A Reel Preview - Everything You Need to Know About SICARIO: DAY OF SOLDADO

In 2015, one of the best films of the year was the Denis Villeneuve-directed SICARIO. The CIA/FBI vs. the Mexican drug cartel crime thriller, written by Taylor Sheridan, earned three Oscar nominations and was one of the best reviewed films of the year. This week, the sequel arrives. Here is everything you need to know about SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO.

What is this about? – Picking up some time after the events of the first film, the CIA discovers that the Mexican drug cartel is smuggling terrorists across the U.S. border, and starts a plan of action which involves the kidnapping of a drug lord’s daughter to entice a war between cartels.

Who is in this?  – Josh Brolin reprises his role as the CIA operative who bends the law. His notable roles include NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007), and TRUE GRIT (2010). Also returning is Benicio del Toro as an undercover operative, whose notable films include TRAFFIC (2000), and 21 GRAMS (2003). The rest of the cast is rounded out by Isabela Moner, Catherine Keener, Jeffrey Donovan, and Matthew Modine. Emily Blunt, who had the lead role in the first film, does not appear this time around.

Who is behind this? – Denis Villeneuve, who directed the first film, does not direct this time. He is replaced by Italian director Stefano Sollima, who is mostly known for crime drama films, such as the award-winning ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS (2012). The film is written by Taylor Sheridan, who has a strong writing record with the acclaimed SICARIO (2015), HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016), and WIND RIVER (2017).

Random Facts – The film has been described as a “stand-alone spin-off” more than a direct sequel to SICARIO, although a trilogy is being planned * Denis Villeneuve could not return to direct due to his commitments to his own films; ARRIVAL (2016), and BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017) * SICARIO is a Spanish word that means “hitman”. Soldado in English means “soldier” * This is the second film Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin have appeared together in this year, with the first being AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR * Famed cinematographer Roger Deakins, who was nominated for an Oscar in the first film, was not available for the sequel. He was replaced by Dariusz Wolski, whose credits include the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN film series, along with THE CROW (1994), and DARK CITY (1998) *

What to expect  - A lot of the talk surrounding this sequel has been focused on what’s not in the film more than what’s in it, and maybe rightfully so. The absence of the wonderful Emily Blunt, along with her partner in SICARIO, played by the excellent Daniel Kaluuya, makes one wonder just who we’re supposed to latch onto here, and much of the success of SICARIO came from the also-absent steady hand of director Denis Villeneuve. However, SOLDADO does have the strength of Taylor Sheridan’s writing (he has yet to script a dud), and lead actors Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro always elevate everything they’re in. We can expect a tight story with plenty of surprises, and considering the territory we’re returning to, some blood and brutality can be expected as well. The first SICARIO established a scary world where cops and robbers dance the line, and if a good sequel is to dig further, we should be in for a damn good film.

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SICARIO: DAY OF SOLDADO opens wide June 29^th, with limited showings on the 28^th.

A Reel 40: GREASE

“Look at me, I’m Sandra Dee…”

This month marks the 40^th anniversary of Randal Kleiser’s GREASE.

Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, GREASE told the story of two high school seniors, Danny, a bad boy greaser, and Sandy, a good girl, who overcome their peer pressures and different backgrounds to become sweethearts in the 1950’s. In 1978 it would be the highest grossing film of the year, and would become the highest grossing musical of all time; breaking a 13-year record held by THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Today, it impressively sits as the 4^th all-time highest grossing musical.

The success of GREASE came from finding the right people for the right job. Director Randal Kleiser had never directed a feature film before, but had experience in working with the eventual lead actor, John Travolta; the two had worked together in the TV movie production of THE BOY IN THE PLASTIC BUBBLE (1976). Travolta had a bit of a singing career at the time, and had also played a small role in the touring production of GREASE on stage. While Travolta greased back his hair and donned the black leather jacket to play Danny, the role of Sandy was filled by Olivia Newton-John, who at the time was known as a country singer and had very limited acting experience. Newton-John, who was born in England and lived most of her life in Australia, couldn’t pull off an American accent, so her character was rewritten to be Australian.

Other cast members would include the late Jeff Conaway, who was no stranger to the story. He had played Danny during the show’s run on Broadway, and in the film would play Danny’s best friend Kenickie. Jamie Donnelly would reprise her stage-role as Jan, the only cast-member to do so. The rest of the impressive cast would include Stockard Channing, Barry Pearl, Michael Tucci, Kelly Ward, Didi Conn, Dinah Manoff, Sid Caesar, Eddie Deezen, and Eve Arden.

