For men. For women. For less.
Damn. Smallville is on a roll! I am an extremely happy fangirl right now.
SV 6.20 'Noir':
Smallville doing a film noir homage thing?! OH HELL YES. I've been bouncing in my seat since the first second I got the tiniest inkling of what they were up to. I love, love, love film noir and I love, love, love Smallville. I could not have been more excited.
So the fact that it lived up to my expectations?
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
Honestly, I'm shocked that the people who work on Smallville even know what film noir is.
Okay so they probably deserve more credit than that.
Maybe *g*.
Irregardless. They sure did their homework this time because visually? They knocked it out of the park. And I don't mean just because of the way Tom looked in that tank top.
That is fucking fabulous composition right there. The off kilter feel to the lines. The contrast between light and dark. The eerie dead body laying there on the rain soaked street. It's so well done, if that CW thing wasn't there you might expect to see it in any one of the hundreds of books about film noir or cinematography.
And the sets! What a fantastic job they did with those. Especially the Talon.
HOW PERFECT IS THAT?! I've stared more at my cap of that than I have at the ones of Tom's arms. I could clap it pleases me so much.
And the inside's just as good.
Not only did they do a brilliant job with the lighting, framing, sets, costumes etc etc but they threw in all these other visual cues recognizable to anybody who's watched noir.
The pouring rain.
The sad sack protagonist who gets sucked in by the femme fatale despairing at the bar.
The femme fatale herself.
If the female is introduced with a shot like that and then she makes faces like this -
while saying things like 'I wonder if you could spare a bit of your strength for me.'? YOU RUN, JIMMY.
As a side note - Kreuk's delivery of 'There's been a murder. Mine.' is yet another choice example of her hysterical tendency to hoarsen her voice up when she's being evil!Lana. My sister literally threw her head back banging it against the couch with sighing. Why does no one tell Kreuk how silly she sounds?
Come to think of it, I hope no one ever does. Her 'Oh sweetie, this isn't a movie' in Thirst is solid GOLD funny. Keep on with that.
Lois was straight out of Gilda.
Which is iconic and recognizable even for the sad people who've never actually seen it.
They even threw in the smoke heavy air with everybody and their great aunt lighting up.
It's a horrible habit and don't let your kids do it, but damn if Lex didn't do it for me with a cigarette in his hands and mouth. And his ring. I'm a bit fixated on it.
Lex was smokin'! Literally and figuratively. Ha!
To top it all off they were using swipes to move to the next scene! And stock footage that didn't quite blend with the footage shot on stage! It was brilliant and I shouted.
They were keeping with noir themes too with everybody lying and up to who knows what. How perfectly fitting for Smallville. Jimmy was screwed and still going to take the fall at the end because fate's a bitch and there was sleazy adultuerous sex! On Smallville!! With Clark as a participant!!
Let's take a moment to appreciate that scene shall we?
Her getting dressed and him coming in looking like that and wiping his mouth . . I think we were all wiping our mouths a little am I right?
His arms. He really is some kind of specimen of a man.
'I need to go take care of something.'
'I thought that was what I was here for.'
THAT'S WHAT HE WAS BORN FOR.
I might need to go take care of something if I dwell on this scene any longer.
For good measure, a couple of shots of him in a suit -
Know why Smallville is better than Heroes and Supernatural no matter how much better their continuity or effects or what the hell ever? THAT. It's got a lot of other things going for it that those two shows don't quite stack up against no matter how much 'better' they are - charm for example - but mostly THAT.
Shockingly, I'm not completely shallow as the Tom is porn in a wife beater scene didn't even come close to being my favorite of the episode. No. It was the HOLY GOD IT'S TOM BEING ICONIC CLARK KENT which I had to cap because ICONIC CLARK KENT!!
I can't put into words how much pure joy Tom was for me in that moment. REALLY, REALLY CAN'T. He was patting down Chloe's chest and 'K. Kent. I'm Clark Kent.'
I WILL CONTINUOUSLY JOYGASM OVER IT UNTIL I DROP DEAD.
Clark catching Chloe and being playful about it was a close second. Well not really because nothing can come close. Still it was love.
Doesn't his dorky jacket look gorgeous after all that black and white?! Superman, guys. SUPERMAN!! That's what his colors should look like not that muted crap in Superman Returns.
His little nod at the end -
Again with the Ashley can not express it trouble.
Other points of glee -
- Jimmy was watching The Big Sleep and he knew the dialogue by heart! He's only been okay for me most of the season but that gives points. Lots of points. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it this weekend.
- Chloe's expression when she saw Lana lying there shot cracked me up. She sure didn't look all that shaken up or concerned did she?
- I can't get over the fact that it was Clark that shot Lana. Awesome possum!
- During the scene when Clark's at the planet after just finding out about Lana and he's asking Chloe questions, he's fidgeting with his hands. Tapping his fingers and clenching and unclenching his fists. I thought that was a great touch.
- I think they went a little overboard with the slang - 'Cool your jets, mac.' It was cute.
All the playing with old school sounding dialogue was cute. Especially Lois and Lex's scene in the barn (meeting in the barn for their illicit love!! HA!) with all that 'I gotta know it's real' and Lex's over the top 'Is this real' and then smacking lips. GREATNESS.
Also Lex saying 'Gardenia' with his last breathe. So very noir.
- I'm intrigued by Chloe and Clark's firm belief that Lex would never do anything to hurt Lana or someone he loved. Oh really?
- Chloe calling Clark instead of 911 killed me.
All in all, bravo Smallville.
Now to watch the 'K. Kent. I'm Clark Kent' over and over until I break my computer. Then, SPIDERMAN 3!!!!
