Desire Avenue

Who's seen it?
I've been twice, I think it's wonderful, and I'm completely drunk on the music. Especially the section they used from 'Vertigo'-I'd forgotten what a brilliant score that is. I can understand why Kim Novak feels aggrieved at the use of it, but at the same time the whole film is an homage to the history of Hollywood cinema (with a nice twist at the end to show that it wasn't just Americans serving the industry).
I can't believe that the Academy Award folks are citing The Artist in the same breath as Woody Allen's latest (Midnight in Paris) which is a heap of the usual Woodyisms with emotions telegraphed from miles off-a heap of crap IMHO, the best thing about it was Sidney Bechet's 'Si Tu Vois Ma Mere' which is used over the opening scenes of Paris. If the film had stopped there it would have been perfect.

I've been hearing a lot about The Artist, but I'll probably have to wait till it's out on DVD to see it. Sounds intriguing. I'd not heard about bits of the Vertigo score being used, though - that's actually one of my favourite film scores ever Dave, a brilliant piece of work. It's been getting played more and more in the concert hall in recent years I've noticed.

According to Front Row the other night, some people have been walking out of The Artist and asking for refunds because they didn't realise it was a silent film! Completely baffling.

It isn't silent, it's full of music, but some people have tin ears. Actually much of the films' brilliance is down to the lack of words; the acting through gesture etc is amazing.

The Vertigo love music is used for the climactic scene (which I won't give away), and it works brilliantly. Ludovic Bourse (the film's main composer) wrote a kind of pastiche of Vertigo to go in that scene (which is what they put on the S/T album) but both Director and Composer agreed that it didn't hack it.

It's an unashamed love story, handled beautifully, but if you're allergic to such things, beware. I'm an old softy and weep buckets on these occasions.

I heard on the BBC news this morning that the dog has taken early retirement!

Last night I watched on dvd,Apollo 18, a film with dialogue but without a score. In some ways a film without music these days is as rare as a film without dialogue?

Like Beth, i'll probably wait for The Artist to come out on dvd although i'm naturally suspicious of any film that is 'critically acclaimed'. I usually end up wondering what all the hype / fuss was about.

Got bored after less than 10 min. The intro to the movie, text font, presentation,... is just a copy of the silent movies, there is nothing original. The first scene of the movie is empty, Dujardin with his usual body and face tricks. Give me Buster Keaton, Chaplin,... but, please Oscars for This???? :sick: :throw up".... Not surprising Tarkovsky never got one.