GREASE was a smash at the box office and with critics. It earned one Oscar nomination, for Best Original Song for Hopelessly Devoted to You, and its soundtrack album ended 1978 as the No. 2 album of the year. It would be nominated for several Golden Globes, and won several at the People’s Choice Awards, including Favorite Musical Motion Picture, and Motion Picture Supporting Actress for Stockard Channing. The film would re-launch Olivia Newton-John’s singing career, and push John Travolta into upper stardom. Today, the American Film Institute ranks it as the 20^th Best All-Time Musical.

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When this Blogger was a wee-lad growing up in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, there was STAR WARS, and there was GREASE; Danny was cool, his car was cooler, and Sandy was the first crush. The 8-track soundtrack was on constant loop in our house, and Greased Lightnin’ was the song to jam to. Years later, it’s easy to respect GREASE outside of childhood memories. It’s a film that re-captures the innocence of 1950’s America, and its classic storyline of two lovers having to overcome their class distinction is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. On this Blogger’s very short list of Best Musicals, GREASE is at or near the top; it is a charming, fun, and energetic film with a ton of heart…that lasts as long as a summer night.

“Grease is the word…”

A Reel Review: JURASSIC WORLD - FALLEN KINGDOM

Ever since Steven Spielberg wowed us with his dinosaur action-flick JURASSIC PARK in 1993, filmmakers, including Spielberg himself, have been trying to find the proper way to follow-up the story of cloned dinosaurs existing in today’s world. The problem is that anytime dinosaurs and humans get together, only one thing can happen, so every sequel is doomed to repeat what’s been done before. It’s been 25 years of that and we now arrive at sequel no. 4 to crack the code, with JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM.

Three years after the events of the previous film, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), a former Jurassic World employee turned dinosaur activist, and Owen (Chris Pratt), a former dinosaur trainer, are recruited by a corporation led by Eli (Rafe Spall), and his grandfather (James Cromwell), a former partner of dino-cloner founder John Hammond…to return to the former Jurassic Park/World island to rescue the dinosaurs, which are now in danger of extinction thanks to an erupting volcano on the island.

Seemingly aware of the repetitive nature of all the JURASSIC PARK sequels, director J.A. Bayona’s first order of business this time around is to change things up. The idea of travelling back to the island to pull the dinos off for conservation is a new angle, and offers a modern-day, eco-friendly, green-activism storyline that is new to the franchise. This takes up most of the first act, and is very effective. By act two, a few predictable twists come around, and the dinosaurs and our heroes are double-crossed; the creatures are taken off island for other purposes other than conservation.

What then follows is a mish-mash of too many plotlines including corporate greed, new dinosaur species, human cloning, Russian mobsters and terrorists, war profiteering, and family secrets. It all gets thrown at us at faster than a T-Rex on a lunch date, and not one of the plot lines really stick. And despite the attempts at changing things up, by the third act we’re right back to dinosaurs escaping captivity and tearing things up while stopping for a human-sized snack now and then.

JURASSIC WORLD feels like it went into production based on a first draft of the script; characters do stupid things for no reason (Claire gets suckered back to the island way too easily), and we’re introduced to an expert on dinosaur biology (wonderfully played by Daniella Pineda), who has never seen a dinosaur. There’s also gaps in continuity (lava comes out of nowhere in one scene), and a complete lack of depth (a late twist involving a character’s parentage has zero effect on anyone). It’s a shallow mess.

Bayona has a few moments of brilliance here and there. A scene involving a brontosaurus burning to death on the exploding island is a heartbreaker, an early sequence with that same old T-Rex creeping down a darkened hallway is excellent, and the film’s only emotional moment comes from a raptor in pain.  These moments are few, and most of the film doesn’t have the ability to raise any pulses; it’s bland, predictable, and quite boring. Some callbacks to the first film appear here and there, and serve little purpose other than reminding us what world we’re in. The CGI dinosaurs look great in some scenes, cartoony in others…while some practical effects puppets look fantastic. Michael Giacchino’s score is ridiculously out of place; sounding like a damn opera with its blasting choral sections and overdramatic swells.

Acting is all over the place. Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt are fine; both very funny and seem to enjoy working with each other. Pratt’s character is completely inconsistent as he suddenly goes from a nature-lover to kung-fu fighting expert. Rafe Spall is a surprise and shows great chops as a bad guy, and screen veterans James Cromwell, Toby Jones, and Ted Levine are fine as always. Daniella Pineda is excellent, and Jeff Goldblum reprises his old JURASSIC PARK character in a cameo…and does nothing but recite metaphors. Young Isabella Sermon (since all JURASSIC movies have to have a kid) is excellent.

