Night Gallery

"Night Gallery" was a show released by Universal Studios in the 1970's featuring short horror and science fiction stories in an anthology format. It was hosted by the legendary Rod Serling creator of the Twilight Zone who submitted scripts for the show but didn't have any real creative control which is why the show has kind of a bizarre humorous tone. The show has been forgotten by most but remembered by some like me who grew up on it. The Twilight Zone is as close to a masterpiece as a show can get (even though not all episodes were classics) but because of the host association "Night Gallery" had always been unfairly compared to that show. It also only had 3 seasons unfortunately. For me this show is almost the perfect balance between shows like "The Twilight Zone" and "Tales From the Crypt" it has that perfect edge of bizarre morality plays with a flair for very theatrical sets and set pieces but it does dabble in a little darker subject matter and plays with humor much more and some of the episodes feel down right like films which gets more into the vibe of 'Crypt' but it's that mixture of feeling that has caused me to fall in love with it. That and unlike 'Zone' and 'Crypt' where each episode seems to follow a similar style "Night Gallery" was allowed much more creative room to experiment, some episodes flopped, some were gems, and others I'd consider television masterpieces…but "Night Gallery" did something different it dared to experiment with style. 

The show is set up by introducing a painting that segues into a story and most episodes have 3 segments: 2 evenly lengthened episodes and maybe bridged or ended with 1 incredibly short one.  So I've divided my list into 3 branches. My Top 5 paintings…My top 3 Shot Subjects…and my Top 10 longer episodes. 

Top 5 Paintings 

5. Linndeman's Catch (This is a good episode, not a great one, but it's no wear near as beautiful as this painting.) 

4. The Ring with the Velvet Ropes (One of my favorite episodes of the show and a particularly intriguing painting.) 

3. You Can't Get Help Like that Anymore (One of the very few science fiction episodes and a beautifully tragic painting that practically spells out the entire episode.)  

2. A Question of Fear (My number 1 favorite episode. I love the simplicity of the imagery and unlike other Night Gallery episodes and paintings this one is mainly to give you the idea of the theme and not meant to be something literally derived from the episode.)

1. The Other Way Out (One of my favorite episodes but I absolutely love the tragedy of this painting.)

Top 3 Short Subjects - Since these are all extremely short subjects I'll let them speak for themselves. The show used to button segments sometimes with these incredibly short and bizarre humorous segments. According to the history Serling hated but I find rather charming like an appetizer in between meals, just to cleanse the psychological palette with humor. Only one of these 3 has a painting associated with it that I know about. 

1. Room for One Less (Lost episode) 

2. Satisfaction Guaranteed (This one is silly as hell) 

3. The Merciful 

Top 10 Favorite Episodes

10. The Cemetery 

The Cemetery is the very first episode in the pilot T.V. movie that preceded the series. And it stands on it's own as one of the best in my opinion due to the brilliant performances. Also this short actually utilizes paintings in the story which is a touch I extremely enjoy.

9. The Other Way Out (I cannot find this episode online) 

This episode is rather cliched from nowadays. It plays in a familiar vein of a revenge tale but because of it's rather dark ending even with it's simple set-up it's a flavor of mystery and intrigue I rather enjoy. Though I do love the creepy house with trap door genre.

8. Cool Air (One of my least favorite paintings) 

Based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft (One of two in the "NIght Gallery" the other is "Pickman's Model" a basic simple premise with a punch and a beautifully gothic book end. I wouldn't want to spoil this one.   

7. Marmalade Wine 

                 (It's the middle segment of this episode)



Possibly the most unique and bizarre entry into the entire series…and on of my favorites because of it's unique dreamlike, german expressionist look and bizarre style of acting. I can't imagine this one being on most people's favorites list but it's on mine because I respect the unique qualities of it, there aren't any other episodes like the feel of it. And I dig it for being that quirky, unique with just a level of bizarre dark humor. Even the painting that goes with it looks nothing like any other Night Gallery painting.  

6.The Sins of the Father (One of my least favorite paintings, I kinda get what it's supposed to represent but it's 3 sectioned and there is no need for it, I think he could have thought of one image to sum this idea up, however it is a fantastic episode.)  

