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MAN OF THE CENTURY -- SXSW -- A Brilliant Great Film! Distributors... Get it Now!!!!
Once in a blue moon something wonderful happens in
a movie theater.
You will walk in with no expectations, no sense of
what is to come. In fact, you may come in exhausted,
a bit cramped up from a long night’s worthy of
dancing and partying.
You may have just came off of an awful film
experience and your heart may be a bit cracked in a
place or two... but still you sit in the theater and you
stare at the screen in the hopes that... for that short
ever so brief moment on earth a pleasure will be
graced upon you.
Tonight was just such a night. I walked into the
Paramount theater tired tonight. Yesterday was the
huge EDtv premiere... and yes... it was a magic
Paramount evening and the film is wonderful (I’ll
review it after this one). The after party had lasted
well into the wee hours of the morning and I didn’t
sleep till 5 a.m. or so. I awoke at 10 a.m. to begin
again.
Saw a documentary called AMERIKAN
PASSPORT... A fantastic film which documents one
brave soul’s journey around the world to the hottest
danger zones on the planet in 1989 (China, Vietnam,
Middle East, South Africa, Panama, etc). His story
was thrilling, sobering and heroic. And paints a story
one might imagine Henry Jones Jr telling after a
recent excursion.
Afterwards I ate my paltry salad (Yes, Harry is taking
Lane Myers’ advice is prepared to lose about 100-135
pounds) with my water with squeezed lemon.
Yummmm Rabbit food.
Next we went to the Paramount and saw a terrible
film. It’s a movie I no longer am angry at because...
well....
I saw something....
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
A movie that literally brought me to my feet and
applauding a couple of times, a movie that illicited
screams of joy and hands that were sore from the
repeated orgasmic clapping...
I walked blind into this one. I hadn’t read the SXSW
synopsis... I didn’t know who was in it, didn’t think
anything of it.
The movie is called MAN OF THE CENTURY... and
it is simply a work of beauty, love and perfection.
My cheeks hurt from smiling through this film.... My
palms still hurt from clapping... and I was not alone.
The film illicited a 4 minute continual stream of
applause as the end credits rolled mixed with screams
of elation.
Glory be to the gods of cinema that they led my lazy
lard into this theater on this night, and curse them for
not directing me to it’s earlier showing.
“Alright Harry... we get the picture... You like the
movie... But what the hell is it?”
This film is a pure thing of perfection. And
personally I’m in awe that both the lead actor (who
was also a co-writer and producer) and director have
only done a short before.
This is a film in the 1930’s Screwball Comedy
tradition... and it’s been among the hardest genres to
get to work... since the 1930’s. John Landis
(OSCAR), Coen Brothers (HUDSUCKER PROXY),
Mel Smith (RADIOLAND MURDERS), Stanley
Tucci (THE IMPOSTORS), Charles Shyer (I LOVE
TROUBLE), Alfred Hitchcock (MR & MRS
SMITH), Ron Howard (THE PAPER) and Mel
Brooks (THE SILENT MOVIE) have all had
problems with the genre. Missing that something that
separates them from Preston Sturges, Billy Wilder,
Ben Hecht, W.S.Van Dyke, Frank Capra and Howard
Hawks.
Well... These fellas that came in from out of left field,
through a fog bank on this dark and wet Austin
night.... Well... They nailed it. Hell, they knocked it
so far out of the park that it isn’t even funny.
The film is in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio and is in
GLORIOUS black and white. Shot with a minimal
amount of medium shots, instead relying heavy in
shots featuring all the actors in the frame so we can
see the reaction shots. The musical numbers (only
two) are filmed similarly just like in FOOTLIGHT
PARADE or any number of the Fred Astaire and
Ginger Rogers movies of yore...
First up, in what I feel is the greatest comedic
performance by an actor in... a very very very long
time is Gibson Frazier as Johnny Twennies (I believe
that’s the spelling). And Gibson is a star waiting for
ignition I tell ya. He is just amazing, I can’t
remember the last time I attended a film where so
much clapping and cheering was going on caused by
dialogue delivery and body postures.
Gibson plays his Johnny as a man that believes he
exists in that 1930’s universe we know from film.
Where a tough talking but sweethearted swell of a
guy launched out into the world without a care in
sight. He is equal parts James Cagney, Harold Lloyd,
Fred Astaire, Dick Powell, and the Fleischer
SUPERMAN’s Clark Kent. He is a character that is
BURNED forever into my psyche.
