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REVIEW – Mad Men Season 5 ‘Signal 30′ Episode 505

admin — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:21:51 +0000

Editor’s Note: Matt Hardeman is a lover of all things music, movies and TV. The following post is from the HDROOM blog and is reposted with permission.

The following review contains MAD MEN spoilers, do not read any further if you have not yet seen this episode!

“I know cooler heads should prevail, but am I the only one that wants to see this?”

Not at all, Roger. I’m pretty sure we’ve all been waiting for this.

It’s taken five seasons to get there, but in this week’s Mad Men episode, ‘Signal 30,’ Pete Campbell finally caught the punch in the face he’s been asking for since day one. It was just as glorious as I’d always hoped it would be.

There’s not a complete satisfaction with it, though, as there is something about Pete that also makes you care about him. Under all the smarm and incessant power tripping, there is a guy that has everything, yet feels like he has nothing.

The idea of that isn’t initially easy to agree with. On the outside, his life is damn near perfect. He’s got a lovely and loving wife, a new child, a wonderful new home in the suburbs and is well beyond secure in his work and dealings for SCDP. One would be hard pressed to find a shortcoming within all that.

Yet, Pete is filled with them. He never wanted the baby in the first place, and, as indicated in this season’s premiere, having the baby has made Trudy less concerned about her appearance than she was before, which is getting to Pete. He’s always very conscious of the surface. Pete also never wanted to move away from the city, but now he has to please his wife. He basically has the perfect life, save for the fact that it’s not the life he wanted.

I’m honestly wondering if said life is one Pete wants to keep living. At every turn that he sees as a high note, he’s torn down by those around him and his own expectations. He begins taking a driver’s education class and flirting with a young girl in the class, only to be shown up by a younger, “handsome”-er guy. He invites the Draper’s and the Cosgrove’s over for a dinner party, only to get shown up by Don when the sink he “fixed” breaks again. Later he partakes of some prostitute fueled infidelity, surely thinking himself as one of the gang, only to feel shame and judgment from Don, who has surprisingly become the pillar of sainthood in the office. The final straw was insulting and demeaning Lane in front of his peers, which led to some office fisticuffs and Pete picking himself up off the floor.

It is Pete himself that actually led to his office beat down. If not for his insistence that Don, Roger and he take over for Lane when it looked like he couldn’t close the deal, the whole thing could have been avoided, at least until something else came to pass. The Jaguar man’s wife discovered his night of infidelities, not only negating any business that could have transpired, but also humiliating Lane in the process. Pete takes this opportunity to kick Lane while he’s down, and Lane realizes the monster that he has helped Pete become.

As Pete has climbed the ladder, he’s carried and kept fewer and fewer friends along the way. Yet, he’s almost always looking for someone to back him up, and never realizing why it is that no one does. When he insults Lane, he’s looking for everyone else to agree, yet gets stone faces. As they are about to fight, he looks at Don to save him, but that’s just not going to happen.

Once the day ends, Pete drags himself out of his office and shares an elevator with Don, hoping for something. He stands there, defeated inside and out and tells Don that he “has nothing”, which we all know is furthest from the truth, but Pete doesn’t see the truth. Either that or, as I’ve mentioned, it’s a truth he doesn’t want.

Either way, I’m starting to think it wasn’t mere coincidence that Pete was asking for a window in his office earlier this season. The broken man that he is now is just a few short steps away from calling it quits for good.

Other notable moments:

- The entire dinner party was wonderfully set up and paced, with just the right amount of camaraderie and awkwardness.

- Don’s jacket. It deserves its own sitcom.

- Neither Don nor Megan knowing Ken’s wife’s name was hilarious, made even more so with Don’s “Hey, you!” line and Megan blurting out “Cynthia!” once she realizes her name.

- “There are a lot of varmints. ” Oh indeed, Pete.

- Cynthia accidentally calling Charles Whitman “Widmore/Whitmore”: intentional conversation flub or LOST reference?

- Did anyone else think Pete said, “Dick!” when he walked in on the broke sink, spilling Don’s big secret? I’ve watched it over and over and I’m sure he’s saying “damnit”, but it caught me off guard initially.

- Don fixing the broke sink assuredly created some handsome plumber fantasies. He made the ladies of the party swoon and, in the process, made Pete look even more like a joke in his own home.

