Mark Romanek

mutinyco · July 19, 2003, 01:51:43 PM

What do people think of Mark Romanek? He wrote and directed One Hour Photo last year after being one of the most successful video directors of the '90s. Clips include NIN's Closer, Michael/Janet Jackson's Scream, Madonna's Bedtime Stories. Next up, he's directing A Cold Case, starring Tom Hanks.

Pubrick · July 19, 2003, 02:03:10 PM

one hour photo
some discussion on the many music video threads.

he's great and all, Bedtime Stories was one of the first videos to freak me out, his NIN stuff is classic, and most recently his Johnny Cash "Hurt" video was again powerful stuff, but he doesn't hold a candle to Jonathan Glazer and Chris Cunningham. that's the future right there, especially the latter.

mutinyco · July 19, 2003, 02:11:34 PM

Chris Cunningham is amazing too. But he doesn't seem interested in music videos anymore. Most of his work in that medium was done a few years back. He's got 2 DVDs coming out -- The Directors Label and Squarepusher. Glazer's doing features now.

I found it interesting though that a supreme video visualist like Romanek would choose to do a subdued character study like OHP -- and write it as well. He was consciously separating his approach between the two mediums.

Pubrick · July 19, 2003, 02:34:12 PM

Quote from: mutinycoChris Cunningham is amazing too. But he doesn't seem interested in music videos anymore. Most of his work in that medium was done a few years back. He's got 2 DVDs coming out -- The Directors Label and Squarepusher.

good for him tho, as far as i know he wanted to do Neuromancer, if and when that comes out it'll be dope and u'll all jump on my bandwagon.

meanwhile i'll totally be getting this

lately he's still doin trailers for Aphex Twin's albums* but i'm pretty sure he'll be makin his feature debut in the coming year or 2.

*everyone needs to see this little Dukqs thing

click on pic, download small video.

i suggest u read all the music video threads cos i don't wanna repeat myself anymore.

mutinyco · July 19, 2003, 02:36:23 PM

There's not much to repeat. I know just about everything to know about him. He's not doing Neuromancer, as far as I know. He walked away from that and seems interested in doing a smaller film.

But, um, wasn't this supposed to be about Mark Romanek? At his site he also has the credits, so you can see who did what. It's interesting to see names like Harris Savides and Jeff Cronenweth as DPs.

Gold Trumpet · July 20, 2003, 09:51:04 AM

Considering who brought this topic up, would I look like someone just asking for an argument when I think One Hour Photo was prolly the worst movie from last year? Its a genre film that was mistaken as good because its photography looked as cool as American Beauty's. Nothing is of surprise or suspence or anything else that is interesting. Williams, though, done a fine job given the cliche killer role he has to swim through.

~rougerum

mutinyco · July 20, 2003, 11:15:53 AM

Does Golden Trumpet like anything? I bet he thinks his ass doesn't smell...

Sleuth · July 20, 2003, 11:17:33 AM

He likes Die Hard

Pubrick · July 20, 2003, 11:18:38 AM

tremolosloth loves him.

Sleuth · July 20, 2003, 11:20:24 AM

Pubrick · July 20, 2003, 11:25:30 AM

u knew that shit would haunt u.

RegularKarate · July 20, 2003, 02:55:41 PM

Yeah, while GT is exagerating the whole "worst movie of last year" thing, OHP wasn't that great. I thought it had a nice visual style to it, but that's all it really had going for it and even that wasn't good enough to make it worthy of being called a "great" movie.

mutinyco · July 20, 2003, 03:36:11 PM

My only real problem with it concerns the few scenes of the Yorkins at home. Since it's a first person narrative from Sy's POV, they shouldn't have been there. Weren't good scenes either. I think the film will get better with time.

It was an interesting choice for Romanek. Most video directors haven't tried to position themselves as writer/directors -- or at least be successful at it. Hype's Belly looked great, but it was a 2 hour glossy music video.

This was different. It's similar to when Fincher did Se7en in a subdued heightened-reality style. It's an attempt to say you're the real thing. Not just some visualist the way most video directors do. It obviously made an impression, since Tom Hanks brought him on board for his next movie.

Pozer · July 22, 2003, 08:08:46 PM

Quote from: RegularKarateYeah, while GT is exagerating the whole "worst movie of last year" thing, OHP wasn't that great. I thought it had a nice visual style to it, but that's all it really had going for it and even that wasn't good enough to make it worthy of being called a "great" movie.

My Exact Thoughts

mutinyco · July 23, 2003, 07:30:59 PM

I didn't say it was a "great movie". I said it was an interesting choice. It says something about him.