I wish you had been there with me this morning.
Seriously, I wish everyone who ever wants to see Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino’s newest, brash cine-geek homage to genre moviemaking, could have been there waiting for an hour with me at 7:30 on a sparkling sunny weekday morning at the Cannes Film Festival. It would have been so great if you could have joined the mob stamping and twitching and actually buzzing to get into the very first, 8:30 a.m. screening of the very latest, certainly very Brad Pitt-iest movie to arrive on the Croisette from the very oxygenated Palme d’Or winner. Oh, how you would have enjoyed breathing the heady atmosphere for which QT made his creation! Plus, you would have freaked out the squadron of guards!
As it is, the minute the festival tents fold and the movie is
eventually released in less glamorous American movie theaters, it’s
unlikely that this joke-y, boyish, play-acted war-game fantasy (at
least half spoken in German and French) can ever be inhaled with quite
the right mixture of helium and nitrous oxide required to sustain the
anticipatory hullaballoo. The tall-tale premise introduces a small band
of primarily Jewish, Nazi-hating "basterds," led by doggone Tennessee
mountain drawler Aldo Raine (Pitt), who join forces with one Shoshanna
Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent), a French Jewish woman who escaped while her
family was murdered, and who now runs a little local movie theater.
While the boys scalp Nazis (watch! one of them also specializes in
clubbing heads with an American baseball bat!), Shoshanna has plans to
topple the Third Reich by killing Hitler and all his biggies assembled
at one screening of a Nazi-propaganda war drama in her Cinema Paradiso
of a movie hall.
And yet: It’s amazing how little Nazis, Hitler, mass murder, or
Resistance bravery mean in this action cartoon. Tarantino is a
brilliant showman, the smartest, most erudite guy in the movie
clubhouse, a master at re-creating old and/or exotic styles (Hong Kong
action, blaxploitation) for a new audience — no argument. Inglourious Basterds
pays homage to spaghetti westerns, noirs, WWII war pics, and spy
thrillers, and those who adore being in the know about cinema history
will feel super satisfied to figure out throw-away allusions to past
movie stars, movie makers, movie scenes, and movie costumes.
But how deep can a movie that repurposes recycled material go? Not
very. I’ve never felt that Tarantino has ever been interested in real
emotions or real characters, and that’s fine, that’s not his thing. But
the choice is also an Inglourious limitation. So Pitt play acts;
that’s what’s called for. And Jews and movies win the war this time
around. But a Nazi steals the picture. I’m talking about Austrian actor
Christoph Waltz — huge in his home country, unknown in ours but about
to be famous — who’s memorable long after the credits roll in retro
typography. (Ennio Morricone’s retro music works hard, too.) Waltz
plays icily precise Nazi colonel Hans Landa, known as "the Jew Hunter."
And from his very first scene, in which Landa pries information out of
a French farmer, spaghetti-western style, he’s irresistible, a one-man
display of theatrical virtuosity applied to a villain we’re meant to
love to hate.
Second-best Nazi award, by the way, goes to the celebrated young German actor Daniel Bruhl (The Bourne Ultimatum),
while German-born Diane Kruger wins the award as best German undercover
agent/actress in high-heeled pumps. Oh, and B.J.Novak from The Office? He’s a Jewish Basterd, too. No joke.
More from the Cannes Film Festival:
Penelope Cruz in Almodovar’s Broken Embraces
Lars von Trier’s Antichrist: "The closest film to a scream"
Roger Ebert, A Prophet, and a trend that ought to end
Taking Woodstock = Peace and Love and Demitri Martin
Bright Star and the Scottish charms of Paul Schneider
At Cannes: Up, Tetro, and lots of balloons
As it is, the minute the festival tents fold and the movie iseventually released in less glamorous American movie theaters, it’sunlikely that this joke-y, boyish, play-acted war-game fantasy (atleast half spoken in German and French) can ever be inhaled with quitethe right mixture of helium and nitrous oxide required to sustain theanticipatory hullaballoo. The tall-tale premise introduces a small bandof primarily Jewish, Nazi-hating "basterds," led by doggone Tennesseemountain drawler Aldo Raine (Pitt), who join forces with one ShoshannaDreyfus (Melanie Laurent), a French Jewish woman who escaped while herfamily was murdered, and who now runs a little local movie theater.While the boys scalp Nazis (watch! one of them also specializes inclubbing heads with an American baseball bat!), Shoshanna has plans totopple the Third Reich by killing Hitler and all his biggies assembledat one screening of a Nazi-propaganda war drama in her Cinema Paradisoof a movie hall.