- Don’s doodle of the noose. Is it a callback to his murderous fever dream revealing there is something dark inside or is it simply displaying how he feels in these meetings? I’m leaning towards the latter.

- I like that Peggy and Ken still have their pact, although I don’t think they will ever need it.

- Roger showing Lane the ropes was an incredible scene and gave an excellent peek into how Roger works. Sure, we’ve seen him in action, but hearing his steps and tips showed why he’s the best or was at one time.

- If you’re ever in dire need of a high class whorehouse, Roger Sterling is your man.

- “You’re a grimy little pimp!” – Lane Pryce

- “Because he was caught with gum on his pubis!” – Also Lane. He’s giving Roger a run for his quotable money.

- Once Lane assumed old-timey boxing stance, I knew Pete was done for.

- Joan telling Lane after the fight that he’s a better man than all the others, only for him to immediately and awkwardly kiss her on the mouth.

- Ken using Pete and his depression as the inspiration for his new story. “It might have been living in the country that was making him cry. It was killing him with its silence, and loneliness. Making everything ordinary too beautiful to bear.”
- From the mouth of Roger Sterling:

“Listen, honey, I’m not going to bore you with compliments.”

“Cup of what?” (in response to Layne saying England won the World Cup)

“The last words I want to hear out of his date’s mouth is ‘Next!’”

“I don’t know about you two, but I had Lane.”

This Mad Men episode, directed by none other than John Slattery himself, was, in my opinion, the best of Season 5 to date. While it focused heavily on Pete, the story managed to include just about everybody. Even more impressive is that it managed to do so with more than half the episode taking place outside of the office itself. All of the pacing and editing, which has been a bit shaky so far, was absolutely on point this week. Vincent Kartheiser continues to turn out impeccable work as Pete Campbell, the man who has everything but, as in his mind has nothing. Alison Brie did some stand up work with her bit of screen time as Trudy. I enjoyed her assertiveness and hope she continues to get her moments throughout the season.

- Matt Hardeman

Cheers:

Top to bottom the best episode of the season (so far)

As much as one can hate him, Pete Campbell makes for some good storytelling

Excellent editing and pacing throughout the episode

No Betty or Michael! Hooray!

Jeers:

Not a single one

Overall:

9.8

REVIEW – Mad Men Season 5 ‘Tea Leaves’ Episode 503

admin — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:53:41 +0000

Editor’s Note: Matt Hardeman is a lover of all things music, movies and TV. The following post is from the HDROOM blog and is reposted with permission.

The following review contains MAD MEN spoilers, do not read any further if you have not yet seen this episode!

“When is everything going to get back to normal?”

I hate to tell you, Roger, but it never will.

The generation gap foundations and divisions that were laid in the opening episode of this season of Mad Men were further explored in this week’s episode, ‘Tea Leaves.’ Supposedly, reading tea leaves is a way to see into someone’s future. However, watching as the world and time passes someone by is much more telling.

Though she was nowhere to be seen in the premiere, this episode focuses on one Mrs. Betty Draper Francis, newfound weight and all. Relying on a mix between prosthetics and actress January Jones’ own weight gain (from being pregnant during filming), Betty’s appearance is quite jarring, to say the least. It calls to mind Peggy at the end of season 1 and how odd and, frankly, how fake it looks.

Initially it seems like simple boredom or depression that’s led Betty to add on some pounds, her doctor discovers a lump in her throat near her thyroid gland, which could not only be the cause of her weight gain, but also brings the fear of death. Cue the brief humanizing of the show’s most loathed character.

Despite Betty’s story seemingly taking up most of the episode, SCDP does get its fair share of story in. Don has a new secretary, also named Dawn; a new hire courtesy of the “equal opportunity” joke ad from the season opener. She doesn’t get much screen time this week, but if Harry’s bumbling around her was any indication, hopefully she’s going to shake some things up.

Pete and Roger continue their petty song and dance. Pete has reeled Mohawk Airlines back into the company, and is “letting” Roger handle the account, but not without some grandstanding and humiliating Roger in the process. To go along with Mohawk’s return, Peggy is tasked with finding a new copywriter to take on the client. Enter Michael Ginsberg, who initially comes off as a bit of a loose cannon and definitely has Peggy worried, although she can’t help but admire his work.

