The Snob, the hands, the Fearless and the blog-a-thon.
By Burbanked on Oct 18, 2007 in Blogging, Movies | 1,157 views |
Grievously, I haven’t had the time to contribute to the ripping great Close-Up Blog-a-thon which is concluding this Sunday over at The House Next Door. Lots of very, very good entries over there, with terrific insight into movie aesthetics piled right up to the ceiling.
For his close-up post, Culture Snob decided to focus on hands, and he chose a movie that’s not only an ingenious example for the blog-a-thon, but one that’s among my favorite and most personally important movies: Fearless by the dependably magnificent Peter Weir. Go take a look at the Snob’s post, filled with wonderful screengrabs from the movie.
I’ve mentioned this before, but for anyone new to the party here: I worked for Fearless producers Paula Weinstein and Mark Rosenberg at the time the movie was made – and, incidentally, at the time of Mark’s sudden passing. Fearless’s author/screenwriter Rafael Yglesias was a friend of my bosses, and they would have read and considered developing his book regardless of the opinions of their staff. Fortunately, I somehow had the good sense to read Yglesias’ first pass at the script and recommend it to them without knowing that at the time.
If for some reason you haven’t seen Fearless, go add it to the queue of your choice. If you don’t agree that it’s a fantastically moving film, let me know and we’ll step outside and settle our differences like men.
As an aside: I’ve only ever seen Fearless available on a – bleccchhh – fullscreen DVD. If you’ve seen or bought it in widescreen, please let me know.
© Copyright
Ray | Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
Hmmm … interesting take on that film, which I had previously considered overdone.
Burbanked | Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
I can understand that criticism, Ray, and I agree that some of the movie’s more “head toward the light” moments are overdone. But I also think that it’s a fairly cerebral, involving movie that does not resolve its conflicts in the usual Hollywood movie ways, and for that I give it a lot of credit. Admittedly, the movie means a lot to me because of where I worked and the fact that my boss frigging died while it was made. Kind of bums one out and tends to attach a greater emotional weight to a piece of art than perhaps it might have had otherwise. Okay. So I’m a wussy.
But Weir’s a great director and there’s a lot to be admired there. Maybe give it another try.
Joseph B. | Oct 21, 2007 | Reply
Love “Fearless” and it boasts one of the most cathartic final moments I can remember.