Short Attention Span Review - Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)

Short Attention Span Review - Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)

If you love the cinema, you have probably seen Apocalypse Now and heard a little about the making of this visionary masterpiece.  Apocalypse Now is one of those rare feats in the industry, a stupendous achievement where tales surrounding the lengths that the artists went to create something are almost as intriguing as the work itself.  In 1991, Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper put together this documentary that offers tremendous insight into that storied production.  Deftly combining interviews with most of the key players and raw footage captured on set, Bahr and Hickenlooper allow us to feel like the proverbial fly on the wall while an audacious undertaking threatens to unravel at every turn.  Not only that, but the cast and crew threaten to unravel as well, making this a gripping tale in and of itself.  Hearts of Darkness is about people testing their boundaries.  It's also a battle against the elements and a test of endurance.  It's about faith and conviction, and it is also about desperation, and perhaps even madness.  It's one thing to ponder a director who had taken the industry by storm dragging his cast and crew into the jungle to shoot a sprawling epic while in search of an appropriate conclusion.  It's yet another to see the various challenges unfold, to listen in as Francis Ford Coppola struggles to find himself as much as he struggled to find that ending that would make the journey worthwhile.  It is an inspiring peak behind the curtain that shows us an odyssey that could have yielded disastrous results, and it is both a tribute to passion and sheer lunacy that something so prolific was born of this fury and fire.  Luck may have played a role as well.  Regardless, Hearts of Darkness is a vivid documentary that is both enlightening and entertaining.  It is surely must-see viewing for those who recognize Apocalypse Now as one of the boldest and most riveting movies ever made, but even someone who had never heard of that grim saga would probably enjoy Hearts of Darkness.  

Final Grade: A

An unparalleled look at the making of a genuine classic, this documentary is a profound exploration of art on a grand scale.

Short Attention Span Review: Milius (2013)

As documentaries about filmmakers go, it is hard to imagine any subject being more prolific or intriguing than writer and director John Milius.  It should come as no surprise then that Milius is such a spectacle.  Even as a fan of this gifted filmmaker and his larger-than-life personality, I was surprised to see just how broad his impact on the film industry has been.  Those who aren't as familiar with John's body of work will likely be flabbergasted to learn that one man played such a pivotal role in so many iconic pictures and performances over the years.  His contributions to movies like Jaws and Dirty Harry are discussed along with movies he scripted (Apocalypse Now and Jeremiah Johnson, among others) and directed (films like Dillinger, The Wind and the Lion, and Conan the Barbarian).  Professional accomplishments aside, the stories about his larger-than-life antics and his brazen disregard for going with the flow are wildly compelling.  This documentary also benefits from more than just a wealth of intriguing material; the number of famed participants who share their thoughts on John's work and persona throughout the picture is positively mind-boggling.  It is entirely possible that it would be easier to list the major actors, directors, and producers who weren't in this documentary than it would be to name everyone who appeared in the picture.  Milius offers far more than reflection on the cinema and funny stories about a brazen individual, touching on politics and delving into some truly emotional territory in the closing reel.  As a fan, I was totally captivated, but I imagine that those who aren't as familiar with the subject--and perhaps even those who don't like John's filmography--will be entertained by this documentary.  It is bold, colorful, and surprisingly nuanced, much like John Milius himself.

Final Grade: A

Short Attention Span Review: Go Tell the Spartans (1978)

U.S. History captivates me.  I'm particularly drawn to tales of the old west and stories about our country's various military exploits.  As someone who grew up shortly after the Vietnam war had concluded, that conflict has always greatly intrigued me.  There have been many notable films about that tragic war and I count Go Tell the Spartans among them.   Yet many who have seen movies like Apocalyspe Now, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and We Were Soldiers haven't experienced this insightful look at the early stages of the conflict.  Burt Lancaster, one of the best leading men ever, stars as a cynical Major who has already fought in two wars before being sent to an undermanned outpost in South Vietnam.  There, he is charged with overseeing a group of South Viatnemese and does his best to fulfill his obligations though he never regards his assignment as much more than an exercise in futility.  Craig Wasson, Marc Singer, and Evan Kim offer up noteworthy performances and director Ted Post does a great job of bringing Daniel Ford's 1967 novel Incident at Muc Wa to the screen.  As the picture progresses, the movie's title becomes more and more pertinent.  Barker's understanding of the situation is mostly ignored by his superiors who aren't stationed in the combat zone and thus the odds of survival for our heroes rapidly diminish.  Go Tell the Spartans is a methodical anti-war film that lacks the star power, the exciting overtones, and the rock soundtrack of many better-known Vietnam sagas, but it is undeniably authentic and extremely well-acted.  It offers little in the way of hope, though a motion picture that seeks to probe the beginning of that difficult period in American history should emerge as a downer.  It wasn't a big-budget film and it isn't slick or exciting, but it is compelling.  Finally, Go Tel the Spartans is worth seeing for Burt Lancaster's somber performance alone, and anyone who enjoys this sort of fare should definitely seek it out. 

