Breakfast All Day Podcast 7/9/21
We’re definitely in summer now with the release of the long-awaited blockbuster “Black Widow.” Matt, Alonso and I have a Breakfast All Day review of Scarlett Johansson’s standalone superhero movie, which originally was scheduled to come out in May 2020. Now, you can see it in theaters or at home through Disney+ (but I’d see it on the big screen if I were you). We also review Steven Soderbergh’s low-key caper “No Sudden Move” on HBOMax, Edgar Wright’s entertaining music documentary “The Sparks Brothers” and the raunchy animated comedy “America: The Motion Picture” on Netflix. In news, we have the latest on Britney Spears‘ conservatorship, the Tokyo Olympics, the Cannes Film Festival, Tom Holland and Zendaya, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton and more. And over at our Patreon, we recap the Easter egg-packed fifth episode of “Loki” — and while you’re there, don’t forget to vote in our July Off the Menu poll, in which we explore the eclectic career of the late Richard Donner. Thanks as always for joining us and hope you’re keeping cool!
he whole hoo-haa about digital versus film sounds to me to be very similar to the hoo-haa that arose many decades ago about Black and White versus Color.
Serious movies were made in B&W where the subtle gradations could be used to add depth and subtlety. Whereas Color was all spectacle and frivolity. It was not a suitable medium for serious subjects. Or so we were then told by advocates of B&W.
We still get the occasional B&W movie today. It is capable of setting a different tone and mood than Color does. That said, it is now B&W that feels like a gimmick. And the old argument was always more grounded in economics and practicalities than anything else. For a long time Color was way more expensive. Its cost could only be justified by “spectacle” movies where the projected box office justified its use. You know, movies like Gone with the Wind.
I don’t have the eye to tell you the differences in tone and mood that film brings to the table versus digital. Apparently there are differences. But it just doesn’t matter which is used in almost all cases. But, as you note, the budget calculus cuts in the direction of digital now. Apparently the combatants have flipped sides. Before the “artists” were on the cheap B&W side. Now the same types are on the expensive film side.
Given that Tarantino is more of a spectacle and frivolity kind of guy, it is interesting that he is on the film side of the argument.
Just saying.