Separating the Boys from the Egos
Separating the Boys from the Egos by Roxanne McDonald
 |
“On the Lot” 6 brings 5 more films for critique—and more arrogance. |
The first five films have been voted on by America, and those waiting to hear their fate are Trever, Hilary, Sam, Adam, and Shalini.
Adam, Shalini, and Sam are safe.
It’s down to Trever or Hilary, and while we had to wait until the end of the show to find out, I will finish it here–to get on with the next week’s films:
Booted off the Lot
Trever is eliminated, but not before Gary Marshall soothes him with supportive words—that “directors feel they can fix anything in the editing room, but they can’t fix casting.” “You go on to do great films,” Marshall says, adding to our sentiments. Good luck Trever!
On the Big Screen
Andrew Hunt is up first, with “Polished”. He introduces his film by discussing how the biggest obstacles were not technical aspects of filmmaking but having to plan a wedding at the same time. At one point, he says, he thought there would be no way he could do this…up against such heavy hitters. In the end, however, he thinks “Polished” is the best film he has ever done.
Carrie Fisher opens critiques by saying that vengeance is for people who haven’t the patience for kharma. She says the film is sweet, the underdog angle is great, and though she doesn’t like being led by the office music, this is a good little silent film.
David Frinkel, guest judge for the week, tells Andrew it is not the best film he has ever done because he has seen Trever do better in previous weeks. Andrew is a talented filmmaker, says Frinkel, but the slow action could better fit a 30-second commercial. He looks forward to more of Andrew’s work, though.
Gary Marshall says revenge works in comedy, drama, and musicals. He loved the leading man; wasn’t sure who bought the hamburgers (a whack inferencing problem?); and the music made him want to go to church. BUT! he thought, “Polished” is quite polished.
David May is up with “Love at First Shot,” and speaks to what I am sure every filmmaker competing has said, will say, or wants to say—about wanting to stay and win, etc.–and that he doesn’t want to just “survive” but wants to succeed and excel.
I watched the sixth installment TWICE and missed what Fisher said, as my attention derailed to other work (saying something about David’s difficulty, maybe, in holding audience focus, or just something about this viewer…I don’t know).
Frinkel made a profound comment about how ambiguity is the [fury? Downfall?] of filmmaking, so next time, David must be clearer and better.
Marshall cracks lyrical by bringing in how everybody is familiar with “Stupid Cupid.” But, he yells in that loving, paternal way, “you’ve gotta have a PACE!” He says they wrote a pilot in between the jokes, there. (Yep, I wrote whole paragraphs…literally, as the main character started talking and the second took off to go to the bathroom.) It was beautiful to look at, Marshall continues, but David has to tighten.
Shira-Lee Shallit is up next with “Beeline”, after repeating what many have said, will say, etc.—that everybody is so talented here and that she is happy to be included—and describing her casting process and rationale for having her son play the son in this second delightful little ditty—a tightly edited and engaging Mom process…of hearing her son ask if she has had sex since the divorce and making a “beeline” to every person she has done to tell them to ignore, avoid, keep mum toward her whenever she is with her son, now.
Fisher says Shira-Lee could have called it “Slut Mom,” and repeats how she loved Shira-Lee’s first film. Fisher hopes this is autobiographical (and SL yells out “who has time?”), and says as a woman in this biz you have to be great and this was very good.
Frinkel says the film made him laugh, was sweet, and he loved the mom running through the streets in her puffy coat. He also loved the way she captured NY, as it was very atmospheric. He suggests hers is the best film of the night (but so far, as we have two more to go).
Marshall starts with advice on casting, saying you gotta watch it with kids…can’t let them smile while acting, for example. But the casting of a kid with a lisp was a good move, he adds, and Shira-Lee could sell her pace to some of the others. Here’s “one for the girls,” he concluded. You mean another one, right, Gary?
Marty Martin feels he was underestimated with his last solo film (the promo which was supposed to be a short film), and this time, well, this time he is taking a risk. (Uh, wasn’t that what he said the first time?) Marty then makes what we viewrs are sure is the mistake of boasting about filmic
instinct, saying he is also ambitious and is not here to make small films but Spielberg-sized films. His “Dance with the Devil” has sub-script, which can be interpreted as clever po-mo (post-modern) flair but will likely come off as more promo style, as it is too hypey in effect for a short film and is odd, incongruent, in with the insipid dialogue. The redeeming quality is the visual appearance—his cinematography would be great for a “Creep Show” or neo-Hitchcock, with its futuristic greens, muted properties, et. al. elements.
Fisher begins by saying that it’s a victory of style over substance…over content. It is very good, but the style is distracting, she says. Marty argues, retorting in some tautological way that that is his style…. Fisher quips that he is a very big fan of himself, and he acts wounded and says that is rude, not fair, not true. Marshall pipes in to shut up and let Frinkel do some talking. And you know-ho-ho Marty will be quiet, now.
Frinkel says he actually admires Marty’s arrogance, for it takes some cocky to make it in Hollywood. However, Frinkel continues, he didn’t think there was any characterization, the dialogue was laughably cliché, and he knows Marty can do better.
Marshall adds that it was scary enough, and that worked for him, but Marty needs to go deeper into the characters so we will say “Ooh, Jane just got killed,” instead of “the girl with the overbite died.” But, Marshall says, if it doesn’t work out, Marty can open a film school. Zing.
As if one over-blown ego isn’t enough in one episode, Kenny Luby is last to show. However, he has a worthy approach this time: with “Edge on the End,” while it is what Frinkel might describe as ambiguous, it has so many symbolic and beautiful elements—including a visual effect (of a reversing waterfall, and reverse action) that reminds me of the essay concept, How to UN-do something, “How to Un-drink a Beer,” etc..
Fisher says it is more like a rock video and is distracting stylistically, but adds that he is a “very cute boy and if [he plays his] cards right, the show host might just have a crush on you.”
Frinkel discusses ambition of expressing loneliness, Kenny and others having a lot of talent making it hard to judge, and settles on calling Kenny’s pice more of a visual poem of music video.
Marshall is also inspired to spike the critique with more cerebral commentary, and quotes Marcel Proust: “The real journey of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” And Kenny, he says, has new eyes and should continue to be crazy and unique.
Agreed. In spite of the ego issues.
Oh, and the judges’ favorites:
Carrie Fisher likes “Polished”; Frinkel likes “Slut Mom,” er, “Beeline”; and Gary Marshall also votes “Beeline”.
No Comments »
No comments yet.
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
