Ezra Crane Update

This weekend we completed Jaxon’s ADR... Read more at www.whatmadness.com.

Ezra Crane Update

Jaxon came out this weekend and we pounded out more ADR. We wrapped up a number of scenes... Read more at www.ezracrane.com.

Angel and the Badman (1947)

I enjoyed this movie very much. It is a solid film from the acting to the directing to the writing, but especially the writing. John Wayne gave a great performance. Gail Russell was strikingly beautiful. One might think I’ve been studying John Wayne with some of the movies I’ve been watching. But, actually I’ve been studying James Edward Grant who was a frequent collaborator of Wayne’s. Mainly a writer Grant also directed this film. His story sense and skill with dialogue was very impressive.

The Comancheros (1961)

This is one entertaining movie. It’s slightly dated in shooting style and some would fine it slow. I however thought it was very refreshing. The action was exciting and shot very well. It was just a good old fashioned story told well. The film had an overall settling effect on me. I can’t explain it exactly right. I think it was the worldview of the film. It was steady compared to other films I’ve been recently watching.

Ezra Crane Update

We launched a new trailer on Friday...

Dirty Harry (1971)

For years I thought I had seen this, but I realized I had seen the third one and thought it was the first one. Watching this I did notice I had seen parts of it before. I must say it didn’t do much for me. Don’t get me wrong it was directed and shot better than the majority of today’s movies. But, I found it to be disturbing and unsettling more than entertaining.

Some Random Thoughts on The Road Warrior (Mad Max 2, 1982)

I’ve been obsessed with this movie for the past week (okay, it’s more like since I was 12 years old). Though, I have watched it three times this week. Here are some random thoughts:

The mythic quality of the story is what separates this movie from other PAs. It also had a fine cast and a good size budget, but these factors are overrated. The Postman, Waterworld and The Blood of Heroes have fine casts and even larger budgets yet The Road Warrior blows them away.

Though set in our future, the story takes place in the past as narrated by an elderly “feral kid.” This automatically gives the story more weight since we normally romanticize the past. Not only does this connect Max to people we met as children and idolized, but also to “the heroes and warriors of old.”

70’s cars make the best PA vehicles.

The “shot, reverse shot” shooting style adds to the personal nature of the story as well as enhances the action sequences.

Modifying normal everyday items to resemble years of wear is the way to go when making a PA film. A good rule: Never fabricate anything you could buy at a garage sale for a dollar.

Swedish weightlifters make awesome gang leaders!

The Challenge (Kampfansage – Der Ietzte Schuler, 2005)

This film is an enjoyable post-apocalyptic martial arts romp. It has too much CG for my taste, but still it’s a lot of fun.

Ezra Crane Update

This weekend we added background sound... Read more at www.ezracrane.com.

The Terminator (1984)

Intense. Powerful. This film still packs a punch even after viewing it for about the two hundredth time. It is everything an action film should be.