Maps to the Stars (2014 dir.David Cronenberg)

[Corny Collins]

It's always nice to see reviews of overseas releases, but this is plain wrong:

"It was also the first film Cronenberg shot entirely in America."

The reviewer seems to have listened to the commentary or did he? Bruce Wagner explicitly states in it that they had only several days to shoot in Los Angeles while most indoor scenes were filmed in Canada.

Don't even get me started on the "for the record", "as far as I am concerned", "buy with confidence, folks", "it is one year's best films/releases" (which it is, in my opinion, but just about every movie reviewed by this author is). The review template needs to be changed desperately.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Corny Collins

It's always nice to see reviews of overseas releases, but this is plain wrong:

"It was also the first film Cronenberg shot entirely in America."

It is true.

But don't trust the reviewer. See whether David Cronenberg thinks is true in the nice video interview with him.

Pro-B

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

It is true.

But don't trust the reviewer. See whether David Cronenberg thinks is true in the nice video interview with him.

Pro-B

Thanks to the tabloid-friendly nature of one of the film's stars Maps To The Stars has a pretty well charted shooting schedule. Wikipedia collates (and references) the rough schedule.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maps_to_the_Stars#Filming

Principal photography began on July 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada and continued until August 12, 2013.[49][50][51] Most of the shooting took place in Toronto and many of the interior locations in the film, were filmed at the Eastern Avenue side of Cinespace film studio of Ontario, Toronto.[52][53][54] On July 19, some scenes were shot in and around the diner at Queen street in Leslieville, Ontario.[55][56][57]

Filming then moved to Los Angeles, California. Most of the shoot was outdoors, at some landmark sites.[58][59] On August 17, filming took place downtown at Union Station, Los Angeles with Pattinson and Wasikowska[60][61] and on August 18 and 19, scenes were shot at Rodeo Drive and The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, L.A.[60][62][63][64][65] Scenes were also filmed at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Boulevard and Runyon Canyon near Mulholland Drive on August 20[66][67][68][69][70][71][72] and at Park Way Beverly Hills L.A. on August 21.[73][74] Cronenberg lit the Hollywood Sign for a scene on August 20, by using 4K HMI lights. He has said that "It's no different than shining a light from a helicopter."[75] Filming wrapped up on August 22, 2013 in L.A.[75][76]

Maps To The Stars does mark the first time he's ever shot in the US tho (apparently).

[lolwut]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

David Cronenberg is an incredibly intelligent director, but the highs and lows in his oeuvre are very obvious. His more straightforward horror films are clearly his weakest (The Fly, The Dead Zone, Shivers, Rabid). (And then there is Eastern Promises).

When Cronenberg loads up his films with social criticism or tackles taboo subjects, he is at his very best. His last two films, Cosmopolis and Maps to the Stars, have been every bit as impressive as Crash.

Well that's not an opinion you see every day, considering The Fly, The Dead Zone, and Eastern Promises his weakest and Cosmopolis and Maps to the Stars his best.

The Fly:
7.5/10 IMDb
91% Rotten Tomatoes
79% Metacritic

The Dead Zone
7.3/10 IMDb
90% Rotten Tomatoes

Eastern Promises:
7.7/10 IMDb
89% Rotten Tomatoes
82 Metacritic

Cosmopolis:
5/10 IMDb
64% Rotten Tomatoes
58 Metacritic

Maps to the Stars:
6.4/10 IMDb
62% Rotten Tomatoes
67 Metacritic

I think A History of Violence, The Fly and Dead Ringers are his best, and Cosmopolis is his worst.

[david0060]

Originally Posted by lolwut

I think A History of Violence, The Fly and Dead Ringers are his best, and Cosmopolis is his worst.

Can't agree more!

[IanSchultz23]

Originally Posted by lolwut

I think A History of Violence, The Fly and Dead Ringers are his best, and Cosmopolis is his worst.

I LOVE Cosmopolis but it's one of his most challenging films, the only I absolutely hate is The Brood.

[Pizzamorg]

I thought Cosmopolis was a load of pretentious rubbish.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Maps To The Stars does mark the first time he's ever shot in the US tho (apparently).

While many of David Cronenberg's films are indeed set in the United States, Maps to the Stars marks the first time he has shot in the United States -- entirely (meaning with Cronenberg present and actually shooting). This is something Mr. Cronenberg specifically addresses in the video interview.

Previous films have been co-productions -- Canada/Europe -- and because of funding restrictions they have never apparently been shot by Cronenberg in the United States. My guess is that if footage was used (from the U.S.), someone else shot it for Cronenberg.

Get the disc and watch the interview. It is actually very interesting.

Pro-B

[Corny Collins]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

While many of David Cronenberg's films are indeed set in the United States, Maps to the Stars marks the first time he has indeed shot in the United States. This is something Mr. Cronenberg specifically addresses in the video interview.

Get the disc and watch the interview.

Pro-B

How about deleting "entirely" from that sentence in the review then? Because it is that small word that makes a big factual difference.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Corny Collins

How about deleting "entirely" from that sentence in the review then? Because it is that small word that makes a big factual difference.

I don't have a problem removing it, but I don't think that it makes the big factual difference you believe it does.

The part refers to the fact that it was the fist film he shot "entirely" in America. He has other films that are set in America.

Pro-B

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

While many of David Cronenberg's films are indeed set in the United States, Maps to the Stars marks the first time he has shot in the United States -- entirely (meaning with Cronenberg present and actually shooting). This is something Mr. Cronenberg specifically addresses in the video interview.

Yep, he's addressed it in several places. There's a few interviews here where he talks about MAPS marking the first time he's shot in the US.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/24/80...tars-hollywood

http://www.nerdist.com/2015/02/exclu...-to-the-stars/

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Previous films have been co-productions -- Canada/Europe -- and because of funding restrictions they have never apparently been shot by Cronenberg in the United States. My guess is that if footage was used (from the U.S.), someone else shot it for Cronenberg.

Get the disc and watch the interview. It is actually very interesting.

Pro-B

I've got the disc, and love the film (it was in my top 10 of 2014).

I do get what you mean now tho (I think), but the entirety of the film was not shot entirely in the US, which is what the statement ""It was also the first film Cronenberg shot entirely in America" does appear to be saying.