I've never read or seen A Midsummer Night's Dream, so the comparison is lost on me, but if you've been to a rave (and under the influence while there) this movie rocks. The acting (during the rave) is pretty amazing, and until I saw the "behind the scenes" from the DVD, I wondered if some of them were really on something (drugs). It was very good acting except that the characters seemed to be able to become completely lucid when they felt like it (and who would want to at a rave?). Some of the scenes were so realistic, I give this movie high ratings. The plot was actually more of an interruption, and I would have preferred watching people dance for two hours of uninterrupted hardcore 90s techno.
There were three aspects of this that made it real, the dialog (at times during the rave), the music, and the lighting (alright, the camera work at times made it real too: the jump cuts of the guy looking for his jacket as he walked through the crowd, and the girl, Amanda, who came out of nowhere and started kissing Xander--their dialog was perfect: "what are you doing?" "what do you mean?", and their mannerisms as they went back and forth is something you will have seen or experienced if you've been to a few raves). The music was awesome, I spent hours looking for the soundtrack and still can't find it (I'm guessing there isn't one... I read an interview with one of the DJs in the movie (DJ Irene) who said the hardest part was straightening out licensing issues, so maybe that's related to there being no soundtrack available). I watched the credits and searched for the 50 or so songs that were listed, and haven't found much. What a bummer.
The lighting is also great, and really captures the mood. There are parts where everything has a blue, washed-out look, which is cool, but the music is barely audible, and that kind of prevents a viewer from being able to maintain the feel of the rave when the movie goes to the blue areas. However, the lighting looks good and when Xander finds Elena in the blue area, their conversation and acting is dead-on, right down to the "did I just say that?". The lighting when Damon is feeling it kicking-in and watching Elena is perfect. The glistening bodies bouncing up and down while the music jams is great, and the different colored lights falling across them, almost changing the way they look, will be like a flashback for those who've been there and done that. The only part that was better (in my opinion) was when Xander was feeling it while dancing with Elena. When he says, "I'm loving this" and it blends in with the music, it's absolutely perfect. The worst part was that it stopped. The music changed and suddenly I was wishing for two hours of a continuation of that scene.
Other highlights were the guy (Nick) who took too much, especially at the end where he asks the girl (Brit), "Are you real? Why, why, why would you be talking to an ass?" His mannerisms were truly authentic except that when she started talking about her next gig he seemed able to shake it off and become straight and coherent again. Not very realistic for someone who is still hallucinating and thinking he's a donkey. It was also interesting when Nick was walking through the crowds and started jumping to the music. Definitely something people who have been there will recognize: the inability to not be affected by the jams, even if you're just walking from point A to point Anywhere. Dialog could have all been more like Elena when she said she wanted to kiss Xander, she just kind of breathed the words out. That was convincing.
If you've been there and want to remember, this movie has bits and pieces that will bring it back. If you haven't been there, you may or may not enjoy it.
There were three aspects of this that made it real, the dialog (at times during the rave), the music, and the lighting (alright, the camera work at times made it real too: the jump cuts of the guy looking for his jacket as he walked through the crowd, and the girl, Amanda, who came out of nowhere and started kissing Xander--their dialog was perfect: "what are you doing?" "what do you mean?", and their mannerisms as they went back and forth is something you will have seen or experienced if you've been to a few raves). The music was awesome, I spent hours looking for the soundtrack and still can't find it (I'm guessing there isn't one... I read an interview with one of the DJs in the movie (DJ Irene) who said the hardest part was straightening out licensing issues, so maybe that's related to there being no soundtrack available). I watched the credits and searched for the 50 or so songs that were listed, and haven't found much. What a bummer.
The lighting is also great, and really captures the mood. There are parts where everything has a blue, washed-out look, which is cool, but the music is barely audible, and that kind of prevents a viewer from being able to maintain the feel of the rave when the movie goes to the blue areas. However, the lighting looks good and when Xander finds Elena in the blue area, their conversation and acting is dead-on, right down to the "did I just say that?". The lighting when Damon is feeling it kicking-in and watching Elena is perfect. The glistening bodies bouncing up and down while the music jams is great, and the different colored lights falling across them, almost changing the way they look, will be like a flashback for those who've been there and done that. The only part that was better (in my opinion) was when Xander was feeling it while dancing with Elena. When he says, "I'm loving this" and it blends in with the music, it's absolutely perfect. The worst part was that it stopped. The music changed and suddenly I was wishing for two hours of a continuation of that scene.
Other highlights were the guy (Nick) who took too much, especially at the end where he asks the girl (Brit), "Are you real? Why, why, why would you be talking to an ass?" His mannerisms were truly authentic except that when she started talking about her next gig he seemed able to shake it off and become straight and coherent again. Not very realistic for someone who is still hallucinating and thinking he's a donkey. It was also interesting when Nick was walking through the crowds and started jumping to the music. Definitely something people who have been there will recognize: the inability to not be affected by the jams, even if you're just walking from point A to point Anywhere. Dialog could have all been more like Elena when she said she wanted to kiss Xander, she just kind of breathed the words out. That was convincing.
