Post by Dale on Oct 3, 2008 22:10:32 GMT -5
Casablanca and the Movies
10th Anniversary Episode
casablanca3491 - Casablanca
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Hello, MR Directors and patrons, and welcome to the tenth episode of “Casablanca and the Movies”. As you all know, this is our 10th Anniversary Episode and we have quite a schedule for tonight, as this will prove to be quite the special episode. Now, one recommendation. I have you here for quite some time, so why don’t you all turn away from the computer right now, go make a nice big bowl of popcorn and get comfortable, and I’ll lay out tonight’s arrangement. We will start off with a review of massive proportions, the review to “g”, the crowd pleasing movie of the year with so much hype around it, I should be careful on what I criticize, however, as you know, that has never stopped me before, so brace for that. Afterwards, I will post and look at a short film by Jester, followed by an interview with Jester himself. This will be one of the many interviews of the night. Then, we will take a small break from specific directors and films, so I can have a short lecture, and analysis off the “structure” of the many films on Movie Reels, as I will call a few films up for examples, most noticeably “Mills of God”. Coming after this we will have our first out of three parts of Trailer Analysis, in which we will look at, dissect, and review new, exclusive trailers, made specifically for this 10th Anniversary Episode. The second interview of the episode will come here, one with Mr. Vincent, who was nice enough to come back and answer a few more questions. Another short story by Movie Lord Productions will lead to part 2 of Trailer Analysis, and then two reviews to two older films. A third interview with Batman, then a special TV Guide section where I will list as many TV shows as I can and put a paragraph for each, telling you my thoughts and feelings towards each, will lead way to quite an exciting event, as Barrett has provided this show with an all new “lost” episode of “Where Were We?”, his award winning, and acclaimed television show. Then another little delight, as I will list all of the categories for the Entertainment Awards and what, so far, I would nominate for them. Two more reviews will ensue as I cover even more old films, and then to a new show, as I look at indy42’s new “project”, in which a pilot has been released last week, and more episodes are yet to come. A fourth interview, this time with Joey Jojo Jr. Shabadoo, followed by a short film by none other then Cristo. Trailer Analysis Part 3 will come next, and then, finally and sadly, we must end this episode with updates on the next few episodes and also on the rules and regulations for the “8 Months of Theater Time Contest”.
Well, with all of that introduction behind us, sit back, relax and let’s start with “Casablanca and the Movies: 10th Anniversary Episode”!
To start off, let’s go in on a good note with my review to the new film “g”, quite a popular comedy that, from my understanding is a collaboration between Captain Blaggers and a few others who gave tips and advice. Such a film sounds like a miracle in the making, as, since it has the tips from others, we get a mix of all types and genres, however, the best way to know is to look, so let’s take a peak at what my thoughts on it were:
”g”
*** .75 of ****
“g” surprised me in many ways. It surprised me on the level of a comedy, on the level of a story and on the level of the narrative in which it was told. I was expecting something quite different, and thus, it did not meet my expectations or miss them, but differ from them, and entered a category of its own, free from hopes, adding to the sheer delightness of the film, and that fresh quality which wins a critic over every time. This is no exception.
First, and most noticeably, this film is not only hilarious, that is a gross understatement, it is absolutely hysterical. I have never laughed so much in my life, and I have seen some pretty funny films in my life. This is all due, naturally, to the screenplay, which plays god and master over this film. It twists the characters and the scenarios and makes so many awkward moments and humorous scenes that it isn’t possible to even crack a smile at the out of control anarchy which seems to take place. The lines are written sharply. They are fun, fast and furious, as they shoot out at incredible speed, by the bulk, all of which will be quoted non-stoop until the end of Movie Reels. The jokes are set on super speed and are never turned off until the end, in which they abruptly end, bringing a close to a short film, and that, perhaps, is the film’s only flaw. It leaves us wanting more; it seems like a large trailer with the good parts left in. Those good parts though, luckily for us, are amazingly good!
Now, the main interest point about the film is the characters, as everyone will want to know how they and others are portrayed. The answer: perfectly. Every character has the personality of the user, only twisted, exaggerated, and slapped with a special brand of funny that only a director as talented and as light hearted as Blaggers could produce. I, myself , am featured in it, in a scene which I consider to be comic genius as I rate some drugs “3.98976425 out of 4”, relating back to how I would rate movies 3.99 and such. Hilarious. Also, how he shows Cristo fighting for his injustice by protesting on the street. Perfect! That just goes to show how he uses events on Movie Reels and makes them his own, making it outrageous, and unbelievable, and very, very funny.
The film starts like it ends:
INDY
I work for the biggest pimp in town, friend, and he's very angry with you.
LEGEND
Who?
INDY
Mr. Vincent.
Legend gasps and begins polishing even harder.
LEGEND
M Veezey? But he's the biggest pimp in town!
INDY
...I just said that.
And that does not mean the same scene; it means that it has the same style of tone, the same mood, as the start. This movie goes nowhere, and in a good way. It gets us comfortable with its world, its universe and let’s us stay there, it allows us the privilege. And it works! We don’t want to leave, in fact, the film feels like being executed. You walk down a long hall with the disturbing fact that at the end lies something terrible and wicked. This, of course, resorts back to the film’s flaw where it ends much to soon. It is as if, while walking down the tunnel to be executed, one of the officers pulls out a gun and shoots you. Too soon.
On top of the comedy though, it acts as a great screwball thriller, a genre I thought I would never see! It gives us some remains of a story, some remnants of suspense and thrills. It has enough to keep us interested, intrigued, even though the comedy reins supreme, and in the end, is what we love about the film. Thought the story, let it be known, is to be appreciated.
Now, I realize the ambition is essentially nothing. The scope is so small that it wouldn’t make a decent meal. However, what would you have preferred? A dark story? I enjoy its small ambition, the fact that it stays within its own realms, afraid top go out into the light, or in this film’s case, go out into the darkness, because there is none in this film. It is nothing but barrels of laughs, belly rubbing humor and smile inducing moments. A fun film, a great film, and darn close to a perfect film!
With that done, and the hype either suppressed or let even more wild, I would like to turn to something special, a short dory, devised just for this episode by Jester, whom I thank. Let me post it, and then afterwards let’s take a quick look at it and see how it is and if it has that style of Jester’s other films.
Feeble Winter Nights
A wave of brown hair, lightly curled, fell down elegantly around her long neck.
Her exotic eyes spoke a thousand words of desire. Enchanting blue complimented with long thick lashes, as dark as her soul, captivated the weakness of men wherever this delicate flower decided to fly. Her mysterious eyes were framed by high arching eyebrows which curved up thin and slender.
Her mouth, full of unspoken lust, curled up in an amused smirk. She had full thick lips, red as blood and twice as deadly. A pout came naturally to those lips. But it was not a pout of displeasure. It was a pout of pure seduction.
An elegant petite nose turned slightly up subtly revealed the nature of her character. She was a woman who fancied herself high amongst her world.
All this features were carved from smooth perfect ivory skin. Porcine white gave her an easy innocent appeal. But this woman was far from the naive game she liked the play.
"We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly."
Margaret Atwood
***
The moon was the only witness tonight. It hung silently in the air, nonjudgmental to all that passed beneath it. A ghostly voyeur, whose own curiosity was fed by the feeble acts of men. The very point of appearing full in the cloudless sky above was the only sign that Alex Du’Rose needed. The moon wanted to witness something tonight. Alex intended that that feat would be something tragic indeed.
Alex stood, concealed by brunches, at the mouth of a dark alleyway. It extended deep into pure darkness down through the back of a row of country houses. The alley was a river; a river that had grown with fear and mistrust. Every human being had an irrational fear of the dark. It was this that made this alley so... ‘daunting’. It was long, snaking its way deep into the night. Bending and twisting like any river should, this alley hid many secrets. Few were foolish enough to be caught in its currents.
Thick branches hung over creating a cliff face for this river. The bed of the alley was littered with dying leafs which, lifted by the gust of wind, made their way willingly down stream. Moonlight seeped though the brunches creating ripples of mystic light. The alley was somewhat a cultivated feel to it.
This would be the alley where Alex would commit his crime. It struck him odd that the only witness he should have is the moonlight which so daringly penetrated the ebbs of the alley.
His breath frosted in front of him. His body made the only sounds of this cold night. A deep nasal breath, the occasional twitch of flesh, a low hum of a gulp, a discreet click of a bone. Each noise echoed into the silence of the night until the repressive dark swallowed it whole. He needed to be more quiet. Each movement was a loud as if he had been screaming. How could a man hide if every part of his body worked against him? His only cover was the causal rustle of leaves and the light blow of wind. He prayed that it was enough to cover his own noise. Even the birds seemed particularly silent, as if they too knew his plans and wished to be no part of it.
And then she came. She floated out from the trees with a light grace. A gowned of white trailed behind her, covering her body tightly like a bedsheet. Wisps of hair caught the light breeze. The moon shone down catching her in its stare. For a brief heartbeat of a moment, the world stood still. Snared by shafts of moonlight, this beauty stood captured. Her white gown flowed around her as if she was a rock caught in a river. Her hair battled and crashed around her but still managed to look beautiful. Her back stood tall and straight, every ounce a queen. She was looking over her shoulder. A look of uncertainty carved into her face. The moonlight half lit her features. Half her face showed her pure beauty. The other was hidden in darkness. A picturesque scene.
An autumn leaf drifted down from a tree above brushing her shoulder. With a sudden rush the world came screaming back. She turned, and drifted, like a piece of dead hollow wood, into the mouth of the alley.
Alex filled his lungs with air. Could he do this? Something deep inside echoed his fears. Could he actually bring himself to do this? Doubt sunk into his mind drowning him in unease. He panicked. He needed to breathe, he needed air, he needed to breath. She could snap me like a twig. Her eyes could swallow me whole. Do I dare? Hot. He was hot. Hot on a cold night. He needed to breathe. Could he go through with this? Suffocation. He needed to breathe.
***
She was moving with uncertainty. Each footstep was becoming more unsure than the last. But she dare not turn and fight the current. No, she must reach the end of this alley. She was worried as she knew what was coming at the other end. She was running. Always running. Never turning to face her fears.
Instinctively she turned. Nothing. The mouth of the alley was swallowed by the night. No movement and not a sound. She took a shaky breath. This alley wasn’t the most appealing option. Too many parts were hidden in shadow. Anything could be lurking in this alley. But she had a simple choice. Take a five minute walk through her horror or take a forty minute walk around town to her destination. Time was important here. She knew the longer she waited the more the nagging feeling in her heart would grow. She had made a decision but every ounce of her essence screamed at her to change her mind. But her heart told her different.
She shivered. A chill worked down her spine. It was a cold night and she had chosen to wear lose clothes. Under her gown she was completely naked. The coldness of the night kept her mind focused and awake. Beneath her gown her body felt like a lake of fine ice. Her naturally white body, almost perfect skin, was now blue with the merciless touch of winter. She shivered again. She could not deny that she felt some sort of pleasure at how awake and aware she felt. The dark pressed in all around as she descended deeper into the alley. Threat seemed ensnared in every shadow, branch, bush. She knew she should feel afraid, but the sense of danger only made this journey appeal more to her. She knew that after tonight her life would change. Tonight would determine the remainder of her days.
A light breeze swept up her brown curls. Her blood red lips twisted in distain as another shudder of a chill made its way through her. The skin on her long elegant neck creased momentarily as she swallowed a dry mouthful of air. A light prickle of goose bumps climbed its way up her bare pale arms. The moonlight caught the intense demined look in her exotic marvellously blue eyes.
