This is probably the biggest surprise out of what I’ve seen from the Criterion Channel’s Pre-Code Paramount set. It’s weird! Imagine what you’d get if you took an elegant but racy pre-Code plot and mixed it with a touch of the bouncing, musical absurdity of a Disney cartoon from the time. Set in Venice, the whole world around the characters tends to turn musical during key moments of the plot, especially the unforgettable beginning and ending.
It wouldn’t have been…
I appreciate the Devil-may-care attitude, but the material wore thin after a while. As Gervais continued drinking throughout the show, he noticeably laughed more at his own jokes, as the jokes got worse. I like Gervais, but after a strong start, this never felt like it went for anything more lasting than shock value.
From everything I’d heard about MASTER AND COMMANDER, I expected it to be great. But it surprised me in many ways. Mostly, its maturity and quietness.
There’re fewer naval battles than I expected and more time getting to know the crew and the period details of life on the ship.
The sound design is masterful. The score only comes in at key moments, so you’re mostly hearing the waves crack and the ship’s creaks.
Visually, the staging and cinematography make…
The music, singing, and dancing were all excellent, which is important, and a rare thing these days with movie musicals. And Spielberg’s trademark mastery of staging—the thing he truly excels at and that makes him, in that way, an heir of the greats like Ford and Hitchcock—gives him an advantage with the execution of the musical numbers. They were great, as they should have been. But, wow, I was very disappointed! Shocked, even. I had a fundamental issue with the…
