Ask The Gold Trumpet

[Gold Trumpet]

Do you like any Wes Anderson movies?  If so, which one?  If none, why not?  Do you think Wes Anderson has had a negative effect on movies in the past few years?

I really don't. I use to enjoy Bottle Rocket but trying to watch it the other day was tough. The main reason I dislike his films is because there is nothing to them besides the style his fans have come to love. He is really making no progression at all besides in set design and he seems to have no interest to do so. I was flipping through Rebels on the Backlot the other day at a friends house and I noticed how self serving he and other young filmmakers are to their own greatness. They already attend award ceremonies that honor their careers. It's trendy. If I think he is having a bad influence, I'm not sure. On my campus the film buffs love him. He's easily the most quoted director for favorites and everyone who plans to make serious professions in film swear by him. That doesn't bother me. I don't expect the majority to have my opinion whether Wes Anderson exists or not. If Wes Anderson is transformed into genius filmmaker in 20 years like many filmmakers from the 70s then that will be bad. But bad movies will over whelmingly be made if he exists or not.

Would you concur with me when I say City of God is the best movie of the decade?

I would definitely say it has a "best of" quality. Best film so far? I wouldn't agree. It is a genre work and I do separate genre from film, but it bleeds so much talent I'd understand some saying it was a true art film. If you look at its identity it is inundated with so much violence that it reflects most average violent films as well. Meirelles is starting to move away from genre. Constant Gardener ultimately gives in, but is a major step nonetheless. City of God will continue on as a testament in being a step above anything Hollywood will likely put out for the genre.

What are your thoughts Ang Lee's masterpiece:  The Ice Storm?

I need to watch it again. The original viewing was OK. I remember enjoying the pathos of the story, but feeling it was served through dialogue in the manner of American Beauty. The drama felt like it was on the surface, but kudos to Ang Lee for proving the most adaptable director out there. Take that summation at face value. I haven't seen it in a while.

What's your favorite Fellini? 

It will be hard to get beyond 8 1/2. It is one of the five foreign films I first saw that got me into film seriously and still has so much enjoyment to it after all these years. I do think Amarcord is the better film, but my bad luck is 8 1/2 was my introduction to Fellini. In ways it will always remain my identity to Fellini.

[JG]

Bump.

GT, I've loved your posts recently, so if u don't mind i have a few questions. 

It is a genre work and I do separate genre from film

The world of European cinema has given a context to genre that is lacking in the United States. It can allow for greater themes and discussions to be pursued.

Could you elaborate a little bit on your 'genre versus film' theory?   You've mentioned Melville lately in your posts, and here's a director who, despite being essentially a genre filmmaker, never conformed to any of the genre's conventions, which must give him some credence as an art filmmaker.   feel free to discuss your feelings on melville's films in general.   

Ang Lee is growing on me all the time.

Have you since reviewed The Ice Storm since I last asked your opinion on it? 

Lastly, you mentioned Bresson in the Antonioni thread.  How do you feel about his films? 

[NEON MERCURY]

gt, i am going to ask you some fun questions....these are the kind that you can sit back and drink cola and eat pretzel sticks while you type.

question one:

do you like drift racing?


question two:

how old were you when you stopped wetting the bed?  [i was kind of old actually ...15 to be exact..my doctor said my bladder wasnt big like most kids]

question three:

which xixax member to you think is most like you?

question three:

do you kind of hate me?

question four:

how come gamers have pale skin, and look emaciated, and have the worst tastes in music?

question five:

do you like white people that act black?

question six:

if you had to choose a sex partner between these three full house stars ..who would it be...and why?:  1) uncle jesse  2) uncle joey  3)  viper [d.j.'s reckless boyfriend]   

question seven:


do you think any of us are fake?..if so, who?

question eight:

what forum do you think is pointless?

question nine:

do you think it would be cool if i took a bubble bath w/ lance bass now knowing that likely he would say yes if i asked him?

question ten:

alot of times i cant understand your posts b/c your grammar is very good and i need to look at a dictionary to understand what you say...are you naturally girfted or do you read alot?

