Dream Scenario vs The Fanatic
Dream Scenario (2023) Directed by Kristoffer Borgli
The Fanatic (2019) Directed by Fred Durst
A Face/Off Face Off!
One aspect of film reviewing is the tendency to get to the point- Is it good? Is it bad? What rating do you give? Does that rating matter when Rotten Tomatoes is going to flatten your response to a binary yay or nay? This initial response of watching a film to simply create content doesn't seem to work with my frame of mind. I'd rather sit with something awhile and think if there's something worth writing about- and if I've forgotten what I wanted to say a month later it probably didn't matter in the first place- or the film itself didn't resonate.
What does that have to do with reflecting on these performances by the combustible caricature acting of the classic stars of Face/Off? For one it's that the conversation around Cage has taken on a life of its own. The memeable quality of Cage's performances has brought out some of the best in artistic reflection in Dream Scenario. While Travolta seems to have chosen The Fanatic to reflect on celebrity too- it takes on a resentful quality.
In The Fanatic Travolta plays a self described horror superfan named "Moose" who stalks one of the celebrities he admires. Travolta must have gone to a few comic conventions and worked on the physicality of a nerdy walk- a lanky bobbing up and down that comes from wearing a heavy backpack and seeming to get somewhere fast. It's unfortunate then the film relies on this autistic character as a focus of compulsive obsession. Travolta is full on over-ACTING here- sapping up every bit of screen time with this hyper realized character creation that the film decides must be traumatized to the fullest extent.
The meta awareness of the actor playing this kind of character that seems to be actively despised is at odds with itself. The character of the over excited fan that can't help himself, but is also of a lower class. Durst directs this film as disgust for fans. Which is odd considering it talks up fandom in horror as if it read it from some mainstream magazine (I'm doubtful a horror superfan would have the likes of Texas Chainsaw 3D as a poster or talk up mainstream horror movies like they’re on to something everyone doesn’t know). This either means that the poor script is underdeveloped or that it's trying to be ironic about the idea of a superfan being obsessed with lackluster art. I can't help but laugh when the movie has the celebrity action star put on some of Durst's music like it's some classic work of art. One look no further for a superfan than the artist obsessed with himself.
Moose is the kind of schlub that the audience can't help but pity- but the reality is that nerd culture is one of the mainstream cultures today. It's not uncouth to have signed movie memorabilia, or to have a fascination for nostalgic performances. Travolta's career itself was propped up by one of the nerdiest nostalgic directors of all time in Quentin Tarantino- so while Travolta plays some of this with some self pitying charm, the script pushes Moose to be so socially askew that he kidnaps the action star celebrity as though it's part of a childish prank.
The ratcheted up suspense is pushed to a cynical moment as the celebrity star tortures Moose. Although it wants to shock in these moments I mostly just wanted the tale to be over as it seemed more like Durst and Travolta getting out some passive aggressive stance on fandom. Are we supposed to cheer? If Durst wanted to comment on what horror audiences want he’ll have to make a film that is scarier and not so disjointed.
Any odd relief of getting through an ordeal doesn't account for what pretentious hatred that the film has for its own audience. Saying that, the full on acting of Travolta is an oddity in itself to see, perhaps inspired by many of Cage's performances over the last decade. Perhaps Travolta was reaching for something that the script of this movie wasn't able to really capture- an endearment for what could have launched Moose into a D level celebrity with some more compassion or enthusiasm for the nerdy culture that the world encapsulates. That Moose is a real person is arbitrary considering how badly the film is executed.
Dream Scenario is a film that knows you're dreaming of Nicolas Cage. Or said another way, the film doesn't work as well with an actor that isn't as well known and in the cultural consciousness. This is not unlike The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent where Cage portrays himself going on an action spree with a superfan... this time the Hollywood commodified actor Cage portrays a man who really wishes he could be famous for his life's work in networks connected with biology.
People everywhere start to dream of this college professor- and his celebrity is defined by these dreams where he's not an actor within the narrative- he's simply there and inert. Immediately the commodification class of society wants to use him for brand recognition and create dream state marketing campaigns. The professor is marketed and sexualized while his work is diminished- only seen for being this meme of himself.
As a comment on his own artistic merit this works for Cage. He chooses work that both embodies his over the top "shamanic" and German Impressionist style to great avail; as well as also being along for the ride in embracing the audience's response by pushing his own awareness of celebrity to work with films that play with his status as a celebrity. This isn't the melancholy or restless meandering of the rich class exhibited by Sofia Coppola's work, but Nicolas Kim Coppola playing the character of Nicolas Cage through his career.
Not all of the narrative is fully formed; the idea of the professor becoming the thing of nightmares in people's minds is interesting, but the horror isn't leaned into. The professor's celebrity life feels hollow as it's not because of a subject he cares about. The loftier ideas around the film become more about thinking how people discover this charged desire for connection. If you could connect through dreams would you simply be a voyeur or be a part of the world too? How does advertising in dreams effect humanity? We already have artificial intelligence prompting what everyone talks about, reads, or looks up online in subtly intrusive ways. The new invisible hand- guiding us gently into creating desire to purchase.
Dream Scenario prompts ideas and discussion- but I felt the momentum of the film was muddied in the ideas it wanted to convey. The discussion around the film may be more interesting than the film itself- a connection of audience and artist. Whatever Cage's performances are now, he's internalized them towards the betterment of his career and the enjoyment of watching a well known actor take more risks in the films he chooses.
Travolta’s career however has sputtered out into the direct-to-video "Old Man Action" genre that Liam Neeson has carved a niche for. Travolta's portrayals of real life people have been ok, but they haven't rejuvenated his career like Pulp Fiction.... I'm sure there's a way to... Oh yes I sense meme worthy performances on the horizon.
Coming Soon- Face/Off 2 has been announced.
Collective dreams are real!