Bad Influence: vice, versa and virtue
posted by Flickhead @ 6:14 AM
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Unless specified otherwise, text on his blog copyright © by Ray Young. Email.
Above: Sophie Marceau & Monica Bellucci in Ne te retourne pas
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
9 Comments:
This is perfect!
My wife & I went to the video store and randomly grabbed some movies last week and this was one of them. I didn't have the same positive reaction as you did (however, I did think James Spader was good), but I'm anxious to go read your review at the "film of the month" blog for a fresh take on this film. Every write-up I could find after watching it was pretty old.
Well done!
Thanks!
I've a personal bias for Curtis Hanson, which may color my perception. For all I know, the movie may be awful... but I found it an interesting addition to his oeuvre.
But what's good about this is that your "bias" for Hanson helps fill in the void of critical attention for a director like him.
I mean, I know he got attention with LA Confidential and others, but rarely (if ever!) have I seen somebody take a careerist look at someone like Hanson.
Personally, I don't even know where I stand on Hanson, but I think more directors like him - whether we personally like them or not - need to get fuller overviews. If not for the good of the director him or herself, then for the good of modern cinephiles and modern film culture.
I mean, I was just watching Sam Fuller's White Dog two weeks ago, and during the credits "Curtis Hanson" popped up in the screenplay credits!! I had no idea he went back that long, nor that he worked with guys like Fuller.
Maybe you should write a Curtis Hanson book! :)
...or kick off a Hanson blogathon? Hmmm... let me think about that...
I quite like Curtis Hanson's films. I haven't seen this one, but I have seen every film that came after it with the exception of Lucky You. They've all been a cut above many other films, even when they aren't quite up to par (e.g., The River Wild). I wish I knew why 8 Mile has been so ignored (as well as its magnetic star). I think its one of the best music films around.
Marilyn, I took a look at 8 Mile's budget and box office at IMDb, and at least it was monetarily successful: made for $41 million, it grossed nearly $117 million in the US.
But this and a few of Hanson's other films have been generally waved aside by critics. In Her Shoes was routinely dismissed, but I think it's excellent.
I figured 8 Mile did well at the box office because of Eminem's fan base, but I don't think cinephiles really paid much attention. It's a film I'm surprised I don't have in my collection (I must rectify that soon). As for In Her Shoes, I completely agree. The relationship between the sisters felt very real. It was well written and directed.
I'd favor a blogathon, but Hanson hasn't really made very many films.
Back in the day, while dating a pretty hot number, one night she and her closest girlfriend went out and saw BAD INFLUENCE. The next afternoon she declared all men evil and dumped me. I'm guessing it was a combination of this film's storyline and people in those days then telling me I resembled Rob Lowe. I'm glad I look more like Victor Buono nowadays.
Do you dress like King Tut?
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