The Western is often thought of as an exclusively American
genre, and for good reason. It is inherently
American, and one of this nation’s greatest contributions to world cinema. That being said, its appeal is universal. Its popularity has spread to corners far and
wide and to parts unknown. Much of its
appeal relates to the mystique of the outlaw.
That mystique is often tied, in one way or another, to class warfare. This is especially true of countries which
have no middle class.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Blood Stained Lapels Prove Truly Prophetic In 'Django Unchained'
Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead!
During his face-off with the conniving house slave Stephen, Django
Freeman triumphantly declared himself “That one nigger in ten thousand.” Indeed, the film’s cartoonish finale proved
him to be just that. Such flamboyant
touches have always been a major part of Quentin Tarantino’s oeuvre. After all, the guy has never been known for his subtlety. In fact, a friend and colleague of mine very
recently pointed out a rather sneaky (and potentially inflammatory) bit of
foreshadowing in regards to Django’s self-proclaimed status.
Labels:
Ace Speck,
Allen Scott Gordon,
Blood,
Coat,
Django Unchained,
Easter Egg,
Foreshadowing,
H.N.I.C,
Jacket,
Jamie Foxx,
Lapel,
N-Word,
Quentin Tarantino,
Spoiler Warning,
Subliminal Suggestion
Friday, January 18, 2013
Scottscope Talk Radio 1/14/2013: 'Zero Dark Thirty' is Upon Us!
On this week’s edition of Scottscope Talk Radio, the
roundtable takes aim at Kathryn Bigelow’s latest, Zero Dark Thirty! Is it as a worthy follow-up to The Hurt
Locker? Is it in the same class as her
earlier work, or is it in a totally different class entirely? Does it truly deserve all of the praise that
is currently being heaped upon it? Will
it prevail at this year’s Oscars? How
realistic is it? Does it accurately
portray the hunt for Osama Bin Laden?
Will right-wing pundits dismiss it as yet another piece of Hollywood
style left wing propaganda? Does it
actually have any obvious political affiliations?
Monday, January 14, 2013
Playtime on the Plantation: NECA’s ‘Django Unchained’ Action Figures Cause Uproar
Django Unchained seems to be stacking up box office receipts and award nominations in about equal measure. Far outpacing both, however, is the film’s penchant for controversy. This time, the merchandising, rather than the film itself, is the problem. As has long been the standard for films of all kinds, Django Unchained has inspired a line of collectible action figures, courtesy of The National Entertainment Collectibles Association, or NECA. Each figure bears the name and likeness of its corresponding character.
Movie Review: The Mercenary (1968)
Paco, a Mexican peasant, is nearly executed for rebelling
against his wealthy boss. Meanwhile,
Polish Mercenary Sergei Kowalski is hired to ensure that a small fortune in silver
travels safely across the border. Curly
(Jack Palance), learns of Sergei’s mission, and plans on intercepting the silver
before it reaches its destination.
However, things take an unexpected turn when Paco and Sergei cross
paths. Sergei agrees to school the
Bandito in the ways of the revolutionary, albeit for an exorbitant fee. This little arrangement soon proves far more
expensive than Paco could have ever dreamed.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty
Two years after the September 11th attacks, a
young CIA officer named Maya is reassigned to the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan. Prior to her reassignment, she spent her time
collecting intelligence on the terrorist organization and it's leader, Osama Bin Laden. While in Pakistan, she accompanies fellow
officer Dan to a “black site,” where she is exposed to the torturous
interrogation tactics imposed on detainees.
Though initially squeamish, her resolve sees her through. 8 years later, after a great many setbacks
and close calls, her tireless efforts finally pay off. The target may have been located. However, the powers that be will not move
forward on the information until they are absolutely sure.
Labels:
Al Qaeda,
Jessica Chastain,
Kathryn Bigelow,
Manhunt,
Movie Review,
Osama Bin Laden,
The Hurt Locker,
Zero Dark Thirty
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Scottscope Talk Radio 1/8/2013: Anticipation!
This week, Scottscope
looks ahead to some of the year's most anticipated movies. We’ll be discussing many of the big releases,
as well as some of the smaller ones. The
massive success of Christopher Nolan’s Dark
Knight Trilogy notwithstanding, will Man
of Steel finally break DC’s losing streak at the box office? Will Pacific
Rim outclass the Transformers
films? Will Thor: The Dark World be any better than the first film? Will Iron
Man 3 get that franchise back on track?
Is there any chance of The Last
Stand actually being good? Has the
80’s action hero resurgence finally run its course?