By the time the noisy and headache-inducing finale is over, the dinosaurs are finally, and mercifully, in a different space. It’s the first sequel of the JURASSIC PARK franchise to take the story of the cloned creatures forward, it’s just too bad that the path to get there was so ill-conceived and sloppy. The ideas are there, but it is poorly put together to the point that it becomes an annoyance. To paraphrase Goldblum’s character from the first JURASSIC PARK, this is one big pile of shit.

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Vehicles of Cinema

Vehicles have been an important element in cinema since day one; the title of the first true motion picture, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY (1903), speaks for itself. In every film, characters have to get from one place to another, and covering that distance can be done in many ways; cars, trucks, planes, helicopters, spaceships, rocketships, horseback, dragonback, bicycles, tricycles, skateboards, outboards, motorcycles and lightcycles…to name a few. A truly great film manages to take a vehicle and give it such a presence that it becomes a character itself; a character that is remembered long after the credits roll.

This list of the Top 10 Best Cinematic Vehicles was put together from factors ranging from screen-presence, cultural impact, longevity, and a careful balance of this Blogger’s objectivity and personal favorites. With so many to choose from and only 10 spots available, this list was a challenge, and honorable mention needs to be paid to the V8 Interceptor from MAD MAX (1979), the Truckster from NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION (1983), the Batmobile from BATMAN (1989), the X-Wing and TIE Fighters from STAR WARS, and the ballistic missile submarine Red October from THE HUNT FROM RED OCTOBER (1990).

Now let’s get this engine started, and please note; many of these vehicles appear in more than one film, so only their debut is referenced.

10.The Bandit’s Trans-Am from SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (1977)

Hal Needham’s action-comedy of cross-country outlaw bootlegging demanded a cool character with a cool car. The Bandit’s black Trans-Am screamed outlaw with its T-tops and eagle on the hood, and the film would double Trans-Am sales for years. The car has such a presence in the film, it seems to appear more than the Bandit himself, played by Burt Reynolds.

9. Steve McQueen’s Ford Mustang GT from BULLITT (1968)

When people purchase a Mustang today, most of them don’t realize they are doing so thanks to the legacy of this car. Perhaps the most iconic muscle car of all cinema, it is in the center of one of the best car-chases on film, and it would inspire decades of Mustang sales. It was a perfect matchup; the all-American movie star (McQueen) with the all-American vehicle. The only reason it doesn’t rank higher is because the car’s popularity has eclipsed the film, which has sadly faded over time.

8. RMS Titanic from TITANIC (1997)

Historians have written that even when considering the fate of the real-life doomed ship, ship-builders and designers of today still consider Titanic to be one of the finest achievements in ocean liners. With such a reputation, filmmaker James Cameron had a tall order to fill when he made his eventual Oscar-winner and historical money-maker. By using the original blueprints and suppliers from the actual ship, along with a combination of practical sets and CGI, Cameron’s re-creation of the ship was stunning with its attention to detail, and is the perfect example of a vehicle having a dominating presence on the screen.

7. Ecto-1 from GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

The quirky and weird looking modified hearse that the one and only Ghostbusters got around NYC in may have been under-utilized in its two appearances, but to this day it is instantly recognized and replicas are a huge hit at conventions.

6. James Bond’s Aston Martin from GOLDFINGER (1964)

The best secret agent in the world needed a car that could get him around and fight off enemies. The tricked-out car with hidden guns, rocket launchers, and ejector seats are always a delight to see in action, and similar to its owner, it was elegant with hidden dangers.

5. The Orca from JAWS (1975)

The boat captained by Quint the shark-hunter was designed to reflect its owner’s larger-than-life personality. The Orca  beamed with character, and despite its eventual fate, was the right ship to hunt down a killer shark. It was a functional vehicle with a distinct outline on the horizon, and served as the set for the third and final act of the ultimate showdown between man and sea. 

4. The DeLorean Time Machine from BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

When Doc Brown decided to travel through time, he wanted to do so in style. The DeLorean’s sleek lines gave it a futuristic quality that matched the film’s themes perfectly, and it maintained that characteristic despite all the upgrades (and downgrades) that it would see during Doc and Marty’s voyages through time. When replicas of the DeLorean appear at conventions, the lines to sit at the wheel go forever.

