#15: THEY SHOOT HORSES DON'T THEY?



Sidney Pollack's They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)



Oh, the humiliation...so horrible to experience yet so engrossing when at the expense of others.

Over the past two decades, our veracious addiction to "reality" fused with "entertainment" has become somewhat of an unwavering plague, keeping millions of viewers inexplicably and numbingly captivated.  From Survivor to Celebrity Rehab, Housewives to Honey Boo Boo, we thrive in an age of spectacle, drawn towards people's struggle, grotesque behavior and exposed vulnerabilities.  Although it could be considered an excruciating flaw in our current cultural direction, it's actually a cyclical phenomenon that seems to be embedded in our nature. In a word (or in a German word), it can be defined as schadenfreude: pleasure rooted from the misfortune of others. The attraction to this spectacle is the perfect form of the mob mentality.  It defines the human desire to repress all personal pressures and flaws, stripping away any ethically-driven characteristics and submitting to becoming a "face in the crowd", safely watching the carnage from the sidelines.



Michael Sarrazin and Jane Fonda in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)




Sidney Pollack's 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (based on the 1935 novel by Horace McCoy) is one of the most stylistic interpretations of the social symptoms of schadenfreud-ianism, using the bizarre and horrifying backdrop of a Dance Marathon at the Santa Monica Pier in Depression-era Los Angeles.  Featuring an ensemble cast of Jane Fonda, Gig Young, Red Buttons, Michael Sarrazin and Bruce Dern, They Shoot Horses is one of the earlier cinematic interpretations of disparate and flawed individuals that would soon molded the character-driven movement of American film throughout the 1970s.  The metaphoric title (given from the perspective of "Robert", played by the late Sarrazin), explores the cryptic parallels between the hardship of people broken with misfortune with the irreversible injury of a horse with a broken leg.  When a horse breaks its leg, the immediate outcome is to euthanize; however, when a human being is broken beyond repair, what happens then? 



Bonnie Bedelia, Bruce Dern, Jane Fonda and Red Buttons in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)

 The iconic style and theme of the film has been cultural inspiration for a variation of artistic reenactments, from Vanity Fair's "Ain't We Got Style" Issue to Alexander McQueen's 2004 Spring/Summer Collection, bringing a vivid despair to high design and haute couture.

-MTK



Kat Denning, Anton Yelchin, Maya Rudolph, John Kransinski, Elizabeth Banks and Hugh Dancy in Vanity Fair's
repurposing of famous dance marathon scene.




Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer Collection 2004, inspired by the film.





Photoshoot by Steve Meisel in Vogue Italia in 1997, dedicated to the film.





Photoshoot by Steve Meisel in Vogue Italia in 1997, dedicated to the aesthetic of the film.



#14: 2013 MUSIC IN MEMORIAM

Scissor Sisters in "Lets Have a Kiki" video

In the age of repurposed, nostalgic pop, two music groups who embraced the era of throwback sound and iconic samples (meanwhile, making each of their tracks incomparably their own), have sadly dispersed (one indefinitely, one permanently) before the dawn of 2013: Scissor Sisters and Das Rascist.

Himanshu Suri, Ashok Kondabolu and Victor Vazquez of Das Racist

Both products of the densely churning music scene of NYC's five boroughs  (S.S. of the Downtown nightlife scene; two of D.R.'s founding members are natives of Queens), Scissor Sisters and Das Rascist remain to be two of the more exciting and profoundly original groups throughout the past decade, each platformed within their own polytropic, multi-categorized (and somewhat self-invented) musical genre.

Babbydaddy, Ana Matronic, Jake Shears and Del Marquis of Scissor Sisters

Years before Lady Gaga brought the glamorous and bawdy kitsch of the underground, cabaret-inspired performance to the stadium-sized culture of mainstream pop, the Scissor Sisters had already introduced pop-driven theatrics to the music world on an international level.  Their image was an amalgamation of Freddy Mercury's showmanship, Elton John's contemporary vocalization while fused with the weighty attitude, rage and beauty of Harlem's 1980s "ball culture" (see post #6 on Paris is Burning).  They reveled in the nostalgia of the late-disco, early-techo sound, from the Grammy-nominated cover of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb (listen to the original here) to their seedy, late-century Manhattan tribute album, Night Work (featuring songs conceptually inspired by the film Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) while using the provocative work of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe on their album cover).  Scissor Sisters gave proof to the theory that when contemporary pop tunes are heavily laced with provocatively unbridled performance art, psychedelic imagery and satirical smut, the outcome turns the "music" into an "experience" (i.e. Exhibit A: Their performance at the 2005 Brit Awards).

