heres another great concept: my life - a 12hour film
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Lantana
cengelm — 19 years ago(January 17, 2007 10:05 PM)
heres another great concept: my life - a 12hour film
about a guy standing behind a counter at mc donalds,
handing out chips n coke. "WOW it was SO REALISTIC!!!
WHAT A DEEP MOVIE! lets nominated for some prices.
That's too exciting. People who like Lantana will die of a heart attack.
No comparison with SHORT CUTS or Lang's M (which is really a thriller). -
St_Anus — 16 years ago(April 22, 2009 12:29 AM)
It seriously blows me away when so called film fans can't tell the difference between t.v films and theatrical ones. The major difference is in the aesthetic itself; t.v movies tend to pay less overall attention to lighting and framing, and that was definitely a problem in Lantana. Whenever people tell me that 'there is no difference between t.v and film anymore', i've left questioning whether they understand what makes the art of film unique at all.
As for the 'seriousness' of the subject, i appreciate what it was trying to do, but it felt too pretentious and heavy handed. Nearly all the major character and plot points were telegraphed well in advance, or overemphasised to an almost laughable degree. A classic example of the amateurism on display here is one of the early scenes with Hershey(a normally good actress who acts thoroughly constipated) and her 'gay' patient. The scene is meant to demonstrate her 'vulnerability', because she allowed the patient to 'get to her', emotionally, but the camera lingers far too long on Hershey's face when they should have just pulled away and left it open. In other scenes, the drama is protracted in the most obvious of ways, full of those cringeworthy 'pregnant pauses' that are the hallmark of bad cinema, and especially t.v drama. e.g when hershey asks Lapaglia's wife if she still loves him.
The dialogue was also clunky and ackward. Hershey's 'it just happens' 'monologue' was completely unbelievable, and stupid, both in the context of her recent life events, and the unique psychology of her character.
I always find it amusing when my fellow country men criticise American films for not being subtle enough, and then praise a film like this, where the only subtlety is delivered with a sledgehammer. -
franzkabuki — 12 years ago(September 29, 2013 01:54 PM)
"Full of those cringeworthy "pregnant pauses" that are the hallmark of bad cinema, and especially TV drama e.g. when Hershey asks Lapaglia
s wife if she still loves him". Considering what shed been recently going through, one would hardly expect her to be so sure of her feelings that shed just blurt out the answer without prior contemplation. Of course also becomes a device to build, and maintain, emotional tension. "But it felt too pretentious and heavy handed". Theres some truth to the latter statement as characters in fact do tend to verbalize their problems, and the filmsthemes, a bit too much - and some actions, or words, by the characters do come across as somewhat blunt & overcooked. Too obvious. Mostly though the film IS remarkably complex in its own quiet way, and the actings absolutely top notch throughout. These are real, authentic people there and their actions make sense.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan -
Kroyall1962 — 13 years ago(February 01, 2013 11:11 PM)
I care mostly about characters and dialog. I don't find either one in this film to be compelling. If I don't care about the characters I have little concern as to where the story is going. These performances are monotone and perfunctory.
The "troubled marriage" narrative is getting tiresome and there have been dozens of films that have done a better job with that subject. Watching a half baked attempt in which every character is wallowing in self-pity is grating.
60 or 70 years ago most people would LOVE to have the problems these people do. I guess one function of a film like this is to hold up a mirror to our pathetic, self indulgent society. Barbara Hershey's face looks inhuman. -
franzkabuki — 12 years ago(September 29, 2013 01:29 PM)
What fuss? I
m under the impression its quite unknown outside its native Australia. And one cant help but wonder as to who are the people, and what are the topics, that the long gone OPdoesfind worthy material for a film. And the McDonalds guy comparison with Lantana, is beyond ludicrous; theres plenty going on in the film, from start to finish. And plot? Why does there even have to be a plot to begin with?
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan