Much That Is Hidden

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Pro gamblers likely fared well last night while those with a penchant for the underdog probably have the ice pack on their fannies as the 2007 Boiled Dinner Movie Madness Blogger’s Extravaganza Tournament of Champions got underway. Only one ranked upset appeared among the first sixteen matches between the Godard and Kurosawa regions, but it was a humdinger that left the fans stunned. The Godard’s fifth-ranked Mr. Smith Goes To Washington came out strong in the first half, showing up it’s Capratic strength as an American underdog tale for the ages. Ironically it was 12^th-ranked The Deer Hunter that took Smith down, displaying a palpable increase in hustle in the second half.

“You're kind of contradicting yourself on Fargo vs. Wonderful and Deer Hunter vs. Smith,” was the Rant of the Loon against tournament director and chief projectionist Jeff Kosloski. In the former match Looney is referring to the other Capra classic in the tournament, the Godard’s No. 4 It’s A Wonderful Life and its expected smackdown of No. 13 Fargo in the Belmondo Pavilion across the way. Loon’s contention was that Kos was using “opposite criteria” to come to his conclusion of one for, one against Capra.

But Kos was unwavering. “I don't think I'm contradicting myself,” said Kos, “because I think Wonderful Life is a better movie than Mr. Smith -- if they'd gone head-to-head, I wouldn't have thought twice about the match-up.”

Kos summed up the dispute by saying he did not think Fargo had the impact on audiences or for that matter on society that Deer Hunter did. So there. You have it. Many exiting fans were heard saying a Capra v. Capra, and of course a Stewart v. Stewart, matchup would have been the ultimate game. Alas, twas not to be. The latter is still a remote possibility what with Philadelphia Story and Rear Window still in the running over in the Fellini, but both are underdogs in their contests tomorrow. Deer Hunter faces It’s A Wonderful Life in round two tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Bijou.

Over in the Kurosawa, the match of the night was without a doubt No. 7 To Kill A Mockingbird trying to keep down Scorcese’s lovable little Taxi Driver and its scrappy but batshit insane point guard Travis Bickle. It seems half the house was really pulling for Bickle, who gave Mockingbird’s Atticus Finch a helluva time in the paint, causing the genteel southern counselor to foul out near the end of the second half. In the end it was the irascible Scout, paired up with Boo Radley (equally as scary as Bickle at the line). Little Scout consistently got up in Bickle’s face and innocently asked, “Why, Mr. Travis? Why?” it was more than Bickle could take, and the film adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel emerged from the Kagemusha Arena victorious. Finch and crew have their work cut out for them in the second round, going up against west coast powerhouse The Graduate tomorrow.

WHAT TO WATCH: For the Godard’s second round action, easy money is on top ranked Citizen Kane to take down the essentially defenseless Dr. Strangelove, though don’t count the good doctor’s explosive offense as completely incapable of providing a fun match to watch. In the Kurosawa, the tight game is undoubtedly going to be the 5 v. 4 matchup of The Godfather II against Schindler’s List. Rich, powerful Dagos take on the oppressed but favored (as well as chosen) Hebes from the ghetto. Should be exciting.

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Labels: madness