A sudden jolt of anticipation shot her in her stomach, leaving her breathless. Suddenly all her fears came rushing back. Her stomach set alight with worry. She stopped in her tracks and doubled over with a light gasp. Could she do this? She felt like she was drowning. She needed to breathe. Do I dare? Hot. She was hot. Hot on a cold night. Her pale skin showed flecks of pink as the blood rose to the surface of her skin. She needed to breathe. Could she go through with this? Suffocation. She needed to breathe.
***
His target had stopped. Alex caught his breath. He became suddenly aware of a thin layer of cold sweat on his skin. It trickled down his body like a dagger of ice. He dare not move to itch it. He must be still and remain hidden in the shadows. Had she seen him? Had he made too much noise? He knew he should have turned back. Fear struck his heart. It was all coming to a collision. Everything was rushing towards him. His world was falling around him and he was powerless to stop it. No. No, he could stop it and he will tonight. He watched his target begin to move again. That was a relief.
He moved with every step she took. He shifted from one shadow to another as silent as their glorious witness; the moon. He knew tonight would mean a new beginning for him. Tonight would determine the rest of his days. Tonight would change everything.
He passed from one shadow to the next. For a brief moment, moonlight lit his face. His eyes showed sheer determination. Behind the initial glare lay something deeper. Something darker. Something almost animal. Hidden beneath all the years of formality and social structure lay an animal instinct. It was something that is hidden within us all. We can not escape it for it is who we are, who we were and who we’ll always be. Animals.
A voice inside Alex’s head whispered something almost unintelligible. It was almost demonic. The voice whispered; kill her. His face twisted in a sudden explosion of anger, his fist folded into a tight fist, his lip trembled. Animal.
***
She quickened her pace. The exit loomed up ahead in the form of a bust of dim orange light. Street lamps, she assumed. An eerily aurora imbedded itself in her. Something told her that tonight had been a bad idea. But she had played social politics with her life for too long. It was time to make a decision. She had chosen right and she knew it. But did she? There was something swimming deep within her which asked that very question. Was she sure she has chosen right?
Suddenly, orange bathed her in a forbidding glow. Her eyes shook free the shock and took in the scene before her. She had escaped the alley. She had poured from its mouth suddenly and now she found herself in a rural country road. Manors filled her gaze as far as she could see into the night. Peculiar domestic lights sat fixed in the darkness, each warmly beckoning her forward. They sat a fair way ahead of her. It would still take her five minutes to make her way to the nearest of these manors. It was this manor which was her destination.
She tilted her head back. She was a lady and this was in her control. It was almost finished. Tonight would be a fine night indeed.
She trembled with coldness. Her mind was quick to reassure her that her tremble had simply been an exercise of freeing herself from her doubts and worries. On the surface she believed this lie. Underneath the truth scared at her.
***
He was close enough to smell her rose perfume which elegantly complimented her neck. She exited the alley. An amber glow swept her into a misted cloud. Alex lingered. He must wait to know what her next move was. He had become rather curious tonight. Where was she going? Where was she taking him? He didn’t want to know because he knew already. He had known for a long time but had refused the idea.
She was a weed chocking the life out of him. Her petals had lured him. Her aroma had fooled him. Her roots had imbedded deep within him. Her poison had dazed him. Her thorn had picked his finger once to many. She was leading him into doom.
With a short pause, she started up again. She appeared in a hurry as she crossed a wide country lane. Lights bobbed mysteriously over the fields which now stretched before him. He took a moment to let her get far enough ahead, and then he followed.
He stalked his pray like the wolves of the night. Silent. Graceful. Like a whisper on the wind. She entered the fields of a particular manor and drifted towards the house. The animal inside of him stirred. He felt his skin grow warm. Sweat pushed free from his body before freezing in the cold night air. His eyes widened. He knew this house.
Something inside him snapped. A fragile strand of sanity broke away, free falling into a pit of madness. Pain and misery is all he felt. He would destroy this woman. He growled inhumanly. The animal stirred.
***
She heard. A low hum filled her ears. Her heart suddenly clenched. Her skin chilled. Terror burnt through her mind. Her thoughts registered that something was behind her. Her striking eyes widened in horror. She was a few metres from the house. She could run. She could scream. She spun without thinking.
***
For a heartbeat of a moment, her face betrayed her. Horror and confusion riddled her face twisting her pretty features. Those pouty lips trembled as an alienated stab realisation burst within her. Her eyes were wide. Her breath raspy. Her skin white. Her hair matted with sweat. A lock stuck to her forehead painting a fragile picture. All within a heartbeat. Then her canvas was replaced with a blank controlled, almost curious, stare.
“Hello Alex.” A think honeyed voice slid from her lips. Each letter was pronounced and calculated.
Alex couldn’t help but smile. It was more of a twitch really. He knew he should speak. He must remain calm until he knew the truth.
“What brings you here?” She asked with an innocent tone, a contrived tone.
He swallowed. He must not let her beat him. “I ask you the same question wife. What brings you here?”
She smirked. “I was seeing our good friend James regarding a surpri-“
“When we were in Greece last year, I asked you if you had ever lied to me.” He muttered in a dark voice cutting her off.
She went to speak again. Alex continued. “You replied ‘no’.”
“I-“
He carried on. “I asked you if you would ever lie to me. What did you reply wife?”
She swallowed. The pupils of her eyes betrayed her otherwise calm exterior. “You must unders-“
“What did you reply wife.” His voice grew slightly louder. She felt the edge in his voice. He saw a light die in her eyes. Her nostrils on her slim nose flared. Her thick red lips pressed together. Her face was a mould of tension.
“I replied ‘no’ Alex.” She said finally. All hope had fled from her tone.
Alex forced down the urge to grab at her. “Then I ask you again. What are you doing here?”
Her neck tilted her head backwards. Those eyes regarded his without blinking. In one fluid direct tone, she told him. “I am here to end my affair with your work colleague Alex.”
He crumbled. His skin pulled in from the inside. He felt like his heart was dragging everything to the centre of his being. He found himself beginning to fall. Wet ruined his cheeks. He realized he was crying. He had known. He had known for a long time so why did it pain him so to her it so plainly from her mouth?
She was upon him before he could push her away. His body was heavy. His arms were weights. He felt her hands rake through his hair. She pulled him up and forced him into her neck.
‘Alex... I am finishing it with him. I chose you Alex. We have had a difficult time lately but I know we can figure it out. Alex, look at me.”
She tried to pull his head up. A sad smile slipped onto her face. But when she saw his face, that smile fell far away. His eyes shone pure hate. His teeth were bared. He was shaking. Pain screamed from him. She dropped his face and stepped back. What had she done? What had she done to him?
***
Kill her, it whispered. So he did. He lashed out with the knife he had concealed since he had followed her from her sisters house. The knife sliced through that perfect white skin like butter. Her elegant neck burst with blood as red as her lips. Her eyes echoed pain. She may have cried, he could not tell. His eyes and sense of touch had fled from him. A mass exodus of sense had left him alone with the animal. The animal had taken over. Blood flowed onto his hands. Blood.Blooded.
She fell. Gracefully she flowed to the floor. Her legs broke away from beneath her. She fell onto the grass beneath her. Her eyes rolled back. Her thick dark lashes and high arching brows no longer framed exotic eyes. Her eyes now glazed over. Death. Dead.
Alex breathed. He looked down on what he had done. What he had done. He was the animal. He could have stopped himself. His wife was dead. He had stolen her life. What had he done? He panicked. He needed to breathe. he needed air, he needed to breath. He had snapped her like a twig. Her dead eyes stared accusingly up at him. Hot. He was hot. Hot on a cold night. He needed to breathe. Why had he done this? Suffocation. He needed to breathe. He needed to be free. He would pay for this. He needed to be free.
***
Midnight loomed as the moon looked down on all that had occurred. Below, caught in the tranquil peace of the moons gentle glow, lay two bodies. The first was a middle aged man of medium height. His wrists were both slit leaving deep red gashes up his arms. He had a thicket of shiny black hair on his head. He was of average looks. But it was the second that poetically and tragically caught the moons stare.
A wave of brown hair, lightly curled, fell down elegantly around her long blooded neck.
Her exotic eyes, that had once spoke a thousand words of desire, were now misted in death. Lifeless blue complimented with long thick lashes, as dark as her soul, had once captivated the weakness of men wherever this delicate flower decided to fly. Her mysterious eyes were framed by high arching eyebrows which curved up thin and slender.
Her mouth, full of unspoken crimes, curled up in a shocked smirk. She had full thick lips, blue as ice and twice as cool. A pout came naturally to those lips. But it was not a pout of displeasure. It was a pout of murder.
An elegant petite nose turned slightly up subtly revealed the nature of her character. She was a woman who had once fancied herself high amongst her world. Now, in death, she was at the very bottom.
All this features were carved from smooth perfect ivory skin. Porcine white gave her an easy innocent appeal. But this woman was far from the naive game she liked the play. This woman was far from the life she had once lead. This woman was dead.
By god, Jester almost outdid himself with what appears to be, not only ideal storytelling, but also stunning poetry. Look at the diction, the imagery, the figurative language. It is some of the most impressive writing I have seen. “Blood flowed onto his hands. Blood.Blooded”, how very intense some of these scenes were, how emotional impacting they struck and ho devastating forceful they were, as if the holder of some great power, bearing over the reader as it throws breathtaking line after breathtaking line.
She tried to pull his head up. A sad smile slipped onto her face. But when she saw his face, that smile fell far away. His eyes shone pure hate. His teeth were bared. He was shaking. Pain screamed from him. She dropped his face and stepped back. What had she done? What had she done to him?
This is one of the finest moments, finest paragraphs, as it displays such raw emotion, not cleaned as that of a swift kill or a romantic night, but force got from the bone, pulled off and stuck in words, the harsh reality showed brutal and the brutality of life showed harshly, all in a beautiful manifestation of words and implied visuals, so touching, so real, so alive, yet so distant, like a bright glowing star in the clear autumn nights, appearing to be but an arm’s length away, however, in reality, light-years. And that is what this story shows, the reality.
Alex breathed. He looked down on what he had done. What he had done. He was the animal. He could have stopped himself. His wife was dead. He had stolen her life. What had he done? He panicked. He needed to breathe. he needed air, he needed to breath. He had snapped her like a twig. Her dead eyes stared accusingly up at him. Hot. He was hot. Hot on a cold night. He needed to breathe. Why had he done this? Suffocation. He needed to breathe. He needed to be free. He would pay for this. He needed to be free.
This reinforces that idea while showing another use of rhetoric’s. Look at how, throughout the word usage, he creates a paranoia, a claustrophobia, as if fit in a tight spot, unable to breathe, just like the characters, so embedded in his mind, his worries, that breathing seems like a chore, a luxury, saved for the saintly, not the murderers, and this is the guilt that takes hold of him. Look at how the sentences jump around, like playing leapfrog, “he needed to be free, he would pay for this, he needed to be free”, it makes our mind race, our heartbeat quicken, and it makes us experience the excitement of the character. This paragraph has more genius in it then many films on Movie Reels.
Her mouth, full of unspoken crimes, curled up in a shocked smirk. She had full thick lips, blue as ice and twice as cool.
Figurative language, an analogy really, and a simile, mixed perfectly, all done for the sake of imagery. Writing done like a literary art, an art which takes its place with the classics of literature, as it forms the same style, that of a novel, a great novel, using its words carefully and intelligently, as it knows what each word does, what each phrase must do, and what emotion has to be pressed forth by every single paragraph. It is a great responsibility, to try to make great writing, and Jester has more then succeeded.
For a heartbeat of a moment, her face betrayed her. Horror and confusion riddled her face twisting her pretty features.
