Saturday, May 15, 2010

Thoughts, Critiques, and Reflections to Nick & Zach's 100 Must-See Film List

So this summer I am setting out, with Nick, to watch 100 great films of our time and live to write about them. I may not write on every single one of them but then again, I might just do it! From here on out, I will add my own notes, critiques and reflections to these.

Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino

This early-nineties mobster movie was done with a familiar and popular storyline but utilized great aesthetic techniques to become what it is today: a very popular movie. A very disturbing movie as well, ranking within the top 25 most "Yikes" films of all time. In the opening shots of the movie, the camera takes long Tarantinoesque shots around the restaurant table like a probe in orbit around a notorious planet of criminals. There are a lot of shots on Mr. Pink, the spineless whiner, who goes on a rant about why he chooses not to tip the underpaid waitresses in society due to it being all the government’s fault they don't get paid enough. There is a definite reoccurrence of scenes in restaurants in a lot of Tarantino films, especially Reservoir Dogs.

In a following scene, the focus whips back and forth from the front seat, where Mr. White frantically drives, to the backseat where Mr. Orange lays down leaking of blood due to a recent gun shot during the diamond heist gone terribly wrong right before. It is a long shot that doesn’t end but rather, continually moves back and forth on each of the subjects provoking a breakneck tense feeling of urgency for Mr. White to get Mr. Orange some medical attention.

In the washroom of the warehouse right after Mr. White left the dying Mr. Orange there to lay down and rest (and bleed) on a ramp, he talks with Mr. Pink, and there is a unique element of mise-en-scรจne when the two are discussing their predicament. The wide shot reveals a good amount of diagonal lines leading to the corner of the room thus showing that at this point in the story they are quite literally cornered and without options. Later, when Mr. White is left with the question ‘what are you gonna do?,’ the camera moves in on him illuminating the seriousness of the issue at hand.

The entire film is connected with interludes of Jerry’s radio program, during the scene breaks, as the dry narrator announces the next scene segueing in the next story element. This leads to the warehouse scene where the sadistic ex-con Blondie tortures the young cop to the happy tunes on Jerry’s radio show—a horrific juxtaposition.

It is interesting to see the affection shown between Mr. Orange, after he is shot, and Mr. White even though the group of criminals do not know each other in their state of anonymity as they are hired by Joe and specifically not introduced to each other. Mr. White, in his emotional state of attachment in the last scene, tries to tell the boss man that he is convinced Mr. Orange does not work for the LAPD even though just moments before, Mr. Orange shot Blondie right before he was going to light the young cop on fire. The bottom line is this: Reservoir dogs, although the title in itself is never mentioned in the movie, adequately describes how these types of people can stoop to the level of animals.


...MORE coming soon!