It started a long time ago, their evil plan. Now we are all united
in its path of destruction. I still have hope I promise but it diminishes every
minute I get older. The world is caught in one big fuss called world order and
they will never get it together. The big boys trying to outdo each in the
nuclear weapons department and somehow it seems the whole world is broke. Maybe
we shouldn’t have spent all that money on guns. But we need guns because we
have enemies, lots of them. Well at least America does and that is America’s
story, making enemies. From Native Americans to present time, when you think
about it like that maybe we are cursed. No, it is worse than that. Its election
year and citizens are once again getting excited on how ONE man will solve all
our problems. Very similar to the last election four years ago, when we thought
ONE man was going to solve all our problems.
The idea itself is beyond silly and the amount of money people put into these
campaigns could have fed millions of starving children or fund thousands of
non-profit organizations that actually live to make a difference. NOPE, we don’t
believe in that. We believe in giving ONE MAN millions of dollars to tour
around the country in first class style and make other people believe that he
is the answer to all the country’s problems.
Do we really need someone to blame that bad? Did we forget that the
people paying for these campaigns have an agenda? Yeah, you donated a thousand
bucks but there’s a business man out there who donated millions so guess who’s
going to be able to whisper in the president’s ear. Politics is a sick
business. You have to be able to put prices on lives, you must pretend you know
what you are doing and you have to be extra careful with your favorite hooker.
We fell for this. We are still falling for it. Even with all this secret
service scandal, somehow those low lives at the White House have the nerve to
say “Oh there’s no White House connection” Really?? Did they hire themselves,
or is that just classic damage control. The same country that says prostitution
is illegal and wrong goes to another county to ravage a squad of hookers.
American hypocrisy at its best, selling bad lessons that goes something like “Do
what I say, not what I do”. Whole lot of sense that makes, if we had any
respect for ourselves we tell our government to go take a hike. Turn our back
on them once and for all. Obviously it is not that easy, someone has to run the
zoo. I think it should be a group of people in charge not one MAN or
WOMAN. It shouldn’t be based on looks or
because you can sing an Al Green song. Unfortunately,
our species is not there yet in the working together department. Yes, we marvel
at our technological wonders but I am pretty sure history will look at us as
failures. We will be viewed as people who were so happy with their toy phones that
we let things slide to the point of no return. I know some people out there are
screaming “revolution” but be careful with that word. Revolution is a sharp
double edge sword. It has a hefty price tag plus look how Cuba’s revolution
ended up. I am not too keen on any idea in which again I have to believe in some “Leader” who
is going to save us all. Leaders sounds better, you know where I can find some
leaders? Standing outside in the rain holding picket signs is not going to
work. It didn’t work in the 60’s and it is not going to work now. People in
the 60’s didn’t have half of the distractions we have now. A plan must be formed; we truly don’t know
what those crooked politicians are up to. I’ve heard strange stories involving population
control and Wal-Mart. I wouldn’t put anything pass a government that has
behaved so fiendish in the last 10 years. I cannot do this alone. I will repeat the question;
do you know where I can find some leaders?
Line that stays with me: “Did you hear that, she just burped”
Essay Warning: There
are no spoilers or story details. I want to offer the emotion that a film can
access within us. Plus I think the best way to watch a film is by not knowing
anything about it. Just Go In…So if you haven’t watched this film yet please
don’t read this essay. Read it afterwards so we can enjoy the “feeling”
together.
Sofia Coppola’s $40 million film of “Marie Antoinette” has a
mediocre reputation. I for one do not know why. Some were turned off by her use
of new wave and post punk music. Others detested the creative liberties she used
to tell a historical story. None of those things bother me. I feel this film was made for a certain type
of people and I am pretty sure Sofia Coppola knew this as well. Like her father,
Sofia was not afraid to take an expensive risk to make her vision a reality.
Besides do we really need another standard period piece film with nothing new
to offer but fresh film stock? In six years it is crazy how things have changed
so much in this world that I have to explain the “energy” the movie was
bursting with. I do not like the label hipster but that was the movement at the
time. After bands like “The Strokes” and “The Killers” brought back post punk
and new wave in a major way, films like Sofia’s “Lost in Translation” truly
captured the beauty and feeling of that time. I look at Marie Antoinette as the
eulogy to those times. The last hurrah before it became lame and everybody
starting wearing jackets and jeans again. There is nothing like enjoying a time
and place to its fullest potential, a lesson this film delivers wonderfully.