[Gold Trumpet]

Could you elaborate a little bit on your 'genre versus film' theory?

I'm not sure I have a theory. I do have a few ideas though. 

I look at genre as an extension of melodramatics. Melodrama, before it was a romance subgenre, held a literary position as the lower tier to tragedy. Melodrama based conflict on good vs evil. Tragedy based conflict on ideas and character. The parimeters of melodrama extend beyond that simple description. When Bernard Shaw wrote the play Saint Joan he did so on the idea there was no such thing as a villian. Every characterization of Joan of Arc before held up her tale as a moral battle of not only good vs. evil, but also a battle confined to a ending that was always her burning at the stake. Shaw's play takes exception to that ending. Saint Joan is interested in the larger ideas and philosophy behind Joan of Arc. It has no interest to be a realistic retelling of the events that everyone already knows.

Melodrama does concern itself though with those events. It doesn't need to merely see Joan of Arc's story as a moral battle, but more importantly as a crime story. Illustrating as such means that the most important element is her burning because it is the result of her supposed crime. Genres in film wrap themsleves around a similar identity. They don't need to be simple characterizations to be genre works. The important element is that they are defined by the outer layers of their story, whether it be a crime or revenge or horror story. The tragedy realizes though that those actions are not the means to an end. The questions in between the beginning and end are the true focus.

When I differentiate European thrillers, I mean to say they are more ambitious. They attempt to combine the element of genre with a focus on ideas and character. I'm not going to say these films can't ever rise above the greatest films ever made. Its just in my experience I haven't seen one that has. Its like a critic who goes to see a science fiction film and only reminsciences on the better science fictions books he has read. He doesn't necessarily believe that there will never be a science fiction film that holds up to the best science fiction book he read. Its just that he doubts there will be. As I doubt a genre film will hold up to the very best of Bergman, Fellini and Antonioni.

   
You've mentioned Melville lately in your posts, and here's a director who, despite being essentially a genre filmmaker, never conformed to any of the genre's conventions, which must give him some credence as an art filmmaker. feel free to discuss your feelings on melville's films in general.   

I'm not a true Melville convert yet. I still think Antonioni was miles ahead of him in just Blow Up. My opinion comes from having seen Bob Le Flembeur, Le Samourai and Le Cercle Rouge. Melville's progression from Bob Le Flembeur is striking though. I've been reading about him lately and am very much looking forward to Army of Shadows. I do think he conformed to some genre conventions. Alain Delon plays a samurai in Le Samourai and is obediant to the code to the very end, but the stiff portrayal of him calls for remarks of similarity to Eastwood's man with no name character. I admit Eastwood's character is exploited for easy identification, but Delon seems cast for a look and bravado as well. The difference is that Melville doesn't see to cheapen that look to an easy advertisement of rugged masculinity.

Have you since reviewed The Ice Storm since I last asked your opinion on it? 

Not yet. I plan to revisit it very soon.

Lastly, you mentioned Bresson in the Antonioni thread.  How do you feel about his films? 

I like Pickpocket and even admire Au Hasard Balthazar, but my impression is that he was a better academic filmmaker of breaking technical norms in films than anything else. Again, though, allow me to see more of his stuff.

[Gold Trumpet]

question one:

do you like drift racing?

Geez, I'm not even sure what that is.

question two:

how old were you when you stopped wetting the bed?  [i was kind of old actually ...15 to be exact..my doctor said my bladder wasnt big like most kids]

I actually remember this. I was 6 or 7. Frequent nightmares kept forcing me to do it. After my dreams calmed down so did my urine track at night.

question three:

which xixax member to you think is most like you?

I sadly don't know many Xixax members. I talk to 4 people outside this board....so I'll go with Stefen. All we do is talk sports. Which is what I mainly do anyways.

question three:

do you kind of hate me?

