DVD : Hollywoodland

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Philip Marlowe of our sweet, dark times
The backstage and subconscious of the private-eye stereotype, or would the hero of, say, Nicholson in Polanski's Chinatown be able to carry a family life and help raising his son?
Without ever forgetting the mysterious blackness and suspense of a lone investigator in the corrupt jungle ("LA Confidential" (1997) would first come to mind), the film is able to create an interesting identity between the hunter and the hunted (victim of a suspicious murder). Brilliant!

Rating:

- Hollywood: a magic carpet ride!
George Reeves' death constitutes the dramatic pivot that will permit us to get inside to the dream factory, Hollywood. The mysterious circumstances that surrounded his death allows to Allen Cutler to make a double level narration, the first lecture has to with the meandering process of investigation when a minor private eye (with a messy sentimental life)is hired by the mother of Reeves in order to get beyond the official version and the headlines, because she is sure her son didn't commit suicide. The second narrative line deals with the life and times if Reeves, his hopes and efforts to achieve the stardom.

But what we usually ignore is what's behind stages. If "all about Eve" and "Sunset boulevard" were perhaps the first major films to reveal the interiorities of this variegated and random world of fame, applauses, flashes and autographs, where nothing is like it seems; as more the investigator gets close the core of the truth more elusive his conclusions are due there are many interests and opposite interests in conflict.

This dramatis personae will even affect the real private life of this cheap private eye, the children don't distinguish the difference between what's real or what's fiction and the suicide of Reeves arouses a sharp reflection about the influence of the movies over the quotidian reality of many people.

On the other hand, we have that silent duel of vanities, prides wounded egos, ambition and coldness that nestle behind the camera.

Bob Hoskins steals the show as MGM's Vice President, despite he develops a supporting role; Diane Lane makes a realistic performance as the bored and cheated wife, who works out as the "Greek foot" to Reeves. She will aim him and more than a lover she will become the builder of the golden stairway for Reeves reaches and achieves his fifteen minutes of glory according the famous Warhol's statement.

A film that will make us to remind the first line of Led Zepellin `s Stairway to heaven : "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters it's gold..."

Rating:

- Why concentrate on the PI?!
I was finally in the mood for this after watching The Jacket. I must have had this movie now for a few months, and still never got round to watching it. But after seeing Adrien Brody in The Jacket - well I had to watch another movie with him in it.

What a major disappointment. I was expecting a movie about George Reeves' life, and a fictionalised account of why he committed suicide. When I asked my mum and dad who George Reeves was they had no idea. Even I knew who he was.

What I got was a mundane film, with some flashbacks back to the events leading up to his suicide, and lots and lots of focus on a private investigator, who was trying to figure out if a man's wife was actually cheating on him. How boring.

I ended up switching it off after 40 minutes. It just wasn't grabbing my attention, and if a movie doesn't grab my attention after that time, then it's not worth watching. I really thought it would have been good, with all the conspiracy theories that surrounded his death. Hey, it could have got better after the 40 minutes, but if the movie couldn't get to the point, I give up! Avoid this film at all costs, unless you're prepared to sit for a long time before it gets going.

Rating:

- Lost Opportunity
The life of George Reeves was certainly an interesting one. Unfortunately this movie dwells far too long on the life of the PI investigating Reeves' death. I was looking forward to the release of this film, but was sadly disappointed. You don't need to get too far into this film before you realize as with many bad films, you just don't care about the characters. It's a shame because there really is a good story here. Well, maybe Superman can fly around the world a few times faster than the speed of light, go back in time and fix the screenplay.

Rating:

- Great Story! Great Acting! Misguided Screenplay!
An interesting film and occasionally thought provoking but the decision to have the Adrien Brody character be the MAIN character effectively destroys what could so easily have been a great film. His character - and all his troubles - are not nearly as interesting as the Ben Affleck character - and all his troubles. The Brody character should have been a minor role.

I was amazed to discover that George Reeves was a kept man. Wow. Now that is a story. And by an older woman! I was also drawn in by his reaction to becoming Superman (fame, but at what price?), and his yearning to really Be Somebody. The screen time with Affleck (who does an excellent job), and the always dazzling Diane Lane, is engaging but the picture falls flat every time the Brody character takes over. This isn't the fault of the actor but rather that of the screenplay.

The true story of George Reeves is the stuff of a great movie. The made-up story of the Brody character is, well, yawn.

Why didn't the people who made this movie understand the distinction?

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