Time will always change everything around you and in a result it will either
make you smile with the joy that you took advantage of every minute or sigh
with eternal regret. Marie Antoinette has various moments that remind us, we
are only human and life goes on, it is not all about you. I love at the end of the film how tranquil Marie
Antoinette is as she says goodbye to the palace. She says it with the maturity
of someone who knows that a certain time in her life has come and gone.
Let’s get some discourse out the way. In my travels I have
spoken to many struggling and striving filmmakers. Many of them dislike Sofia
Coppola and I wish it was for a good reason but it is not. Usually they hate
her work because her father is Francis Ford Coppola, which is a weak reason to
pontificate. They say “Oh she only got to make her movies because of her daddy”…..and?
So what? If you had a daughter and had the money to finance her films, you would
do that. Sad jealousy will get you nowhere. She has one over you and, that’s
life, so what. However, that sort of conversation adds another beautiful layer
to Sofia’s Coppola “Marie Antoinette”. Filmmakers like Sofia Coppola like to
tell stories they can relate to personally. “Marie Antoinette” is the perfect
story for Sofia to tell. Marie Antoinette was born into a life of royalty; Sofia
Coppola was born into a life of Hollywood royalty. We all remember Sofia in Godfather
3. Her whole life has been one long tour of the behind scenes of showbiz. I am
sure Sofia knows what it is like to be pampered as a child, like Marie
Antoinette was. Probably also knows how one can get bored of the lavish affluent
life and its many trappings. She knows what it is like to be criticized in the
newspapers, (her performance in the Godfather) she is used to hearing nasty rumors,
just like Marie Antoinette had to deal with. Many people claim they can handle
that sort of life but that is just something that is easier said than done. You
don’t know what you would do till you are there.
One of the reasons people believe they can handle a life in
the spotlight is because they are assuming that these famous people know the
same life lessons they have learned throughout their lives. I love how in the beginning
this film makes it clear that that is not the case. Marie Antoinette was born
into that sort of lifestyle, which is all she knew. She didn’t know what’s it’s
like to save money, that’s not how she was raised. Everything was given to her
and she was told that’s how the rest of her life was going to be. That was her reality
and the reality we are born into will direct the course of our lives. By visually explaining that fact you can’t
help but fall for Marie Antoinette’s story. And what a crazy story it is. All
great films must make the audience instantly get concerned about the characters
situation. Conflict, suspense, and the hope that the filmmaker asks you; what
would you do in that person’s shoes? In “Marie
Antoinette” those sorts of moments happen constantly. Marie Antoinette has to
abide to ridiculous morning routines, forced to conceive a child with a boy who
has not yet become a man, and lastly becoming a young queen. What the hell does
this young woman know about ruling a country? It shows how amazing and ridiculous
we human beings have been in the past. Makes me feel great, especially when I
hear all the nonsense politicians spew, I know history will do its job and
reveal how primitive we still are. Only difference from Marie Antoinette’s time
and ours is that it’s easier to communicate with each other, it’s easier to put
our clothes on in the morning, and men wear less makeup.
Filmmakers who still like to tell their stories through
images are a dying breed. Filmmakers these days put more thought into “cool
sounding dialog” and special effects. At the end of the day that leaves us with
ugly looking films with cool moments and almost nothing to discover. I love watching films that offer powerful
images and I am not being told what to think, but to just think. It is a great opportunity
for reflection and self-evaluation. Now I understand, not all movies have to be
like this (read my Commando essay) but when this happens it is my favorite kind
of movie magic. Perfect film moments that use almost every art form you can
think of to get their message across. The mastery of film and music is one of those
things that drive me wild. It has made some filmmakers into heroes. Whether it’s
Woody Allen and his jazz selections or Martin Scorsese perfectly using a
Rolling Stones song, the blend of popular music with powerful images is a true
skill. Sofia Coppola’s use of music in this film is extraordinary. She displays
moments of mellon collie without any dialog and other times she amazes us like the
scene of the masked ball where you watch royalty dance to Bow Wow Wow’s
"Aphrodisiac". In that scene you can’t tell the difference from present
time and theirs. It looks like a costume party, and that brings a smile to my
face. Most films show that time in history with an uptight attitude, like they
were never truly human but only characters in a bad play called history. This
film reminds us they were just like us, just a different time, with different
ideals.