SV 6.20 'Noir':
Smallville doing a film noir homage thing?! OH HELL YES. I've been bouncing in my seat since the first second I got the tiniest inkling of what they were up to. I love, love, love film noir and I love, love, love Smallville. I could not have been more excited.
So the fact that it lived up to my expectations?
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
Honestly, I'm shocked that the people who work on Smallville even know what film noir is.
Okay so they probably deserve more credit than that.
Maybe *g*.
Irregardless. They sure did their homework this time because visually? They knocked it out of the park. And I don't mean just because of the way Tom looked in that tank top.
That is fucking fabulous composition right there. The off kilter feel to the lines. The contrast between light and dark. The eerie dead body laying there on the rain soaked street. It's so well done, if that CW thing wasn't there you might expect to see it in any one of the hundreds of books about film noir or cinematography.
And the sets! What a fantastic job they did with those. Especially the Talon.
HOW PERFECT IS THAT?! I've stared more at my cap of that than I have at the ones of Tom's arms. I could clap it pleases me so much.
And the inside's just as good.
Not only did they do a brilliant job with the lighting, framing, sets, costumes etc etc but they threw in all these other visual cues recognizable to anybody who's watched noir.
The pouring rain.
The sad sack protagonist who gets sucked in by the femme fatale despairing at the bar.
The femme fatale herself.
If the female is introduced with a shot like that and then she makes faces like this -
while saying things like 'I wonder if you could spare a bit of your strength for me.'? YOU RUN, JIMMY.
As a side note - Kreuk's delivery of 'There's been a murder. Mine.' is yet another choice example of her hysterical tendency to hoarsen her voice up when she's being evil!Lana. My sister literally threw her head back banging it against the couch with sighing. Why does no one tell Kreuk how silly she sounds?
Come to think of it, I hope no one ever does. Her 'Oh sweetie, this isn't a movie' in Thirst is solid GOLD funny. Keep on with that.
Lois was straight out of Gilda.
Which is iconic and recognizable even for the sad people who've never actually seen it.
They even threw in the smoke heavy air with everybody and their great aunt lighting up.
It's a horrible habit and don't let your kids do it, but damn if Lex didn't do it for me with a cigarette in his hands and mouth. And his ring. I'm a bit fixated on it.
Lex was smokin'! Literally and figuratively. Ha!
To top it all off they were using swipes to move to the next scene! And stock footage that didn't quite blend with the footage shot on stage! It was brilliant and I shouted.
They were keeping with noir themes too with everybody lying and up to who knows what. How perfectly fitting for Smallville. Jimmy was screwed and still going to take the fall at the end because fate's a bitch and there was sleazy adultuerous sex! On Smallville!! With Clark as a participant!!
Let's take a moment to appreciate that scene shall we?
Her getting dressed and him coming in looking like that and wiping his mouth . . I think we were all wiping our mouths a little am I right?
His arms. He really is some kind of specimen of a man.
'I need to go take care of something.'
'I thought that was what I was here for.'
THAT'S WHAT HE WAS BORN FOR.
I might need to go take care of something if I dwell on this scene any longer.
For good measure, a couple of shots of him in a suit -
Know why Smallville is better than Heroes and Supernatural no matter how much better their continuity or effects or what the hell ever? THAT. It's got a lot of other things going for it that those two shows don't quite stack up against no matter how much 'better' they are - charm for example - but mostly THAT.
Shockingly, I'm not completely shallow as the Tom is porn in a wife beater scene didn't even come close to being my favorite of the episode. No. It was the HOLY GOD IT'S TOM BEING ICONIC CLARK KENT which I had to cap because ICONIC CLARK KENT!!
I can't put into words how much pure joy Tom was for me in that moment. REALLY, REALLY CAN'T. He was patting down Chloe's chest and 'K. Kent. I'm Clark Kent.'
I WILL CONTINUOUSLY JOYGASM OVER IT UNTIL I DROP DEAD.
Clark catching Chloe and being playful about it was a close second. Well not really because nothing can come close. Still it was love.
Doesn't his dorky jacket look gorgeous after all that black and white?! Superman, guys. SUPERMAN!! That's what his colors should look like not that muted crap in Superman Returns.
His little nod at the end -
Again with the Ashley can not express it trouble.
Other points of glee -
- Jimmy was watching The Big Sleep and he knew the dialogue by heart! He's only been okay for me most of the season but that gives points. Lots of points. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it this weekend.
- Chloe's expression when she saw Lana lying there shot cracked me up. She sure didn't look all that shaken up or concerned did she?
- I can't get over the fact that it was Clark that shot Lana. Awesome possum!
- During the scene when Clark's at the planet after just finding out about Lana and he's asking Chloe questions, he's fidgeting with his hands. Tapping his fingers and clenching and unclenching his fists. I thought that was a great touch.
- I think they went a little overboard with the slang - 'Cool your jets, mac.' It was cute.
All the playing with old school sounding dialogue was cute. Especially Lois and Lex's scene in the barn (meeting in the barn for their illicit love!! HA!) with all that 'I gotta know it's real' and Lex's over the top 'Is this real' and then smacking lips. GREATNESS.
Also Lex saying 'Gardenia' with his last breathe. So very noir.
- I'm intrigued by Chloe and Clark's firm belief that Lex would never do anything to hurt Lana or someone he loved. Oh really?
- Chloe calling Clark instead of 911 killed me.
All in all, bravo Smallville.
Now to watch the 'K. Kent. I'm Clark Kent' over and over until I break my computer. Then, SPIDERMAN 3!!!!