Picture homages
What with Grindhouse, it seems like all the movies nowadays are trying to recapture something of the stories of the yesteryear. Here’s two that tried. Which of them succeeded?
Disturbia is to Rear Window as Sweet&Low is to sugar. It’s nowhere as good as the original. And yet, it seems that people have been flocking to it making it three weeks at the top of the box office. Why? Because they are wankers, but hey, I saw it in the theatres. I don’t think I am a wanker, but I wanted to see it because of its shameless rip of one of my favorite movies.
There are few direct riffs on the original. They’ve escaped me right now, a week since watching the movie. I remember one being the sound of a scream/killing waking Shia up. The leaving from the scene of the “crime” a lady. These were the only vestiges of Hitchcock’s film that stand out. The others were subtle. Is the killer coming over with a bat similar to Raymond Burr showing up at the door? Maybe. Is the scene with the depiction of the neighborhood the same? No Ms. Lonely Hearts though. Can’t compete.
The one thing they updated was the score. Or at least the musical soundtrack with what passes for music nowadays. Why? It was an episode of the OC with that dude stuck in doors. Or that other dude on a killing spree. Sorry, about the names, but at least that is what I think it would be like.
It’s a palid version of one of the greatest movies in Hitchcock’s ouevre.
2 of 5 stars.
Hot Fuzz brought to us by the madmen who did Shaun of the Dead (which I thought was alright), and the director of the funniest fake trailer in Grindhouse, “Don’t.” Yet, this film appealed to me more. Shaun of the Dead was a mediocre attempt at a zombie movie. Zombies are tired. They should’ve been ninjas, or at least pirates.
But Hot Fuzz travels in the tried and true action genre.
Whether they are spoofing it or paying a cheeky homage is hard to tell. If they refer to Bad Boyz II as the ultimate flick, it’s got to be a spoof. Yet, they reference Michael Bay-isms throughout. HOMAGE!
Best line riffed on Jake Gittes, but not: “Forget it, Nick, it’s Sandford.” That’s won me some points those cheeky brits.
4 of 5 stars.