As I stated before I don’t understand people’s hate for this
film. If anything it offers beauty on such a constant level that it is worth
watching for that reason alone. From beautiful locations, costumes, colorful makeup,
wild hair designs, the list is long. All of that would be worthless under a
director with less care, but if there is one thing Sofia Coppola knows and that’s
how to work a frame. Obviously she was taught by one of the best, her father,
who believes in filling the frame. You don’t usually see films like this
anymore because it costs more to fill the frame and, it takes more dedication.
Sofia Coppola doesn’t only find the best possible angle for a specific scene
she fills the frame to the point where your eyes have to keep up. It is a great
approach and makes you excited to watch the film again to find what you might
have missed. These are shots that need no explanation but make you feel something instantly, if you watch this film at the
right time in your life. It is this layer of cinematic grace that makes her
films special compared to films that just get by. I can only imagine all the
hard work that went into making those shots work. Sofia Coppola’s dedication
made me fall for Marie Antoinette’s story, visually it told me everything I
needed to know and it was never objective.
Sofia simply presented to us an isolated view of a group of human beings
who were on this earth over 200 years ago living their lives according to the
times. Sofia Coppola’s grand idea accesses the simple pure feelings of being
human. It puts a scope on life and the inescapability of pitfalls in our lives.
That sort of truth brings a sense of peace to my heart, like hey “It’s Okay”. Yep, life, the story continues but sometimes
as history demonstrates we human beings have lived through some interesting
strange times.
ABOUT RCM:
Rutz Classic Movies is dedicated on writing film essays for films that
in Rutz's opinion, have not gotten the credit they deserve.
Next Essay: David Cronenberg's Naked Luch
Here is my first music video. I want to thank everybody that has supported my work and I hope this music video brings you joy. Your excitement and conversations are invaluable. This is a song I made a long time ago for someone very dear to me. I always wanted to do a video for it and everything just came together rather quickly so I feel very fortunate. Enjoy, I look forward to your thoughts and comments.
Line that stays with me: “Want to see me kick some ass?”
Essay Warning: There
are no spoilers or story details. I want to offer the emotion that a film can
access within us. Plus I think the best way to watch a film is by not knowing
anything about it. Just Go In…So if you haven’t watched this film yet please
don’t read this essay. Read it afterwards so we can enjoy the “feeling”
together.
How many more overly serious and, lame, message filled
action movies do we have to sit through before Hollywood starts making films
like “Commando” again? An action movie not one bit ashamed of being exactly
what it is, loud and action packed fun.
Made in 1985 during Hollywood’s last hurrah in creating action stars,
Commando is a special, perfect blend of star power and a director’s strong
vision. This is the sort of film critics ignore, for it has too much fun and
doesn’t try to give us a meaningful message. Those aimless feelings are to blame when films
like “Ordinary People” beat out films like “Raging Bull” for best picture. Any
movie can be great, no matter what the subject or genre. I do not think one
film carries more importance than the next. At the end of the day they are just
stories being told, each with their own different set of merits. Still, to be
honest it is really hard for me to respect any great drama after watching an
amazing martial arts film, yet the last martial arts film to get heavy Academy
attention was “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. “Kill Bill” with its fantastic, now classic “Crazy
88’s” scene got nothing. That is the
fate of all films that go against traditionalism and deliver surreal exciting activity
with cinematic perfection. When this sort of movie is done right, it is usually
the most fun you ever have at the movies. That’s why I love Commando, it wants
me to have a good time, laugh at its jokes, and enjoy the bloody carnage; and I
do.
Commando is the movie made for the inner child still in all
men. My generation grew up on these type of films from Stallone’s “Cobra” to
Van Damme’s “Bloodsport”. These are the action movies released in the
80’s that later turned up in what seemed like on a weekly basis on TNT’s “Movies
for guys who like movies”. As a person
that thirsts cinematic experiences of all kinds, it was a blast to watch an “Above
the Law” and “Roadhouse” double feature. Now, the films I just mentioned are
fine for the moment but “Commando” is on its own level. It’s one of the few films that sits next to
the first “Highlander” as odd cinematic perfection. After watching “Commando” you
are left with the fascination of trying to figure out why you truly like the
film even though it has its misgivings. Commando has plenty of mistakes in it.