3. The Death Star from STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977)

The ultimate power in the universe with the ability to destroy a planet is by far one of the most iconic images in cinema and pop-culture; everyone recognizes it right away. Its name induces fear, its look is most impressive, and its interiors are a maze of dangers reminiscent of an old haunted house film.

2. USS Enterprise from STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979)

No spaceship or vehicle has ever looked more beautiful on film than the refurbished Enterprise in 1979. When Admiral Kirk does his breathtaking fly-by tour of the ship, he acts as an audience surrogate and kicks in all our emotions as we see her in her glory, with gorgeous lighting and graceful lines. It was a powerful moment that means all the more when she meets her demise two sequels later.

1. The Millennium Falcon from STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977)

The most popular character in the entire STAR WARS saga deserved to have the fastest, and coolest ship in the galaxy. Han Solo’s ship thrilled audiences in every appearance as it gunned down enemies, swerved through asteroids, and played a major part in the destruction of two Death Stars. Its popularity made it an instant, long-lasting entry into pop culture, and was easily marketed in toys, models, and massive Lego kits. From the early days it was a top seller, and this Blogger still has his Falcon from 1979:

Much like the two Death Stars that it rebelled against, the Falcon is recognized by everyone ranging from diehards to non-fans. It’s longevity, screen-impact, and emotional resonance makes it the best way to go someplace on the screen.

THE TOP 10 MOVIE VEHICLES

1.       The Millennium Falcon

2.       USS Enterprise

3.       The Death Star

4.       The DeLorean Time Machine

5.       Orca

6.       James Bond’s Aston Martin

7.       Ecto-1

8.       RMS Titanic

9.       Steve McQueen’s ’68 Mustang

10.   The Bandit’s Trans-Am

A Reel Review: INCREDIBLES 2

One of the many reasons the films of Pixar Animation Studios work so well is that the characters aren’t written like cartoons; they are instead written like human beings…complete with real-life emotions, feelings, desires, and reactions that everyone can relate to. Brad Bird’s family-driven superhero tale THE INCREDIBLES from 2004 was one of the shining examples of this approach, and it is taken a step further in the long-awaited sequel.

The Incredibles (Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Minder, and Eli Fucile), a family of superheroes, are recruited by the CEO of a giant corporation (Bob Odenkirk) and his sister (Catherine Keener) to resume superhero work in a massive public-relations mission to make superheroes legal again. And just in time, as a new super-villain named The Screenslaver has arrived to brainwash and control people through their TV screens.

It’s been 14 years since the first film, but on the screen only minutes have passed since we last saw this super-powered family. Things pick up right where the original film left off, so there’s very little catching up to do. Once the new story kicks in, it’s a real-life family dynamic that Bird plays with; Mr. Incredible is left at home to watch the kids and deal with their issues, while Elastigirl is off resuming hero work. It’s a close look at family dynamics, with both parents facing their toughest challenges.

The looming threat of the Screenslaver is a somewhat heavy-handed statement on today’s world being a slave to the screens; both big and small, but the threat works and it works well. In fact, the Incredibles family’s issues and storylines are so up front, that the super-villain threat nearly fades into the background. It’s a welcome, and refreshing way to approach a superhero story in today’s crowded cinema of crusaders with capes.

Once the fighting does start, there is a ton of fun to be had. The action sequences are an absolute thrill and rival any live-action film; a train-chase, battle at sea, and the out-of-control powers of baby Jack-Jack are a delight. The film looks gorgeous with Pixar’s trademark stunning animation coupled with some eye-popping lighting techniques; a fight-scene in the Screenslaver’s secret lair has to be seen to be believed. Brad Bird is having fun here, and the film has some dynamite LOL moments, but at the same he injects enough maturity to elevate it above a standard kids’ film. There are some scary sequences (including a cold-blooded murder by gunfire, and a ton of violence), along with some pleasant surprises…although the secret identity of the Screenslaver can be seen from miles away.

The cast feels right at home with their characters. Craig T. Nelson is once again great as Mr. Incredible, who goes loopy while babysitting to the point that we really would love to see what he must have looked like in the booth recording his lines. Holly Hunter is great as always. Samuel L. Jackson returns as the ice-throwing Frozone and is a blast, and Catherine Keener is a welcome addition to the Pixar family.

