Oliver Stone’s unrewarding Savages, starring Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson, reviewed for MSN Movies.
As I note in my review, Katy Perry: Part of Me makes Truth or Dare look like Gimme Shelter, but on its particular terms it does its job better than the Stone. Which doesn’t mean I think you ought to see it, necessarily.
Loved the review, with the exception of a (perhaps subliminal) substitution of “firmament” for “fundament” –unless there’s a joke I’m missing, which wouldn’t be the first time.
Good call, TE. It WAS one of those subliminal goofs and I’ll see about fixing it! Thanks!
As someone who has read Winslow’s novel, I can assure you that your review has convinced me that Oliver Stone did everything his power to faithfully translate it to the screen. If you get me.
When I saw the trailer for SAVAGES I could not believe that Oliver Stone made this film. It seemed like a joke. His other failures in the past have at least been interesting in some way, but everything about this screamed obvious and derivative. Like what McG would do if he felt the need to broadcast that he could be “edgy.” Man, even U‑TURN looks like a masterpiece compared this this hunk of junk. And I know he’s got other promising projects in development, including a My Lai film, a film about Custer’s Last Stand, one about the first CIA guys into Afgahnistan and a fascinating TV pilot.
I remember the My Lai film (I think it was called something like “Pinkville”) was almost about to film with Bruce Willis and Channing Tatum (did they retitle it “G.I. Joe Retaliation”?) a few years ago before they pulled the plug, I think due to some MGM mishegas.
Bill: Having read Winslow, whose work while entertaining just DRIPS “Failed screenwriter”, I get ya.
En olé, että paljon verkossa lukija olla rehellinen, mutta sivustoillasi todella mukavaa, keep it up! Menen eteenpäin ja kirjanmerkki sivustosi palata myöhemmin. Kaikki best.pretty arvokasta tavaraa kaiken mielestäni tämä ansaitsee kirjanmerkin, kiitos..
You should probably sit down with the Merchant-Ivory “Savages” from forty years ago as a palate cleanser.
“When I saw the trailer for SAVAGES I could not believe that Oliver Stone made this film. It seemed like a joke. His other failures in the past have at least been interesting in some way, but everything about this screamed obvious and derivative.”
You can’t judge a book by its trailer, y’know.
(And U‑Turn actually WAS a masterpiece.)
The Merchant-Ivory “Savages” us a masterpiece. The screenplay is by Michael O’Donohue and the great (and greatly fucked-up) George W.S. Trow.
Straight up, DE – I adore SAVAGES, a berserker black comedy of manners like no other, and certainly like nothing else in the M‑I songbook. As I’ve remarked on other occasions, I’ve always wanted to ask Sam Waterston approximately how much LSD-25 was consumed during its making, to the nearest pound. Cannot imagine why it isn’t discussed more.
If anyone needs any more encouragement to see the Merchant/Ivory SAVAGES, let me add this: Thayer David in a loincloth.
What more can you want?
That plus a title song by Bobby Short, Kathleeen Widdoes in drag, and the delightful Astha Puthli.
I believe you’re all burying the lede, which, if I recall correctly, is, SAM WATERSTON NUDE.
Everything being said here about the Merchant-Ivory SAVAGES makes me want to watch it right now, partcularly the screenwriting credit for Trow.
All together now:
We don’t need no blackbirds to bye-bye!
Or hooty owls to ask us “Who?” or “Why?”
Wallabies and sheep need not apply!
All we want are sleeping dogs that lie!
Forgive us all you ASPCA’s…
We’re going through a most distressing phase!
Now borzois, boxers, even Old Dog Trays
Are victims of our very latest craze!
We’re…
Steppin’ on the spaniel
Fallin’ off a log.
Syncopate it, and ya’ll
Be puttin’ on the dog!
No difference if it’s a pedigreed or a mutt, I know
It doesn’t matter when you’re doin’ that strut, hi ho!
Steppin’ on the spaniel
It’s on the up and up.
Syncopate it, and ya’ll
Be pouncin’ on the pup!
So close your eyes and give these guys a big smooch right now
As you’re jumpin’ up and down and steppin’ on the pooch, bow wow!
Oh, we’re steppin’ on the spaniel
Fallin’ off a log.
Syncopate it, and ya’ll
Be puttin’ on the dog!
Daschounds, setters, know their betters, and must submit
Every rover has come over, to get with it!
Steppin’ on the spaniel
Isn’t it a lark.
Syncopate it, and ya’ll
Be barkin’ after dark.
