Two days ago, I discovered a masterpiece returned me to that I can’t watch contemporary flicks. It is By the Sword which was filmed in 1991. I recognized about this film by accident few months ago. It was in process of reading of Eric Roberts biography who didn’t mention this movie in which he performed. I began to watch and it didn’t let me go till end. An incredible drama with astonishing acting of F. Murray Abraham who enters in fencing school of ex-champion whom Roberts embodied. That was hyping to see how protagonist was accepted, his demonstration of true himself, his restoration of fencing mastery and that line of different teaching approach of two characters. And lovable achievement of Bill Conti who charmed by putting Spanish guitar from beginning and I wanted to listen his melody when final credits rolled after seeing a powerful conclusion. This way of storytelling and that’s demonstration and development of personages made why it forces me to ignore modern cinema with recalling CGI in alongside.
I read news on development of new film and I already see whole plot. I believe that I know how it will conclude. Because it has a lot of stereotypes and familiarity as almost every describing mentions “an estrange relative” with whom will unity eventually. Degradation of storytelling was detected years ago when I started to see that filmmakers make literal explanation of details for public. I didn’t salute in watching Lockout with Guy Pearce who receives grenade which works on voice about what tell to him but that will written on item itself for those who didn’t get it. Now, explanation of details became direct. I love old movies when a fine actor could demonstrate stance or feeling and any gesture which were understandable. It is not so difficult to guess why Captain Renault throws bottle into trash bin in Casablanca or face of Frank in the end of Once Upon a Time in the West explains without come of flashback in that moment. However, I’m not so sure all that will work for nowadays humans by watching videos where they can’t answer on basic questions in history. The screenplays were complex and intricate in the past while characters were saturated in personalization. Sadly, public accepts universal simplicity. Netflix, which king of it, in popularity.
The simplicity, which better sometimes name as primitive, became part in scene staging. You know how scene will be made as it Martin Campbell does who rejected his talent as I began to see it since The Foreigner and he is coming now with unimaginative rip-off of Die Hard in his Cleaner about girl who does that title work but has military background and you already feel through trailer that she will save everybody from terrorists in heading of Clive Owen who, perhaps, came for have fun. But that a teenage-looking human willn’t save from her dull personality and no acting ability.
How many times can hear describing as “top of the world”? Every time. You’re already get informed about such fact in trailer which tantalizes in that this agent is the best ever or a villain is the most ruthless man on a planet or a place has the biggest security or collection than wherever else. There are no personality in contemporary film.
Modern cinema became that having main roles people do show off of themselves by smashing myriad bad guys without serious confrontation in these dances which jokingly want to present as fights. Actually, it has in contracts of these stars. Such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Vin Diesel and Jason Statham requiring to be unstoppable punching/killing machine who never get harm and never be defeated. If the first had charisma and made the last good action in 2004 but he became emptiness since that while the second was born to be that whereas the third saved that gift in one with acting capability. However, I can’t see hope in Statham’s upcoming projects which develop under his opened studio Punch Palace Productions. That sounds familiar by reading in his unnamed project on reclusive main hero who saves a girl what causes to troubles and recalling of his dark past or other film The Mutiny on that his hero became framed for killing his boss and he will find out truth and exonerate himself by having accompany of allying female personage of Annabelle Wallis as I firmly confident in the last. Filmography of scriptwriters and director of this second movie are flicks to which I had same assuming of simplicity from beginning. And it started from titles which were Plane and The Contractor. I was interested in Statham’s The Beekeeper but trailer made that unbearable in how he in turned on god mode, as in computer games, just walks into secure area and crushes dozen people in full armor. Everything this was impossible to accept. I’m not against of such personages but it must be made right. However, simplicity in characteristics of all villains as it does today. It in ludicrous hairstyles and bright clothes. I didn’t give chance for watching but I did clicking for self-convince in how it will obviously end. Statham loses without a good screenplay. He can’t create such one. I saw another corroboration of catastrophe of Expend4bles when Sylvester Stallone said in video on giving baton to British performer and minimizing own involvement. Months later after film’s failure, Statham and Lundgren confirmed that everything always work well with script if Sly was involved. It’s true because this legend is a grandiose scriptwriter as it in Rambo: Last Blood where, as I once told, not many understand scenes in tunnels and it grabs me in horror when bunch of people attack him. I start to think on no necessity to read cinema news. Check filmography of talented filmmakers is what can become my preference.
However, I do pass and strike off of those such people as I have to Scott Adkins whose of one projects One Last Fight is about estranged brother-in-law who trapped in debt in illegal fighting which Djimon Hounsou controls and, certainly, a main personage will take place of his relative or Jean Reno who is ready to filming in a movie The Butler sounding familiar by structure where he plays a butler who was elite commando in World War I and he will discloses his skills for protect just came (what is another as always about time which either first or last.) new owners of manor against attacking mobs. A French actor has easygoing Wasabi which can watch from any moment and it presents that I accept and believe he can hit and make opponent to fly away on many yards. It became better in years by introduction scene in which he defeats and humiliates a cross-dressing gang of bank robbers. However, grotesque and comedy of movie combines with a strong drama about protagonist’s deep love he has to a Japanese woman. What is the most wonderful is place of wasabi which appears in one moment. By the way, I knew about it by that film.