The Mumblecore Thread: Swanberg, Bujalski, Duplass, Katz, etc.

[The Bus]

<img src="http://l.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/i/uk/mov/p/pengu1.gif">*

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/movies/19lim.html?_r=1&oref=google"><img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/misc/nytlogo153x23.gif" border=0>
Article: "A Generation Finds Its Mumble"</a>

From Wikipedia: "Mumblecore is an American independent film movement that arose in the mid-2000's. It is primarily characterized by ultra-low budget production (often employing digital video cameras), focus on personal relationships between twenty-somethings, improvised scripts, and non-professional actors. Filmmakers in this genre include Andrew Bujalski, Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Aaron Katz and Joe Swanberg."

Relevant titles: IMDB Links
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0841108/">Hannah Takes the Stairs</a>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914382/">Quiet City</a>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327753/">Funny Ha Ha</a>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462392/">LOL</a>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436689/">The Puffy Chair</a>

I've also heard it used to describe movies like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0415978/">Me and You and Everyone We Know</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490204/">Reign Over Me</a>, and even <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/">Cloverfield</a>.

I write this because this weekend I saw Quiet City which is basically Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise done on a micro-budget and in New York City. It is, at times, irritatingly "indie" slow (like, say, Gerry or Brown Bunny). I say this not because I found it irritating, but I could see how others find it irritating. (Quiet City comes out on a <a href="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=32007&___rd=1">"highly recommended"</a> DVD in a couple of weeks.

So, has anyone seen any of the other movies? What do you make of all this?



*(Pic not relevant)

[Yakuza Bengoshi]

The Bus, thanks for pointing out that article which I hadn't previously read. I found it interesting, but I don't much hold with the notion that there's a "mumblecore" movement afoot, or at least not in any meaningful way beyond a shorthand marketing tool (I hope). I've seen most of the films that could be shoehorned into this category (I also wrote the review of Quiet City you referenced) and I can say that the good ones should be remembered long after this term "mumblecore" is passe. The real threat is that a lot of bad imitations will arise and the whole lot, good and bad, will be written off as a dead-end fad. This would be unfortunate because I think the good films here have appeal well beyond some narrow hipster target market. In any event, "mumblecore" will not be entering my film lexicon.

[The Bus]

The Bus, thanks for pointing out that article which I hadn't previously read. I found it interesting, but I don't much hold with the notion that there's a "mumblecore" movement afoot, or at least not in any meaningful way beyond a shorthand marketing tool (I hope). I've seen most of the films that could be shoehorned into this category (I also wrote the review of Quiet City you referenced) and I can say that the good ones should be remembered long after this term "mumblecore" is passe. The real threat is that a lot of bad imitations will arise and the whole lot, good and bad, will be written off as a dead-end fad. This would be unfortunate because I think the good films here have appeal well beyond some narrow hipster target market. In any event, "mumblecore" will not be entering my film lexicon.

I've only seen Quiet City and Me and You and Everyone We Know and I liked both. I figured this would get more responses if I referenced a lot of different films no one has seen as opposed to one or two films no one has seen. :up:

Have you seen Hannah?

[Yakuza Bengoshi]

Have you seen Hannah?

I've seen Swanberg's two prior films LOL and Kissing on the Mouth, but haven't yet seen this one. I like Swanberg's work, but of all the writer/directors that make films labeled "mumblecore" Andrew Bujalski is probably my favorite though the whole label throws me. I suppose Old Joy is not "mumblecore" because the protagonists are in their 30's, and Dance Party, USA is not because their protagonists are in their teens, and Graffiti Artist, Raising Victor Vargas, and In Between Days are out because their protagonists are both young and non-white. Certainly Me and You and Everyone We Know would be out based on age and parenthood.

[The Bus]

Have you seen Hannah?

Well, it looks <a href="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=32828">you did and you liked it</a>. The DVD is out at the end of the month.

I now also get why Cloverfield was called "mumblecore"... I've said it before and I'll repeat it now: even if the monster never showed up, I would've still liked the movie.

[Yakuza Bengoshi]

Hi The Bus, thanks for reading the review. I still haven't seen Cloverfield yet but I hope to see it on DVD eventually.