American Beauty vs. Ice Storm
charles nims
compared to the lack of response to the Ice Storm which was very similar in
theme. Both movies dealt with middle age disillusionment and emptiness along
side adolescent alienation and emptiness.
American Beauty has at least two features that I can see being much more
popular: the humor of Kevin Spacey's mid-life rebellion and the romance
between his daughter and the young guy next door. Other reasons why Beauty
is so much more popular?
Charles
Thomas Andrews
Ummm, what themes did you think Beauty and Ice Storm explored? They
seem almost opposite films, on some level. Just because they both
deal with upper middle class suburbia doesn't mean they are remotely
related.
For example, they both have something to say about sex and desire, but
they are very different things.
I would summarize The Ice Storm's view on sex as saying, "If you
make your life about getting sex, then you spend most of your
realizing your not having sex." Indicative of this is the scene
where Kevin Kline waits and waits and waits for his meeting with
Weaver, but it is also a theme throughout the movie - in almost
every key scene, the goal of at least on one person is to have sex,
and it is frustrated. And the goal of none of these people is to
connect emotionally in any way.
It's a very cynical view of sex.
"American Beauty" has a liberating view of sex and desire, on the
other hand. Lester revives himself by pursuing his desire, and his
final victory is in realizing that it was the desire itself, not the
goal, which rejuvenated him. Compare that to the Colonel, who's desired
are clearly frustrated.
In "The Ice Storm," then, sex and desire is a prison. In "American
Beauty" they are liberators. Now ask yourself, which view is gonna
make a more popular film?
--
Thomas Andrews tho...@best.com http://www.best.com/~thomaso/
"You have no idea what a poor opinion I have of myself,
and how little I deserve it." - W.S.Gilbert
z
charles nims wrote:
> I'm a little surprised that the American Beauty has become so popular
> compared to the lack of response to the Ice Storm which was very similar in
> theme. Both movies dealt with middle age disillusionment and emptiness along
> side adolescent alienation and emptiness.
>
> American Beauty has at least two features that I can see being much more
> popular: the humor of Kevin Spacey's mid-life rebellion and the romance
> between his daughter and the young guy next door. Other reasons why Beauty
> is so much more popular?
>
> Charles
My guess would be that it was marketed more.
--
Trj521
"We're all in this together"
Brian Zibricky
BZ
Thomas Andrews <tho...@best.com> wrote in message
news:38beacfa$0$2...@nntp1.ba.best.com...
> In article <jCxv4.1946$5a3....@nntp0.detroit.mi.ameritech.net>,
> charles nims <cdn...@ameritech.net> wrote:
> >I'm a little surprised that the American Beauty has become so popular
> >compared to the lack of response to the Ice Storm which was very similar
in
> >theme. Both movies dealt with middle age disillusionment and emptiness
along
> >side adolescent alienation and emptiness.
> >
> >American Beauty has at least two features that I can see being much more
> >popular: the humor of Kevin Spacey's mid-life rebellion and the romance
> >between his daughter and the young guy next door. Other reasons why
Beauty
> >is so much more popular?
> >
> >Charles
> >
>
Don Porter
> Other reasons why Beauty is so much more popular?
<cynic>
Young starlets Mena Suvari and Thora Birch exposed their breasts.
Young starlets Katie Holmes and Christina Ricci did not.
</cynic>
--
| Don Porter dgpo...@erols.com |
| "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!" |
| -- Adam West as BATMAN |
|______________________________________________________________________|
Trace Bearden
nims" <cdn...@ameritech.net> wrote:
> I'm a little surprised that the American Beauty has become so popular
> compared to the lack of response to the Ice Storm which was very similar in
> theme. Both movies dealt with middle age disillusionment and emptiness along
> side adolescent alienation and emptiness.
Marketting. It took a while for The Ice Storm to even come out on video.
