Audio Edition – October 4th 2006

John Campea 30 Comments

Welcome to this installment of the Audio Edition Mail Bag. Back again, and on time! Yay! Will wonders never cease? On todays show:

1) More thoughts on the DVD censorship issue

2) Al Pachinos greatest performance ever in “The Merchant Of Venice”

3) Mail Bag goodness.

All this an a few things more.

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30 thoughts on “Audio Edition – October 4th 2006”

  3. introduce cute doe eyed superman child
    only to kill him? doubtful. it’s a pg-13 series.
    for a bait and switch like that singer would never be forgiven.

    besides it’d be much more fun to have him turn evil. ;)

  4. holy shit campea..we agree on some things for the very first time…..and it happens twice in 1 podcast…

    1. rocky V is fucking awesome
    he takes it back to the streets..the fucking streets dude..I love it.total shit but glorious shit of whihc I would eat two bowls of….

    2. The Lion King..while not my favorite animated film (thats the professional) it is a fucking great great film. People turned on it due to the fact that a backlash always starts up when something gets to big like that but it is a great film……

  6. Two upcoming shakespeare adaptations (very loose ones, which are not afraid to take the bards material to some new and interesting places) are not US releases, but Korean and Chinese films:

    The Banquet
    The King and the Clown

    I recommend seeking these out when they arrive on DVD in a few months or so. Both are fabulous films, at least as good as Branaugh’s Much Ado About Nothing.

    Oh, and I second the Jacobi version of Hamlet. In fact anything with that actor in it is fantastic stuff. His BBC miniseries “I, Claudius” is quite possibly one of the best things ever to air on TV.

  7. I would like to commend you on your choice in animated movies; The Lion King is amazing. I don’t think it’s the best, but definately top five worthy. You commented on the wonderful plot and character development so here’s a fun fact: the Lion King is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The Merchant of Venice is a definite favorite, as is Much Ado About Nothing(like several other commenters) and the modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Thank you for bringing Shakespeare back into the spotlight just for a moment, for he is the greatest driector and writer of all time, and seems to be forgotten by many. Keep up the good work!

  8. Are Reservoir dogs, the usual suspects and Swimming with sharks not perfect dives? versus Oscar winners Forest gump and the over done Return of the king?

    Also, the whole DVD censorship thing just seems odd. Surely grown adults who are going to be buying these things would know to stay away from films rated for 18 and above. It even says at the beginning of the film that there is nudity and violence. If we carry on with using Swordfish as an example and that a pair of tits offends you then surely all the violence and killing of innocent people will as well. Once you’ve cut that lot out you’ll just have Hugh Jackman hitting a few golf balls and then the end credits, a 5min film. Same as if you bleep out the swearing in The Big Lebowski or Goodfellas it’ll be like listening to a game of pong beep, beep, beep.

    Surely the film cutting/dubbing on the planes is done so if a kid happens to watch the film by accident. Having said that if I could chose which bits of swordfish I didn’t want to watch and have a dvd created of it then it would only be the Halle Berry tit scene.

    Love the audio stuff
    Hate the web redesign
    Looking forward to your film

  9. I haven’t seen ‘Merchant’ but my favorite Pacino performance has to be Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glenn Ross. If you haven’t seen this, check it out. Pacino is compelling, and often hillarious.

    “You ever take a dump made you feel like you’d just slept for twelve hours?”

  10. Hi John,
    I sent the question ref ‘perfect movies’, the Spielberg movie was Duel (a classic, and Spielberg’s first film I believe).
    I can’t believe I forgot about Glengarry Glen Ross!!
    I am being a bit narrow to think only of modern films as being perfect, I have fallen into that trap I think, what about Spartacus, Ben Hur etc.
    I still maintain that Sin City was a perfect adaption of a comic book. The mood was captured, and rendered perfectly, even if the result wasn’t to everyones taste.

    With regard to Shakespeare movie adaptions, The Merchant of Venice was great, but the best adaption that I have ever seen (and I’ve seen as many as I can find) was the BBC play adaption of Hamlet starring Derek Jacobi in the lead role – it is amazing! I found the next best to be Much ado about nothing by Brannagh (in agreement with another poster above).