So close your eyes and give these guys a big smooch right now
As you’re jumpin’ up and down and steppin’ on the pooch, bow wow!
Sam Waterston nude, you say?! I thought the best cinema offered us in that vein was the shower scene from THE KILLING FIELDS.
Anyone who’s not stoked for this should be waterboarded.
Can’t believe Kenny can snidely write off Stone’s ENTIRE FILMOGRAPHY, Jesus.
On a positive Glenn Kenny note, I really enjoyed his performance as the lecherous Italian actor in TO ROME WITH LOVE.
Well, Lex, My Close Personal Friend Ron Goldberg™ just the other night at dinner expressed the opinion that, for a long run in the ’90s, what Stone did with sound and visuals was nothing short of GENIUS, so you’ve got him in your corner, for what it’s worth. And I still like “U‑Turn.” Although I was shocked to see that, my memory of it to the contrary, it, too, is over 120 minutes.
Stone’s ’86 to ’96 run is the best run of any director, ever, in the entire history of cinema, kind of like Scorsese x Spike x 100. He was the most exciting thing going.
The idea that you were sitting there watching JFK or NBK all annoyed and flippant and “eh, whatever, I guess if you like THAT kinda thing…”
But whatever. Movies should be a PUMMELING. A full ASSAULT on the senses. Subtlety is the enemy of art, and definitely the enemy of awesomeness.
Point taken. I was fully into the pummeling “Natural Born Killers” was giving me right up to the point that the words “Too Much TV” were projected onto Harrelson’s chest. And “JFK” was so crazy and propulsive that I almost bought it. In any case, I wasn’t a “film critic” at the time, just a paying enthusiast who was well-satisfied in the categories you imply and not to concerned about the other shit. But honestly, those pictures recollected in tranquility, or re-watched on disc or Blu-ray…lotta problems. Stone always had admirable balls and took risks that no one would think of taking, and always without fear of the potentially risible result (i.e. “The Doors”). While he’s to be commended for that, and while his films often contain risks that pay off, there’s also a feeling on my end of the overheatedness falling flat after the initial impact. As for “Savages,” well…it does make one miss whatever the specific things were that A. Kitman Ho brought to the table.
I will happily write off Stone’s entire filmography.
All the pummeling of ‘Natural Born Killers’ matters not one whit, given that Stone wusses out and pulls his punch right at the very end, by not sticking with the original ending.
“My Close Personal Friend Ron Goldberg™ just the other night at dinner expressed the opinion that, for a long run in the ’90s, what Stone did with sound and visuals was nothing short of GENIUS”
Exactamundo. The Stone/Richardson collaboration was immense.
My initial comment on walking out of JFK was: “Jesus Christ. Experimental film for the masses.”
Stone has a bunch of failures in his filmography, and even his successes have major issues. I mean, let’s say that 80% of Natural Born Killers works, and 20% is pounding mice with sledgehammers. But who cares about the 20%? The flick burned bright as hell on initial viewing, and still burns pretty brightly re-watched on Blu-Ray.
(The concept that you remember U‑Turn’s 125 minutes as a crisp 95 minutes sorta goes to my larger point. The fact that the dude is problematic is overwhelmed by the dude’s skills. I wouldn’t recommend Any Given Sunday to ANYONE, and I have no desire to seek it out on home video for a second viewing, but I will note that I was pleasantly hypnotized during my time watching it in the cinema.)
I’m going to see Savages this coming week, and all I expect is that it’ll be a helluva lot more interesting than almost any other widely released summer movie, even if some parts don’t work…
And I’ve always thought studios ought to replicate the “Garbo Laughs” marketing for other films.
Not only should the original Savage’s poster have read, “Sam Waterson Nude”, but Moulin Rouge’s poster should have read, “Jim Broadbent Dances”.
It IS true that at one point Stone was doing excellent things with sound & image that more or less transcended the clunkiness of his ideas about history, human nature, etc, not to mention some truly bad dialogue. I haven’t seen much of that lately (and I never did see U Turn.) He’s the slightly obnoxious runt of the film brat litter.
Pace bill, I wouldn’t write off his entire filmography, since there is some good stuff in there. JFK, for all of its kookiness, is an amazingly well-told and entertaining yarn. Wall Street may not be the most original story of temptation and corruption, but it sure is fun and lively. When Stone is really cooking, the results are solid, but he seems to have slipped quite a bit since his heyday.
Maybe the fact that he’s one of the few mainstream guys willing to call US Imperialism what it is, and make a Chavez film (partly) as a fuck-you to the Corporate State, is what makes me give him a pass overall.