Aug 18 2007
To the Movies
I went to go see a curious movie yesterday called, “Invasion”. It was pretty good as far as it goes. The plot was decent, the story progression comprehensible. But I don’t have foggiest why they chose to strobe the last thirty minutes of the movie into a schizophrenic frenzy. The chase sequence was so fevered and non-linear that it jarred my mind.
Afterward, my friend said that the movie (and lots of movies in general nowadays) reminded him of this incident that occurred in Great Britain recently. One of the most popular shows in Britain— I don’t know which— was strobing the action so violently that it initiated seizures from London to Glasgow. I don’t know of anyone is aware that doctors strobe light at patients to test whether or not they have seizure disorders. Apparently, the strobing in our television and media has become so disorienting that they’re inducing seizures in Britain! … and our movies and tv shows are not far behind.
Case in point, older movies back during the supposed “Golden Age” of Hollywood contained about 25 to 50 cuts over the course of one hour-and-a-half movie. Contrast that to todays manic, steroid pumping madness of 600 to 800 cuts per one hour-and-a-half movie. How can you possibly tell a story with all these cuts? You’d be reducing movies to split second images and fleeting impressions.
There is no story in that. How can there be?
Regardless of this gripe I have against the devolution of storytelling in the movies, I thought the basic thrust of the movie “Invasion” fascinating. Of course, it is yet another half-hearted remake of the classic “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”, but this updated version posed some interesting questions that couldn’t be explored previously.
But enough about this movie. I’ve got some house cleaning to do.
What did you think of Babylon 5’s movies. In the Beginning and Call to Arms? You watched Serenity, though, right?
Ymarsakar,
Honestly, Y, I never got into Babylon 5 nor Serenity. A friend of mine recommended Babylon 5 a couple of years ago but I’ve never gotten around to it.
The most recent sci-fi tv series I’ve seen are the old Outer Limits from the mid to late 1990’s. Now, those are outstanding in their production values and the stories are gripping.
Start off with In the Beginning if you ever want to start picking it up.
A friend, Phil, was starting on Babylon 5 Season 1 because people nagged him or something. (wasn’t me) I recommended the same thing to him since he was in the middle of Season 1 and wasn’t fired up yet. In the Beginning will fire things up, Thomas.
Also Serenity is great for conservatives. These are strong stories that connect with strong character development. In essence, they speak of heroism was it was in the olden days; meaning, such times as the Thermopylae and the Illiad.