samuelactually Reviews

Tony (I) (2009)

Black comedy

[6/10 · 25 June 2014]

The first thing to say: this is a dark comedy. It may have some social overtones, but I enjoyed the humorous parts of the movie

For example, He tries conversing with the Vietnamese, pirate DVD seller about the benefits of VHS, and how he should stock VHS movies not just DVD's.

The Job-seeker agent says that he can meet people by cleaning toilets.

He asks a sex line worker if her appearance is like that in the picture, and when she replies that she is 34 DD; he asks pre-op or post- op? To which, she replies trans-gender.

This movie is humorous, if you find this type of humour enjoyable. This film is not a horror, slasher or a social commentary. Its tongue in cheek, absurd take on serial killers. In the final scene, he is seen disposing of dead bodies in the river Thames, and it reminded me of the other notorious serial killer Dexter. This is Satire, not to be taken literally.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony the theme for "Ultra-violence"

[8/10 · 18 August 2012]

wiki synopsis: Alex (Malcolm McDowell), the main character, is a charismatic, sociopathic delinquent....... He leads a small gang of thugs (Pete, Georgie, and Dim), whom he calls his droogs (from the Russian друг, "friend", "buddy"). The film chronicles the horrific crime spree of his gang, his capture, and attempted rehabilitation via controversial psychological conditioning.

My comments: The premise of the story centres on the main character Alex. Alex takes what he wants and does it a way that alienates him from the audience. He is set up as unlikable. Calculating, manipulative, violent, cruel, vindictive, individualistic, uncaring even sadistic. However, all these traits make him top dog and successful {at least at what he does in his small world}. That is until he is betrayed by his gang members and is sent to prison.

He would probably have been alright in prison {he manages to cosy up with the prison chaplin by faking religious conviction} but as always when offered a seemingly easy way out he decides to take it. He "volunteers" for a scientific trial of a new therapy that produces a extreme physical reaction in the subject when aggressive feeling start to surface.

Released from prison Alex is now defenceless in a violent world. His old friends {who are now police officers}, his past victims and his family all now have the upper hand and act in similarly vindictive and cruel way.

Thus the philosophy of the film plays out. Is Alex a product of society? Are we all Alex in some way? Is Alex part of human nature? Is punishing Alex make us more violent? Is the science of human behaviour dehumanising? Will the government use this Science to control us and gain more power?

Homicide (1991)

"Its time to give up when you start cuming with the customers"

[7/10 · 18 August 2012]

Wiki plot premise; Bobby Gold (Mantegna) is an inner-city homicide detective on the trail of Robert Randolph (Rhames), a drug-dealer and cop-killer on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List. En route to nab an accomplice of Randolph, Gold and his partner Tim Sullivan (Macy) happen upon a murder scene: the elderly Jewish owner of a candy store in a black ghetto has been gunned down, reportedly for a fortune hidden in her basement. The deceased woman's son, a doctor, uses his clout to have Gold assigned to the case in the belief that Gold, himself Jewish, might be empathetic to his plight.

My comments; This is a story with some interesting themes Like Mamets later film Glengarry Glen Ross, the main protagonist has a gift with words and spinning fantasies. Like the salesmen in that movie, detective Gold has the gift and uses it to convince suspects and witnesses that everything will be OK as long as they do what he says.

This gift makes him a skilled and valuable member of the police force and of his smaller team of detectives. The twist in the story is that he gets caught up in his on fantasy and is first manipulated and then consumed to the extent, his colleagues and those he has made promises to are let down {I wont give away the ending}.

The Homecoming (1973)

Survival of the mentally fittest

[9/10 · 16 August 2012]

Wiki article; "in The New Yorker, the critic John Lahr wrote, "'The Homecoming' changed my life. Before the play, I thought words were just vessels of meaning; after it, I saw them as weapons of defence."

Like many of Pinters stories the theme of power relationships is prominent. This movie disturbed and confused me in equal measure.

Firstly, there is no love between any of the characters in the family with the exception of Sam {Uncle}. They live in a big house but are all forced to live together and therefore interact.

Only one of the brothers Teddy has managed to become independent and move to America. An example of this constant threat level is when the farther Max tells his Brother Sam, that when he losses his job {becomes to old} he will be out on the street. There are also numerous loosely veiled threats made between Max {Farther} and his Son {Lenny}. Each protagonist has a long history of violence and probably murder. This is a household about to explode.

However, the arrival of Teddy and his wife {Ruth} add a new dynamic to this power struggle.

For me its easy to define the characters in the house but Ruth and Teddy motives are more disguised. Particularly Ruth, its ironic that Ruth is potentially being exploited the most {they are planning to make her a prostitute} the irony is that she has the most control in the house as she is able to show dominance mentally/verbally.

Reflecting, I think what scared me most was the cold rationality of the characters being almost devoid of emotion. In this household expressing emotion is weakness and weakness is dangerous to your mental and physical health.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Selling the American dream

[8/10 · 16 August 2012]

Wiki synopsis; The film depicts two days in the lives of four real estate salesmen who are supplied with names and phone numbers of leads (potential clients) and regularly use underhanded and dishonest tactics to make sales. Many of the leads rationed out by the office manager are impoverished individuals lacking either the money or the desire to actually invest in land.

My synopsis; This is basically a movie about con artists in an exploitative consumer society. The reason it stands above the rest is the intricate language used by the characters. The stories they weave to make a sale. The hopes, ambitions and weaknesses thy prey upon. The strategies they employ. All are being fired at one another in a way reminiscent for me, of Pinter.

In a way the salesman and the story teller are the same thing.