While he thinks and acts as if he’s in that universe, in
reality (or is it?) he exists in our modern world
(rendered in a 30’s palate of shimmery blacks and
whites and greys). As a result we get PERFECTION.
I am so elated right now by this movie... I’m in shock.
I wasn’t expecting it, wasn’t even hoping for it.
Instead I’ve just seen a new 1930’s film blended
perfectly with the nineties.
You see Johnny may hear words like “Skull fuck”
“Rotting piece of shit” but he can not attach any
meaning to them as he is... an innocent. He throws
1930’s serial punches from the hip. He tips his hat
and helps out those in distress. His world may be
falling apart but he makes time for dinner with Mom.
I won’t call it the best film of the year because... well
I have high expectations for this year, but I tell you
this. If you love vintage comedies, if you love fish
out of water stories... and if you have an ounce of
soul and love for what film is... you’ll adore this film,
hug and embrace it... squeeze it so tight that it
becomes a part of you.
I want this film on tape, laserdisc and DVD. I want
the CD score. I want the script printed out. I want
stills and I want more movies from director Adam
Abraham. The film won the Audience Award at
SLAMDANCE and still doesn’t have distribution.
Something is terribly wrong. The world is off it’s
axis. The planets are unaligned and it will always be
such till this film has distribution. It is not just a good
movie, it’s not just a fun movie. It is the birth of both
a major director and actor. And classic piece of
cinema that is so confident and executed with such
perfection that tears of coolness will pour down your
cheeks as they did my own.
There is no film that I can recommend higher to you.
This is a movie we search for, that we attend film
after film looking for. It’s that golden goose, that pair
of ruby slippers, it’s the purest joy boiled down to the
basic filmic elements.
The film thrives from a BRILLIANT script by the
director and his star which according to the Q & A
afterwards resulted in over a year’s worth of rewrites.
And the charisma of Gibson Frazier is so insidiously
addictive that... when he showed up for the Q & A... I
started to get misty eyed just at the concept that I was
sharing the same air.... under the same Paramount
frescos. I was dying. It was all I could do to keep
from making a complete idiot out of myself. The
amount of praise I have for this film is... insane.
It is a film that when Leonard Maltin takes a look...
he’ll flip. Scorsese will die... In fact any film lover
should have the same... instant involuntary geekgasm
I had when I saw it.
The idea that this film has been in a can... somewhere
in the world since January of 1998 is.... tragic beyond
words. I seriously cannot express the amazing lack of
vision it is that this film is not currently scheduled to
be a theater near you. Here is a film, that is
perfection awaiting discovery. It received the
Audience Award at SLAMDANCE... but I hadn’t
heard a peep about the movie till that screen parted
and.... wow.
I could friggin vibrate through solid objects this
movie has me so jazzed.
I love film. I love darkened theaters. And I love
them both because of movies like this one. MAN OF
THE CENTURY not only deserves distribution....
But the film should be shown an extra 20 times in the
next two days here in Austin.
I want it... crave it.... need to see it again and again.
Rewind and play again.
My friends... help this movie if you can. If you have
the ability to distribute it... Buy it now. The contact
info is:
Steven Beer
Rudolph & Beer, LLP
212.684.1001
(fax) 212-684-0920
And instantly sign the talent up to a multiyear
multifilm contract giving them total creative freedom.
I want to not only see this film again and again, but I
want them making the next film.... NOW!!!! They’re
geniuses.....
I don’t know these filmmakers... I think they’re from
New York.... But all I know is I want them to
succeed. A film this fresh and this brilliant can not be
kept from the public’s eyes for another second. It
needs to be shared with as many people as will watch.
I pray you see the film soon.... (and when you do...
send in your review)
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+ Expand All
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This doesn't have anything to do with "Man of the Century," though I will certainly seek it out if it ever appears in theatres, but with another film that sent Harry into similar geek-coolness raptures last year about this time. Harry, whatever happened to "Six String Samurai"? The last I heard about it on this site, it was supposed to get theatrical release last October. But I never heard anything about it after that, or saw it ANYWHERE. Did it get theatrical release anywhere? Any chance of it being available on video any time soon? We do get some indie films here (in Madison, Wisconsin), but there was never a sign of SSS. What happened?
