Hola All,
Macguff the Crime Dog here, and looking to investigate my new neighborhood(and maybe take a bite out of crime, while I'm at it). I'm a new member of this cinema community, and look forward to spend countless hours talking up the wonderful world of Indie Film. Well, lets see, I'm a dog, but not just any dog, a crime one, and wait.... yea that about covers me, and if you want any other info just holler! Any who, I figure being the new dog in the pound, my first bark has to be quite a loud one. By the way, before you get your panties in a bundle, I don't plan to keep up these dog analogies on my future posts. So I figured what better way to make an entrance into the Indie Film forum world, then with the great Buffalo '66- The Indie Portrait of Love, in its Purest Form.
Now for those whom are unfamiliar with the title, Buffalo '66 is the late 90s Vincent Gallo film. This is completely and totally the definition of independent filmmaking, but not because of conetent, rather for production. It seems that the indie genre is becoming flooded, with posing misfit movies, that have a much bigger budget then they perfer to have you know. I relize that this is a community of well informed experts in the field, but yet I still feel it necessary to say the following- just because a film has a low budget look and packaging, doesn't mean it is an independent film. Pulp Fiction is not an independent film, and there is a long list of others that look and feel like indie so they somehow instantly develop that status. Again I apologize if anyone feels I'm offending their knowledge of the genre. I go into this issue primarily because I feel that the production of Buffalo '66 is as important as anything to the film's success. As the numero uno driving creative force, Vincent Gallo's production choices are essential towards creating the thesis of the film.
The film centers around Billy Brown(Gallo), a man fresh out of the joint, serving time for a crime he didn't commit. Billy could arguably by the loneliest characters in all of film. He has parents, that he desperately wants approval from, but completely ignore his exhistence as an individual. Billy's only friend is a very slow deadbeat, and is used by Billy to ultimately feel better about himself. Instantly we are taken into Billy's lonesome exhistence, as he spends the first hours out of prison, waiting for nothing outside of the jail itself. He is depicted as lacking anywhere to go both physically and mentally in his life. The film shifts into its next gear, as Billy awkwardly kidnapps a dance student, Layla(Ricci), so that he will have someone to pretend to be his wife, in his attempts to impress his parents. We are then taken through strangely familiar world of Billy's family, consisting of a football obsessed mother, and a detached father. But all of these aspects of the plot, only stand to hold up the final act, which holds the endearing message of the film. I prefer to hold back on the details, for those whom haven't seen it. Essentially Billy realizes that the thing that has rotted away his life, to this point, is the lack of love he has felt from anyone. This seems to be almost scary in its familiararity, being that most can identify with the feeling of not having the love of another person. It is unvieled to Billy, that love lies in front of him, deep within the heart of his captive. Although some may find it nearly romanticisied to think that such a lonely soul just happens upon true love, but I see it as a lonesome man who doesnt find true love, but rather finds that the only way to make his life better is to let love in. This idea that love is there for us, and it is our job open up to it, no matter how odd or awkward it may seem, seems to be the glowing message of the film.
Now that the plot and inner meanings of the movie are out in the open, we need to explore how they were visually expressed. The film's style is perfect for its subject matter. 35mm reversable film stock is used to create a grainy and harsh look, which just further supports the realistic and unextravagent story. The budget can be obviously seen in the production design and wordrobe, both of which contain only the simplest and basic of elements. This in most cases would come as a sacrafice, but here it completely adds to the tone of the film. I felt one of the most important aspects of the film, techniqually speaking, was the 70's style directing and style. This seems to pay homage to the classic 70s cinema, that explored the dark inter workings of regular people.
Ultimately, I think Buffulo '66 is such an important indie flick, because it emphasizes how the lack of budget could be used to stylistically enhance a film.
This is just my review and analysis of the film, but I post it to get feedback, to hear disagreement and agrument. I want other people to put in there two sense. So I know leave it to all of you- post, post, and post!
Hoped my cherry popping thread was mildley entertaining!