              (I cannot find this episode online)

This is possibly the biggest episode with the most lavish outdoor sets though for me most of the drama takes place in a doorway and two different rooms. It's sad to say that some of the bizarre rituals of the past have been long forgotten by time but the ritual of a sin-eater is one you don't see to often in basically any form of fiction and this story tackling that subject makes it unique to fiction but not just the simple premise of a sin-eater it's the punch at the end that even though I don't believe in the concept (I doubt many do or really ever did) it still shocks me to empathize with a character who might fully believe in the concept of eating the sins of another. The ending packs such a punch in this regard it's not even funny even with they slowly show it coming and if you're sharp enough you can predict it…but when it comes I found it truly shocking. 

http://www.hulu.com/watch/58780

(This episode is on Hulu and well worth the check out) 

5. Class of 99

This episode just has balls. I knew the ending long before I saw this episode but it ropes across like an ensemble short play that takes place in one room…a class room with an extremely unique set of curriculum. The societal and racial overtones are what really pinned me to my seat. Rod Serling said this was one of his all time favorite scripts and I can 100% see why.

4. The Ring with the Velvet Ropes 

This episode echos almost completely the themes of an old Twilight Zone episode titled "A Game of Pool" only this time it's that sweet science known as boxing. The twist I saw coming a mile away, the setup feels extremely Twilight Zone, also one of my favorite paintings but somehow this one just gets me I think it's mainly for how well the actor playing the hidden champion is or how the idea of a champion no one knows about that seems to well exist in his own universe (when you see the episode it'll make sense) completely intrigues me. I guess from a script standpoint maybe there are better episodes out there but this one just gets me. Even though I saw the end coming I was bowled over. Maybe because it's a really good boxing story in the midst of all this Sci Fi and horror. 

3. A Feast of Blood 

This is possibly one of the most ridiculous episodes and it mainly holds my attention because of the very strong almost play quality script. The beautiful pale blond woman in a very unsubtle blood red dress and the hypnotic quality of the lead actor…yes the punchline or final twist is possibly the cheesiest thing I've ever seen…but the build-up to it is so exquisitely written and when the punch finally does come I sincerely was beside myself laughing I can't help not put this on my all time favorites. The actors play the absurdity with utter conviction and I just love it.

2. Silent Snow, Secret Snow (Probably my 6th favorite painting.)

This show doesn't even belong in the Night Gallery. It isn't science fiction, it isn't a ghost story, a horror story, a story about dreams, or a short macabre one-note-story about death, Dracula, or the like…"Silent Snow, Secret Snow" feels like a classic short film and in my opinion should be remembered with such love and fondness as Raymond Burr's "The Snowman" accept this isn't a loving tale about Christmas but more like a beautiful poem about a child's psychosis…with much a richness of depth than ever. The great Orson Wells narrates this episode and it adds to the layers of richness and the juxtaposition of the snow shots and the mundane life are what makes this episode a classic hopefully to be discovered for future generations.




(There is also a 1966 movie based on this story.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Snow,_Secret_Snow

1. A Question of Fear 

This episode is absolutely superb. If you like old haunted house stories, Leslie Nelson with an eye patch and as a villain and twists and turns at every corner than this episode is for you. It starts with one of the oldest cliches…I bet you can't spend a night in this haunted house…but the episode goes to darker, richer, and deeper places than the cheesy special effects and the overly cliche premise should allow, with an ending that is truly bizarre for the 1970's and would still be considered bizarre for 2012. The acting is superb. The effects are cheesy as hell, but it makes sense. And the level of detail to the ending punchline has been set up so brilliantly it is one of the few types of television drama's that may require a second viewing. + As an added bonus one of my all time favorite paintings. I think this episode gets overlooked in the cannon of the show.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/58806

Copy and Past the above code* I believe all the episodes are on Hulu. 

