CGI, bane or blessing?

Can be Good, If. . .

A very brief look at the rise of CGI in cinema

Classic Effects

The history of special effects dates back to film’s inception.  Directors such as George Melies and Fritz Lang realized fantastic visions using many tricks from photography as well as inventing new ones.  A great part of the enduring appeal of this early work is the fact that everything was made by hand.  It is easy to relate to the experience of working with your hands and the satisfaction derived from having a tangible creation as the finished product.  Therefore, the audience’s appreciation is greatly enhanced when they can have some understanding of how much time and effort went into the special effects of these early films.

For decades, talented artisans of all kinds pioneered new techniques in special effects and developed new tools to achieve them.  They enriched the visual world of the films on which they worked and passed on their skills to succeeding generations.  Legacies were established, and many of these artists became as well known as famous actors and directors due to the breadth of their work and the creative inspiration that continued to drive them.  Companies were born specifically to supply special effects to whichever studio desired their services.

No one knew it at the time, but in the early seventies a short film appeared that would change everything.  While short films were certainly nothing new, the technology being utilized to make them was: computers had grown beyond their vacuum tube infancy and were just beginning to be able to render three dimensional images.  Edwin Catmull and Fred Parke created “A Computer Animated Hand” for a graduate project, and pieces of this eponymous film were later used in the 1976 sci-fi thriller “Futureworld.”  Quite a portentous title!  CGI as a special effects tool was now a reality, and its use in Hollywood would grow exponentially in the years to come.

Early Successes

At first, the computational limitations of early processors resulted in effects that no doubt appear crude to modern eyes, yet were cutting edge jaw-droppers at the time.  Perhaps the most famous film to use incipient CGI to a large extent is the legendary Disney film “Tron.”  Though the design of the virtual world of “Tron” is quite simple, it perfectly fits the embryonic technology.  It’s also quite a lovely irony that the deadly computer world that our heroes must survive was created almost entirely by computers!  It is a perfect evocation of the film’s theme, and it also wonderfully foreshadows how computers would come to dominate our actual lives.

“The Last Starfighter” is a lesser-known example of early CGI, but is a personal favorite of mine.  Even though the film is science fiction, this time CGI is used to simulate something real:  outer space.  The simplicity of this environment meant that more time could be spent developing and detailing the spaceships that would be battling for the fate of the galaxy.  Again, these effects may look simple, but they work well because the film doesn’t aspire to epic proportions.  "The Last Starfighter" is tween entertainment, and need not abound in overwhelming imagery.

James Cameron’s “The Abyss” is an excellent example of the proper application of CGI within a film already heavily reliant on practical effects.  The production was legendary in its on-set challenges for the actors, as Cameron was adamant to shoot as much of the movie as possible using real equipment and environments.  However, the alien pseudopod, composed entirely of water, presented a unique challenge.  The final product is still an effective and stunning sequence, and is also a sterling example of how and when CGI should be used:  when nothing practical is possible.

Overkill

Unfortunately, the success of the pseudopod led to an almost exclusive use of CGI effects.  They often took less time to complete than traditional, practical effects, and usually required less money.  All of sudden, like a viral spore, CGI usage exploded and infected nearly every genre.  Filmmakers discovered that they had almost no limitations on what they could put onscreen, and cinema audiences were suddenly drowning in a flood of films that seemed to serve no other purpose than to show how easily directors could be seduced into indulging every visual whim, whether it was pertinent to the film or not.

Fantasy and horror films have become almost wholly populated by CGI creatures, and most of them are not convincing because the audience can tell that there’s no physical presence to provide a real threat.  While a man in a monster suit is often easy to spot, at least it is something real.  These days, the actors on the set often have to pretend to be scared of a piece of tape on the end of stick!  There’s also the fact that human movement contains little variations, and the too-smooth motion cycling of computer programs is very easy to detect.

Aside from the over-detailed and unconvincing visuals, the content of these films suffered greatly.  Story and character elements became thinly veiled excuses to transition from one special effects sequence to the next.  George Lucas once infamously said; “A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing.”  Prophetic words indeed, not only in terms of his own franchise!  For the vast majority of horror and science fiction films over the next two decades, the special effect became the story.

Furthermore, now that CGI usage dominated the industry, the demand for traditional, hand-crafted effects work receded rapidly and the artists employing them were faced with hard choices.  Their time-honored talents and techniques were now regarded as old hat or worse, obsolete.  Many companies were forced to abandon their traditional effects work and turn their studios into warrens of cubicles.

