MANK - Netflix biopic on Herman Mankiewicz

[Wellesnet]

First images released by Netflix:
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/davi ... e-comments

[Steve Paradis]

First images released by Netflix:
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/davi ... e-comments

Looks like Fincher's trademark WTF is wrong with my video settings? that he used on Mindhunter.

[Wellesnet]

David Fincher’s ‘Mank’ Sets December 4th Release Date on Netflix:
https://collider.com/mank-netflix-relea ... d-fincher/

[Colmena]

Brief trailer here:

https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/mov ... r-1072770/

[Colmena]

Longer trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMzJW0XBImE

[Steve Paradis]

Longer trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMzJW0XBImE

Judging from the comments, this is what people will think black and white looked like.
Recalls the old crack about a fading star being shot through linoleum.

[Le Chiffre]

It's a pretty impressive imitation of old Hollywood Black and White, but of course, the aspect ratio is wrong, so that's a bit jarring. Still looking forward to it, though.

[Roger Ryan]

It's a pretty impressive imitation of old Hollywood Black and White, but of course, the aspect ratio is wrong...

For the most part, yes, but perhaps it's an homage to the early John Wayne film The Big Trail (1930) which I was startled to discover was originally exhibited in a 70mm widescreen version! I caught a broadcast of this on TCM a few years back; it was an odd feeling seeing such well-composed widescreen framing twenty-five years before it became the theatrical standard.

[Wich2]

And that film was neither Unique, nor Groundbreaking!

Large-screen Film had been around since very early film history.

- Craig

[Le Chiffre]

Ah yes, forgot about THE BIG TRAIL. Good movie. It's actually on Youtube in widescreen:


No, not unique, but widescreen movies before the 1950s were pretty rare, though. According to this site,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_wid ... ilmography

only about three or four survive, including THE BAT WHISPERS, another good 1930 movie that I'd seen full frame years ago, but now that's online in widescreen too, although in lesser visual quality:
https://archive.org/details/THEBATWHISP ... eenEdition

[Wellesnet]

MANK gives short shrift to Orson Welles, both as a character and co-writer of CITIZEN KANE, according to veteran film critic Todd McCarthy

“Mank, in which Orson Welles as a character barely appears, very clearly takes the Kael and Mankiewicz position, that Welles did virtually no writing on Citizen Kane,” McCarthy wrote. “(It’s) unfortunate that Welles, who started at such heights only to increasingly struggle just to get a few more films made in his life, now will have to suffer a few more slings and arrows flung by those who will automatically buy into the view that he had nothing to do with the writing of Citizen Kane.”

https://www.wellesnet.com/mank-todd-mccarthy/

[Steve Paradis]

MANK gives short shrift to Orson Welles, both as a character and co-writer of CITIZEN KANE, according to veteran film critic Todd McCarthy

“Mank, in which Orson Welles as a character barely appears,
https://www.wellesnet.com/mank-todd-mccarthy/

A pity, given that he's played by Tom Burke, an excellent actor whose purported villains--he played Dolohov in the recent "War and Peace"--are multifaceted and more interesting than the so-called heroes. Rather like Harry Lime, which may account for the part being cut down.

[NoFake]

Re: Tom Burke as Welles, Regen Wilson also did a fine job, vocally and dramatically, in last night's "War of the Worlds" production by a DC theater company. Here's his photo:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1625868/mediaviewer/rm2833998592

[Steve Paradis]

David Fincher’s new film about the making of “Citizen Kane” could be an Oscar favorite in a year dominated by streaming contenders.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/movi ... ion=Movies

This is written by one of the guys who wrote the recent Criterion So White article--showing no sign that he'd seen a fraction of the films he was writing about. But he covers the industry, not the movies themselves, so he could be right.

[Le Chiffre]

Both interesting articles. I never realized that about Criterion, but yes, there's a lot of truth to it. Of course, the Black community has been badly represented by American film in general.

I don't usually even think about the Oscars until the critics awards and 10 best lists start rolling in, but if Mank gets Oscar attention, that would be nice. I'm afraid next year's Oscars might be dominated by streaming contenders as well.