In a last ditch effort to save her career, Norma heads to Paramount Pictures to speak with Cecil B. showcases the pitfalls of Hollywood fame through the eyes of faded silent film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Kildaire.īilly Wilder’s 1950 film noir classic Sunset Blvd. The same building, which houses production offices in real life, also masked as Blair General Hospital in the 1960s television series Dr. Fans can catch a glimpse of it by taking the Sony Pictures Studio Tour, or from outside the gates on Culver Boulevard near where it intersects La Salle Avenue. Much of the MGM backlot was sold off in the 70s, but thankfully, the Art Deco-style Thalberg Building, which was built in 1938, still stands. At the time of filming, the 185-acre studio belonged to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The rear side of the Irving Thalberg Building at Sony Pictures Studios was used as the exterior of the hospital in the movie. After their first attempt fails, Nick winds up in Blair General Hospital. But the world he has created in this film is completely unique, and perhaps even worthy of a sequel.Who can forget the iconic image of a turbaned Lana Turner donning a white crop top and shorts while fiddling with a tube of lipstick at the beginning of The Postman Always Rings Twice? Frank Chambers (John Garfield) and Lana’s sultry Cora Smith plot to kill Cora’s husband, Nick (Cecil Kellaway), in the 1946 film. Some may question Chang’s decision to turn in a more somber direction towards the latter part of the film, rather than push the outrageousness up as far as it will go. Coffee Noir, meanwhile, is a complete contrast in mood and expression, but this film too ultimately succeeds thanks to memorable characters and strong acting. His second film Kissing Cousin, a much more straightforward story about two cousins who can’t stop themselves from falling in love with each other, was a relaxed drama that grew steadily more emotional as the film progressed. With three features to date, director Chang Hyun-sang has quietly built up a distinctive filmography, with each work significantly different from the one that precedes it. It doesn’t seem healthy to be so efficient and professional, but somehow she comes across as highly likeable at the same time. or maybe not?) For me she embodies the impressive but slightly alarming competence of young generation Koreans. More generally, if there’s anyone who wishes to understand why South Korea will one day rule the world, one could do worse than to study the character of Ju-won. Unexpectedly, and in a totally serious way, the film presents a fascinating portrait of leadership. Her employees’ devotion to her is absolute and unquestioned, and while watching the film, I kind of wished that I could work for her too. She knows how to handle just about any difficult personality, but at the same time, she’s smart enough to understand when to swallow her pride in order to gain some strategic advantage. It’s established pretty early on that Ju-won is immensely competent, and totally fearless. That distinction belongs to the main character Juwon, played (brilliantly) by Jo Soo-hyang ( Wild Flowers). But it turns out, that isn’t even the most interesting thing in this film. It’s an amusing and pointed satire, that lampoons the government’s eagerness to interfere in our personal lives, and the way that corruption always seems to go hand in hand with moral crusades. At the same time as it prints new menus featuring a selection of teas and fruit lattes, it quietly starts preparing for an underground business that will be conducted late at night, and in secret. But Black Brown is run by serious coffee lovers, and it has no intention of complying with laws that it considers unjust. Laws are passed to ban the substance, and a date is set after which anyone selling or drinking coffee will be arrested and harshly punished. The upscale cafe Black Brown is plunged into crisis when the national government declares coffee dangerously addictive and harmful to one’s health. In one sense, it can certainly be described as a high-concept comedy. But at the same time, there’s a quiet intensity to the film that sometimes catches you off guard. It has an unusually large cast of characters with outsized personality traits. Its humor is bizarre (almost Itami-esque), but subtly delivered. It’s described as an “action/comedy/noir,” but that isn’t very helpful. Given the film’s unusual tone, it’s hard to orient yourself at first, and to figure out exactly what you’re watching. The first sip of Coffee Noir: Black Brown may be slightly bitter.
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