Here the amazing and stupendous Trailer Man flies out of the night sky with yet another fantastic analysis of two highly anticipated first trailers. Darabont's THE GREEN MILE and Oliver Stone's ANY GIVEN SUNDAY... Both of which he says should be showing with Warner's release of THREE KINGS.. just one more reason to see an already very good movie next week. Meanwhile, I can't imagine keeping you from the trailer any longer whatsoever. So here is... T R A I L E R M A N !!!!!
THE GREEN MILE (Warner Brothers)
I cannot think of another film this year save for Mr. Lucas' prequel this past May, that has as enormous, fervent and hopeful of fan base as exists for THE GREEN MILE. One has only to look within the AICN universe: the postings, articles, and most especially the enormous volume of Tailback for at least a year, excited over the possibilities to experience a film worthy of the source material by a beloved author, Stephen King unquestionably at his very best. Excitement in the knowledge that this revered work adapted and directed for the screen by Frank Darabont, rested in his accomplished hands proved undeniably with RITA HAYWORTH AND SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. Finally, that MILE would come to life by a dream cast of critically hailed and award winning actors headed by Tom Hanks as senior prison guard Paul Edgecombe, James Cromwell as the sympathetic prison warden with Patricia Clarkson as his ill stricken wife, Michael Jeter, Harry Dean Stanton, Graham Greene just a few of the inmates of Cold Mountain Penitentiary, and in an inspired bit of physical casting, Michael Clarke Duncan (the SUB-ZERO sized, muscle-bound pipe fitter in ARMAGEDDON) as John Coffey, the naive, gentle giant of a man, capable of performing miracles yet found guilty of murdering two girls and sentenced to die in Cold Mountain's electric chair. May I now say to everyone reading that based on what is artfully, reverentially, and perfectly realized in a 2 minutes 20 second trailer promises a film experience of superior craftsmanship, transcendence and grace that is sure to plunge deep even into the most jaded of hearts come this December.
The trailer is a carefully constructed work that concentrates wondrously on establishing time, place, and a tone both ominous and haunting while the voice over contradicts the images of a dark and stormy night, a gothic prison, a close-up of shackled shuffling feet, dreary surroundings and an assembly of citizens seated in rows, dead silent facing what is bolted to a small platform, an electric chair of nightmarish impact with dialogue of fervent hope that is asking "Do you think if a man sincerely repents on what he'd done wrong, that he might get to go back to that time that was happiest for him and live there forever? That'd be what Heaven's like.........." revealed to be spoken by inmate Graham Greene to guard Tom Hanks replying in perfect Southern drawl face heavy with fatigue yet summoning understanding and empathy. "I'd just 'bout believe that there is a thing". This scene alone is all that is needed to establish situation and character maintained throughout the trailer. Cut to a sunset backed sentence crawl, From The Director of THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION underscored by a heavenly melody of a simple flute and piano. More voice over by Hanks reading a verdict while images of weary prisoner's faces peering through bars, eyes nearly fixed and soulless, again the shackled leg irons of a large black man, John Coffey, actor Duncan. Hanks at end of his verdict reading asks "Questions?" Cut now to Duncan's face, mammoth..... it literally fills the screen yet projects an innocence and purity that has to be seen. In earnest the giant asks as he enters his cell almost childlike, "you'll leave the light on after bedtime?" A magical moment.
Exposition follows regarding Coffey's guilt or innocence but one other scene, no, just an image that to anyone unfamiliar with the story can instantly deduce that this is a man of innocence and kindness: It is a shot of actor Duncan's enormous hand, gingerly opening to reveal a small field mouse calmly resting in his palm. But to those fans of the novel this is the assurance that just like the scruffy little mouse,THE GREEN MILE is in sure, careful hands.
