First Reel
Welcome to this NEWS CENTER movie blog.
Along with being a news producer, I'm a longtime moviegoer, averaging about 50 big-screen flicks a year, with at least twice that number of DVDs. Back in the '90's, I even got paid to write about movies for the late, lamented Casco Bay Weekly.
I've been in love with movies ever since I first started seeing 'em in a theater that featured a retractable roof. During summer showings, they'd roll it back and we kids watched Burt Lancaster in "The Crimson Pirate" or "Ten Tall Men" (anyone remember that foreign legion flick?) under the stars. These days, I prefer matinees; not only are they cheaper, but coming out of a movie into daylight seems to heighten the dreamlike state of the experience.
I recently caught two current movies that both hearken back to the 1970's in differing ways.
The Bank Job is a crackerjack retelling of a (mostly) real-life bank robbery that stunned the Brits back in 1971. What made it such a mystery was that four days after the crooks got away with millions of pounds, the media went completely silent about the robbery, the likely result of an MI-5 (British intelligence) "D-Notice," ordering the press to put a sock in it.
In this smart, fast-moving caper movie, action man Jason Statham ("The Transporter") heads up a band of small-time crooks who get recruited to pull off the bank job. There's a femme fatale (Saffron Burrows), the Porn King of London, assorted crooked cops, a British Black Panther, his pal John Lennon, and of course MI-5, to name but a few of the interested parties.
I loved the energy of this movie, kicking right in with T Rex's "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" on the soundtrack, to set both the time frame and the backstory, involving some kinky royal carrying-on. Things get pretty nasty down the road, as the light-hearted caper turns violent, but all the loose ends get tied up neatly, as befits the genre. It was directed by a New Zealander named Roger Donaldson, who gave us such earlier gems as "Smash Palace" and "The World's Fastest Indian." He also directed "Cocktail" with Tom Cruise, but the less said about that, the better. It's rated R for sex and violence.
My second pick is Shine A Light, Martin Scorsese's digital tribute to The Rolling Stones.
Scorsese's made two great music movies before this one: "The Last Waltz" (1978), showing the farewell concert of The Band, and "No Direction Home" (2005) a biography of Bob Dylan. This time, he heads up a multi-multi-multi camera shoot of the Stones performing two shows at New York City's venerable Beacon Theater.
There are some wonderful moments in this big, shiny production, but for me, most of them are the smaller ones. I particularly liked the moment when Keith Richards bends down and gives his guitar pick to a front-row fan, then a short time later hands the guitar itself over to visiting blues legend Buddy Guy.
Come to think of it, I liked just about everything about Keith, in stark contrast to that other Glimmer Twin, Mick Jagger. Jagger, 63, still insists on doing his rooster on Viagra performance throughout the concert. His stamina is superhuman, but his mugging and prancing get tiresome, particularly since Scorsese seems riveted by it. Meanwhile, Keith seems to hang back, amused by it all, while drummer Charlie Watts keeps the beat going like an atomic clock. Guitarist Ronnie Wood is back there somewhere, and fill-in bass player Daryl Jones barely gets noticed by all those cameras. The band's horn section (including the great Bobby Keys) and backup singers also get short shrift from the star-struck Scorsese crew.
Speaking of stars, there are a few cameo appearances in "Shine A Light," including Bill and Hillary Clinton (I think that was her, she passes by the camera so quickly), not to mention Jack White of the White Stripes and Christina Aguilera. The look of the movie is fantastic, with huge depth of field. Unforuntately, Scorsese sticks pretty much exclusively to close-ups, making you wish for more wide shots to suggest the actual concert experience. Of course, the digital sound mix is superb. Every now and then, the camera moves through the crowd and you actually hear isolated pockets of clapping amid all the music.
Ah, the music. The Stones have been making it for over forty years now, and it still sounds great - blues, rock and country, threatening to careen into chaos as two lead guitars compete, but always staying on track, thanks to their stolid drummer. I wish the band had focused more on their lesser-known tunes ( haven't you heard "Satisfaction" and "Brown Sugar" enough times by now?), so when Keith launched into a sincere, solo version of "You've Got The Silver," I loved it. Adding to the fun are some clips from early Rolling Stones interviews. (There is no mention, however, of Altamont, where they presided over a day of violence culminating in murder. I know, because I was there.)
Rolling Stones tunes have always played a big part in Scorsese's movies: remember "Jumpin' Jack Flash" in the opening scene of "Mean Streets"? Now the band has its very own Scorsese movie, and for all its flaws, it's a gas, gas, gas. This one's rated PG 13 for language. Oh yeah, and smoking.
Along with being a news producer, I'm a longtime moviegoer, averaging about 50 big-screen flicks a year, with at least twice that number of DVDs. Back in the '90's, I even got paid to write about movies for the late, lamented Casco Bay Weekly.
