As many of you can tell this topic is very close to me and has been perhaps my favorite discussion this semester. Below are several links to points of interest. Please review all of them:
- What is a flop? Cinema Blend does a wonderful job of pooling together 20 Common Box Office Misconceptions.
- Sometime classic films were thought of as box office poison. Best for Film talks up the Top 10 Surprise Box Office Flops.
- Taste of Cinema also points out some great Outsider Cinema by finding the 16 Strangest Movie Everyone Should See.
- Take a walk on the wild side and check out Listverse's Top 10 Classic Midnight Movies.
- A engrossing article from Wired involving Zack Carlson and about how Miami Connection Destroys the Myth of 'So-Bad-It's-Good' Movies.
- Film site First Showing chooses to Discuss: Art is Subjective, But Does an Objectively Good Film Exist? Please read and consider.
- Also, to those interested, this site gives a idea on a Basic Guide to Writing a Film Critique. This could help with your reviews.
And finally here is a link to The Rich Weirdoes, a group of film fans that do an amazing job with their local live shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I highly suggest to experience this for yourself (just remember to bring your rice and newspaper).
hey i was trying to email but i never got a response what is the movie or when are you gonna tell us the movie that you chosen for our review?
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The Pest
ReplyDeleteDirector: Paul Miller
1997
*potentially trash cinema
This film follows a ditzy and foolhardy conman around Miami who agrees to be the “prey” to a German Neo-Nazi hunter in order to win $50,000 to pay off his debt to the Irish mafia. The film is completely zany; from the colors used to the ridiculous language used by the protagonist and his crew of misfit friends. “Pest” Vargas is our main character and he endures public humiliation (that it would seem he’s unaware of), being hunted on an island off the shore of Miami and having to find his way back to Miami, threats from the Irish mob and finally, dinner with his girlfriend’s parents. He manages to escape from the Neo-Nazi and win his bounty so that he’s able to pay off the mob all while securing his love, but not without help from his two best friends.
I chose this film because it is humorous, ridiculous, potentially “trash cinema” and also touches on the so-bad-it’s-good concept we covered in class. There are many components at work in this film that the Academy would (and I’m sure did) scoff at, but those are the same components that inch this film closer the “trash cinema” genre and what make it so terrible in such wonderful film. The fourth wall is broken as Pest Vargas slyly maneuvers himself out of sticky situations to wink at the audience, and there is even a musical component during the introduction of the film and again at the close.
The film’s themes include the importance of family and those close to us who go through anything with/for us despite our crazy antics, perseverance of love throughout all obstacles and the humanity in everyone—even “villains”. The soundtrack works well with the narrative because it is like the music you hear when watching cartoons—that’s exactly the feel of this film. Pest is a human cartoon. The costume design is working really well because it works toward the ridiculousness of the characters, their homes and the cheesy pastels that drip over every wall in Miami Beach. There is not one aspect of this film, from the sharp camera angle changes to the goofy sound effects, that forgets about comedy and so the consistency is great. The film requires its audience to jump in, all at once and go on the wild ride it offers. It’s just so bad it’s good!