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An average movie

Posted : 7 years, 6 months ago on 21 September 2016 02:35

In 2016, almost 20 years after releasing his last movie, Warren Beatty will finally make a come-back with a new directing effort and we’ll see soon enough if it will be a success or another failure. Well, even though Beatty seems to have had a decent career as a director, I have seen so far only this movie. In fact, I’m pretty sure I actually saw the damned thing in the movie theater when it was released. Back then, I was just a kid and I had seriously no idea who the hell was Dick Tracy but the damned thing was heavily marketed as a children feature, at least in France, so that’s how I ended up watching this flick. Well, to be honest, I always had some mixed feelings about this movie. Sure, it was visually pretty neat and there was a really nice cast involved (Warren Beatty, Madonna, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, James Caan) but I had a hard time with the material. Indeed, it was all very colorful and over-the-top but the story was rather generic and eventually slightly underwhelming. Anyway, to conclude, even though I didn’t really blow me away, it was still a decent watch though and I think it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre. 



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A real hoot

Posted : 10 years, 11 months ago on 13 April 2013 08:48

"You have just said goodbye to oxygen. You silly, stupid cop. You refused me. I offer you the keys to a kingdom and you tell me you're an officer of the law? I AM THE LAW! ME!"

Arriving the year after Tim Burton's Batman set the box office on fire, 1990's Dick Tracy was Disney's attempt at kick-starting their own comic book film franchise. The House of Mouse pulled out all the stops, relentlessly feeding the hype machine and marketing the hell out of the picture. Although it proved to be somewhat of a disappointment for the studio, Dick Tracy is delightfully enjoyable all these years on, a colourful adaptation of the comic strip of the same name by Chester Gould. What the film lacks in gripping storytelling, it makes up in memorable visuals, strong filmmaking and tremendous star power, and the result is a real hoot. Dick Tracy really was ahead of its time as well, and it's difficult not to be impressed with the visual fireworks on display considering the primitive tools at the disposal of director/star Warren Beatty at the time.


A police detective sporting a yellow overcoat and fedora, Dick Tracy (Beatty) splits his attention between cleaning up the streets and wooing his girlfriend, Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headly). Into his life soon steps The Kid (Charlie Korsmo), an orphan boy saved from the streets by Tracy. Meanwhile, ruthless crime boss Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) is positioning himself to rule the city with his gang of outlandish goons. Looking to take down Caprice, Tracy becomes distracted by Breathless Mahoney (Madonna), a sexy nightclub singer owned by the violent gangster. Amid all this, a new menace emerges known as The Blank, whose allegiances are ambiguous.

Gould started the Dick Tracy newspaper comic in 1931, and the strip is still being published today. Tracy is a character who communicates with other police via wristwatch walkie-talkies, and he pursues a cavalcade of eccentric villains of peculiar appearance. All of these characteristics carry over into the movie with a screenplay by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. (Top Gun). The film pays meticulous attention to fan service, cramming in as many characters from the comic as possible to pleasing effect. The only real problem with Dick Tracy is the story, which is completely nondescript and clichéd. It's a typical tale of a powerful gangster looking to rule the city while law enforcement works to prevent such a goal. Additionally, the script baulks from exploring Tracy the person; we see him fight crime, but we never find out his motivations or past.


From a technical standpoint, Dick Tracy is a home run. The production values are immaculate; shots burst with colourful sets, detailed costumes and period-specific cars and props. The action sequences are consistently strong, as well. There are not many shootouts, but the stuff that is present is of a high standard. The film also made headlines in 1990 for its unique visual approach in bringing the comic strip to the big screen. Beatty and his crew restrict the film's colour palette to seven colours, each of which is the same shade. It gives the picture a look that's unique to this day, and it recreates the comic strip faithfully. Additionally, the visuals mix live-action material with hand-drawn matte paintings, giving it a slightly cartoonish appearance that makes it look even more unique. Beatty and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro limit camera movement as much as possible, too, aiming to make the film feel like a series of still panels. Going one step further, the outrageous bad guys are covered in extensive prosthetics to recreate the look of the comic's characters. Also impressive is Danny Elfman's flavoursome score, as well as the inclusion of several original songs written by Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim. Dick Tracy was nominated for seven Oscars, ultimately winning in the categories of make-up, art direction and original song.

Beatty has copped a bit of criticism for his portrayal of Tracy. He's not exactly the first person one imagines for such a role, but Beatty's performance is solid; he presents a perfectly serviceable interpretation of the hero cop. Likewise, Pacino is frequently belittled for his scenery-chewing turn as Caprice, which actually earned a very controversial Oscar nomination. It's not exactly a skilful performance, but Pacino is a hoot, hilariously cheesy and over-the-top. The supporting cast is huge and completely star-studded, with appearances from the likes of James Caan, Dick Van Duke, Paul Sorvino, William Forsythe, Charles Durning, and many more. Beatty must have called in every single favour he could. Madonna is also here, while Dustin Hoffman plays Mumbles, a character ideally suited to the actor's abilities. Hoffman takes the role and runs with it; he's very entertaining.


Before Beatty nabbed the director's chair, Walter Hill was apparently close to filming his take on the comic book character. Beatty ultimately stopped Hill due to the filmmaker's violent vision, which is frankly somewhat disappointing as it'd be interesting to see what Hill could have made of this material (it would've likely been R-rated and thematically thoughtful). Nevertheless, Beatty's film is a lot of fun despite its flaws, and it's a shame that it has become so obscure. Indeed, no sequel ever came, the film didn't inspire much of a cult following, and no other Dick Tracy projects (movie or TV) have been made as of 2013. Looking at it today, it's a garish product of its era that deserves a wider audience. Given that comic book adaptations aspire to be realistic and gritty these days, it's refreshing to watch Beatty's Dick Tracy, which is light-hearted and stands by the roots of its source material.

7.7/10



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Dick Tracy (1990) review

Posted : 13 years, 6 months ago on 24 September 2010 11:04

Dick Tracy is one of my favorite comic book films and the reason it still holds up today is because a true love for the original material and medium shines through at every turn. With Dick Tracy it truly feels that the comic strip was lifted directly from the page and given life by the camera and actors. The vivid colors are faithfully, almost exclusively, of the Crayola 6 pack variety, which is far from a criticism here. The ensamble of thugs and no-gooders is rooted in charicature and child-like simplicity, but granted just the right amount of fierce eccentricity and personal touches to make them really come alive. Add to all this a suprisingly genuine touch of heart and we have a comic book film that is not just servicible, but good. Loads of top-tier talent showed up for this one, decked out in brightly colored three-piece suits and fedoras, and, as is the case for most films of the genre, the villian steals the show. Pacino is truly a spectacle to behold. While Warren Beatty deftly delivers upon everything asked of him, Pacinos Big Boy Caprice is the motor that truly makes this model-T run. A refreshingly exhuberant, yet mature performance from the Kid helps a great deal too. And while Im no Madonna lover, shes mostly acceptable, at times even strong here. I hate to say it, but Pfeiffers Selena Kyle may owe more than I care to admit to her performance. One too many musical interlude/lazy move-the-plot-forward sequences are high on the list of a few problems with this one, but all in all a very fun film that holds up beautifully with time.


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Dick Tracy (1990) review

Posted : 16 years, 12 months ago on 7 April 2007 02:46

I think that this movie is a classic, and I am pretty sure a lot of people would agree with me. There is something about an old style ganster movie that I like. Such different times. It was one well put together movie. 10/10!!


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