The Byrd theatre; a return back to contextual cinema

A profile piece on the Byrd movie Theatre (1928) in Richmond Va.

We adopt a thinking pattern that lead us to think that yesterday was much better than today. Doesn’t matter which period were you born in, where you live, or which aspect of your local culture are you talking about.

The field of “visual arts” is not an exception; visual theorists like Lisa Gitelman and Koen Vermeir have spoke nostalgically of the Magic Lantern show (1660-1700,) which constitutes as the commencement of modern cinema as we know it. For me, since I am not that old, I usually reminisce about how cinema was during my childhood. Our cinema was in a little neighborhood called Salmiyya, it was not one of those compact ones, and the ticket’s cost was an equivalent of one dollar. We barely went there, so we made sure we enjoyed it.

After I grew up, I left Kuwait and went to the United States, particularly the city of Richmond Va., in order to pursue my higher education. In there, I saw the Byrd theatre, and it reminded me of the elegance of early cinema, back when going to the cinema was a proper outing, and when the ephemera of the setting was part of the viewing experience.

Built In 1928, the Byrd theatre only shows two selective films a year. It is considered a local and national treasure. It is ornately decorated to a point where the film itself loses relevancy and takes the back stage. It displayed the art of cinema, and not the art of film.

Is cinema dead? Is the Byrd theatre a tombstone of an art form rendered obsolete by digital technology? Only in time to come will we be able to answer these questions. For now, the Byrd theatre functions as a time capsule, ever so effectively.

Extra links, further data and interesting stories:-

The Huffington Post’s list of the ten beautiful film theaters around America 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/19/oldest-movie-theaters_n_768456.html

In a related story, the century-old Weltspiegel theater in Germany gets a makeover 

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1672142/a-century-old-cinema-gets-a-modern-makeover#1

At the beginning of the year, the Byrd theatre held a screening event for the third season premier of  “Downton Abbey”, the popular television drama, click the link to read the report at richmond.com

http://www.richmond.com/arts-entertainment/movies-tv/article_5fe35288-4086-11e2-a4e6-0019bb30f31a.html

In a time before Hitchcock

A review of the series The Bates Motel (2013) by Carlton Cuse

Hitchcock’s work looms out there for filmmakers like a curse. Despite the fact that many of them are dying to remake his work, they do not seem able to. A good example would be the almost-frame-by-frame remake of Psycho by Gus Van Sant.

Van Sant’s project was so terribly received that it seemed to have sealed that prospect of another hitchcock remake for a long time to come.

Last week however, the dark brainchild of American screenwriter Carlton Cuse saw the light when it was broadcasted on A&E. Adopting the most underestimated of all the cinema narrative formats, Cuse developed not a remake, but  a “prequel” for Psycho; entitled The Bates Motel.

The Bates Motel is a series about the life of Norman Bates and his mother during the years when they owed their motel business. So far, the series seems to hinge too much on the Hitchccok conclusion of a troubled boy and his dead mother. It is as if Hitchcock’s ghost is constantly there, and that the original plot of “Psycho” is in our peripheral vision. We instantly see the rift between Norman and his mother before we as viewer have a chance to settle in. the series somehow never manages to break free from the original picture, and when it does, it seems to be trying too hard, particularly with the various implications of incest and pedopfilia.

It is also unclear, whether the young lead actor who plays the role of Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) is channeling Norman Bates awkwardness, or simply bad at this particular character.

We only have to wait and see how “The Bates Motel” unravels, and to judge whether Hitchcockian narratives have a rightful place in Television, or whether we should let sleeping dogs – or in this case, sleeping mothers – lie.

Highmore, F. and Farmiga, V. (Actor). (2013). The Bates Motel [Episodic photo], Retrieved March 29, 2013, from: http://www.aetv.com

 

Extra links, further data and interesting stories:-

The Box office history of Alfred Hitchcock by numbers 

http://www.the-numbers.com/person/66230401-Alfred-Hitchcock

Discover the real inspiration behind the character of Norman Bates: Ed Gein

http://www.wisconsinsickness.com/ed-gein/

A 2013 film explores the historical journey of Alfred Hitchcock to make “Psycho”, click the following link for more information on the film “Hitchcock” starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/hitchcock-2013

Englishizing the superhero

Throughout the years, Hollywood has demonstrated the ability to overlook some of the darkest smudges in the career of filmmakers, actors and writers alike.