I also think it is because there are no other movies out there to hype
with nominations and awards. There is not a Saving Private Ryan or The
English Patient around to point to as privileged, prestige pictures. This
year we have The Green Mile and The Sixth Sense along with American
beauty, movies that in many other years would not even have been
considered.
FunLovinCriminal
is..well....far more creative and ....well.....better!
I don't know how to say that very well but I am sure you know what I mean.
Mendes makes every scene photogenic (spelling), so you could take a freeze
frame from almost anywhere in the film and you would have a really cool
photograph. He is obviously a very artistic director and he seems to like
wide angles a lot and using more master shots than "usual". Which in my
opinion and obviously many others, is a good thing. It has a better script
and it is more humourous.
amit
films to their somewhat similar subject matter.
'American Beauty' makes its point with a great deal of humour and pathos,
which is far easier for a mainstream audience (no condescension intended) to
stomach than 'The Ice Storm' whose characters are presented in a far harsher
light. 'The Ice Storm' is a powerful though often uncomfortable experience,
which generally doesn't play well at multiplexes (eg. 'Happiness').
Amit.
'Malk-a-trans.'
'Ma-sheen.'
kel...@mindspring.com
---------------------- --------------------------
All dark humor Dark and light humor
subtle direction Splashy direction
Muted cool colors Flashy hot colors
Kevin Kline Kevin Spacey
Clothed geeky teenagers Naked sexy teenagers
Complicated characters Simplified one-note characters
Ends with depression Ends with upbeat narration, music
Lots of competition Hardly any competition
Almost no marketing Lots of good marketing
-- John Kelly
On Thu, 2 Mar 2000 12:24:52 -0500, "charles nims"
<cdn...@ameritech.net> wrote:
>I'm a little surprised that the American Beauty has become so popular
>compared to the lack of response to the Ice Storm which was very similar in
>theme. Both movies dealt with middle age disillusionment and emptiness along
>side adolescent alienation and emptiness.
>
>American Beauty has at least two features that I can see being much more
>popular: the humor of Kevin Spacey's mid-life rebellion and the romance
>between his daughter and the young guy next door. Other reasons why Beauty
>is so much more popular?
>
>Charles
>
>
John Kelly
kel...@mindspring.com
Rick Kahn
title suggests that this particular family's disfunctionality is of monumental
importance to the rest of us mortal holdovers. Pretenciousness does not equal
entertainment.
alex crouvier wrote:
> It is more sensational under the guidance of $pielberg. It's got giant
> youthful tits, cheerleader dance-cum-striptease, Mena Suvari, Throa Birch
> flashing tits to a geeky voyeur, guns, lotsa guns, tight young boy's asses,
> blood on white tiles, a succulent teen who wants to suck an older guy's
> cock, Kevin Spacey doing the Kevin Spacey smarmy, smug "thing." It flatters
> the audience it is targeting. A slick doublethink of a movie. It is
> obviously...entertaining.
>
> "charles nims" <cdn...@ameritech.net> wrote in message
> news:jCxv4.1946$5a3....@nntp0.detroit.mi.ameritech.net...
alex crouvier
alex crouvier
though. The frustrated, dysfunctional adults are paralleled with that of the
teens as some keen observers pointed out in some threads.
"Thomas Andrews" <tho...@best.com> wrote in message
news:38beacfa$0$2...@nntp1.ba.best.com...
> In article <jCxv4.1946$5a3....@nntp0.detroit.mi.ameritech.net>,
> charles nims <cdn...@ameritech.net> wrote:
> >I'm a little surprised that the American Beauty has become so popular
> >compared to the lack of response to the Ice Storm which was very similar
in
> >theme. Both movies dealt with middle age disillusionment and emptiness
along
> >side adolescent alienation and emptiness.
> >
> >American Beauty has at least two features that I can see being much more
> >popular: the humor of Kevin Spacey's mid-life rebellion and the romance
> >between his daughter and the young guy next door. Other reasons why
Beauty
> >is so much more popular?
> >
> >Charles
> >
>