Only a select few would ever venture a thesis arguing against the cinematographic talents of Steven Spielberg, the popular filmmaker responsible for such iconic experiences of cinema like the storming of Normandy Beach, a killer…
MASTER MOMENT: ‘Give Him a Sedagive!’
The roles of editing and technique truly don’t get enough credit in most comedic films. Sure, praise is duly given to the screenwriter when he pens a well-crafted joke, and the actors are lauded when…
MASTER MOMENTS: The Final Darkness in ‘The Turin…
In the Beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was unformed and void, a darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering within the new…
MASTER MOMENTS: The Seduction of Benjamin Braddock
Much has been written about the climactic final scene of Mike Nichols' The Graduate (1967), wherein the young and rebellious Ben and Elaine flee from the church in which Elaine's just been married and triumphantly escape via…
MASTER MOMENTS: Procuring Toast in ‘Five Easy Pieces’
Bob Rafelson’s Five Easy Pieces arrived in theatres on 12 September 1970. It was the first year of a new decade—the decade after the social revolutions of the 1960s called into question our notions about…
MASTER MOMENTS: Indiana Jones’ Last Stand in ‘Raiders…
For quite some time I have been going back and forth over whether my thoughts on Raiders of the Lost Ark would be more appropriate for a 'Blind Spot' entry. I must ashamedly admit that,…
MASTER MOMENTS: “I Drink Your MILKSHAKE!”
Below is a new installment in our long-dormant "MASTER MOMENTS" column, which breaks down a key scene or moment in a movie to its core essentials. We hope to be posting on a regular basis…
MASTER MOMENTS: The Kiss from ‘Ivan’s Childhood’ (1962)
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the first major work from a filmmaker who was destined to become one of the most profound artists of the 20th Century. Andrei Tarkovsky, who would have been…
MASTER MOMENTS: Holly Golightly Singing “Moon River”
Much has been said about Holly Golightly and her contribution to the 60’s sexual revolution. Since its initial release exactly fifty years ago, numerous women have lived vicariously through Holly, and Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of…
MASTER MOMENTS: ‘It Wasn’t a Miscarriage’
If you asked somebody to name their single favorite character from Francis Coppola's The Godfather trilogy, it is unlikely they would be able to give a definitive answer without feeling they've been forced into a Sophie’s…
MASTER MOMENTS: ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’
Stanley Kubrick's visceral masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey so effectively incorporated Richard Strauss's little known intro, 'Sunrise,' that it is almost exclusively known and associated with the film. It is an example of a…
Introducing ‘Master Moments!’
As of today, I will no longer be writing the already mostly dead 'Breakouts and Outbreaks' column. It will be replaced by what Alex and I have decided to call 'Master Moments.' The idea…