You keep asking yourself “Is this movie serious?” or “Was that intentional?” I
am here to tell you it doesn’t matter. In one scene you can see the entire crew off a
reflection of a car and in another you see Arnold lose his wallet but somehow
the wallet finds its way back to him later in the film. None of these errors were powerful enough to destroy
director Mark L. Lester’s vision, Steven E. De Souza screenplay and Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s star power.
It starts really slow. First, you laugh at the dialog.
Dialog this fun and direct does not exist anymore. It seems to me that the
screenwriter was having the time of his life trying to stick as many puns and
zingers into this movie as he could. As a tribute to his excellent work, I have
compiled a list of my 20 favorite lines of dialog.
Commando Dialog
Top 20 (No particular order) Steven E. De Souza Tribute
·“All that matters to me now is Jenny!”
·“Let off some steam, Bennett!”
·“You have enemies all over the world John”
·“Your training, Matrix!”
·“I eat Green Berets for breakfast. And right
now, I'm very hungry!”
·“Slitting a little girl's throat is like cutting
warm butter.” (WTF!)
·“Put the knife away and shut your mouth.”
·“Someone’s killing your men…”
·“Tranquilizers…. I wanted to use the real thing!”
·“The bird is flown”
·“You know what I like best about this car? The
price.”
·“Silent and smooth just like always”
·“Don’t bother my friend he’s dead tired”
·“You're a funny guy Sully, I like you. That's
why I'm going to kill you last”
·“John... I'll be ready, John.”
·“John, I'm not going to shoot you between the
eyes. I'm going to shoot you between the balls.”
·“Ever since you had me thrown out of your unit,
I've waited to pay you back. Do you know what today is Matrix?... Pay day!”
·“They offered me a hundred grand. You want to
know something? When I found out I could get my hands on you, I said I'd do it
for nothing.”
·“I don't need the gun John. I can beat you. I
DON'T NEED NO GUN!”
·"Welcome back John! So glad you can make it!"
Once you become well versed in Commando’s dialog it is
almost impossible not to quote the film with friends who also fell for Commando’s
choice of words. It is silly and fun
without losing a bit of credibility or story thrust. A hard act to master and
it took the star power of Arnold Schwarzenegger to pull it off. Politics and personal tidbits thrown to the
wayside, Arnold Schwarzenegger the superstar is a force to be reckoned with. It is almost proven that any series that tries
to move on without him fails miserably (The Terminator, Conan, and Predator)
Good luck new version of “Total Recall”. He’s visual presence and unique dialect
just works to make him the perfect action star of our times. Movie magic at its
best; cast the world’s strongest man in a role that could only be played by the
strongest man in the world. Never under estimate the strength of a true star’s
presence. It was something Hollywood was great at. From Humphrey Bogart to Jack
Nicholson, a star’s charisma can land him in 10 similar roles and still excite
us. Yes, we are watching a character but mostly we are enjoying the unique abilities
that only this star can do. Humphrey Bogart in “The Big Sleep”, “The Maltese
Falcon” and, “Beat the Devil”, are a perfect example of that sort of star
power. Who else but Arnold could get
away with saying lines like “Get down” and “I’ll be back” in almost every other
movie he’s in?
Naturally a film cannot achieve greatness with star power
alone. It can survive as many actions films do starring Jason Statham but to achieve
cinematic greatness you have to deliver the goods in various basic movie
fundamentals. Director Mark L. Lester and his screenwriter were very smart in
giving Arnold great visual moments, properly setting up this action piece for him.
I hate watching a great action star go to waste in a film that doesn’t exhibit
any of the star’s gifts. (The Rock in “The Tooth Fairy”) In Commando we watch
Arnold single handily push what looks like a Chevy Trailblazer downhill, rip
off a car seat, rip up a telephone booth, hold the character Sully upside down
with one hand and, Arnold running through a glass wooden door even though I am
pretty it wasn’t necessary. The filmmakers were very keen on how to best utilize
Arnold’s strengths just like James Cameron did in the first two Terminator
films.
