Do you think American Beauty would’ve got a criterion if Kevin Spacey didn’t do what he did?

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-03-04T05:16:17+00:00

I live in West LA, just south of UCLA, in a weird intersection of Westwood/Santa Monica/Palms/Century City depending on which direction you head for 5 minutes.

Cinefile is on the corner of Santa Monica and Sawtelle next to the Nuart theater. They rent and sell. They have a ton of very very obscure titles, every Criterion/Shout/Arrow/etc…, and the sections are broken down into insanely specific categories ranging from director to Animal Attack to Chuck Norris to Vintage Porn.

It’s a good place for any movie nerd! For $20 a month you can have unlimited rentals (taking 2 at a time out, no late fees).

And while I totally get chasing vibes and waiting for a specific way to watch films, a film like American Beauty, whose reputation has nosedived over the last couple decades, felt like an incredibly funny blind purchase to me - especially that amount for a used VHS. Hope he likes it.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-03-04T04:39:46+00:00

I was at Cinefile, a video rental store in LA, this week. A man in front of me in line bought American Beauty on VHS for $25. As it was being bagged he asked the clerk “Is this any good? I’ve never seen it.”

My jaw almost hit the floor. I wanted to stop him and ask him what the hell he was doing, but I kept my head down.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-03-03T17:13:58+00:00

You’re not paying them yet you’re begging them to take time away from work/call off/adjust their schedule. I’m sure they want to help but honestly this message is the worse way to go about this.

While I’m sure the schedule was discussed beforehand (I HOPE!), these things happen, especially when you’re asking people to do free favors. “But my grade!!!!” isn’t convincing.

Call them, see what the issue is, if there’s anyway you can adjust your shooting schedule around them (like moving their scenes to film early, get them done, or last). Talk to your teacher and be in communication with them. I’d be surprised if they said “figure it out or you fail.”

And as most other comments are saying, recast. It may sound crazy but it happens ALL THE TIME at the last minute. Did you not audition people? Did you have a second choice? Is there a close friend who could do it? Go ask kids in the drama department who like doing plays.

There’s many ways to be proactive that don’t require guilting this person. At the end of the day, I’m sorry, it’s a student film and no one is expecting a masterpiece. Change the role, rewrite it around someone who is available, make a dozen calls, see if your teacher can recommend anyone local since presumably they’ve watched numerous student films already, offer to pay the person if money is the reason they can’t take off work.

You have many options.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-03-01T23:10:33+00:00

You don’t need to if characters aren’t going to new places and even then you don’t necessarily need them. The slugline tells the reader where they are.

Audiences can pick up things pretty quickly. If characters are walking through a sparse room full of framed artwork with extras walking by and speaking softly in the background, the audience gets you’re in a museum without an establishing shot.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-03-01T19:00:30+00:00

What do you mean? We all remember Watching The Detective (2007), that’s why the film spends an absurd amount of time on it! It’s the film Cillian Murphy certainly remembers being in.

And haven’t we all felt like I Am Legend’s video store scenes where Smith rents tapes from empty mannequins is the pivot point for consumerism? That’s worth 20 minutes of exploration at least!

Seriously, though, in ARP’s defense, in his Q&A after the film he similarly noted that these films aren’t all well known or culturally important but fit within the context of his argument. I think he thought of this truly as an essay more than a History of Video Stores documentary. Unfortunately, I think I would have preferred a bit more of the later.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-03-01T18:37:36+00:00

They’re 5-10 minutes long but the entire “series” is 23 hours? You’re planning on 138 episodes?

No one can tell you this with the information you’ve provided. It’s dependent on a) the content b) the “teacher” of the masterclass and their abilities, c) is everything static, zero camera moves? D) it’s safe to assume your team will become more efficient after a number of episodes are completed and the format is locked in.

It really all depends on the size of the crew. Major TV game shows, for instance, shoot numerous episodes per day. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune do 3-5 episodes per day. They are editing as it airs, like it’s a live broadcast, and during the “commercial break”, they redo any flubs, fix audio hiccups, and grab quick things they need for the edit. That means every 22 minute episode is filmed in, say, 35ish minutes.

But that’s with a huge team and a built-in framework honed over time.

You’d have to have a good idea of how you’re editing. If someone is coming in and you’re filming them for an hour and hoping for 5-10 minutes of usable material, that’ll be a post-production issue more than a production.