Not even close. You've always been one of my favorites. The great supporter of my thread and a genuinely good guy.

question four:

how come gamers have pale skin, and look emaciated, and have the worst tastes in music?

Their hobby has a male/female differential of 50 to 1. Nerd activities recluse all kids to their parent's basements. Lets just be happy that the results aren't worst.

question five:

do you like white people that act black?

Absolutely. Its because I live in the middle of the woods and around white people who wear flannel all the time so the irony is too good not to laugh at.

question six:

if you had to choose a sex partner between these three full house stars ..who would it be...and why?:  1) uncle jesse  2) uncle joey  3)  viper [d.j.'s reckless boyfriend]

uncle jesse. he was hardcore rock guy but underneath a sensitive soul. I also imagine he was the only one of the bunch who knew what they were doing. i imagine joey did bad impressions to make up for lackluster skills.

question seven:

do you think any of us are fake?..if so, who?

Like I said, I don't know many of you. I do think a lot of people do fake their interest in film and this place is just a social haven for them. I think because they watch a lot of films they think they obviously want to talk about it. I doubt it. Movie going is a premiere hobby for everyone and yet hardly anyone frequents these forums. I use to go to others boards for social reasons. I was 17 and was banned from all of them within a year. Now my life is too busy to do that.

question eight:

what forum do you think is pointless?

This forum isn't useless. It just has a bad name. 'News and Theory' hardly ever gives me exactly that. News, sure, but what forum or thread has MacGuffin not gone to? As for theory...I think i can name about 10 threads at most that even deal with that. The forum use to be named, "Everything Else Cinema" Thats an appropriate title but I say rename it 'MacGuffin and Trends'

question nine:

do you think it would be cool if i took a bubble bath w/ lance bass now knowing that likely he would say yes if i asked him?

Not going to lie. I'm wondering how you picked the scenario and the person.

question ten:

alot of times i cant understand your posts b/c your grammar is very good and i need to look at a dictionary to understand what you say...are you naturally girfted or do you read alot?

Neither. I habit dictionary.com obsessively while posting to make sure the words I use even make sense. Usually while posting a word pops up in my head and sounds right. I'm just not sure what it exactly means or if I'm exactly right so I always look it up and if I'm wrong I just try again. I usually fail at finding a new word so I completely rewrite the sentence so I can rely on using an easier word.

[MacGuffin]

question nine:

do you think it would be cool if i took a bubble bath w/ lance bass now knowing that likely he would say yes if i asked him?

Not going to lie. I'm wondering how you picked the scenario and the person.

Lance Bass of 'N Sync reveals he's gay

NEW YORK - Lance Bass, band member of 'N Sync, says he's gay and in a "very stable" relationship with a reality show star. Bass, who formed 'N Sync with Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick, tells People magazine that he didn't earlier disclose his sexuality because he didn't want to affect the group's popularity.

"I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys' careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would overpower everything," he tells the magazine.

'N Sync is known for a string of hits including "Bye Bye Bye" and "It's Gonna Be Me." The band went on hiatus in 2002. Bass has also found headlines for undertaking astronaut training and failing to raise money for a trip into space.

Bass says he wondered if his coming out could prompt "the end of 'N Sync." He explains, "So I had that weight on me of like, `Wow, if I ever let anyone know, it's bad.' So I just never did."

The singer says he's in a "very stable" relationship with 32-year-old actor Reichen Lehmkuhl, winner of season four of CBS' "Amazing Race."

Bass and Fatone, 29, are developing a sitcom pilot inspired by the screwball comedy "The Odd Couple," in which his character will be gay.

"The thing is, I'm not ashamed — that's the one thing I went to say," Bass says. "I don't think it's wrong, I'm not devastated going through this. I'm more liberated and happy than I've been my whole life. I'm just happy."

[polkablues]

Lance Bass of 'N Sync reveals he's gay

And I for one could not be more surprised.