Of course, this is not to say that the intense work required to produce quality CGI is any less important, difficult or artistically challenging than practical effects.  There are some phenomenal CGI companies out there producing superlative work.  I'm just an old-school, nostalgic grumpus who likes to see balance in all things, and for me the pendulum is long overdue to swing back to more practical effects being used where they can.  There's too much CGI now, and it's losing its ability to feel fresh, vital and interesting when EVERYONE is using it as often as possible!

Notable Exceptions

I don’t want to come across as a totally bitter crank, so I take great pleasure in mentioning a few examples where even in the midst of the CGI tsunami, artistry and integrity remained alive.  While “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” was a success, the plodding pace of the film was further undermined by many unfinished special effects.  However, when the Director’s Cut was issued on DVD in 2001, it was decided that several extended sequences would be finished and incorporated into this new version.  The special effects house tasked with updating these scenes knew that film grain needed to be added to the high-res CGI in order for them to properly blend in with the hallowed celluloid.

The results are spectacular, in particular because of the awareness that the resolution of CGI and celluloid is different.  If all of the modern special effects houses understood this, much of the work that has already been released would look much better!  SO many CGI effects in movies fail to work properly because they’re too sharp, too clean or the blacks don’t match.  The film screen must be cohesive.  It must present a unified vision.  Special effects that stand out are in opposition to their function.  They should enhance the reality instead of calling attention to the unreality.

Peter Jackson’s Lord of The Rings trilogy is an excellent example of how great films can be when a director understands that CGI is just one tool instead of the only tool.  The all-inclusive production and design of the trilogy is a benchmark of film-making.  Every special effects technique is used.  Beautiful set design, with real sets!  The endless hours making those mountains of chain mail!  Matte paintings!  Big-atures!  There is such a variety of much hand-made, lovingly crafted work, and it all shows.  Even though we’re watching a fantasy film, there is so much reality onscreen!

Gollum, a wholly CGI creation, benefits specifically from the human touch.  Instead of attempting to contrive emotion after the scenes with the actors have been shot, the motion capture of Andy Serkis’ on set performance was used as the basis for animating Gollum.  The result is one of the most affecting portrayals yet of a CGI character, solely because the source is an actual human, not a set of algorithms!  The success of this character has thankfully led to an increased use of actor-based motion capture performances, most recently for Smaug in the Hobbit films.  Here’s hoping that this becomes an industry standard!

Well, there you have it!  I hope you enjoyed it, and I dearly hope we all get to see more films in the future that strike a proper balance between the old and the new!

"20 Feet from Stardom" review

 A soul-stirring survey of superlative singers

Everyone has a rock star inside them, screaming to be let loose.  I must confess that I have rocked an air mike for years!  At the end of a bad or good day, music either purges my stress or electrifies my joy as I imagine myself belting out the words and notes that express what’s inside me.  Part of the satisfaction derives from believing that the voices that move me are living their dream of being recognized and celebrated for their ability to connect so intimately with such a large audience.  Yet the reality is that even with talent in abundance, the spotlight remains elusive.

“20 Feet from Stardom” examines the lives of backup singers from many famous groups and solo acts and shows us how little appreciation they have received despite decades of dedicated labor.  It’s a tough gig, this business of show, and hard work doesn’t always pay off.  A fortunate few do get a solo shot, but there’s no guarantee of success.  Timing and coincidence play their fickle parts, and even the most driven individual can be brought up short.  It’s heartbreaking, especially when you hear them at the microphone creating sounds that make the hair stand on end.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the film is the revelation of how far back lip syncing has been an integral part of the music industry.  What’s worse is how many of these “performers” were lip syncing to someone else’s voice.  I thought that the Milli Vanilli fiasco was an isolated incident.  Nope!  Back up singers have routinely had their abilities plundered to make models into superstars, and this theft continues to be shamelessly perpetrated.  Even if the person at the mike can sing, it’s likely that their vocals will be “improved” or “enhanced” later.  No wonder I dislike the majority of modern pop music.  I don’t want a computer to sing to me!