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Say Harry... just so we don't waste our hard-earned cash, care to fill us in on the disappointment that had you all riled up before the start of Man of the Century? Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to grab a dozen friends here in Rockford IL and hit the local cineplex once MotC hits town... It's gotta be better than Blast from the Past.
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.. you've got me hooked. I love that whole screwball, Bringing Up Baby olden times comedy, I love well-done black and white, and well, any film that inspires that much enthusiasm in somebody who sees about 10 times as many movies as I do is worth a look.
ps. I applaud your support of undistributed movies. Now use that power for good and not for evil, Harry. ;) -
We love this film, please do everything you can to get it distributed. It changed our lives, help it to change everybody's lives!!
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Man of the Century has changed your life? I'm intrigued. How has it done that? Or was that overexagerated hyperbole? It's been a long time since I've seen a movie that changed my life...not since perhaps "2001" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Hope this one lives to those comparison...but I doubt it.
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Please don't bother with Six String Samurai. Please save your money. I remember last year when this movie was being praised to the skies by every geekboy who posts at this site. The burning enthusiasm for this film set me on fire and I couldn't wait to see it. I finally saw it here in Los Angeles on its opening weekend and was abysmally disappointed. I found it so offensively bad that I almost walked out on it mid-way through the picture. The mivie is rife with crappy dialogue, amateurish acting and a concept that might have had some potential, but was poorly executed. I bitterly regret the 90 minutes or so I wasted on this dreck - it's an hour and a half of my life that I will never get back. Please don't make the same mistake I did and burn up part of your precious existence by watching this awful, awful movie!
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Just wanted to add something to Harry's review of Man of the Century. Several films in the past have failed at similar attempts to do 20's comedy because the source of all the gags is pretty limited, that being 20's films. So throughout this film, I kept expecting the film to lose comic momentum but it didn't. It continued to be successfully fresh and funny. Maybe it dragged for half a minute, if that. Can't wait to see it again. Btw, don't knock six-string, it's a masterpiece.
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First off, Six String Samurai was released in select theatres, probably only in LA and New York (It was playing at the Sunset 5 over here in Hollywood, but that was pretty much the only place in town). Second, it is on video. Manga, mostly known for releasing anime movies (such as the classics Ninja Scroll and Ghost in the Shell)released it about 3 weeks ago. They also put out 2 of Shinya Tsukamoto's more recent movies (Tetsuo II: Body Hammer and Tokyo Fist,both highly recommended, as well as his first, Tetsuo: the Iron Man).
Also, I think the above review kind of gives Six String Samurai a bum deal. Take the movie at face value. It's not a movie with deep sociopolitical metaphors, it's just a cool little cult movie. I thought it was pretty cool. I pictured it as being a cheesy low budget Troma type of movie, but I was wrong. It's got some good fight scenes, and was pretty entertaining. As long as you don't go into it expecting to see an endearing triumph of the human spirit, or some such bullshit, you probably won't be let down. -
I have to agree with your review of this film. I was at the Paramount showing on Thursday. Thank god I stayed for this film so that I didn't spend the rest of the night thinking about the previous film.
Adam Abraham and Gibson Frazier have created a masterpiece that can be enjoyed over and over again; particularly if you are into film making and film history. These guys must have watched hundreds of hours of old films to get the look and dialog down.
Frazier was particularly impressive with his ability to deliver dialog full of twenties slang in such a fast paced manner. Combine this with his chisled chin and debonaire style, and you really start thinking that this is the twenties and everyone else is out of place.
I too hope that this film is picked up and distributed. I can't wait to see it again and again ... If you hear something about it's release or distribution, please let us know. -
Maybe I'm a stupid retard but I can't stand those old "comedies." The acting is, in my opinion, amazingly stiff. The direction is one dimensional, and unbelievably boring. Funny? Not hardly. Entertaining? Very rarely. Oh look, a sassy, attractive woman; boring. Oh look, a wide eyed look from the "funny" guy; holy cow, how many times can they do the same thing? About the direction; maybe it was the lack of technology, but THE CAMERA IS ALLOWED TO CHANGE ANGLES, it drives me crazy. If you want a comedy check out Analyze This. The "classics" is not a place to go for comedy. (Drama is another story altogether.)
