Y'know, I just re-read 3 Hammett novels about two weeks ago, including The Maltese Falcon. I'd read 'em before seeing Miller's Crossing, back in the early 90s, and when I hit on "what's the rumpus?" in The Maltese Falcon, I almost jumped out of my bed and began machine gunning would-be assassins to the tune of Danny Boy - that's how surprised I was.
Wesley: Feng Shui. Gunn: Right. What's that mean again? Wesley: That people will believe anything. Actually, in this place, Feng Shui will probably have enormous significance. I'll align my furniture the wrong way and suddenly catch fire or turn into a pudding.
'Conviction (1)'
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Hayden - Dec 06, 2005 12:42:30 pm PST #8971 of 10002
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
Strega - Dec 06, 2005 2:42:44 pm PST #8972 of 10002
So they're plagiarizing an emotional throughline, but not in a bad way?
I still think we're defining most of the key words differently. I don't think Miller's Crossing is an homage, for that matter, which is probably another example of the problem.
As I said, the Coens almost always play off (or rip off, if you prefer) old movies and books and, well, epic poems. They did give Homer a credit, but I think the only other time they mentioned specific sources within a movie was when they said Fargo was based on a true story. Which was a lie. I think explicitly identifying everything they use would make their movies significantly less fun. For me, anyway.
DavidS - Dec 06, 2005 2:55:27 pm PST #8973 of 10002
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
So they're plagiarizing an emotional throughline, but not in a bad way?
I don't think it's plagiarizing to steal a storyline. You have to steal the actual words.
Scrappy - Dec 06, 2005 3:00:38 pm PST #8974 of 10002
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
If stealing a storyline is plagiarism, then Shakespeare is in BIG trouble.
DavidS - Dec 06, 2005 6:30:17 pm PST #8975 of 10002
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
If stealing a storyline is plagiarism, then Shakespeare is in BIG trouble.
That's what I'm talking about.
DavidS - Dec 06, 2005 8:56:34 pm PST #8976 of 10002
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Just caught the making-of special for Brokeback Mountain on the Logo Channel. Oof. It's cowboy slash come alive and bringing all the pain. I didn't realize Linda Cardellini was in it.
Just one thing...Did nobody ever see My Beautiful Launderette?
Mikey - Dec 07, 2005 12:21:43 am PST #8977 of 10002
All this time, I thought Hunter was a bitch. Turns out she was just hungry.
I saw City Hunter over the weekend. It's a Jackie Chan movie from 1992 and is a completely over-the-top action/comedy thing. Like over-the-top for even Jackie. It also has a bizzare musical number in the middle that at one point involves guys in biker leathers spinning around on their backs with sparklers strapped to their feet. Incredibly bizarre.
Kalshane - did you notice who played Chun Li? Yup, Jackie himself. That scene by itself could've made that drinking game interesting.
Fred Pete - Dec 07, 2005 3:47:43 am PST #8978 of 10002
Ann, that's a ferret.
§ ita § - Dec 07, 2005 3:52:21 am PST #8979 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Did nobody ever see My Beautiful Launderette?
Where are you going with that?
Nutty - Dec 07, 2005 4:43:40 am PST #8980 of 10002
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
If stealing a storyline is plagiarism, then Shakespeare is in BIG trouble.
Well, I'd be disappointed if I found out, long after I knew his work, that King Lear had folk tale sources. It would be weird. The modes I use for reading "original" work and for reading heavily referential work are very different: even if I don't know the referents (as is the case with novels based on Chinese folk tales, or for that matter Princess Mononoke ), I know that there are referents, and my understanding of the story is made different thereby.
Did nobody ever see My Beautiful Laundrette?
I did. It was cute and funny, and remains in my mind the ur-text of all Hanif Kureishi's work. Also, sort of emblematic of that director's work, whose name I am forgetting.
ANthony Lane reviewed Brokeback Mountain in the New Yorker (which I read last night). From his point of view, teh gay is really really not the point, although he has some fun with explicating the previous subtext that informs the text. (Hint: he invokes Montgomery Clift.)