Screen Scenes

  Photo from Fine Line Features Patti
LuPone and Charles Durning reside in a
Vermont town in "State and Main."

“State and Main” Starring William H. Macy,
Sarah Jessica Parker and Philip Seymour Hoffman Directed by David
Mamet

In “State and Main,” relentlessly self-centered and
self-serving Hollywood players destroy a sleepy Vermont town in the
process of making a movie, but unfailingly awe the townspeople with
big stars, big equipment and the chance to be extras.

Movie star Bob Barrenger (Alec Baldwin) can ameliorate all
destruction with the flash of his smile, impressing children and
adults alike, but some people refuse to be disillusioned by the
movie people, filling “State and Main” with numerous
subplots.

Ann, a local bookstore owner played by Rebecca Pidgeon, still
rehearses for local theater amongst the hubbub while her fiance
Doug, played by Clark Gregg, suspects something scandalous beneath
the bright lights of the film makers. Meanwhile, screenwriter
Joseph Turner White (Philip Seymour Hoffman) can’t keep the
Hollywood bigwigs from molesting his script, asking the dispensable
scribe to eliminate the old mill from his script entitled
“The Old Mill.”

Actress Claire Wellesley (Sarah Jessica Parker) refuses to take
off her clothes for scenes in the film and the Waterford
mayor’s wife (Patti LuPone) prepares a grand feast for the
Hollywood guests only to be snubbed at her own party.

With myriad stories taking stabs at every side of Hollywood,
“State and Main” director David Mamet shows that the
clash between Hollywood and its seeming antithesis ““ a
bucolic small town ““ isn’t all that huge. A local teen,
Carla (Julia Stiles), takes a cue from the tabloid pages when she
tempts Barrenger’s weakness for underage girls, and the
townspeople read “Variety” and talk about box office
grosses, showing that Hollywood has single-handedly connected the
world with larger-than-life icons. Hollywood knows its power, too,
doing or destroying whatever it wants ““ while slapping a
Band-Aid of money and celebrity appearances on whatever goes
wrong.

As a straight Hollywood satire, the movie is funny without being
too biting or serious, as 1992’s “The Player”
was. The movie can also be watched as a screwball comedy that pokes
fun at Hollywood’s self-grandeur; however, the unbelievable
slapsticky climax of the film ““ when White must decide if he
should protect or humiliate his unscrupulous superiors ““
doesn’t quite mix with the satire as a whole.

The strength and surprise of “State and Main” is the
dialogue and strong ensemble cast. Standout performances include
William H. Macy as the maniacal director who tells his poor stage
hand, “Your wife’s having a baby. Well, I don’t
see that in the schedule.” And Hoffman shines as the hapless
writer whose mouth never closes at the shock of witnessing his work
of art butchered by Hollywood’s merciless cutting board.

The blast on Hollywood and its starstruck followers makes a
welcome revelation in the new millennium when Tinsel Town is still
dominating the world ““ and not just in the movies.

Sandy Yang Rating: 8

“Shadow of the Vampire” Starring John
Malkovich and Willem Dafoe Directed by E. Elias
Merhige

The opening of “Shadow of the Vampire” features a
deceptively unsophisticated-looking art deco design. As the music
progresses from serene to ominous, the camera zooms in slowly on
the pattern and reveals a lurid world of detail just beneath the
surface of its elegant simplicity.

The multi-layered introduction is an appropriate metaphor for E.
Elias Merhige’s latest cinematic offering, which uses the
film within a film convention to deal with the theme of reality
versus fantasy. With much of the movie’s story grounded in
film history, this theme is further solidified; however, not even
Merhige’s brilliance nor John Malkovich’s stellar lead
performance can breathe life into this undead thriller.

“Shadow of the Vampire” is a fictionalized account
of the making of “Nosferatu,” the silent classic
directed by German expressionist filmmaker F.W. Murnau.

In “Shadow,” John Malkovich plays the role of
Murnau, who has become increasingly obsessed with capturing real
life sans the artificiality of acting. Indeed, Murnau and his
associates see themselves more as scientists than artists.

In keeping with his commitment to portray reality, Murnau casts
Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe), an actual vampire, in the role of Count
Orlock. To keep his camp sane and quench suspicions, Murnau
announces that Schreck is a practitioner of method acting who will
only appear in costume and at night. As payment for his services,
Schreck demands the neck of it-girl actor Greta Schroeder.

Restraint, however, isn’t the vampire’s forte, and
as the bodies of Murnau’s crew begin to pile up, the race is
on to complete the film.

Both Malkovich and Dafoe register outstanding performances.
Malkovich’s Murnau seems every bit the genius the German
auteur was, spewing out cryptic platitudes concerning the necessity
of suffering in one’s art.

Dafoe takes to the role of Schreck equally well, coming close to
matching “Nosferatu’s” Orlock in both ugliness
and malice. A large helping of dark comedy also makes its way into
the film, adding a new dimension to the vampire’s character.
Despite his evil ways, the uncouth fiend will periodically bring a
smile to your face.

Merhige’s work is also commendable with respect to the
breadth and depth of the themes it tackles. He engages the viewer
in a discussion of fantasy versus reality, which is visually
enhanced by color to black and white transitions when the audience
sees through the lens of Murnau’s camera. There’s also
tons of material to philosophize over concerning art and science,
sacrifice and the thin line between genius and insanity.

Unfortunately, the manner in which the film deals with
Schreck’s vampirism ““ whether or not he is the genuine
article ““ is grossly mishandled. Furthermore, the ending will
leave most viewers understandably unsatisfied. When that ending
finally comes, well, it’ll feel like someone’s driving
a stake through your heart.

Anthony Camara Rating: 6