I cannot get over the use of personification and metaphors and the such, as if Jester is making everything alive, everything containing of a motive, and nothing left untouched, touched by the story and touched by his imagination, as he makes everything a riddle, every object, every object of scenery part of his world, his world of about seven pages where light could bend, atoms could split and anything could happen. Picking a favorite line would be hard, would be difficult, however, I think I have one:
The moon was the only witness tonight. It hung silently in the air, nonjudgmental to all that passed beneath it.
Amazing, that is the best line I have heard in anything I have read yet. Can you just picture the moon, hanging there, nonjudgmental, swinging in the sky, not aware of what is happening, or, if so, not siding with any one belief, not choosing an opinion or forming a theory, but only watching, curious perhaps, but only to the point of wonder. Stunning!
If I wanted to, I could make 30 or 40 pages about this writing, excluding the story in general. I may bring it up sometimes again; however, I would like to end it with a few notes, as we must move on. Simply put, this is an astounding piece, and we are lucky to have had it. I cannot thank Jester enough for giving me the chance to read, examine and analyze this wonderful writing, as it feels like a privilege, one reserved for a king or someone of the highest order. Thank you and thank you again; it was, most definitely, my honor.
Now let’s start with our first of many interviews, one with, conveniently enough, Jester himself, the author of the short story above. This was an interview I had long looked forward to, as his film “The Long Coats” is nothing but sheer ambition, and, in earlier episodes, I have yet to grab an interview with him, but I finally set one, and here is what he had to say:
Q: Hello Jester, and thank you for agreeing, not only to do a short story for this special episode, but also an interview. I’d like to start off by saying that I haven’t seen much by you; however, while I consider 16 Hour to be the major video producer, there is no denying that The Long Coats is a revelation on Movie Reels, the film we have been waiting for. What compelled you to such a massive project?
A: First of all I’d like to say that its my pleasure. You're a great MR member and its an honor to be part of your show. Regarding your question...
Its a vast subject to be honest. I don’t know exactly how to answer. See, i've always been the type of person who wants to tackle interesting gritty ideas. Normally i try and think of a way to twist the idea. For instance with 'The Long Coats' the idea is the kidnapping of Jimmy and the concept this this elite company of mercenaries. I try to find concepts to put fresh twists on our ideas.
Just because we are amateur, doesn't mean we have to be, if that makes sense. We try our best to make smart films that could be something you'd expect from Hollywood.
I actually wrote the first film to be released on the current version of MR (it was released along with 'The Wolfman'). It was the first in a six part series. The film was admittedly not very good but it was in a rough draft which I’d written two years previous. My partner, who had nothing to do with the film, released it in his name without me knowing.
I managed to redraft the remaining films. The second to be released i was pretty proud of. It didn't do that well so in order to save my time i just canceled the series. I didn't want to make films for people that don't bother reading them so....
I've never really been able to put the series to rest. Its where the name 'Jester' comes from. I spent about 4 years working on the series. Four years making this character. This deep complex character. He haunts me to this day. What is worse is that his story was never finished on MR.
Q: Secondly, since I haven’t asked, what sort of films can we expect from you in the future? Videos or screenplays? Will you continue to follow in the style of The Long Coats, or do you do whatever suits you as a fine project? Are you working on anything now?
A: We are currently working on a film for a particular season which is coming up, but after that we are going back to more cutting edge ideas and pushing our 'amateur' abilities to the limits.
Actually, we have just finished two great scripts that we plan to make at some point. Both are brilliant gritty films each with a little twist on the concept. I don't like saying much until our films are almost done. Usually they end up nothing like how I envision them.
Q: Next, you must watch quite a few films on Movie Reels, but have you seen any of the other filmed videos? Do you feel that Movie Reels is too script heavy or do videos have a fair chance for profit as well?
A: Yeah, I've seen most of the filmed features on MR. I've missed two, i think. 'Fathers Day' was one of the ones I missed.
Erm... well the main problem with 'TLC' was its length. But most of the scripts on this site are, what would be considered, full length films. Unfortunately only 15 tickets were brought for 'TLC' and i think only about 9 people actually watched it. I do think its script heavy but a lot of people don't have the resources to film the scripts they write (could you imagine Blaggers filming CS?!).
I mean, to me the beauty of filming our stuff is that MR becomes our secondary audience. Youtube is our first. There are limited places to publish amateur scripts and get people to read them.
Q: Also, from memory, The Long Coats didn’t have much promotion behind it, despite quite a larger excitement around it. How do you account for this? Is advertising vital to a film, or is letting the plot and basic storyline go public enough promotion?
A: Well, my golden rule is to not announce a film until it is almost finished. With 'TLC' i was hesitant to announce it because of the large amount of editing i knew we'd have to do. I didn't want to announce something that wasn't ready.
Advertising does mean a lot to a film as long as you have something memorable planned. With 'TLC' the advertising was very straight forward. I tried some secondary advertising after the film had been released but it was practically ignored. My secondary advertising used the concept of actual 'long coats' to my disposal. The idea has so much potential and was so deep that i could possibly go a farther 5 films into it. (I'd never do that though)
Q: Your “surname” –Psychobunny Productions- is shared by another user on here, and you worked together on The Long Coats, did you not, as long with a few others? How vital would you say your role is to The Long Coats, and to the group? Are you planning any solo projects?
A: Scott Godfrey and I have worked together since we are about 11. We have planned so much together. I've always wanted to be a director and he has always wanted to be an actor so we kinda gelled well.
With our films, I’m usually the writer, director, actor and co editor. Scott usually has some input on both scripting and directing but to be honest, its usually my vision we are trying to make. Scott and I both edit. We do it together with him on the actual controls. I tell him what i want and he does it. Sometimes he wants something different from me and we battle it out. I usually win.
We also have a producer, Sam Rye. She doubles up as camera lady, actress and money pot. I say we have no budget but if anything desperately needs to be brought, she's the lady for the job. She also organizes our filming schedules. She is a saint for us.
Q: Two more questions. First, looking at The Long Coats, it looks like you had a nice cast, nice setup, and pretty good equipment. How do you have this advantage, or don’t you, and you are only putting what you do have to the best possible use?
A: I've always seen it as we literally don’t have any budget and use what ever we can around us. I mean Sam Rye does her best to help us out with money but its only pennies really.
Our camera is a family handycam. Our crew are school kids. We make do with the locations we can get. It is a damn shame we don’t have the money to go that extra step further but we are doing ok for now.
I'd say that Psycho Bunny Productions are hugely resourceful. Sometimes it dampens the quality of our films but we can’t be picky in our positions.
Q: And finally, what do you think about the show “Casablanca and the Movies”? What role do you see it playing in the future? Is there anything missing, something you would like to see?
A: I don’t think there is anything missing. Maybe a collection of the week’s rumors. Other than that I’d say that the show is brilliant. If you keep this going for a while then you'll certainly leave a legacy on MR.
Thank you for having me.
-----------------------------
Thank you for that informative interview Jester, as you answered many of the questions I had while watching “The Long Coats”, and also opened up many new questions to which I will seek the answers.
Jester both surprised me and confirmed what I already thought of him. First, I was shocked to find that he wasn’t the fortunate director I thought he was, but, in fact, someone with not much resources, no professional equipment, not much luxuries, but a director who knows how to use what he has, knows how to limit himself in some areas and strive in others, the areas that stick out. He also knows what makes a good film and uses every trick in the book to hide this low budget with, well basically trickery, but a smart, genius form of trickery. He uses the poorer quality of his camera to achieve a realistic feel, a thrilling mood, made to seem like we are there, in that room. Also, his sets are perfect for what was available. He makes us familiar with them, used to seeing them. It was always my belief that you could have a crime thriller set in a farmhouse, as long as you played your cards right, and made the viewer get “adapted” to the settings of the film, so much so, that a crime thriller on the streets of LA seems preposterous. Now where I was right. Jester seems, to me, as a director who will never fall short. He seems to plan his films with great depth, great ideas and an ambition to go all the way. He never settles for anything less then perfect, or as good as possible, and I hope, and believe, that those are the kind of films we can expect from him, pretty perfect films. He already released one great film, and since I see no promotion from another project by him, I assume he is taking his time, editing perhaps, or even still filming, but surely pouring his heart into crafting another masterpiece, or al least a film of value, not value in only entertainment, but also in art, in drama, in storytelling, the very basic things of mature filmmaking.
With that, I would again like to thank Jester for the story and the interview, and then move on to the next subject.
It appears we are taking a break from the people of Movie Reels and now going to the films, as it is time for a little “lecture”. I am now going to have this show’s first discussion, one-sided discussion, in which I will go over “structure” of the film’s on Movie Reels, the formation of how they are put together and the different types there are. This site hosts many super hero films, for instance, but look carefully, and you may see that, at heart, they are all quite different. I’d like to start by addressing a few of the dark “epics”, not necessarily epic in length but in themes, or in magnitude of scope. Firstly, “Mills of God”.
“Mills of God” is built like a common Cristo film, and that basically means you can’t pin it down to one specific category. In it there is action, there is drama, tragedy, suspense and thrills, similar to the style of “Wolf Man”. Those two, however, while having the same themes, use them differently. “Mills of God” uses an action/thriller theme as their base; this is where they will build up from. It is the bottom of the pyramid, and by “base” I mean the genre which is the basis of the film, the type you see when you watch a trailer, or a clip or scene. It is the thing which splits films into groups. If the themes were to stop here, I would place it in the same team as “Captain Scarlet” or another film of the sort. Luckily for us, it doesn’t stop here, and this is only the start. After this, it relies on its drama. It takes a suspenseful adventure and uses the ideals of drama, and dramatic effect to tone down the action, so that the drama really acts as a constraint on the earlier genres. This is also the step which starts forming the film into its own unique project, in its own unique style. However, when going up the line for the building of a film, you can’t stop here, for there is more. The drama can’t stay so generic; it needs to be more specific, enhanced. That is where the tragedy comes in. That tells us what the “drama” means, and what sort of emotions will be brought out. In “Mills of God” there is death, there is loss and there is hate, this all adds to what I would call tragedy, which acts as the implied theme. It isn’t there, it isn’t obvious, but it acts like the icing on a cake, giving it just the little something it needed to make it special. There is only one more thing left. It needs an outlier, a crowd pleaser, the sugar in the tea. This film uses lightness. It gives of an almost, at times, lighthearted feel to it, to slow things down, to save the mood from depression, and to make the film more accessible, unlike “Science of Evil”, which had no mercy on the average movie patron. This lightness isn’t placed anywhere, it is simply sprinkled on a little everywhere, impossible to point out. And thus, we are left with a film which combines many different things all combined for an overall effect. And its quite noticeable too. Take out one theme and just picture what the film would be like, it would feel like a vital part is missing, and the emotions, the feelings it evokes would be lessened by quite a bit. Finishing off “Mills of God”, the “thematic chart:
As you can see, the tragedy enhances the drama, the lightness adds to everything, and the action/thriller aspect of it lies at the base.
Moving on, we’re going to attempt to do two at a time, a sort of “contrast and compare” between two seemingly similar films, which really are pretty different. “The Life of Superman” and “X-Men Origins: Gambit”.
Now, they start off the same, basically unrecognizable, as the bases are the same thing. “Action/Super Hero”, let’s just say.
Here is what we start with. There it is. Next is where we first see the signs of difference, however generic it is. You can start to see, as I form these charts, that they do start to form a unique film, certainly unique from each other. “The Life of Superman” takes on a “Thriller” genre, for lack of a better word, as what would really be the ideal way to describe it is a “fan-fare”, an excitement, however, for the convenience of my sake, let’s just say “thriller”. “X-Men Origins: Gambit”, however, takes the dramatic method. It tackles the early years of the hero and shows us his beginning, his start, his life at home, his terrible life on the streets, only for him to turn himself around and become semi-happy, but still lacking something. I’d love to put “character study”, but, again, let’s just shorten it to “drama”.