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Yes, you are a retard. "Modern Times" (in fact, any movie by Chaplin) is much better than almost any comedy (or drama, for that matter) shown today. Yes, they were limited by being unable to move the camera quite as easily as they do today. But they had the benefit of actually focusing on story. "Modern Times" actually tries to tell something about our society, while making us laugh hysterically. Hardly anything can even come close to that...certainly nothing currently in the theaters. Try looking for something other than spectacle in your movies...Independence Day sucked, and Men in Black was vapid underneath the comedy facade. Don't just discount a movie because the camera doesn't change enough for you. -Loki
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To the above poster: I'd trade twenty ACE VENTURA's for one more Preston Sturges film. Stiff acting? The fact that Cary Grant was in a great many of the Screwball classics blows that assertion out of the water. Perhaps you haven't seen the right films. Here's a quick list: HIS GIRL FRIDAY, BRINGING UP BABY, HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO, UNFAITHFULLY YOURS, SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, THE THIN MAN. Actually, if you ever see the names Ben Hecht, Charles Lederer, or Mr. Sturges, you can pretty much assume that you're in for a movie that will offer more wit and sophistication than any latter day comedic effort. Now, onto SIX-STRING SAMURAI..... While Harry tended to wax a tad orgasmic on this film, I still found it to be pretty enjoyable. Not much of a story, but still boasts a number of great fight scenes (including the wonderfully surreal opening,) and, actually, surprisingly affecting at the end. It's a bona fide cult movie.
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You got me there, ID4 and MIB did suck. . but wait. . I had no mention what-so-ever of movies even slightly resembling these two. But thanks for pointing them out. Or maybe I could just randomly name science-fiction movies to prove my point.
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From the desk of Friar Tuck.
Harry, After casting my ballot for Man of the Century I was stunned to find three ballots were cast with a rating of 1. If these people have actually seen Man of the Century they must have been on a drug I don't want. That or they are just being malicious. This film, without doubt or reservation in my mind, is the funniest black and white movie I have ever seen. So crisp, so fresh, so well staged, acted, edited and scored that I am in awe. In fact if you can think of a funnier movie in any format, please advise and I'll run out and buy it! In the Movie Mine that is SXSW, I've found mud and dirt, rocks, pieces of tin, silver and some flakes of gold. Man of the Century is a trancendent movie. It is not just a gold nugget, it is a golden boulder and to think that there are people in this world that could see this film and return the lowest possible rating tells me that the herd needs some serious thinning. This is the movie that will move me into DVD. Yes, black and white is going to do that, because I want to see every pixil in every frame of this remarkable piece of work time and time again. Regards, Friar Tuck. Oh, my rating?? A perfect 10. -
...I heard of it because it co-stars the beautiful, engaging actress that is Susan Egan (Megara in Hercules, and Belle in Beauty & the Beast on stage, to all you Disneyholics out there). As far as I know, she plays the main character's girlfriend. Well if she's in it, and now reading that Harry goes all 'geekgasmic' over it... then heck yeah, I want to see this puppy get a distrib even more!
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I'm sorry Spacey that I responded with random science fiction movies, but I haven't seen "Analyze This" yet, so I couldn't respond to that. I just responded to movies that had lots of camera movement. And if the lack of camera movement bothers you in old movies, that still isn't a valid excuse for not seeing "Man of the Century", since they are no longer hampered by the inability to move. This can be a black and white movie with as many different camera shots and movement as "Schindler's List". Even little movies can afford to move the camera now (go see "Pi"...stop reading the shit we babble online and go see that movie right now). So now you have no excuse not to see "Man of the Century"...other than that it doesn't have a distributor yet. -Loki
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When I was in Park City for Sundance I ran into Gibson Frazier when some foreign lady handed me an advertising card for Man of the Century, I looked over and the Man of the Century himself was only a few feet away. I said hello and he came and talked to me. He told me what the movie was about and very eagerly signed an autograph. Unfortunately I was unable to make the screening of the movie, but now that I hear how good it was maybe it'll get distribution. Then when Gibson Frazier becomes a big star I can say "I knew him when..."
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Thanks Loki, for not personally atacking me and not taking my comments as personal. This site needs more people like you, still in reality that is. My problem isn't with black and white movies, and I will definatley try to see this one. P.S. I did see Pi on video. I thought it was terrible. Yeah it had good camera work, but what the hell is it about?
