Changing directions: Take 2

by Erik J. Martin

(Note: This is part 2 of a 2-part article that first published last week.)

When directors switch gears to direct a film in a genre they're not normally associated with, the results can be hit or miss.

Consider, for example, the master Alfred Hitchcock himself. Bet you didn’t know that the widely acknowledged “master of suspense” actually attempted one true comedy (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” 1941) and one musical (“Waltzes From Vienna,” 1933, that Hitch later admitted marked the “lowest ebb” of his career).

Were you also aware that the men Hitchcock greatly influenced, “Halloween” director John Carpenter, and “Body Double” director Brian DePalma, tried their hands at a made-for-TV biopic (Carpenter’s lame “Elvis: the Movie,” 1979) and a comedy (DePalma’s Joe Piscopo stinker “Wise Guys,” 1986)?

Other film failure precedents include the 1978 funkified musical “The Wiz,” directed for some strange reason by “Dog Day Afternoon’s” Sidney Lumet, and the ultra-contrived “Annie,” the 1982 stage-to-film musical bafflingly helmed by “Maltese Falcon” director John Huston.

Not every genre hopper trips over his bullhorn, however. Woody Allen, the king of intellectual comedies, had better luck with his 1996 song-and-dance experiment “Everyone Says I Love You,” as did Martin Scorsese, the monopolist of gritty street-smart dramas like “Goodfellas,” and “Silence of the Lambs” skipper Jonathan Demme, who directed two surprisingly masterful rock concert films, 1978’s “The Last Waltz,” and 1984’s “Stop Making Sense,” respectively.

Of course, it’s probably only a matter of time before ultraviolent visionary Quentin Tarantino decides to direct a Disney cartoon.

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"Gone with the Wind" coming to Beverly Arts Center

The Beverly Arts Center is hosting "Gone With The Wind" (1939) on Bigscreen Sunday, April 18, at 2 p.m. All tickets are $5.

All tickets $5

Not Rated. RT: 3:58 ---- Intermission provided.

Hot-tempered, self-centered, part-Irish Southern beauty Scarlett O'Hara, played to the teeth by Vivien Leigh, loves the gentlemanly Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). Smug, rebellious, honest, blockade-running profiteer Rhett Butler, portrayed gracefully and naturally by Clark Gable, loves Scarlett. Ashley, who is also in love with Scarlett, marries his genteel cousin Melanie (Olivia de Havilland) because he believes that their quiet similarities will create a better marriage than Scarlett's passion. Meanwhile, sparks fly between Rhett and Scarlett at their first encounter and continue throughout Scarlett's first two marriages. Scarlett and Rhett finally wed, but Scarlett continues to pine for her beloved Ashley. Set against the Civil War and Southern Reconstruction, this tragic love quadrangle offers the burning of Atlanta and fields of wounded Confederates as part of its lush scenery. Meticulous backdrops, glorious sunsets, numerous silhouettes, and the ultrasaturated Technicolor film create a hyperreal vision. The romantic score is every bit as lush and dramatic as the photography, borrowing folk melodies from the Old South to make the tragic war concrete. Heavy nostalgic tones pervade the often witty dialogue and larger-than-life charms and faults of the leads. GONE WITH THE WIND stands among the greatest epic dramas ever filmed.

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Make a date with "Lars and the Real Girl"

Lars' girlfriend is a real doll. Seriously. A real doll. You've simply got to meet her to appreciate her statuesque, classic beauty. Join CineVerse on April 14 for "Lars and the Real Girl," which promises to be a hoot.

Click here for the 411 on this flick.

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Changing directions

When directors switch genres, results can be hit or miss

by Erik J. Martin

(Note: This is part 1 of a 2-part article that will conclude next week.)

Quick trivia: What do the cult classic horror films “Hellraiser” and “Night Breed” have in common with “Music of the Heart,” the weepy feelgood drama starring Meryl Streep, now in theaters?

Answer: They’re all films directed by macabre master Wes Craven.

As if that celluloid paradox isn’t enough to make film fans do a double take, consider other current examples of an unspoken trend resurgent in Hollywood—that of directors firmly established in one genre switching gears to helm a movie in a completely different category.

For more proof, simply look to “The Straight Story,” a currently playing G-rated family film brought to you none other than director David Lynch, the same twisted imagination who gave the world “Twin Peaks” and “Eraserhead.”

Or consider the recent Kevin Kostner romantic comedy “For the Love of the Game,” directed by gore guru Sam Raimi of “Evil Dead” and “Darkman” fame.

Whether it’s to explore uncharted moviemaking waters, avoid being pigeonholed in one genre, or to boost a sagging cinematic career, many film directors make the jump from familiar to foreign phylum, often with mixed results.

The late Stanley Kubrick pulled it off successfully in 1964 with “Dr. Strangelove,” a bold political spoof in which the auteur of violent, brooding fare such as “Spartacus” and “The Killing” harnessed the evasive power to make audiences laugh.

And then there was Roman Polanski, the esteemed director of “Chinatown” and other dark masterpieces, who tried it in 1986 with the absurdly awful Walter Matthau comedy adventure “Pirates,” and failed miserably.

Next week: Part 2

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Bite the "Bullit"

Learn why Steve McQueen was the McKing of cool by coming to CineVerse on April 7 for a point blank look at "Bullit", featuring one of cinema's all-time great car chase sequences.

For more information on "Bullit," click here.

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Joanie loves "Hachi"

The Oak Lawn Library, in its lower level meeting room, will be showing the following film, free of charge: Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) Wednesday, April 7 at 10 a.m. -- A drama based on the true story of a college professor's bond with the abandoned dog that he takes into his home. Starring Richard Gere and Joan Allen. Rated: G. 93 min.

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Howl at the "Moon"

The Oak Lawn Library, in its lower level meeting room, will be showing the following film, free of charge: FOR TEENS IN GRADES 6-10 -- Twilight: New Moon (2009) -- Wed., April 7 at 6:30 p.m. When Edward leaves Bella, her whole world is turned upside down. With Bella's heart broken, she turns to Jacob (Jake) her best friend to fill the void that was left by Edward. As Bella spends more time with Jake, she learns that there's more than vampires in the town of Forks. PG-13. 130 min.

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E.T., you and me makes three

The Oak Lawn Library, in its lower level meeting room, will be showing the following film, free of charge: E. T. the Extraterrestrial (1982) -- Monday, April 5 at 2 p.m. -- A young boy discovers a stranded alien and must help him find his way home. Rated: PG. 115 min.

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A decade to remember

For April, CineVerse asks the question: What was the greatest decade in movies? What was your favorite 10-year period in film? Was it the golden age of Hollywood in the 1930s when MGM ruled? Was it the daring decade of the seventies, when Coppola, Spielberg, Scorsese and others reigned? Are you partial to the widescreen epics and Cold War classics of the 1950s?

Chime in with your vote by participating in our new poll, which can be found on our home page on the top left sidebar.

And by the way, here are the results of March's poll, which asked: Which element of a movie is most important to your enjoyment?

• Story: A well-written screenplay (66%)
• Direction: The fulfilled vision of a skilled filmmaker(s) (16%)
• Casting and acting: Solid performances by talented actors (8%)
• Visual and esthetic appeal: the cinematography, art direction, costume design and effects (8%)
• Rhythm: Appropriate length, good pace, flow and editing the film (0%)

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