There is no riddle to life

Deep down human beings despite the society built up around them telling them to behave 'properly' we still love to act like animals & maybe just a step up like wild tribal men if you doubt this, go to a club, concert, or just a wild party, & see how with a certain set of tunes, notes, and maybe drugs & alcohol ordinary men and women will dance like fools and shout to gods that don't exist & wild men will try to make sense of it all...& eventually give up when all you can do is laugh at the true simplicity of human nature, peppered for flavor with some semblance of complexity but just enough to taste. The only certainty in life, is there is no certainty and the moment you think there is you start to kid yourself and cease to fully enjoy it.

Cloud Atlas ~ Review . . . . . . . (well my impressions)

"This film could be a cluttered mess or a transcendent emotional masterpiece. It also cost 100 million dollars and is an R-Rated fantasy film which has me very intrigued." - Myself (in my blog, about potential upcoming oscar contenders of 2012 just below this entry)



"Cloud Atlas" is a film that will divide the audiences that see it that is for certain.



"Cloud Atlas" is basically 6 different stories ... that really aren't so different.



"Cloud Atlas" is a 544 page novel written by David Mitchell, which I have not read and haven't even heard about until this film came out. The book was first published in 2004 so it's fairly new as far as literature is concerned. And for the amount of material flew by in the film I'm assuming they used every piece of the novel and maybe even added a few.

The film starts off with an expected quick montage basically introducing the characters of the film. It is like a cold open before the title screen appears. This is mystifying and very confusing, but these introductions are all richly embedded in the story that hasn't even started up yet there barely is a warmup or time to catch up with each story at all. And that is off putting probably to audiences from the very beginning.

"Cloud Atlas" is directed by three people, the Wachowski's (whose last film "Speed Racer" did terribly) and Tom Tyker (Director of "Run Lola Run" and "Perfume: A Story of Murder") who is known for wild visuals and crazy pacing...seems like a good fit for the nature of this type of storytelling.

There is one word I've seen that completely describes the film 'Ambitious' and it absolutely deserves that. This is one of the most daring films I've ever seen. And it's not mildly R-Rated, like "The Matrix" was with a few drops of blood and maybe a curse word or two. There is nudity, sex, drug use, language, racist language and graphic violence in some scenes. It touches taboos of white actors being made to look like Asians, asian actors made to look like white people, and other ethnicities made to have stranger features...that I'm assuming other features that we'd have if we'd continue to bang other races. (Though there are mixes all over the timelines but I mostly noticed the future ones.) And it's runtime is a challenge in itself for some audiences. Though in a way I wished it were longer so it could take it's time with the characters.


At the beginning of this film after the cold open and being thrust into all of the different story lines I was utterly confused for an hour and 1/2 (the length of most regular films) and even went to the bathroom and contemplated just leaving and getting lunch. I didn't have a clue the purpose of the stories or if they would start connecting at all. If they were vague pieces with some sort of thin theme about 'love' as just an excuse to do basically 6 short different films I would have screamed. Luckily after about an hour and 1/2 the stories started to mirror and echo each other and after seeing the same actors in each of the segments while being so confused at first as to who was which (because of the soon to be oscar nominated and should be oscar winning make-up job) when I finally started seeing the details, I began to sit on the edge of my seat and rather than dreading the inevitable cut-to new sequence, which previously disoriented me, I began to anticipate it wanting to know more from each little piece.

The stories: (A gross oversimplification)

1850 - A man protects a slave on a boat while traveling to a knew land.
1931 - A young gay lover writes a piece of music that will be his masterpiece.
1975 - A reporter investigates a nuclear power plant.
2012 - A publisher is tricked (and actually I won't say what happens to him cause this turn surprised me and I thought was very cute and Jim Broadbent being mainly the focus of this part I thought was utterly adorable, charming, and a fun breath of fresh air from the other story lines which are about revolution, assassination, slavery, and other touchy deep subjects.)
The Distant Future - Probably the most striking visuals in the trailer. This is the story of a young Asian android.
The EXTREMELY distant future - (This part is the most CONFUSING. Why do you ask, because Tom Hanks and Hallie Berry and all the characters in this section do not speak a known english but rather a made up dialect of future slang, since I am used to films like "Trainspotting" (Mostly cockney rhyming slang) and "A Clockwork Orange" which has the made up combination slang known as Nadsat I was a little used to this technique in stories, which is true as the future progresses so does language, but few filmmakers other than Kubrick had the balls to do this side of the future legitimately, but then again Tolkien invented languages and people got used to this, but in a film you don't have the luxury of reading back...THIS PART IS NOT SUBTITLED. This film demands a lot of it's audience in this aspect alone, let alone the unique and seemingly unconnected nature of the different stories this film is ambitious.)

