20:07 ("Zodiac") and the 8th Annual FB Awards

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie.
Can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

It might be perverse to end a fun series like 20:07 on as sick and somber a note as Zodiac (2007) but the obsessive detailing of this particular blogging experiment does dovetail nicely with Fincher's lengthy minutae-loving procedural. So here we go, the final installment *sniffle*

Zodiac: Get on your stomach so I can tie your feet.
Victim #?: It gets really cold out here at night. We could freeze. You all done? You know, just because people are going to ask... was that thing even loaded?

And then a rather gruesome double homicide begins (again). One of the things that's most disturbing about Zodiac is that almost every single man in it (even this soon-to-expire one) shares one particular psychosis of the killer's: an absolute fascination with detail. This guy is being trussed up like a turkey and he's asking questions calmly, wanting to know the killer's history, correcting his own girlfriend, thinking about the temperature of the Bay area at night, and wondering about the practical aspects of how the masked man is committing his crimes. If this man weren't about to be killed, you could totally see him joining Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffallo and Anthony Edwards in their downward spirals of crime solving.

Creepy as hell this sequence is. And it doesn't even bother with typical violent filmmaking impulses. David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club) isn't concerned this time with making you jump or scream. He doesn't offer up lazy quick cutting to disorient you. The psychosis is disorienting enough. It's easy to make an audience jump out of their seats. Suddenly loud sound cues and quick edits with threatening blocking do the trick every time. It's hard to make a film that disturbs well beyond its running time. David Fincher, my hat is off.

So, um...(trying to shake it off) "HAPPY NEW YEAR" (?)
If you wanna keep me typing through 2008 and through another year of the Film Bitch Awards, it's as simple as this:

2008: I already have some ideas brewing (even a couple of rough drafts written) so hopefully you'll stick around. I've successfully become more than an awards man in the past few years but my traffic still paints the picture that many of you are only here for the circus that is Oscar season and my own awards. Where the hell do half of you go thereafter? Some of the best stuff @ the film experience is in the off season. That's when it gets more creatively random, more rangey in tone and topic, less "now" focused and more series driven: I've got more original content weekly (not just news regurgitation) than most blogs even attempt in patches. So I hope you'll reward me with your continued patronage --and tell your friends to read -- once the last movie award for 2007 is handed out. To keep the Oscar junkies in a perpetual high, I've decided to keep sunday's "naked gold man" series on a weekly basis... even once awards season wraps. We'll cover Oscar news as it develops every Sunday or revisit past Oscar years. But only on Sundays. There's more to the movies than the red carpet.

But speaking of awards... the tentative calendar
12/30 Cinematic Shame ~ Worst of the Year
12/31 Oscar Updates. Year in Review Best of Begins...
01/01 Underrated and Honorable Mentions
01/02 The Film Experience's Top Ten of 2007
01/02 The 8th Annual FiLM BiTCH Awards Begin This site's singular awards-giving jamboree, all January long. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in so many categories you'll beg me to quit. Here's a sneak peek...

If you have any FYCs now would be the time. You can see previous years here
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20:07 (When Marie Met Louis)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

Marie: please, please don’t. don’t be unhappy. I’m terribly sorry
Louis: You won’t say anything will you -- to the king or that woman?
Marie: I won’t say a word to anyone.
Louis: You promise?
Marie: I promise faithfully whatever happens.

These two were a lot more chatty and forthcoming in 1938 than they turned out to be in 2006. Times have changed.

20:07 ("An Irritating Truth")

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

We are at the tipping point, people. If we don't do something now--uh, I'm sorry. I lost my train of thought...
.....................Isn't he dreamy?"

Lisa Simpson ~one of the fullest cartoon characterizations of all time. Can I get an "agreed" ?

20:07 (Hot For Teacher?)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

I hope you like it. Your notes were awesome.

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20:07 (Citizen Kane)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie

I got two surprises in my inbox the past couple of days, both 20:07 related. First, I received an e-mail from Kris Tapley (who you know from Red Carpet District and In Contention) expressing love and admiration for this long running and very soon ending [sniffle] series and he sent this image from Citizen Kane. With the following words:

First and foremost, I'm one of those people who thinks the cliché is a cliché for a reason. To my mind, Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever made for a number of reasons, not the least of which being Gregg Tolland's innovations behind the camera...which is where I come to this image.

