- Joined: October 2001
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This thread was inspired by the most recent Academy Awards ceremony.
Jon Stewart made several jokes about montages and even showed some that mocked what they're all about. On a related tack, people tend to make fun of montages IN movies. Trey Parker and Matt Stone did a song about it in the "South Park" episode "Asspen", and re-used that song in "Team America: World Police".
Basically, I have to ask this: Why do people get annoyed with montages? What is it about them that causes people to crack wise and get snide?
I have no problem with montages at all. When it comes to the ones at Academy Awards ceremonies, I find them to be the best part of the show, if only because I'm more interested in where cinema has been than where it's going.
As for montages IN movies, I have no problem with them, either. I find them tremendously energizing, and they can cause you to fill in your own blanks as well. At least, that's what I do.
Sincerely,
John Kilduff...
Thoughts, guys (and gals)?
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Re: Why do people get annoyed with montages?
I like montages at award shows. Done right, they can be quite effective. Unfortunately, last year's Oscar show was something of a montage overload. They just did one for the most inane reasons. They had a film noir montage. I like film noir, but what the hell did it have to do with anything?
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Re: Why do people get annoyed with montages?
A good montage is a work of art. Conan the Barbarian has an early montage tracing Conan's youth and slavery. It's brilliant.
A bad montage is a joke. It's used so often by mediocre practitioners, it's hard to stand out. But it's still possible.
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Re: Why do people get annoyed with montages?
I think Adam hit the nail on the head. People get annoyed with montages because they're overused, and often misused, which ruins it for those trying to do it well.
When are they going to do a montage of montages?
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- Joined: October 2001
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Re: Why do people get annoyed with montages?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jeff_CusBlues
Damnit Mathew, you stole my joke.
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Matthewe's joke, in turn was a re-tooled version of a joke told by Jon Stewart when he first hosted the Oscars back in 2006.
Well, thanks for the feedback, everybody. It's nice to get a variety of viewpoints on this.
On a different tack, what do you make of the YouTube videos where users take clips from their favorite movies and make montages of their own? Do you think they're well-done or do they also earn your jokes?
Sincerely,
John Kilduff...
Or does it depend on how it's done?
Forget the Rewind. If you want real retro action, go to http://www.retrojunk.com.
Proud member of the American Film Institute and a Wal-Mart employee (Yes, you can be both).
From Michelle Pfeiffer to Daryl Hannah and all points in-between, I love 80s women. Don't believe me? Scope out this link: htt...
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Re: Why do people get annoyed with montages?
I love montages at the Oscars. They've done some really cool ones, either straight up or for humor.
In actual films, they're too often lazy and manipulative storytelling (not to mention a chance to plug a song on the soundtrack). It's a LOT easier to show a quick montage of emotional moments than actually write and show those changes happening.
Some things in a plot probably should be in montage form - a poster above pointed out Conan's time on the wheel. Rocky training for his fights is another plot element that lends itself well to a montage.
But it _is_ overused, and it's a crutch. Much like dramatic scenes ending after a character's impassioned speech or pronouncement...instead of lingering and really seeing how the characters handle intense moments, most shows and movies cop out.
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- Joined: March 2006
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Re: Why do people get annoyed with montages?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Pete-D
...I would point to Batman Begins also, the scene where he's training with Rhas Al Ghul which ends with him on the ice ... is epic.
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Good point. Montages
can add to a film, if well done and if compressing the depicted scenes/action into a montage makes sense. Too often, though, it's a lazy device to cover clichés and poor writing.
\"Life began in mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.\" - Diane Ackerman
