a time when things were done by hand and hand alone. Thus, is the case of animation. This painstaking art has been replaced with programs that not only speed up the process of single-frame rendering, they can even mimic pen strokes and outlines.
So it's a rare treat to come across a unique work that illustrates the artistry of early animation in Film. A shining example is Reinger's "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" . There's really no preparation for this feature, one just needs to succumb to the beautiful imagery that begins to reveal itself, one silhouette at a time. It completely takes us off the conventional track and into the realm best inhabited by forgotten dreams. One forgets that one is watching a series of contours and like the traditional Nang Yai shadow puppet play, the journey has you swept away in a short time!
Some may not be as impressed with this `old-fashioned' approach to story telling. It doesn't compare to the spectacles of the `instant classic' available these days. It's a bit `clanky' and possibly too analog for others. On the other hand, if you're looking for a whimsical and imaginative tale of magic, travels to mystical lands, heroism and love (with a charming score), you won't be in the least bit disappointed with this one.