Without picking apart each of the sections I will write in this review my over all impression of them.

The books Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_Atlas_(novel) accurately spells out what each section of the film is about. But the film doesn't play chronologically, it's edited in such a way and so quickly to often demand a second viewing because just as something begins to turn in the story...it cuts to a different one and you are disjointedly thrust into that one without a clue where you are.

In a way it's like starting a book in the middle and cutting back to the beginning, then to the end, and back to the middle, it's utterly disorienting until about an hour and 1 1/2 (which is a long time to be confused and I can see why some people may mentally check out or get fed up.) But to have the balls to do it that way and if you have the patience for this type of story telling enriches the film completely, like notes in an orchestra coming together to crescendo into a beautiful note at the end.

I have already had conversations with multiple fans that saw the film this weekend and I could pick the 'meaning' and 'moments' of this film apart with them for hours.

It is like if "Avatar", "Tree of Life", and "Brazil"'s level of ambition and art had metaphorical film sex with each other but created an incredibly beautiful breathtaking emotional masterpiece. ("Avatar" and "Tree of Life" are both films I didn't like but one is bizarrely edited and the other is huge and Brazil is futuristically quirky, so that's my level of ingredients but for the purposes of this thought exercise imagine if "Avatar" wasn't trite and predictable (though some of "Cloud Atlas" is obvious in it's story telling nature...) and imagine if "Tree of Life" starting to make sense after a while. "Brazil" is the uncanny masterpiece of those three. And if you haven't seen that I urge you to do so...but only the director's cut. (The theatrical cut changes the entire nature of the film)



In all seriousness "Cloud Atlas" in some scenes reminds me tremendously of Terry Gilliam's style.

Imaging if you will that you're drinking a beer that has many flavors infused in it, spices, soaked in whiskey barrels ect... but it's your first time drinking the beer. Well you don't taste or pick up on the details you just taste beer. Now if you are say older and more mature in your beer tasting skills, you now pick up on all the nuances of this particular brew.

"Cloud Atlas" is a film for people who like storytelling and are familiar with it's methods. It's about the nuances of life, love, friendship, and revolution and the nature of storytelling. For as big as it is, it's best moments are the subtle ones.

A character is writing the score for the film. One of the characters is a pianist and the theme he's writing ends up being a part of the film's score. It's a brilliant way to do it in a film.

*I wouldn't watch this featurette unless you've seen the film.*




Best Makeup - Yes

Best Costumes - Yes

Best Actor - Which performance would you choose ?

Best Visual Effects - Yes

Best Art Direction - Probably, but the sets aren't showy in anyway, they simply show what they need to show. There are only two that genuinely stand out for me and that's a futuristic Cafe' and a set where a book release party is taking place. I can see "Lincoln"  or "The Hobbit"  having much richer sets than this did.

Best Director - Ben Affleck (Cause 'Argo' was fucking amazing) and this is directed by 3 people. If 1 person directed "Cloud Atlas" I'd say yes.

Best Picture - "Cloud Atlas" is one of the best films I have ever seen. The more I think about it the richer it feels.

If you've never dared to fall in Love. Than this film may not be for you. If you haven't the patience to be lost and confused for an hour and a half and utterly perplexed, than this film may not be for you. If you think films that require multiple viewings are cop outs. Than this film isn't for you. If you need storytelling spoon feed to you. Than this film may not be for you. And if you can't let yourself get swept away in things that feel silly . . . than this may not be for you. But otherwise. It's a masterpiece.







I am reeling to discuss every nuance of this film to those that loved it as much as I did. "Cloud Atlas" is an experience and not in that trite predictable way in which the word experience is used as a cop out for an art house film but "Cloud Atlas" is a genuine film experience. There are things, little things, to me, that would take other people, that would seem like bigger things out of the film. It doesn't piece together perfectly, some of the makeups are distracting while others work better, some of the awkward moments are intriguing and others are just bizarre. There is a character with a hat and coat (*In the picture above) which I do not understand at all. One critic said this film may have worked better as a mini-series, with more time to milk the characters...and I happen to agree with him. The pacing is distracting.