I want to hear flesh and blood, not circuits and hard drives.  I need a soul in pain or ecstasy to exhort me to move or fight or love.  They don’t have to be svelte.  They don’t have to be white.  They just have to be real.  As with acting, singing successfully requires the artist to be an open book.  You must give a part of yourself to the work in order to grab the audience’s attention because they’ll know if you’re faking.  The amazingly talented people profiled in this documentary are certainly not faking, and it’s heartening to see that they are still happy.  Though stardom has eluded them, they continue doing what they love.  You can hear it loud and clear.

"Antwone Fisher" review

 A compelling chronicle of a childhood crucible

Denzel Washington is one hell of an actor.  It is a lesser known fact that he is also one hell of a director.  While his first feature is a striking examination of the legacy of slavery, it is thankfully not a “message” movie.  The themes are strong and omnipresent, but they don’t drown out the drama with off-putting proselytizing.  Instead of broadcasting the issues with the subtlety of a bullhorn, the emotional and psychological grist is ground within the characters.

Antwone Fisher is an ensign in the Navy with major rage issues.  After a series of sudden set-tos, he is sent for counseling.  At first obstinately silent, Antwone slowly begins to open up.  His psychiatrist, Dr. Jerome Davenport (Denzel in an excellent supporting role) urges Antwone to reconnect with his long lost family.  The good doctor is well aware that self-realization is just one of many difficult steps on the path to maturity.  He urges Antwone to investigate his painful history, knowing it contains the key to Antwone’s future happiness.

Derek Luke’s performance as Antwone Fisher is heartbreakingly vulnerable.  He evokes all the anger, confusion and feelings of betrayal an abandoned orphan would struggle with, yet also displays charm and genuine warmth in his introspective moments.  Antwone has begun to date a young woman (who is also in the Navy) and the humor and tenderness he reveals in their scenes together gives his good side a chance to shine.  Though Antwone has suffered heinous abuse, his humanity has not been beaten out of him.

As Antwone’s search for his family progresses, it appears that the mystery surrounding Denzel’s psychiatrist character and his marriage troubles are going to be left unresolved.  Thankfully, Denzel’s directorial attention to detail doesn’t lapse and the final scene is almost more euphoric and healing than the redemption of Antwone’s past.  The relationship between these two men began as a purely professional and clinical connection.  It has now nurtured powerful and positive growth for both and established a lifelong bond.  It is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

"The Lego Movie" review

Everything WAS Awesome!

Absolutely brick-tastic!  I must begin with a brief description of my history with Lego bricks.  It all began in 1976 with the first Lego set I ever owned:

#585 Police Headquarters

This is one of the first Lego creations I ever made:

Over the years I accumulated a massive collection and built many things (click here for my website).  I was a founding member of a local club of adult builders and discovered millions more fans and their amazing work on the internet.  The scope, detail and variety of creations is staggering.  For many reasons, I decided to sell my collection and move on.  I do not regret it, but I am still a fan of Lego and I often miss my bricks and the creative inspiration they would ignite in me.

When I heard that the Lego Company was going to make a movie, I became genuinely excited when I learned Phil Lord and Christopher Miller had been chosen to direct.  These men proved their abilities to direct action comedies with the delightfully surprising “21 Jump Street”, and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” showed that they understood how to be silly and funny on a child’s level without abandoning necessary character drama.

However, the trailers for the film strongly suggested the typical deluge of frenetic action and repeated screaming that taints much of children’s entertainment.  I worried that the experience would be another long, exhausting diatribe of visual and sonic bombast.  I’ve never been so happy to be proved wrong!  While there are many jam-packed action sequences, they are beautifully choreographed, exciting and hilarious all at the same time.  These madcap bits are gracefully bracketed by quiet moments of character and story development that balance out the plastic chaos.

The story begins with Emmett, a construction worker in Lego City who is believed to be the Chosen One.  His task is to become a Master Builder and save the world from Lord Business, whose desire for order compels him to glue everything and everyone in Lego City in place forever.  During Emmett’s journey, he meets many historic Lego characters, from the Classic Space astronaut to Batman, and each one has an important role in aiding Emmett on his quest.

 

Even though this was all quite familiar, I was having a great time.  From the moment the film began I had a huge grin on my face.  Phil Lord and Chris Miller knew that many parents in the audience would have fond memories of the bricks from their childhood, and included LOTS of references specifically for them.  I laughed and applauded when certain Lego bricks were highlighted along with their specific part numbers, a very nerdy nod that only an Adult Lego Enthusiast like myself would get!  My widening smile took on Cheshire Cat proportions, and then the third act began.