After a dinner date with Heinz that showed Megan isn’t quite as good as Betty at “Business Dinner” wife mode, Don and Harry are tasked with getting The Rolling Stones to produce a jingle for the company, with disastrous yet humorous results. The pair is stuck in the backstage area for hours, being made fun of by two young Stones fans that help further illustrate just how far the generations are growing apart.

Other notable moments:

- The casual name dropping of The Rolling Stone’s ‘Time is on My Side’ is a bit on the nose with the narrative so far this season, but it does work.

- Henry’s mother, who might be just as cold as Betty at her finest, bluntly calling out Betty on her weight gain and suggesting she pick up some diet pills to help.

- When she gets the initial news about her health, Betty calls Don first. Despite knowing that they are awful for each other, seeing Don console her and refer to her as “Birdy” is honestly kind of sweet. That said, don’t do it, Don!!!

- “My God! You’re so square you’ve got corners!” – Megan

- The scene with Don playing 20 questions with the young girl backstage was a nice nod back to the very first episode of the series. No matter where he is, Don is always working, always trying.

- Although said scene plays a tad creepy at first seeing Don Draper talking to a young girl, he actually takes on a stern paternal mode we’ve not often seen from him. When accused of being a part of the adults that don’t want teens to have any fun, he simply replies, “No, we’re worried about you.” It comes across as one of the more genuine and heartfelt things Don has ever said.

- Harry being high and eating 20 White Castles in Don’s car is about as hilarious as his repeatedly failed attempts at getting Don to be his friend. This was a sincerely great moment between the two.

- Even though it’s a conversation on the verge of argument, Don shares his feelings with Megan in a way that he never would have with Betty. Megan has made him a bit softer and, although it hasn’t really come in to play yet, I have a feeling this is going to affect his office persona in some way.

- Gem’s from the mouth of Roger Sterling:

“I want you to bring me a good looking version of Don.”

“Between that and ‘It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn’ over there.”

“Turns out we both have a dream of throwing something through this window.”

“Actual life and death; I’ve given up on that. ”

- Despite the fact the he pretty much stole Betty from Don, Henry can’t seem to shake the feeling that he’ll forever be living in the Don’s shadow.

- There’s two instances of someone younger not recognizing someone that the older person they are conversing with is referencing. In both cases, the older parties are taken aback by the lack of knowledge, whereas the younger set exhibits complete indifference.

With so much in ‘Tea Leaves’ that I did like, I honestly felt really lukewarm to the episode overall. Jon Hamm directed this episode, and while I feel like he nailed the style and tone, some of the execution felt off. There were two particularly odd scene dissolves that both began before the initial scene ended. In a show that’s editing and pacing is so precise at all times, these transitions came off feeling like errors. There’s also a dream sequence that feels out of place on the show too. I’m not sure if these issues should fall on Hamm or the editors, but they definitely stand out.

Then there’s focusing a whole episode around Betty. She’s far from the strongest character on the show, and odd use of the fat suit really took me out of some scenes as its fakeness is so noticeable. I was also very surprised to see the tumor scare be wrapped up by episode’s end. With as scary as cancer is nowadays, it was pretty much a guaranteed death sentence in the 60′s and could have made for some interesting storytelling and, as I mentioned earlier, possibly humanized the Betty character even more. The show went completely opposite that line of thinking, however, showing that once Betty knows she’s in the clear, she’s right back to being the ice queen we’ve always known.

- Matt Hardeman

Cheers:

The throwback to Don’s first appearance was excellent

The overarching narrative is building slowly, but strongly

Roger Sterling; always

The scenes with Don and Harry were some of the best executed the show has ever had

Christopher Stanley continues to do some wonderfully subdued work as Henry Francis

Jeers:

Betty’s weight gain, primarily its fakeness, overshadowed much of the scenes that she was in, of which there were many

Some very odd editing and transitional choices that didn’t feel part of the show’s overall aesthetic

For as much Betty as we got, there was a severe lack of Sally, who was one of the shining spots of last season

Overall:

6.5

REVIEW – Mad Men Season 5 Premiere ‘A Little Kiss’ Episode 501-502

admin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:30:02 +0000

Editor’s Note: Matt Hardeman is a lover of all things music, movies and TV. The following post is from the HDROOM blog and is reposted with permission.

