[影片]Blood Diamond

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-18 7:49

真嫉妒小K，在纽约成天去看高雅的艺术片，我则被拖去看什么Blood Diamond，还好这就要回LA过节了，非得多看几部limited release不可。

Ed Zwick这个家伙让人，说什么好呢？挑些极好的题材来拍，四平八稳的立场，忍不住非要下手搞俗了。明明是非洲的故事，硬把主角位置塞给俩白人，把黑人主角推到被人拯救被人领导的地位，在Glory里弄的套路又重走一遍。放在九十年代初还好说，现在有了Hotel Rwanda这样的先例，他也真好意思。

唉，都这样，要么跟出钱的老板哈腰，把主角塞给有票房号召力的白人演员（The Constant Gardener也是这样），要么为坚持理想而四处乞讨拍小成本然后在艺术圈发行。

关于Sierra Leone钻石黑幕的题材其实能拍得非常煽情也能拍的非常深刻，但这片子非要走普通枪战动作片的路线，唉，这是照顾迎合广大观众的口味呢还是自己的兴趣爱好啊？他的片子里我最喜欢的是The Siege，简直是被印证的预言。也是零零碎碎地洒些闪光的时事评论和精准的内幕（例如CIA利用中东冲突的历史让阿拉伯人自己打自己由来已久），然后自顾自去搞大俗套的枪战场面和大团圆结局让观众安心。

Blood Diamond本来就够长够拖拉的了，后半部分还塞进去坏小孩跟大美女的老桥段，结尾再来一段很久没见的大喘气的英雄行为的高潮，还嫌不够，再画蛇添足地加段父子重逢戏拧人热泪，最最后还要来段众人公开鼓掌的戏。让我眼珠子都快转到脑后去了，他不吐我可要吐了。

剧本的水平如何真太重要了。编剧差一点都不行，缺点（在我这种挑剔的观众眼里）立刻暴露无遗。影片里面很多重要的政治经济背景内幕的交代都是干巴巴地借记者的嘴念出来，典型的笨拙的exposition。推动故事主线的中心道具（又称The McGuffin)是个巨大的粉红钻石，实在笨，不合逻辑。

全靠舆论曝光和UN来改变推动这类第三世界的惨剧，是典型的美国式天真。Sierra Leone的blood diamond状况被许多记者报道，但普通百姓有几个知道？最后小小倒霉的也都是些窃钩者而已，傻B消费者继续花十几倍价钱从DeBeers手里买钻石。除非，嘿嘿，除非你能吸引Anderson Cooper的注意，在电视上长期拿它来讲讲讲。我只好安慰自己，Ed Zwick把影片拍得这么俗，吸引的是西方白人广大观众，或许比更严肃更深刻更理想主义的东西影响大，塞进去那些有娱乐性的枪战啦，打斗啦，赚人眼泪的直白戏啦，更能说服傻呵呵的新娘们重新考虑＂至少两克拉＂订婚戒指的要求。也罢，这部片子不是面对和说服我这种早已站到他们阵营里的人。

虽然影片有许多笨头笨脑的部分，它终于说服了我，我过去把他看扁了，Leonardo DiCaprio still has the chops，他不是个烂演员，虽然Jim Cameron让他损失了好几年的工作和好大一块credibility，他还是慢慢地回到严肃演员的正路上了。DiCaprio在这部片子里的非洲英语口音还是挺让我抓狂的，每句话后面一个"eh?" "al'right?" 不过据说是比较正宗的，而且我没资格评论（英国口音澳洲还勉强听得出来是否正宗，南非就不成了liao3），就不挑剔了。基本上演得是不错的，最主要是投入，虽然角色写得并不复杂，但DiCaprio并没特别强调自己的高大全形象，态度认真。一个演员看重的是术业的专精还是美化自己讨好观众，还是吃老本混事儿，一眼就看出来了。这几年跟着Marty干，时间虽久，道路也长，估计也费了不少劲，看The Gangs of New York时我还相信他完了。但现在看来的确是有效果的，居然给他脱掉了Titanic套上的紧箍咒。

这部片子本来就拍晚了，在blood diamond闹得沸沸扬扬的那几年没有出来，现在人家SL都和平了。而且错过了很多本来可以很震撼的拍法，换一个比较艺术的导演应该能效果好很多。这些好莱乌的人拍非洲都脱不了新闻纪录片和Anderson Cooper的味道，到处是面目模糊的难民，象道具一样，The Constant Gardener也是这德行，真让人受不了。还好，Djimon Hansu和演他儿子的小男生把本来写得很脸谱化概念化的角色演得颇有个性。