They are now quite separate, their paths are split, but, like “Mills of God”, they both need something to enhance themselves, to add on that last theme presented. “X-Men Origins: Gambit” takes a unique turn, something different from “Mills of God”, and besides using darkness as the theme which covers everything , uses it to enhance its drama, and make some dark drama, which has the appeal of a “rise and fall” movie, where we feel for the character throughout his troubles. And, actually, this isn’t even that odd, as all films are different. Rarely, will you see two films with the same, identical “thematic charts”. Now for “Life of Superman”. That, also, acts differently. Not as radically as the previous film, but it differs somewhat. Like “Mills of God” it uses lightness to cover the whole film, however, that is it. There is no enhances, as it relies on nothing but its themes of action and thrills. So, we are left with two completely different films, when, from the start, they could have been easily mistaken to be the same film, or at least the same kind.
Quite surprising actually. Now, for one more final film. This time, I’d like to take a film that has yet to come out, I’ll take a guess, and we can see how close I was. We will do Xplayadam’s newest film “The Raven”.
Now, this is a hard film to read, and charting it will be difficult, as it appears to mix so many different things. Even the base seems hard, and while you all expect me to call it an action, I am going to set the base as drama. The trailer, the teaser all hint up towards it, as well as Xplayadam’s comments on how there is only one fight scene, how it gets into the character. So there we have a base:
Simple so far. Now, sorry to spoil the fun of analyzing, but what comes next is quite obvious. This will be the superhero section. However, let’s not label it as “Action/Super hero” like we did earlier, as action is likely something which won’t even appear on this chart. I am going to put it down as “Super Hero”, as I really didn’t see anything attached to it, it seemed to be just a backdrop at which the story, and the characters, would move to.
Next it gets tough! With all of the little themes thrown in, it is hard to order them in terms of importance, however, because of what I feel, and what Xplayadam told me, I am going to put romance next. Now, this may sound odd for this film, but this is an odd movie. In the trailer you see the main character having, what seems to be a date, in what makes me believe that there will be a nice romance between two shy kids. This theme, however doesn’t attach to the superhero one, as, if you think about it, that acts as a type of its own, so let’s put it on the drama.
After that I think we can through in darkness. The film certainly seems to have that aura, with the depression, the mood of the depression of the character, her loneliness and isolation. With this theme, though I’m going to throw on “slice of life”, which isn’t really a theme, but I can picture so much of this movie being school, home, bullying, friends, all the things which happen in the daily life of a girl like this. Again, this goes with drama, as there is nothing romantic about normal life, and darkness goes as an outlier, encompassing everything.
Furthermore, I would like to finish this off with one more theme, which is going to cause debate and split ideas. “Tragedy”. Now, hear me out. I do not mean tragedy in the sense of “Wolf Man” or “Mills of God”, but tragedy in the sense of a girl who falls into her own world, cutting off her ties with humanity and pushed over the limit. And that is tragedy, as a character’s life is so ruined, so deep in its shell that she cannot connect. This theme, I believe will go over everything, as it all goes for her depression. She thinks she is a freak, so there is “Superhero”, she is bullied and left out socially, there is “Slice of Life”, and drama fits in there too. Even the romance would fit in, as it makes the reader realize her loneliness, and that is what films should try to appeal to, the reader, not the characters, though it should handle both.
And there it is. That is what I predict and what I hope we can expect. Thank you for reading, if you read all of this, as I quite enjoyed it and hope you did too, as I gave a little lecture about “structure” in the films of Movie Reels.
Now, time for an old favorite: Trailer Analysis. However, tonight’s trailers aren’t just ordinary, these are special exclusive trailers sent directly to me from the directors of each film. Many of them are quite new, and we might even have a look at some upcoming projects, ones that maybe haven’t even been started yet. Either way, it looks like we are in for a real treat, as you will see. Now, to satisfy your anticipation let me start with the first trailer, which actually isn’t a trailer at all, but a featurette, a special announcement from Cristo on his new fantasy film. Let’s see what this is like:
Once upon a time in a far away land…If you hear those words, you know that you’re in for a treat. Fantasy stimulates imagination, inspires wonder, and enchants the heart. Many Disney films such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast have gone down in history as magnificent retellings of beautiful stories.
We here at Cristo Productions realize and appreciate the role of fantasy in our films. “City of Dragons” was an adult fantasy, a violent journey through mythical lands and war-torn kingdoms. In it, there are wizards, dragons, princes, monsters, and one of the most fantastical elements of all…love.
The elements of the fantasy at Cristo Productions are about how love motivates people to do both good and evil. In times as these, of genocide, mass starvation, natural disasters, and government corruption, love has gone out of the picture and so has our acceptance of pure enchantment. In our new film, Twelve Dancing Princesses, we wish to reinvigorate that enchantment…the innocence of the good, the malice of the evil, and the hope that good will one day conquer evil…a hope that humanity rests upon, if not in individual, then in principle.
Beauty, wonder, excitement, enchantment, hope, villainy, and love…these are the elements found in Twelve Dancing Princesses and we encourage everyone to participate in this wonderful journey.
And don’t forget…in the fall of 2009, the sequel to City of Dragons, “Princes of War” will be released and it shall take love, war, and destiny to new heights with fantasy thrills never before seen on Movie Reels.
Well, this seems like a very nice project. I am quite excited for this, as, to my knowledge, I know of no Disney-like film that has been attempted. Now, Cristo has made the gritty “Science of Evil”, as well as the adult “Mills of God”, so, you may be wondering if he is the correct director for the job. My answer- there is no one better. In “City of Dragons” as well as his other films, he has showed a true, exceptional ability to create wonder, to make a world and pull you into it. As for the beloved elements which must go into the film, as certainly a film like this needs a childlike imagination, I can picture Cristo jumping around gleefully with this script, leaping from theme to theme, from hidden darkness to hidden darkness, all masqueraded as a lighthearted enchantment. It seems we will have a nice mix of ideas too, as he pointed out the use of “beauty, wonder, excitement…villainy and love”. Cristo really knows what makes a movie, and he is pulling all of his resources to make sure we have a good one. Overall, I can’t wait.
With that over with, let’s move on to trailer number 2, this time it is a new, exclusive trailer to Xplayadam’s upcoming film “The Raven”. A film which seems to mix drama, action, adventure, and practically everything else under the sun, as you will se now, It starts:
We see a huge white temple in a dark underground city. Light breaks out from the sky but just in small amounts. A group of 3 older man, with long white beards and robes walk beside a dark haired, pale skinned woman named Arella who is 9 months pregnant. They all rush into the temple and into a room with a bed. The walls and floor are stone and the bed looks just about as comfortable. Arella lays on the bed and one man grabs a rag and begins to wipe the sweat off of her head. The other tells her something and she spreads her legs, he holds a cloth and is prepared to catch something. The third wise man is mixing a potion of some sorts. She screams in terror. Outside of a small window a set of two rows of three yellow eyes look from the darkness. The older man waiting is named Aunder, and he is now holding a child in his hands-
Aunder-
It's a girl...
Presuming I may be allowed to take a guess here, I am thinking that the baby is Raven, not the girl at the beginning. I believe that something will happen to the mother, for some reason, she will not live, and Raven will grow up outside of this, what appears to be a cult. Thus, I suspect that Raven will be quite a normal girl who goes to a normal school, though her personality, and eventually her life, will be anything but. This establishes a fantasy-like mood, which may or may not carry throughout the whole film, but will definitely be back in some short time. Let’s continue:
Bully- (VO)
What are the freaks doing?
Rachel Roth- (VO)
Where minding are business. Something you're surely not.
-Cut to a lunchroom. Rachel sits at a table while a bully looks down at her-
Bully-
Watch your tongue... you stupid bitch...
Precisely what I thought. She grows up in a normal life, only she isn’t normal, hence the “freaks”. I assume this has some connection to her heritage, only she doesn’t know it yet. This will lead to some inner turmoil as she is stuck wondering why she is different and what made her the way she is, especially when she finds out about her powers, then I believe, she will wonder what makes her a “freak”. So some good character development and insight is already given, in just the second part of a trailer. Then:
Josephine Miller- (VO)
Rachel, you have to learn to control yourself...
-Cut to Rachel in the counselor’s office-
Josephine Miller-
I mean... you can't keep these feelings all bottled in...
-Cut to a forest with twisted shapes in the form of trees. Rachel puts her hands together and a glowing purple light begins to leak from her palms. Cut to Rachel laying on her bed. The room is dull and gray. Kathy, her forest parent comes in-
Rachel Roth-
It’s over. It’s all over.
Kathy-
Look, Rachel… I know it’s a tough world… you’re a strong person, you’ve been through worse.
Well, here it is. This is what I was talking about when I referred to the inner conflict. So, Raven has been in a fight, and now has seen that she has powers. Now, believing herself to be “weird”, she is bottling herself up, as we were told, and isolating herself from people. Kathy, perhaps a friend, telling her that she has been through worse makes me wonder if Raven didn’t see her mom die or at least know about it, as I don’t know at which past event she could be referring. The only thing I don’t know is what “It’s over. It’s all over” means. I suppose it could means the normal life, or the charade of a life she was pulling over everyone’s eyes. It could also mean the strand of sanity she had left, the strand of connection to the society, and know, with that gone; she is on her own shell. I suppose we will have to wait to find out, however, I think we have the general idea. Next:
Rachel Roth-
I'm Ra, Ra... Rachel!
-Rachel lets out a small yet nervous chuckle. Alex shakes her hand-
Alex-
It's nice to met you...
-Rachel keeps firmly holding his hand. Alex lets go-
Rachel Roth-
I'm sorry...
Alex-
No, it's alright.
-Cut back to Kathy and Rachel-
Rachel Roth-
-And... and... I just can't stop thinking about him
Well, first things first, at least we know who Kathy is, or at least we can narrow it down to two people. Her friend of counselor, but since in the above section Josephine Miller was the counselor, I am leaning towards friend. However, that’s beside the point. Here is where something happens. Raven meets a friend, another friend if Kathy is one, this time a boy. Now, I could take the dumbest person in the world, spin them around five times and even they could see where this story is going: a love story. Yes, you heard me right, in this superhero film full of depression and tragedy, a love story, between two lonesome people, both “left out” of society as they were seen as different. What a beautiful twist. Obviously Raven’s mood is better, and that may affect her powers, as maybe she is more in control.
Kathy-
Your first love, I'm glad I can see it.
-Cut to a fair. Rachel and Alex are in the ferries wheel and it's hit the peek of night, a grand amount of colorful lights are below them. Alex begins to move toward Rachel and she does the same, they lips meet together and they begin to kiss passionately-
Trigon- (VO)
Her heart will forever be consumed by hatred.
-Cut to Rachel standing outside a burning house screaming then a quick cut to her floating in a destroyed park with dark rays shooting from her hands outlined with purple-
Jeez, don’t blink. Look at how fast it goes from quite romantic to horrifyingly dark. Either way, this tells us something new. First off, we now know another conflict. Raven will turn against her friend, Alex, as her heart will take over, she can’t control herself, and that is what this film may be about, control, the ability to control your emotions without bottling them up. Thus, what appears to be a superhero film is really a lesson in psychology which is relevant and applies to us all. Who would have thought!
Overall, I am very, very excited for this film, as I feel it is already a masterpiece in the making and is sure to stun on many levels. Be there for its release, it will prove to be an amazing film.