And yet: It’s amazing how little Nazis, Hitler, mass murder, orResistance bravery mean in this action cartoon. Tarantino is abrilliant showman, the smartest, most erudite guy in the movieclubhouse, a master at re-creating old and/or exotic styles (Hong Kongaction, blaxploitation) for a new audience — no argument. Inglourious Basterdspays homage to spaghetti westerns, noirs, WWII war pics, and spythrillers, and those who adore being in the know about cinema historywill feel super satisfied to figure out throw-away allusions to pastmovie stars, movie makers, movie scenes, and movie costumes.
But how deep can a movie that repurposes recycled material go? Notvery. I’ve never felt that Tarantino has ever been interested in realemotions or real characters, and that’s fine, that’s not his thing. Butthe choice is also an Inglourious limitation. So Pitt play acts;that’s what’s called for. And Jews and movies win the war this timearound. But a Nazi steals the picture. I’m talking about Austrian actorChristoph Waltz — huge in his home country, unknown in ours but aboutto be famous — who’s memorable long after the credits roll in retrotypography. (Ennio Morricone’s retro music works hard, too.) Waltzplays icily precise Nazi colonel Hans Landa, known as "the Jew Hunter."And from his very first scene, in which Landa pries information out ofa French farmer, spaghetti-western style, he’s irresistible, a one-mandisplay of theatrical virtuosity applied to a villain we’re meant tolove to hate.
Second-best Nazi award, by the way, goes to the celebrated young German actor Daniel Bruhl (The Bourne Ultimatum),while German-born Diane Kruger wins the award as best German undercoveragent/actress in high-heeled pumps. Oh, and B.J.Novak from The Office? He’s a Jewish Basterd, too. No joke.
More from the Cannes Film Festival:
Penelope Cruz in Almodovar’s Broken Embraces
Lars von Trier’s Antichrist: "The closest film to a scream"
Roger Ebert, A Prophet, and a trend that ought to end
Taking Woodstock = Peace and Love and Demitri Martin
Bright Star and the Scottish charms of Paul Schneider
At Cannes: Up, Tetro, and lots of balloons
Comments (1-30) of 35 Add your comment
Brad Pitt is the porest excuse for an actor that I have ever seen next to Kevin Kline….goes to show a little goods looks will go a loooong way. They def.don’t have talent!!!
True, Brad Pitt is and always be a one-dimensional actor, but Kevin Kline? C’mon, Karen, don’t you remember A Fish Called Wanda? Kline was hilarious as Otto. “You’re going the wrong way!” “Asssshooooole!”
LOL.
Brad Pitt is definitely not a poor excuse for an actor. I think you need to watch Se7en, 12 Monkeys, and Fight Club, and especially Burn After Reading. The man can ACT, and it’s a shame his celebrity has overshadowed that.
“I’ve never felt that Tarantino has ever been interested in real emotions or real characters, and that’s fine, that’s not his thing.”
What!? Did you SEE Kill Bill!? The last scene between Beatrix and Bill in Vol. 2 is a 10-minute dialogue scene in which Tarantino ingeneously paints a whole history for their relationship with nothing but words (and great directing with his actors).
But I am worried that Inglourious Basterd will be too simple, too shallow and too referential, but I had those same fears about Death Proof, and I wound up absolutely loving it. I guess I’ll have to find out for myself whether this movie is any good. Damn!
ERIC, LISA did not say Brad Pitt couldnt act or that he wasnt very gifted. What she pointed out that QT’S films are not all about acting it more about ther certant subject matter of the film. So she basically says that Pitt had to do what was given to him, which wasnt much because it is a QT movie. So that is not dissing his talent or credit as an actor. Or at least that is what I thought she meant to say?
karen and jonny obviously have no idea as to what makes a good actor. try watching ‘the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford’ and educate yourself on cinema. let me guess, your idea of good acting would be paris hilton and hayden christenson. hm? I can’t wait for ‘inglorious basterds’. pitt is talented, and tarantino just might equal (or pass) his ‘pulp fiction’ glory.
Brad Pitt is actually a very good actor, not too sure the reasons people would say he isnt you should probably include some examples if you want to be taken seriously. Hell even in Snatch he was incredibly good if you have ever seen or heard a pika talk its pretty spot on man.
Brandon – Another great example I didn’t think of.