影片光顾着打打杀杀，忽略了另一个几乎同样重要的问题：这么多的枪支弹药这么便宜地倾销到非洲各地，赚人血钱的又何止是珠宝商？

关于Sierra Leone的blood diamond，我记忆最深刻的是几年前在NPR上听到的一个关于战地记者的节目，一个记者说，她从SL回来后很久都会睁着眼就做恶梦，重见一大群没有手臂的孩子向她跑过来。这段描述让我十分震撼，TMD如果Ed Zwick把这个画面拍出来，能让影片效果成倍增加。

结论：我上Netflix把Hotel Rwanda放进了名单。。。

Knowing · Post by **Knowing** » 2006-12-18 11:57

首都人民电影文化生活这么贫乏？你看BABEL 了么？
Blood Diamond 真在CNN 上占了不少篇幅。最新的替罪羊是hiphop 文化，大家意思就是说：啊，你们非裔歌星不带好头，用那么多钻石，带动整个钻石消费的文化，钱都流到非洲打内战，罪加一等。姑娘门结婚一辈子才一次两次，P。DIDDY 浑身得有多少吨闪闪的血汗啊。
我昨天看了个难看的，＜The Good German> ,真不是一般难看。克鲁尼气质是有的，但是也是有限的，被放到特别为他设计而设计的不好的正面角色里特别容易闷死人。Cate Branche 的角色复杂立体些，但是老有没展开来的感觉。然后整个故事特别烂，一堆人勾心斗角，我总之就没弄明白大家杀来杀去是为什么。然后supposely 是象卡萨步兰卡致敬，简直就是牵强的抄袭。

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-18 12:35

I'm not particularly interested in Bable.

Deadwood has ruined it for me. Nowadays none of the movie trailers produce any spark of interest for me. Everything seems so simplistic and poorly written. Every character seems wooden and cliched.

I'm mildly anticipating Children of Men (science fiction about the day when humans cannot reproduce any more). That's pretty much it.

Oh, and Volver.

A friend of mine saw the German movie "The Life of Others" which she recommends strongly. It's about the Stazi in East Germany before reunification.

What's the deal with the new Zhang Yimou movie? Why is Gong Li bearing her big breasts? (shudder, then shudder some more)

tiffany · Post by **tiffany** » 2006-12-18 12:36

哎，cate blanche跟judy dench合演的一个片子马上要公演了。还挺期待的。
麻袋盟演的那个好牧羊人也不知道好看否。最近貌似可以看的电影还满多的。

Knowing · Post by **Knowing** » 2006-12-18 12:43

Volver is not on in DC area yet? But please see Babel, I actually like it more than Volver.
I heard good things about <Little Children>, so I might check it out. Also, I am anxiously waiting for <Perfume> to come out. Not so much of as a good movie but for the visual beauty of it.

我记忆最深刻的是几年前在NPR上听到的一个关于战地记者的节目，一个记者说，她从SL回来后很久都会睁着眼就做恶梦，重见一大群没有手臂的孩子向她跑过来。这段描述让我十分震撼，TMD如果Ed Zwick把这个画面拍出来，能让影片效果成倍增加。

This reminds me again I should write about The Vertical Hour before the impression fades away. Damn it was was well written

I am post some reviews of Zhang Yimou's new movies...

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-18 13:15

CNN would devote enough airtime to promote a Hollywood movie, but not too much time when the sh*t was going on. What's with the respectable, upstanding, perfectly righteous American speaker at the podium in the movie? Damn I am too cynical.

putaopi · Post by **putaopi** » 2006-12-19 22:51

Knowing wrote:Volver is not on in DC area yet? But please see Babel, I actually like it more than Volver.
I heard good things about <Little Children>, so I might check it out. Also, I am anxiously waiting for <Perfume> to come out. Not so much of as a good movie but for the visual beauty of it.

I just finished reading of the novel < Little Children>, it is written by the same author of < Election>, Tom Perrota. This time he wrote the screen play together with director of < Little Children>, a very engaging story.

putaopi · Post by **putaopi** » 2006-12-19 22:54

Jun wrote:CNN would devote enough airtime to promote a Hollywood movie, but not too much time when the sh*t was going on. What's with the respectable, upstanding, perfectly righteous American speaker at the podium in the movie? Damn I am too cynical.

Didn't those hollywood studios pay CNN to talk about the movies?

By the way, strongly recommend a novel < Babel Tower> by A.S. Byatt for you to read. I am overwhelmed, but you may find it chanllenging and entertaining.

红尘有缘 · Post by **红尘有缘** » 2006-12-20 7:56

非洲的电影我好象喜欢英国这边的,比如The Constant Gardener , http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808680118/info, 但导演还是个巴西出生的

主要欧洲这里的那种人文的关怀,比美国的那种指手画脚的态度可强多了

Knowing · Post by **Knowing** » 2006-12-20 9:12

Didn't those hollywood studios pay CNN to talk about the movies?