10th Anniversary Episode
casablanca3491 - Casablanca
----------------------
Hello, MR Directors and patrons, and welcome to the tenth episode of “Casablanca and the Movies”. As you all know, this is our 10th Anniversary Episode and we have quite a schedule for tonight, as this will prove to be quite the special episode. Now, one recommendation. I have you here for quite some time, so why don’t you all turn away from the computer right now, go make a nice big bowl of popcorn and get comfortable, and I’ll lay out tonight’s arrangement. We will start off with a review of massive proportions, the review to “g”, the crowd pleasing movie of the year with so much hype around it, I should be careful on what I criticize, however, as you know, that has never stopped me before, so brace for that. Afterwards, I will post and look at a short film by Jester, followed by an interview with Jester himself. This will be one of the many interviews of the night. Then, we will take a small break from specific directors and films, so I can have a short lecture, and analysis off the “structure” of the many films on Movie Reels, as I will call a few films up for examples, most noticeably “Mills of God”. Coming after this we will have our first out of three parts of Trailer Analysis, in which we will look at, dissect, and review new, exclusive trailers, made specifically for this 10th Anniversary Episode. The second interview of the episode will come here, one with Mr. Vincent, who was nice enough to come back and answer a few more questions. Another short story by Movie Lord Productions will lead to part 2 of Trailer Analysis, and then two reviews to two older films. A third interview with Batman, then a special TV Guide section where I will list as many TV shows as I can and put a paragraph for each, telling you my thoughts and feelings towards each, will lead way to quite an exciting event, as Barrett has provided this show with an all new “lost” episode of “Where Were We?”, his award winning, and acclaimed television show. Then another little delight, as I will list all of the categories for the Entertainment Awards and what, so far, I would nominate for them. Two more reviews will ensue as I cover even more old films, and then to a new show, as I look at indy42’s new “project”, in which a pilot has been released last week, and more episodes are yet to come. A fourth interview, this time with Joey Jojo Jr. Shabadoo, followed by a short film by none other then Cristo. Trailer Analysis Part 3 will come next, and then, finally and sadly, we must end this episode with updates on the next few episodes and also on the rules and regulations for the “8 Months of Theater Time Contest”.
Well, with all of that introduction behind us, sit back, relax and let’s start with “Casablanca and the Movies: 10th Anniversary Episode”!
To start off, let’s go in on a good note with my review to the new film “g”, quite a popular comedy that, from my understanding is a collaboration between Captain Blaggers and a few others who gave tips and advice. Such a film sounds like a miracle in the making, as, since it has the tips from others, we get a mix of all types and genres, however, the best way to know is to look, so let’s take a peak at what my thoughts on it were:
”g”
*** .75 of ****
“g” surprised me in many ways. It surprised me on the level of a comedy, on the level of a story and on the level of the narrative in which it was told. I was expecting something quite different, and thus, it did not meet my expectations or miss them, but differ from them, and entered a category of its own, free from hopes, adding to the sheer delightness of the film, and that fresh quality which wins a critic over every time. This is no exception.
First, and most noticeably, this film is not only hilarious, that is a gross understatement, it is absolutely hysterical. I have never laughed so much in my life, and I have seen some pretty funny films in my life. This is all due, naturally, to the screenplay, which plays god and master over this film. It twists the characters and the scenarios and makes so many awkward moments and humorous scenes that it isn’t possible to even crack a smile at the out of control anarchy which seems to take place. The lines are written sharply. They are fun, fast and furious, as they shoot out at incredible speed, by the bulk, all of which will be quoted non-stoop until the end of Movie Reels. The jokes are set on super speed and are never turned off until the end, in which they abruptly end, bringing a close to a short film, and that, perhaps, is the film’s only flaw. It leaves us wanting more; it seems like a large trailer with the good parts left in. Those good parts though, luckily for us, are amazingly good!
Now, the main interest point about the film is the characters, as everyone will want to know how they and others are portrayed. The answer: perfectly. Every character has the personality of the user, only twisted, exaggerated, and slapped with a special brand of funny that only a director as talented and as light hearted as Blaggers could produce. I, myself , am featured in it, in a scene which I consider to be comic genius as I rate some drugs “3.98976425 out of 4”, relating back to how I would rate movies 3.99 and such. Hilarious. Also, how he shows Cristo fighting for his injustice by protesting on the street. Perfect! That just goes to show how he uses events on Movie Reels and makes them his own, making it outrageous, and unbelievable, and very, very funny.
The film starts like it ends:
INDY
I work for the biggest pimp in town, friend, and he's very angry with you.
LEGEND
Who?
INDY
Mr. Vincent.
Legend gasps and begins polishing even harder.
LEGEND
M Veezey? But he's the biggest pimp in town!
INDY
...I just said that.
And that does not mean the same scene; it means that it has the same style of tone, the same mood, as the start. This movie goes nowhere, and in a good way. It gets us comfortable with its world, its universe and let’s us stay there, it allows us the privilege. And it works! We don’t want to leave, in fact, the film feels like being executed. You walk down a long hall with the disturbing fact that at the end lies something terrible and wicked. This, of course, resorts back to the film’s flaw where it ends much to soon. It is as if, while walking down the tunnel to be executed, one of the officers pulls out a gun and shoots you. Too soon.
On top of the comedy though, it acts as a great screwball thriller, a genre I thought I would never see! It gives us some remains of a story, some remnants of suspense and thrills. It has enough to keep us interested, intrigued, even though the comedy reins supreme, and in the end, is what we love about the film. Thought the story, let it be known, is to be appreciated.
Now, I realize the ambition is essentially nothing. The scope is so small that it wouldn’t make a decent meal. However, what would you have preferred? A dark story? I enjoy its small ambition, the fact that it stays within its own realms, afraid top go out into the light, or in this film’s case, go out into the darkness, because there is none in this film. It is nothing but barrels of laughs, belly rubbing humor and smile inducing moments. A fun film, a great film, and darn close to a perfect film!
With that done, and the hype either suppressed or let even more wild, I would like to turn to something special, a short dory, devised just for this episode by Jester, whom I thank. Let me post it, and then afterwards let’s take a quick look at it and see how it is and if it has that style of Jester’s other films.
Feeble Winter Nights
A wave of brown hair, lightly curled, fell down elegantly around her long neck.
Her exotic eyes spoke a thousand words of desire. Enchanting blue complimented with long thick lashes, as dark as her soul, captivated the weakness of men wherever this delicate flower decided to fly. Her mysterious eyes were framed by high arching eyebrows which curved up thin and slender.
Her mouth, full of unspoken lust, curled up in an amused smirk. She had full thick lips, red as blood and twice as deadly. A pout came naturally to those lips. But it was not a pout of displeasure. It was a pout of pure seduction.
An elegant petite nose turned slightly up subtly revealed the nature of her character. She was a woman who fancied herself high amongst her world.
All this features were carved from smooth perfect ivory skin. Porcine white gave her an easy innocent appeal. But this woman was far from the naive game she liked the play.
"We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly."
Margaret Atwood
***
The moon was the only witness tonight. It hung silently in the air, nonjudgmental to all that passed beneath it. A ghostly voyeur, whose own curiosity was fed by the feeble acts of men. The very point of appearing full in the cloudless sky above was the only sign that Alex Du’Rose needed. The moon wanted to witness something tonight. Alex intended that that feat would be something tragic indeed.
Alex stood, concealed by brunches, at the mouth of a dark alleyway. It extended deep into pure darkness down through the back of a row of country houses. The alley was a river; a river that had grown with fear and mistrust. Every human being had an irrational fear of the dark. It was this that made this alley so... ‘daunting’. It was long, snaking its way deep into the night. Bending and twisting like any river should, this alley hid many secrets. Few were foolish enough to be caught in its currents.
Thick branches hung over creating a cliff face for this river. The bed of the alley was littered with dying leafs which, lifted by the gust of wind, made their way willingly down stream. Moonlight seeped though the brunches creating ripples of mystic light. The alley was somewhat a cultivated feel to it.
This would be the alley where Alex would commit his crime. It struck him odd that the only witness he should have is the moonlight which so daringly penetrated the ebbs of the alley.
His breath frosted in front of him. His body made the only sounds of this cold night. A deep nasal breath, the occasional twitch of flesh, a low hum of a gulp, a discreet click of a bone. Each noise echoed into the silence of the night until the repressive dark swallowed it whole. He needed to be more quiet. Each movement was a loud as if he had been screaming. How could a man hide if every part of his body worked against him? His only cover was the causal rustle of leaves and the light blow of wind. He prayed that it was enough to cover his own noise. Even the birds seemed particularly silent, as if they too knew his plans and wished to be no part of it.
And then she came. She floated out from the trees with a light grace. A gowned of white trailed behind her, covering her body tightly like a bedsheet. Wisps of hair caught the light breeze. The moon shone down catching her in its stare. For a brief heartbeat of a moment, the world stood still. Snared by shafts of moonlight, this beauty stood captured. Her white gown flowed around her as if she was a rock caught in a river. Her hair battled and crashed around her but still managed to look beautiful. Her back stood tall and straight, every ounce a queen. She was looking over her shoulder. A look of uncertainty carved into her face. The moonlight half lit her features. Half her face showed her pure beauty. The other was hidden in darkness. A picturesque scene.
An autumn leaf drifted down from a tree above brushing her shoulder. With a sudden rush the world came screaming back. She turned, and drifted, like a piece of dead hollow wood, into the mouth of the alley.
Alex filled his lungs with air. Could he do this? Something deep inside echoed his fears. Could he actually bring himself to do this? Doubt sunk into his mind drowning him in unease. He panicked. He needed to breathe, he needed air, he needed to breath. She could snap me like a twig. Her eyes could swallow me whole. Do I dare? Hot. He was hot. Hot on a cold night. He needed to breathe. Could he go through with this? Suffocation. He needed to breathe.
***
She was moving with uncertainty. Each footstep was becoming more unsure than the last. But she dare not turn and fight the current. No, she must reach the end of this alley. She was worried as she knew what was coming at the other end. She was running. Always running. Never turning to face her fears.
Instinctively she turned. Nothing. The mouth of the alley was swallowed by the night. No movement and not a sound. She took a shaky breath. This alley wasn’t the most appealing option. Too many parts were hidden in shadow. Anything could be lurking in this alley. But she had a simple choice. Take a five minute walk through her horror or take a forty minute walk around town to her destination. Time was important here. She knew the longer she waited the more the nagging feeling in her heart would grow. She had made a decision but every ounce of her essence screamed at her to change her mind. But her heart told her different.
She shivered. A chill worked down her spine. It was a cold night and she had chosen to wear lose clothes. Under her gown she was completely naked. The coldness of the night kept her mind focused and awake. Beneath her gown her body felt like a lake of fine ice. Her naturally white body, almost perfect skin, was now blue with the merciless touch of winter. She shivered again. She could not deny that she felt some sort of pleasure at how awake and aware she felt. The dark pressed in all around as she descended deeper into the alley. Threat seemed ensnared in every shadow, branch, bush. She knew she should feel afraid, but the sense of danger only made this journey appeal more to her. She knew that after tonight her life would change. Tonight would determine the remainder of her days.
A light breeze swept up her brown curls. Her blood red lips twisted in distain as another shudder of a chill made its way through her. The skin on her long elegant neck creased momentarily as she swallowed a dry mouthful of air. A light prickle of goose bumps climbed its way up her bare pale arms. The moonlight caught the intense demined look in her exotic marvellously blue eyes.
