Civil Articles
“The Fresh 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN”
By: Dan Jones
We were in favor of the Judd Apatow POW! to the screen when he produced “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” It wasn’t yet revealing Apatow’s voice (no writing or directing credit), but one felt the change of comedy. Director Adam McKay (“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”) and Apatow weren’t hiding the fact they were fooling around with a bunch of celebrities dressed as 70’s news anchors. We were invited to join the wrap party.
Then came a title that stopped you from hatefully flipping through a tabloid magazine: “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and a clip of a man in a bike helmet.
“The 40 Year Old Virgin” starred the some-what-funny guy with one expression from “The Daily Show” (the now-famous Steve Carell). An intriguing film poster followed resembling a high school senior picture of, apparently, a 40 year old. The first to hear of this films title (no wide-release trailer yet) were surely as clueless looking as Carell’s movie poster face. Was there going to be more than just a clever title and ridiculous poster?
Critics who reviewed the early film festival screenings raved over “The 40 Year Old Virgin.” Internet gossip involved Steve Carell being nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an actor – Musical/Comedy (which he wasn’t). But the critics were right. The teenagers were right. The prudes were squeamish, but had to admit everyone else was right. “The 40 Year Old Virgin” was a vulgar inspirational piece about … finding love.
The unusual screenplay, written by Apatow and Steve Carell, brings back the horny men of the 70’s and 80’s who talk about sex at their job, after they get off, before they get off, and after they get off. Character traits and developments are sometimes pushed on us; but again, “The 40 Year Old Virgin” was an independent movie which had no built-in audience. The dialogue is direct and shocking, but actors’ deliveries make moments of uncertainty explode with that Apatow POW! Yes, he said that, and it was hysterical that he said it that way.
The most unique characters and lines arise when racist topics and theories are made. Specific stereotypes are muddled with other stereotypes, and often contradicted by the race that brought up the stereotype in the first place. It’s a thin line to walk and is why this ingredient is hard to come by in today’s comedies.
The unrated DVD version of the virgin specifies that it “Now Lasts 17 Minutes Longer” and does refrain from cutting up extended chitchat, which some may prefer. If you haven’t seen “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” or are coming back for more, keep in mind the end credits should have started once the chorus of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In kicked in. (We smile accordingly, but there’s no punch before the credits roll over the “Hair” (1979) homage.)
Since “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” Apatow has hidden behind his title as Producer and credited here and there as a collaborating writer (or the one behind a story). So not every raunchy, smart-aleck, character-driven movie is his, but he did show how many perverse, sexual conversations transpire between 20-40 year old men.
Other creations of over-the-top characters and oddball segments have been sneaking into the 21st century comedies just to show us they’re having a good time, but you shouldn’t assume your audience is in on the joke. Timing, presentation, and delivery matter. Some comedic filmmakers have been having too good of a time and have forgotten the responsibility they have when following Apatow’s method. They can’t rewrite the rewritten formula as a rough improv sketch and then release it as a full-blown film.
There’s an attraction and something about “The 40 Year Old Virgin” that still turns us on and has inspired the world of free spirits encountering pain and life-changing difficulties to work hard at correcting the comedy genre. The Apatow approach keeps one’s interest as a believer and not just a dweeb who needs vulgarities shoved in between monologues.
No. I’d say most of the babies popping out since are not arousing us enough to forget our first time with “The 40 Year Old Virgin.” Remember your first true love.
- THE FILM RATE –
“The 40 Year Old Virgin”
4-1/2 stars our of 5
OTHER movies WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY JUDD APATOW
“Knocked Up”
4 stars our of 5
(Stars Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel)
Since giant prints of “Knocked Up” reviews were displayed in the theater lobbies ? a sign of our dedication to Apatow for pulling off another winner (second movie under his direction), the name Judd Apatow has been in the comedy cult circle. All right, so the doctors of “Knocked Up” are only a step above the corny doctor scenes from past comedies, but remember what you’re watching – a meaningful, dirty movie about growing up.
