[Actor's Contribution]
I have been following Sean Penn since "I Am Sam". He is not a die-hard movie fan, and he doesn't even hit the festival for "Mystic River", and he has not had time to trace any previous highly acclaimed works. , but acting is an unavoidable topic in "Milk". Playing this role requires courage, but also requires wisdom. The emotions in Sean Penn's imperceptible eyes are sometimes soft, sometimes determined, sometimes ecstatic, sometimes sad, and you can feel the appeal of his methodical performance, which is out of his love for the characters. , A deep understanding of history and events, whether or not to participate in the film is more of a secondary concern. Therefore, it is well-deserved to defeat the strong competitor Mickey Rourke in the 81st Oscars.
It can be said that the most important thing in this film is the performance, as well as the grandeur and solemnity woven by a large number of historical materials. Sean Penn will never complete himself like Nicolas Cage and get lost in himself, nor will he repeat the standards and imprints he has left. The role he plays is definitely the role itself, unique, not someone who looks like Sean Penn The star face, because he can abandon his own selling point and complete the art. Since the return of "I Am Sam", Penn's anti-bone image can be said to have done everything, each of which is a classic, and dedicated to the determination .
In addition, the rest of the cast are very dedicated. James Franco, who plays Scott, showed his calmness in this gay film. Penn admitted that he was not worried because Franco was younger than him; while Franco said that Penn's kiss gave people a dry shock. After trying the creepy villain Green Goblin in the Spider-Man series and the drug addict who was slow to respond in Pineapple Express, Franco's role as Milk's gay lover and successor does have a different challenge. , while its suave performance lends the character an intriguing depth that is impressive.
He's next in the exciting role of "Beat Generation" writer Alan Ginsberg in "Howl." Undoubtedly, this transformation can help him establish a more valuable image in the minds of the audience, and with the help of the era's dynamism recorded in the biopic, it will also be more historically meaningful and personal. Perhaps in time, Time.com's evaluation of him will not be limited to embarrassing labels such as "handsome guy", "clean teeth" and "cute curly hair".
Looking at the credits, three characters are even played by real-life archetypes, Frank Robinson, Allan Baird, Tom Ammiano, and Cleve Jones, played by Emile Hirsch, who also plays Don Amador in the film, and more. There are thousands of people who support the legal rights of gays and lesbians who have dedicated their efforts to the film, and the inspiring support on the stage and behind the scenes must be far more than that. By name or anonymously, countless people are supporting this film. The significance of this film to them and that period of history can be imagined. At the same time as the 81st Academy Awards, anti-gay people were marching outside the venue.
But it is a pity that Harvey Milk, the protagonist of the film more than 30 years ago, gave his life to fight for the legal rights of homosexuality; on the eve of the film's release on November 4, 2008, the California Congress decided that only the legal rights of heterosexual marriage were recognized. The film failed to complete post-production before the election, and if it can be released in time, it may promote the historical process.
As far as the style of the film is concerned, the powerful and powerful performances of many actors have created splendid images and a very realistic image of the characters. Desolation in grief, tenderness in emotion, and ecstasy in bliss.
【Excellent Control】
The excellent script has put a lot of effort into the scene to avoid monotonous repetition and tediousness. On occasions without too many conflicts, the character performances can be changed with ease, even if the opponent's play is silent for a long time, or even a one-man play with a dim yellow line. Satisfying all expectations because of a simple action or a short line, flexible and full of tension, every line read through the loudspeaker in the streets and alleys where the crowd gathers is like a taut bow and crossbow, making people boil . Not just on the highly anticipated stage, taking the recollections in the dead of night as clues, Milk only needs a ceiling lamp, a few pages of manuscript paper, and a tape recorder to describe his life and his struggles, simplifying, condensing, and chasing. Considering the words, he is extraordinarily sober, knows his own destiny, and can predict the birth of tragedy, but he must move forward. This is a narrative without an audience, but it brightens the night sky like a declaration.
After watching "Milk", there are several sets of shots that are quite impressive. They seem to be simple, but they need good control to be not childish in such a cautious subject matter and historical background. Inspiring.
(1)
Milk invited people to register to vote on the street. Cliff Jones and his partner passed by and missed a long way. Milk stopped him: "I like the way those pants fit! Where are you from, kid ?"
But Jones declined his invitation.
"Where's your home?" Milk persevered, and Jones responded, "Phoenix."