A sudden jolt of anticipation shot her in her stomach, leaving her breathless. Suddenly all her fears came rushing back. Her stomach set alight with worry. She stopped in her tracks and doubled over with a light gasp. Could she do this? She felt like she was drowning. She needed to breathe. Do I dare? Hot. She was hot. Hot on a cold night. Her pale skin showed flecks of pink as the blood rose to the surface of her skin. She needed to breathe. Could she go through with this? Suffocation. She needed to breathe.
***
His target had stopped. Alex caught his breath. He became suddenly aware of a thin layer of cold sweat on his skin. It trickled down his body like a dagger of ice. He dare not move to itch it. He must be still and remain hidden in the shadows. Had she seen him? Had he made too much noise? He knew he should have turned back. Fear struck his heart. It was all coming to a collision. Everything was rushing towards him. His world was falling around him and he was powerless to stop it. No. No, he could stop it and he will tonight. He watched his target begin to move again. That was a relief.
He moved with every step she took. He shifted from one shadow to another as silent as their glorious witness; the moon. He knew tonight would mean a new beginning for him. Tonight would determine the rest of his days. Tonight would change everything.
He passed from one shadow to the next. For a brief moment, moonlight lit his face. His eyes showed sheer determination. Behind the initial glare lay something deeper. Something darker. Something almost animal. Hidden beneath all the years of formality and social structure lay an animal instinct. It was something that is hidden within us all. We can not escape it for it is who we are, who we were and who we’ll always be. Animals.
A voice inside Alex’s head whispered something almost unintelligible. It was almost demonic. The voice whispered; kill her. His face twisted in a sudden explosion of anger, his fist folded into a tight fist, his lip trembled. Animal.
***
She quickened her pace. The exit loomed up ahead in the form of a bust of dim orange light. Street lamps, she assumed. An eerily aurora imbedded itself in her. Something told her that tonight had been a bad idea. But she had played social politics with her life for too long. It was time to make a decision. She had chosen right and she knew it. But did she? There was something swimming deep within her which asked that very question. Was she sure she has chosen right?
Suddenly, orange bathed her in a forbidding glow. Her eyes shook free the shock and took in the scene before her. She had escaped the alley. She had poured from its mouth suddenly and now she found herself in a rural country road. Manors filled her gaze as far as she could see into the night. Peculiar domestic lights sat fixed in the darkness, each warmly beckoning her forward. They sat a fair way ahead of her. It would still take her five minutes to make her way to the nearest of these manors. It was this manor which was her destination.
She tilted her head back. She was a lady and this was in her control. It was almost finished. Tonight would be a fine night indeed.
She trembled with coldness. Her mind was quick to reassure her that her tremble had simply been an exercise of freeing herself from her doubts and worries. On the surface she believed this lie. Underneath the truth scared at her.
***
He was close enough to smell her rose perfume which elegantly complimented her neck. She exited the alley. An amber glow swept her into a misted cloud. Alex lingered. He must wait to know what her next move was. He had become rather curious tonight. Where was she going? Where was she taking him? He didn’t want to know because he knew already. He had known for a long time but had refused the idea.
She was a weed chocking the life out of him. Her petals had lured him. Her aroma had fooled him. Her roots had imbedded deep within him. Her poison had dazed him. Her thorn had picked his finger once to many. She was leading him into doom.
With a short pause, she started up again. She appeared in a hurry as she crossed a wide country lane. Lights bobbed mysteriously over the fields which now stretched before him. He took a moment to let her get far enough ahead, and then he followed.
He stalked his pray like the wolves of the night. Silent. Graceful. Like a whisper on the wind. She entered the fields of a particular manor and drifted towards the house. The animal inside of him stirred. He felt his skin grow warm. Sweat pushed free from his body before freezing in the cold night air. His eyes widened. He knew this house.
Something inside him snapped. A fragile strand of sanity broke away, free falling into a pit of madness. Pain and misery is all he felt. He would destroy this woman. He growled inhumanly. The animal stirred.
***
She heard. A low hum filled her ears. Her heart suddenly clenched. Her skin chilled. Terror burnt through her mind. Her thoughts registered that something was behind her. Her striking eyes widened in horror. She was a few metres from the house. She could run. She could scream. She spun without thinking.
***
For a heartbeat of a moment, her face betrayed her. Horror and confusion riddled her face twisting her pretty features. Those pouty lips trembled as an alienated stab realisation burst within her. Her eyes were wide. Her breath raspy. Her skin white. Her hair matted with sweat. A lock stuck to her forehead painting a fragile picture. All within a heartbeat. Then her canvas was replaced with a blank controlled, almost curious, stare.
“Hello Alex.” A think honeyed voice slid from her lips. Each letter was pronounced and calculated.
Alex couldn’t help but smile. It was more of a twitch really. He knew he should speak. He must remain calm until he knew the truth.
“What brings you here?” She asked with an innocent tone, a contrived tone.
He swallowed. He must not let her beat him. “I ask you the same question wife. What brings you here?”
She smirked. “I was seeing our good friend James regarding a surpri-“
“When we were in Greece last year, I asked you if you had ever lied to me.” He muttered in a dark voice cutting her off.
She went to speak again. Alex continued. “You replied ‘no’.”
“I-“
He carried on. “I asked you if you would ever lie to me. What did you reply wife?”
She swallowed. The pupils of her eyes betrayed her otherwise calm exterior. “You must unders-“
“What did you reply wife.” His voice grew slightly louder. She felt the edge in his voice. He saw a light die in her eyes. Her nostrils on her slim nose flared. Her thick red lips pressed together. Her face was a mould of tension.
“I replied ‘no’ Alex.” She said finally. All hope had fled from her tone.
Alex forced down the urge to grab at her. “Then I ask you again. What are you doing here?”
Her neck tilted her head backwards. Those eyes regarded his without blinking. In one fluid direct tone, she told him. “I am here to end my affair with your work colleague Alex.”
He crumbled. His skin pulled in from the inside. He felt like his heart was dragging everything to the centre of his being. He found himself beginning to fall. Wet ruined his cheeks. He realized he was crying. He had known. He had known for a long time so why did it pain him so to her it so plainly from her mouth?
She was upon him before he could push her away. His body was heavy. His arms were weights. He felt her hands rake through his hair. She pulled him up and forced him into her neck.
‘Alex... I am finishing it with him. I chose you Alex. We have had a difficult time lately but I know we can figure it out. Alex, look at me.”
She tried to pull his head up. A sad smile slipped onto her face. But when she saw his face, that smile fell far away. His eyes shone pure hate. His teeth were bared. He was shaking. Pain screamed from him. She dropped his face and stepped back. What had she done? What had she done to him?
***
Kill her, it whispered. So he did. He lashed out with the knife he had concealed since he had followed her from her sisters house. The knife sliced through that perfect white skin like butter. Her elegant neck burst with blood as red as her lips. Her eyes echoed pain. She may have cried, he could not tell. His eyes and sense of touch had fled from him. A mass exodus of sense had left him alone with the animal. The animal had taken over. Blood flowed onto his hands. Blood.Blooded.
She fell. Gracefully she flowed to the floor. Her legs broke away from beneath her. She fell onto the grass beneath her. Her eyes rolled back. Her thick dark lashes and high arching brows no longer framed exotic eyes. Her eyes now glazed over. Death. Dead.
Alex breathed. He looked down on what he had done. What he had done. He was the animal. He could have stopped himself. His wife was dead. He had stolen her life. What had he done? He panicked. He needed to breathe. he needed air, he needed to breath. He had snapped her like a twig. Her dead eyes stared accusingly up at him. Hot. He was hot. Hot on a cold night. He needed to breathe. Why had he done this? Suffocation. He needed to breathe. He needed to be free. He would pay for this. He needed to be free.
***
Midnight loomed as the moon looked down on all that had occurred. Below, caught in the tranquil peace of the moons gentle glow, lay two bodies. The first was a middle aged man of medium height. His wrists were both slit leaving deep red gashes up his arms. He had a thicket of shiny black hair on his head. He was of average looks. But it was the second that poetically and tragically caught the moons stare.
A wave of brown hair, lightly curled, fell down elegantly around her long blooded neck.
Her exotic eyes, that had once spoke a thousand words of desire, were now misted in death. Lifeless blue complimented with long thick lashes, as dark as her soul, had once captivated the weakness of men wherever this delicate flower decided to fly. Her mysterious eyes were framed by high arching eyebrows which curved up thin and slender.
Her mouth, full of unspoken crimes, curled up in a shocked smirk. She had full thick lips, blue as ice and twice as cool. A pout came naturally to those lips. But it was not a pout of displeasure. It was a pout of murder.
An elegant petite nose turned slightly up subtly revealed the nature of her character. She was a woman who had once fancied herself high amongst her world. Now, in death, she was at the very bottom.
All this features were carved from smooth perfect ivory skin. Porcine white gave her an easy innocent appeal. But this woman was far from the naive game she liked the play. This woman was far from the life she had once lead. This woman was dead.
By god, Jester almost outdid himself with what appears to be, not only ideal storytelling, but also stunning poetry. Look at the diction, the imagery, the figurative language. It is some of the most impressive writing I have seen. “Blood flowed onto his hands. Blood.Blooded”, how very intense some of these scenes were, how emotional impacting they struck and ho devastating forceful they were, as if the holder of some great power, bearing over the reader as it throws breathtaking line after breathtaking line.
She tried to pull his head up. A sad smile slipped onto her face. But when she saw his face, that smile fell far away. His eyes shone pure hate. His teeth were bared. He was shaking. Pain screamed from him. She dropped his face and stepped back. What had she done? What had she done to him?
This is one of the finest moments, finest paragraphs, as it displays such raw emotion, not cleaned as that of a swift kill or a romantic night, but force got from the bone, pulled off and stuck in words, the harsh reality showed brutal and the brutality of life showed harshly, all in a beautiful manifestation of words and implied visuals, so touching, so real, so alive, yet so distant, like a bright glowing star in the clear autumn nights, appearing to be but an arm’s length away, however, in reality, light-years. And that is what this story shows, the reality.
Alex breathed. He looked down on what he had done. What he had done. He was the animal. He could have stopped himself. His wife was dead. He had stolen her life. What had he done? He panicked. He needed to breathe. he needed air, he needed to breath. He had snapped her like a twig. Her dead eyes stared accusingly up at him. Hot. He was hot. Hot on a cold night. He needed to breathe. Why had he done this? Suffocation. He needed to breathe. He needed to be free. He would pay for this. He needed to be free.
This reinforces that idea while showing another use of rhetoric’s. Look at how, throughout the word usage, he creates a paranoia, a claustrophobia, as if fit in a tight spot, unable to breathe, just like the characters, so embedded in his mind, his worries, that breathing seems like a chore, a luxury, saved for the saintly, not the murderers, and this is the guilt that takes hold of him. Look at how the sentences jump around, like playing leapfrog, “he needed to be free, he would pay for this, he needed to be free”, it makes our mind race, our heartbeat quicken, and it makes us experience the excitement of the character. This paragraph has more genius in it then many films on Movie Reels.
Her mouth, full of unspoken crimes, curled up in a shocked smirk. She had full thick lips, blue as ice and twice as cool.
Figurative language, an analogy really, and a simile, mixed perfectly, all done for the sake of imagery. Writing done like a literary art, an art which takes its place with the classics of literature, as it forms the same style, that of a novel, a great novel, using its words carefully and intelligently, as it knows what each word does, what each phrase must do, and what emotion has to be pressed forth by every single paragraph. It is a great responsibility, to try to make great writing, and Jester has more then succeeded.
For a heartbeat of a moment, her face betrayed her. Horror and confusion riddled her face twisting her pretty features.