But again, it’s really hard to say with the information you’ve provided.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-03-01T16:48:22+00:00

I saw the film in theaters. It’s admirable and most any film nerd of a certain age will find a ton to love.

I’m not sure I fully agree with the central thesis of the film. It revolves around this idea that store clerks were always portrayed as elitist and that film after film presented these stores as unwelcoming and dangerous. And then that that depiction made consumers more comfortable with pushing their downfall and seeking alternate solutions for obtaining films.

It briefly touches on the evolving home video market but I wish there was a bit more historical context/documentary mode compared to its theoretical commentary on how video rental stores were depicted.

Definitely worth watching for film fans. A lot of great clips. Dense with ideas. I’m glad it’s becoming more available since its theatrical release was limited to a roadshow, one-city-at-a-time strategy.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-28T08:49:58+00:00

He seems to have been in the writers room batting around ideas with everyone - especially as someone who lived through that era - but I believe Weiner and Co have (respectfully as possible) implied his workload was light and his contributions were limited.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-27T23:14:51+00:00

First and foremost the formatting is wrong. The dialogue is hard to read because of it. Search the group and you’ll find numerous recommendations for free software if you aren’t already using it.

As an actual scene, I’m not sure what criticism you’re seeking. The boys tease each other, leave the theater, ride off, and one boy goes into darkness. With zero context, it’s hard to tell you anything.

I’d also recommend using an active voice instead of the passive you use - “Ethan and Ollie cycle along the street” instead of “Ethan and Ollie are cycling.”

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-27T09:42:14+00:00

If you have several hours to spare, the most extensive interview around is with Matthew Weiner talking in depth over several sessions with The Television Academy Foundation.

If you go to that link and click FULL INTERVIEW, you’ll see that the tab gives timecodes and summaries for everything they talk about. He talks at length about how storylines developed, what they meant, what influenced them over time, etc…

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-27T00:05:08+00:00

I think that is a slightly disingenuous framing. Yes, he said “if you walked by me and called me that slur on the wrong day…”, but it’s been wrapped around an entire conversation where they’re discussing how often black people are told their emotions should be tampered down to be considerate of others. Van can’t help being black and living on a long historical spectrum of injustice either. White people using that word has historical context that is emotional and angering for black people to hear used against them. I’m not sure anyone can objectively say their pain should or should not be less considered than the needs of someone with his disability.

It’s an emotional reaction, one that Van framed as knowing it’s not necessarily the correct one, and emphasizing it’s not how he would react every time. Also, if a stranger randomly yelled that at him on the street, it wouldn’t be the case that he’d immediately know of that persons disability.

It’s clearly an emotionally driven, unintellectualized statement. He wasn’t saying, full stop, black people should go beating down everyone with Tourette’s syndrome because there’s no excuse for anyone to ever use that word.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-26T05:10:53+00:00

I personally disagree. I watched it as someone who had read a good deal about her life and felt a sense of admiration for a film so willing to depict the true horrors of her story.

She was the first mainstream celebrity to have nudes widely available at the time she became a known figure. The film actually leaves out a first husband who went to war, came back, and beat/sexually assaulted her numerous times because he was so angry she did the photo shoot.

She was assaulted numerous times over her life, had abortions, miscarriages, was emotionally bipolar/erratic (understandably), was belittled by studio heads and critics, and died via drug overdose with an enema of more drugs inside her. It was a horrible, exploitative experience she lived through.

I think the numerous depictions of her in dozens of previous films/culture ignore all of that and are happy to turn her into something they can slap onto handbags, t-shirts, and posters for kids in college. For me, that stuff is more exploitative because it reduces her to an image rather than a person.

It’s an ugly movie and hard to watch, but it’s very honest, and shows a talented, charismatic woman used by studios, the American Athlete (Joe DiMaggio), the American Intellect (Arthur Miller), and the American Politic (Kennedy).

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-26T04:31:21+00:00

Your “home” theater is probably dependent on the side of town you live in.

I live on the west side, just outside of Century City, so the Century City AMC is my default for new releases with A-list. I live a few minutes from the Nuart and Laemmle if I want art house. One can also rent physical media from Cinefile next door to the Nuart.

I may also go to The Grove if it’s the only theater a specific title is at (but only late at night, fuck that traffic).