If you've been there and want to remember, this movie has bits and pieces that will bring it back. If you haven't been there, you may or may not enjoy it.
Memorable quotes for A Midsummer Night's Rave :
Nick: I mean, hear you are - a good looking cat! You can have any girl you want, man. I don't see what makes her so special.
Xander: Did you ever have the feeling that one person could be it, you know? You have a real chance but... You know, you can't do it. I mean the timing's never right. And then it's all over, you never have that chance again. And you're going to die alone and miserable. One of those anonymous lonely deaths where no one finds your body until six months after you die, because the landlord is sick of that funky smell, calls the cops, they kick open the door, there you are lying naked on the waterbed, clutching a bottle of lotion and the TV's on The Animal Planet and there's no one there to explain what was going on!
Xander: Did you ever have the feeling that one person could be it, you know? You have a real chance but... You know, you can't do it. I mean the timing's never right. And then it's all over, you never have that chance again. And you're going to die alone and miserable. One of those anonymous lonely deaths where no one finds your body until six months after you die, because the landlord is sick of that funky smell, calls the cops, they kick open the door, there you are lying naked on the waterbed, clutching a bottle of lotion and the TV's on The Animal Planet and there's no one there to explain what was going on!
Debbie: Hi!
Greg: Hey.
Debbie: I'm Debbie!
Greg: Greg.
Debbie: Hi Greg, it'ssogoodtomeetyouhowareyoufeelingareyourolling?
Greg: Yea.
Debbie: CoolsoamI. Areyoufeelinggroovey? I am. I am so into this rave I mean this is like the greatest one I've ever been to and I've been to a lot of raves you know, well a lot of raves and after hoursyou knowthey'redifferent becausepeopleoftengetthem confused they'relikeheydoyou wannagotoarave andI'mexpectingsomethinglikethis and then it turns out to be totally not this youknowit'slikeabarwithsomeblacklightingandafewfoldingchairsinthe parkinglot but this, this is a rave Imeanjustlookatallthepeopleandthedancersandthedj'sandthelightsandthelasersandthemusic and all these greatfabulouspeople likeyou Imean youseemlikesuchasweetguy you'recute andinteresting andpolite andyouhavethispositiveglowaboutyou Ifeellikeweconnected likethere'sa connection, doyoufeelit?doyoufeeltheconnection?
Greg: Could you repeat everything you said after Hi my name is Debbie?
Greg: Hey.
Debbie: I'm Debbie!
Greg: Greg.
Debbie: Hi Greg, it'ssogoodtomeetyouhowareyoufeelingareyourolling?
Greg: Yea.
Debbie: CoolsoamI. Areyoufeelinggroovey? I am. I am so into this rave I mean this is like the greatest one I've ever been to and I've been to a lot of raves you know, well a lot of raves and after hoursyou knowthey'redifferent becausepeopleoftengetthem confused they'relikeheydoyou wannagotoarave andI'mexpectingsomethinglikethis and then it turns out to be totally not this youknowit'slikeabarwithsomeblacklightingandafewfoldingchairsinthe parkinglot but this, this is a rave Imeanjustlookatallthepeopleandthedancersandthedj'sandthelightsandthelasersandthemusic and all these greatfabulouspeople likeyou Imean youseemlikesuchasweetguy you'recute andinteresting andpolite andyouhavethispositiveglowaboutyou Ifeellikeweconnected likethere'sa connection, doyoufeelit?doyoufeeltheconnection?
Greg: Could you repeat everything you said after Hi my name is Debbie?
Nick: Yo, I love your shirt, may I touch it?
Funky Raver: Sure
[Nick feels up shirt]
Funky Raver: It's nice material eh?
Nick: Is it felt?
Funky Raver: Uhh no.
Nick: It is now!
Funky Raver: So what was I saying? What was I talking about?
Raver: I don't know. Can I touch it too?
Funky Raver: Huh?
[feels own shirt]
Funky Raver: Ohh shit, you're right this does feel good.
Funky Raver: Sure
[Nick feels up shirt]
Funky Raver: It's nice material eh?
Nick: Is it felt?
Funky Raver: Uhh no.
Nick: It is now!
Funky Raver: So what was I saying? What was I talking about?
Raver: I don't know. Can I touch it too?
Funky Raver: Huh?
[feels own shirt]
Funky Raver: Ohh shit, you're right this does feel good.
Debbie: I just love being in love, I love everything about it I love falling in love I love being in love I love going from in love to love I love that I love all things love I love being loved I love everyone I love everything I love when people love me back, do you love me?
Greg: Yeah sure.
Debbie: I love you too!
Greg: Yeah sure.
Debbie: I love you too!
Xander: Ohh I am soooooo gone right now.
Elena: Yea me too.
Xander: This feels so good.
Elena: You look good.
[pause]
Elena: Did I just say that?
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