Alternative Tidbits | PIOTR GZOWSKI

Some time ago my niece, Renata, spent a few years abroad teaching modern dance in Prague. Upon returning to the United States, she mentioned that her most startling experience, after living in Eastern Europe where one shopped at the local store for fresh bread, vegetables, etc., was walking into an American supermarket, and reexperiencing the overabundance of products - aisle after aisle of endless choices which, ironically, offered very little actual nutrition. That observation is very similar to what I experience when I decide to shop a film or a television program to watch. With the establishment of the multiplex theaters in the last decades of the 20th century and the eruption of video streaming in the 21st, it has become more and more difficult to notice something that catches my fancy. It all tends to be a plethora of “alikes” - a mass production of the same story, a repetition of endless sequels which then resurrect as prequels. Consequently, film production efforts seem to focus more on adding sugar to a product rather than developing a new one. A good example of this is the new HBO series House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon, as all Game of Thrones fans will recognize, is based on the family of Daenerys Targaryen, the mother of dragons, who was introduced in the original eight season series. The first episode of the House of the Dragon recently premiered on HBO. The production value is indeed quite impressive. The casting is strong. The costumes and set are extravagant. There are many dragons, not just a few. The storyline is peppered with enough intrigue to drive the story forward. However, the brutality, violence and sex are more graphic. The characters are very predictable. And from the outset, it is already obvious that this series intends to exploit the foundations of the original GOT rather than to introduce any new concepts. For all practical purposes, the Targaryen story was already told in the original series through the character of Daenerys Targaryen. One wonders why this story was necessary. Game of Thrones had many side plots that would have been more interesting to watch. It is unfortunate that the HBO producers opted to rehash this particular one. Nevertheless, the series will probably recapture the audience developed by the Game of Thrones.

For those who may wish to sample some alternatives, there are few tidbits available on the menu. Three of the four that are recommended watching are documentaries.

Tidbit 1

For rock music devotees, EPIX has fielded a four-part series on the Rolling Stones called My Life as a Rolling Stone. Each episode concentrates on one of the four members of the band – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts. What makes this series appealing is that unlike many documentaries about rock musicians that primarily address the celebrity status of its subjects this series offers the viewer a glimpse each of the performers as a virtuoso within his particular skill set. As a result, the watcher is given an opportunity to understand the unique contribution that each of these members has made to the band. The Rolling Stones have not only survived the music industry for nearly 60 years, but, in that time, they have continued to capture and dominate musical presence in front of audiences that span several generations.

Tidbit 2

Known for its heavily stylized performance, elaborate make up and costumes, the Japanese Kabuki theater is a classical form of dance and drama, a tradition that dates back nearly four hundred years. Netflix offers a comprehensive glimpse at the Kabuki in the documentary Sing, Dance, Act: Kabuki. The documentary features the popular Japanese film and television star Toma Ikuta and his long-time friend Kabuki actor Matsuya Onoe who reunite to perform an original Kabuki piece by Onoe titled Akado Suzunosuke based on a legendary Japanese character. This documentary traces the rigorous training and intense rehearsals that Toma Ikuta, a conventional non-Kabuki actor, undergoes to perform the play . It is an intimate one-and-a-half-hour glimpse at the conditioning and strength required to work as a Kabuki actor, and an opportunity for a Westerner to experience an artform rarely seen on our side of the world. It is time well invested.

Tidbit 3

In 2019 CNN presented a miniseries called THE MOVIES. Produced by Tom Hanks, this six-part series chronicles the history of US cinema from its roots to the present day. Each episode is approximately two hours long, and it is one of the most entertaining, informative, and intelligent commentaries about American films and their influence on American culture. Recently, CNN has revived the series on Sunday evenings. For the movie buff, this series is a must.

Tidbit 4

There are those films that are rarely viewed because, despite critical acclaim, they are regulated to the film festival circuit or are offered as limited public releases. C’mon C’mon, a feature written and directed by Mike Mills is one such film. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Gabby Hoffmann, and child actor Woody Norman, it is a story about unfortunate circumstances within the family and their effects on the family survivors of those circumstances. Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most prolific character actors on the modern screen. He is an actor with an uncanny ability to push beyond the borders of conventional character portrayal. Yet, in this film, as Johnny, a radio journalist, he inhabits the world of an ordinary bachelor dealing with a brutally honest, precocious nine-year old nephew Jesse whom he temporarily inherits from his sister who is struggling with the mental illness of the boy’s father. After watching Phoenix perform the Joker, a Roman Emperor, Johnny Cash and even Christ, it is a departure to see play an ordinary human being. Happily, he does not disappoint. The real star of the production, however, is Woody Norman as Jesse, his nephew. The interplay between Norman and Phoenix is so easy and casual that it is hard to imagine that these were two actors working from a script rather than improvising every scene throughout the film. The performances are spontaneous and natural, the humor is genuine, and the result is a pleasure to watch. C’mon C’mon debuted at the 46th Telluride Film Festival in 2021. It had a limited release in November 2021. It is a black and white film critically acclaimed for its performances, direction and cinematography which normally translates to film that may be too intelligent for the general commercial market. But it is a gem. The film is currently available on Hulu, Netflix, and on British Airways should you find yourself flying across the Atlantic.

And these, my dear reader, are the tidbits I was able to find amidst that cornucopia of recent mediocrity. Hopefully, my discoveries can provide you some aesthetic respite. But, as always, this is only my opinion. Check out the offerings and judge for yourself.