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Posts Tagged ‘Amadeus’

Steve Mason

The All-Time Top 10 Movie Posters (one man’s opinion) – #1 JAWS, #2 CHINATOWN, #3 THE DARK KNIGHT

by Steve Mason

Over the weekend, I was pondering why the low budget, standard genre pic The Haunting in Connecticut (Lionsgate) has become a nifty little box office hit. The film added almost $9.5M over the weekend for a new 10-day cume of $37M, and the only conclusion I have been able to reach is that it’s all about the poster.

Creepy, right? I have not seen Haunting and will probably wait for DVD or pay cable, but that is a weird, startling, attention-grabbing image. As a movie junkie, I love good movie art. The best movie posters are evocative. They capture what a movie is all about without giving away the mystery. There are certain movie posters that instantly put me back in that theatre experiencing the film for the very first time. The best movie posters are not just promotional tools. They stand as a work of art on their own. These are my favorites, buit it is by no means a definitive list. Feel free to add your favorites (and subtract any of mine).

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Posted Apr 6th 2009 at 8:27 pm in Entertainment, Featured Story, Steve Mason's Box Office | 37 Comments

Doug TenNapel

Substance Without Presentation

by Doug TenNapel

Amadeus is the best movie ever made. It’s not up for debate. Okay, maybe it’s almost as good as Jaws. We’ll throw in Star Wars, Raising Arizona, 300, Aliens and Raiders above it too.

There are good ideas rolling around in Amadeus but none more central than the idea that being a good artist has nothing to do with virtue. Hitler appreciated the arts, Maxfield Parrish screwed his models, and the best writers are drunk, emotional narcissists. I hope I didn’t miss anyone. Anyways, being correct on any position does jack for one’s artistic ability.

F. Murray Abraham plays Salieri, a jealous Vienese court composer convinced that by remaining chaste to God he should be able to write music that will transcend his own death. Salieri knows his own music is just acceptable so that when he hears the music of Mozart he assumes the composer must be a man of great portence and stature. To Salieri’s horror, his anger at God is doubled when he finds Mozart to be a foul twit. (more…)

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Posted Feb 8th 2009 at 12:47 pm in Entertainment, Media Criticism, Politics | 53 Comments