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Author Richard D. Pepperman
writes from a deep place in his soul, a place many
cineastes write from where memories of going to the
movies is what has made up many of his most cherished
movie memories of all time. "Illuminations: Memorable
Movie Moments" celebrates cherishing and exploring some
of the best movie moments in all of the medium and for
what it promises, it certainly is a lengthy tome that
dabbles in the clear specifics of the shots that ranges
from one scene or a climax. As expected, Pepperman
re-discovers old gems of climaxes to "King Kong," a
royally gruesome moment in "Chinatown" and even one
final scene in "Dial M for Murder," all of which will
inspire smiles and cringes from his readers remembering
these capsules of massive films that have stood the test
of time. One aspect of the book I didn't agree with is
the undertone that some of the moments that occur in the
movies mentioned are much better than the movies
themselves, that our memories of them have enhanced what
are otherwise middling and over appreciated films. When I see those hints
at some moments featured in some of my favorite films
like "Butch Cassidy" and "The Exorcist" I have to
question what the ultimate goal of the book is. Is
author Richard D. Pepperman celebrating incredible
movie moments or movie moments that are better than the
whole of the films themselves?
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surprised and taken aback at his allusions that "The
Exorcist" is not as good a film as a sequence involving
Regan's injection in the neck would suggest. While the
sequence in and of itself is gruesome in exploring
modern Science trying to grasp the severity of this
supernatural situation, to suggest the movie is crowded
with sub-plots until it gets to the central plot seems
outlandish especially considering every single sub-plot
from within Friedkin's film is detrimental to the
ultimate resolution of good versus evil and all points
of view within this horrific demonic possession. Not to
mention "Butch Cassidy" is much more than a comedy, it's
about the changing of the tides, the aging of two
cowboys who aren't as young as they used to be, and a
new sentiment among the new generation that the cowboy
is a thing of the past. And there are a few better
moments in the film that ring truer to the memorable
movie moment tag than the hilarious cliff diving
sequence; the opening scene and the final shootout for
instance.
Nevertheless author Pepperman goes in
to great detail within key scenes of some of the
greatest cinematic masterpieces of all time exploring
the intricacies of their horror and emotion allowing us
a second look at the nuances and expression behind every
cut and dissolve. I couldn't help but cringe at his
explanation of the dental torture scene in "Marathon
Man," as that is an always grotesque moment in film
regardless of whether it's on page or in front of our
eyes. "Illuminations" is a book scant of actual purpose
seemingly serving as a way to explore the scenes do
little else in the technical sense (also missing the
apparent symbolism of most of these scenes), but it does
make for an interesting time waster for people who loved
the epics like "Lawrence of Arabia" and the small indie
classics like "Maria Full of Grace." While flawed in its
intent and somewhat undermining of the films it
appreciates, "Illuminations: Memorable Movie Moments" is
a fun read and a great dissection of fantastic scenes in
film. |
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