#77: All the President's Men (1976)

As somebody who lives and works in the communications world, I couldn't wait to see this film. Not just to see how different the journalistic world was over 30 years ago compared to now, but to see how two reporters essentially brought down a political power. The synopsis on my Netflix sleeve deemed this movie as, "The film that made everybody want to become a journalist," and I truly can see why. This movie not only reinforces the adage that the pen is mightier than the sword, but it says that to truly be mighty, that pen needs to be unbiased and filled with integrity.

All the President's Men is a historical print of the Watergate scandal that eventually led to Richard Nixon leaving the American presidential office. The two men who get this credit is the 1972 Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman). Woodward is the rookie reporter who still goes by the book wherein Bernstein doesn't mind selling the philosophy that "it's better to ask for forgiveness than for permission." The movie follows the grueling process of getting to the bottom of the truth when the entity that's holding all the answers happens to be a little organization known as the U.S. government. Turns out, getting those answers aren't easy, and it's fascinating to get an inside look of how real journalism exposed the truth.

What I loved about this film is that there is not a single moment or scene that is wasted. This tight screenplay by master scribe, William Goldman, lets every scene have a purpose. The screenplay is much smarter than you are. And what I mean by that is that it trusts its audience to fill in the holes instead of being spoon-fed the answers. Just like Woodward and Bernstein, you start trying to solve the scandal with them, even though you know what the outcome will be. It's not about the question, “Why”, but the question, “How?”

In an age where almost everybody has a Facebook profile, it's fascinating to see a time in life where reporters had to actually do research by… gasp…. going to the library or making phone calls! You get to see how hard these two reporters had to work and it's invigorating to see the passion that they and their editors had to invest into their Watergate news stories. Despite showing a world that probably will be extinct in the near future, this movie feels strongly current. These days, newspapers are dying and the media seems to start getting the same credibility as used car salesmen, but I can't help but think that if this film was required viewing for all journalism classes, maybe there would be some hope for journalism going forward.

It was refreshing to watch a film that had my attention for its entire run time. The editing, acting and direction are all solid, but it's the story that reels you in. We live in a cynical world, but I'm so glad this film reinforces that the media and communications do indeed have the power to fight this. It gives you hope that although there is corruption in this world, there are those who are fighting to expose it. And they don't need a sword to do so.

I give All the President's Men, 5 out of 5 Deep Throats.

#78: Modern Times (1936)

I'm really relieved to get this movie under my belt.  As a movie fan, I can now say that I've seen a Charlie Chaplin film.  Chaplin and his character, the Tramp, has to be one of the most well known icons in film history, yet, I bet a big percentage of America's population has never seen any of his work.  I now have the privilege to be on the other side of this bracket.

If you were wondering if he is worth all the hype, he indeed is.  His comic timing and movements in Modern Times are so natural and fluid.  I would find myself time after time pulling myself away from the comic antics on screen to reflect on Chaplin's unique genius.

Modern Times is a perfect title for this film because it describes the movie perfectly but also imitates life because it is known as one of the last silent films that was made in the new modern era of the "talkie" film.  The film follows the Tramp in and out of scenarios where he struggles to make a living.  He can never seem to keep up with the labor force of factory work or the demands of a waiter job, but with the help of a new found romance with A Gamin (Paulette Goddard), the two are still able to find hope in a society that seems to be leaving them behind.

I think this movie has made more of an impression on me as I write about it at this moment than when I was watching it.  The comedic set pieces make you forget about the thematic elements that Chaplin weaves throughout the movie.  He uses sound effects only for machinery and there is some spoken dialogue, but only when it is from the police radio or through the intercom system used by his factory boss.  But I don't want to underplay the comedy.  Chaplin is constantly throwing gags at you that are memorable and hilarious

The only downfall of the movie is that sometimes the scenes seem to exist just for Chaplin to develop humor instead of developing a plot.  Scenes come off more like SNL skits at times, but what do I know? Maybe the 1934 audience was infuriated with the brutal economy, so all they were looking for was laughs.  Chaplin could clearly see that there was a movement that was leaving him behind, and although the ending of this movie is somewhat bleak, he instills a hope within his characters that can't help but spill into the viewer.  Life is bleak more often than not, but as the last title card states, "Buck up - never say die.  We'll get along!"

I give Modern Times 4 out of 5 smuggled "nose powder."

May 2011 - Inside Buckner

 

The latest episode that I put together for Inside Buckner.  I think our single-parent family ministry is one of the coolest things that Buckner does.  Cynthia is an amazing person and has some pretty cool OU ties!

#79: The Wild Bunch (1969)

The western genre is a tough one for me to tackle. Like trying sushi, I'm hesitant to indulge in the medium, but I always seem to enjoy the outcome once I try it. I think Westerns either fit into the camp of highly entertaining and action-oriented (Tombstone) or methodical and somber (Unforgiven). I would place The Wild Bunch by Sam Peckinpah in the entertaining camp, but when examined closely, exudes a lot of thought-provoking ideas that the methodical Western often brings.

The audience is thrown into choosing the difficult task of liking or despising a gang of old, yet seasoned gang of cowboys led by Pike (William Holden) and Dutch (Ernest Borgnine). After a failed, epically violent, and supposed final bank robbery, the group reluctantly decides to get out of the game for good by helping a ruthless Mexican militia. As the gang tries to dodge hired bounty hunters while stealing American weaponry for an unpredictable Mexican general, Pike and Dutch must face their inner demons and determine whether or not they are any better than the despicable people they both help and avoid.

I won't lie, it takes a while to get into this movie. Now, I watched the director's cut on Blu-ray, so I was automatically invested into a two hour and thirty minute movie. I don't know how else you can view this movie, but I imagine that the shorter version gets rid of a lot of set-up in the first hour that just isn't needed. Once you get into the journey of these crippling outlaws, the movie really becomes an entertaining ride with some very dark undertones.

When I saw that the movie was made in 1969, it made complete sense because you can easily compare this movie's themes to those of the number #84 film Easy Rider. Like Wyatt and Billy of Dennis Hopper's trippy road trip, Pike and Dutch serve as rebels with no place to call home. They resort to brutal violence to get what they think will make them feel good, but there really isn't any amount of money that can blur out their troubled souls.

This is my first Peckinpah film, but I already knew that he was always criticized for glorifying violence. I was really shocked for what was shown in this film, especially for its day. The body count could rival any Schwarzenegger movie. Although the blood doesn't make you turn your head away from the screen, there is shock when you see innocent women get murdered. Often these type of acts are seen off screen, but unlike cheesy 80’s action films, I really think Peckinpah is trying to make you aware of how disgusting, revolting, and careless violence can be. During the time this movie was being made, America was going to war in Vietnam, and you can't deny that the undertones of senseless murders that happen in this movie correlate to the current events of America going into the 70's.

Technically, I think this film was really ahead of its time, especially in its editing style. Peckinpah was using new types of cuts, especially during the action scenes, that I hadn't seen in older movies like this one. His directing style is very calculated, and you can tell that the man behind the camera is intentional in every close-up and every cinematic wide shot. The acting is also really solid and there are actually some comedic moments at times, but every once in a while the film started to feel campy, especially in some flashback scenes that I think were just not needed.

Those few cheesy moments and a lengthy set-up prevent me from giving this film a higher rating, but I really was challenged by its themes of violence, new technology, inner turmoil, and knowing when to let go. All of that and it really has some good suspenseful, fun moments. If you are a fan of Westerns, this is a must see. Those who are weary of the Western genre could go either way with this one, but I believe if you give it a chance, you won't leave dissatisfied.

I give The Wild Bunch 4 out of 5 machine guns.