I had an interesting time a week or so ago watching two movies that were in many ways very similar and yet had virtually nothing in common. Both movies revolved around crime, ego and a story told from more than one point of view. One challenges the intellect, the other one doesn’t much care if your IQ barely reaches room temperature. One is acknowledged a great classic, the other will likely never get that accolade. You might be tempted to say that one was a treasure and the other trash. You’d be wrong.
Movie number the first is “Iron Man 2” the most popular new movie in the world right now. It racked up enormous numbers in it’s first weekend and shows every sign of being a major hit. The true story behind the Iron Man technology is told by two very different characters with very different interpretations. The action is uptempo almost to the extreme and character and plot take a back seat to explosions and mildly witty banter.
Movie number the second is Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 classic “Rashoman”. It tells the story of a murder and assault from multiple point’s of view, the ego’s involved are almost as grandiose as Tony Stark’s and the movie sits on just about everybody’s list of “Greatest Movies Ever”. Meanwhile the tempo of this movie is incredibly relaxed. There’s very little action and it’s all about plot and character. The audience has to carefully weigh the evidence and figure the truth out on our own.
Why bring up two movies that would seem to have so little really in common? Mainly because I’m tired of listening to folks yap on endlessly about what makes a good movie and what qualifies as garbage. You hear people bellow about what’s “ART” or whether or not it made money. What they’re really saying is “What I like is good and if you disagree you’re an idiot”. There’s a different way to settle the issue and with it you’ll see why I give the thumbs up to Iron Man and Rashomon.
Back at theater school we were taught Goethe’s Three Rules of Criticism. Goethe was a 19th century genius who wrote about everything from poetry to mathematics to theology. His rules are simple - What was the artist trying to do, how well did he succeed and was it worth doing? That makes both Rashomon and Iron Man 2 perfectly successful. Sure Rashomon is the deeper, more powerful creation. But Iron Man 2 is in many ways a lot more fun to watch. Sometimes a rock ‘em, sock ‘em blow ‘em up movie is just what you need.
So relax and enjoy the movies. Goethe says it’s alright.
Call that the View From the Phlipside.
"The View From the Phlipside" airs on WRFA-LP Jamestown NY. You can listen to WRFA online HERE
Copyright - Jay Phillippi 2010
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