Final Grade: B


 


Trivia:
 Craig Wasson also starred in another of my favorite films about the Vietnam conflict that doesn't get the respect it deserves, The Boys in Company C.



 

The ill-fated Major Asa Barker's last words: "Oh shit."

Top 5 Songs by The Doors

Talk about a tough one.  What a band!  What a catalog!  So many great albums loaded with classic tunes, and so many of these tracks are so very near and dear to my heart.  I puzzled over this a lot, and it's still so easy to second-guess my choices.  Before I drop my list, let's talk a bit about The Doors and I. 

When it comes to art, I got a head-start.  Let me rephrase that, my dad gave me a head-start when it comes to art--music, movies, and books in particular.  These are things that happened in my life:

-I read my dad's copy of Christine by Stephen King when I was 8.

-When I was 10 or 11, I was getting ready to rent My Pet Monster or something like that.  "You should try this instead," dad said, handing me Phantasm. 

-Also at 11, dad gave me a double-cassette (That's right, double-cassette!  That's how we rolled once upon a when) greatest hits set of The Doors.

When it comes to that last one, well, honestly I was a bit perplexed.  I didn't know who The Doors were.  It wasn't one of the things I had asked for.  I remember looking at the picture on the front and expecting something like The Monkees at worst and maybe Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones at best.  I was into Van Halen and The Beastie Boys, and it didn't seem like a fit.

And then there came The Doors.  I'm not sure that I listened to anything else that summer.  I was totally lost in the music, totally riveted by what I heard, and there followed a lifelong love of that seminal band's unique and daring approach.  At some point thereafter, dad and I watched Apocalypse Now, and it was pretty damn cool to see a legendary band's music married to such a legendary picture to magnificent effect.

Also, I feel the need to talk about the talent involved.  This was one hell of a group.  Jim and his theatrics seem to get the lion's share of the credit.  His ability and his creativity were more integral to the group's success.  Additionally, the entire band was very talented.  If one wants to make a case for either Ray or Robby being more essential to The Doors than Jim, I'm not going to object.  Ray is actually my favorite contributor, but those three guys were all totally amazing.  It's not just that they were gifted either, they were passionate about sharing those gifts.  Densmore was also a quality percussionist and songwriter, and I'm certainly not trying to insult his contributions even if I have him a rung below his peers. 

So, yeah, . . . I had a tough time with this one.  Here's what I have:

Top 5 Songs by The Doors

#5 - Five to One

This one is so intense and so powerful that it almost feels like metal.  Morrison is so on, and the whole thing smokes from start to finish.

#4 - Hello, I Love You

Are there people who don't song along when they hear this one?

#3 - Riders on the Storm

Creepy, masterful, and so incredibly vivid.  Some songs really paint a picture--this one paints a lot of them.  This is a great example of the special kind of magic that The Doors possessed.  I just don't see how anyone else could have put together something like this.

#2 - Roadhouse Blues

Rowdy and fun, this is one of my personal favorites.  This one puts a smile on my face and showcases the blues sensibilities that gave the music such an edge at times.  Of all my choices, I feel that this one is the one I'm probably placing too high on my list, but I try to be honest with my decisions.  This is where I feel this track belongs.

#1 - The End

I'm tempted to wonder how much of an influence the movie had on my love for this one, but I have to remind myself that even before dad and I watched Apocalypse Now this was my favorite track.  Why wouldn't it be?  It's positively haunting, it's equally mesmerizing, and it has such an impact on the listener.  I could be wrong, but I feel like this is the most obvious choice on the list, and I'm not going to argue the point.

. . .

Seriously, what do you think? 

Is The End an easy choice in the top slot? 
 
Did I go too far with my love for Roadhouse Blues? 
 
How did so many great songs wind up on the shelf--what about Light My Fire or L.A. Woman?  There are others, many others.  

Did I disrespect John Densmore?

I would love to hear your take on The Doors and my Top 5.  Social commentary and questions regarding my father and his parenting choices are equally helpful; the healing process is going smoothly, but talking things out never hurts.