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"Pi" is about a guy going insane in his desire to understand the mathematical basis of the universe. Basically, in doing so, he searches for the numerical representation of the name of God (as presented by the Jewish Cabalist beliefs)...when he finds it, he finds the encounter with the divine too horrible, and decides to get rid of his ability...at least, that's how I understood it, but I've been reading Nietzsche recently, and he talks about the horror of encountering the divine, so that's the sieve that I'm putting the movie through...maybe it's like "2001" and means different things to different people; which to me can be a sign of a good movie. But it's not necessarily for everyone. Man of the Century doesn't sound like it's going to be like that...it sounds like a great screwball comedy instead of a pretentious art house film. And they both have their place, and I can consider them both art. Even if you don't like "Pi", now you can understand what other people (or at least another person) likes about it. -Loki
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Just wanted to let you know: MAN OF THE CENTURY will be playing in New York City as part of the Avignon/NY Film Festival on Monday, April 26th. I don't have the exact time or place, but I think it starts at 7 or 7:30pm, and it's playing at the Alliance Francaise, which is on 59th or 60th Street on the East Side. The Alliance's website is www.fiaf.org, and they should have more information as the date gets closer.
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Ijust wanted to say that i thought that Pi was a great film . The camera work and the acting were both superb . Im not really in to arthouse flicks but this film was so much more than that . Go see it if you get the chance. -
I, The Fatha, saw Man of the Century at the same screening as Mr. Harry Knowles, though I was brought only to the theater by a promotional card I found on the sidewalk outside of the Alamo Drafthouse.
I hadn't any idea what the movie was about...the only reason I saw it was because of sheduling practicality. The movie can only be described as a blend of all of my favorite parts of all the movies I've seen. Half of the movie you can swear you've seen somewhere before, but you know that this time it's much better.
A fresh, great comedy that provides a break from all of the shitty comedies out there lately.
Thank yous to the makers of Man of the Century -
I, The Fatha, saw Man of the Century at the same screening as Mr. Harry Knowles, though I was brought only to the theater by a promotional card I found on the sidewalk outside of the Alamo Drafthouse.
I hadn't any idea what the movie was about...the only reason I saw it was because of sheduling practicality. The movie can only be described as a blend of all of my favorite parts of all the movies I've seen. Half of the movie you can swear you've seen somewhere before, but you know that this time it's much better.
A fresh, great comedy that provides a break from all of the shitty comedies out there lately.
Thank yous to the makers of Man of the Century -
This is truly an exceptional film and deserves the praise and support from the folks here. The story BEHIND the film is also exceptional. These guys made this as a labor of love and poured years of their lives into it. The stories of the filming, shared at the Q&A after the Slamdance-LA/Egyptian screening (the one I attended) were a testament to the indie spirit of gettin-it-done against odds. A smart distributor would package the film AND the filmmakers with their presence and charm and send them out on a press junket immediately. This is a REAL CROWD PLEASER. Any acquisition people out there reading this? Check this one out, you won't be sorry. Everyone loves a success story and a happy ending.
P.S. I know Gibson Frazier is aware of the support the film has here on AICN and appreciates it. -
Amen, preach on, and you are so right. Let's hope every important person in Moviedom is reading your comments on this film.
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Dear all,
Man of the Century won the NY/Avignon film festival's top prize 10 days ago. Two festivals two awards. It is a great film and deserves the credit. Adam did a lot of work in theater and met Gibson in LA, I think, working on a theater project. I spoke with Adam after the film shoing in NYC and he did say they have some limited distribution and are looking for more. We need a direct distribution model where we can access these types of films. We need real choice!! A group called CinemaCapital.Com is working on this......check them out soon.
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I'm completely surprised so many fanboys are raving about this film, which left me flat and bored. I just don't get it - it never went anywhere with the man out of time idea - most of the people Johnny Twennies met in the nineties seemed stuck in a similar time warp. As far as screwball comedies go, this one was merely mediocre - not a very good plot, and just to hear someone spout 20's slang isn't really funny in itself. "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" is one of my favorite films, and I felt many scenes were total rip-offs. It kind of felt like watching an obnoxious group of theatre people play dress up, so in love with their performances that they forgot to pay any attention to the film itself which quite simply sucks. Much of the action doesn't even make any sense. The supporting actors are all horrible over the top eye-rollers and the camera lingers on them forever. It's not satire, it's not comedy, it's barely homage, it's like a high school talent show. I'm afraid if most readers swallow your hyperbole they'll be disappointed when faced with the real thing.
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