You can easily make the assumption that with a name like "Das Racist", characteristics of politics and/or satirical humor will be looming subjects.  In a way, both assumptions are correct.  However, at the forefront, the trio--Himanshu Suri, Ashok Kondabolu and Victor Vazquez--had a brilliant understanding of producing a contemporary pop/hip-hop hybrid on an indie level, merging tight, memorable lyrics with audacious, pop-driven samples (listen to "You Oughta Know" and "People are Strange").  To appreciate the unrelenting force of Das Racist is to appreciate the track "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" (Hollywood Prospectus knows what I'm talking about).  In other words, you can hear that song (where the lyrics are only limited to repetitively talking about being at a Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell) and listen to it again, and again, unable to deny that its completely genius.

-MTK

#13: POSTER PARALLEL - THE MINIMIZED HERO

Radical Studios' Oblivion (2013)

"...a film so big, it doesn't really matter who's in it...sort of..."

That seems to be the ongoing suggested theme from the posters of a number of theatrical, sci-fi juggernauts pending a 2013 release.  Towering monuments of iconic, mid-century architecture crumbling in ruins...dirt and debris churned up from natural disaster and catastrophic warfare...while in the distance, the glimmer of a euphoric city skyline hints to the prospect of a satisfying resolution.  Meanwhile, in the minute foreground, our seemingly tiny (but present) hero(es) overlook the Brobdingnagian scene. 

One recent example of this theme is the preliminary poster for Radical Studio's Oblivion, the post-apocalyptic, post-alien invasion vehicle coming out in the new year (adapted from the graphic novel by Joseph Kosinski).  The poster shows that Oblivion is clearly a film that features cataclysmic destruction and degradation in the aftermath of an unfriendly alien visitors.  Our hero stands at the base of the waterfall, representing the prevailing existence of humanity in an era of irreversible chaos.  His figure is minimally scaled down, emphasizing the film's visual grandiosity.  Then, as your eyes wander over to the Alien-influenced text, it is revealed that our hero is portrayed by the most presidential of A-Listers, Tom Cruise.

Following through with my notorious fixation on the potency of A-List stars prominently featured in film posters (i.e. see post #4 on Bruce Willis), it's an striking turn having Cruise scaled down to a square inch of the poster's size, facing away from the fourth wall; this is a rare representation of Cruise, whose world renown profile has consistently carried promotional artwork for such as...well, have a look at the posters of any Tom Cruise film and you'll see my point. What's especially appealing about this style of promotion is the market's returned interest and faith in content, character and story, moving away from the habitual dependency on simply showing a blown out image of the film's most bankable star.  Instead, the poster significantly identifies with the film's story and titular symbolism, visually communicating an epochal end of humanity and the earth's looming demise into "oblivion". 

Here are a few more film posters that have currently personified this panoramically stylized theme (along with a few influential examples from past releases):

Paramount Pictures' "Star Trek Into Darkness" (2013)

Walt Disney Pictures' "Oz the Great and Powerful" (2013)

Paramount/Dreamwork's "Transformers" (2007)

Sony/Columbia's "Men in Black" (1997)

- MTK

#12: THE ADAPTATION ARCH - THERESE RAQUIN TO THIRST

Kang-ho Song, Ha-kyun Shin, Ok-bin Kim in Thirst

The key to adaptation is really rooted with simplicity.  You begin with the initial mold of a simple character and story, both with timeless consistency, and pair it with a disruptive conflict...everything after that is left to the evolving details, which gradually morph into varying genres and themes. 

Emile Zola's 1867 novel Therese Raquin (which was later adapted into a play in 1872) has consistently provided the perfect mold for a number of adaptations, each carrying their own distinct and memorable identity.

The story is carried from the perspective of the film's titular heroine, Therese, a young, lonely woman trapped in an arranged marriage to her weak, sickly cousin, as they are forced to live with her overbearingly manipulative aunt above the family's dress shop.  When a handsome stranger comes into her life, Therese is ignited with temptation and passion, soon realizing the reality of escape.  This then leads to a series of cataclysmic and tragic events, crippling secrets and murder. 

One of the most original and layered interpretations of Zola's thriller is Oldboy director Chan-Wook Park's 2009 film Thirst.  Now, it should be immediately stated that the connection between Thirst and Therese Raquin is not the primary, subliminal focus of the film.  First and foremost, Thirst is about vampires... not so much the trending vampire type: brooding, romantically dreary, desperately lonely and a thousand years old...but about recently deceased humans unexpectedly and undesirably blighted with this immortal fate, abandoned without guidance or limits to their unearthly powers.  

Before I start running off a clinical reiteration of the film's synopsis, eventually giving away too much, I'm going to stop here and revert back to the point of this post, which is purely to suggest two films bound through the cinematic adaptation of Zola's literary thriller: Marcel Carne's 1953 version of Therese Raquin (which was later titled The Adultress) and Park's Thirst.

Start off with Carne's version, which gives a classic yet modern modification of the original story (featuring Simone Signoret in the titular role), then follow with Park's Thirst, which pretty much consumes the plot of Raquin, stealthily enveloping it with its own charismatically gruesome twist. 
 

