Ask The Gold Trumpet

[Gold Trumpet]

Judging from some of your favorite films lists and other films you praise that Akira Kurosawa is a very important filmmaker to you.  What fascinates you about Kurosawa?  Also, what can/should a relative newcomer to Kurosawa (such as myself) hope to pull from his work on first viewings?

Kurosawa is a master at his genre but late in his career transcended it to not make some of the very best films, but topping his own previous work. If he would have stopped at Ran, it would have been the perfect ending. He is the shakespeare of the action adventure and has not only made films that still top that genre to this day, but molded the genre in such a way most films made today have influence from what Kurosawa did for storytelling. This refers to dramas, comedies, and even romance films. The structures for most of those films is the gradual build up, the push of tension in the storyline to a larger finish. Certainly, Hitchcock is no stranger to this, but Hitchcock never made plot so tied into the characters. Kurosawa did. You look at the best Kurosawa has done you can see elements of every type of film within them.

how do you feel about brett favre making the list of the 100 greatest americans? he's in the company of MLK, Jr.; Ellen DeGeneres, George W. Bush, and Charles Lindbergh; etc.

All lists so ambitious are dumb. None are exceptions. I'm surprised Favre made the list. Obviously he represents a demographic of American culture and obviously the list being made now favors his inclusion over Joe Montana who has been long retired. I'm happy he made it, even if I know he wouldn't care to have. Arguably one of the best football players, he does adaquately represent more in being the true sportsman who plays through personal strain and is respectful to all. Though its obvious Manning has the numbers right now, Favre is still in the top 5 for most popular athletes in America with a team that has little advertising dollars to really help him. He also has not faultered much in his personal game. That says something and I think he'll have a legacy that will live on.

What are your thoughts on Matt Lauer?

I almost have none, but anyone who makes news for a haircut over anything else does have issue with how serious he should be taken. Plus, the morning show format is a shit one. Bob Costas anyday.

What are you up to?

Right now without a computer to call my own. A certain situation that will last all summer. Its a nice freedom to do other things, among them calling reading a true hobby. Still watching films and still an asshole about what I see. I plan to return to more adaquate representation here, even though I realize I may not be able to do everything I had once hoped to do. I still do want to make a dent on this board. Its also nice to not know whats going on so please, continue updating my Criterion thread.

Oh, and I loved Batman Begins. Pure genre fun that finally got me excited to call a big summer action film my own the way Star Wars fans do.

[Ravi]

What's your opinion of Tim Burton?

[Reinhold]

what's your favorite way to pick up chicks?

[Gold Trumpet]

What's your opinion of Tim Burton?

I appreciate his work, but I'm not really a great fan. For instance, I'm enthusiastic about his upcoming remake of a film considered by everyone a hallmark classic but to me a drab of a film. I think Burton can injest the right energy and imagination into Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to elevate it beyond the second rate musical the original is. Its just I'm not a fan of his accepted classics, like Edward Scissorhands. The story is dry and I never felt much emotion. Burton has talent, but nothing to make me believe he is a great director. He's a great stylist to elevate films to a certain point.

Its like my opinion for Robert Rodiguez and Danny Boyle. Don't care for their usual work, but love their ventures into films less serious and more imaginative, like Spy Kids and Millions. Big Fish happens to be my favorite Burton film.

what's your favorite way to pick up chicks?

That question suggests I have a routine adaquetely placed for a situation where the only thing to do is to pick up chicks, like a bar or a night club. Don't hang out there much nor really don't understand their appeal so I really don't have a "pick up" line. One thing I have learned recently is that the beautiful are a facade. You may think if you tried your hardest to get a great looking girl you just saw, you prolly won't "get" her. Chasing isn't the purpose. The idea is if you are yourself around her and there is any chance she will be attracted, she will be. She'll allow for a connection to open up in some way. Progress like that works and makes taking chances easier and pick up lines non-essential.

[Reinhold]

who do you think will be the first writer/director on xixax to make a feature for a huge studio?

[jtm]

who do you think will be the first writer/director on xixax to make a feature for a huge studio?

i'll answer this for him.

me.

[Reinhold]

haha. i figger'd someone'd do that.

not specifically jtm, but someone.

[Pubrick]

figger'd

move over, silias..

[deathnotronic]

Elk or moose? Why?

[Jeremy Blackman]

Everyone knows that elk are more majestic.

[deathnotronic]

Everyone knows that elk are more majestic.

Haha. My background is a vector of an elk named after a Weakerthans song (Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call) and it's just an elk sitting in water. I guess you could say it inspired the question.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

figger'd

move over, silias..

agrees

[Stefen]

I just read that joke, it was fantastic. i don't have anymore thoughts. that is all.

[72teeth]

hey, GT, What happened, on Wed Jul 20, 2005, at 10:01 am, that it actually made 72 xixaxars drop everything they were doing and hop aboard?

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

hey, GT, What happened, on Wed Jul 20, 2005, at 10:01 am, that it actually made 72 xixaxars drop everything they were doing and hop aboard?

http://www.xixax.com/viewtopic.php?t=2&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=210

About the middle of the page.