I had been told by some close friends that I would get hit right in the feels at this point, and OMIGAWD, they were not kidding!  My eyes began to dog paddle as the audience is finally told why Emmett has become swept up in this amazing adventure.  The child in me nearly wept at the celebration of imagination and its power to transform, while the adult side reveled in the insistence that this juvenile capacity to dream and create never be quashed.  Our imagination is one of our greatest gifts, and we should embrace it as fully as possible.  It fulfills us, inspires us and sustains us through all of life’s challenges.

Play well!

Top 7 Reasons Richard Donner's "Superman" will never be surpassed

Before the Man of Steel flew into theaters and became the greatest holiday gift movie audiences would receive in December of 1978, there had been two previous cinematic entries in the adventures of Superman.  Kirk Alyn was the first actor to play the Kryptonian in several serials.  George Reeves next donned the suit in a more widely seen TV show and the feature length movie “Superman and the Mole-Men.”  Being such early incarnations, both have their nostalgic appeal, but neither had the financial and technological resources to present Superman in an epic film.

Decades later and there was still much doubt as to whether audiences would really believe that a man could fly.  No one had attempted to bring Superman to the silver screen in a convincing way and the filmmakers faced multiple challenges in trying to achieve their vision.  Fortunately, a combination of luck, perseverance and ingenuity resulted in one of the supreme super hero movies of all time.  Though it is over thirty years old, “Superman” remains the most faithful, most exciting and most emotionally affecting film in the franchise.

 

Christopher Reeve

The significance of casting Christopher Reeve cannot be overstated.  Fledgling director Richard Donner knew that a terrific actor was needed, more importantly an unknown so that audiences would see the character instead of the celebrity.  Donner’s decision made cinematic history.  Reeve defined the role and set a benchmark yet to be equaled.  Much like the sun that gave Superman his powers, Reeve radiated charisma.  Yet he very astutely underplayed the part, and the subtlety of Reeve’s performance avoided arrogance and pomposity.

Reeve’s Superman was innocent yet mature, sexy yet chaste, and hopeful despite the worlds’ woes.  The late seventies were turbulent times, and the world was ready to embrace an altruistic symbol of truth and righteousness.  Reeve’s portrayal achieved that while giving the character dimension and personality.  Superman was an irrepressible optimist and we loved him for it.  There was also that million megawatt smile.  *Swoon*

Richard Donner

Richard Donner had established a lengthy career in television, but he had only one theatrical feature prior to “Superman.”  Yet Donner adeptly announced his ability by making his Hollywood debut with “The Omen.”  The transition from horror to science fiction was an easy one as both genres deal with good versus evil, typically in a fantasy setting, but Donner knew that it was necessary to place Superman in the modern world so that contemporary audiences could more easily engage the film.  Throughout Donner consistently finds the perfect balance between adult drama and comic book archetypes.  The earnest nature of the story compliments the often soapy atmosphere, and the combination of the two is utterly charming.  The mood never gets too heavy nor does it stray into full-blown camp.

John Williams

Oh, the music!  John Williams was at the summit of his skills.  Just prior to “Superman”, Williams hyper spaced our hearts and minds to a galaxy far, far away with the seminal score of “Star Wars.”   What are the odds that any composer could immediately create another inspiring theme that would also become an enduring classic?  If John Williams is holding the baton, you’ll hit the jackpot twice in a row!  The main title theme of “Superman” is exhilarating majesty.  The strings soar to heavenly heights, while the brass section regally proclaims triumph and glory.  Richard Donner swears he can hear the horns at their heraldic apex trumpeting Kal-El’s earthly name, and now I hear it every time as well!

Supporting Cast

Marlon Brando was paid a gigantic sum for his small amount of screen time as Superman’s father Jor-El, but it is another example of Richard Donner’s brilliance.  Brando’s inclusion serves two very important functions:  his stature asserts the sincerity of the filmmakers by saying that this movie is not just for kids.  Furthermore, Brando’s presence at the beginning of the film presents a familiar face to grab audience attention until newcomer Christopher Reeve is introduced later.

The rest of the cast were all superb choices.  Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane was a romantic girly girl clumsily masquerading as a whip cracking, streetwise reporter.  Jackie Cooper as Perry White managed to be blustery and loveable without descending into parody.  Marc McClure made Jimmy Olsen appealingly boyish rather than annoying and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor exuded intelligence and menace absent the boorish and one-dimensional mustache twirling that often afflicts movie villains. 