I doubt it. Even Fox would not violate work ethnic like this.

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-20 9:52

主要欧洲这里的那种人文的关怀,比美国的那种指手画脚的态度可强多了

LOL.

See the French movie "Cache."

Knowing · Post by **Knowing** » 2006-12-20 12:03

putaopi wrote:I just finished reading of the novel < Little Children>, it is written by the same author of < Election>, Tom Perrota. This time he wrote the screen play together with director of < Little Children>, a very engaging story.

Can you say more about <Little Children>? I heard some raving comments but still isn't convienced to see it.

Yesterday's New Yorker movie critics said nice things about <The Good Sheperd>. Now I am mildly interested but not enough to actually make the trip.
I do want to see <Dream Girls>...and <Perfume>... I need entertainment, particularly at this holiday season after depressingly bad <The Good German>

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-20 12:18

New Yorker's movie reviews are too artsy, self-conscious, and elitist for me to heed.

Knowing · Post by **Knowing** » 2006-12-20 12:26

I prefer artsy stuckup reviews. Gee, because I am so down-to-the-earth myself, I don't need to hear my own opinion twice.

Just kidding. New Yorker critics reviews the right movies -- just artsy enough for me, but not avant-garde.

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-20 12:38

When it comes to movie reviews, artsy stuff are uninformative for me. I need to know enough about the movie to evaluate whether I want to see it.

Another reason is that I don't get to see most of the limited release movies in NYC anyway. Besides making me jealous it serves no purpose to read them!

Knowing · Post by **Knowing** » 2006-12-20 12:47

Well you have Politics & Prose ...

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-21 20:51

After hearing this interview on NPR with Bill Condon, I'm now interested in seeing Dreamgirl:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=6658336

He wrote the script for Chicago and wrote and directed Kinsey and Gods and Monster.

I'm not a huge musical fan, and I'm grossly ignorant of MOTOWN! But I do like the style of the music and was once upon a time madly in love with the band Boyz II Men (of course they are not the "real" Motown).

simonsun · Post by **simonsun** » 2006-12-27 5:11

Volver is good. Cruz sings and she sings well.

Dreamgirl is OK. Maybe it's because I don't know about the original musical. Many ppl are crazy about it. I think it's just OK, with nice songs and flashy dresses.

I don't even know what New Yorker review's talking about, on the Good German. I just, couldn't understand the article.

Speaking of the Blood Diamond, it's lucky you didn't see Happy Feet. It's even, worse...

花差花差小将军 · Post by **花差花差小将军** » 2006-12-27 13:28

I read only 1% of all the diamonds on the market are conflict diamonds. I despise any media (movie, book, radio talk show ...) bet on people's ignorance and prey on their sentiments (other than facts and the trust that people can forge their own judgement)

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-27 23:43

I despise the practice of hyping up the price of diamonds by preying on people's ignorance and stupidity. Most diamonds aren't worth half of the price they are bought. You can buy diamonds for $15 in Africa that you have to pay $1000 for in NY. And the ridiculously high price of diamonds indirectly fueled the conflicts in Africa (OTOH, one could argue that if it weren't diamonds, it's something else. Nevertheless it does not absolve the responsiblity.) However, people have the right to pay whatever they are willing to for whatever that's not worth their 3-month salary.

花差花差小将军 · Post by **花差花差小将军** » 2006-12-28 8:51

3-month, honey, you just uped the standards and shattered a lot of dreams. Law of supply and demand. When one can manipulate the "illusion" of diminishing supply people will buy and pay, same as the stock market, honey.

Jun · Post by **Jun** » 2006-12-28 10:09

Of course. American and European and Japanese people have the right to be robbed of their fortune because they are ignorant and lied to. It's a free world. Indirectly, this (along with other contributing factors) leads to African children got their limbs chopped off, who have nothing directly to do with some poor bastard's marriage proposal half a world away, except that they had the bad luck of being born in that village at that particular time. I'm not a social activist, and I do not necessarily believe in "liberating" the poor or righting the world's wrong. I'm just pointing out the facts.

BTW, even the advocates do not promote boycotting buying diamonds. They encourage people to buy diamonds through the Kimberley certification process, because the locals make their living from the diamond industry. I don't want to give the impression that I or anyone I know of is advocating for not buying diamonds altogether. This is a personal choice. One must choose to be informed or stay ignorant, then to buy or not to buy. I don't believe in making choices based on someone's campaign or propaganda. Anyone's propaganda, including propaganda packaged as movies or advertisements.

putaopi · Post by **putaopi** » 2006-12-28 11:23

买颗钻石的钱，可以买很多金子, which is a much better investment in the long run.