- [Narrator] Sam Levinson's Malcolm and Marie
dives deep into the complicated nature
of simply being a couple.
- Don't push away the people who ground you.
- [Narrator] While doing this,
it's built with many elements of classic cinema.
Here's every film reference in Malcolm and Marie.
(light jazz music)
How do these classic approaches make the film stand out?
What separates them from modern ones?
Are they about to make a comeback?
Keep it right here to find out.
Filmed on black and white 35 millimeter,
Malcolm and Marie takes on a classic aesthetic,
often from the 1960s such as "The Servant," "La Notte"
and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf."
Also like many of these films,
Malcolm and Marie is character driven
and explores a couple that struggles
both professionally and emotionally.
- You're so good at fighting you fought
to make the movie,
to make it the way you want it to make it,
So why didn't you fight for me?
- [Narrator] Often handheld,
and done in continuous moving shots.
The camera movements in Malcolm and Marie
allude to French New Wave films
like Jean-Luc Godard's, "Breathless"
and Agnès Varda's "Cleo from 5 to 7."
The use of mirrors for continuous dialogue shots,
as well as to symbolize the
character's state of mind,
was also common
in French New Wave films.
It was also done in "The Servant."
Other reflection shots, using the houses glass walls,
such as this ghostly reflection of Marie
were also featured in "La Notte."
- The white woman from the LA times, she really loved it.
She kept saying I'm the next Spike Lee.
- [Narrator] Malcolm mentioned Spike Lee.
Not that long ago, John David Washington worked
with Spike Lee on 2018's, "BlacKkKlansman."
Much like Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have it", as well as
Charles Burnett's "Killer of Sheep",
Malcolm and Marie is a black and white film with
an entirely black cast who were underrepresented
during the golden age of cinema.
- The next Barry Jenkins, the next John Singleton.
- [Narrator] Malcolm mentioned Barry Jenkins,
the director of recent award winners
"Moonlight" and "If Beale Street Could Talk",
followed by John Singleton,
who helmed "Boyz N the Hood".
- Got a problem here?
- What about William Wyler?
you could tell for like 3 whole seconds.
She was like, was William Wyler black?
- [Narrator] Malcolm also mentioned William Wyler,
who did classics like "The Best Years of our Lives,"
"Ben Hur," "Wuthering Heights," and
- "Roman Holiday."
- [Narrator] Malcolm jokes about making a Lego Movie.
- Not because I want to tell a story about how
the building blocks of the American empire was slave labor.
I may just want to make a Lego Movie.
- [Narrator] Lego has made over 20 feature films,
none of which are called
- a fucking Lego Movie
- [Narrator] Malcolm gets on his knees
and tries to seduce Marie,
but she's not into it.
This is much like the scene from "La Notte,"
fake smile and all.
- Forgot to thank you, Malcolm.
It's not a minor fucking detail.
That's a big one.
- But I thanked you a million times before.
you know that I'm thankful,
you know that I'm appreciative.
- [Narrator] The plot to this film was loosely inspired
by the premiere of Sam Levinson's earlier film,
"Assassination Nation."
He forgot to think his co-producer and wife Ashley Levinson.
Many scenes take place with notable distance
between Malcolm and Marie,
which was also used in "Virginia Wolf"
and many other 1960s dramas.
Malcolm and Marie have many personal moments
that we as an audience feel we shouldn't be witnessing.
(overlapping)
- You know what? You are fucking ugly inside.
- Fuck You.
- [Narrator] Intentionally jarring scenes
are a common practice in films
of the new Hollywood era, like "Bonnie and Clyde."
- Don't you judge me
- [Narrator] and "Early Score Ceci."
- This semester, It's your time. Fifteen minutes ain't long.
- [Narrator] When Malcolm confronts Marie in the tub,
this bears a resemblance to the bath tub scenes
in "La Notte," as well as "Splendor in the Grass."
- Like the opening steady cam shot.
