IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

I watched a movie, made in 2008, last week that was made by an old master. A guy who can act, direct and also write. The man has given plenty to cinema and the big screen all his life.
By 2008, this old pro was 78 years old. Yet he put together a movie that puts your heart on a rollercoaster with plenty emotional and comedy trimmings for the best part of 2 hours.

And the thought occured to me that this effort, which is without a huge Hollywood budget (or more than one 'A list' acting talent), really got the senses totally immersed in its story.

The movie I'm paying due respect to is Clint Eastwood's latest masterpiece Gran Torino.

It has little in the way of big-screen special effects or mega-cash pumped into it, yet gets so many simple things right. From subtle shots showing gentle responses of people's feelings, to showing ordinary humdrum life characters play ordinary roles that we all witness daily. The story lets you work out human feelings without us being force-fed paragraphs of explanation.

When the likes of us lot plan a little story, with a character or two who we feel something for, and which keeps us interested as to what will happen next, well that to me is a gold standard aim.

To make a short story that might, even for a few minutes, touch the viewers hearts, is a tough act. But life is about reaching for the stars, and having fun trying.

Gran Torino - is on Sky presently. It does contain a few expletives mind.

Loved that film. He has directed some awesome movies in the last few years. His WW2 double bill "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" showing different sides of the same battle are both excellent.

awesome film that there !

in my top ten fer sure.... Eastwood is an excellent actor and top, top director !

on a similar note ... just pre ordered Harry Brown ... with Michael Caine... another mega star....

interesting take on Harry Brown is its being hailed as the best British film of 2009.... and about the UK

takes you very very close to real life and portrays a Britain on the edge...

fantastic stuff this film malarky aint it !!!?!!

Years ago I used to take VHS tapes wound to a certain spot to show at clubs when I was doing an evening. One of the clips was from Eastwood's Unforgiven, and it has a masterfully understated scene where neither Eastwood nor Freeman want to shoot at the youngsters who had stolen cattle. Eastwood looks away, picks resignedly at stones around him, knowing how hard it is to shoot a man, what pain it will inflict and what little good it will do.

Up until that moment he's simply shot and killed anything that moved - watch For a Few Dollars More to see the casual way he killed, and the casual way we the audience accepted it.

tom.