After all the action, fighting, and thrilling finale, INCREDIBLES 2 doesn’t land an emotional punch, which is a glaring omission considering the roller-coaster of fun that the film offers; it’s all laughs with no tears. It’s far from a dealbreaker, as INCREDIBLES 2 stands as a very worthy sequel; the characters and story go to their natural, and logical places, and it closes the door on hanging plotlines at the end of the first film. It may be all superheroes and colorful animation, but it is as human as the hands that made it.

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel Review: HEREDITARY

The horror film genre has seen many phases in the last 30 years. After the splatter-fests of the 1970’s, we had the slashers of the 1980’s, which were followed by the found-footage crap and the torture-porn of the 90’s and the early 2000’s. The new millennium ushered in an era of remakes and cheap scares, and today…the genre is exploring its newest phase in psychological terror; taking a grounded approach which has movie-goers debating if they actually qualify as a horror film. Such a film is Ari Aster’s HEREDITARY.

After the death of her mother, Annie (Toni Collette), and her daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro), and son Peter (Alex Wolff), begin having odd and terrifying experiences; ranging from nightmares, visions, and family tragedy.

HEREDITARY hangs its hat of horror on the hook of mind games. In this scary movie, there is no lumbering goon with a knife, no angry ghost, and no creature lurking in the walls. Instead, director Ari Aster goes for a slow burn with an undefined threat; as Annie and her family slowly unravel the mystery of what’s been happening to them since grandma died. There are several questions to be answered for the characters, each leading them to revelations of their own family with terrifying results.

Aster weaves a story with a lot of misdirection and red herrings, which work very well. The film goes in one direction to make us think we know the answer, only to veer off and suddenly change direction and obliterate everything we thought we had figured out. There are clues scattered around the film to reveal it all, and by the time the credits roll it almost demands a second viewing to understand it all more. In fact, there may a little too much spread throughout the film, and to fully understand the finale requires a lot of attention and thinking. This is a thinking-man’s horror film, and there’s nothing cheap about it.

HEREDITARY doesn’t bother with the cheap jump-scares that the kids love these days, and instead builds a glorious and un-settling atmosphere of dread. The opening minutes alone will have audiences looking over their shoulders, and the film somehow gets under the skin; we’ll never look at those shadows in our bedrooms at night the same way ever again. The film is shot and edited beautifully, and a few camera tricks with miniature models are stunning.

Acting is very good, with Toni Collette leading the way. Her character goes through a lot; from terror to outright painful grief, and she is outstanding every minute. A lot of credit has to be given to the younger cast of Milly Shapiro and Alex Wolff who both have a lot of heavy lifting to do. Gabriel Byrne plays the husband of Annie and does very well as he always does, and Ann Dowd has a small, but very effective role.

Famed director Paul Thomas Anderson once said that it is better to confuse the audience for five minutes than to let them get ahead of you for 10 seconds, and Ari Aster seems to have listened. While HEREDITARY isn’t impenetrable, it does take work…and the last 20 minutes offer a glorious dose of what the holy hell is going on.  But in the end the film works and works well. It is a terror that sticks, and has the ability to spark discussion. If this new phase of horror films is to excel, HEREDITARY serves as one of the best examples.

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel 25: JURASSIC PARK

Summer is the time for blockbusters, and this week Reel Speak pays tribute to the godfather of modern blockbuster films, Steven Spielberg, with two blogs covering a pair of his most iconic films. Read the first one HERE.

“I own an island…”

This month marks the 25^th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s JURASSIC PARK.

The year that was 1993 was a life-changing, one-two punch for director Steven Spielberg. Having already cemented his name in cinematic legend with hits such as JAWS (1975), CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977), and E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTIAL (1982), he would deliver not one, but two films in 1993 which would make history. In November of that year he would release his WWII holocaust drama SCHINDLER’S LIST; a film which would earn him seven Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. But only five months before he sent audiences into a sobering reminder of the horrors of war, he would get those same audiences drunk with childhood glee with living, breathing dinosaurs in JURASSIC PARK.

Based on the popular novel by the late Michael Crichton, JURASSIC PARK told the story of a billionaire and his team of genetic scientists who brought dinosaurs back to life, and populated a theme park with them before things started going wrong. The challenge to resurrect dinosaurs in the film was a great one, and it appropriately was an equal challenge for Spielberg. Just like in the film, Spielberg grasped a new technology, called CGI, and suddenly it was possible to see, play with, run with, and run away from dinosaurs. By using a combination of new tech and classic animatronics, JURASSIC PARK immediately separated itself from the old, choppy dinosaurs that populated B-movies for decades. The usage of the tech would change filmmaking forever.