As the trailer continues introducing many of the other characters, for the unfamiliar, they're seeing great actors and intriguing images to the fans each is recognizable as to who they are and how they figure in story which is the ideal balance of information and spoilers. Quick, scenes replaying the discovery of the murdered young girls follow realized simply with a shot of a soiled rag doll at the edge of a river bank with Hanks by voice over not believing Coffey as the murderer. Then an abrupt edit of Duncan's great face pressed against his cell bars telling Hanks "Take my hand boy..you see fo 'uself" music swells as two hands grasp to shake setting off a stunning explosion of electrical sparks raining from bursting flood lights with reaction shots by Hanks and other guards of absolutely awe. Final moments of trailer has a man asking "your talkin about a miracle here" and an older woman ill and bedridden, Clarkson, lovingly gazing up at her husband Cromwell, Next a cut to Duncan in profile craning his neck through steel bars to see brilliant stars on a pitch black night. Back again to Clarkson in her sick bed eyes closed and speaking to Duncan in hushed tones that "I dreamed of you..we found each other in the dark......" as she and her husband caress each others faces. Closing consists of startling images of more electrical sparks, faces now tender and hopeful, and Hanks walking slowly through a large jail house, cells empty as he walks towards the muted glow and streaming light emanating from the far end (check out the one sheet which is this indelible image) light engulfing him while his voice underscored by a glorious soundtrack "Miracles are funny things, you never know when they're going to happen...And when they happen in a place like this, well that's the most unbelievable miracle of all. This is a story of a miracle.........that happened here where I work........on The Green Mile.
To the degree of success that THE MESSENGER trailer so brilliantly impacts with scale and key events in the life of Joan of Arc to reveal why she is a figure of historical greatness (because, lets be honest, I dare say the masses are familiar first- hand with her incredible life) the trailer for THE GREEN MILE, embraces the knowledge that a sizable portion of moviegoers are familiar with King's serialized novel. So it withholds many of the key plot points to be experienced only by watching the film yet not risking losing any interest with those unfamiliar by virtue of the trailer weaving a spellbinding premise, serving up a winning cast and stating flat out that this is the next work by a true artist who brought you a film loved and lauded a few years past. I would be stunned if this film is not a huge hit. Fine, I don't have a crystal ball, but I can tell you the trailer is sublime.
ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY (Warner Brothers)
Seeing the preview for MILE and this trailer of Oliver Stone's long awaited take on professional football, back to back is a study of contrasts. Subtle is a word you won't find used anywhere in the following BRIEF assessment of ANY SUNDAY's all stops pulled, deafening, in your face trailer sure to be a gridiron epic. And that's exactly how it should be. Opening with a jump-out-of-your-seat thunder clap and blinding flash of lightning followed with shots of silhouetted players in a stadium, more lightning with blinding flashes that then melds seamlessly into the switching on of enormous banks of stadium flood lights. SPECFUCKINTACULAR! More galvanizing imagery create a sense that these are the coliseums of GODS with lead Al Pacino, looking the best he has in years voicing, "I've given up my wife, my children for these men. I've given up everything in life for these men. It's the game that counts; it's pure and safe......LIFE ISN"T."........ Okay, I know he's no Vince Lombardi but I did gag a bit on this line. Next are scenes of Pacino arguing with a tough-as nails Cameron Diaz as the daughter of the team owner and undeniably in charge. Screaming she is not going to renew a multi- million dollar contract for the current quarterback who through the years brought the team great success. The quarterback, a good role for Dennis Quaid, in a few pulse quickening shots, is clearly a titan whose time is limited and prone to injury. Reassurance by coach Pacino seems short lived and sure enough Jamie Fox is introduced along with LL Cool J playing what appears is his PR guy. Fox is all swagger, youthful, virile, charismatic and great.....until he starts changing up plays on his own causing dissension in the team and therein is how the trailer ends, just short of bludgeoning the viewer in a combination of colliding players, MTV style editing and booming rock score. But this clearly isn't a pussy boy's football film and it smears it's cinematic testosterone to a climax at a nighttime game during a drenching rain storm literally muting into grays the players on the field and QB Fox getting hit but hard, tackled from behind with his helmet flying through the air simultaneously as an edit perfect replay of pounding rock music explodes at moment of tackle and the screen hitting with all anyone really needs to know, AN OLIVER STONE FILM ............oh and if you didn't get it yet, an equally base rattling voice declares..."Life is a contact sport". Rowdy?, you bet, Skewed toward males?, hum affirmative, Impactful and delivering a sense of want to see? If you watch football, you're there. Look no fumbles, no flags on the play with this trailer. It's first string sports movie marketing.
Look for these two on THREE KINGS opening in a week or so.......nothing like a killer movie preceded by trailers that kick. Check it out.