In this particular arena, nothing stands out more than the “superhero” franchise; Ang Lee’s Hulk (2003), Mark Goldblatt’s Punisher (1989), Jonathan Hensleigh’s Punisher (2004), Lexi Alexander’s Punisher (2008.) (Yes, basically all the Punishers), Bryan Singer’s Superman (2006), and more importantly, the “still-leaves-a-bitter-taste-in-your-mouth” uncompromising piece of crap, Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin (1997.)

Yes, Batman, the Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, and definitely the biggest social experiment in all of Hollywood. Between Adam West, George Clooney and Val Kilmer, Batman has had more makeovers than a California housewife. So, how do we fix this? We bring in the English man.

Somewhere along the line, Warner Brothers realized that they needed an English treatment for the nearly dead franchise of the super freak who was starting to lose his macabre appeal with postmodern youth. The answer to the dilemma was in the hands of British director Christopher Nolan, who, admittedly, has used his famed trilogy to turn the dark knight into something similar to a James Bond- affair, dismantling him of all the metaphysical charm, and taking the audience into an elaborate look at the functionality of his gadgets, his toys and his background.

We all agree that the English Batman is an improvement, which made it easier for Nolan to take over the new Superman production (June, 2013), with the latter being played by an English actor for the very first time (Henry Cavill). We only have to wait to see what comes next. The ultimate question is, is this Englishization of the superhero attacking the very philosophical core of these comic book characters that were built initially on the concept of the American dream?

Christopher Nolan on the set of The Dark Knight Rises.

Nolan, C. (Director). (2012). The Dark Knight Rises [Screen Shot], Retrieved March 17, 2013, from: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

Extra links, further data and interesting stories:-

For a study by Scott Vollum on the The portrayal of crime and justice in the comic book superhero mythos, click here:

http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol10is2/vollum.html

For the Batman movie franchise sales statistics, click the link below 

http://www.statisticbrain.com/batman-movie-franchise-sales-statistics/

Superheroes and their interactions with sociopolitical cultures in America:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/12/weekinreview/ideas-trends-american-dreams-inside-every-superhero-lurks-a-nerd.html 

Sorry Mr. Soderbergh, but you’re no Hitchcock!

A review of the film Side Effects (2013) by Steven Soderbergh

With the current talk of Steven Soderbergh’s retirement, one would expect his latest piece to function as a sort of grand finale. Alas, the film “Side Effects”, released on March 2013, was anything but that.

The film tells the story of Emily (Rooney Mara), a woman who, in an effort of dealing with her overwhelming depression, resorts to a trial medication called Ablixa. However, she does so without committing to the appropriate channels and with the sympathy of her psychiatrist (Jude Law.) When the medicine’s side effect causes Emily to kill her husband in a “sleep walking” episode, the psychiatrist’s career becomes jeopardized.

“Side Effects” is a one-time watch affair. It doesn’t linger nor does it leave a trace of inspiration with the viewers, and I think I might just know why.

Casting the “shameful” product placement of Redbull aside, the first misjudgment was in the casting choices, where the only graceful performance was that of Rooney Mara.

Zeta-Jones’ attempt of embracing the role of a psychiatrist fails miserably due to her complete dependency on the clichés of her appearance. In the film, Jones sports her hair in a ponytail, wears a short skirt and heavily framed glasses, reflecting a tiresome old image of women in the medical profession.

Finally, Soderbergh’s direction tries too hard, imposing Arabic-belly dancing music where it doesn’t fit, as well as presenting a twist that does not meet the heavily built up climax. Soderbergh is maybe a genius when it comes to grandiose cinema, like his 2000 film “Traffic” or his 2011 film “Contagion”. However, in the crafting of a personal thriller story with a minimum cast, he’s hardly Alfred Hitchcock.

Jude Law as Dr. Jonathan Banks in Side Effects, by Steven Soderbergh.

Soderbergh, S. (Director). (2013). Side Effect [Screen Shot], Retrieved March 12, 2013, from: http://www.Tvguide.com

 

Extra links, further data and interesting stories:-

For the Guardian’s review on the movie Side Effects, click the link below 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/mar/10/side-effects-soderbergh-jude-law

Does the film’s narrative channel an actual problem with anti-depressions? David Healy, M.D. explains 

Not so Black: Ablixa and Homicidal Side Effects

For IMDB’s list of the top 50 medical films of all genres, click the link below

http://www.imdb.com/list/8I_BMjuWE4I/