John Carpenter has a grudge against John Ford! In an interview years ago, The Thing director and Christine attacked the director, often considered one of the best directors in American cinema:
I can’t stand Irish vaudeville anymore. I can’t stand these dancing scenes anymore. Prisoner of the Desert is a great movie, but it’s broken, it’s really broken in the middle, the return, the marriage, the pose of you. He put his hand on my shoulder and let’s watch the fire in the fireplace…”
It’s so sentimental
“And I loved the quiet man when I was a child, but when I see it again, I want to cry. It’s so sentimental, from an immigrant point of view, where Hawkes was a completely integrated director. (…) Ford sentimentalized the West, especially women, mothers… Of course, it wasn’t like that behind the scenes, but it showed like that.”
And to point out a mistake in another classic of the Western and the director’s filmography:
“Of course I make mistakes in all my movies, but this guy couldn’t direct a scene.” THE stage lines There are imaginary lines that limit the shooting space.
A rule of cinematographic technique is the 180-degree rule: an imaginary line divides space into two sides and must not be moved after a selection, regardless of whether one side is shot or the other. If so, the orientation of the characters becomes inconsistent and their eyes no longer meet, we no longer know who is talking to whom.
A mistake that Ford seems to have made on the Fantastic Ride, according to Carpenter:
Carpenter still found features in Ford’s film, The Grapes of Wrath, which he later described as “really great” and “His Great Movie”.
Grapes of Wrath sees Henry Fonda play Tom Joad, a convict who returns to an Oklahoma farm to find his family has been evicted due to the events of the Great Depression. So the Joads set off on a journey that will lead them to California and, they hope, a better life.
What do you think of Carpenter’s remarks? Do you agree with his criticism of his boss, John Ford? on your keyboard!
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