I cannot get over the use of personification and metaphors and the such, as if Jester is making everything alive, everything containing of a motive, and nothing left untouched, touched by the story and touched by his imagination, as he makes everything a riddle, every object, every object of scenery part of his world, his world of about seven pages where light could bend, atoms could split and anything could happen. Picking a favorite line would be hard, would be difficult, however, I think I have one:
The moon was the only witness tonight. It hung silently in the air, nonjudgmental to all that passed beneath it.
Amazing, that is the best line I have heard in anything I have read yet. Can you just picture the moon, hanging there, nonjudgmental, swinging in the sky, not aware of what is happening, or, if so, not siding with any one belief, not choosing an opinion or forming a theory, but only watching, curious perhaps, but only to the point of wonder. Stunning!
If I wanted to, I could make 30 or 40 pages about this writing, excluding the story in general. I may bring it up sometimes again; however, I would like to end it with a few notes, as we must move on. Simply put, this is an astounding piece, and we are lucky to have had it. I cannot thank Jester enough for giving me the chance to read, examine and analyze this wonderful writing, as it feels like a privilege, one reserved for a king or someone of the highest order. Thank you and thank you again; it was, most definitely, my honor.
Now let’s start with our first of many interviews, one with, conveniently enough, Jester himself, the author of the short story above. This was an interview I had long looked forward to, as his film “The Long Coats” is nothing but sheer ambition, and, in earlier episodes, I have yet to grab an interview with him, but I finally set one, and here is what he had to say:
Q: Hello Jester, and thank you for agreeing, not only to do a short story for this special episode, but also an interview. I’d like to start off by saying that I haven’t seen much by you; however, while I consider 16 Hour to be the major video producer, there is no denying that The Long Coats is a revelation on Movie Reels, the film we have been waiting for. What compelled you to such a massive project?
A: First of all I’d like to say that its my pleasure. You're a great MR member and its an honor to be part of your show. Regarding your question...
Its a vast subject to be honest. I don’t know exactly how to answer. See, i've always been the type of person who wants to tackle interesting gritty ideas. Normally i try and think of a way to twist the idea. For instance with 'The Long Coats' the idea is the kidnapping of Jimmy and the concept this this elite company of mercenaries. I try to find concepts to put fresh twists on our ideas.
Just because we are amateur, doesn't mean we have to be, if that makes sense. We try our best to make smart films that could be something you'd expect from Hollywood.
I actually wrote the first film to be released on the current version of MR (it was released along with 'The Wolfman'). It was the first in a six part series. The film was admittedly not very good but it was in a rough draft which I’d written two years previous. My partner, who had nothing to do with the film, released it in his name without me knowing.
I managed to redraft the remaining films. The second to be released i was pretty proud of. It didn't do that well so in order to save my time i just canceled the series. I didn't want to make films for people that don't bother reading them so....
I've never really been able to put the series to rest. Its where the name 'Jester' comes from. I spent about 4 years working on the series. Four years making this character. This deep complex character. He haunts me to this day. What is worse is that his story was never finished on MR.
Q: Secondly, since I haven’t asked, what sort of films can we expect from you in the future? Videos or screenplays? Will you continue to follow in the style of The Long Coats, or do you do whatever suits you as a fine project? Are you working on anything now?
A: We are currently working on a film for a particular season which is coming up, but after that we are going back to more cutting edge ideas and pushing our 'amateur' abilities to the limits.
Actually, we have just finished two great scripts that we plan to make at some point. Both are brilliant gritty films each with a little twist on the concept. I don't like saying much until our films are almost done. Usually they end up nothing like how I envision them.
Q: Next, you must watch quite a few films on Movie Reels, but have you seen any of the other filmed videos? Do you feel that Movie Reels is too script heavy or do videos have a fair chance for profit as well?
A: Yeah, I've seen most of the filmed features on MR. I've missed two, i think. 'Fathers Day' was one of the ones I missed.
Erm... well the main problem with 'TLC' was its length. But most of the scripts on this site are, what would be considered, full length films. Unfortunately only 15 tickets were brought for 'TLC' and i think only about 9 people actually watched it. I do think its script heavy but a lot of people don't have the resources to film the scripts they write (could you imagine Blaggers filming CS?!).
I mean, to me the beauty of filming our stuff is that MR becomes our secondary audience. Youtube is our first. There are limited places to publish amateur scripts and get people to read them.
Q: Also, from memory, The Long Coats didn’t have much promotion behind it, despite quite a larger excitement around it. How do you account for this? Is advertising vital to a film, or is letting the plot and basic storyline go public enough promotion?
A: Well, my golden rule is to not announce a film until it is almost finished. With 'TLC' i was hesitant to announce it because of the large amount of editing i knew we'd have to do. I didn't want to announce something that wasn't ready.
Advertising does mean a lot to a film as long as you have something memorable planned. With 'TLC' the advertising was very straight forward. I tried some secondary advertising after the film had been released but it was practically ignored. My secondary advertising used the concept of actual 'long coats' to my disposal. The idea has so much potential and was so deep that i could possibly go a farther 5 films into it. (I'd never do that though)
Q: Your “surname” –Psychobunny Productions- is shared by another user on here, and you worked together on The Long Coats, did you not, as long with a few others? How vital would you say your role is to The Long Coats, and to the group? Are you planning any solo projects?
A: Scott Godfrey and I have worked together since we are about 11. We have planned so much together. I've always wanted to be a director and he has always wanted to be an actor so we kinda gelled well.
With our films, I’m usually the writer, director, actor and co editor. Scott usually has some input on both scripting and directing but to be honest, its usually my vision we are trying to make. Scott and I both edit. We do it together with him on the actual controls. I tell him what i want and he does it. Sometimes he wants something different from me and we battle it out. I usually win.
We also have a producer, Sam Rye. She doubles up as camera lady, actress and money pot. I say we have no budget but if anything desperately needs to be brought, she's the lady for the job. She also organizes our filming schedules. She is a saint for us.
Q: Two more questions. First, looking at The Long Coats, it looks like you had a nice cast, nice setup, and pretty good equipment. How do you have this advantage, or don’t you, and you are only putting what you do have to the best possible use?
A: I've always seen it as we literally don’t have any budget and use what ever we can around us. I mean Sam Rye does her best to help us out with money but its only pennies really.
Our camera is a family handycam. Our crew are school kids. We make do with the locations we can get. It is a damn shame we don’t have the money to go that extra step further but we are doing ok for now.
I'd say that Psycho Bunny Productions are hugely resourceful. Sometimes it dampens the quality of our films but we can’t be picky in our positions.
Q: And finally, what do you think about the show “Casablanca and the Movies”? What role do you see it playing in the future? Is there anything missing, something you would like to see?
A: I don’t think there is anything missing. Maybe a collection of the week’s rumors. Other than that I’d say that the show is brilliant. If you keep this going for a while then you'll certainly leave a legacy on MR.
Thank you for having me.
-----------------------------
Thank you for that informative interview Jester, as you answered many of the questions I had while watching “The Long Coats”, and also opened up many new questions to which I will seek the answers.
Jester both surprised me and confirmed what I already thought of him. First, I was shocked to find that he wasn’t the fortunate director I thought he was, but, in fact, someone with not much resources, no professional equipment, not much luxuries, but a director who knows how to use what he has, knows how to limit himself in some areas and strive in others, the areas that stick out. He also knows what makes a good film and uses every trick in the book to hide this low budget with, well basically trickery, but a smart, genius form of trickery. He uses the poorer quality of his camera to achieve a realistic feel, a thrilling mood, made to seem like we are there, in that room. Also, his sets are perfect for what was available. He makes us familiar with them, used to seeing them. It was always my belief that you could have a crime thriller set in a farmhouse, as long as you played your cards right, and made the viewer get “adapted” to the settings of the film, so much so, that a crime thriller on the streets of LA seems preposterous. Now where I was right. Jester seems, to me, as a director who will never fall short. He seems to plan his films with great depth, great ideas and an ambition to go all the way. He never settles for anything less then perfect, or as good as possible, and I hope, and believe, that those are the kind of films we can expect from him, pretty perfect films. He already released one great film, and since I see no promotion from another project by him, I assume he is taking his time, editing perhaps, or even still filming, but surely pouring his heart into crafting another masterpiece, or al least a film of value, not value in only entertainment, but also in art, in drama, in storytelling, the very basic things of mature filmmaking.
With that, I would again like to thank Jester for the story and the interview, and then move on to the next subject.
It appears we are taking a break from the people of Movie Reels and now going to the films, as it is time for a little “lecture”. I am now going to have this show’s first discussion, one-sided discussion, in which I will go over “structure” of the film’s on Movie Reels, the formation of how they are put together and the different types there are. This site hosts many super hero films, for instance, but look carefully, and you may see that, at heart, they are all quite different. I’d like to start by addressing a few of the dark “epics”, not necessarily epic in length but in themes, or in magnitude of scope. Firstly, “Mills of God”.
“Mills of God” is built like a common Cristo film, and that basically means you can’t pin it down to one specific category. In it there is action, there is drama, tragedy, suspense and thrills, similar to the style of “Wolf Man”. Those two, however, while having the same themes, use them differently. “Mills of God” uses an action/thriller theme as their base; this is where they will build up from. It is the bottom of the pyramid, and by “base” I mean the genre which is the basis of the film, the type you see when you watch a trailer, or a clip or scene. It is the thing which splits films into groups. If the themes were to stop here, I would place it in the same team as “Captain Scarlet” or another film of the sort. Luckily for us, it doesn’t stop here, and this is only the start. After this, it relies on its drama. It takes a suspenseful adventure and uses the ideals of drama, and dramatic effect to tone down the action, so that the drama really acts as a constraint on the earlier genres. This is also the step which starts forming the film into its own unique project, in its own unique style. However, when going up the line for the building of a film, you can’t stop here, for there is more. The drama can’t stay so generic; it needs to be more specific, enhanced. That is where the tragedy comes in. That tells us what the “drama” means, and what sort of emotions will be brought out. In “Mills of God” there is death, there is loss and there is hate, this all adds to what I would call tragedy, which acts as the implied theme. It isn’t there, it isn’t obvious, but it acts like the icing on a cake, giving it just the little something it needed to make it special. There is only one more thing left. It needs an outlier, a crowd pleaser, the sugar in the tea. This film uses lightness. It gives of an almost, at times, lighthearted feel to it, to slow things down, to save the mood from depression, and to make the film more accessible, unlike “Science of Evil”, which had no mercy on the average movie patron. This lightness isn’t placed anywhere, it is simply sprinkled on a little everywhere, impossible to point out. And thus, we are left with a film which combines many different things all combined for an overall effect. And its quite noticeable too. Take out one theme and just picture what the film would be like, it would feel like a vital part is missing, and the emotions, the feelings it evokes would be lessened by quite a bit. Finishing off “Mills of God”, the “thematic chart:
As you can see, the tragedy enhances the drama, the lightness adds to everything, and the action/thriller aspect of it lies at the base.
Moving on, we’re going to attempt to do two at a time, a sort of “contrast and compare” between two seemingly similar films, which really are pretty different. “The Life of Superman” and “X-Men Origins: Gambit”.
Now, they start off the same, basically unrecognizable, as the bases are the same thing. “Action/Super Hero”, let’s just say.
Here is what we start with. There it is. Next is where we first see the signs of difference, however generic it is. You can start to see, as I form these charts, that they do start to form a unique film, certainly unique from each other. “The Life of Superman” takes on a “Thriller” genre, for lack of a better word, as what would really be the ideal way to describe it is a “fan-fare”, an excitement, however, for the convenience of my sake, let’s just say “thriller”. “X-Men Origins: Gambit”, however, takes the dramatic method. It tackles the early years of the hero and shows us his beginning, his start, his life at home, his terrible life on the streets, only for him to turn himself around and become semi-happy, but still lacking something. I’d love to put “character study”, but, again, let’s just shorten it to “drama”.
