Metropolis & Pulp Fiction | Weekly Recap 9

Another week racing by after filling it full of films. This week we had 7 films for 7 days, and all of them are actually feature length (unlike the 15 short films I passed off as an entry last week). Right, without any more preamble, let’s get down to Recapping!

This week I had 2 required viewings for Uni. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and The Seashell and the Clergyman. Spoilers: I didn’t really like either, for basically identical reasons. Now, they certainly had great cinematography and fantastic editing. I keep finding myself in awe at the skillful way these early filmmakers put their imagination to film, which has definitely made me appreciate the art form even more. I understand what German Expressionism attempts to do, so I do find value in the nightmarish tone and Gothic set design, but I just don’t find it enjoyable. I don’t know why I enjoyed the short films by Melies, Porter, etc., so much more than this, since their filmmaking techniques are naturally even more archaic, but the surrealism of these two films was unfortunately too confusing for me. I really didn’t understand anything that went on, so while I loved the visuals, I sadly didn’t enjoy the experience.

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari: https://boxd.it/1EsLZf ⭐⭐

The Seashell and the Clergyman: https://boxd.it/1Ec6Sl ⭐⭐

I then decided to watch another German Expressionist film that has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time, but since my course is currently covering this era of cinema, now seemed to be the best time to watch it. Metropolis is definitely much more in line with what I like. I’m absolutely in love with the visuals! Every wide shot of the city – with the towering skyscrapers and airborne trains and swarms of countless people – is a wonder of ingenuity, the modernist architecture evoking a deep feeling of dumbfounded awe. But then descending into the underworld that holds the future together is the Gothic style German Expressionism is so known for, with the chiaroscuro lighting crafting some truly nightmarish sequences in their Biblical and Operatic grandiosity. I’m not a big fan of the melodramatic performances, and the naff romance does feel like it detracts somewhat from the real beauty of this film, but the music more than makes up for it as it’s one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard. And did I mention what a marvel the cinematography is? Experiencing this film is a must! I have no idea how Fritz Lang brought to life such incredible ambition for the time; I’m simply happy I got to witness something so spectacular, and ecstatic that I finally enjoyed a film from this artistic movement.

Metropolis: https://boxd.it/1F5NJh ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Up next is a 2020 film that seems to have flown by without me noticing. News of the World stars Tom Hanks in a blatantly Oscar-baity performance… but honestly I’m ok with that. He and Zengel give terrific performances, so the slow pace is alleviated by their talent. This is a Western that is amusingly similar to Logan and even The Midnight Sky, but still bringing enough originality to make the over-trodden genre feel fresh. It also reminded me a lot of True Grit in its aesthetic – I definitely think that the gorgeous cinematography is the winner of this film; I expect nothing less from the guy who shot Pirates of the Caribbean. The lighting wasn’t the best at times, but the scenery was simply beautiful. Perhaps there’s not much substance to this film, as the predictability of the plot does make the experience somewhat pointless, but honestly what it aims to do it does brilliantly. I wasn’t expecting much, so I was pleasantly surprised by how well made and enjoyable it was. 

News of the World: https://boxd.it/1EUglJ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

We have now come to the highlight of the week, which you’ll be pleased to know will be the highlight for the next 2 weeks also. I’ve decided to begin a Tarantino marathon, starting with his first 3 films – I’ll be spreading out his filmography into 3 parts just to milk his name as much as possible. First up is Reservoir Dogs. I’ll get my one negative out of the way first: I don’t think all of the flashbacking particularly works. In fact, it rather kills the pacing for me. It just made for a really uneven viewing experience as it took too long to hit its full stride. But every time it did manage to hook me then I was having a blast. In fact, from the Mr Blonde dancing/torture scene onwards, I was absolutely loving the great performances and glorious bloodbath. In fact, all of the scenes inside the warehouse are fantastic. The writing is always a highlight in all of Tarantino’s films, but it’s only when the space is so confined that the dialogue can really shine through. This is his most basic film, as the simplicity of the plot and the unrefined filmmaking techniques does hold it back from becoming a masterpiece. But even if it is a little rough around the edges, this is certainly an impressive debut film for Tarantino. 

Reservoir Dogs: https://boxd.it/1EuDYR ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Which is why it’s all the more impressive that his next film is widely considered to be a turning point in cinema. I don’t particularly understand that sentiment, so I am going to be a little contrarian here by not conforming to the stereotype that all film students think Pulp Fiction is the best film ever made. With that said, it is still a fantastic film. I’m simply not in love with it like everyone else, but I likewise can’t deny the phenomenal screenplay, stellar performances and excellent directing. Not to mention the brilliant music, which was integral to crafting such memorable scenes. This is actually the Tarantino film I’ve rewatched the most, but it’s far from being my favourite. I find a lot of it entertaining, and I find a lot of it irritating; essentially, my feelings are exactly the same every time I give it another chance. Because, well, 1/3rd of this film I adore! The rest ranges from passive intrigue to mild disappointment; in short, I wish this film was literally just with Samuel L Jackson, who has to be playing among my all time favourite characters. But I do appreciate Tarantino’s experimental filmmaking and the way he interweaves several plot lines non chronologically. The manner in which he plays around with the structure of a film is definitely something I admire from him, so while I wish Jules was the only protagonist, I have no qualms calling this a masterpiece (though when it comes to Tarantino, such a word is kind of redundant).

Pulp Fiction: https://boxd.it/1ECCYd ⭐⭐⭐⭐

And now to end the week, here’s Tarantino’s most forgettable film. And for good reason, because Jackie Brown honestly doesn’t feel like a Tarantino movie most of the time. It’s still a good film, so while the pacing is pretty awful, I did find it somewhat engaging. All of the characters are great: I’ll always love Samuel L Jackson after all; Pam Grier and Robert Forster are probably the stars of the show; I forgot Michael Keaton was in this film, so that was a pleasant surprise; and DeNiro gives a really underappreciated and hilarious performance. So the cast is certainly fantastic, brought to life by the on-point dialogue that Tarantino wouldn’t be seen dead without. Some of the scenes are also masterfully put together – especially the final scene – with a brilliant diegetic soundtrack that makes the music its own breathing character. Actually, more on that point, as I’ve just remembered that after this film Tarantino stops being diegetic with his music, which is a shame as it’s certainly what gave these first 3 films a lot of their charm. Anyway, this is definitely Tarantino’s most mediocre film, as it lacks the adventurous style that he’s otherwise known for, with a more grounded tone and bland aesthetic that at times made it look like it was made for TV. Thankfully Tarantino steals Robert Richardson for the rest of his films after his beautiful talent was put to waste in Natural Born Killers, as Tarantino just isn’t as good with visuals as he is with writing. Either way, Jackie Brown is certainly worth the time, so while it’s among Tarantino’s weakest, all that really says about him is what an excellent auteur he is.

Jackie Brown: https://boxd.it/1EJRej ⭐⭐⭐