Two weeks ago, I dove deep into a discussion of the mockumentary genre in film, and how filmmakers will test the intelligence and loyalty of the audience by providing a false sense of reality as if it were truly real. To further the discussion of how film can toy with an audience’s attention span, let us this week explore a sub-genre of the mockumentary: the Found Footage Film.

(There is a movie that is considered the start of this genre, Cannibal Holocaust. I have not seen it, but from all descriptions it is disgusting and involved actual killing of animals. I choose not to discuss it here.)

Unlike Forgotten Silver — the great Peter Jackson movie we discussed last time — which is ABOUT the found footage, an actual discovered footage movie serves the purpose of embedding the viewer “in the moment” that the footage takes place. Perhaps one of the most famous movies that kicked off this phenomenon was the unexpected (and sometimes inexplicable) successful Blair Witch Project, about a few kids who set off to explore the legend of a terror in the woods, and find themselves the victims (or something like that. My memory of this film is that it was an unsuccessful, disturbing, incomplete mission of storytelling, so I’m not going to bother reading the synopsis again).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Blair Witch was misunderstood by some as to be “real” footage, because the actors mostly improvised, and their reactions were often real because the directors took it upon themselves to withhold information from time to time about when the “terror” would strike next, and how. Because the reactions and the screaming are real, perhaps that is why audiences were disturbed as much as they were — or maybe it was the unsteady handywork of the handheld cameras, the dizziness that ensued, and the snot dripping from the girl’s nose.

Drip. Drip.

Whatever the case, Blair Witch raked in over $140 million domestically, on a budget of $60,000, so began the long and tested relationship moviegoers still have with “being duped.” Below is a short list of other “found footage” movies, some better than others, and one that pushes the genre even further by showing us “documentary” footage of aliens.

That movie is, of course, probably the best of the bunch: District 9.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Taking the world by storm in 2009, District 9 follows an alternate version of South Africa where aliens have been stranded and placed into a restricted zone for the last twenty years. As authorities try to herd the aliens to a new location, one human becomes entangled in their culture in an interesting way. The documentary style is chopped up halfway through with “normal” movie storytelling, mixing fiction with “reality”, nevertheless being entirely fictional. Talking heads, typical of many documentaries, offer the film a true sense of realism that drives home the story’s character and emotional arcs poignantly.

Another found footage alien movie that is perhaps more mainstream is Cloverfield, which covers a monster/alien attack seen through the eyes of three desperate New Yorkers trying to save a young lady friend while being sure to stop and take a picture of the angry alien every chance they get. The problems with the conceit of the film — besides silly and unlikeable characters who make awful decisions — are two fold: 1) No camera’s battery would last that long. 2) Drop the damn camera and worry about surviving. Enough said, soldier.

Former CHUD columnist Devin Faraci pointed out that horror is the owner of the found-footage genre, what with recent flicks Paranormal Activity, Rec 2, and The Fourth Kind messing with audiences’ acceptance of what is real and what is fake. Faraci also makes an interesting point, that the very concept of “found footage” is not unique to film alone. Books and stories, dating back to the 19th Century (Dracula, anyone?) would be presented as discovered letters and diary entries of actual people, such that we must be reading something true, if it’s all in a letter written between two people. Perhaps Akatzen can contribute in an upcoming “Book Report” on the “discovered letters” concept in books, how it came to be, and thus adds to the shaping of the conceit in the film world?

The director of Paranormal Activity is continuing his foray into the “discovered footage” world with the film Area 51, which is about three teenagers’ horrifying adventure into the top-secret facility.

The alien world will also be explored with the Timur Bekmambetov / Weinstein’s collaboration Apollo 18. The concept of the movie is based on a conspiracy theory revolving around the “cancelled” Apollo 19 and 20 space missions. “Legend” has it that these missions actual DID happen, that they were joint US/Soviet missions, and they were executed to explore wreckage of a space craft photographed by Apollo 18. The exploration allegedly led to the discovery of a female alien. See the odd video below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Found Footage genre isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and will most likely get bigger in the next year or two — found footage of a superhero or villain, perhaps, or of vampires and werewolves lurking behind coffee shop counters. Wherever the concept takes us will only more sharply define the role that films — fact or fiction — have in the overall “duped” culture of Americans.

In the next installment of Trickery! Tomfoolery! we’ll look at docu-dramas and biopics — how a fictionalized version of the truth is more often than not mistaken for the truth. Thanks to Oliver Stone and the like.

Until next time: You are DISMISSED!

Sgt. Angle

The Oscar telecast is over, which means it’s time for people to remark freely on all things Hurt Locker and Avatar for the next few minutes, and hopefully a Basterd or two will appear.….