Monday, January 7, 2013
Amazing Attractions: 'The Larry Davis Project' (The Life & Death Of A Bronx Rebel)
On November 19th, 1986, a raiding party consisting of 27 New York City
police officers and detectives converged on an apartment building in the
Morrisania section of the Bronx. Their target was Larry Davis, a
supposedly violent criminal laying low in his sister’s apartment. Davis was wanted for questioning in regards
to the murders of four suspected drug dealers.
Shortly after the nine-man raiding party entered the domicile, a violent
gun battle ensued. Davis, armed with a
16-gauge sawed-off shotgun and a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, wounded six
officers before making his escape. He
then evaded capture for 17 days, ultimately surrendering to authorities after
holding a family hostage. Davis maintained that the NYPD was out to get him because of his intimate knowledge of their corrupt practices, and that the raid was actually an assassination attempt. Miraculously,
he was acquitted of all charges except for weapons possession. However, he was ultimately charged and convicted
of yet another murder. On February 20th,
2008, while serving out a sentence of 25 years to life at Shawangunk prison, Davis
was stabbed to death by another inmate.
Labels:
1986,
Bronx,
Controversy,
Documentary,
Epoch Motion Pictures,
Hip-Hop,
Larry Davis,
New York City,
NYPD,
Scandal,
The Larry Davis Project,
Trailer,
True Crime
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Movie Review: Django (1966)
Django (Franco Nero) is mysterious drifter who drags a small
coffin behind him wherever he goes. During
his travels, he rescues a young beauty named Maria (Loredana Nusciak) from a
decidedly cruel fate. By doing so, he
draws the ire of the sadistic Major Jackson (Eduardo Fajardo). He then adds insult to injury by striking a
lucrative deal with General Hugo Rodriguez, a major enemy of Jackson’s. Having wandered into the middle of a warzone,
this violent nomad has chosen a side.
However, he will soon find that true allies are few and far between in
the Old West.
Labels:
1966,
Django,
Django Unchained,
Eduardo Fajardo,
King Boxer,
Loredana Nusciak,
Movie Review,
Quentin Tarantino,
Reservoir Dogs,
Sergio Corbucci,
Sergio Leone,
Spaghetti Western,
The Harder They Come
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Movie Review: The Great Silence
The Great Blizzard of 1899 proves especially cold for the
townspeople of Snow Hill, Utah. The tiny
hamlet is surrounded by murderous outlaws who’ve taken refuge in the mountains,
or so the local authorities would have the citizenry believe. These so-called outlaws are merely poor people
who’ve been forced to fend for themselves.
To make matters worse, a price has been placed on each of their
heads. The bounty hunters looking to
collect are a rather dishonorable bunch, led by a bloodthirsty rogue known only
as Loco (Klaus Kinski). In this snowy
wasteland, a gunslinger known as Silence (Jean-Louis Trintignant) proves to be
the only salvation for those seeking true justice.
Labels:
1968,
Django Unchained,
Eurowestern,
Jean-Louis Trintignant,
Klaus Kinski,
Movie Review,
Quentin Tarantino,
Sergio Corbucci,
Sergio Leone,
Spaghetti Western,
The Great Silence,
Vonetta McGee
Spider-Man No More: Lamenting the Death of Peter Benjamin Parker
After 50 years and 700 issues, the man behind Spider-Man‘s mask
is now no more. Last week, on the day
after Christmas, Marvel Comics brought Peter Parker’s story to a tragic
end. The 700th issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, which carries a
price tag of $7.99, concludes the “Dying Wish” story arc. It also acts as a series finale.
Labels:
Dan Slott,
Death,
December 26th 2012,
Doctor Octopus,
Marvel,
Peter Parker,
Spider-Man,
Stan Lee,
Steve Ditko,
Superior Spider-Man,
The Amazing Spider-Man,
The Amazing Spider-Man #700
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Righteous Indignation: The Real Story behind Spike Lee’s Bogus Case against ‘Django Unchained’
On December 21st, 2012, Spike Lee threw down the
proverbial gauntlet at Quentin Tarantino’s feet for the second time in 15 years. He’s taken issue with Quentin’s Spaghetti
western homage Django Unchained. It follows the exploits of an ex-slave who
becomes a bounty hunter in order to rescue his lady love from the bonds of
captivity. In order to do so, he must
square off against an evil plantation owner.
Labels:
American History,
Antoine Fuqua,
Armond White,
Black Cinema,
Black History,
Blaxploitation,
Controversy,
Django Unchained,
N-Word,
NAACP,
Quentin Tarantino,
Racism,
Rosewood,
Slavery,
Spaghetti Western,
Spike Lee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)