Special Effects & Visual Design

The wiring harnesses used to create the flying scenes were cumbersome, and many shots had to be filmed repeatedly.  However, the filmmakers discovered that they had a special advantage with their main actor.  Christopher Reeve was an amateur pilot and knew how to bank his body while in the harness, making the movements more convincing.  The absence of CGI meant that the real actors always appeared onscreen, not digital puppets which could betray themselves through their limited facial expression.  No CGI also meant that the flying sequences did not move at incomprehensible speed, so the action was easier to follow.

New York City stands in for Metropolis, and again director Richard Donner ably displays his talent for balancing reality and fantasy.  Donner knew that the old-fashioned aura needed to present everywhere, so the mean streets of the city are softened.  The criminals Superman foils are cartoonish thugs rather than hard-boiled killers, and this makes for a smoother transition from the tranquil country farm.

Superman’s Kansas boyhood is pure rural Americana.  The spirit of Andrew Wyeth permeates every scene.  The country and the city contrast each other sharply, but not to the point where they don’t feel connected.  This reveals the duality of Superman.  Though he now lives in a concrete high rise, Superman fights to preserve the past as well as the present.

The suit

Superman’s costume is as iconic as the American flag for which he stands.  Choosing the correct design was a prodigious challenge for wardrobe designer Yvonne Blake.  She had to study all the variations over the decades to create an interpretation that captures the look of the character while ensuring that all the different versions needed for flying harnesses or “hero” shots would be as identical as possible.  Though there has never been an established design, the costume Christopher Reeve sports in “Superman” is exemplary.  Nothing is altered or over detailed.  It is perfection.

 

Franchise groundwork

Sequels are an expected announcement if a movie does well, but it is rare to see such forward thinking before the initial entry has debuted.  Another example of Richard Donner’s masterful planning was to shoot the initial film and the sequel at the same time, so that they would present a complete story arc when finished.  Recognizing the franchise possibilities showed excellent foresight, and it made the movies better because of the reduced risk of contradicting earlier events.  The villains of “Superman II” are introduced in the opening scene of the first film, and this created tremendous anticipation for the follow-up.  Ghosts from Superman’s Kryptonian past will return to exact their revenge, and it will be a super powered battle of three against one!

A Christmas Carol (1951) review

There can be only one Humbug

Our holidays have become so commodified that it is difficult to find a film that celebrates the spirit of the season rather than the surge of sales.  I had my favorites, but they were all eclipsed by the 1951 UK version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”  I am not easily susceptible to sentiment in movies because so few take the time to earn it.  Thankfully, “A Christmas Carol” is patient.  It has a calculated pace which catches you unawares.  Like its main character, the film presents a dark, cantankerous exterior that slowly melts to reveal a shining core of rapture.  At the finale, tears of joy trail down my cheeks and my heart brims over with blessedness.

Such emotion would not gush forth without the defining performance of Alastair Sim as Ebeneezer Scrooge.  No other actor has inhabited this iconic role so completely nor made the transformation more sincere.  Scrooge first appears beyond redemption, absent even a glimmer of kindness.  Decades of spiritual neglect have buried Scrooge in countless layers of acerbic crust.  However, as we revisit the past with him, we learn that Scrooge was not always an irascible monster, and his reclamation now becomes a possibility.

Like many a young man, Scrooge fell in love with a young woman.  Yet due to some dire family events, he fell deeper in love with money.  The deadly emotional blows Scrooge suffered make his bitterness understandable.  Even though he had once known trust and affection, we understand why Scrooge would believe that wealth would keep him safe from a ruthless world.  As such, Scrooge’s final conversion from a grasping miser to a paragon of altruism is entrancing not only because of the obvious truth, but also because of the consistency of Alastair Sim’s portrayal.

The revived soul of Ebeneezer Scrooge bursts with boyish glee and whimsy, yet Alastair retains many of the mannerisms which Scrooge had as a cad.  The character remains the same, but his once repellent eccentricities have now become endearing.  Scrooge’s euphoria is infectious, and we exult in his rejuvenation.  Scrooge has realized the error of his ways, and more importantly has accepted that one must embrace the inevitability of death to truly live.  However, that ultimate end is to be welcomed if one can look back knowing that the many moments shared with family and friends are the single greatest achievement to which any human life can aspire.