Macguff the Crime Dog here, and looking to investigate my new neighborhood(and maybe take a bite out of crime, while I'm at it). I'm a new member of this cinema community, and look forward to spend countless hours talking up the wonderful world of Indie Film. Well, lets see, I'm a dog, but not just any dog, a crime one, and wait.... yea that about covers me, and if you want any other info just holler! Any who, I figure being the new dog in the pound, my first bark has to be quite a loud one. By the way, before you get your panties in a bundle, I don't plan to keep up these dog analogies on my future posts. So I figured what better way to make an entrance into the Indie Film forum world, then with the great Buffalo '66- The Indie Portrait of Love, in its Purest Form.
Now for those whom are unfamiliar with the title, Buffalo '66 is the late 90s Vincent Gallo film. This is completely and totally the definition of independent filmmaking, but not because of conetent, rather for production. It seems that the indie genre is becoming flooded, with posing misfit movies, that have a much bigger budget then they perfer to have you know. I relize that this is a community of well informed experts in the field, but yet I still feel it necessary to say the following- just because a film has a low budget look and packaging, doesn't mean it is an independent film. Pulp Fiction is not an independent film, and there is a long list of others that look and feel like indie so they somehow instantly develop that status. Again I apologize if anyone feels I'm offending their knowledge of the genre. I go into this issue primarily because I feel that the production of Buffalo '66 is as important as anything to the film's success. As the numero uno driving creative force, Vincent Gallo's production choices are essential towards creating the thesis of the film.
The film centers around Billy Brown(Gallo), a man fresh out of the joint, serving time for a crime he didn't commit. Billy could arguably by the loneliest characters in all of film. He has parents, that he desperately wants approval from, but completely ignore his exhistence as an individual. Billy's only friend is a very slow deadbeat, and is used by Billy to ultimately feel better about himself. Instantly we are taken into Billy's lonesome exhistence, as he spends the first hours out of prison, waiting for nothing outside of the jail itself. He is depicted as lacking anywhere to go both physically and mentally in his life. The film shifts into its next gear, as Billy awkwardly kidnapps a dance student, Layla(Ricci), so that he will have someone to pretend to be his wife, in his attempts to impress his parents. We are then taken through strangely familiar world of Billy's family, consisting of a football obsessed mother, and a detached father. But all of these aspects of the plot, only stand to hold up the final act, which holds the endearing message of the film. I prefer to hold back on the details, for those whom haven't seen it. Essentially Billy realizes that the thing that has rotted away his life, to this point, is the lack of love he has felt from anyone. This seems to be almost scary in its familiararity, being that most can identify with the feeling of not having the love of another person. It is unvieled to Billy, that love lies in front of him, deep within the heart of his captive. Although some may find it nearly romanticisied to think that such a lonely soul just happens upon true love, but I see it as a lonesome man who doesnt find true love, but rather finds that the only way to make his life better is to let love in. This idea that love is there for us, and it is our job open up to it, no matter how odd or awkward it may seem, seems to be the glowing message of the film.
Now that the plot and inner meanings of the movie are out in the open, we need to explore how they were visually expressed. The film's style is perfect for its subject matter. 35mm reversable film stock is used to create a grainy and harsh look, which just further supports the realistic and unextravagent story. The budget can be obviously seen in the production design and wordrobe, both of which contain only the simplest and basic of elements. This in most cases would come as a sacrafice, but here it completely adds to the tone of the film. I felt one of the most important aspects of the film, techniqually speaking, was the 70's style directing and style. This seems to pay homage to the classic 70s cinema, that explored the dark inter workings of regular people.
Ultimately, I think Buffulo '66 is such an important indie flick, because it emphasizes how the lack of budget could be used to stylistically enhance a film.
This is just my review and analysis of the film, but I post it to get feedback, to hear disagreement and agrument. I want other people to put in there two sense. So I know leave it to all of you- post, post, and post!
Hoped my cherry popping thread was mildley entertaining!