[NEON MERCURY]

question three:

do you kind of hate me?

Not even close. You've always been one of my favorites. The great supporter of my thread and a genuinely good guy.

  ditto


_________________________________________________________________________________________




here are some more:



question eleven:

the current state you reside in, ......would you be happy living there until death...? or do you want to move?

question twelve:

do you dabble w/recreational drugs...or are you, like ,myself, one of nacy reagan"s "just say no" generation?

question thirteen:

if there was a mass gathering of xixax members who decided to meet at one place and have a festival [like the twin peaks festival] where we would all hang out and shit...would you go to it?....if not, why?

question fourteen:

my favorite drink is a jack & coke...whats yours?........or do you not drink?


question fifteen:

if uwe boll had a talk show would you watch it?


question sixteen:

have you ever watched a film dealing w/relationships and felt that those onscreen characters were relatable to your real life  relationship?  if so, what film and how?

question seventeen:

do you think the fountain is  going to meet, excede, or let down eveyones preconceived mega hyped expectations for this film?

question eighteen:

what was the most meanest thing you've done to someone and not regreted?

question nineteen:

did you ride the school bus in high school?

question twenty:

can you unscramble this sentence.........


avdid nlcyh fgkunic srlue!

[squints]

David Lynch Fucking Luser?

[Gold Trumpet]

question eleven:

the current state you reside in, ......would you be happy living there until death...? or do you want to move?

I want to move. Can't acquire a decent career here. I wouldn't mind retiring back here though.

question twelve:

do you dabble w/recreational drugs...or are you, like ,myself, one of nacy reagan"s "just say no" generation?

Right now I don't. I did earlier this year but it never was much of a habit.

question thirteen:

if there was a mass gathering of xixax members who decided to meet at one place and have a festival [like the twin peaks festival] where we would all hang out and shit...would you go to it?....if not, why?

Sure. I think it would be cool to meet anyone from this board. Plus it would give me a chance to be myself.

question fourteen:

my favorite drink is a jack & coke...whats yours?........or do you not drink?

I sadly don't drink. I do go through a gallon of milk every 2 days. Thats an expensive habit to keep up.

question fifteen:

if uwe boll had a talk show would you watch it?

Definitely. People waste their time trying to criticize his films. He's a man who needs to be enjoyed while he has time to have a public persona.

question sixteen:

have you ever watched a film dealing w/relationships and felt that those onscreen characters were relatable to your real life  relationship?  if so, what film and how?

Fever Pitch was pretty relatable at the time I saw it. I'll just say I never expected to see myself in a Jimmy Fallon character. Haha, thats really all I can say.

question seventeen:

do you think the fountain is  going to meet, excede, or let down eveyones preconceived mega hyped expectations for this film?

Sure. This film looks like it will be the visual stud of the year. Everyone buys into that. The New World was as hollow of a film as I've seen but it had that filmmaking charisma everyone loves. I like Darren Arnofsky and I think he is much more capable director than Terrence Malick so I expect good things. I just have no gage for how high my expectations are. I just know the film has that certain aura about it that will get an enthusiastic responce.

question eighteen:

what was the most meanest thing you've done to someone and not regreted?

One time I was working at a job and the department I was working in was having prank wars. Everyone was going to prank everyone and the cycle would be neverending. I told everyone not to fuck with my car so they all promised me it would be target #1 just for me saying that. I told them if they did anything to it I'd get them back so bad they wished they'd never touched it. To prove my point I got 3 one gallon containers of milk and put it in my closet for a week. The milk became sour and I poured it all inside the hood of a co-worker's car. I did it on purpose so the milk would sink into the carborator (sp?) and leave a smell so rotten in the car that it would never go away. It never did go away. The poor guy drove the car around for 6 months with all windows open trying to just air it out. He bought every fragrance and cleaning product he could to get rid of the smell. Finally he had to just get rid of the car and buy a new one. The worst thing is that we were friends and he was never involved in the prank wars. He was innocent and I picked him because I wanted show the guys I was working with I didn't care who I did it to.

