MovieChat Forums > Kaboom (2010) Discussion > it seems that ol' Gregg is one misunders...

it seems that ol' Gregg is one misunderstand director

posted 14 years ago by suspiria56
15 replies | jump to latest

...but I am sure that just inspires him further.

KABOOM was a brilliantly funny b-movie horror/sci-fi 80's teen-esque hybrid that is an extension of films like Doom Generation / Nowhere / Splendor.

Granted, his films are by no means for everyone, but he makes genuinely great b-movies, albeit in that knowing way that Araki pulls off, effortlessly sticking the fingers up to the mainstream. I mean compare his films to other teenage fare like THE GIRL NEXT DOOR or 72 MILLION FIRST DATES, its a different thing altogether. Check out Jordan from THE DOOM GENERATION if you don't get Araki's intent, his soundtracks, skewered faux-hip dialogue, seemingly pointless scenes.

And I love all the seri-arse msuo journalists who could finally appreciate him with MYSTERIOUS SKIN, but are holding back the stuttered criticism for his latest.

Great director...its no coincidence that John Waters is thanked in the credits.

"Gran'pa was always tha best...."

[–] mulholland_empire 14 years ago

kaboom was for sure misunderstood. as are most of his movies if not all.

[–] suspiria56 14 years ago

Absolutely, I know he is not for everyone, but some of the criticism is way off the mark.

Nice to agree Inland_Drive....er, sorry Mulholland_Empire :-)

"Gran'pa was always tha best...."

[–] mulholland_empire 14 years ago

hahaha.

i think sometimes people tend too take movies a little too serious, which was why alot of people hated kaboom. i liked it, it was funny and kept me interested but there really was nothing to it. it was just a straight-up b-movie spoof on sci/fi lol. and alot of people are really quick to judge because of the sexual preferences in the film....which is pretty sad!

[–] Chairman-Meow 14 years ago

Misunderstood? Yeah right. Kaboom is a terrible movie, period. I don't see how anyone can defend this garbage.

I was never one to hold grudges. My father held grudges, I'll always hate him for that.

[–] mulholland_empire 14 years ago

oooh reginald why dont you go poopington somewhere else lol......im pretty sure you have made your point that you dont like this movie.

tell me what some of your favs are?

here my top 5
lets see if we have anything in common

1-blue velvet
2-chinatown
3-brazil
4-mulholland dr.
5-clockwork

[–] Chairman-Meow 14 years ago

I love Brazil, it is definitely one of my favorite movies. I did not like Blue Velvet at all. I don't like David Lynch, I've watched a number of his films but I just can't see the appeal.He is just too weird for me. As far as my favorite movies, I have quite a few.
In no particular order here are a few of them.

-Dark City
-Children of Men
-Kill Bill
-12 Monkeys
-Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I was never one to hold grudges. My father held grudges, I'll always hate him for that.

[–] mulholland_empire 14 years ago

dark city is a great movie. def one of my fav sci/fi movies. the bluray that was released a few yrs ago is amazing. 12 monkeys is another great one. 2 very underrated films and great to see them on your list.

as far as lynch goes he's for sure not everyones cup of tea.

and i just got a bluray of brazil but its not the directors cut, its the american version shown in theaters. im really hoping criterion gets a bluray of it out because it looks the best it ever has on that new bluray universal put out. i can only imagine the wonders criterion will do with it.

anyways thnkx for the input.

[–] suspiria56 14 years ago

Hi Reginald - this is what is wrong with IMDb, in the fact that I try and make a reasoned, balanced point that there are people who love cinema who just don't like Araki, that's fair enough. But then there are also those who don't see, or indeed refuse, to see the motivations behind such films and still have a go.

One of my favourite things about Gregg Araki is that he takes trash cinem, b-movies, horror, porn, the teen film, and makes them into some weird subversive concoction.

By the way, please note that I am not saying that people who appreciate those genres should sutomatically like what Gregg Araki does. Hope you get me drift there.

"Gran'pa was always tha best...."

[–] jpga666 14 years ago

This movie in particular is probably his most misunderstood, in my opinion. For some reason, it's attracted a lot of close-minded, homophobic bigots. How do these people manage to stumble upon this movie? It's beyond me. This isn't the type of movie you just stumble upon.

Maybe they were looking for some heterosexual/lesbian porn, saw a movie about "sexual awakening in college" and were suprised to see man-on-man action. I know a few of them just wanted to see Juno Temple's breasts.

[–] Foxbarking 12 years ago

I think he and his fan base would like to think he is misunderstood, but I don't that is the case. It seems like a defense mechanism from IMDB posters to decide that if someone does not like a movie that they must not understand the movie or what the director is trying to do. I assume, more often than not, we understand perfectly and simply don't like it.

This paragraph has nothing to do with Araki and is just my feeling on the concept of misunderstood directors: I actually think that saying a director is misunderstood is an insult to the director. If people do not understand, then this likely indicates that the director is not a good storyteller, unless the entire point of the film is to keep people from understanding. For example, in an interview with Don Coscarelli, he explained that he wanted to make a movie that was so bizarre and confusing that no one would know what the hell the film was about. I think he did a great job as "Phantasm" doesn't make a lick of sense.

That being said, I actually liked this movie, yet I do not assume that anyone disliking it simply does not understand Araki. He's really not that complex of a writer and director; he simply doesn't appeal very far beyond his already established fan base.

[–] suspiria56 12 years ago

My apologies if I came across a bit elitist, did not intend that.

I was pointing mainly at the 'professional' critics, particularly them that pen for UK film journals.

I do belive his motivations are often missed still, though. Perceived as a supplier of b-movie trash, where in actually fact there's a lot more going on his films.

"Gran'pa was always tha best...."

[–] mikebourkefan 9 years ago

Gregg is one of my favorite writers\directors because he knows how to make young adult characters real well. from my pov that is easy to understand. fun that his movies are so fuvcked up

Rob Zombie is one of the greatest directors today

[–] eolloe 11 years ago

This was fine for a B-movie comedy/sci fi/teen angst film.
It kept my attention throughout and had a few decent laughs.

I too wonder how some of the uptight people who have been critical of the film have been finding it. I don't think they were quite the intended audience (other than for Araki to have a laugh giving them the finger).

[–] ggmuollo 11 years ago

Not sure how I missed this being a Gregg Araki flick, especially when James Duval showed up but, omg, was this a roller coaster of crazy, sexy, stupid fun! In other words, classic Araki! :-D

[–] lazarillo 11 years ago

I knew it was Gregg Araki.

I don't take him seriously, but he always seems like one of these young gay guys who just came out of the closet and wants to shock everyone with SEX. Maybe some of his films were more mature, but "The Doom Generation", "The Living End" and "Nowhere" are definitely like that.

One thing I'll say in his favor is that (ironically) he always gets his female cast naked (as well James Duvall). I'll take a little Gregg Arawki if I get to see a lot of Juno Temple and Haley Bennet (and he's making his next film with Shailene Woodley). Seriously, I get tired with the absolute obsession with sex of a lot of modern American movies, but when they then don't even SHOW any sex or nudity, that is REALLY irritating. I appreciate that at least about Arawki and his equally obsessed but straight (or straightER) equivalent Larry Clark.