The framing, the way Kane's father is captured in his belligerence the same as his mother is captured in her apathy, and certainly, the notion that there is Kane in the distance, caught between the decision that would change his life forever. In the end, it's a moment that will cause him to harken back to the innocence he left behind when, on his death bed, he exhales the most infamous word in all of cinema.

Suddenly I was struck with the notion that, of all the images of considerable merit in Citizen Kane, this one might indeed be the most thematically valuable.

I truly love this film the more I watch it, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to send this note along.

Thanks, Kris. I love the film too. Though here's an inexplicable fact and odd confession: I've only seen it once. You'd think I'd revisit.

Anyway, 20:07. I'm so glad this series has ignited so much curiousity and am thrilled that my very random impulse spreads like a cinephiliac virus --the best kind to catch. Next: total world domination. Mwaahaaahahaa

Second thing. I received an unexpected donation (Thanks James!) totalling $20.07. That's so cute and every little bit helps. It isn't easy juggling two jobs and this is the one I love. I'd rather let the other balls drop. So if you're feeling generous this holiday season, you can click on the little donate button and you make my life as a struggling writer $howevermucheasier. It's really a simple formula. Money = Time for writing. I won't be doing another huge fundraiser until I'm done with those "requests" (10 more to go --eep) but it is Christmahanukwanza so you can always add me to your gift list if you're a wonderful person. And if you're reading regularly, I can only assume that you are.

Happy Holidays!

Next week @ The Film Experience: Jennifer Jason Leigh, more awards hoopla, ABBA, thoughts on Sweeney Todd and Atonement, more Vanity Fair cover(age), the final week of 20:07, and then... a wee break for Christmas before the Year in Review festivities / Film Bitch Awards hit. Stay tuned.

20:07 Can You Name the Films?

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

#1 highly influential
La Jetee -correctly guessed by Goran in Australia

#2 is this the only closeup of braunschweiger ever in the history of the movies? I love braunschweiger.
The Straight Story (David Lynch) correctly guessed by Felix. I don't know how you did it.


#3 [no dialogue]
Silence of the Lambs -correctly guessed by Jason


#4 "GET THE F*** OUT OF THE CAR!"
Summer of Sam (Spike Lee) correctly guessed by Deborah

#5 [no dialogue]
Badlands -correctly guessed by W.R. Clark

#6 "this Thursday... it's our anniversary"
What's Eating Gilbert Grape? -Correctly guessed by Tomo in Denmark

#7 "Where is she?" (it's maybe better if they don't find her, if you ask me)
Catwoman -correctly guessed by JA. God help him.

#8 "Let the games begin" (omg, these 80s clothes)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun -correctly guessed by Alirose

#9 "great parenting"
21 Grams (Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu) correctly guessed by Ryan

#10 rescue
Speed -correctly guessed by Lawyer Tony Fernando

#11 title card: "how long will I live?"
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari -correctly guessed by Nick

#12 "Doo dee doo dee doo! Dee doo dee doo dee"
Tom Thumb -correctly guessed by Ant


#13 job seeker? (this is from the 60s and by a very very famous director)
Marnie (Alfred Hitchcock) -correctly guessed by Lorenzo from Italy

The last couple of installments of the beloved 20:07 series (which always had an expiration date ~sniffle) are on their way. Then the Cinematic Shame "awards", Year in Review and the 8th Annual Film Bitch Awards begin.

20:07 (Gaslight x 2)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of movies
(can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC)

Mr. Mallen: Your mistress is a very unusual woman --quite strange. You mustn’t let things you hear and see upset you. You’re a young girl, inexperienced …you are inexperienced, aren’t you?
Nancy, the Parlour Maid: Depends on how you mean, sir.

Naughty.

Paula: This glove. She wore it at Romeo & Juliet at the command performance at Covent Gardens. Gournod signed it for her afterwards. I never knew what happened to the other glove.

20:07 (Why Can't You Behave?)

screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home (different players/timing) I use a VLC

"Theres a farm I know near my old home town,
Where we two can go and try settling down."

20:07 (Bette Plays Hard to Get)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home (different players/timing). I use a VLC

[knock knock knock knock]

Julie? Julie! It’s Pres. Open the door I want to talk to you. Julie, why don’t you answer? Now look here Julie, you and I have got to straighten things out. There’s no sense to all this!

20:07 (Staying Pregnant)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC.

