I really enjoyed this film. It was a fun, witty, and fresh look at 50s Hollywood. The fact that it deals with gay characters aside, it has a fun, but strong message about the extent of how far McCarthy era probes went to play on public fears. This time it's dished right back to the fear-mongers.
The movie is shot on high-color film stock that makes it feel more like a 50s Technicolor feature. The characters are over-the-top and the sets are "fabulous." On the technical side, this movie has several long single-shot scenes that make it feel more like a 50s-era movie. I hear that they were equally difficult for the actors and crew to get get a good take. Most movie takes today are only seconds long with different camera takes strung together to make a scene. In Straight-Jacket, they pan the camera to make a very long, stage-like scene.
The humor of the film is very smart & witty. I always like a comedy where secondary & minor characters are used to carry the comedy while the main characters carry more of a straight plot. In this film, you can't wait for the next witty entanglement with either the butler (Michael Emerson) or the agent (Veronica Cartwright.) Of course, there are several on-going gags that lighten the serious message of the film.
The movie is shot on high-color film stock that makes it feel more like a 50s Technicolor feature. The characters are over-the-top and the sets are "fabulous." On the technical side, this movie has several long single-shot scenes that make it feel more like a 50s-era movie. I hear that they were equally difficult for the actors and crew to get get a good take. Most movie takes today are only seconds long with different camera takes strung together to make a scene. In Straight-Jacket, they pan the camera to make a very long, stage-like scene.
The humor of the film is very smart & witty. I always like a comedy where secondary & minor characters are used to carry the comedy while the main characters carry more of a straight plot. In this film, you can't wait for the next witty entanglement with either the butler (Michael Emerson) or the agent (Veronica Cartwright.) Of course, there are several on-going gags that lighten the serious message of the film.