Shakespeare – I wasn’t commenting on the article, I was talking about Karen’s comment that “Brad Pitt is the porest excuse for an actor that [she] has ever seen!” I agree, Lisa’s article wasn’t putting Pitt down, and I wasn’t trying to say that it was.
I saw the trailer before Wolverine and I was immediately convinced – that I wouldn’t see this film free on an airplane. Tarantino is highly overated. Amazing how his movies can be packed with so much violence and still be so damn boring.
I’ve seen the original version many years ago and I liked it. I’ve not seen this new movie but with the little I know of Quentin Tarantino’s movies, he might take it to some dark dimension that I would hate to see. But I look forward to seeing same anyway.
Michelle, I agree. As unrealistic as the plot of Kill Bill was, I thought Vol. 2 was full of very real, raw emotion, not only of the relationship between Bill and Beatrice, but of her motherhood.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste….Not one intelligent remark.
I am referring to Ms. Schwarzbaum
Man! She gave away too much plot. WTF?
I discorvered a hot place
—— WealthyFinder.c om —— where many sexy singles- who like dating and– chatting there. I’m an open- minded girl with s—exual a–ttraction and big b—oobs. I– am Waiting 4 u
It looks like a good movie, I smell a comeback for QT!!! http://www.meetcutesingles.com/
Damn, reading the other reviews out there, it basially looks like this is another extremely talky Death Proof, with only a tiny bit of action here and there. I love Tarantino, but even HIS great dialogue can get old after awhile.
Talky with little action will equal little boxoffice.
http://blog.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/
Why on Earth is BJ Novak famous at all? Talk about a giant, boring zero.
The quality level of celebrities in this country continues its downward slide.
HEY LISA – Thanx for GIVING AWAY THE PLOT. Jerk.
well it since that Karen have some issues with Brad Pitt not quite sure it is all about his acting though
Hey, Karen, did you see Benjamin Button? If so, and you still maintain Brad Pitt can’t act, then you’re simply prejudiced against him for some reason. He’s a terrific actor (I loved Burn After Reading, too). And Kevin Kline! Good grief. Kline is a genius. I suppose you voted for Kris Allen to be the new American Idol, too. Thought so.
For all you folks who are complaining about reading too much of the plot..why did you keep reading? She was giving a review basically.
I like Brad Pitt, but I’d have to disagree with him being considered a TERRIFIC actor. To me, a terrific actor has wide range. Brad, to me, has a very limited range and I believe his good looks compound this limitation. His Jesse James role was a prime example of this for me. I found myself feeling awkward watching him – not being able to get my mind off of “this is Brad Pitt, let’s see how he does”. It was the same thing with movies such as Legends of the Fall, Meet Joe Black, etc. The movies I enjoyed him in best were Mr. & Mrs. Smith (he & Angelina had good chemistry & were having fun, so he was able to forget himself & lose the awkwardness), the Oceans series (ensemble cast with good looks being a benefit), Kalifornia (downplayed looks & physically extreme character) & Benjamin Button (special effects). I remember thinking this same thing about Johnny Depp until his Pirates of the Caribbean role. I hope to see Brad come into his own one day with a unique role of his own.
Brad Pitt is good actor.He played many roles that proved so.
Brad Pitt isn’t an actor. He’s mediocre. He has had the luck of working with talented directors, cinematographers, and other REAL actors who carry him through every picture. He has no range and he’s boring. He’s not sexy at all–he looks like a frat boy. I don’t believe him in anything ever, and whenever I see him in a movie, I always know I’m watching Brad Pitt. He can’t disappear into a character. He is so overrated. There are real actors out there, but they don’t have his luck and his popularity. Just because he’s famous doesn’t mean he’s talented! And award nominations don’t mean anything. They’re just popularity contests.
Sounds to me like you’ve got something personal against Brad Pitt. (Perhaps “E” is pissed about NO interviews on the Red Carpet from Brad & Angie)?? hmmmm? E-online is really becoming a biased website. Don’t slam good actor/actress, and don’t praise crappy actor/actress for PERSONAL GRATIFICATION!!!!! idiots.
And the Brangeloonies come out at full force! Don’t say anything negative about Brad or Angelina! It’s blasphemy! (LOL at Nan)
And the Brangeloonies come out at full force! Don’t say anything negative about Brad or Angelina! It’s blasphemy! (LOL at Nan)
It looks like envy that got some of you talking. He is who he is becasue he has what it takes. Talent good looks. Deal with it.