The following review contains MAD MEN spoilers, do not read any further if you have not yet seen this episode!

It’s been a very long 18 months since the Season Four finale, but finally, Mad Men has returned. Cue the heavy drinking and debaucherous living.

Each season of Mad Men tends to make some sort of jump ahead in time from the season before it, and Season Five proves no different; jumping our characters from October 1965 at the end of Season Four to June of 1966 for this season’s two hour opener, ‘A Little Kiss.’

Much has happened within these eight months. Sterling Cooper Draper Price (SCDP) has managed to stabilize after the loss of Lucky Strike, but there’s a sense that it’s still a very tight ship. Pete Campbell and Joan Holloway both have their own respective bundles of joy, yet still carry a weight of emptiness. Most notably, Don went through with his whirlwind engagement of Megan and the two are newlyweds.

If ‘A Little Kiss’ is any indication as to the overall narrative arc of this season, it’s going to be varying situations of old versus new. It’s immediately evident visually in the changes in clothing and furniture that the wild and loose late Sixties are right on the doorstep. The Civil Rights movement is picking up steam and the country is on the verge of pursuing real change and, thanks to what was intended as a jab at a competitor, SCDP may be an unlikely leader in helping that change.

The old versus new theme continues through much of this episode’s various relationships and interactions. Pete Campbell continues his fervent need to have everything and feels that Roger Sterling is in his way. Campbell has always had a sense of entitlement, yet at this point it seems like that entitlement might be deserved. We also see Joan visit the office for the first time since giving birth and, in seeing all of the younger girls doing her job in her absence, makes her fear a changing of the guard.

Thanks to a surprise birthday party that Megan throws Don, much to his veiled displeasure, we see the first glimpses that their age difference could end up being their undoing. Megan is young and free-spirited, whereas Don has just hit 40 and thinks such things are not only a waste of time but also an invasion of their home life.

Other quotes, scenes and moments that stood out to me:

- Peggy’s bean ballet idea gets knocked down, but I have a feeling she’s going to come back even stronger.

- Pete tripping and smashing his nose into the column in his office is comedy gold.

- This show has always had a way of really tapping into the heart of loneliness, and they show no signs of letting up on it.

- The episode begins with a much more relaxed and, even happy, Don Draper. It’s revealed that Megan is aware of his Dick Whitman past, and not having to hide who he is seems to be working wonders.

- Joan’s baby being in the office is cause for two wonderfully played and understated scenes. The first is between Joan and Roger, who share glances that speak volumes without saying anything. The second happens when Pete runs into Peggy watching the baby, and there’s that sudden realization that this could have been their life had Peggy kept their office love child.

- Whether you find it sweet, charming, sexy, embarrassing or just plain awkward, you can’t deny that Megan’s rendition of ‘Zou Bisou Bisou’ steals the show and further accentuates her and Don’s differences in age and interests.

- Harry, complete with feather boa, eagerly applauding Megan’s performance.

- It merely takes an embarrassing surprise party for Don to revert back to the curmudgeon he’s oft prone to be.

- In a show brimming with great writing, Roger Sterling continues getting all of the best lines:

“The only thing worse than not getting what you want is someone else getting it.”

“I try to get Jane to talk to me in that accent; nothing doing. She doesn’t speak French. She doesn’t like me. ”

“Here’s fifty bucks. Why don’t you go buy a fancy hat or a mask or something.”

“Is it just me or is the lobby full of negroes?”

- There’s no Betty Draper, although Don does humorously refer to her and Henry as “Morticia and Lurch.” Due to January Jones’s pregnancy last year, I hear that her screen time this season will be much shorter than usual. Hopefully that won’t affect Sally’s screen time, as she was one of the best parts of last season.

I will say that something about the show’s mood and tone felt a bit off. It could honestly be the length of time and all the creative folks at hand getting back into the swing of things, but some scenes came off very play-like alongside some oddly timed music cues. These are very small gripes as, issues or not, I’m just ecstatic to have this cast of characters back and I can’t wait to see where the world takes them.

