From today's Grauniad:

[zotz]

Greenaway, of course, makes art films; Parker makes movies for Hollywood studios. I'm agnostic regarding the Greenaway films I've seen. They were beautifully photographed and designed, but it wasn't clear to me what they were about. Parker's work, on the other hand, is straightforwardly detestable: dishonest, propagandistic, authority-loving crap of the ilk of Mississippi Burning.

The wonderful Alex Cox, of course, in a brief article from Friday's paper. Parker, of course, saw Greenaway's first film, The Draughsman's Contract, and said on TV that if Greenaway was allowed to make any more films he'd have his children educated abroad. As usual in these cases, I'd love to know whether he subsequently did, as Mr G has made a number of films since - including my own favourite film, the very excellent The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover.

Cox, of course, makes films also - including Repo Man and, recently, A Revenger's Tragedy.

Comments

[serpentstar.livejournal.com]

Interesting article.

I loved The Draughtsman's Contract, personally; but it has good frock-coats, and as you know I'm a dreadful style-over-substance merchant.

I'm not sure I've seen any of Parker's films.

Cox is a good critic, and I loved Repo Man, but his Sex Pistols movie was exploitative tripe.

Greenaway's theory (or was it Cox's?) seems related to machinima, as seen on the web in the form of Red versus Blue and written of in some detail in this week's New Scientist. Machinima exploits the fact that it's cheaper, easier and just plain better for some purposes to make a movie by using a game engine than by using actors and cameras. Red versus Blue is definitely worth a look if you've not seen it.

[djm4]

Odd - I didn't know that. I've actually loved pretty much everything I've seen of Alan Parker's - while some of his films have problems, they're always interesting (although I admit I haven't seen Mississippi Burning). I didn't know he was so anti-Greenaway, though. Hmmm.

[zotz]

I think I've only seen Angel Heart and (back in the seventies) Bugsy Malone. I liked them both when I saw them, although I'm not entirely sure I'd enjoy BM as much now.

[nmg.livejournal.com]

I was going to post my Alan Parker moment here, but decided to make it a proper post on my own journal.

[viridiris.livejournal.com]

Speaking of Greenaway, have you seen any of his other works? I'm thinking in particular of A Zed and Two Noughts, which sounds like a good idea. If you (or anyone) would care to recommend anything else by Greenaway, I'd be grateful.


Shelle watched The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover recently. She couldn't stand it. However, not because it was a bad film, but rather the characters and events were so well done and the story so tragic that she could never watch it again. It's pretty rare that a movie has that effect (affect? I'll never learn the difference) on her.

Go watch Memento - surprisingly good. Not Greenaway good, but good.

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

Not seen A Zed and Two Noughts myself but Himself (namely drpyrojames heartily recommends it.

However, went to see the Tulse Luper Suitcase the other day - again very beatiful cinematographically and provoked quite a heated discussion post-film as to what Greenaway was trying to do / convey. The film felt unfinished and left feeling that the projector had broken down mid-stream. Guess I'll just have to await the sequel or follow the clues on the associated website; www.tulseluper.net as it is also part of the 'project'.

[zotz]

I haven't seen A Zed And Two Noughts, actually. The Draughtsman's Contract is beautiful, but a bit opaque (what's really going on is a bit of a puzzle, but there is actually an answer). The Belly of an Architect is very nicely made, but I failed to understand it at all when I saw it - I think it deserves another go, though. Maybe the next one to go for is The Pillow Book, or perhaps Prospero's Books (which is a version of The Tempest).

[zotz]

. . . and yes, I too loved Memento. Guy Pearce for Hellblazer, say I. Reeves just isn't right.

[viridiris.livejournal.com]

Well, thanks for those tips. I'm going to have a hunt for those you've recommended tomorrow when I pop into town, and I'll look for A Zed and Two Noughts because if you can't trust drpyrojames then who can you trust?

[viridiris.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen A Zed And Two Noughts, actually.

I watched it a few days ago - drpyrojames was right. Go find it, buy it, see it. Only then will you be complete.


(gah: lj is trying to tell me it isn't noughts, but rather: Naughts, Nights, Naught's, Oughts, Nougats, Night's, Knights, Nuts, Nougat's, Naughties. I quite like the last one)