Comments on: Some Basic Feminist Thing http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/09/10/personal-velocity/ Film reviews and commentary tonight, before I forget tomorrow Wed, 23 May 2012 23:29:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Tommy Salami http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/09/10/personal-velocity/comment-page-1/#comment-7440 Tommy Salami Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:06:33 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/?p=5354#comment-7440 I saw this in theaters because my cousin Lou plays the "mute" hitchhiker; and while his character is traumatized and very quiet, he is not mute. It's a bit of a walk-through role, but it reinforces Balk's bad choices with men, who she wants to mother, but end up using her. The Delia sequence was quite good as well, with some unforgettable visuals, such as the falsies on the clothesline. I saw this in theaters because my cousin Lou plays the “mute” hitchhiker; and while his character is traumatized and very quiet, he is not mute. It’s a bit of a walk-through role, but it reinforces Balk’s bad choices with men, who she wants to mother, but end up using her.
The Delia sequence was quite good as well, with some unforgettable visuals, such as the falsies on the clothesline.

]]> By: Joe Valdez http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/09/10/personal-velocity/comment-page-1/#comment-7426 Joe Valdez Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:47:14 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/?p=5354#comment-7426 <strong>Jim</strong>: If I'm caught up in a good story, I barely notice the camera techniques or film stock at all. I didn't realize that <em>The Hurt Locker</em> used so much hand-held "shaky cam" until my girlfriend pointed it out to me. DV doesn't keep me from enjoying <em>28 Days Later</em> whenever it's on TV. So, I think you're right. Even with the technology being used eight years ago, mini-DV in itself does not doom a movie to mediocrity. I think what dooms a movie to mediocrity is a script that is such a combustible mess and takes itself way too seriously. If I amended my review, I'd probably focus on that aspect and cut the palm-held cameras a break. Jim: If I’m caught up in a good story, I barely notice the camera techniques or film stock at all. I didn’t realize that The Hurt Locker used so much hand-held “shaky cam” until my girlfriend pointed it out to me. DV doesn’t keep me from enjoying 28 Days Later whenever it’s on TV.

So, I think you’re right. Even with the technology being used eight years ago, mini-DV in itself does not doom a movie to mediocrity. I think what dooms a movie to mediocrity is a script that is such a combustible mess and takes itself way too seriously. If I amended my review, I’d probably focus on that aspect and cut the palm-held cameras a break.

]]> By: Moviezzz http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/09/10/personal-velocity/comment-page-1/#comment-7425 Moviezzz Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:03:44 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/?p=5354#comment-7425 "The fact that neither Miller nor her producer Lemore Syvan has made another movie on DV says everything about the limitations of the format." I don't know if it was limitations as much as it was the fact they were able to work with higher budgets. Once a filmmaker makes a name for themself, they no longer have to worry about making a film for as cheaply as you can. The DV of 2002 was lacking (although I remember seeing this on DVD and not even realizing it was shot on video). But today, it has improved quite a bit, and gotten a lot cheaper to shoot on DV. “The fact that neither Miller nor her producer Lemore Syvan has made another movie on DV says everything about the limitations of the format.”

I don’t know if it was limitations as much as it was the fact they were able to work with higher budgets. Once a filmmaker makes a name for themself, they no longer have to worry about making a film for as cheaply as you can.

The DV of 2002 was lacking (although I remember seeing this on DVD and not even realizing it was shot on video). But today, it has improved quite a bit, and gotten a lot cheaper to shoot on DV.

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