One of the reasons I think people don’t revere Commando as a
great movie is because it moves so seamless. That’s the signature of great
work. The simple “I got to save my daughter “story works and the filmmakers set
up a great tone that will not exhaust the flow by executing highly in other
areas. For one the supporting cast in this film is very strong. It is filled
with great character actors. Dan Hedaya is great as a stereotypical dictator,
Vernon Wells is too perfect as John Matrix’s back stabbing partner Bennett, which
might be the most out of shape villain in any action movie ever. That’s when
you know the filmmakers have done their job, when you actually believe that
Bennett could ever compete with John Matrix. Watch the film again and enjoy how
badly out of shape Vernon Wells is. Enjoy the formidable talents of Bill Duke
and one of the best sleazy looking character actors ever, David Patrick Kelly
also adds so much zest to the mix.
Watching this cast kick macho lines back and forth to each other is just
plain fun and hilarious. Plus, let us not forget James Horner’s crazy wonderful
score filled with wild jazzy horns and steel drums. The score alone makes me
laugh, it is very effective, but man those steel drums do it to me every time.
Bottom-line, if girls just want to have fun than guys just
want to see things blow up, crazy shoot outs, and some sexy vixens. We are men.
We were once boys playing with fake guns, while taking crazy chances trying to
pull off our own dangerous stunts. Great movies like “Commando” allow you to
enjoy that side of you, that side of you that still likes to play and raise
hell. The movie has no tear jerking moments; it is fun all the way around. That’s
why the opening has that silly moment where Arnold is feeding a deer with his
daughter. It is a funny moment but it’s also poking fun at itself to make sure
you don’t take the whole thing too seriously. The movie is proudly immature. It
knows we don’t need a sappy ending like “Con-Air”; we just want mayhem and a
cool one liner to close the film out. Obviously “Commando” is geared towards a
specific gender and that’s the way things are. Women get excited about watching
films like “The Notebook” and “The Vow” films that tickle their interest. Films
that play on woman’s childhood built dreams of getting married and living
happily ever after. Our childhood dreams was being an action hero or super
hero, ideas that live off our testosterone. Unfortunately, they are not a lot of
filmmakers left trying to be that bold and manly. “Taken” is pretty much the same
movie as “Commando” but it’s Commando with “realism”. I miss a good ole movie
that doesn’t care about “realism” but impresses me with its style and great storytelling.
I am not saying “Taken” is a bad film but it is not my idea of a fun film.
Signs of the time I suppose. Commando
wasn’t afraid to say I know what the boy in you wants. You want car chases;
bloody shoot outs, explosion after explosion, limbs being cut off, someone getting
stabbed with a pitchfork, machine gun frenzy with unlimited ammo, that’s what we
want!
Who wants to watch realism when
you can watch the 1st48 on A&E? Commando is make believe in
every sense of the word with cool make up effects, stunt doubles exploding into
the air, exaggerated gun fire, it’s soul was created from the good ole days
of playing make believe with your friends. “I shot you, I shot you, you got to
get on the ground” that sort of fun. The
only difference is that the filmmakers that brought us “Commando” had 10
million dollars to play with and a great crew.
The film delivered on its promise of wild, action packed fun. It didn’t
set out to please everybody because that is impossible. Most action films these
days try to please everybody and stick some sloppy romantic subplot that goes
nowhere, dragging the movie down. Not “Commando”, in “Commando” even Arnold’s
kidnapped daughter is tough. There are no drags, it opens with guns ablazing
and closes with the catchy, silly yet appropriate PowerStation song “We fight
for love”. Will there ever be a film this fun, silly, over the top, and
straight forward ever again? Well as John Matrix said at the end of the film, “No
chance”.
So rejoice and enjoy this excellent parody "Commando: The Musical"
ABOUT RCM:
Rutz Classic Movies is dedicated on writing film essays for films that
in Rutz's opinion, have not gotten the credit they deserve.
Next Essay: Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette
Everything I have in a paper cup. Nobody asks what. Time
keeps ticking everything is cliché and redundant. Some have lived the best
times. Competition will never stop. I take everything I have to make this
strong. You wouldn’t understand. You keep walking in the right direction. The
smiles look better each year. Dear what a delight to have you for the holidays screaming
let’s get away! Running all the time especially when you speak in that manner.
