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markscosmiclight
30 years in IT work, semi-retired, now Award Winning Artist-Astronomy Educator
Reviews
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Chesley Bonestell's Art Is The Major Influence of Reward in This Film
I notice than many people will comment on these great 1950 sci-fi's and especially about their fondness for the images on the screen. Some will say they think the special effects are dated. Forbidden Planet is known in the books as having the greatest special effects until Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey appeared in 1968.
I must tell you as an accomplished astronomy artist with many of me early works in NASA web sites and a few more recent works appearing now. The father of modern space art, Chesley Bonestell, is responsible for the amazing artwork you see in the backdrops of those scenes in Forbidden Planet. All other aspects of the movie aside, and I do like this film, even some of the acting; wow did you notice Ann Francis' great space shoes?! All the actors are first rate if even a little sub –lime at times.
But allow me to direct your attention to Bonestell's art. Without it, the background in this film would have been more like a 1935 Flash Gordon comic strip. Bonestell created very realistic art for the backdrops. And yet, he is known for doing something well beyond this as he was also an architectural designer for the Chrysler Building's art deco façade. He worked with illustrations for the new Golden Gate Bridge and its engineers during the construction of that bridge.
I have little regard for the new computer push button graphics, I'll call them modern current day cartoon special effects movies without naming them.
Give me the real hand painted artwork or give me death! Bonestell's art is now understood as a major influence of creating much of the drive for NASA's early space race in the early 1950's.
Mark Seibold, retired artist-astronomy educator www.markseibold.com
Pollock (2000)
Pollock: A movie definitely appreciated by artists; even converted some!
Pollock: A movie definitely appreciated by artists; even converted some!
As I see many movie reviews on the movie Pollock, there was one in IMDb that the critic admitted that he was moved to start painting like Pollock after seeing the movie.
As an artist, I still enjoy continued repeated watching of this film. I wonder now how many people that view it and especially the critics, do they paint? How would a non-artist view this film as compared to accomplished artists? I ask people sometimes, have you ever painted? Done any creative art? If they answer no, I ask why not? The reasons are always the same. "I don't think I'm good enough. I can only draw stick people. My art teacher in school told me that my art was not good enough." I wonder what the world of people who might discover that they could be great creative artists would do if there was a weekend event to just demonstrate up close how to start and learn, that many might become regular serious artists.
As an artist of sorts my entire life, award winning astronomy photographer, more recent my technical large pastel sketches of the sun and moon are featured in NASA web sites, I can say that Harris' portrayal of Pollock's style of painting is well acted. [*POSSIBLE SPOILER FOLLOWS in next three sentences] The moment of discovering the drip technique that Harris enacts, I believe may be quite real to the history books. That scene in the movie brings tears to my eyes. The moment of great artistic discovery! Those who have never painted might not get that scene. I feel that non-artists do not appreciate that moment in the film. I am sure artists get it though. This is what bothers me about the general populace. They know only to watch a film to be entertained but they may not know anything about the creative process or how to experience it by creating it for themselves.
I believe that if this movie did anything, I could care less what critics here say about it not being anything more than another copy-work biopic style. Their comments are worthless to an artist or anyone who appreciates the 'artful history' that Harris enacts to tell of this great figure in modern American abstract expressionist painting. I believe that Harris did a great service to the average movie-goers that maybe just a few might pick up a paint brush and learn to be a creative artists for the first time in their life.
I felt that all the actors did a great work on this film as I personally worked as a background extra actor on a recent film set and brushed paths with Marcia Gay Harden. I commended her for her award for acting as Lee Krazner, Pollock's wife.
I was first alerted to the film after seeing Ed Harris interviewed by Charlie Rose about the film making before the films release here in Portland Oregon in February 2001.
Mark Seibold, retired artist-astronomy educator, Portland Oregon
Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
So you disliked it at one time, now its different?
I think this says something about movie reviews and how we should take them from others. Just because a friend says they either like or dislike a movie and/or book and why we would even compare the two simply because the original story was adapted to a screenplay? Reading a book and watching a movie are as different and more so that comparing apples to oranges! A good point you make though about why anyone would even compare Audry Hepburn to Katherine Hepburn. Of course the younger generation may not know that they are not even related.
I suppose many younger people have only seen the poorly made modern reproductions of many new Hollywood films lately. That is too bad, because the original masterpiece versions are usually always more impressive in acting, script set direction, etc., where modern films rely too heavily on cartoon special effects. The whiz-bang cartoon button pushing special effects today seem to be the short lived reason why these new remakes fail.
-Mark
Into the Wild (2007)
The Film Is Greatly Inspiring to Say the Least
I must comment personally as I acted on the set as a close-up background extra in the restaurant scene for two 12 hour days sitting nearly next to the portrayed family played by Emile Hirsch, William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden. It was one of the most enjoyable scenes on a set of many that I have appeared in and acted here in my home town of Portland Oregon while listed with a studio for this work.
I was anxious of course to see the movie as it released and this particular scene and how I appeared, only to find that the editing cut much of the background appearance out. I hope to see an uncut version of the movie one day as Penn came to each restaurant table to film each group of acting parents with their graduating children up close.
As for the movie, I was pleasantly shocked that the story line paralleled my own life and a 10,000 mile solo road trip that I made within one month in 2000 to perform a sidewalk astronomy venture for the random public and schools with the use of an expensive solar research-grade telescope. The character, McCandless that Emile Hirsch plays, encounters very similar incidences with relationships and people just as I did on my trip. That of a hidden prophecy finally revealed and there is something to be learned. Some scenes in the movie brought me to tears. He, the character McCandless, encounters very similar people, the opposite genders offerings, accidental and serendipitous events, the old sage father-like figure played by Hal Holbrook is what I thought, was Holbrook's finest acting ever. The scenery in Alaska with the music soundtrack is captivating; breathtaking. The movie simply inspires any viewer to realize that we as humans are driven and obligated to adventure and to the call of the wild. I believe there is something for everyone in this film. Penn's direction and work on this film is well deserving of many awards. Mark
The Astronomers (1991)
An excellent introduction for newcomers to the science and hobby of astronomy and some of its major contributors today
To all who look up and wonder about the universe -
As an amateur-professional astronomer, this is my favorite all time documentary film on the science of astronomy. It does an excellent service to introducing astronomy for the newcomers to this science and hobby as it will also confirm many of the reasons that long time amateur astronomers have enjoyed their experiences to observe the cosmos.
The opening scene of the world famous sidewalk astronomer John Dobson in the streets of San Francisco and Crater Lake Oregon is so compelling that it will grab any ones attention who wonders about the universe and desires to observe and study it further. I have spent some time personally with Dobson in the local streets of Portland Oregon when he visited here and I can concur that he is a master at his craft. I have embarked on a similar journey so I know exactly what Dobson is doing with the public. It is something that is in dire need today and necessary for proper education at all levels.
He has done more to interest thousands of people in this science than anyone alive today. His telescope building methods have inspired people around the world for several generations as he is now in his ninetieth year of life. The editing and words selected that Dobson speaks are to be carefully heeded and learned from in this program. He is literally infectious and his enthusiasm will capture and create new astronomers with every showing of this film.
The narration by actor Richard Chamberlin is dramatic, enthusiastic and bristling with energy. The artistic graphics are stunning and realistic. The other professional astronomers interviewed from mountain top observatories to research laboratories will also inspire the newcomer to take the interest in adventure to seeing our universe, literally to heart. And that is so dearly important to understanding our existence today!
I wholeheartedly endorse this film, especially for the student who is new to astronomy.
-Mark Seibold Artist - Astronomer