But there was an older gentleman in the audience when I saw the film, probably 60 years old at least, weeping towards the end. I guess he knows what it feels like to fall in love and live multiple lives. This film in the beginning requires a level of patience which is why I am hesitant to whole heartedly recommend for the weary but for those that have that it is a 100% absolutely must-see film. 

“Travel far enough, you meet yourself.”

― David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas

Oscar Bait . . .

 Last night I saw the film "Argo" . . .


and it reminded me of the term Oscar Bait. "Argo" as one of my friend said has all the ingredients of a best picture. It's well written, well, acted, well cast, well edited, well directed, it has great music that compliments the film and it also has that beautiful illusive of ingredients you only find in the best Best Picture winning films gravitas a sexy word basically meaning serious-weight. The opening of Argo reminds me of one sequence toward the second half of the film "The Deer Hunter" with just the tension.

"Argo" has several things going for it. It's topical without being too showy. It's based on something that happened in 1980 the Iran Hostage Crisis. But is still relevant today because of the tension in the middle east, which sadly has been going on seemingly forever.

"End of Watch"should garner a best picture nomination because it's so incredibly emotionally powerful, as well as screenplay, and supporting actor for Michel Pena (*who absolutely deserves the nod*)



"The Dark Knight Rises"

should get a nomination not because the film is fantastic but because of the weight and significance (tragedy aside) of the wholeness of the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy. I enjoyed the film but it does have flaws beyond what it was expected of it because of the extreme hype over the tragedy and it's predecessor "The Dark Knight" which had a performance of a lifetime for the late Heath Ledger.

But when I say Oscar buzz I am referring to the films specifically designed to win oscars, that are slated for release closer to what is known as the Awards Season, these films are fixing to come out . . . & they are huge. Already 2012 is much better than 2011's lack luster performance of films. "The Artist" was a good film but more like a self indulgent one-note homage to a far away error in film. It didn't leave me with anything, it was charming and sweet & maybe that's what they wanted last year. This year even with disappointments like "Prometheus" and lack luster predictable films like "The Hunger Games" but even as bad as I thought those films were compare to others I still got something significant out of watching them. For "Prometheus" it was the visuals & for "The Hunger Games" it was the world they created for me. 

Now I've listed the films coming out later in the year I think are pure Oscar bait, but hopefully all these films are as wonderful and significant as they look. 

Lincoln is obvious. It's a bio-pic about the legendary President by equally legendary director Stephen Spielberg and legendary actor Daniel Day Lewis whose last performance in "There Will Be Blood" launched an obnoxious catchphrase and won him an oscar.

"Cloud Atlas" 

This film could be a cluttered mess or a transcendent emotional masterpiece. It also cost 100 million dollars and is an R-Rated fantasy film which has me very intrigued.

"Life of Pi"

Ang Lee films an un-filmable book. I think every time someone refers to a book as un-filmable the entertainment industry takes that as a challenge.

"Django Unchained"

The trailers don't make much of it, but it's the most recent film from possibly one of the most influential directors of our time. And all of his films have been different than my expectations and for the most part exceed them.

"Zero Dark Thirty" 

It's the Osama Bin Laden film arguably one of the most expensive political ads ever. This film could be great or just a cluttered mess because of how rushed the production was since the death of Osama Bin Laden.



"Les Miserables" - The Academy loves an epic and the academy loves a great sweeping musical.






Russell Crowe as Captain Crunch



But I would like to see a surprise something no one thought of, come out of left field and topple these giants, maybe an indie film of unsurmountable emotions or maybe something like "Skyfall" to turn out to be a surprise masterpiece.

Stop Thinking

Several years ago I stopped caring what other people thought about me . . . and it has made all the difference in my life . . . now I've stopped caring what I think about me and it has made my life experiences much richer. "Carpe Diem children, because every soul you see in these pictures are now food for the worms" - Dead Poets Society.