Feed those crooked lowest of low villains to the sharks.You can never tell. I thought everything was
fine. Everybody has a bomb, things got better. Celebrities’ having babies why
is that important to my life. I am being selfish, who cares. Time to shrug off
everything that used to make sense; I am no longer that person. New ideas make
sense now but how long will that last. I do not want to fight the power in my
late forties. I have the energy to fight the powers that be right now. What if
things go terribly wrong 20 years from now? They’re already creating synthetic
meat!! Beef prices will rise to ridicules amounts in order for the elite rich
to relish what is left. I sound crazy
now but so does synthetic meat. I do not want to eat fake meat bedazzled with
food coloring. Maybe McDonald’s been doing it for years.Who envisioned this future? Only a madman
will commit his species to a path that will devour all natural resources for
future generations. Guess they know something we don’t. Nothing like being
carefully distracted to make you feel like everything is OK. Hey! Look over
there!
I made most of this music about 2 years ago when I first started to create songs. Time to let these things loose and continue on with my work. Very excited about the new songs I'm working on now but these old songs are my inspiration. Through them I found my crazy form and style that I will continue to build on. A big thanks to everyone who has supported me, I know you guys are counting on me and I will not let you down. Enjoy!
Line that stays with me: “You're being weird, stop being weird
”
Essay Warning: There
are no spoilers or story details. I want to offer the emotion that a film can
access within us. Plus I think the best way to watch a film is by not knowing
anything about it. Just Go In…So if you haven’t watched this film yet please
don’t read this essay. Read it afterwards so we can enjoy the “feeling”
together.
Every filmmaker has one filmmaker they look up to and connect
with on an instant level. Paul Thomas Anderson is that director for me. Not
that he's my favorite director because favorite is such a limited word. I dare
not compare filmmakers to each other; every filmmaker has something to offer. I
am more attracted to personal films which usually will pleasantly surprise us
with its storytelling. Perfect example
is David Fincher, I love his work but his films sometimes are so genre based
that you do not get that feeling that you are watching something “NEW” which is
very important in cinema. That’s where Paul Thomas Anderson thrives. One of the
few directors left trying to continue the great tradition of cinema. His dedication to
being innovative and still delivering greatness in the fundamentals of cinema
such as: beautiful cinematography, great characters, amazing performances,
calculated production design and always a wonderful score to keep it all
together, is truly something to celebrate. Most directors get one or two of those
fundamentals right, somehow Paul Thomas Anderson has managed to hit all those marks
with each one of his films. This is no easy feat!
Before we get deep into Punch Drunk Love, I believe it is necessary
to chart the past a bit in order to understand the film and the various nuances
it has to offer. The 90’s was a great
time to be a young filmmaker. The first
film that made me feel like I MUST BECOME A FILMMAKER was Scorsese’s "Goodfellas"
which came out in 1989. I was only seven years old when I first watched it so
of course I had no idea of what to do with my bottled ambition. A half a decade later, I saw Quentin Tarantino
rise to fame with “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction”. This was a great time for any
young filmmaker to learn and dream, but still I was only 10 and puberty is a hell
of a distraction. Three years after “Pulp Fiction” I ordered a movie on pay per
view called “Boogie Nights” (without telling my mother, so I got busted when
the bill came in) and I got the same rush that I got from watching “Goodfellas”.
“Boogie Nights” screams of pure cinema.
After “Boogie Nights” I got serious about my profession. It had homages of all
sorts, Paul Thomas Anderson is not shy about taking someone else’s idea and
making it his. “Boogie Nights” had the Robert Altman approach; Martin Scorsese
and Jonathan Demme elaborate shots plus many other lovely homages ranging from
classic films like “I am Cuba” to “On the Waterfront”. With all those great
tributes on display, Mr. Anderson was called a rip off artist and was dubbed “Robert
Altman JR”. I don’t think that sort of
name calling bothered him much. There’s over a thousand starving filmmakers out
there right now who wouldn’t mind being called “Robert Altman JR” but in cinema
it is very important to have an identity and that’s where Punch Drunk Love
comes in.
