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+--- Thread: Cloverfield (/showthread.php?tid=1181)
Cloverfield - thatguy - 05-19-2008
I know this got mentioned in the "If you think that's wobbly camerawork thread", but I don't think it got a full review. And while it may have made Greg puke, it has some interesting elements to make it worth a watch.
From the "making of" bits on the DVD, they said the inspiration was from a trip to Japan where Godzilla is still a strong part of the pop-culture even 50+ years since he came on the scene. They wanted to create a similar monster for America/New York. I think they missed the mark a little. In the subsequent Godzilla movies (not including the Hollywood remake with Broderick), Godzilla was the savior of Tokyo, fighting off the threats. It's going to take some sequels before anyone warms up to the Cloverfield monster. They'll have to put a guy in a rubber suit or do a "Son of Cloverfield" where a smaller, friendlier monster befriends a young, downtrodden nerd...I digress...
Take Two: Monster Eats Manhatten
The 'gimmick' in this movie which made Greg sick, but I think was really clever was the entire movie is shot end to end from the point of view of a single hand-held video camera. It starts off with some home movie clips, then switches to a send off party where people are delivering well wishes to the camera. You meet the friend who is given the task of "documenting" the party and he becomes the narrator as he documents what he films, but he is also a character as he interacts with what's going on first person, even while all hell breaks loose.
There are a couple of cut-ins of "old video" on the tape which provide back story, but there are no cut away shots, or same scene different view points, etc. You really get the sense that this is all a direct account of a huge event. I think there a few holes, and a lot of unanswered questions, but still a compelling movie to watch.
Since it's not on the big screen when you rent the DVD, you may not need the Dramamine...
--tg