Some Film Oddities

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Movie Experiences and Oddities

Going to the movies these days, you or I are not likely to have the "experience" that we did many years ago ... for example, no stereo big enough in your house, will ever come close to the experience that was at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, and neither will it come close to the original way "Star Wars" was shown, which included speakers under many seats through the audience so the sound would go through the whole theater ... and loud! And towards the end, with all that flying, let me tell you ... that's an experience and then some!

But, for me, there were a few far out things. Some of it was the film itself, but the ones that really stood out often were special showings that were not repeated, thus making the experience for that particular film, different and sometimes not as great, or otherwise, the regular version that you get to see on Blue Ray, or a DVD these days.

In many ways, a lot of film these days, is not half as good, since there are not many film makers stretching the boundaries, although, it might be easier to say that those folks are still at it, but the boundaries are in areas that we have not noticed yet ... perhaps the future will show more ... but it is said that the Covid thing a few years ago, is what hurt going to the movie theaters, although I think that a lot of companies that owned the theaters, simply were not making enough money to go spend it on something extraordinary that was going to bring only a nickel more ... and in the past few years ... nothing, not to mention, that I'm not sure that the majority of film releases simply do not warrant the great, and far out experience that we might have caught at one time.

That said ... here are a few moments that I always remember.

- Upset feeling for a day. "Don't Look Now" ... the way that film moves is really tough and the contrasts are so ... out there ... that when it ends like it does, you leave the theater ... wow ... and the film had some incredible moments. You can't help feeling sad!

- Dizzy experience. Went to Disneyland, one of my least favorite places, and got to see the 180 degree thing, or was it 360 degrees? Flying around Manhattan making it look like you were one of the planes chasing King Kong ... it was neat, but different and the experience is not for everyone, but it is far out. It's more show than it is a go ... forgetable!

- Widen you view of ... that's a film? The Cinerama Dome was about a very wide screen done with 3 projectors ... that showed a single screen in a very wide style, that was cool, but made you crazy ... I remember one tease sequence, and there was a girl in a bikini on the far right ... and guess what ... one in the far left ... and it took your attention ... something that a film is not designed to do, although some directors take advantage of that (Godard for sure!) ... but breaking out the "experience" is tough ... you and I go outside and we look around and see a very wide view and show, but never think of it as a "movie" and all of a sudden the show at the Dome, is more a "show" that it is something that is helpful and you can learn from. But the intentional ability to split your view, was not cool in my book ... you ended up not experiencing the development of the technology at all ... because of the bikinis.

- Dizzy experience ... too. I couldn't help it, but there was a special showing/release of "Lawrence of Arabia" in Hollywood, and it was on a wide screen ... and all that ... and let me tell you that long shot of Omar Shariff arriving from the desert ... is insane ... and you kinda hallucinate just seeing it ... it's bright, and very strong, and probably a 2 to 3 minute experience that even some movie moguls said was a waste of celluloid ... but it is, by very far, one of the most memorable scenes in all film history, and you really have to see it in the big screen, because your 72 inch screen and Blue Ray at home is not enough.

- Crazy and insane. The Portland International Film Festival, on occasion, has a thing or two worth seeing, but not all of it, is really ... something that you want to watch at all ... because it is way out there ... "I Stand Alone" was one ... insane ... film, not to mention experience. The gunshots themselves, not synced with anything except to get you to jump out of your seat, since they are not quite a part of the story at all ... and then the film is strictly one hundred percent inside the guy's mind, and it is all over and non-stop, and before one hour of the film, half the audience had already left ... it was that harsh and difficult to sit through. I suppose, for a "film" it has its points, even if not something that you can sit and enjoy ... but it is totally out of mind and spec ... and definitely not something that you take yor girlfriend, or wife to see on a date ... 

- Overblown crap. Went with my friend and roomate to a "Hollywood Premiere" for which he had tickets ... and the film was "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" with Vincent Price ... and all the stars and everyone else got inside the theater by going through that carpet, and the big names get ovations, and all that and the Pacific Pantages (I think it was ...) was decked out in card board to look like some kind of a huge mansion, or world class this or that ... well, if you didn't smell that perfumes, you would not have had a really good trip ... probably better than the psychedelics of the day! The film was fine ... not a genre that I tend to live in, but the film shown a a larger screen than normal ... made it seem more important ... not really better!

- Is it weird or is it a masterpiece? ... If you ever want to see a film, that is way out there, far out, and really special in its own way, you got to sit through "Performance" and appreciate a visual masterpiece, with incredible music, and outstanding writing and acting ... you get the feeling that there is not a single moment in the film that is not connected and is trying to sidetrack you altogether ... the premise alone is a bit far out, and a lot of folks seem to connect it to some kind of occult this or that, but in the end, a beautifully written and defined film, doesn't need "hints" of anything in order to show how great it is. The hard part? Sitting through the film and stop trying to "figure out" everything, and just let it flow ... and maybe, when you see it a 2nd time, you find that wow ... this is connected to that and that is connected to that over there ... and it doesn't stop. With some amazing work in acting, by Mick Jagger, Anita Pallenberg, James Fox and then ... that visual camera ... is a wow, all the way through ... it still is, by far, one of the best films I have ever seen. 

And NOW, it's your turn!

Edited by moshkito - June 10 2024 at 06:40