And ya know, it's been a few weeks since I've seen it as well. Entirely too long, so I'm totally rewatching it tonight ;) I have the commentary as an mp3 and have been listening to that fairly regularly. I like it, though sometimes I wish they would go more in depth on some things and a few issues they completely left out.
I so need to read HCL meta - where's the good stuff? Please link me! ;)
And thank you for reading my "essay" - I just had to get that off my chest as I didn't know anyone to wax philosophically about it back then *HUGS LJ*
I really enjoyed HCRS - it gave me so much more insight and, as we established, having taken some film courses and one on screenwriting, this was especially interesting to me. (If you enjoyed it, I can rec "Monster: Living Off the Big Screen" by John Gregory Dunne. It details the writing of a script for a Disney movie based on a story that is totally un-Disney. It's way worse than what the HCL script went through.) Good point about Noel's anger making it into the film, I hadn't considered that at all in the essay, not having read the book. GREAT POINT!
Also, wonderful points you make about the masking and unmasking of "real" personas of the characters as you put it. I think this is one of the things that fascinates me the most. First the mockumentary setting, but this is exactly what happens in ANY documentary or any film really. I find this process, of how people - or we all - constantly create these narratives about ourselves so incredibly fascinating. And HCL unmasks that, as we see the process, yet also how it's done. I do believe there are only two moments in the film when Billy and Joe are really communicating - first: anytime they're on stage. Through their music and the shared creative process. Second: the scene in the van late at night when everyone's sleeping and Joe is driving and Billy asks him TWICE if he's okay. These are the only times they're not acting when together. (Plus a few glimpses of the characters when they're unaware of being filmed, like Billy in the background chuking the phone after he gets the bad news about Jenifur when they're in the motel talking to John.) And it's these few glimpses that make the characters so damn interesting to me!
And wow, GREAT point about the actors influencing their characters! Totally - esp when it comes to Hugh and CKR. A lot of people are annoyed at how Noel portrayed CKR in his book, but that was him back then! That was before DS and deciding to focus on Canadian films. There's even a quote about CKR talking about going to LA to pursue his career. He was Billy Hollywood at that point. And the fact that him and HD were willing to go there in their performance - not sure if that's brave or if they were somewhat clueless about it at that point. Wow, you've just given me so much more to think about! ;)
And the ending... god yes. As you say, usually the ending of films is what pulls me right out of the whole experience. The denouement, when all is tied up and presented in a neat lil package and is just doesn't ring true. Well, HCL is how films should end. Because right at the end, I wanted to rewatch the film right away, as it WAS FUCKING PERFECT! It could not have ended any other way. Just, it couldn't have! Soooo happy they went through with it! As you say, it doesn't invalidate the rest, quite the opposite. It made the whole film mean so much more! The little hints. The little asides. Just, gah!!!!
And, in case you haven't read this before, but this is my all-time fav HCL fic. Okay, I only read about three, but I cannot imagine a better one: http://mercurial-wit.livejournal.com/39359.html It's set after the film and told through interview snippets between Bruce and Billy. Just - perfect.
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sforzinda
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Date: 2010-03-05 10:43 pm (UTC)YAY! Thank you ;)
And ya know, it's been a few weeks since I've seen it as well. Entirely too long, so I'm totally rewatching it tonight ;)
I have the commentary as an mp3 and have been listening to that fairly regularly. I like it, though sometimes I wish they would go more in depth on some things and a few issues they completely left out.
I so need to read HCL meta - where's the good stuff? Please link me! ;)
And thank you for reading my "essay" - I just had to get that off my chest as I didn't know anyone to wax philosophically about it back then *HUGS LJ*
I really enjoyed HCRS - it gave me so much more insight and, as we established, having taken some film courses and one on screenwriting, this was especially interesting to me. (If you enjoyed it, I can rec "Monster: Living Off the Big Screen" by John Gregory Dunne. It details the writing of a script for a Disney movie based on a story that is totally un-Disney. It's way worse than what the HCL script went through.)
Good point about Noel's anger making it into the film, I hadn't considered that at all in the essay, not having read the book. GREAT POINT!
Also, wonderful points you make about the masking and unmasking of "real" personas of the characters as you put it. I think this is one of the things that fascinates me the most. First the mockumentary setting, but this is exactly what happens in ANY documentary or any film really. I find this process, of how people - or we all - constantly create these narratives about ourselves so incredibly fascinating. And HCL unmasks that, as we see the process, yet also how it's done. I do believe there are only two moments in the film when Billy and Joe are really communicating - first: anytime they're on stage. Through their music and the shared creative process. Second: the scene in the van late at night when everyone's sleeping and Joe is driving and Billy asks him TWICE if he's okay. These are the only times they're not acting when together. (Plus a few glimpses of the characters when they're unaware of being filmed, like Billy in the background chuking the phone after he gets the bad news about Jenifur when they're in the motel talking to John.) And it's these few glimpses that make the characters so damn interesting to me!
And wow, GREAT point about the actors influencing their characters! Totally - esp when it comes to Hugh and CKR. A lot of people are annoyed at how Noel portrayed CKR in his book, but that was him back then! That was before DS and deciding to focus on Canadian films. There's even a quote about CKR talking about going to LA to pursue his career. He was Billy Hollywood at that point. And the fact that him and HD were willing to go there in their performance - not sure if that's brave or if they were somewhat clueless about it at that point. Wow, you've just given me so much more to think about! ;)
And the ending... god yes. As you say, usually the ending of films is what pulls me right out of the whole experience. The denouement, when all is tied up and presented in a neat lil package and is just doesn't ring true. Well, HCL is how films should end. Because right at the end, I wanted to rewatch the film right away, as it WAS FUCKING PERFECT! It could not have ended any other way. Just, it couldn't have! Soooo happy they went through with it! As you say, it doesn't invalidate the rest, quite the opposite. It made the whole film mean so much more! The little hints. The little asides. Just, gah!!!!
And, in case you haven't read this before, but this is my all-time fav HCL fic. Okay, I only read about three, but I cannot imagine a better one: http://mercurial-wit.livejournal.com/39359.html
It's set after the film and told through interview snippets between Bruce and Billy. Just - perfect.