Post by Casablanca on Jul 21, 2009 12:16:23 GMT -5
"Making Of..." (Daz)
The phrase “Making of…” is really a term with double meaning. In one manner, it can refer to the plot, the idea, of the film. In another sense, it can stand from something of a more critical point, and that could be describing itself, and thus “Making of…a comedy”, because not only is this the innovative, delightful, breath-of-fresh-air comedy that absolutely needed to be released, but it is also a perfect genre exercise where as it experiments and plays with the concepts and clichés, turning the term “documentary” on its head, and with wholesomely realistic, albeit quirky dialogue and characters, gives us an unparalleled humorous look into the strange side of Hollywood. In this, it is, to date, the best film on MR about film so far, certainly the most distinctive. To quote the film, “This is a new model; the buttons are all ... screwy.” They are indeed, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
A bad film is a colouring book of a cast of characters all bare white. They may be there, the actors, but there is neither personality nor characteristic voice which is personal to each, and eventually they all get tossed into the same grab bag. In this aspect, comes out the film’s greatest achievement. Every single character is not only different and lively, but it is done so to the point of self-parody, where no two voices are alike, and no matter how you try, no similarity goes without ten times the differences. This is what floored me, because you have this documentary-style film, which, originally, shouldn’t be a character piece, nor dive truly into personality, but here are characters more energetic and more appealing then much others I’ve read. They are truly likable, amusing people. From the gruff Jack, the diva Amanda, or the comedy vault of Jeremy.
Technically, the film is quite consistent, and never falters due to where, in the timeline, it is during the film. I do believe that the middle pieces rank among some of the funniest and more interesting scenes, though the beginning dives in so fast, and the ending so tongue-in-cheek entertaining that it all, in the end, comes to feel as a complete package of relentless jokes, the quality of succeeding different for each, though many, many which rank above “quite funny”, and even beyond the infinite, my favourite scene being the small but charming scene where a few characters picket production. From Jackson to the chant, it is all perfectly timed.
Clocking in at 120-some pages, this is a movie that is bound to daunt, and, in effect, turn away many potential viewers, but this could stand as the definitive example of a book which is destined to be judged by its cover, because I can not, for the life of me, name a more breezy, hilarious film, nor a better way to spend a few hours on the Internet.
The structure of its film makes it easily accessible, open to comic value, and also quickly paced. The marvel of its construction is just mentioned; the scenes come at you with such a lightning striked speed, that no attention is paid to any one detail, and no moment or sequence gets too much to its due, and we end up getting what feels more like a series of vignettes strung together with the common idea that these people in them are meant to keep laughing. A quick point to note, think about how different, how far off, this is from Daz’s usual. Take, “Brunch”. In that, there was not only a complex story, but characters with a complex past, full of regrets and conflict. In “X-Men”, we got some very intelligent adventure story-telling, and now we really forsake all story or discernable plot and focus in on only the script. Daz is very much out of territory, and how he managed to find his way in the dark without bumping into anything is a wonder of its own, and shows his wonderful scope as a director.
Having to compare this, though, to some other of the comedy efforts released, I’d say it takes, pretty much the cake. I prefer it to “Catching Kerby” and to “18th Road”, two remarkable comedies in their own right. I do not, though, think it passes “Brunch” for greatness, and that brings up the question of which is funnier, and which is a serious comedy. That, the answer is obvious, since “Brunch” is a drama with comedic quirks. “Making Of…” is a comedy, pure and simple, bare to the bone.
Another thing that has been pointed out, but needs to be so again, as to upon further mention is the film’s vast innovation. It is quite different then anything else written on MR, and joins “5:30” for literally bending a genre and doing great things with it, though no9t surreal, surely different. This opens a lot of possibility for Daz, as a director, I fell, and also much more expectation, and with late especially, the quality of his films seems to reach and cause anticipation of so high standards. Success is a gun with a strong kick to it.
Overall, this film took its turn exciting me, touching me with its easy going charm, relaxing me and overall, giving me two hours I wouldn’t have spent any other way. From the cast of characters, some of the best, to the perfect timing, quality and method of the jokes; the film touches perfection more then once, and always hovers in greatness. Is it a masterpiece of comedy, or a masterpiece of MR film? That’s what will be discussed and debated when its release is here. So, the end a point, and paraphrase a final time, the real question is if, given the chance, I would read it all again? The answer is yes, and I will, skipping to those absolutely wonderful one-liners or exchanges.