I should feel bad for that one but I don't. If I was arrested or sued I would have regretted it. I got away with it so I don't care.

question nineteen:

did you ride the school bus in high school?

Nope. Proud walker my from 3rd to 12th grade. Meant even more because of where I live and how much snow we get.

question twenty:

can you unscramble this sentence.........


avdid nlcyh fgkunic srlue!

I got it before Squints even posted. David Lynch Fucking Rules.

[NEON MERCURY]

question twenty-one:

after all that mess w/mel gibson...do you think he deserves forgiveness?  and do you think apocalypto is going to be one of the most important films of this decade?

question twenty-two:

when you think of "the south"...what word first comes to mind?

question twenty-three:

if you could change one thing about this site...what would it be..and why?

question twenty-four:

off all the members who have been banned..who do you miss the most?...........least?

question twenty-five:

when having sex and if you cum early what would be a good thing to say to your partner for an excuse for cum'n too soon? [your answer will help alot of people here]

question twenty-six:

who was the closest relative to you that has passed away?

question twenty-seven:

are you an only child?

question twenty-eight:

do you think this woman is authentic?


question twenty-nine:

do you believe in aleins?

question thirty:

do you know who this is?

[Gold Trumpet]

question twenty-one:

after all that mess w/mel gibson...do you think he deserves forgiveness?  and do you think apocalypto is going to be one of the most important films of this decade?

1.) I absolutely do believe he deserves forgiveness. I've always liked Mel Gibson. Even in his recent political era he manages to be a conservative version of George Clooney. Both are semi arrogant about their political thoughts but both manage to come off as decent guys. Gibson fucked up in that arrest big time but I still like him and am able to give him the benefit of the doubt he just made a mistake. I don't think he's a racist. 

2.) I think the greatest thing Apocalypto can be is a good film. No film will be more important than The Passion of the Christ for this decade. The discussion that it inhabits to this day about the place of Christianity in our society is well beyond the controversy I knew any film ever to be a part of. Apocalypto seems like it won't be cashing in on The Passion of the Christ either. There seems to be little very little in this film that churches will be able to promote. The main challenge for Apocalypto is to be a great historical film. Those films are some of the hardest to make these days. They challenge the aesthetics of thought and story all at once. I was surprised both Good Night and Good Luck and The New World were able to garner major critical acclaim but yet not garner large critical thought. They are both serious historical films and ask for more attention than just whether they are good films. Either way, I didn't think much of either film anyways (I'm currently writing a large piece on The New World). Downfall was a true great film in filmmaking and story and larger thought.

question twenty-two:

when you think of "the south"...what word first comes to mind?

humidity

question twenty-three:

if you could change one thing about this site...what would it be..and why?

I'd change an in-between-the-lines problem. What I dislike about this board is the way a simple opinion can be handled my members who disagree. It will start with a newbie saying, "Oh I love this filmmaker." Then someone else will not only disagree with him, but also assume the newbie doesn't know any better because he is just a newbie. The problem is they don't offer anything themselves that is any more insightful than the original opinion. It gets down to my basic belief I think people here use their post count as leverage against others.

question twenty-four:

off all the members who have been banned..who do you miss the most?...........least?

I can't think of anyone right now. I barely knew JJ and everyone else I knew who was banned seemed like trolls instead of actual posters. I definitely miss a lot of people who use to post here but there absences were self inflicted.

question twenty-five:

when having sex and if you cum early what would be a good thing to say to your partner for an excuse for cum'n too soon? [your answer will help alot of people here]

First, you don't make an excuse. All you accomplish by trying to think of a great excuse is more pressure on yourself to perform. Don't look for excuses. Just realize this problem happens to everyone and any girl who has anything of a sexual history will know it as well and will not care that much so they definitely don't want the guy making a big deal out of it by jittering a half assed excuse afterward.

question twenty-six:

who was the closest relative to you that has passed away?

