On Film & Music: Too Much Monkey Business
Oh, come off it you big apes. I’ve seen a lot of best of lists for 2005 movies and I have to say I’m a little shocked to see King Kong on many of them. Unless you only saw ten movies this year I can’t imagine this three hour chest thump taking the place of smaller, better films like Phil Morrison’s “Junebug” or Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man”.
What seems to be the winning element that has people glowing over Peter Jackson’s epic is the “relationship” that develops between Naomi Watts and the big guy. I can almost hear Albert Brooks pitching it - King Kong has a heart, King Kong has a heart. There is no doubt that this indeed is what makes this film a success. It surely isn’t the interminable second act which takes us to Skull Island where the special effects are cool, but endlessly beat us over the head with beast after beastly beast effectively dulling the audience into wondering when we could just get back to New York. I think that we would all agree to give up at least 45 minutes of film budget in order to feed a small third world country for a month.
And isn’t it cute that the beast is bemused by the beauty? I wonder if the bears in Timothy Treadwell’s world found him charming and personable. We want to believe that animals find us lovable, but when it comes down to it I think that if my dog, Billy somehow got lost he would forget about me in favor of whoever would be lucky enough to find him. Gosh, it hurts my feelings to say that. Humans love it when animals seem human. I guess that’s why they throw cigarettes to chimps in zoos. Personally, I think the Snuggle talking bear is creepy.
Anyway, I have alternatives to King Kong, the movie which will take up far less of your time. First is the wonderful Kinks tune of the same name. You can find it on The Kink Kronikles or as a bonus track on the 2005 extended release of The Village Green Preservation Society. Ray Davies might say that man, not beauty killed the beast, or as he sang, “Everybody wants power, Everybody wants fame, Everybody wants money.”. If you’re hungry for prog-jazz-rock brilliance, Frank Zappa’s “King Kong” on 1969’s Uncle Meat record is only 18 minutes long. Drag City’s Louisville band King Kong has a groovin’ disc called “Me Hungry” that provides a cave man narrative that will make you forget about Peter Jackson’s racist island primitives. And finally I recommend buying the Upsetters great Super Ape on vinyl if you just want to look at the great beast while listening to dub at its finest. Or you can just wait with baited banana breath for the Kong director’s cut DVD. I smell Oscar!
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Comments
I haven't seen KK as of yet, but I must admit that I am tempted as everyone I have spoken to who has seen the movie (and that's almost everyone I know) - has loved it. Their response is similar to their reaction of the last Batman movie (also didn't see, but would like to).
That said, it is hard to believe it would be in the top 10 of so many 2005 movie lists. Still, not having experienced the film, I can't really venture an opinion.
What I have seen is 'June Bug', and I noticed that you'd written about it previously on SharkForum and now mention it as a possible inclusion in your top ten.
The thing about 'June Bug' is, one, I only know two other people who have seen it (now three including you), and they were the same two people that I saw it in the theater with.
And I liked it. I don't know if I would put it in my top ten, but it is a shame that it didn't have a broader viewing audience.
And two...
Well there are two reasons to see 'June Bug' - Amy. Adams.
I also thought the movie poster for JB was terrific.
Posted by: Miss Bockoven | January 8, 2006 07:24 AM
Other movies I liked from Sundance include MurderBall (amazing!), Pretty Persuasion, Squid and the Whale, and Lonesome Jim, the Steve Buscemi directed film (quiet and quirky, though it went relatively unnoticed post-Sundance). I had the pleasure of sitting practically next to him at Sundance, not that he’ll ever remember - he was nervous and angst-ridden, but proud of the film. I saw many others I liked, but the one I specifically went out for has been viewed even less then June Bug and probably less than most movies there- it is Who Killed Cock Robin? by Travis Wilkerson, and is a low-budget (somewhat purposely) documentary about Butte, MT – very dark and sad and filled with awesome ballads/music and ‘real people actors/musicians.’ It is scheduled to be shown in my gallery next December in conjunction with paintings of Butte, MT by Thomas Metcalf, so check it out then. I recommend it, as long as you don’t like ‘block busters.’ On a side note, I watched a great movie via DVD the other day…has anyone seen Nobody Knows? It is filmed in Tokyo based on a true story, and it was sad yet beautiful and is definitely now a favorite of mine – it’s a true tear-jerker, and the child star of the film is incredible! Hope I haven’t bored anyone to tears, but I do luv my films and so wanted to offer my .02.
Happy New Year!
Posted by: Susan Gescheidle | January 8, 2006 10:48 AM