With GHOST RIDER arriving on DVD and FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER hitting theaters this week, I thought it would be nice to spotlight comic books for This Weekend's Film Festival. However, with GHOST RIDER getting panned and F4 2 looking not much better than its awful predecessor, I thought it was an even better idea to bring attention to good films based on comic books. But when I began thinking about it, a lineup of SPIDER-MAN and BATMAN films didn't get me excited. Then I thought of graphic novels. And this idea led me to graphic novels that do not feature superheroes. There have been some great films in the past few years that have been based on graphic novels, some of which don't even have anything to do with action.
I decided to kick off the Festival with one of the top ten films of 2005 — A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. Based on a graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke, the story follows Tom Stall, who after foiling a robbery at his diner, must confront his violent past and how that will change his new peaceful life. Director David Cronenberg is not a stranger to violence, being a veteran of gory horror. There are some gory moments in this film as well, but nothing gratuitous. Cronenberg's film is a meditation on violence and how sometimes it's an unavoidable part of our lives whether we want it to be or not. How can you regret a violent past when it helps save you in the future? Find out more about this great film in my original review.
With gangsters playing a role in the opening night film, the Saturday matinee, ROAD TO PERDITION, is a fitting follow-up. Based on a graphic novel by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner, Tom Hanks plays against type as a cold-blooded assassin for the mob, which is a choice you can find out more about in my original review. This archetypical gangster tale deals with the relationships between fathers and sons. Director Sam Mendes and cinematographer Conrad Hall use the graphic novel origins to their benefit by painting this film in shadow and muted colors, creating the right tone for the material. The character design is iconic, especially when dealing with the classic mobsters and the villainous hitman, Harlen Maguire, played wonderfully by Jude Law. Before SIN CITY and 300 brought a more direct representation of the graphic novel style to the screen, PERDITION used the great imagery of its source material to create a beautiful looking thriller.
The Saturday closing film also closes the violent sampling of films in This Weekend's Film Festival. FROM HELL, based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, takes a fictional look at the murders of Jack the Ripper. Filled with details from real life 1880s London, the film has a stark production design that honors its illustrated origins, bringing an otherworldly feel to the story. Like PERDITION, this film takes the standard plot trappings of a serial killer thriller and raises the entire production through style and detail, which brings the film's characters and world to life. Johnny Depp gives a subtle performance, walking the line between sincerity and camp. The production was made by the unlikely duo of Albert and Allen Hughes, who made their name with the violent urban gang drama, MENACE II SOCIETY. However, the brothers referred to this film at its time of release as another "film about the ghetto." With its divide between the rich and the poor, you can see more of what they mean in my original review.
The Sunday opener is a stark departure from the rest of the films in the Festival. Daniel Clowes adapted his own graphic novel and Terry Zwigoff made his fictional debut with the screen version of GHOST WORLD, the best film of 2001. It also happens to be one of the smartest and devilishly funny takes on the transition from high school into the "real world" ever. Zwigoff, who previously made the amazing documentary, CRUMB, chronicling the life of underground comix legend R. Crumb, and Clowes brings a droll wit to their slightly oft-kilter view of the world. But their isn't a gangster or murderer or superhero in sight. It's not what a general audience thinks of when they think of comic books. Stars Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi shine in their roles. When a little film that is as good as this film comes along I feel energized and emboldened to tell everyone I know about it. I took two separate groups of friends to see this film. Now I encourage you to check back for my upcoming review to see why this is an underappreciated gem. If you only see one film in this lineup, this is the one to watch.
With that statement, the closing night film, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, has big shoes to fill and you can read the full reason why it succeeds in my original review. I decided to close the festival with this film not just because it was based on Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner's comic book series, AMERICAN SPLENDOR and OUR CANCER YEAR, but because it also represents a bit of history and the style of the underground comics movement. Pekar worked for years as a file clerk while he wrote his comics on the side. He simply wrote about his life from his own misanthropic point of view. This cynical humor comes through in the brilliant performances of Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis. Pekar as well as many of his comics' real life characters make appearances in the film. Toby Radloff is amazing and Judah Friendlander's performance as Toby is inspired. Additionally, animated versions in the style of R. Crumb and the other Pekar comics' artists have parts in the film to play. The film represents everything that comics and graphic novels can be when they aren't centered on superheroes in tight uniforms that show off their rippling muscles. Pekar is not the guy for tights, but he's perfect for comics… that's because there are no boundaries to what a comic can be and these five films represent that idea.
So it's time to check Zap2It to see if any of these films are playing on TV this week or update the rental queue or just check your DVD library (or VHS library for those who haven't upgraded yet… I know you're still out there).
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