No one really. The grandmother I am closest to is dying and will likely not see the end of the year. When she passes away that will be very tough to deal with.

question twenty-seven:

are you an only child?

Nope, I have two younger brothers. Everyone is grateful they are nothing like me.

question twenty-eight:

do you think this woman is authentic?

I hate to judge based on a picture, but I'd say no. Not only does she get a tattoo on her stomach, but she gets it of guns. Does she actually live a Navy Seal type of life that forces her to use guns daily? I highly doubt it. Someone watched too many Rambo type movies or just got too drunk with the wrong hill billy when they were younger.

question twenty-nine:

do you believe in aleins?

Yes. There's too much we don't know. It should be highly probable there is other life out there then. In 1968 Stanley Kubrick said we only knew 3% about the universe. I doubt we know that much more now.

question thirty:

do you know who this is?

The sensitive version of A.C Slater who goes gets married but fucks a stripper at his bachelor party and thus kills the marriage when his wife finds out weeks later. Did he forget how good looking his wife to be was? Idiot.

[polkablues]

1.) I absolutely do believe he deserves forgiveness. I've always liked Mel Gibson. Even in his recent political era he manages to be a conservative version of George Clooney. Both are semi arrogant about their political thoughts but both manage to come off as decent guys. Gibson fucked up in that arrest big time but I still like him and am able to give him the benefit of the doubt he just made a mistake. I don't think he's a racist. 

Do you believe that alcohol causes anti-Semitic statements?  If not, would you like to reevaluate your previous answer?

[Pubrick]

I'd change an in-between-the-lines problem. What I dislike about this board is the way a simple opinion can be handled my members who disagree. It will start with a newbie saying, "Oh I love this filmmaker." Then someone else will not only disagree with him, but also assume the newbie doesn't know any better because he is just a newbie. The problem is they don't offer anything themselves that is any more insightful than the original opinion. It gets down to my basic belief I think people here use their post count as leverage against others.

please provide an example of a newbie who this year has been attacked so unjustly as you describe. i direct you to this statement:

a newbs "hazing" experience is a direct reflection of the abhorrence of their posts.

like i've said millions of times, post count doesn't mean shit. Noyes was instantly a more respectable poster than brazoliange will ever be. who are the big hitters in post count that abuse this so called leverage only you seem to think they possess? i'm bothered by these antiquated notions of victimization you have. it's cool that maybe you don't think you are a vicitim so much anymore but now with this statement it's like your looking for a new non-cause to fight for.

to summarize: post count doesn't mean anything (other than a cool number like 10000, and even that's just a novelty), and i don't see how anyone uses their post count to bash others (i fully encourage good newbs to educate dumb newbs). it's ALWAYS been about quality, not quantity.

[Gold Trumpet]

1.) I absolutely do believe he deserves forgiveness. I've always liked Mel Gibson. Even in his recent political era he manages to be a conservative version of George Clooney. Both are semi arrogant about their political thoughts but both manage to come off as decent guys. Gibson fucked up in that arrest big time but I still like him and am able to give him the benefit of the doubt he just made a mistake. I don't think he's a racist. 

Do you believe that alcohol causes anti-Semitic statements?  If not, would you like to reevaluate your previous answer?

I believe alcohol causes inhibition. See, racism teeters in between hatred and politically incorrect humor. The honesty of George Mencia with racial and political stereotypes is the only ingrediant he has that makes him funny for me. Clerks 2 was also very funny with its racist jokes as is South Park is for its absurdist approach to racism. My friends and I also think racist humor can be very funny. I know one friend specifically who takes racial jokes and slandering to all time low when he gets drunk. We all get mad at him for it, but do I think he's racist? No. He's suppose to also hate gays but his best friend is gay. Do I know whether or not Mel Gibson is an anti Semite? No. I just don't believe he is and I don't take this incident as definitive proof that he is.