They are now quite separate, their paths are split, but, like “Mills of God”, they both need something to enhance themselves, to add on that last theme presented. “X-Men Origins: Gambit” takes a unique turn, something different from “Mills of God”, and besides using darkness as the theme which covers everything , uses it to enhance its drama, and make some dark drama, which has the appeal of a “rise and fall” movie, where we feel for the character throughout his troubles. And, actually, this isn’t even that odd, as all films are different. Rarely, will you see two films with the same, identical “thematic charts”. Now for “Life of Superman”. That, also, acts differently. Not as radically as the previous film, but it differs somewhat. Like “Mills of God” it uses lightness to cover the whole film, however, that is it. There is no enhances, as it relies on nothing but its themes of action and thrills. So, we are left with two completely different films, when, from the start, they could have been easily mistaken to be the same film, or at least the same kind.
Quite surprising actually. Now, for one more final film. This time, I’d like to take a film that has yet to come out, I’ll take a guess, and we can see how close I was. We will do Xplayadam’s newest film “The Raven”.
Now, this is a hard film to read, and charting it will be difficult, as it appears to mix so many different things. Even the base seems hard, and while you all expect me to call it an action, I am going to set the base as drama. The trailer, the teaser all hint up towards it, as well as Xplayadam’s comments on how there is only one fight scene, how it gets into the character. So there we have a base:
Simple so far. Now, sorry to spoil the fun of analyzing, but what comes next is quite obvious. This will be the superhero section. However, let’s not label it as “Action/Super hero” like we did earlier, as action is likely something which won’t even appear on this chart. I am going to put it down as “Super Hero”, as I really didn’t see anything attached to it, it seemed to be just a backdrop at which the story, and the characters, would move to.
Next it gets tough! With all of the little themes thrown in, it is hard to order them in terms of importance, however, because of what I feel, and what Xplayadam told me, I am going to put romance next. Now, this may sound odd for this film, but this is an odd movie. In the trailer you see the main character having, what seems to be a date, in what makes me believe that there will be a nice romance between two shy kids. This theme, however doesn’t attach to the superhero one, as, if you think about it, that acts as a type of its own, so let’s put it on the drama.
After that I think we can through in darkness. The film certainly seems to have that aura, with the depression, the mood of the depression of the character, her loneliness and isolation. With this theme, though I’m going to throw on “slice of life”, which isn’t really a theme, but I can picture so much of this movie being school, home, bullying, friends, all the things which happen in the daily life of a girl like this. Again, this goes with drama, as there is nothing romantic about normal life, and darkness goes as an outlier, encompassing everything.
Furthermore, I would like to finish this off with one more theme, which is going to cause debate and split ideas. “Tragedy”. Now, hear me out. I do not mean tragedy in the sense of “Wolf Man” or “Mills of God”, but tragedy in the sense of a girl who falls into her own world, cutting off her ties with humanity and pushed over the limit. And that is tragedy, as a character’s life is so ruined, so deep in its shell that she cannot connect. This theme, I believe will go over everything, as it all goes for her depression. She thinks she is a freak, so there is “Superhero”, she is bullied and left out socially, there is “Slice of Life”, and drama fits in there too. Even the romance would fit in, as it makes the reader realize her loneliness, and that is what films should try to appeal to, the reader, not the characters, though it should handle both.
And there it is. That is what I predict and what I hope we can expect. Thank you for reading, if you read all of this, as I quite enjoyed it and hope you did too, as I gave a little lecture about “structure” in the films of Movie Reels.
Now, time for an old favorite: Trailer Analysis. However, tonight’s trailers aren’t just ordinary, these are special exclusive trailers sent directly to me from the directors of each film. Many of them are quite new, and we might even have a look at some upcoming projects, ones that maybe haven’t even been started yet. Either way, it looks like we are in for a real treat, as you will see. Now, to satisfy your anticipation let me start with the first trailer, which actually isn’t a trailer at all, but a featurette, a special announcement from Cristo on his new fantasy film. Let’s see what this is like:
Once upon a time in a far away land…If you hear those words, you know that you’re in for a treat. Fantasy stimulates imagination, inspires wonder, and enchants the heart. Many Disney films such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast have gone down in history as magnificent retellings of beautiful stories.
We here at Cristo Productions realize and appreciate the role of fantasy in our films. “City of Dragons” was an adult fantasy, a violent journey through mythical lands and war-torn kingdoms. In it, there are wizards, dragons, princes, monsters, and one of the most fantastical elements of all…love.
The elements of the fantasy at Cristo Productions are about how love motivates people to do both good and evil. In times as these, of genocide, mass starvation, natural disasters, and government corruption, love has gone out of the picture and so has our acceptance of pure enchantment. In our new film, Twelve Dancing Princesses, we wish to reinvigorate that enchantment…the innocence of the good, the malice of the evil, and the hope that good will one day conquer evil…a hope that humanity rests upon, if not in individual, then in principle.
Beauty, wonder, excitement, enchantment, hope, villainy, and love…these are the elements found in Twelve Dancing Princesses and we encourage everyone to participate in this wonderful journey.
And don’t forget…in the fall of 2009, the sequel to City of Dragons, “Princes of War” will be released and it shall take love, war, and destiny to new heights with fantasy thrills never before seen on Movie Reels.
Well, this seems like a very nice project. I am quite excited for this, as, to my knowledge, I know of no Disney-like film that has been attempted. Now, Cristo has made the gritty “Science of Evil”, as well as the adult “Mills of God”, so, you may be wondering if he is the correct director for the job. My answer- there is no one better. In “City of Dragons” as well as his other films, he has showed a true, exceptional ability to create wonder, to make a world and pull you into it. As for the beloved elements which must go into the film, as certainly a film like this needs a childlike imagination, I can picture Cristo jumping around gleefully with this script, leaping from theme to theme, from hidden darkness to hidden darkness, all masqueraded as a lighthearted enchantment. It seems we will have a nice mix of ideas too, as he pointed out the use of “beauty, wonder, excitement…villainy and love”. Cristo really knows what makes a movie, and he is pulling all of his resources to make sure we have a good one. Overall, I can’t wait.
With that over with, let’s move on to trailer number 2, this time it is a new, exclusive trailer to Xplayadam’s upcoming film “The Raven”. A film which seems to mix drama, action, adventure, and practically everything else under the sun, as you will se now, It starts:
We see a huge white temple in a dark underground city. Light breaks out from the sky but just in small amounts. A group of 3 older man, with long white beards and robes walk beside a dark haired, pale skinned woman named Arella who is 9 months pregnant. They all rush into the temple and into a room with a bed. The walls and floor are stone and the bed looks just about as comfortable. Arella lays on the bed and one man grabs a rag and begins to wipe the sweat off of her head. The other tells her something and she spreads her legs, he holds a cloth and is prepared to catch something. The third wise man is mixing a potion of some sorts. She screams in terror. Outside of a small window a set of two rows of three yellow eyes look from the darkness. The older man waiting is named Aunder, and he is now holding a child in his hands-
Aunder-
It's a girl...
Presuming I may be allowed to take a guess here, I am thinking that the baby is Raven, not the girl at the beginning. I believe that something will happen to the mother, for some reason, she will not live, and Raven will grow up outside of this, what appears to be a cult. Thus, I suspect that Raven will be quite a normal girl who goes to a normal school, though her personality, and eventually her life, will be anything but. This establishes a fantasy-like mood, which may or may not carry throughout the whole film, but will definitely be back in some short time. Let’s continue:
Bully- (VO)
What are the freaks doing?
Rachel Roth- (VO)
Where minding are business. Something you're surely not.
-Cut to a lunchroom. Rachel sits at a table while a bully looks down at her-
Bully-
Watch your tongue... you stupid bitch...
Precisely what I thought. She grows up in a normal life, only she isn’t normal, hence the “freaks”. I assume this has some connection to her heritage, only she doesn’t know it yet. This will lead to some inner turmoil as she is stuck wondering why she is different and what made her the way she is, especially when she finds out about her powers, then I believe, she will wonder what makes her a “freak”. So some good character development and insight is already given, in just the second part of a trailer. Then:
Josephine Miller- (VO)
Rachel, you have to learn to control yourself...
-Cut to Rachel in the counselor’s office-
Josephine Miller-
I mean... you can't keep these feelings all bottled in...
-Cut to a forest with twisted shapes in the form of trees. Rachel puts her hands together and a glowing purple light begins to leak from her palms. Cut to Rachel laying on her bed. The room is dull and gray. Kathy, her forest parent comes in-
Rachel Roth-
It’s over. It’s all over.
Kathy-
Look, Rachel… I know it’s a tough world… you’re a strong person, you’ve been through worse.
Well, here it is. This is what I was talking about when I referred to the inner conflict. So, Raven has been in a fight, and now has seen that she has powers. Now, believing herself to be “weird”, she is bottling herself up, as we were told, and isolating herself from people. Kathy, perhaps a friend, telling her that she has been through worse makes me wonder if Raven didn’t see her mom die or at least know about it, as I don’t know at which past event she could be referring. The only thing I don’t know is what “It’s over. It’s all over” means. I suppose it could means the normal life, or the charade of a life she was pulling over everyone’s eyes. It could also mean the strand of sanity she had left, the strand of connection to the society, and know, with that gone; she is on her own shell. I suppose we will have to wait to find out, however, I think we have the general idea. Next:
Rachel Roth-
I'm Ra, Ra... Rachel!
-Rachel lets out a small yet nervous chuckle. Alex shakes her hand-
Alex-
It's nice to met you...
-Rachel keeps firmly holding his hand. Alex lets go-
Rachel Roth-
I'm sorry...
Alex-
No, it's alright.
-Cut back to Kathy and Rachel-
Rachel Roth-
-And... and... I just can't stop thinking about him
Well, first things first, at least we know who Kathy is, or at least we can narrow it down to two people. Her friend of counselor, but since in the above section Josephine Miller was the counselor, I am leaning towards friend. However, that’s beside the point. Here is where something happens. Raven meets a friend, another friend if Kathy is one, this time a boy. Now, I could take the dumbest person in the world, spin them around five times and even they could see where this story is going: a love story. Yes, you heard me right, in this superhero film full of depression and tragedy, a love story, between two lonesome people, both “left out” of society as they were seen as different. What a beautiful twist. Obviously Raven’s mood is better, and that may affect her powers, as maybe she is more in control.
Kathy-
Your first love, I'm glad I can see it.
-Cut to a fair. Rachel and Alex are in the ferries wheel and it's hit the peek of night, a grand amount of colorful lights are below them. Alex begins to move toward Rachel and she does the same, they lips meet together and they begin to kiss passionately-
Trigon- (VO)
Her heart will forever be consumed by hatred.
-Cut to Rachel standing outside a burning house screaming then a quick cut to her floating in a destroyed park with dark rays shooting from her hands outlined with purple-
Jeez, don’t blink. Look at how fast it goes from quite romantic to horrifyingly dark. Either way, this tells us something new. First off, we now know another conflict. Raven will turn against her friend, Alex, as her heart will take over, she can’t control herself, and that is what this film may be about, control, the ability to control your emotions without bottling them up. Thus, what appears to be a superhero film is really a lesson in psychology which is relevant and applies to us all. Who would have thought!
Overall, I am very, very excited for this film, as I feel it is already a masterpiece in the making and is sure to stun on many levels. Be there for its release, it will prove to be an amazing film.
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