Post by Pulpmariachi on Nov 11, 2005 21:02:30 GMT -5
I believe this movie to be the direct polar opplosite of Clooney's first film, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (not to be mixed up with Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, or some title like that). The first film is a Kaufman-scripted epileptic seizure. Warm, dark colors are all around and you're never quite sure what is truth and what isn't.
Good Night, and Good Luck. is the total opposite. It's filmed in stark black-and-white, the cuts aren't as spontaneous and the camera is a lor more still (though the newsroom scenes has a constantly moving camera). Everything is real instead of surreal. There's also a great abundance of smoke.
Lots of smoking.
Lots and lots of smoking.
The story of Edward Murrow should be familiar to anyone with any journalist, since basically he's to journalism what Christ is to Christianity. Okay, okay, that might be a little big but he's one of the most revered figures in journalism history. He took down McCarthy, the junior senator from Wisconsin with a few hard-hitting news stories. And when McCarthy challenged him on his own television program, Murrow shot him down once again, poking holes in his arguments and rantings.
Though Murrow had done a lot of great journalist things in his career, this is the only focus of the film.
Being the middle of a journalism class I've seen the Murrow broadcastings. And David Strathairn plays him dead-on. The voice, the look, it's all Murrow. He is Murrow. So we're able to watch Murrow as he fights to get his segment on air, fights to keep it on despite advertisers dropping out, and fighting against that junior senator from Wisconsin. George Clooney and Jeff Daniels stand out a little more in their roles, so you recognize them at first before you get sucked into their characters.
The guy who plays McCarthy is real, by the way. Apparently, Clooney couldn't find anyone to match McCarthy's...personality so hello stock footage! It works out, it doesn't stick out, and makes Murrow's campaign even more worthwhile since you're thinking, "This guy actually accused people like this?"
The film is very stylistic. It's not so Soderburgh like Clooney's first film, but more something you would have seen out of the 50s or 60s. The photography is beautiful, filmed in a stark black-and-white. Smoke fills the air at all times. Shadows are all abound. Add that with a great Jazz score performed by Dianne Reeves, and, well, you've got yourself a movie.
The news reports are tension-driven, you can feel it in the air, see it in the actor's faces, their behavior. The thought over everyone's face is bascially, "Oh holy hell, how are we going to get away with this?"
Despite the great performances and the great event, since this movie only really focuses on one aspect of Murrow, a period of 2 months or so, there's isn't as much characterization for some of the other important characters. What I did like though is that there is hardly any mention of their personal lives outside the newsroom (except for the occasional, "You're a Commie!" remark). It's very focused. The movie knows the story that it's going to tell and it doesn't drift off on any tangents.
There are also brilliant moments, montages where the background isn't music or sentimental dialogue (think Lord of the Rings). It's the facts, the investigation.
Clooney, sir, you have made a great film about one of the most important events in journalism, and you have created one of my favorite films of this year. Unlike Jarhead (yes it's pretty great too, not saying it isn't) this film doesn't promise anything that it doesn't give. Like I said, it knows what it's about and doesn't stray.
So, let's go grab a scotch and light it up. Great broadcast, guys.
****/****
Good Night, and Good Luck. is the total opposite. It's filmed in stark black-and-white, the cuts aren't as spontaneous and the camera is a lor more still (though the newsroom scenes has a constantly moving camera). Everything is real instead of surreal. There's also a great abundance of smoke.
Lots of smoking.
Lots and lots of smoking.
The story of Edward Murrow should be familiar to anyone with any journalist, since basically he's to journalism what Christ is to Christianity. Okay, okay, that might be a little big but he's one of the most revered figures in journalism history. He took down McCarthy, the junior senator from Wisconsin with a few hard-hitting news stories. And when McCarthy challenged him on his own television program, Murrow shot him down once again, poking holes in his arguments and rantings.
Though Murrow had done a lot of great journalist things in his career, this is the only focus of the film.
Being the middle of a journalism class I've seen the Murrow broadcastings. And David Strathairn plays him dead-on. The voice, the look, it's all Murrow. He is Murrow. So we're able to watch Murrow as he fights to get his segment on air, fights to keep it on despite advertisers dropping out, and fighting against that junior senator from Wisconsin. George Clooney and Jeff Daniels stand out a little more in their roles, so you recognize them at first before you get sucked into their characters.
The guy who plays McCarthy is real, by the way. Apparently, Clooney couldn't find anyone to match McCarthy's...personality so hello stock footage! It works out, it doesn't stick out, and makes Murrow's campaign even more worthwhile since you're thinking, "This guy actually accused people like this?"
The film is very stylistic. It's not so Soderburgh like Clooney's first film, but more something you would have seen out of the 50s or 60s. The photography is beautiful, filmed in a stark black-and-white. Smoke fills the air at all times. Shadows are all abound. Add that with a great Jazz score performed by Dianne Reeves, and, well, you've got yourself a movie.
The news reports are tension-driven, you can feel it in the air, see it in the actor's faces, their behavior. The thought over everyone's face is bascially, "Oh holy hell, how are we going to get away with this?"
Despite the great performances and the great event, since this movie only really focuses on one aspect of Murrow, a period of 2 months or so, there's isn't as much characterization for some of the other important characters. What I did like though is that there is hardly any mention of their personal lives outside the newsroom (except for the occasional, "You're a Commie!" remark). It's very focused. The movie knows the story that it's going to tell and it doesn't drift off on any tangents.
There are also brilliant moments, montages where the background isn't music or sentimental dialogue (think Lord of the Rings). It's the facts, the investigation.
Clooney, sir, you have made a great film about one of the most important events in journalism, and you have created one of my favorite films of this year. Unlike Jarhead (yes it's pretty great too, not saying it isn't) this film doesn't promise anything that it doesn't give. Like I said, it knows what it's about and doesn't stray.
So, let's go grab a scotch and light it up. Great broadcast, guys.
****/****
