In the late 60's and through the 1970's, young iconoclastic and experimental directors took over the once staid Hollywood studios and made personal films much different from the Golden Age of Hollywood that ended barely a decade before. Influenced by the French New Wave and Italian neo-realism, they were determined to make a new kind of Hollywood movie. What stylistic innovations did you notice in Mikey and Nickey? How did stylistic elements help tell the story and emphasize ideas and themes?
Mikey and Nickey, a film marking a new era of cinema, New Hollywood, brings forth a wave of stylistic improvements that set it apart from films of more dated genres like Bicycle Thieves and Breathless which followed clear outlines. Mikey and Nickey acts as a catalyst, ushering in a new age of film and, with it, improvements, showcasing techniques like lengthy takes, handheld camera work, and improvised dialogue that all add to the film's unpolished, realistic look. In particular, the film's dialogue made it so that I felt as if I were a background character also queued up for the ride. In particular, I likened the bus scene in which Nickey and Mikey harass the driver to my experiences riding the NYC metro. Through their nitty-gritty performance and the realistic motion capture of the film, as a viewer, I, too, felt as If I was on the bus. These methods submerge audiences into the dirtied roles of Mikey and Nickey instead of the refined outsider approach previously seen in classic Hollywood films. Take, for instance, the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which, in comparison to Mickey and Nickey, follows a clear path with structured dialogue. As a result, at times, conversations seem forced, whereas they flow naturally in Mikey and Nickey. The witty connection between the film's actors further adds to the film's realism and also aligns closer with the more rebellious and counterculture nature of the post-Vietnam War time period. It was clear in this film that the directors explored their own artistic freedom and strove to make their film bold and convincing. Moreover, Mikey and Nickey, a New Hollywood film though influenced by the French New Wave and Italian neorealism's social realism, takes up its own unique character by means of gritty realism and (for the era) unconventional dialogue.
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ReplyDeleteDeparting from the highly structured and polished narratives of some of the other films we watched, Elain May's film, Nicky and Micky, embraces a cold and naturalistic approach that puts character ahead of plot. A sense of ‘coldness’ permeates the story as what audiences see isn’t highly stylized or glamourous. It is a stripped-down portrayal of urban life, featuring two men doing things that don’t have an apparent relationship to crime. Nicky and Micky go from place to place talking about their past and themselves. There is a sense of inevitability that Nicky will not be able to escape the mob, but we follow them anyway. As opposed more structured narratives expanding across multiple days, Mikey and Nicky confines its story to a single night. All scenes are highly conversational, particularly between the central characters, and exposition takes a subversive presentation. Though conversation, the story unfolds organically, mirroring the real world with a raw and unvarnished realism. To reinforce the content of the script, Elain May employs a very minimal directorial style. There is no flashy editing or dramatic musical cues, or large action sequences; she just allows the events to play out with any glamour whatsoever. In addition, most scenes are shot with longer lenses, placing the audience further from the characters and their actions. These techniques place audiences in the immediacy of the characters' plight but without glamour that might go along with conventional Hollywood stories and elevates the authenticity of the narrative, allowing themes of betrayal, loyalty, and desperation to resonate more deeply with audiences.
ReplyDeleteMikey and Nickey is a film riddled with creative and never before seen choices and styles in filmmaking. These, despite being bizarre and ludicrous at times, are very innovative and actually help the movie tell its tale and overall story. This is shown with the lack of music and seemingly poor lighting. First, the lack of music helps the story because it emphasizes and shows the important parts of the movie. One instance of this is during the fight scene between Mikey and Nickey. Normally, there would be an intense and over the top soundtrack, but during this scene, there is no music. This helps the fight scene, because it shows off the actual fight, and gives the audience the ability to think for themselves about how foolish the fighting is, and how it could have easily been avoided. Another instance of the stylistic choices being conveyed is with the lighting. The movie is very, very dark at almost all times, especially during the graveyard scene. I think this helps the movie convey its messages, that being of a duo of gangsters being slowly torn apart. The dark lighting emphasizes the dark subject material such as murder, domestic abuse, adultery, and the concept of what happens after death. These elements and horrific themes are helped by the dark lighting, because the darkness forces the audience to really pay attention to what's happening in the scenes and what the messages are. It is also symbolic, as the dark themes and being conveyed through dark scenes.
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