After “Boogie Nights” Paul Thomas Anderson made “Magnolia”. That epic film cemented Paul Thomas Anderson
in the high ranks of American filmmakers.
I love that film, so much to admire, but it still has the same visual
flourishes of “Boogie Nights” and the Robert Altman approach was intact. With
his first three films Paul Thomas Anderson used many great ideas from the vast
pool of film history, but after all the excitement of those first strings of ideas
have vanished, how do you get excited about your next project? How do you find your
true style? How do you find your identity as a filmmaker? "Punch Drunk Love"
plays on that riff. The filmmaker and the film itself are truly one. With every experimental shot in the film which
range from shots timed to capture lens flare (I think Paul Thomas Anderson
brought that old technique back, then the new Star Trek killed it) , shaky
handheld shots in unique moments and stunning long takes, Paul Thomas Anderson
was taking a step forward to find his next stage as a filmmaker. To become like
Barry Egan is at the end of film, in tune with himself and his world. That’s
why I love the last piece of dialog in the film delivered by Emily Watson to
Barry Egan, “So here we go”. Throughout the film Barry plays his harmonium,
each effort finds him trying to get on same wave length with the score of the
film only to always miss a note. At the end of the film, after several tries,
Barry and the film are on the same page. It all comes together when Barry
finally finds some love in his life. Now you could interpret that as a sweet sentiment
on the power of love or as a declaration from a filmmaker trying to reach a new
place with his love; filmmaking. Paul Thomas Anderson followed “Punch Drunk
Love” with “There Will Be Blood” so I think it’s pretty safe to say that he
found that new place with his love.
Paul Thomas Anderson is very intelligent and instead of
using some of his usual influences, it’s like he said how about these other
filmmakers I love, how about playing with some of their ideas and mixing them
with his own new approach. In “Punch Drunk Love” you get homages to the likes
of Jacques Tati, Francois Truffaut and David Lynch. Jacques Tati’s approach to physical comedy is
there when we watch Adam Sandler do his little dance in the supermarket or when Luis
Guzman hilariously hit the ground from a busted chair. François Truffaut’s
romanticism of cinema is in the DNA of this film. The artwork of the late
Jeremy Blake is used in the film with the same energy Truffaut had to turn old
ideas into new ones. It seems to me that
Mr. Anderson was very concerned on delivering a new experience to film goers.
The live sound is recorded in a very different manner, everything sounds louder
and robust. Listen to that scene when Adam Sandler destroys the bathroom, that’s
not standard Hollywood live sound. Even the score creates new ways to set up a
cue for the audience, lookout for that example in the opening scene. The most
powerful filmmakers are the ones that know about all the variations of storytelling
and use those ideas any which they want to deliver their grand picture. Sound comes from the radio era, and in the
sense of structure Quentin Tarantino is inspired by novels. When you have a
large amount of knowledge on how to tell a story, all you have to do is put
some of those ideas in the right place and make sure they work together.
The main piece that makes “Punch Drunk Love” work is Adam
Sandler’s performance. I remember when the film was released there were many critics who
couldn’t understand why this prestigious director wanted to work with Adam
Sandler who at the time was only known for his “Dumb Fun Comedies”. To me that sort of thinking is a perfect example
of the kind of truly lame dry world that cinema inhabits right now. That’s why the
Oscar’s are always boring; it seems like having fun or making people laugh isn’t
“deep” enough, whatever the hell that means.
I understood right away why Paul Thomas Anderson wanted to work with
Adam Sandler. I love “Billy Madison” and “Happy Gilmore”. They are dumb fun movies that you don’t have to
take seriously yet still deliver. Especially “Happy Gilmore” which is now a
classic in the “Dumb Fun Comedy” genre. Adam
Sandler’s performances in those films are perfect and make those films work.
From his moments of rage that make you laugh, to him dancing up the stairs in “Billy
Madison”, Adam Sandler is a very unique performer with childlike innocence in
his demeanor. All these ideas appear in "Punch Drunk Love" except it’s a love
story built around the perfect kind of character for Adam Sandler’s gifts, an
outsider with anger management issues who has not yet found his place in
society. In the scene where Barry apologizes to his brother in law for
destroying his glass doors, he admits to not knowing how other people are.