It's a dollar you fucking idiot.
- [Narrator] Just so you don't make the same mistake,
A steady cam is a body mounted stabilizer you can walk with,
And a Dolly is a wheeled platform for smooth tracking shots.
- I'm sure she loves to do the right thing.
- It made at a time when politics weren't cool.
That's what made it so fucking revolutionary.
- [Narrator] Marie mentioned "Do the Right Thing,"
Another Spike Lee film
which earned him his first Oscar nomination in 1990.
- Elliot uses tight lenses. Its the fucking same lense.
- [Narrator] When the critic says "tight lense,"
they're probably referring to a close-up like this one
- Fucking Dorothy.
- [Narrator] Clearly,
He's referring to skater Dorothy Hamill,
who wants appeared in, of course it's "Wizard of Oz."
- There's no place like home.
- [Narrator] Malcolm goes on a rant
where he names off several notable filmmakers.
Here's a quick rundown.
- I mean, why did Ben Hecht
and sells the two fucking Jewish men,
spend so much time on "Gone with the Wind?"
- [Narrator] Ben Hecht was a contributing writer
for "Gone with the Wind."
David O Selznick, produced it.
- No one can explain to me why the fuck Billy Wilder
made "Spirit of St. Louis"
and lying Nazi bastard Lindbergh.
- [Narrator] Billy Wilder also wrote and directed
"The Lost Weekend"
"Double Indemnity,"
and "The Apartment."
- Oh, Ida Lupino.
Lost in the war of fucking violent men.
- [Narrator] Ida Lupino was a prominent filmmaker
that helmed "Beware my Lovely"
and the first film noir ever directed
by a woman, "Outrage."
- Why Ed Wood wore fucking panties.
He wore panties and may B films about fucking space aliens.
- [Narrator] Ed Wood was an infamous B movie director
that created the cult classic "Plan Nine from Outer Space."
- Boy, Elaine May was fascinated
with emotionally stunted man.
I mean, did she see herself in them?
- [Narrator] Elaine may is an Oscar nominated screenwriter
whose work includes "Heaven Can Wait,"
"Primary Colors" and "The Bird Cage."
- Ottis Beinge,
The reason Cukor emphasize with women more than men
it's all a fucking mystery is the point.
George Cukor directed comedy classics
like "The Philadelphia Story,"
"Dinner at Eight,"
And "My Fair Lady."
- I mean, why did Pontecorvo,
a fucking rich, Italian Jewish man
Why did they,
why did he fucking feel such a kinship
to our Algierio Muslim girl fighters
that he fucking made "Battle of Algiers?"
- [Narrator] Gillo Pontecorvo directed
"The Battle of Algiers" in 1966,
and perceived Oscar nominations
for best director and original screenplay
- Just to be fucking paid for,
if every film put a post script, and we'll be good.
- [Narrator] Malcolm discusses his issues
with modern film criticism and the need to be disruptive.
This echoes comments once made
by Edward Alby, who wrote the original play
for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?"
- You know, they don't know Dick
about film about fucking "Citizen Kane."
- [Narrator] Malcolm mentions "Citizen Kane,"
which was directed by Orson Welles.
Charles and his significant other,
bear quite a few similarities to Malcolm and Marie.
- God I feel like I'm crazy.
(knife taps)
- [Narrator] This frightening moment
with the kitchen knife,
ends up much like a scene
in "Virginia Wolf" involving an oddly designed umbrella.
- I feel like we're going to get married
and divorced at least a couple of times.
We might as well gets started now.
- No.
- [Narrator] Malcolm jokes how Marine he
will likely be married and divorced twice.
The real life couple that really did
tie the double knot were "Virginia Woolf's"
Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
Though Malcolm and Marie's relationship does evolve,
the film deliberately ends with a sense of irresolution.
This is another common staple in films
from the new Hollywood era,
much like Scorsese's earlier work.
Anything we missed?
Which films references would you like to see next?
Let us know in the comments.