House Of Games vs. White DogHouse Of GamesDavid Mamet as we all know is a great writer. This is directorial debut. I think that it is a success. I believe he has crafted a great con man film in this. I love the fact that all of the characters, mean and women, have equal weight. He does not just shrug the women off, which is strange because he usually writes testosterone filled scripts. Lindsay Crouse and Joe Mantengna are both great in their respective roles, her as a psychiatrist with her own empty life and him as the charismatic con-man. The con plot is meticulous, just as Mamet wants it do be. I like the fact that Mamet is not flashy in his directorial style. He just wants his actors to say his dialogue, and that is basically it, which, when it is Mamet dialogue, is enough for me. Granted there are some people who can not pull it off (I am looking at you Ricky Jay). Overall, this is a very well-crafted con film which I can not wait to re-watch again.
White DogThis is a very interesting film. It focuses on a beautiful, white German Shepherd, whoi hit by a woman in an accident. She takes the dog to the vet, and, after an encounter with a rapist, takes in the dog. Unbeknownst to her, the former owner was a racist and trained the dog to attack black people. It has some interesting things to say about race relations. It treats the issue as a mental deficiency that, overtime, can be cured. Sam Fuller has crafted a terribly haunting film that is now burned into my brain. The film is shocking and actually disturbing. It is not one that I am itching to pop into the DVD player again. However, it is a truly great film. More people need to seek out this film and see it. On its initial release, it only grossed around $45,000. I want this to get a new life on DVD. Big recommendation by me, if that accounts for anything.
Winner And Advancement To Next Round:
White Dog