Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Brad Anderson

Brad Anderson is a director who has never really broken-out. He has made some terrific films, including the three below, but he seems to meander between feature film and television. His films, including some of his television, are pretty straight forward, but he always adds something fresh and new.

He is able to take an old idea (the ghost house in Session 9) and use the expectations of the genre against the audience. He never creates the usual, but rather he uses the usual in unexpected ways to fashion a very unusual and often powerful story.

If you haven't seen any of Brad Anderson's films, you should. The three below are all good, with Transsiberian being the best, and The Machinist at the weakest. I would also recommend his episode of Master of Horror. A clever hour long movie titled Sounds Like.


The Machinist, 2004

Session 9, 2001


Rabid Fox said...

I watched Transsiberian late last year. Really good movie. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I'm apathetic towards The Machinist, but the trailer for Session 9 looks really intriguing. I'll have to watch for that one.

MP said...

When you're going through Anderson's movies don't pass up "Happy Accidents" just because you never heard of it. I wouldn't even try to describe it, but it's absolutely terrific. I've never seen anything else quite like it, so there's nothing I can compare it to.

Ben Boulden said...

Rabid. The Machinist is, by far, the weakest of the three. I highly recommend Session 9. The setting of the old Danvers State Hospital--now torn down--is really magnificent, and spooky.

MP. I haven't seen Happy Accidents, but you make it sound intriguing. It is officially on my "watch list."