The importance of making a connection, disconnection, trying
to stand out and finding your identity in life are some of the themes at hand
throughout “Punch Drunk Love”. Barry Egan is a character that had no place in
the world. He doesn’t get along with his family and even wears a great blue
suit to work because he thinks it will make people take him seriously, which
winds up being a terrific joke in the film as everybody asks him “Why are you
wearing that suit?” Early in the film we
watch Barry creep out into the world, he looks afraid and if you know how the
world really is, he has all the right to be scared. He looks outside his shop
and watches a car flip over in a horrible hellish manner. Next a taxi comes out
of nowhere and drops a harmonium on the street. Now that’s a brilliant scene.
Who knows what will appear before us on the road of life. I love watching that moment
when Barry Egan walks over to the harmonium, gives it a good look over and then
quickly finds the right moment to kidnap it back to his office; it’s like
watching a kid filled with fear go through with a daring moment excited by the
promise of a new adventure. That’s one of the film’s great gifts; it announces our
fears but acknowledges the fact that the things we love in our lives must be
stronger than our fears. What a beautiful idea to capture since fear never dies but only changes as we get older.
Fear of not being accepted, fear of being alone are some of
Barry Egan’s problems in the beginning of the film. His sisters call him weird
and “Gayboy”. He thinks he should speak with a therapist. This is a person who
does not understand the world around him and has probably isolated himself to the
point where many people will not accept him. Barry gives a chance to some of
the problem solving companies in America by calling a sex hot line and gets taken
advantage of. Paul Thomas Anderson is
one of the few directors truly telling American stories. Barry’s problem is an
American problem. With this film he is taking us to the dark places brought on
by American isolation. What do you do in your valuable free time in a place
like America? What if you had no friends? Taxi Driver and this film have a lot
in common. Barry Egan found love; Travis
Bickle did not and went crazy. Love can truly save someone from madness. The
world as we know it was not built with our best interest at heart. Some things
will not make sense to us and other things will not seem attractive to us, even
if it makes sense to 100 million other people. Some people will eventually find
themselves on the outskirts of the American Dream; Barry Egan is one of those
people.
I get a sense throughout the film that Barry doesn’t know
how other people are because he truly cannot comprehend America’s façade. In
the film Barry is literally trying to pull one over on the “THE MAN” by
purchasing a substantial amount of pudding to receive enough frequent flier
miles so that he will never have to pay for an airline ticket again. Of course
when he tries to turn the pudding in, the company tells him it will take 6 to 8
weeks to process. In that scene Barry
Egan loses it and punches the American map behind him with all his might.
Throughout the film we see the colors of Red, White and Blue in that exact order. Another
scene has his sister saying one of the most famous American oxymoron sayings “So
what, it’s a free country”. On their first date Barry tells Lena that he loves
a radio personality named “DJ Justice” because he is not a phony and tells it like
it is. America is very much in this film, which makes sense because Barry’s problems
are American problems. In a country like America some people will have difficulty
being perceived as “normal” and what will these people do? Only love can save
them. Love does not require understanding. You could know 10% about a person and
fall head over heels for them. After years of emotional beatings from his
sisters to society (PUNCH DRUNK) Barry meets Lena, someone who accepts him for
who he truly is and he falls in love. His love for her will be stronger than
most, after all those beatings he knows how hard and rare it is to find someone
who accepts you for who you are. He’s found someone to admit his faults to (I
love that scene when Barry admits to Lena that he “Beat up the bathroom”) with
no worry about being judged. That sort of love will change your whole life. You
will worry less about the world’s problems and your union will become like a PLACE.
That’s why I love that shot after Barry and Lena’ first date; when they're
walking to the car, a moving truck passes with the words: “Relocation at its
best!” on it, I agree. That’s how
powerful love is, it can turn people into places. I have said many great things
about this film and still have yet to mention the terrific Phillip Seymour
Hoffman performance or Jon Brion’s wonderful romantic score. I am truly Punch
Drunk Love about this film especially after 2 decades of watching films. My
brain was beaten to death with movies I couldn’t connect with. Then this film arrives out of nowhere, it
gets you, it speaks your language and it makes you fall in love with cinema all
over again.
ABOUT RCM:
Rutz Classic Movies is dedicated on writing film essays for films that
in Rutz's opinion, have not gotten the credit they deserve.
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