TxMike
We have a fairly new movie channel called "Movie!" and it shows quite nice, older movies. I found this one on yesterday.Released in 1989 and probably filmed in 1988, a young 30-ish Kevin Bacon stars as Nick Chapman. His character is probably early 20s, graduating filmmaker and his short film wins a student contest.The thrust of the movie, and its story, is how first, Hollywood gets on the trail of a new young filmmaker, often without even seeing his winning film. And second, after seducing him into working with them to make his new film, they start asking him to change things that will drastically alter his story.Here Nick has a love-triangle story set in the winter, with two men and a woman in a vacation cottage. The first requested change is to make it a man and two women, and the women have an affair, changes that make it a totally different story.Of course Guest is his own guy, a truly independent filmmaker, known for shooting 5X or 10X or more film than is needed, and building a movie in the editing room. So this is his parody on the corporate Hollywood machine, and how a young filmmaker needs to stick to his principles.I found it mildly interesting, it was also fun to see some of today's veteran actors in younger roles.
frankf-10
The Big Picture is an under-rated, excellent and funny movie with solid performances all around. The comments by Guest and Bacon in the Extra Features section (evidently made years after the movie's release) are entertaining as well, adding another level of behind-the-scenes to this behind-the-scenes flick. Especially interesting was the tidbit about life imitating art regarding a disaster plot point in the movie that almost happened *to* The Big Picture while it was being made - and came near to shutting it down. Also interesting was Guest's insistence that the actual interference of management in the creative process (with bozo ideas thrown out wily-nilly during script "development" meetings) is often more outrageous than that depicted in the film.Only disappointment was that the deleted Billy Crystal scene mentioned by Guest was not included in the DVD's Extra Features' Deleted Scenes.
jotix100
Los Angeles is a city where one can find, almost at every turn, a director, a starlet, a producer, or a cinematographer if one happen to be in the right places. Nick Chapman, a young man from Ohio, is trying his hand at directing. We meet him as he is going to an award ceremony at an event where the best new short film directors are competing for a prize and a chance to make it in the business. Nick is not prepared for what happens after his film becomes the talk of the town.Nick Chapman is in a relationship with Susan, an architect just starting her career. His good friend is Emmet Sumner, a cinematographer struggling to make it in the industry. Nick is being courted to sign in with different people so he can go to his next project. He has written a screenplay for a film that he wants to direct. Never, in his wildest dreams, he never imagined the strange world he is getting into, and the weird people he will have to deal with while getting his picture produced! For starters, Nick's agent, Neil Sussman, whom we meet during a luncheon at one of those trendy restaurants, is a creature from another planet.The next person Nick gets involved with is Allen Habel, a producer that sees potential in Chapman. As Nick pitches the film, Allen is already changing the way he feels will attract viewers, which has nothing to do with the original concept. Allen wants to set the picture on a beach, not in a cabin in the woods, while it is snowing, as Nick has conceived it. To make matters worse, Allen invites the young man to a party at his house that turns out to be a disaster as Nick gets to meet the film capital's fauna and flora, and ends up losing Susan.Nick gets dazzled at first, but when Allen Habel's business goes bad, he is left on his own. Added to all that, he doesn't have any money, so he has to look for any kind of job in order to survive. All his big shot friends drop him like a hot potato. No one will take his calls. Nick having broke with Susan and having betrayed Emmet, finds himself alone in the middle of all that phony world, until he meets a rock band and he makes a video of a song that becomes a hit. It is at this point Nick gets his creative powers back and as we leave him, he is directing his picture the way he wanted.Christopher Guest, a witty genius in his own right, directed this movie, his first full length film. "The Big Picture" shows a great talented director that knows well that strange world of glitter and heartaches that is Hollywood. Christopher Guest has been involved in the movie industry for most of his life and it shows.Kevin Bacon is an asset in any picture where he appears. His take on Nick Chapman is dead on. Mr. Bacon is an excellent actor, as he shows here. It is unfortunate Martin Short, who steals every scene he is in didn't get credit for being in the film. His agent must be a composite on the many characters the director, and him, must have met, at one time, or another.Christopher Guest has a group of actors that are featured in his films. Michael McKean and Mr. Guest have a long history of collaboration. The late J.T. Walsh gives one of his best performances as Allen Habel. The rest of the ensemble cast is also notable, Teri Hatcher, Fran Dresher, and a goofy Jennifer Jason Leigh, among others.Never having seen this film, we were lucky to catch it recently and it was worth the wait.
bondboy422
"The Big Picture" was written and directed by Christopher Guest. It is a satire of the film business told with a lot less venom than 'This is Spinal Tap'.Nick Chapman is at a prize ceremony where his own film is in competition.He is there with his girlfriend Susan.The master of ceremonies is the film actor Eddie Albert.What we have here is a re-telling of the Faust story by way of the film industry.Nick is offered a budget to make a film by Allen Habel the studio head.Sounds great, though Allen played by the late J.T.Walsh has his own ideas how the film should be made and Nick has to grit his teeth. Nick has a friend called Emmet who is a cameraman -- he betrays him and this is followed by him ruthlessly dumping Susan.In a lighter vain he acquires an agent called Neil who barely seated in a restaurant gives someone his beady eye and says "I'm not talking to you"-- Martin Short as Neil is hilarious and steals every scene he is in.For Nick everything goes belly up .Kevin Bacon is excellent as Nick and takes you on his character arc of a nice man selling out and becoming totally unsympathetic, learning his lessons and returning to the way he was before -- wiser.Emily Longstreth as his girlfriend is alluring and truthful.J.T Walsh as Allen coveys with deadpan hilarity the illusion of power -- What a great loss to acting he was!
