The Rankin/Bass Christmas shows got steadily worse. But (like "everyone") I do love Rudolph. They really should have created a buddy series with Yukon Cornelius and Hermey. Those two together are just wonderful!
Have you seen The Psychic Parrot? (It's very likely; I've been telling people about it for decades!) It features very distinct visuals. It isn't exactly animated. It reminds me of Jon Jost. But Derek Lamb, the filmmaker, was primarily an animator.
I haven't seen Memoir of a Snail. It sounds interesting so I'll watch it if I come upon it.
Your take on Mad God is similar to mine. I can't say I enjoyed it. But it is a great work of art. Of course, I'm a bit of an Inferno fanatic and that's kind of what he's doing here. You didn't finish the film, so I'm not surprised that you missed the connection to David Lynch (especially Eraserhead). But I think it is better.
Films like Mad God highlight my problem with ratings. As I said, I didn't enjoy it. I'm not sure anyone would enjoy it. Yet it is amazing. And this is pretty much what you said. I've found in my life that the films I most admire are NOT the films I rewatch. It's normally the 3/5 and 4/5 films I want to re-experience. Like Michael Clayton. I love the film. I've watched it several times. It is excellent. But it isn't great. It isn't The Power of the Dog, which is a film I feel no desire to revisit, even though I think it is one of the greatest films made in the last couple of decades. I'm not sure what that's all about. Maybe you have some insights? Maybe I'm just weird!
No real insights! Except that I also love Michael Clayton, I've also watched it several times, and other than the great performances and cleverness of the structure... yeah, there are flaws. Like, what does Michael even really DO at the law firm? And while the killers are a good, tense (and very sad) plot point, I always wonder about "hired assassins" in a movie. Wouldn’t they immediately turn around and start blackmailing whoever hired them?
I think there's something about a really powerful, intense work that makes you not want to experience it again, not anytime soon. It meant a lot to you at a particular time in your life. It’s not a really good pop song you immediately want to hear again. It’s best, I think, to revisit such things later, and see if they still move you, or move you in different ways.
I'll have to watch that Parrot short. I'd like to do a post about a bunch of short films. But the ones I'm thinking of are all vastly dissimilar, so that doesn't quite work as a post...
Who have you ever met that didn’t love Rudolph? I'll bet Klon Muse hated it, though.
The Rankin/Bass Christmas shows got steadily worse. But (like "everyone") I do love Rudolph. They really should have created a buddy series with Yukon Cornelius and Hermey. Those two together are just wonderful!
Have you seen The Psychic Parrot? (It's very likely; I've been telling people about it for decades!) It features very distinct visuals. It isn't exactly animated. It reminds me of Jon Jost. But Derek Lamb, the filmmaker, was primarily an animator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhsg6nNY1yI
I haven't seen Memoir of a Snail. It sounds interesting so I'll watch it if I come upon it.
Your take on Mad God is similar to mine. I can't say I enjoyed it. But it is a great work of art. Of course, I'm a bit of an Inferno fanatic and that's kind of what he's doing here. You didn't finish the film, so I'm not surprised that you missed the connection to David Lynch (especially Eraserhead). But I think it is better.
Films like Mad God highlight my problem with ratings. As I said, I didn't enjoy it. I'm not sure anyone would enjoy it. Yet it is amazing. And this is pretty much what you said. I've found in my life that the films I most admire are NOT the films I rewatch. It's normally the 3/5 and 4/5 films I want to re-experience. Like Michael Clayton. I love the film. I've watched it several times. It is excellent. But it isn't great. It isn't The Power of the Dog, which is a film I feel no desire to revisit, even though I think it is one of the greatest films made in the last couple of decades. I'm not sure what that's all about. Maybe you have some insights? Maybe I'm just weird!
No real insights! Except that I also love Michael Clayton, I've also watched it several times, and other than the great performances and cleverness of the structure... yeah, there are flaws. Like, what does Michael even really DO at the law firm? And while the killers are a good, tense (and very sad) plot point, I always wonder about "hired assassins" in a movie. Wouldn’t they immediately turn around and start blackmailing whoever hired them?
I think there's something about a really powerful, intense work that makes you not want to experience it again, not anytime soon. It meant a lot to you at a particular time in your life. It’s not a really good pop song you immediately want to hear again. It’s best, I think, to revisit such things later, and see if they still move you, or move you in different ways.
I'll have to watch that Parrot short. I'd like to do a post about a bunch of short films. But the ones I'm thinking of are all vastly dissimilar, so that doesn't quite work as a post...
Who have you ever met that didn’t love Rudolph? I'll bet Klon Muse hated it, though.