Films That Changed Cinema: Psycho (1960)

Psycho

Psycho was a first for many different things in Hollywood. It was the first American "slasher flick" most notably, depicting on screen stabbings coupled with the use of blood in a gory manner. Completely shocking the entire audience base during that time.

Only a veteran director could pull off such a brash awakening of newly found creative liberties that a post-Hayes Code Hollywood was willing to move slowly towards. That veteran director was Alfred Hitchcock, one of the most influential directors to dictate the silver screen.  His past films had grown increasingly psychological only to meet an abrupt sense of exclamation with Psycho. Vertigo, Rear Window, and Spellbound  had all touched on deep psychological themes but none as shocking and unorthodox as Psycho.

The subject matter alone met the studio with controversy, without a single frame being shot. The book Psycho, from which the movie was based, was already well known for its controversial depictions of cannibalism and necrophilia. The studio was completely astounded when Alfred approached them about directing the film option. The only way he secured a release was if he financed it himself, which he did.

Shot on a shoe-string budget (so minimal they couldn't afford color film stock) with a television crew, the studio felt the film would be a box office disaster after viewing dailys. The only person who had faith in the project was Hitchcock himself, always reassuring the film studio that this film will shock and awe the entire film industry.

He was 100% right.

Not only was Psycho the most unconventional film up to its time, it has the greatest twist ending of ANY MOVIE. The films deceptive third act and a clever media campaign about the ending of the movie lead it to shatter box office records and establish a new standard for film violence. To this day the infamous "shower scene" has gone down in history as one of the greatest film scenes of all time. Marrying together Godlike film direction of pacing and timing, flawless sharp editing, impeccable cinematographic use of shadows through lighting, frighteningly real acting, and a film score that would change the horror genre all the way to its core. All from one scene.

Its was that one scene that would later serve as a benchmark for the drastic changes that the industry was going to experience within the next decade. The 60's would soon become a radical time for movies and how a previously conservative art medium would transform into the most openly expressive profession known to society.

If Psycho hadn't been a studio success, the growth of Hollywood would have been stunted. Only a skilled director could have ushered in a new cinema era to the public. This one bold and fresh move made by a director gave new life to a mundane film cycle and created a new film genre that would only be explored years into the future.

Recommendation: Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

Punch-Drunk Love

I hate Adam Sandler. His brand of in your face, crooked-mouth-loud-yelling physical comedy was a bit too over done for my taste. It always seemed like he was trying too hard. So, when I came across this movie I was, at first, very quick to dismiss it as a "run of the mill" Adam Sandler rom-com. But after further investigation I found that the director of this little gem was none other then Paul Thomas Anderson, director of such cinema greats as Magnolia, Boogie Nights, and There Will Be Blood. I was 100% baffled as to why Paul Thomas Anderson, the Orson Welles of our time, would pick such a low-brow actor to be in his film...?

Then I watched the movie.

It all became completely clear. Not only is this movie Adam Sandler's crowning achievement of acting, but it is, in my opinion, one of the best films of the 2000's.
There are a lot of things that stand out in this film; Adam Sandler's performance, the odd script structure, the cinematography, the third act (which I guess ties in with the script structure, but I have to address it alone).

First, and probably the most prominent thing about this fantastic film is Sandler's acting. He plays a very complex, socially awkward character that seems so easy and second nature for him to portray. I was blown away at the development of his character, and the acting maturity that was being expressed by an actor who's past resume include a hockey player turned pro golfer and a rich annoying high school drop out. Sandler convinces the audience that he actually is an actor worth seeing in this movie with an electrifying presence that will glue your eyes to the screen.

Secondly, the script is probably the best original work Paul Thomas Anderson has done, arguably second only to Magnolia. As far as writer/directors go, I think only Tarantino and the Coen Brothers rival him. This film stands as a true testament to how creative and original he really is. The mixture of moods are so well concocted and conveyed. It first starts out as a character study and then slides over to being an acute thriller and then (in its third act) gently sets in as a romantic comedy, just as it is advertised. The ride this film takes you on is STELLAR.

Lastly, the cinematography is very well executed. The use of a very dirty, gritty film stock is left very obvious to the viewer. With the grainy, "cinema romance" feel to the rough screen texture. The color blue is left as a highlight on screen, almost as a metaphor to how blue emotionally Adam Sander's character feels for the better half of the movie. Jazzy, quasi-hippy montages of color erupt in one scene  almost as an outward portrayal of what tone the movie is feeling. As if the celluloid itself was trying to express an emotion to connect with the viewer.

This film, at face value, may seem like another Hollywood romantic comedy where the guy gets the girl at the end. This is just simply not the case.
This piece of pure cinema is both a delight and a labor to watch. Labor in the sense that it will get the brain juices flowing as you try to understand how on earth Adam Sandler got to be THAT good at acting. See it. You'll love it.

Multiple Viewings: American Beauty (1999)

American Beauty

During the 90's there were some very good performances that just completely dominated the silver screen. From Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood to William H. Macy as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo, there has been some very well accomplished characters portrayed fantastically. But there is one performance at the tail end of the 90's that closes out that decade with an exclamation mark; Kevin Spacey in American Beauty.

American Beauty is a very rare dark comedy in that it invites us to laugh at horrible situations that occur to a dull, suburban family as they struggle with their odd lives eventually leading up to tragedy. At the nucleus of this movie is Kevin Spacey's character of Lester Burnham, who ushers in eccentric scenarios as he goes through a mid life crisis. His character is then polarized and amplified by other characters in the film; his wife (Annette Bening) and his next door neighbor (Chris Cooper) who both are fake, insecure people trying to appear "beautiful" only to be found hiding their ugly inner nature.

This movie begs the question of "Just what exactly is beauty? And can it be taken at face value, or must it be investigated?" This very question is hinted at with the films tagline of "Look Closer...". Every single character in this movie has either insecurities or "act" a certain way to either get people to like them or be portrayed as normal.

After seeing this movie three times, all at different stages in my life, I have found this to be one of my favorite Best Picture Oscar winners of all time. What really changes with this movie during different viewings is the mood. The first time I saw American Beauty it came off a lot more as a dark comedy, with the dramatic irony and "dead air comedy" scenarios coming to the forefront of the picture. Upon my second viewing I was more engaged to recognize the tragic flaws exposed by each character. And by my third viewing I was more compelled to treat this film as a Shakespearean comedy of sorts, with its heavy use of literary devices.

Each character is very well fleshed out. Their flaws are brought to the forefront of the audiences minds. Which really amplifies the reality of the film. They're complex characters with real issues. We don't have to look too close to see that the "beautiful people" portrayed here are very flawed.

The script, direction, and acting are all brilliantly executed in this film and can only be appreciated  through multiple viewings. So if you were to see it, make room for seeing it a couple more times because one helping is not enough.