Lost in Translation

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who suffers from this particular phenomenon- because it feels, to me, like I am all alone in this one. Tell me if you ever experience this: You sit down to watch a unanimously loved and widely respected classic film, you don't like it for one reason or another, and then you end up feeling guilty and inferior as a result of said opinion. It's irrational, really-- no one truly judges you on the way you feel about old movies (in fact, no one really cares about our opinions at all). So why do I feel like a stupid, ignorant teenager every time I can't get into a movie I'm "supposed" to like? It's an interesting conundrum...

Dog Day Afternoon (1975) is a prime example of the aforementioned affliction. It's got rave reviews, solidified classic status, and a cult following to boot- and it couldn't keep me interested. I even found myself pawing through my backpack to find my homework just so I'd have something to do besides watch this drawn-out drama...and you know something must be seriously wrong if I'm voluntarily hitting the books.

I tried to start this one last night, but kept getting distracted...maybe I should have let those distractions keep my attention. Afternoon spends its entirety depicting a singular event- a botched bank robbery- from all angles of perception. I guess I understand what director Stanley Lumet was aiming for with his incredibly narrow scope of focus...perhaps he wanted to capture the claustrophobic, even timeless feel of the perpetuated heist...and this, he certainly achieves. I just found myself growing tired of the constant dialogue and monotonous scenery (come on, Stan, not even a costume change?? Throw us shallow kids a bone). And while I'm sure that Lumet intended to convey some sort of esoteric anti-Vietnam-pro-gay-rights-power-to-the-people hidden meaning sort of thing, the message got lost in translation for me when I couldn't invest in the story or characters (get it?? invest?? bank puns...)

Despite starring in an uncomfortably boring picture, Al Pacino still manages to rock. His skillfully faceted Sonny is puzzling and inviting-- quite a feat considering the fact that we're talking about actually liking an angry gay bank robber. Sadly, Pacino lost out to Jack Nicholson for Best Actor at the 1975 Academy Awards...but just because he's a loser doesn't mean we love him any less.

I think the main point I need to stress here is that Dog Day Afternoon is not a bad movie. Brilliantly fashioned, quirky, borderline ridiculous at times (and riddled with gifted performances, to top it off), the film is sure to please (and has pleased) a whole spectrum of viewers looking for a different kind of statement. It may not have piqued my interest...but I represent a very thin slice of the movie-going population (the high school girl...not exactly the bank-robbin type) and therefore my opinion should hold little to no weight (as should most of the opinions of high school girls). Though I do consider myself to be a slightly more discerning viewer than the average aimless teenager, I realize that some movies (like this one) are just going to be beyond me and you should realize that in no way am I trying to disparage the great pictures of the past.

Love Affair

It happened. I didn't want it to happen, I tried to ignore it, I even fought against it-- but all to no avail. Yes, the inevitable has unfortunately befallen me: I've caught Royal Wedding Fever. For anyone who's not familiar with this disease, let me identify some of its symptoms, as it can be a viciously aggressive ailment that may throw your whole life into chaos:

- The victim may suffer spontaneous spasms of fake British accents.
- The victim may find herself filling her DVR with more Will&Kate documentary specials than she could ever hope to watch in one week.
- All waking hours of the victim may be spent scheming ways to procure an invitation to the event, and all sleeping hours may be spent dreaming that she is marrying Prince William on Friday instead of Kate.
- The victim may involuntarily curtsy or bow when attempting to greet friends like a normal person.
- Despite her best efforts, the victim may find that she unconsciously steers each and every conversation towards the Royal Wedding so she can spout off random factoids about the couple, including, but not limited to:
---- A dated timeline of the couple's courtship
---- An overview of the wedding's most exciting attendees
---- A heated compare&contrast session featuring Diana vs. Kate
---- Fact-supported predictions of the wedding's menu selections
---- The color of Prince William's favorite boxers
- The victim may discover that the abominable Lifetime original movie "William & Kate" is actually her new favorite movie, and she may re-watch it an inordinate number of times.

In all seriousness, it's important to catch these symptoms early, because when one hits the advanced stages of RWF (RoyalWeddingFever) like I have, all hope is lost.

My love affair with this event has unfortunately precluded me from conquering any movies Sunday or tonight. As much as I want to work on my list, I'm just too afflicted to tear my attention away from the wedding coverage for more than a commercial's length. I even started Dog Day Afternoon (1975) this evening...but I only made it through the opening credits. Four minutes in, and I had to flip back to my TLC special on Kate's jewelry selection to prevent myself from hyperventilating. I'm in serious trouble.