Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind Leaves You Smiling
What better antidote to our cynical, mean-spirited world (I’m looking at you Sagmeister post commentators) than a good old fashioned life-affirming movie. Which is just what Michel Gondry’s new film, Be Kind Rewind provides…
Thanks to Gondry’s production company, Partizan, I’ve just got back from a screening of the film in London. It’s trademark Gondry – whimsical, kind-hearted but, thankfully, better focused than his last feature, The Science Of Sleep.
The action centres around Danny Glover’s titular video shop, supposedly also the birthplace of the legendary Fats Waller. Glover goes off to a Waller tribute weekend leaving the shop in the hands of Mike (Mos Def). Mike’s best friend, Jerry, played by Jack Black, for reasons too complicated to go into here, manages to get himself magnetised and acidentally wipes all the videos in the shop. There’s only one thing for it - Mike and Jerry will have to re-create the movies themselves (or ‘Swede’ them as it’s termed in the film), starting with their own, unique, take on Ghostbusters, which can be seen in this trailer:
It’s in these brilliantly realised home movies that Gondry’s familiar genius for charming effects comes to the fore. Here’s Mike and Jerry’s version of Robocop:
And Rush Hour 2:
Seeing them, incidentally, reminded me of the current trend in commercials toward the hand-crafted and ever-so-slightly-twee, as in this Orange ad
and this one
Influential guy that Gondry.
Back to the movie: Needless to say, Mike and Jerry’s efforts become far more popular than the Hollywood originals and look like they might help save the video store from demolition by developers. But then some studio lawyers (boo) turn up and do them for copyright infringement (hiss). Undeterred, Mike and Jerry realise they can still make their own films and, with the help of their customers, set about making a Waller biopic to raise the much-needed funds.
It’s a lovely, charming film with an ending that leaves you with a soppy smile, despite desperate efforts to remain coolly aloof.
Incidentally, Gondry is having an exhibition at the Deitch Projects gallery in New York to coincide with the film’s release. The show will recreate the video store from the movie plus there’ll be a back lot containing a variety of movie sets where visitors can make their own renditions of films.
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Looking forward to this flick. Looks a but more mainstream than his previous efforts, but I think the world is now ready for a Gondry blockbuster.
Good point about the state of advertising too, and Gondry’s effect on it. The thing is, his work is / has been marvellous because of the invention and ideas he plays with within this raw style. Take the scene in “Eternal sunshine” where Jim Carrey looks tiny; no CGI, just a cleverly made table to give the impression of him being a child. Or the Lucas track where he shot it all with one shot and next to no budget. Or the Lego, the dancing, etc etc.
Whilst the advertising world initially learned its lessons well and mimicked this more natural style, in recent months its become more a case of a “who can outscale who”. These ads have the 70’s film quality, and the left of centre soundtrack, but have dispensed with that initial energy, sense of spontaneity and, above all else, joy that makes the work of people like Gondry so much more palatable. True, when you’re working with Kylie as opposed to O2, its a bit easier, but still…
If I hear one more bloody ironic cover version, some twee folk sung by a London art student from Richmond or a voice over by a childhood hero then I will cut my ears off. If it’s soundtracking something that preaches about things being great when they’re effortless and simply work (like, say, a domino run through a large Spanish town at a cost of £10,000,000 and 6 months preparation time or the case in question above), I will also lose all faith in the human race.
Gondry is marvellous because he makes the mundane look effortlessly spectacular. Advertising / design is currently in a rut because it is making the spectacular look laboriously mundane…
Sean Thomas
07/Feb/08, 11:05 am