Public Enemies

[hammersavage]

So the trailer was put online today and I creamed in my shorts just a little.

In case you don't know, Michael Mann (Heat, The Insider) has a new movie this summer, July 1st. It stars Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, Christian Bale as FBI agent Melvin Purvis, Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover and so many more people its ridiculous. Set during the Great Depression. On paper it looks great with the director and cast, but I'm nervous that it could be set up as a popcorn movie.


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[razorboy]

I have an enormous crush on Marion Cotillard and I think she is a fantastic actress, but I just don't buy Crudup as Hoover.

[hammersavage]

I think Crudup is a good actor, I mean, he's a golden god. But as Hoover, I don't know.

I want to see how Channing Tatum pulls off Pretty Boy Floyd. And I love Stephen Graham as Baby Face Nelson, he's amazing.

[TheMojoPin]

Michael Mann has been more miss than hit with his last few movies, but this seems pretty hard to fuck up given the cast and the subject matter. Of course, I also thought it would be impossible to fuck up a movie about Muhammed Ali, but he somehow managed to do that, so who knows?

Sounds like he's continuing his trend of picking THE worst music possible for his films. I don't get how a guy uses a score and popular music as well as he did in Heat can keep dropping such musical clunkers. I actually really liked most of Collateral, but when he dropped in the fucking Audioslave song? Good Lord.

[foodcourtdruide]

Doesn't it look like there's an incredibly unnecessary love story in this film?

[KingGeno]

I'm really excited about this movie. The trailer music was absolutely horrible though. I still think the Dillinger-era of gangsters is the most intrigiung criminal activity time of all time. I can't wait to see this.

Not sure about Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis though. The rest of the cast and players they have in the movie look fantastic though. Hope they play up the lady in red, melvin purvis's HUGE mistake that lead him to resign (only to be denied by Hoover), etc.

Doesn't it look like there's an incredibly unnecessary love story in this film?

The love story is VERY important to his story.

[foodcourtdruide]

The love story is VERY important to his story.

Really? Why's that? I'm not so familiar with the story.

[KingGeno]

Really? Why's that? I'm not so familiar with the story.

SPOILERS (Read at your own Risk) - Well. His love for women led to his downfall. Since it is historical, here is info on it: Lady In Red (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dillinger#The_Lady_in_Red)

[TheMojoPin]

Well. His love for women led to his downfall. Since it is historical, here is info on it: Lady In Red (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dillinger#The_Lady_in_Red)

FYI for anyone reading up on that, it's likely to contain HUGE SPOILERS. Like Geno was saying, you can't make a movie about Dillinger without that relationship being a huge part of it.

[KingGeno]

I updated my original post with a Spoiler warning.

I hope they play up how these Gangsters, while dangerous and killers (not so much Dillinger), as the heroes for the poor people and the robin hood's of their time.

[TheMojoPin]

I updated my original post with a Spoiler warning.

I hope they play up how these Gangsters, while dangerous and killers (not so much Dillinger), as the heroes for the poor people and the robin hood's of their time.

AKA poor people can be really stupid.

[hammersavage]

Sounds like he's continuing his trend of picking THE worst music possible for his films. I don't get how a guy uses a score and popular music as well as he did in Heat can keep dropping such musical clunkers. I actually really liked most of Collateral, but when he dropped in the fucking Audioslave song? Good Lord.

Agreed. And like Geno mentioned, the trailer music is terrible. Just tone it down and let the film do the work.

[KingGeno]

It's sad that I don't see Bonnie and Clyde in this movie's lineup. Least babyface is in there.

[KingGeno]

New Trailer (http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-GB&vid=8fd15a4a-1c72-4a6a-97ef-fea6d0c5d449)

MUCH MUCH better trailer. I can't wait for this movie! :clap:

[hammersavage]

Wow, that trailer was much better. I still wish he would shoot on film for christ's sake, a period piece in digital looks odd.

[Contra]

Hey he is a TV director at heart what you gunna do.

Saw the trailer, looks very good

[MacVittie]

http://auralstates.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/public-enemy.jpg

[hammersavage]

One week away. I still can't get used to the digital look of the trailer. I think it looks terrible, it can work on Collateral or Miami Vice, but not a movie about Dillenger.

[Snoogans]

One week away. I still can't get used to the digital look of the trailer. I think it looks terrible, it can work on Collateral or Miami Vice, but not a movie about Dillenger.

Collateral is that Tom Cruise assassin shit right? I actually didnt mind that movie. I thought it was pretty good

[hammersavage]

Collateral is that Tom Cruise assassin shit right? I actually didnt mind that movie. I thought it was pretty good

With Jamie Foxx, yes. I enjoyed it and I liked they way he filmed it. But get the fuck over it. Shoot this like Last of the Mohicans ya dick!

[TheMojoPin]

Collateral is that Tom Cruise assassin shit right? I actually didnt mind that movie. I thought it was pretty good

Damn good movie. Would have been even better if all the pointless shit with Jada Pinkett's character had been cut out.

[Snoogans]

Damn good movie. Would have been even better if all the pointless shit with Jada Pinkett's character had been cut out.

Yea. My favorite scene was when he made Jamie Foxx go get the second copy of the list. Jamie Foxx pulled off so well lookin like a guy in that exact spot and then somehow just pullin something out of his ass. it was fuckin awesome

[Contra]

Feel lucky it wasn't shot on beta

[Gerald]

So, apparently Christian Bale has been banished from the advertising.

[Gerald]

I want to know why when Michael Mann uses the Viper cam it looks like it was shot on his Blackberry while David Fincher was able to use the same camera for his last two movies to create the most striking imagery imaginable.

[Gerald]

I kind of had a hard time absorbing all of the salient plot details and I never fully got into the story because I couldn't stop thinking about how much I hated the lifelessly grainy 1980s camcorder look. I saw it pristine digital projection too; I don't want to imagine how much more ugly it would've looked on unfocused and improperly lit celluloid.

I guess it was still an alright movie, though. The cast and the recreation of the era are good, there's a few intense shootouts, and Michael Mann softens the blow of the dreary cinematography with professional composition and angling of the shots.

[hammersavage]

Saw it yesterday. I liked it more than I thought I would.

The story is pretty cool, the acting is well done and the casting was spot on. Purvis and Baby Face in particular were great.

But for the love of god, you are the man who shot Last of the Mohicans. Put the goddamn digital down and make a beautiful film. Like Gerald said, it looked like a grainy camcorder sometimes. And then the gun flashes were overwhelming the scenery in some scenes. It really was a drawback for me.

There is a great movie in there somewhere, unfortunately what we got was just a good movie.

[Contra]

It's sad that I don't see Bonnie and Clyde in this movie's lineup. Least babyface is in there.

Why? They never really crossed paths, just had their crime spree during the same time.