“Funny People”
3-1/2 stars our of 5
(Stars Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, Eric Bana, Jason Schwartzman, many comedians and celebrities)
“Funny People” was Apatow’s gamble, attempting the serious film involving funny people in funny/sad situations. Unfortunately, the “funny” moments consisted of stand-up comedians jamming gross-out jokes down your throat. A second viewing comes across as half-movie/half-stand-up filler because the routines have nothing to do with the storyline. The heart and family complications are captured, and you’re not persuaded to feel bad or dwell on a topic; but, perhaps, you can understand why some funny people don’t feel anything.
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Tags: The [spin]Fresh|New[/spin] 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN
Posted in Film · July 21st, 2010 · Comments (0)
We’ve discovered how to capture life, move the pieces around, and set it to music. The classics can remind us how primitive it was or how “corny” we’ve become; and moviesjavascript:void(0); will inevitably, overtime, become “dated.”
“Dated” can pertain to the composer being overly forceful, or in the late 60’s, hip. “Corny” moments arise when truth and honesty are completely left out of the picture (literally).
It takes practice, but it’s easy to learn the difference between “corny” and “dated.” Nowadays, if we make the mistake of laying a popular song over the establishing shot of a city, or cut from an intense scene to a preposterous moment to get a laugh, we know better, and we shouldn’t have.
Whichever the case, certain scenes of the many classics could have been cut. Music could have eased up. The blocking and action could have increased. Sometimes, however, the most intriguing ideas were not fully fathomable to the creative minds behind those ideas. Special effects were not risks but innovations. Tasks had to be tackled. The film world evolves, and over time, improves the movie-going experience.
“Vertigo” (1958)
5 out of 5
Alfred Hitchcock’s art house film is an adventure in the world of obsession.
Admiring, fantasizing, and stalking in a San Francisco land of wonder is passionately expressed. “Vertigo” is one of the few moviesjavascript:void(0); where frames can be stilled, printed, and hung in a home (or gallery). This is also the film responsible for Brian De Palma’s entire career (many of his corny movies derive from imitating the master Alfred Hitchcock).
An overly dizzy Jimmy Stewart (when high upon a stool) is “corny,” for he could have used a less theatrical take. Stewart’s head floating around for a dream sequence is “dated.” Now we know there were subtler ways to get Jimmy’s fears across, but those tactics were the first of their kind. There was only so much to study when it came to an obscure type of suffering like vertigo, and dream sequences at the time consisted of wavy dissolves and people looking into the camera.
Hitchcock is known for his more adventurous films, as well as one-location, play-like films. See if you can differentiate between the “corny” and “dated” moments of his collection. I’ll warn you, though. Hitchcock was often attempting dark humor and black comedy which were not yet being made and are even stranger today.
BEWARE, trailers may give some twists away!
“Cat People” (1942)
3-1/2 out of 5
“Cat People” does not fall under the B-movie creature feature. The characters drive this story, and the few suspenseful obstacles they encounter are dramatized through creative movie techniques. We may not care if the protagonists survive, exactly, because the infatuation and “dated” love affair which ensued was a bit rushed. The love triangle, however, brings an understanding and relevance to an ancient cat people legend. Just in time, we want everyone to be safe and muster sympathy for the cursed.
There are ways to scare without showing the monster. This is easy for us to say now, but at the time, was not what the audience expected.
The imagination of what lurks in the dark is always the haunting factor of any thriller. In this case, it’s a feline beast; but later, specifically 1975, it will inspire a movie to have a scarcely-seen shark remotely controlled by Steven Spielberg. By 2009, a frightened couple, and millions of audience members, will scream at a door closing in “Paranormal Activity.”
Director Jacques Tourneur and producer Val Lewton have teamed up for other interesting suspense films as well. “Cat People” is loosely documented as being the first film to startle the audience. Where would we be today without such a unique idea as this?
STAY TUNED right here for future classic articles.
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Tags: movie review
Posted in Film · July 13th, 2010 · Comments (0)