- Matt Hardeman

Cheers:

The return of one of the finest dramas to ever be on television

The entire party sequence

The absolutely stellar writing that is equally matched with an excellent cast

Jeers:

Some odd line deliveries and music cues seemed a bit off

Overall:

8.5

Fresh ideas and superb film production From A to Z

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:32:53 +0000

Business & Advertising profiles

A look at AZ Film studios

The air at AZ film studios was thumping when I arrived on June 18th to get my interview. When I first pulled up I wasn’t sure what to think. It looked like one of a million warehouse buildings that can be found everywhere in downtown LA. But once I got inside there was no ignoring the energy coming from the staff and the artists alike.

The facility has rooms for the catering, dressing, reception, production and comfort of their artists and clients. The decor has a certain playfully professional ambience, which really adds to the charm. And when you see the giant green screen and high-tech equipment in the main room you know you’re in for some fun.

They were shooting the new video for Spirit and Big Tank featuring Butch Cassidy. The song sounds like a hit to me and even before the video hits editing I can already tell that the video will match it perfectly.

The owners, Ali and Zeus, are two dynamic and refreshingly fun loving guys. When the artists arrive they make it a point to personally meet them and make them feel right at home. No doubt, the artists then feel relaxed and ready to perform.

Ali Zamani handles the directing of all of the videos. He has his Masters in screen writing but watching him work and seeing his passion you can see why he spends most of his time directing.

When the artists listened to his direction it would improve their performance in a way that added life and elegance to the video. This, in my mind, is the sign of a truly great director; the ability to inspire emotion from your artist.

Zeus handles many of the technical aspects of production since his background and bachelor’s degree are in multimedia and design and his master’s degree is in computer sciences. He takes the videos and adds production value unmatched by any other studio of this size. He also generally handles most of the business development allowing Ali to focus on his directing. If you set up a meeting, generally the phone call will go to Zeus and the 1st meet and greet will be with him as well. He sets up the entire job and Ali handles the actual footage.

The end result with a team up like this is one incredible music video. The best part is… that’s not all they do.

They produce product and service commercials for TV and viral video ads, they develop scripts and screen plays, and they’re even in the process of producing a feature film.

AZ productions, and more specifically, AZ studios is a one stop shop for all aspects of video production and multimedia promotions. They even offer facility and equipment rentals to other directors, producers, production companies and even ad agencies.

Stay tuned happy readers and join me next time for the interview with Ali and Zeus where we’ll find out what really makes them tick, and how they are finding success in such hard economic times.

To take in a preview of what their studios are capable of check out their 2011 promo reel:

Click here to view the embedded video.

What do you think?: Mad Men Season 4 (spoiler alert!)

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:22:22 +0000

AMC’s hit advertising show Mad Men is off to a great start

AMC’s hit show Mad Men started its fourth season this last Sunday and my wife and I were bursting with anticipation. The last season ended with the future of the fictional ad agency, Sterling Cooper, hanging from a thread and it felt like an eternity of waiting to see what would happen next.

If you’ve missed the last three seasons, just know that I’ll be spilling the beans on some happenings in the first episode of season four below…so if you hate spoilers: READ NO FURTHER. For those of you who don’t mind, the backdrop for the show is important to know before reading on: The show takes place in 1960’s New York, specifically Madison Avenue, the hub of western advertising, especially back then. The show is filled to the brim with alcoholism, sex, infidelity, excitement and a look at the workings of ad agencies.

For those of you who are avid watchers of the show… did you like the new episode or did you think it was lacking?

I thought it was great. The new season started off with a bang; all sorts of PR problems and growing pains of a fledgling advertising agency make the screen burn with conflict. My favorite part of the whole show was when the protagonist (Donald Draper played by 2008 Golden Globe winner John Hamm) throws a client out of the office for being so stuck in their ways that they can’t think outside the box.

I got such a rush from that scene! I think all creative department workers dream of doing this to a client at one point or another, even though they probably never have. It can drive one crazy when a company, who by the way is coming to you because they need to change their strategy, are unwilling to listen to the creative ideas that will help them reach their market.

Sometimes, all the client really wants is a new production of an ad they’re already running. It’s as if they expect to turn a huge profit on the same ad. Many times these same clients then act totally surprised when the same ad produces the same results.

I’ve lost hundreds of hours on rewrites just because the account executive is scared he’s going to lose a client. And truthfully, I don’t mind rewriting an ad if it’s in the name of progress. After all every business should be involved in their own advertising campaign and should help come up with concepts that will attract more customers. That and, well, the more I write, the better I become in the long run.