    Thanks for answering the question.

  11. You know we have bigger problems in the world then having our movies “edited”. Ok, I thought we already had a rating system in place already. If you have kids then don’t take them to see a rated R movie – period. If you’re easily offended about swear words or halle’s boobs then don’t see rated R movies. There is no soft rated R movie or hard rated R movie – it’s just a rated R movie – don’t see it then if you’re easily offended. Go see a rated PG movie then and if you’re brave go see a pg-13 one then. If buses and planes want to edit movies then let them – it’s their dime. I’m all for leaving the movies alone – the way the director meant it to be. Movies are finished products – if you own it and want to edit it the way you want to then go for it.

  13. Makes a little more sense when you reworded it this way than how I heard it in the A.A.

    Like I said, I didn’t necessarily intend to disagree with your arguement, I just didn’t think the example expressed it right. I have a better understanding of your perspective now.

    I had two addtional note on the mailbag for you, As I just finished listening to it.

    First, the negative. I’m not a huge fan of the new site design. I did like the previous one better, but it was also time for something new. Obviously, it’s still a well enough designed site that I haven’t stopped coming. I never really had trouble finding the parts of tyhe site I wanted before, but I still don’t, so it hasn’t gotten worse. I guess maybe I had just set a higher bar than what I have seen because of how excited you sounded. Not your fault at all, as I’m sure you were looking at improvements on parts of the site that I don’t use yet, and perhaps if/when I do start looking into those areas, I will find it easy whereas previously I would have found it difficult.

    The positive: I myself am a Christian. I heard that you have been hearing a lot of frequent and negative opinions and even threats regarding your movie. I just want to say, I support your point of view in this documentary and I hope many people see it and it actually makes them think. It seems that many people use their religion to validate their actions or even gain an advantage. I would guess many of them are against your movie because it reveals some of the falsehoods behind their lies. Your movie tells them their wrong and they don’t like being wrong. It’s almost like trying to argue an opinion over the internet. I hope your movie somehow becomes a runaway success, however unlikely you think that is. And I hope that, not for your success (because as long as you continue running themovieblog, I don’t care how successful you are. I just want my movieblog content), but I hope the documentary does well because I think the message is valid and genuinely important. I would like to also hear Bruxy’s opinion on your movie, I don’t know if I have missed or forgotten an Audio Addition where this may have happened.

    One final suggestion, would the four of you (Bruxy, Doug, Darren and you) be able to make a commentary track ON the documentary DVD? Maybe even as a special feature? I don’t know if that is something that would even makes sense as I have little experience with documentaries and very little knowledge on how your movie is set.

    Thanks for all the time and effort,

    -Calviin

  14. Hey there Calviin,

    One of the things I said in the analogy is that “You may do the simple dive perfectly, but you aren’t taking home a gold medal”.

    There is a strong difference between doing a dive perfectly (like a simple staright dive) and doing a PERFECT dive (something that would win you an olypic medal). Not all dives have the same value… nor to all movies.

    You can TRY to do a dumb stupid movie… and do it perfectly… but that hardly means you have a PERFECT film.

    ANyway, that’s all I meant by the analogy. Thanks for the comments!

    CHeers!

    ~John

  15. John, on the Perfect movie topic, you use the example of just a stright dive. If that straight dive were done correctly, no mistakes, couldn’t it be a perfect dive? It may not wow the crowd, but that doesn’t mean there were mistakes.

    Cheesy lines might not be in line with what some audiences want, but it doesn’t mean there were mistakes.

    Also, I haven’t yet seen Sin City (hides from fans), so this is an opinion from someone who doesn’t know if SinCity could be considered perfect. I just don’t think your example held much value. Your arguement could be correct, but not the example you used to express it.

    Thanks for the Audio Additions and the vioce overs. I actually intend to donate next Friday. (Waiting for payday :/ )

    -Calviin

  16. Thanks for the recommendation on Merchant of Venice. It slipped under my radar. I’ve just put it on my Netflix queue.