Ok-bin Kim and Kang-ho Song in Thirst

Ok-bin Kim and Kang-ho Song in Thirst

Marcel Carne's Therese Raquin or The Adultress (1953)

Simone Signoret and Raf Vallone in Therese Raquin or The Adultress (1953)

Proving the unfading intrigue of Zola's tragic romance and cautionary tale, a new film adaptation titled Therese is currently being filmed and is set for a release in the 2013, returning back to its original 19th century, Parisian era.  

Here is an image taken on set of Elizabeth Olsen (Marcy, Martha, May, Marlene) as Therese, along with supporting talent Jessica Lange.  The cast will also include Tom Felton (Harry Potter series) and Oscar Isaac (Drive, Sucker Punch). 

Elizabeth Olsen and Jessica Lange on the set of Therese

-MTK

#11: POSTER PARALLEL - THE BEDROOM SCENE

For the promotion of their third season, the cast of ABC's Happy Endings farcically followed suit with the somewhat bizarre trend of featuring a television series' ensemble cast posing together in bed. 

Cast of ABC's Happy Endings (2012)

Whether nude, fully clothed or a combination of both (oddly portrayed in the 1994 Friends poster below) number of things could be communicated through this type of campaign (the obvious being sex, youth and boundlessly undefined intimacy and companionship).  It's also a convenient way to squeeze everyone into frame...

Whenever I notice this theme, I just think of Paul Mazursky's progressive, ultra-"swinging" '60s film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice and it's famous image of the cast (two sets of couples played by Elliot Gould, Natalie Wood, Robert Culp and Dyan Cannon) naked and in bed with the tagline: "Consider the Possibilities".

Here are some examples of this odd trend from various television campaigns throughout the past decade:

Friends (1994)

Gossip Girl (2007)

One Tree Hill (2003)

Queer as Folk (2000)

-MTK

#10: ON THE ROAD (MIRRORING RUCHSA)

In the teaser and trailer promotion of Walter Salles anticipated film adaptation of Jack Kerouac's On the Road, the film's rugged, mid-century Americana visuals and graphically pounding taglines comparably echo artist's Ed Ruscha's tribute to Kerouac in his 2009 exhibition, "On the Road".

In the trailer, the photography captures the dreamy, effervescent hues that lightly glaze the retro-inspired photography and graphic artwork that is thematically interpreted through Ruscha's series of paintings.  Featuring stiff, simplistically modern font with each letter hinting of subtle opacity, the taglines and titles layer a backdrop of rustic landscapes and gravelly tones of blue, grays and yellowish gold.

See the parallels between the film's promotion (above) and Ruscha's work (below):

Ruscha's exhibit of "On the Road" was recently featured this past year in 2011 at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.  Visit their site to learn more about Ruscha and Kerouac's connected vision.

-MTK

#9: IN THE HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING

"In the Hall of the Mountain King" plays a large part in the development of Peter Lorre's villain in Fritz Lang's "M"

It's interesting how some of the most recognized pop culture creations are often loathed by their authors.  Led Zepplin lead Robert Plant grew to detest "Stairway to Heaven" (which he referred to has "that bloody wedding song") while Kurt Cobain referred to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as a "sell out". Even John Lennon was known to openly dismiss some of The Beatles most iconic pieces of work. 

When Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg wrote the 1875 score for Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play, Peer Gynt, Grieg expresses his distaste for the eerily climatic excerpt, "In the Hall of the Mountain King", saying, "...I have written something that so reeks of cowpats, ultra-Norwegianism and 'to-thyself-be-enough-ness" that I can't bear to hear it, though I hope that the irony will make itself felt."

With Grieg's disinterest aside, the song has still succeeded to evolve into something beyond its classically epic routes, morphing into a boundlessly versatile piece of familiarized stock soundtrack. Constantly adapted and featured throughout various media channels, the song features one repetitiously steady, pluckily troublesome tune with just the right amount of dissonance to suggest an ominous presence of thrill and villainy. From film soundtracks (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' satirical adaptation in their Academy-Award winning score for The Social Network) to progressive rock covers (The Electric Light Orchestra's jam session version from their 1973 album, On the Third Day), the track has become innately recognizable. 

Here is the track of Grieg's Op. 46, "In the Hall of the Mountain King":

One of the most accessible tribute's to Grieg's horror-infused score was its signature use in Fritz Lang's 1931 thriller, M. 

Poster for Fritz Lang's M

In M (a crime thriller that follows a small German town trying to catch a disturbed child-killer on the loose, played by Peter Lorre), Lang features Grieg's creeping tune as an allegorical alarm to the villain's presence.  Whenever Lorre's desperately unhinged villain identifies his young victim, he would begin to whistle the ominous tune. 

Here is a clip of Lorre's trademark interpretation of the "In the Hall of the Mountain King":

-MTK