Hi Ladies and Gentlefolk Just a little muse on the magic of cinema. Growing up in the heart of Otara it was only a short hike to the Starlight picture theater in Hunters Corner for a chance to be whisked away and thrown into a world of fanciful wonderment - from the italian films of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer to the space faring adventures created by George Lucas there was always something to see. When finances allowed there were also excursions into Central Auckland to perhaps some of the more well known cinemas of yesteryear, The Odeon, Regent, St James and of course the birth of the multiplex Mid City not to mention the Civic which thankfully was lovingly restored to its original beauty and is still in use. To quote Bladerunner Ive seen things you people wouldnt believe... or perhaps you would as I suspect many of you are in love or still in love with the silver screen. There are some films from my distant past that remain only as fragmented images to the point where I wonder if they ever existed at all, they lay hidden within the subconscious with only fine tendrils weaving through conscious thought. ..All these moments will be lost in time like tears in the rain. Some films of course deserve to be forgotten, though as I said to someone recently - trying to make a film makes you appreciate even the bad movies - well unless youve got a full production company behind you with gazillions of dollars then theres really no excuse.. or perhaps there is as it takes more than money to create movie magic which can be proven by successful films made on shoestring budgets. Aside from the nearly forgotten there are of course films that stay with us long after the credits have rolled, they tap into something deeper and resonate on an emotional level that reminds us that film is not only just a homogenised serving of entertaining fluff but is also a legitimate form of Art. I would like, if I may to take you on a strange journey. We all have different tastes in film just as were all different from one another - though at the same time we are also paradoxically similar, or how else could we relate to each other. Keeping this in mind Ill share a little of some of the more influential films Ive experienced. Ill get the obvious over first.. Star Wars (1977) before it was eaten by the creation of its own commercialism and enhanced with CGI. I cannot overstate the impact of seeing this film for the first time on the big screen.. It was just amazing. On a side note and hot on its heels was an Italian director Luigi Cozzi ready to cash in on the sudden resurgence of science fiction with the release of Starcrash in 1978, it stars a very young David Hasselhoff so you know were talking quality cinema.. to be seen to be believed, however it does have an ernest charm - watch at your own peril (yes its that bad). Now if there were a film Id recommend it would be Amadeus (1984) directed by Milos Forman, I saw this when I was around 12 years old, there were no space battles or sword fights but I was captivated by some of the most exquisite descriptions of music Id ever heard but more than this was the unfulfillable longings of the Human heart laid bare -Antonio Salieri speaking to a priest I will speak for you Father, I speak for all mediocrities in the world I am their champion I am their patron saint composer Antonio Salieri is wheelchaired through an insane asylum and continues.. Mediocrities everywhere... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you all. Such a gloriously beautiful film. There is also Legend (1985) by Ridley Scott filled with gorgeous imagery, it stars Tom Crusie before he was Tom Crusie - the making of is as fascinating as the film itself with different edits and soundtracks for European and American releases, its a good study in the wisdom of corporations when it come to Art and the effects a test audience can have on a director. The City of Lost Children (1995) by Marc Caro and Jean-Paerre Jeunet, these directors have made many fascinating films, what more can I say.. its French! and the thing about French films is..., well they tend to be very French. I would advise subtitles as opposed to an audio dub so as not to lose the beauty of their language. There are in fact far too many films worthy to be mentioned and commented on from the bizarre films of Terry Gilliam to the imaginative animation of Hayao Miyazaki, so Ill leave it at that. You may have noticed many of the films mentioned above are older movies.. well perhaps part of the impact is seeing these films at an impressionable age. By all rights the meat cleaver of life should have severed my heart stings years ago but I can walk into a cinema today and still be filled with wonder and over priced popcorn. There are many forms of media that compete for our attention but I think like stories around a campfire and the written word in books, films will continue to endure for many years to come. Kind Regards John Ratcliffe
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 15:31:12 +0000
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