films that influenced PDL?

[tpfkabi]

in a couple of interviews its stated that A WOMAN IS A WOMAN influence, as well as, Shoot the PIano Player.

has anyone seen these films? what do you think? this makes me want to see them.

[Ernie]

Shoot the Piano Player is a fucking awesome film...way ahead of it's time I think. It's definitely one of my favorites, not just of foreign films...I'm talking of all time. Blind buy it on amazon like I did. Truffaut was a god.

I've seen some of A Woman is A Woman and I really don't think it's that good. It's very very weird...and I don't mean in a good way. I don't really get it. I guess I would give it another shot but I'm not going to pull a muscle trying to rent it. I remember it being very boring. You should definitely rent it or try to catch it on tv or something if you can, don't buy it blindly. It's not for everybody. I'm a Godard fan...don't get me wrong, I just don't think this is one of his best.

[soixante]

I disagree about A Woman is a Woman -- it's one of Godard's most fun movies (although it grows a little tiresome near the end).

Some folks have noticed a Jacques Tati influence in PDL -- a friend of mine said it was a combination of Tati and Cassavetes.  I would add a dollop of Albert Brooks' Modern Romance, which features a long extended scene with Albert Brooks on the phone.  

Tati was influenced, in turn, by Rene Clair's A Nous La Liberte, which also influenced Chaplin's Modern Times so much it prompted litigation.

[Duck Sauce]

I saw a lot of "The Long Goodbye" in those lense flares..

[Henry Krinkle]

I got the feeling there was a bit of a KUBRICK influence on PDL.  

Even though Kubrick shot in a different ratio than PTA does - PTA shooting in 2:35 - there were certain shots in PDL that reminded me of Kubrick-like framing.  The garage opening shot - just before Barry and Lena are hit by the Utah brothers - the slow dolly towards the car as it drives up - the lighting, the feel and the framing of that shot for some reason had Kubrick written all over it to me.

Even the colours of PDL reminded me of Kubrick for some reason, alot of bright whites and fluorescent lights are seen in the film.

In particular, PDL had moments that reminded me of The Shining for some reason.  The scene where Georgia calls Barry the next morning after the phone sex and aks for the money - it was a total corridor Kubrick shot - the background reminded me of The Shining, the white and bareness of Barry's apartment.  This may be too easy but it reminded me of The Shining where Shelly Duvall's character brings the doctor, who was checking on the little boy, into the living room - another corridor moment.

If you listen to the soundtrack, i think it's track #6, the scary track where Barry is chased by the Utah brothers - the instruments used in that track along with how heavy it gets reminded me completley of The Shining's music.  

The other shot that reminded of Kubrick was Barry Egan making a phone call to Utah from Hawaii in the hotel.  There was something about the lighting of that long dolly shot and when it ends up close on Barry and the reflection of the graphics on the telephone reminded me of Kubrick for some reason.

Henry Krinkle

[Nicholas Vargo]

I think "Popeye" is a big influence on the film, and not just in the influence of the song "He Needs Me", but you can hear it in Jon Brion's great score, especailly in the "Overture" music on the soundtrack. The sound of the bells ringing in the first 20 seconds of that overture reminded me of the bells ringing in Sweethaven during the opening titles of "Popeye." Another track, entitled "Punchy Piano Track", which is Track 7, reminded me of being in the hamburger joint in "Popeye" with a mixture of the "Everything is Food" song, and the main theme music of the romantic section of "Punch-Drunk Love."

There are probably other influences, but since I've only seen the film once, I'll let the rest of you guys post them up instead.

[tpfkabi]

i haven't seen Popeye. so there's a song called Everything is Food?
i guess this is where PTA got the joke at the sister's birthday party where Barry switches "food" and "good"......but it seems to me that this joke works better on paper because the words look the same, but don't sound the same.

[EL__SCORCHO]

This might be a bit of a stretch, but I just saw "three colors: white" and when I saw the screen fade out, then a flash of white, then fade out again, I thought of the Jeremy Blake artwork flashes in PDL.

Anyone think that might have inspired paul a little?

[cine]

Probably not. No offense, but I just don't think PTA is influenced by all this stuff.. he's got his own unique vision, I'd say.. PTA has said that Tati is a big influence on the film and obviously Godard/Truffaut and Altman are both as well.. I'd say thats just about it. (well theres also the usual Scorsese/Demme links too)

[cowboykurtis]

the character of marcy in magnolia was an hommage to martin lawrence in BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE.

[Victor]

the female lead in shoot the piano player is named lena. just sayin.

[godardian]

I'm glad someone else mentioned The Long Goodbye... I had just seen this for the first time last year, and PDL's gorgeous lighting really did seem to be derived from the very similar light-play of Altman's film.

I should also defend A Woman is a Woman... I believe this to be one of Godard's most remarkable films. I wouldn't really describe it as "weird," but then I utterly loathe that useless word. I'd describe it as fun, colorful, a unique, disjointed take on romantic comedy musical. It's "sort of" a musical, and the characters seem to live in a bleak, even dank world where such sentimental ideas as love and romance wouldn't seem to thrive, hence the exhilaration when they do. These are the most obvious ways that movie would be an influence on PDL.

[meatwad]

I don't think PDL was infulanced by Godard and Truffaut as much as everybody thinks. I mean, every young filmmaker has seen those films, and just by watching them are infulanced slightly. I see more of the infulance of Tati and Rene Clair. When i saw PDL, Rene Clair's "Under The Roofs of Paris" kept popping up in my mind





//www.thestate22.com

[tpfkabi]

i don't see the Tati influences. i've seen Mon Oncle and Playtime and both have very little dialogue and long gag set ups.

tell me specifically where you see the influence......scenewise, etc

[Gold Trumpet]

The Tati influence comes directly from how the movie is set up not in comedy through jokes or any specific act, but the normal routine of a pretty off character, as in Tati the character himself. The movie doesn't base itself as much in the world of just following a character through normal actions, but does consist of long scenes of following Sandler around. The only difference though is that Punch-Drunk Love is not as meditative and pro longed in these scenes as in the Tati ones. But the comedy exists on the grounds as do all the Tati films and thats making the normal life of someone funny.

~rougerum