With an excellent cast of Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough, Samuel L. Jackson, B.D. Wong, Wayne Knight, Bob Peck, Joseph Mazzello, and Ariana Richards, and a script which brought the thrills as much as thoughtfulness, JURASSIC PARK instantly captured imaginations in adults that had been long buried; perhaps extinct since they stopped playing with toy dinosaurs in the back yard. The results on screen were spectacular, and the world reacted. JURASSIC PARK became the highest grossing film of all time; a position it would hold until TITANIC arrived in 1997. To this day, it is the 24^th highest-grossing film in North America, and the 27^th highest worldwide; it is still Spielberg’s biggest money-maker, and a 3D re-release in 2013 would add more to its tally. The film was a hit with critics, and would win three Oscars for Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects. At that same ceremony, Spielberg, his editor Michael Kahn, and composer John Williams would win for SCHINDLER’S LIST. In the long run, the film would inspire several books, video games, and ongoing sequels.

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The legacy of JURASSIC PARK is an ongoing one. The film would be the swan song to the early part of Spielberg’s career, as he would move away from blockbuster filmmaking into serious works for over 20 years.  And box office numbers, Oscar, sequels, and longevity from one generation to the next only begins to scratch the surface. It has that elusive power to awaken the dormant kid in all of us; the one that ran around the back yard chasing creatures and building worlds out of sofa cushions. JURASSIC PARK embraced that. Spielberg himself has been quoted as saying that he dreams for a living, and no other film in the last quarter-century as dropped us into a dream like JURASSIC PARK.

“Life found a way…”

A Reel Review: JAWS In Concert

Summer is the time for blockbusters, and this week Reel Speak pays tribute to the godfather of modern blockbuster films, Steven Spielberg, with two blogs covering a pair of his most iconic films.

Steven Spielberg’s JAWS from 1975 was the film that began the modern age of blockbusters. The iconic film, in which a shark terrorizes a summer resort town, was recently presented by the Mann Center of Philadelphia, with the score performed live by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia…and this Blogger and his girlfriend were happier than a shark in a pond to attend.

This is what happens…

The outdoor, open-air venue of the Mann Center was the perfect setting for such an event. With seats undercover and lawn seating in the open, it provided a summer-like atmosphere for the film, which is most always associated with summer. Our first order of business upon arrival was catching the right beverage. In the film, the character of Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), says that if you’re looking for a shark, you’re not going to find him on the land. Well, we respectfully disagreed.

Our lawn seats provided us with an excellent view of two of the three large screens on which the film played. This Blogger was curious to hear just how audible the orchestra would be…and those concerns were gobbled up faster than a hungry shark. The opening of the film was a thrill, as the suspenseful score by John Williams opened the film. The deep rumble followed by the iconic, two-note foreboding music was crisp and clear and reached us all the way out into the lawn; almost better than watching it at home with cranked-up surround sound.

With a live orchestra, the performance must be right-on-cue, especially with a film like JAWS where the music is so often synced with the sequences of action, suspense, and jump-scares. The orchestra, conducted by Dirk Brosse, was synced up perfectly and hit every cue. The orchestra sounded magnificent, and often revealed pieces of the score that can’t be heard when watching the film.

In an open-air atmosphere, watching the film offers a different experience than viewing in a traditional theatre. It’s more of a communal experience and makes for a fun atmosphere. People cheered when Quint (Robert Shaw) makes his first appearance, and cheered even more when Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) fires his final shot. The best lines in the film were met with applause, and the old scares, now over 40 years old, still had people jumping.

JAWS is a horror and adventure story, but also has a classic man vs. nature element. Ironically, and perhaps appropriately, this event became just that. With about 20 minutes left in the film, the ugly head of the garbage that is spring arrived, as the skies opened and dropped heavy rain on us. Many people bailed out like they were on a sinking boat (it certainly felt that way), but many, including this Blogger and his girlfriend, made for cover and were able to enjoy the final reel of the film and performance in comfortable, under cover seating. It was a slight bump which added to a unique experience. This Blogger has been admirer of JAWS for decades (read Reel Speak’s blog on the 40^th anniversary HERE), and has seen the film in many formats; cable, VHS, Blu-ray, big-screen…but the wonderful performance by the orchestra, combined with Spielberg’s equally wonderful film, made this an event that will stand out like a fin in the water.

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Upcoming live-concert film performances by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia includes STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (July 20), and HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (July 26). More information HERE.