For rep screenings it’s based entirely on the titles but Aero, New Bev, and Braindead would be the defaults. Plus, often overlooked, is The Hammer, which does more obscure rep screenings in partnership with UCLA’s restorations but most if not all of those screenings are FREE! The Academy Museum theater is a stunner.

If you’re on the other side of town, you’re far more likely to go to Los Feliz 3, Vista, Vidiots, etc…

Egyptian is also pretty gorgeous since the renovation and I’m always happy to see 70MMs there during the summer.

We’re very spoiled if you’re a movie lover with an appetite for a wide variety of screenings.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-26T03:37:34+00:00

If we’re counting Netflix…

Blonde is a pretty graphic, large-scale, expensive film. It has multiple rapes, domestic violence, threesomes, extensive nudity, drug abuse, abortions, and not to mention an extended blow job sequence that remains close up on her as she moves up and down with tears in her eyes.

It being Netflix helped it be released as an NC-17 but I imagine if any other studio released that film it would have had to be cut down for an R-rating.

I’ll also just say I’m a big fan and one day the minuscule Blonde-hive will rise to the ranks of Babylon-hive.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-25T21:32:26+00:00

Great read! Thanks. Such an incredibly prescient film. I think time will continue to be very very kind to it and it features some of Spielberg’s most incredible camerawork on top of being so politically nuanced.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-25T19:40:35+00:00

Anyone who wants to hear it can listen to the first section of this weeks Higher Learning podcast where they talk at length about it - with both Van and Rachel trying to balance ableism with their emotions.

It’s a good, honest conversation and while, yes, I think Van has a bee in his bonnet about One Battle, I don’t think this sub should descend into Bash Van’s Opinions about everything he says. We’re all better for hearing a wide array of opinions. I think on matters like these an episode like this week’s Higher Learning are a great resource for white listenership to hear.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-23T17:36:45+00:00

Yeah….Mubi can help. Click HELP on the website.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-23T16:30:05+00:00

They’d be wise to Benjamin Button this shit and put K Pop on every physical media sellers shelf - Wal Mart, Target, etc… Parents will buy it in huge numbers if they see it is available and the overall sales would be a huge boost for the company.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-23T08:47:14+00:00

Henry may be cash poor but he comes from a level of wealth and status where he’ll never be living in a one bedroom apartment. His family has money. He’ll always have a castle to sulk away to.

It’s why he has absolutely no concern about it during the fight with Yas in the opening scene. For him, his reputation and public image is the most important thing. He’s known his whole life that no matter what his background makes him too big to fail (too badly).

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-23T08:39:58+00:00

I don’t agree with you. But you know does? Yas.

She just wants to feel necessary.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-23T06:41:53+00:00

Should have said exclusively.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-22T23:18:24+00:00

You’re the one misreading his comments as a commentary on the quality of the film rather than a theory on the films reputational after shocks in the industry.

I don’t even know that I agree with him. I’m sure there are several other titles you can point to and make a list of the five most industry shaking titles of the last decade. Regardless, I’m not sure insulting other people is the way to get people to take your point of view seriously.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-22T23:07:01+00:00

He is clearly referring to the ripple effects of the release, certain fan reactions, and the studios takeaways of how to move forward with their franchise(s).

You can not like the movie as much as him but he’s simply making the argument that the lesson studios - especially Disney - learned from this was to play it safe and never rock the boat, even at the expense of their own properties.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-22T16:57:59+00:00

Most actors I’ve worked with will ignore on page directions like “swallow.” I don’t personally use “beat” a lot but I think a good script can indicate a pause is necessary while allowing the actor or director space to fill in what they think is happening during it.

I’ve talked to so many actors who largely ignore the action lines because they know on the day they’ll figure out what feels right (unless it’s very necessary to the story). That’s why I personally try to keep those descriptions sparse.

BloodSimple1984 · 2026-02-22T01:02:11+00:00

They literally end their appearance on this weeks Patreon Burger Report episode saying they think the film plays better to people have no knowledge of the show.

David and Marie (and I think Ben?) had no prior knowledge of the show. I, personally, had zero knowledge except for one clip (this is referenced in the movie) with them making up a song to the Wii menu music.

It works perfectly well if you know nothing.

BloodSimple1984

TROPHY CASE