Juno: And she was like 'Oh hi. Babies have fingernails' Fingernails!
Lea: That's gruesome. Do you think the baby could, all like, scratch your vag on the way out...

Did you see Juno last night or are you waiting for the weekend? If you've seen it chime in in the comments: Did you laugh? cry? or just wonder what all the Oscar fuss was about? If it does get a Best Picture nomination, won't it be the most youth-skewing entry in eons... or ever?

20:07 (Moses Moses x 2)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of movies
(can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC)

Listen -- the trumpets tell all the world he’s come back to me! Hear them and all their shouts drowned by the beating of my heart

This first glimpse of Cecil B DeMille's eternal VistaVision classic The Ten Commandments is not at the 20:07 mark but I had to lead off with it. You see, my holy trinity of takeaways from this BIG movie break down like this:

1. Yul Brynner's commanding presence


2. The parting of the Red Sea (used to wow me as a tyke)


3. Anne Baxter's boo-hiss femme fatale Nefretiri. In the screenshot above she's all hot and bothered about what's happening at this, the 20:07 mark. Witness...

The looooooord Moses: Prince of Egypt. Son of the pharoah’s sister

Pomp and circumstance, 50s VistaVision style. Every time I catch a glimpse of this movie I desperately want to get lost in Baxter's über quotability or Yul Brynner's bald everything. I know it's not original or revelatory to announced that I adore Baxter's "Moses Moses you splendid adorable fool" but when it comes to bible epics, I'm but a member of the vast gay flock ... and Camp is my shepherd.

No other Moses movies can compete but here's DeMille's first try (They've already let his people go?!!! Bible speed reading I tell you. Or did I put in the wrong disc. wha...?)

[title card preceeding this shot] All the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. And they despoiled the Egyptians of jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment. [Exodus 12:41-36]

20:07 (The Sultan's Feast)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

Sultan: Is that not Sadi, your waiting woman?
Princess: Yes, Papa. She has offered herself as the magician's subject.
Sultan: If he can turn her into a contented woman, he is indeed a great magician.
Princess: Papa!

20:07 (Architecture)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

April: It-it has an organic quality, you know.

Holly: Right

April: It's almost... almost, uhhh, entirely wholly interdependent, if you know what I mean. I--I... I can't put it into words. The important thing is--is--is it breathes.

David: You know, April, people pass by vital structures in this city all the time, and they never take the time to appreciate them. I get the feeling you tune in to your environment.

Holly: (interrupting) Oh, it's really important.

April: What are your favorite buildings, David?

I hate April. I don't think she knows what she's talking about.

20:07 (Falling Slowly)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now

I love that that "Falling Slowly" the best song and best scene from Once arrives so quickly in the movie and that it resonates for so long afterwards. The effect that the sequence has on its leads (the first time the leads are musically joined) is similar to what's happening to the audience: you find yourself ever more drawn to these two souls as they're drawn to each other, sharing in a musical passion.

In truth this is the first 20:07 image that I've doctored. In the second in question the camera does a swift pan right to left from Markéta to Glen. Neither are fully in the frame simultaneously. It's a point for the movie and its insightful wise portrait of this bittersweet relationship, that I couldn't bear to see them separated. [prev article on Once]

20:07 (King Kong x 2)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of movies
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

Neither beast nor man: something monstrous, all powerful, still living, still holding that island in a grip of deadly fear. Well, every legend has a basis of truth. I tell you there's something on that island that no white man has ever seen!

If there’s anything that you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.

God woman, just get on the boat already! In the original movie they're already talking about the giant ape

20:07 (Make an Entrance)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

20:07 (The Future Mrs)

Oh, there’s a new girl from Paramount. Yes?

20:07 (Disgruntled Troops)

screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home (different players/timing) I use a VLC

~ While we slave over this mud, he goes off to have a few drinks!
~ Someday I’m going to take one smack at him –just one.
~ Me too. That’s going to be my life’s work from now on.
~ Why only one? I’m going to take several.
~ I might even kick him when he’s down.

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20:07 (At Truvy's)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of movies
can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC

I'm so anxious to discuss this topic for the 900th time this week

20:07 (Grumpy Old Men)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of movies
I can't guarantee the same results at home (players/timing). I use a VLC

Eddie: The man’s a rub down whore. Today he doesn’t want one.
Frankie: You ever do any work around here?
Eddie: It’s not my job I’d worry about if I was you.