Author: Simon Hardy Butler
Why the Space in Outer-Space Movies Should Be Silent
In space, the tagline for Alien (1979) once noted, no one can hear you scream. Apparently, everybody can hear Death Stars and intergalactic starships explode, though, while laser beams pew-pew-pew through the ether. Someone, please, someone give the world a film where the no-atmosphere environment is nice and quiet. Hollywood offers a culture of standards.…
The Problem with Closing Credits
Just once in my life, I’d like to see a movie where the closing credits appear in the middle of the picture. Not that such a move would make them more interesting. But at least the placement would be novelty enough. As you can see, I’m not a big fan of closing credits—at least, not…
Message Movies: Liking Films Despite Their Perspectives
You’ve got to admit that CURNBLOG’s readers have a deep memory. Witness a comment posted by “Carlos” in response to my recent article on the movie The Promise (2016) and a statement I made in it that said this: I don’t usually urge cinephiles to run after movies with messages for altruistic purposes, as I,…
Why the Armenian-Genocide Film ‘The Promise’ Is Crucial Cinema
It’s easy to be skeptical about preachy “man must” movies. You know: “Man must” not make war. “Man must” not ruin the Earth. “Man must” not be cruel to other people. The Promise (2016) is not a “man must” movie. Rather, it’s “must-see.” The film, which follows a love triangle as it progresses during the…
The Color of Blood: Why Gore’s Hue Might Affect Cinematic Believability
Does the color of blood in a violent scene affect a movie’s credibility? I’ve been asking this question for a while after mulling a variety of great films that feature unrealistic-looking hemo-splatter yet remain some of the most believable pictures of all time. The Godfather (1972) has a scene in which the crime-family head Vito…