I've been in love with movies ever since I first started seeing 'em in a theater that featured a retractable roof. During summer showings, they'd roll it back and we kids watched Burt Lancaster in "The Crimson Pirate" or "Ten Tall Men" (anyone remember that foreign legion flick?) under the stars. These days, I prefer matinees; not only are they cheaper, but coming out of a movie into daylight seems to heighten the dreamlike state of the experience.
I recently caught two current movies that both hearken back to the 1970's in differing ways.
The Bank Job is a crackerjack retelling of a (mostly) real-life bank robbery that stunned the Brits back in 1971. What made it such a mystery was that four days after the crooks got away with millions of pounds, the media went completely silent about the robbery, the likely result of an MI-5 (British intelligence) "D-Notice," ordering the press to put a sock in it.
In this smart, fast-moving caper movie, action man Jason Statham ("The Transporter") heads up a band of small-time crooks who get recruited to pull off the bank job. There's a femme fatale (Saffron Burrows), the Porn King of London, assorted crooked cops, a British Black Panther, his pal John Lennon, and of course MI-5, to name but a few of the interested parties.
I loved the energy of this movie, kicking right in with T Rex's "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" on the soundtrack, to set both the time frame and the backstory, involving some kinky royal carrying-on. Things get pretty nasty down the road, as the light-hearted caper turns violent, but all the loose ends get tied up neatly, as befits the genre. It was directed by a New Zealander named Roger Donaldson, who gave us such earlier gems as "Smash Palace" and "The World's Fastest Indian." He also directed "Cocktail" with Tom Cruise, but the less said about that, the better. It's rated R for sex and violence.
My second pick is Shine A Light, Martin Scorsese's digital tribute to The Rolling Stones.
Scorsese's made two great music movies before this one: "The Last Waltz" (1978), showing the farewell concert of The Band, and "No Direction Home" (2005) a biography of Bob Dylan. This time, he heads up a multi-multi-multi camera shoot of the Stones performing two shows at New York City's venerable Beacon Theater.
There are some wonderful moments in this big, shiny production, but for me, most of them are the smaller ones. I particularly liked the moment when Keith Richards bends down and gives his guitar pick to a front-row fan, then a short time later hands the guitar itself over to visiting blues legend Buddy Guy.
Come to think of it, I liked just about everything about Keith, in stark contrast to that other Glimmer Twin, Mick Jagger. Jagger, 63, still insists on doing his rooster on Viagra performance throughout the concert. His stamina is superhuman, but his mugging and prancing get tiresome, particularly since Scorsese seems riveted by it. Meanwhile, Keith seems to hang back, amused by it all, while drummer Charlie Watts keeps the beat going like an atomic clock. Guitarist Ronnie Wood is back there somewhere, and fill-in bass player Daryl Jones barely gets noticed by all those cameras. The band's horn section (including the great Bobby Keys) and backup singers also get short shrift from the star-struck Scorsese crew.
Speaking of stars, there are a few cameo appearances in "Shine A Light," including Bill and Hillary Clinton (I think that was her, she passes by the camera so quickly), not to mention Jack White of the White Stripes and Christina Aguilera. The look of the movie is fantastic, with huge depth of field. Unforuntately, Scorsese sticks pretty much exclusively to close-ups, making you wish for more wide shots to suggest the actual concert experience. Of course, the digital sound mix is superb. Every now and then, the camera moves through the crowd and you actually hear isolated pockets of clapping amid all the music.
Ah, the music. The Stones have been making it for over forty years now, and it still sounds great - blues, rock and country, threatening to careen into chaos as two lead guitars compete, but always staying on track, thanks to their stolid drummer. I wish the band had focused more on their lesser-known tunes ( haven't you heard "Satisfaction" and "Brown Sugar" enough times by now?), so when Keith launched into a sincere, solo version of "You've Got The Silver," I loved it. Adding to the fun are some clips from early Rolling Stones interviews. (There is no mention, however, of Altamont, where they presided over a day of violence culminating in murder. I know, because I was there.)
Rolling Stones tunes have always played a big part in Scorsese's movies: remember "Jumpin' Jack Flash" in the opening scene of "Mean Streets"? Now the band has its very own Scorsese movie, and for all its flaws, it's a gas, gas, gas. This one's rated PG 13 for language. Oh yeah, and smoking.
Labels: Movies, Shine A Light, The Bank Job
posted by Peter Weyl at
3:46 PM
4 Comments:
man, i really want to see the bank job now...great blog!
This post has been removed by the author.
I came out of "Shine A Light" feeling good, not only from the music, but from the humor that I found throughout, specifically from Keith Richards. His posturing and straining throughout "No Connection" was hilarious, along with his interview out takes. This is a buy for me the day it comes out on DVD.
Fantastic write up on the Stones flick Mr Weyl. Wish Marty would have attempted this project 25 years ago. I understand what your saying about the less familiar tunes. If they ripped into "Rocks Off" instead of Jumping Jack Flash for the first number I would have taken back every negative comment I ever muttered about rocks oldest teenager(jagger). That is,as soon as someone revived me after I passed out.
God bless Ronnie and Charlie though.
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