Milk went on to persuade: "Come here. Just come here a minute." It worked, he didn't necessarily realize that Jones was a politically sensitive guy , just want to win over him, he is doing his best. "I'm Harvey Milk. I'm running for supervisor." He took Jones's hand, he wanted to get his attention, "What's your name?"
"Cleve Jones." Jones seemed languid, or he wondered if it was worth it, if it was important enough, and he began to look at Mr. Milk.
"Cleve Jones." Milk repeated his name, "You're adorable." That must be emotionally charged in Jones, whatever it is, it will work.
Jones was amused, and he looked back at his buddy who was waiting at the intersection a few steps away, his cigarette stuck to his mouth, but it was only an action until Milk finished: "We should get you over here and get you registered, Mr. Jones.”
Okay, that fits Jones’ frantic, paranoid, negative line best: “Fuck that. Elections of any kind” with his arms crossed, his cigarette-holding hand pointing in front of Milk Point, "are fucking bourgeois affectation."
"Is that right?" Milk seemed to be used to it. Facing Jones' young appearance, shaking his head, Jones slowly shook his head and raised his eyebrows as he retreated and planned to return to the three partners. With a defiant smile on his face, he smokes. At the same time, Milk starts to fight back:
"What do you do, trick up on Polk Street?" Good question, we can find Jones nodding reluctantly, which is a judgment of Milk's previous response, Jones fully understands his gesture , but misinterpreting the intent of his words, he exhaled a puff of smoke and began to run away.
"If I need the cash." Jones accepted his sarcasm, but won't let him stop. "But I'm a little bit more selective about my clients than you are." Yes, he knew that he was the most important 's capital, and the only capital - young, compared to the person in front of him. This gave Milk the signal that there was a prime opportunity for a radical. This is so ingenious!
"Okay, let me ask you one thing before you go back to work." You will find that even if Jones starts to turn around completely, he still cares about what Milk said, he must be emotional, which shows that he is awake, he Realizing where the crux of the problem was, it didn't happen, he knew what kind of weapons would work best, but he didn't have it now, he's already taken the bait.
Milk's poignant questioning had just begun, and he made sure that every sentence that followed could deeply touch the sensitive nerves of this young man. He didn't move, but his words pierced his heart, because no one knew the situation of homosexuality better than him. This is his negotiating capital.
"What was it like to be a little queer in Phoenix?" Jones turned, Milk didn't stop: "Did all the jocks beat you up in gym class?" It worked, he didn't continue, but waited for Jones Pacing back in front of him again, Jones pretended to be indifferent, but his hand scratched his brow. “I faked a lung disease to get out of PE”
From the moment Jones started to fight back until the next attack, Milk was in the back of the camera. Now the situation is different. He angered his opponent. In the face of Jones' personal attack, Milk will become his important business partner. The guy took a step closer (he must not have expected it at this point) because he sensed that it was time for a speech, and he had to convey the substance and meaning of the revolution at a time when the young man was most excited, which would impress him, even if not Now, being able to impress him too, it's bound to work. So this is when the camera cuts to Milk, and this is his moment, and he pulls off a brilliant negotiation that manages to bring the conversation back to the heart of the matter and make an impression and make a thought. Just imagine, how would Jones react if he directly mentioned changing police abuse, rent control, marijuana, aging, etc., the moment he walked back? I'm afraid it doesn't make any sense, even if it starts from Phoenix, not to mention the street in front of me that Mircola voted for - yes, he solemnly mentioned "this street", his theme.
Of course, the effect of this negotiation obviously did not take effect immediately, so Milk smiled, but he did not expect that it was the foreshadowing of such a dialogue, which guided Jones in the most difficult moment, and prompted him to recover from his feelings. He broke free from the trough and picked up the revolution as his lifelong goal; he also won an important revolutionary partner for himself.
For the film, from 20 minutes and 14 seconds to 22 minutes, in just 106 seconds, it is one of the most exciting rival scenes in the whole film except for public speeches. Position, light, furnishings, and layers, make-up artists can also come in handy, music, lines and voices can be reconciled to the most perfect state bit by bit, which can better complement the acting skills, give the actors more emotions, and more More room to play (such as 31 minutes and 26 seconds until the end of the indoor scene where Milk and Jones meet again to establish their comrade-in-arms relationship, 35 minutes and 56 seconds after the election failed again, Milk faced Jim Rivaldo's re-election plan. 93 minutes and 37 seconds of Briggs' public debate on whether to fire gay faculty is too many to count and too many to enumerate). There are also quite a few indoor rival scenes in this film that are worth noting, so I won't list them all, but a simple conversation on the side of the road like this is very easy to be casual. The completed dialogue is transcribed as follows:
Jones: (angrily) So what, what are you? Some kind of street shrink?
