I had a small difference of opinion with a podcast last December over a piece of hate mail I wrote in reaction to a “review” from a second and separate podcast. The original review did not do service to a favorite film of mine (Touch of Evil), and it galled me a bit. It was a situation that could only happen in the inner connected world of internet radio and blogging. I will not bore you here. If you are curious you can go back to What Did I Expect? post.
I come to you today to praise a show that gets it right. The Podcast is called Double Feature (Check them out. Click here.).
I’ve listened to several of their shows and they also covered Touch of Evil and other films noir. They discuss two movies per podcast. I was intrigued enough with their review of Kinky Boots to give it a rent and it was quite an enjoyable night at the movies. Thanks guys! But back to noir. They are young reviewers, but they show some respect to the old films. They do a bit of research. They explain how they came to the noir and the interesting back story for the picture they discuss. They also, like another podcast I know, show their youth by not being familiar with the old-time actor's careers (Edward G. Robinson). They habitually tie some action, plot, or visual from an older film to something created in their lifetime. (probably from the horror genre), but it is impossible to fault Double Feature for this. It is natural enough to compare something unfamiliar to something familiar, and this is a good entré for others their age or younger. What raises these fellows above a host of others is they do not come the to older material with an attitude. They are not sneering or bored, like punks. They take a real interest in their own topics. Yay!
They are also creative. They recast Touch of Evil with Robert Rodriguez actors. At first I thought that I wouldn't enjoy this exercise, but I was surprised by their efforts. I could imagine the alternative version of Touch of Evil, and it was still good.
I will be talking about Double Feature again I know. Right now I'm heading for ITunes to rate them five fingers.
Showing posts with label Outside The Cinema. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outside The Cinema. Show all posts
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Open Letter to Outside The Cinema Podcast
Please explain Episode #42 Underrated Zombie Pieces with a Touch of Evil.
No. Let me Explain. Explanation number 1. You thought the title “Touch of Evil” had something to do with Zombies.
Explanation number 2. You are really praying for some hate mail. Here's that hate mail you ordered. Touch of Evil gets a grade of B? “If you're into crime or noir films, it might be for you.”?
On one hand it was refreshing to listen to a review of Touch of Evil that ignores the opening crane/tracking shot, which is de rigor for any mention of the film. Unfortunately, that deficit is only the brightest highlight revealing your ignorance.
The more intelligent of the pair of you at least uttered the word “layers”. You should maybe crack a book and learn something about a film before you open your yaps. Or better yet, stick to what you do best: making lists. You shallow youngsters.
When I was a youngster, this film always hypnotized me. I would usually catch the end of it on TV. Charlton Heston wading in the dark, with a tape recorder, in the water and under a bridge. It would end and I would be left curious about the rest of the film. You mentioned the very different kind of role this was for Heston. This might have been the initial source of my curiosity. I disagree that the movie is unclear about the nationality of Heston's character. It is made very clear. You weren't paying attention.
The movie is so meta and a code book for Orson's career and the movie-making process, if we didn't know that Orson did not choose Heston (it was the reverse) then it might seem like an intentional casting stunt to make Heston's Vargas a key unlocking the legacy of this masterpiece. Remember that there is also Marlene Dietrich established as a chili-slinging gypsy fortuneteller in a Mexican border town. That casting was all Welles and to a lesser degree should similarly create a need to understand there be subtext here. And the cane left behind? Did you see that you goobs?
I can't believe you tools actually suggest that any would-be-viewer of Touch of Evil might want to refrain from simultaneously playing a damn video game because the film demands a bit more from a youngster. To me it sounded like you put this idea to the test. You tried to do both, found the film too powerful a distraction from Gears of Stupidity and decided to just speed-read the DVD packaging.
You should look forward to growing up and really enjoying Touch of Evil.
P.S. More Veruca Salt please.
—Rotwang
No. Let me Explain. Explanation number 1. You thought the title “Touch of Evil” had something to do with Zombies.
Explanation number 2. You are really praying for some hate mail. Here's that hate mail you ordered. Touch of Evil gets a grade of B? “If you're into crime or noir films, it might be for you.”?
On one hand it was refreshing to listen to a review of Touch of Evil that ignores the opening crane/tracking shot, which is de rigor for any mention of the film. Unfortunately, that deficit is only the brightest highlight revealing your ignorance.
The more intelligent of the pair of you at least uttered the word “layers”. You should maybe crack a book and learn something about a film before you open your yaps. Or better yet, stick to what you do best: making lists. You shallow youngsters.
When I was a youngster, this film always hypnotized me. I would usually catch the end of it on TV. Charlton Heston wading in the dark, with a tape recorder, in the water and under a bridge. It would end and I would be left curious about the rest of the film. You mentioned the very different kind of role this was for Heston. This might have been the initial source of my curiosity. I disagree that the movie is unclear about the nationality of Heston's character. It is made very clear. You weren't paying attention.
The movie is so meta and a code book for Orson's career and the movie-making process, if we didn't know that Orson did not choose Heston (it was the reverse) then it might seem like an intentional casting stunt to make Heston's Vargas a key unlocking the legacy of this masterpiece. Remember that there is also Marlene Dietrich established as a chili-slinging gypsy fortuneteller in a Mexican border town. That casting was all Welles and to a lesser degree should similarly create a need to understand there be subtext here. And the cane left behind? Did you see that you goobs?
I can't believe you tools actually suggest that any would-be-viewer of Touch of Evil might want to refrain from simultaneously playing a damn video game because the film demands a bit more from a youngster. To me it sounded like you put this idea to the test. You tried to do both, found the film too powerful a distraction from Gears of Stupidity and decided to just speed-read the DVD packaging.
You should look forward to growing up and really enjoying Touch of Evil.
P.S. More Veruca Salt please.
—Rotwang
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