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Author Topic: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)  (Read 22042 times)

smirnoff

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #30 on: May 25, 2009, 03:59:43 PM »
I agree about Unforgiven and EWS anyways. Good to see someone else chime in.

Junior

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #31 on: May 25, 2009, 06:44:09 PM »
I'll watch Trust tonight, if you can wait for me...
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pixote

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #32 on: May 25, 2009, 09:06:56 PM »

I came into this matchup with a slight bias for Trust.  I saw it for the first time last October, and it was definitely the surprise of the bracket for me.  That same week, I also watched Reservoir Dogs for just the second time, and while I still enjoyed it a lot, that second viewing definitely took some of the shine off it.

Still, I knew I had to give both films a second look before making a decision here.  Trust made a great first impression, but so had Reservoir Dogs, once upon a time.  I couldn't predict for sure how a second viewing of Hartley's film would compare with a third viewing of Tarantino.  So, in an effort to be fair — bracket integrity! — I watched them both again this week, taking no notes and very few screenshots but focusing instead on just enjoying two very good films.

And, for the most part, mission accomplished.  Except— I was really distracted by the fact that I wasn't watching either film on the big screen.  Seemed like such a waste.  Both films demand that kind of presentation, and both demand that sort of audience experience.

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #33 on: May 25, 2009, 09:34:12 PM »
I love all the mistakes in Reservior Dogs. No one ever shoots Nice Guy Eddie.  Mr. White doesn't ever light up his first cigarette.  Lawrence Tierney screws up lines and mumbles incoherence (though he occasionally corrects it). One of the coffins falls down (yeah sure it represents Mr. Blond but come on.  Also how does Mr. Blond manage to get to his casual sitting position atop the hearse (clue) that is six inches taller than him? How does Brown drive a car with a bully right in the dead center of of his tincan?

Pix - don't go by the marketing.  My older Artisan dvd says "Four Perfect Killers, One Perfect Crime" heh, unless thats an intentional joke...

Some of the dialogue is delivered very very badly.  and Fly's right.  The drive scene with the pop culture references kills the momentum.  Though I love the commode bit.  QT at this time was not as assured as the fame of this film made him and I think it comes through in some of the performance moments.  QT does intertextual semiotic writing and I love it but that in and of itself isn't all that interesting to watch.  So when its just driving in the car its terrible.  But when it happens at the beginning when he slowly circles the table with camera moves and jump cuts it works brilliantly.  He starts the story (much like the  a robbery aftermath a bit later) in the pre-gap of the script before "fade in" and we don't even see the face of the person telling the Madonna bit (the writer/director) till 30 second or so after that.  When the camera finally stops we get a character moment between Joe, White & Blond.  Then its back to movement and the minutia of pop cultural references.  Finally the movement stops again when Joe stands up and we get to the tipping section which is character and not culture. But when the referential black/white car scene happens it not very well integrated into the grander scheme of the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awGkBWTlZPE&fmt=18#

I think its said best in the commode montage (easily one of the best montage scenes ever - mostly because the improvement overtime is not set to music but built into the narrative). "You memorize whats important and the rest you make your own... its the details that sell the story... its about you and how you perceived the events that went down."  QT doesn't perceive this story as plot but as a great cultural dialogue where its cool to bring in all this other stuff that isn't essential to the plot but it is what makes the greater world more interesting. This is why the fact that there is no back story to these guys means CINECAST! all.  There aren't characters.  They are pawns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9ObbvrQxAc&fmt=18#

Still, he did this much better in his later films.  But how the film deals with violence that is the real winner.  Its a pretty sadistic film.  it doesn't make you watch the worst aspects of violence but it lingers in the aftermath.  It hangs in the back seats of screaming criminal/cops.  It keeps gallons of the brightest, oozing, red liquid on screen at most times.  It moves you to hope but then snuffs out that light mere minutes later.  But at the same time the film is constructed with a disarming cool and a dark humor that makes you both love and hate what you see and sometimes even the man who thought it might be a laugh for him to put you in that situation.  Few people can do brain searing moments like QT can.  He makes films that stick.  I watched Trust 3 months ago and what lingers for me in that film does so because it was goofy (the dad, the football boyfriend).  I agree with Sean here.  Its a solid film while you are watching it but it doesn't linger in your headspace. Long Island is filled with weird people and ugly spaces. Ok. So what. I like that QT plays with pop but not pop psychology the way HH seems to go in for.  Its the difference between a guy who draws his pleasure from therapy sessions and one who finds pleasure at the drive-in.

I'll go ahead, make this fun and tie it up.

facedad

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #34 on: May 25, 2009, 10:53:53 PM »
I wish I had the energy to actually do a writeup.

If you care: Form - depth = Reservoir Dogs; Form + depth = Trust; therefore Reservoir Dogs < Trust
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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ˇKeith!

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #35 on: May 25, 2009, 11:00:00 PM »
I wish I had the energy to actually do a writeup.

If you care: Form - depth = Reservoir Dogs; Form + depth = Trust; therefore Reservoir Dogs < Trust

depth ≠ onscreen books + pop psychology

facedad

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #36 on: May 25, 2009, 11:02:04 PM »
I wish I had the energy to actually do a writeup.

If you care: Form - depth = Reservoir Dogs; Form + depth = Trust; therefore Reservoir Dogs < Trust

depth ≠ onscreen books + pop psychology
Who said I was talking about writing? I watch most of my movies on mute.
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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facedad

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #37 on: May 25, 2009, 11:13:32 PM »
Just filling dead space till keith finishes witty comeback research.

Hint: there's an easy masturbation joke to be made.
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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ˇKeith!

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #38 on: May 25, 2009, 11:29:51 PM »
heh, actually took a shower - and the comeback is thus:

sorry, I hadn't realized we were comparing focal lengths.

you have stolen my thunder sir.

facedad

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Re: 90s US Round 6: Trust vs. Reservoir Dogs (Deadline: May 25)
« Reply #39 on: May 25, 2009, 11:33:10 PM »
heh, actually took a shower - and the comeback is thus:

sorry, I hadn't realized we were comparing focal lengths.

you have stolen my thunder sir.
I would say each line of this could be considered a masturbation joke. Bravo.
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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