Milk: Sometimes. But what I'm talking about is that we can change Phoenix. But we have to start with our street. Police abuse, rent control, pot, parks, seniors issues. (During the period, Jones occasionally looked back at his partner)
Jones: (can't wait) Good luck with all that.
Milk: You know what I think, Cleve Jones?
Jones: That you're gonna get somewhere if you keep talking.
Milk: No. I think you should do what you do well. You should be a prick, but come with us and be a prick. Fight City Hall. Fight the cops. Fight the people that made you come here to do what you do.
Jones: Sorry, old man, I'm leaving for Spain tomorrow. Europe. All the cash I need is in my back pocket. (Milk watched him walk away and smiled)
(2)
The film did not directly show the reaction of Milk or the think tank when it showed the parade triggered by the controversy over the repeal of the gay legal rights law in Dade County, Florida, which had just been enacted four months ago. On the contrary, the expressions of Milk and others were dejected. Next, an interlude of a phone call was used to let Milk speak from a passive situation in an unfavorable situation, so that the handling was not blunt, and it also accumulated reasonable emotions for the next parade speech. What made Milk go downstairs and stand in the crowd was Rivaldo rushing upstairs to tell him the possibility of a riot, which made Milk's actions after putting down the phone more coherent and the editing more forceful. When photographing Milk walking through the crowd on the street, the foreground, background, momentum, and obstacles remain intact, and a long-lens zoom is used to transfer the objects described in the picture, which perfectly completes the transformation of the narrative focus, and goes deep into emergencies. To the heart of the character, only one shot was used, and even the narrative of the sideline plot was completed, which was a great effort.
But this was not the time for Milk to speak, the tension was not enough, and the audience hadn't recovered from Scott's melancholy eyes, so the film arranged for supporting actors to continue to build momentum. Jones called people to the street in the bar. , The angry people on the dense avenue were boiling, Milk climbed the stage and raised the horn, you will find that Sean Penn is also extremely excited at this time, as if he is Milk himself. The shock that those four lines brought me was indescribable, and it was this manifesto that appeared on the big screen of the Oscars, which was very provocative, and finally won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Milk.
I know you are angry.
I am angry!
Let's march the streets of San Francisco,
and Share our anger!
(3)
Beginning at 99 minutes and 22 seconds, the first death in the film is Milk's gay lover Jack. It was predicted that they would not last more than a week, but Milk did not guess such an ending. Having had four lovers, three of whom committed suicide because he couldn't make their relationship public, Milk survived because he knew his calling. Jack was the fifth and last man able to strike Milk with death.
The tragedy under the camera is very short, just like Jack's existence, he doesn't care what Milk is fighting for, he just hopes to surpass, occupy, and enjoy himself. If love means possession, should he choose to leave like Scott, or be decisive like Jack? Personality issues are not discussed here, it is just the element that love occupies in an individual's life, which prompts them to make different judgments. Love is just love. Superficiality and dignifiedness are summaries with added value. They are not pure and should not be compared with right and wrong. Scott survived, so he had the opportunity to witness Milk's lifelong efforts and achievements. Milk was his pride. This kind of conviction had more vitality than love, and it was this power that prompted him to continue Milk-- The unfinished business of his lover.
The film's young screenwriter Dustin Lance Black is very talented and contributed a good script for the film. As a screenwriter, at the age of 34, Black released two biopics at the same time ("Pedro" 2008), and also served as producer, director, actor, editor, etc. The role of Castro Clone in this film is played by him .
"Milk" is a laudable film that can withstand scrutiny. As a biopic of a gay politician, it carries too much controversy. This kind of movie viewing experience is like reading a history book. As Shi Yue said, the great waves wash away the sand, and those who have left their names in history are already elites. In the twenty-four history, each page is a person's life. Another dynasty. The author can feel this feeling of examining other people's lives, and can appreciate the existence of Milk. People are not born free, and every kind of freedom is exchanged by countless predecessors at the cost of their lives. Inspiring work, every second fighting for hope, for equality, and what strengths have warriors like Milk in history used to defend their rights, dignity, and lives? The shocking effect of this biography of individuals fighting back against all other concerns to give a group hope for life, for fairness, sunshine, and companionship.
2009.05.04 Su Fa, Beijing
graphic version: http://www.mtime.com/my/sufa/blog/1861148/
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