    Henry V was great but I especially like Much Ado About Nothing. Despite having Keanu Reeves, it has Denzel Washington and a hilarious creepy Michael Keaton. Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh (back when they were still married) have great chemistry in hating each other. Excellent wit with the verbal barbs between them.

    John – your audio comment about Merchant being “beautiful and majestic” also applies to Much Ado – the torchlight scene in the evening with the haunting song and the majestic joy, music and dancing at the end.

    Your comments about Pacino’s role and the “dialogue is rich”, reminds me how important the writing is. We’ve all seen great actors in poorly-written roles. Sounds as if Merchant is that perfect combination. I can’t wait to see it.

    On occasion, I don’t mind movies that are basically filmed plays for a little variety. I liked Glengarry Glen Ross and even Noises Off. Tyler Perry’s first releases were filmed plays, I think.

    Your oldest fan…

  18. Oh, and Henry V is awesome. That movie should be remade with a LOTR-type budget. Still directed by Branagh.

    Merchant of Venice was alright, but as a movie it didn’t offer much. It basicly was like a filmed play. The characters are set in stone and they rule and they are eternal, and Al Pacino’s performance was very good, reminded me a little of Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs. Something that you watch and go “That is very good acting. This performance is good” But it’s never a real person on the screen.

    My favourite performances are F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus and Tom Hanks in Road to Perdition. You need to watch those. Yes that means you, movieblog reader.

  20. Great mailbag, John.

    – I don’t like films being edited for planes, TV or whatever either. The only time it’s remotely enjoyable is with the creative replacement of swears, like when Mel Gibson says, ‘Let’s kill the funsters,’ in Lethal Weapon. I also liked, ‘Pretty fairly unappreciated, Al,’ in Die Hard. Can you guess which F words were replaced with other F words?

    – I liked The Merchant Of Venice, too. If you’re interested in other good Shakespeare adaptations, I’d recommend any of Kenneth Branagh’s versions, especially Henry V, Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing.

    – I agree about Shawshank. In fact, I’m wondering now why I didn’t put it on my top ten. I feel the same way about One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Script, performances, direction, design, cinematography, score; all about as perfect as a film can be.

    – Southland Tales is Kelly’s chance to show whether he has any actual talent or if Donnie Darko was an accident (I tend to think the latter, but I’m cynical like that). I do actually hope it’s good, but the signs so far aren’t good.

  21. Campea, I have to admit, I play air guitar to the opening tunes at the beginning of each Audio Edition.
    Fav animated movie is an anime called Ninja Scroll. I think this is the bloodiest, most sexually explicit cartoon ever made. Highly enjoyable.
    The original Disney Robin Hood movie is really tight too. (that whistling at the beginning is awesome)

  22. I totally got to be on my fav podcast! Woo-hoo! I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about ‘The Departed’. As far as animated movies,one of my favs:’The Seceret of NIMH’. – Cheers

  23. Thanks for putting my question on the mail bag edition, John! I’ll give your shoutout to everybody here in Panama. Keep up the good work. Love the mailbag edition!

  24. Hey John,
    I agree about Merchant of Venice being great, but my ‘favourite’ Shakespeare adaptation is TITUS with Anthony Hokpins. If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend it.

  25. Animation-wise, Lion King would have to rank high.
    As for a ‘perfect’ movie? I’d have to say “Jaws”, “Halloween” and “Bridge On The River Kwai”

    That idea about Superkid…I was sort of hoping it was an elaborate plot by Mylzlyplk, as “magic” is something Superman has no effect against. But y’know what? If the next film has Zod or not, if the villian knocks off the kid… it would give Supes a new dimension all right…and heck yes, such a move would be a stroke of genius.

  26. Breakdown wasn’t an official remake though……..the only things they have in common is evil truckers….the storyline is completely different..

    Breakdown is a very underrated thriller I think….it has a bit of a let down cliche ending but it is a tight little film that deserved a bigger audience…..

  27. The Spielberg movie was DUEL. One of his first films, actually made for TV in the early 1970s. A relentless chase of a commuter by an old-battered and crazy truck-driver.

    Duel was (Very loosely!) remade as “Breakdown” with Kurt Russell, also see the first 45 minutes of Jeepers Creepers.

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