Ang VavourisOld vs New
February 6th 2008 06:56
Imagine Muhammad Ali vs Mike Tyson; or Fangio vs Schumacher; or Laurence Olivier vs Russell Crowe. Okay, so that last pair might not immediately spring to mind whenever the conversation centres on epic fantasy match-ups, but bear with me a minute.
In my previous post, I criticised a recent “blockbuster”, ‘I am Legend’, for its inability to create suspense and even missing the slam-dunk on one easy setup. A certain other movie, more than half a century old and containing no cheap (or should that be overpriced?) visual aids, proved to have a much firmer grip on my attention during its 1.5-hour span.
Now, however, I think the comparison may have been unfair. After all, ‘Dial M for Murder’ is by the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock, and stars Grace Kelly. The other is a cerebral featherweight starring a dog plus a man who rose to fame playing an invigorated heir-apparent.
It got me thinking. Is the era of the Hitchcock classics truly superior or is it simply a case of the riffraff falling by the wayside, leaving only the successes to represent their time? The fact is there are films made in the last decade which are able to hold their own against past contenders. ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, among others, comes to mind (yes, bad pun intended).
So, to clear up the uncertainty and regain my own peace of mind (oops, there it is again), I've decided to settle the matter. How? By juxtaposing stellar films from the present with their ancestors (i.e. western against western, loves story against love story, and naught a remake among them as they are, invariably, a letdown). Two teams of ten, three major points of judgement: 1) Cleverness of Concept; 2) Plausibility of Plot (within the context of the film); and 3) Generation of Goose Pimples.
At the very least, the comparisons will serve as reviews and recommendations for anyone reading. At best, they will constitute "an action-packed adrenalin-extravaganza of epic proportions" (I can already hear the baritone voice of the trailer's narrator); "The past was supposed to have been dead. The present was supposed to have been doomed. Except no-one told these guys. This summer, brace yourself for ... ‘Old vs New’, the biggest blockbuster to hit your computer-screen since ‘Alien vs Predator’. From the makers of ‘Scary Movie 8’ comes this startling tale of courage, love and redemption. Starring Academy Award win-”
What? Too much hype? Okay, sorry.
Anyway, stay tuned.
In my previous post, I criticised a recent “blockbuster”, ‘I am Legend’, for its inability to create suspense and even missing the slam-dunk on one easy setup. A certain other movie, more than half a century old and containing no cheap (or should that be overpriced?) visual aids, proved to have a much firmer grip on my attention during its 1.5-hour span.
Now, however, I think the comparison may have been unfair. After all, ‘Dial M for Murder’ is by the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock, and stars Grace Kelly. The other is a cerebral featherweight starring a dog plus a man who rose to fame playing an invigorated heir-apparent.
It got me thinking. Is the era of the Hitchcock classics truly superior or is it simply a case of the riffraff falling by the wayside, leaving only the successes to represent their time? The fact is there are films made in the last decade which are able to hold their own against past contenders. ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, among others, comes to mind (yes, bad pun intended).
So, to clear up the uncertainty and regain my own peace of mind (oops, there it is again), I've decided to settle the matter. How? By juxtaposing stellar films from the present with their ancestors (i.e. western against western, loves story against love story, and naught a remake among them as they are, invariably, a letdown). Two teams of ten, three major points of judgement: 1) Cleverness of Concept; 2) Plausibility of Plot (within the context of the film); and 3) Generation of Goose Pimples.
At the very least, the comparisons will serve as reviews and recommendations for anyone reading. At best, they will constitute "an action-packed adrenalin-extravaganza of epic proportions" (I can already hear the baritone voice of the trailer's narrator); "The past was supposed to have been dead. The present was supposed to have been doomed. Except no-one told these guys. This summer, brace yourself for ... ‘Old vs New’, the biggest blockbuster to hit your computer-screen since ‘Alien vs Predator’. From the makers of ‘Scary Movie 8’ comes this startling tale of courage, love and redemption. Starring Academy Award win-”
What? Too much hype? Okay, sorry.
Anyway, stay tuned.
| 87 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Harry
World Art
Sydney Diary
Personals
Video Games
Brisbane Diarystar
Zoo Parent