Got that out of your system? Good. As your Sgt., I feel it is my duty to brief you on the telecast. There’s so much to discuss, but I’ll break my report into two sections: 1) The Awards — the worthy and the shocking; 2) The production — the useless and the touching. Sometimes, they blend.

AWARDS:

(By the way, I turned out to be spot-on with my predictions, even with Cinematography(Avatar?) )

• HURT LOCKER MADNESS: Not a lot of surprises in the main categories. The Hurt Locker picked up SIX awards out of nine nominations, a strong haul for a film that barely made it into 600 theaters in America and was made for 1/250th (give or take) the budget of Avatar. Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Film Editing. I don’t have a problem with most of these awards, but the editing of the intertwined storytelling in District 9 should have emerged victorious, and Inglourious Basterds showcased better writing than any film in recent memory. The Hurt Locker had the momentum of winning nearly every major award this season, and the “David” angle in the “David vs. Goliath” scenario that Avatar created. Happy or not, like it or not, The Hurt Locker is the victor. (Screenplay?!)

(*Note: I’ve gone on and read some other pundits and reporters write-ups who say that Hurt Locker will be forgotten ten, twenty years from now, but that Avatar will be the one film remembered. To them I say…okay. When Annie Hall beat Star Wars in the 70s, people were saying the same thing; when Forrest Gump beat Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption, people, again, were saying the same thing. And look how well the “losers” have withstood the test of time. But we’re not talking about twenty years from now, we’re talking about NOW — or, to be more specific, last year.*)

On to other awards and items of interest…

All acting awards were predictable and mostly worthy. Kudos to Sandra Bullock, who won for a mediocre role in a less than mediocre movie, but who gains “classy points” because she picked up her Razzy Award the night before the Oscars (the Golden Razzies, for those uninitiated, are handed out every year for the “worst in film.”) It’s her sense of humor…that’s why they like her.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fisher Stevens has an Oscar. Let that marinate.

Fisher’s Oscar: 20 years in the making.

Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire surprisingly beat Up in the Air for longest unnecessary title Best Screenplay. Also defeated:  District 9. I like how Geoffrey Fletcher’s reaction was honest-to-God shock. That’s how you accept an award.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Someone needs to explain, and I mean right now, how Avatar wins for Best Cinematography.…I’ll wait.

It’s a shame that District 9’s visual effects achievements got overshadowed by Avatar, but what can you do?

Click here to view the embedded video.

THE PRODUCTION:

• Hosts: Twice the hosts, twice the fun. You’re producing the Oscars, you decide to have TWO hosts this year: Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. What do you do? Give them a semi-comical monologue and then pull out the magician’s hat and make them disappear for the rest of the show. Seriously, were it not for an occasional quip by Martin when introducing a presenter, I wouldn’t have known the show had a host this year, let alone two of them.

(Watch their monologue here.)

Angle’s Angle: More screen time for any host, one or two!

• CONSTANT CONTACT: Meryl Streep and George Clooney were the two major cutaways all evening, a fact recognized by Clooney when he waved the camera away at one point.

Angle’s Angle: I appreciate the cutaway to an audience member as much as the next person, but give us some variety, give us some change. I don’t want to see Clooney wave us away, but I also don’t want to watch him watching the show for three hours.

• JOHN HUGHES TRIBUTE: The class of the simple introduction by Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick became lopsided and dull when, after the montage of Hughes’ classic scenes, members of the Brat Pack appeared on stage to say one thing each…and then walk away awkwardly like high school kids at a dance.

Angle’s Angle: Bring out the Pack first, then the clip reel. Move it right along.

• VISUALS: Best Cinematography Award is presented…without images or clips of the nominees. Best Actor/Actress awards are presented as follows: a brief montage of all nominees’ performances, five other actors talk up each nominee for not only acting well but being great people, then the presenter comes out, the presenter lists the nominees, the winner comes up and gives a speech which absolutely obliterates the :45 second rule. Total time to present Best Actress: ten minutes. Total for Best Actor: ten minutes. Total time wasted: eight minutes.

Angle’s Angle: SHOW A PIECE OF THE FILM’S NOMINATED. In an awards show dedicated to the visual medium, WHERE WERE THE VISUALS?? The chat-party that was featured last night did many things, all of them negative: Wasted time, deflated the energy in the latter half of an already body-less show, disrespected actors in the supporting categories by not giving them the same treatment earlier, and disrespected the audience at home who tuned in to WATCH a show, not listen to people TALK about how great things were last year. Also disrespected Cinematographers, who GIVE US THE IMAGES that later become iconic.

• BEST SONG: Perhaps one of the wisest decisions in this year’s Oscarcast, the show did away with live performances for each nominated song, instead crumbling the category into a simple presentation, featuring a ten-second clip of each song in the context of the movies they were in.

Angle’s Angle: Good choice.

• BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Nothing tops the appearance of Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman at the Academy Awards in 2001, playing themes from all nominees. Lasted five minutes, and was very moving. This year, as in a few years past, we got to sit through dancers interpreting all of the scores, no doubt from the mind of choreographer and co-producer of this year’s telecast Adam Shankman. Dances were okay, the music was moving.

Angle’s Angle: Shorten the dancing, lengthen the clips and celebrate the music. Itzhak returned four years ago for a solo run at this idea, but it wasn’t the same without Yo-Yo.…

Click here to view the embedded video.

That’s all for this year’s Oscar Telecast! Despite my disagreements with the way the producers produced, and the way the awards are awarded…I will still tune in next year, and the year after that, and I’ll continue to watch the films, the winners and the “happy just to be nominated.” Because that’s a Sgt.‘s duty.

Permission to speak freely in the comments below: Granted.

Sgt. Angle

Click here to view the embedded video.

I know it doesn’t show it too much in the trailer, but the emotional portrayal of the aliens in District 9 is as engrossing as the action is. I’m sure you’ll be hearing much, much more about this film in the next few months.

District 9, a film written and directed by Neill Blomkamp (yes that Neill B. from HALO film fame), is a guaranteed “sleeper hit” for 2009. Blomkamp has almost crafted a new genre in the industry, “docu-action” films. The movie starts as almost a straight up documentary and then seamlessly moves into an action/adventure/sci-fi. The young film maker worked hard under the wing of Peter Jackson throughout the whole process. Peter Jackson felt bad that Neill was unable to get the HALO feature film on its feet so he helped back him in a new venture. (Peter Jackson’s WETA DIGITAL helped in the production of the HALO short films.) While looking through Neill’s older short films (a recommended viewing for sure), he and Mr. Jackson both agreed “Alive in Joburg” (watch before seeing District 9 to see the inspiration) was the strongest and lent itself to a rich universe for storytelling.

District 9 takes place in present day South Africa. Aliens have been living in amongst humans for about 20 years. Over the years the aliens have developed a small community known to the public as, “District 9.” Illegal acts and general hatred towards the “prawns” have surrounded the area.

Once the government decides to move the aliens to a new area outside of Johannesburg, chaos ensues.

I won’t tell much more, for fear of ruining the film for you. If you hate spoilers as much as I do, you’ll appreciate me keeping my mouth shut. The beauty of District 9 is its ability to show just enough for you to enjoy the film. It doesn’t explain the full back stories of the aliens, it doesn’t explain much of the technology, it doesn’t even explain what happens to some of the characters at the end of the film. The great thing is, I don’t think it needs to. The digital effects and story line are woven together so well it’s believable without having to over explain itself. All you know is that these alien creatures, who once had a purpose, are now misguided, confused, and stuck on Earth. There are so many little nuggets of goodness in District 9. The movie is well made in almost every way. The story is well written, the directing is great, the digital and sound effects are amazing, the acting is believable (rare for such an effects heavy film), and the little sprinkles of humor are a delight. There are moments where you actually feel sad for the aliens in their persecution from the humans. Look at the aliens themselves. The locals in Johannesburg give the nickname “prawn” to the insect/crustacean race. “Prawn” is almost a play off the word, “pawn.” Pawns are useless without their king or queen in chess. These aliens are mindless without their leader on Earth. Genius writing!

You would think, “Well, if Peter Jackson if helping produce this then it must be big budget, and it HAS to be good.” Wrong. This film could of been as lame as any of the other independent sci-fi films out there. D-9 was made with a virtually unknown director, a small time actor in a lead role, and only a $30 million budget. (Peanuts my friend, peanuts for Hollywood sci-fi films.) To put it into perspective, Transformers 2 was said to have been made on a budget of over $150 million budget, and all the eye candy of a cast on Gossip Girl. Some of the special effects in D-9 rivaled Transformers 2, I think. The creature effects were fluid and the action never felt like watching a video game.

There really isn’t much more to say except that if you like: Sci-fi’s, documentaries, special effects, Peter Jackson, alien technology, South Africa, “sweeties,” mech’s, pig launching, vomit, baby aliens, or just GOOD MOVIES… GO SEE DISTRICT 9!! Support good indy films and an upcoming director (Neill Blomkamp) and actor (Sharlto Copley)!

-“Ash”

Some sites to check out:

http://www.district9movie.com/
http://www.multinationalunited.com/training/
http://www.d-9.com/
http://www.multinationalunited.com/
http://www.mnuspreadslies.com/
http://www.mathsfromouterspace.com/

P.S. August 21st is AVATAR DAY! Don’t forget to go check out a sneak peak (in glorious IMAX 3D) of one of the most anticipated films from James Cameron since T2!!

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