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Man of the Century
Image // R // August 6, 2002
List Price: $24.99 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Meet Johnny Twennies (Gibson Frazier). He's a star reporter, a snazzy dresser in his three-piece-suit, quick on his feet and quick-witted. He's the archetypal 1920s "man about town"... except that it's 1999. Or, at least, it's 1999 for everyone else in Johnny's world: while they might be using computers and cell phones, for Johnny it's his faithful typewriter and, when necessary, a telegram. He seems to fit in well enough, just the same, but when he finds himself on the trail of a tough mobster, will he be able to save his life and his girlfriend's and get the hot story too?
What is Man of the Century about? It's a question that I had to ask myself, because having the main character be a man literally "out of his time" strongly suggests that it's more than a stylistic afterthought. Man of the Century is clearly neither fantasy nor science fiction, as it doesn't attempt to answer the question of "how can Johnny Twennies exist?" The film simply takes him for granted: he just is. This puts Man of the Century into the realm of the fantastic – not fantasy, the fantastic – where non-realistic effects are used for cinematic (or literary) effect.
With that in mind, the film never even attempts to rationalize how Johnny can exist; to do so would break the dreamlike world that the film sets up. The effect is not entirely smoothly managed, though. Johnny has a few surrealistic moments (like popping from one scene to the next out of a garbage can) that seem a bit too fantastic, but on the other hand there's also one scene that seems to be "the world as Johnny sees it," as if the 1990s world was, to him, still the 1920s; this puts some tension on the pure "fantastic" setup of the film, as it suggests, but doesn't supply, a reason for the way Johnny is.
So, what is Man of the Century about, and why does it use this man-out-of time figure as its hero? It seems to me that Johnny Twennies is, on one hand, the essential individualist: everyone around him takes him on his own terms, though his terms are nearly a century out of date, simply because of his dynamic personality. Whether it's doing his job, helping strangers on the street, facing down a mob boss, or going out on a date, Johnny does things in inimitable 1920s style, and ends up charming everyone else halfway into his world. On that note, Gibson Frazier imbues Johnny with a fast-talking, snappy energy that somehow seems to capture the essence of the 1920s "star reporter", which is great fun to watch.
The film is also an amusing look at the way that style, language, and behavior change so much from one generation to the next. Johnny is more than out of date; he's practically alien to 20th-century life. While spouting off fascinating slang left and right, he's caught short trying to make sense of modern language, as when he's faced with the question "Are you gay?" (Hint: "gay" used to only mean "cheerful.").
Man of the Century does have a plot, but it's not a particularly elaborate one, as most of the appeal of the film lies in its playful handling of the curious juxtaposition of Johnny and the modern world. As the film winds to a close, it's clear that it really couldn't have sustained itself much further than its 77 minutes; as it is, Man of the Century is short and sweet.
Video
Man of the Century is presented in a black-and-white anamorphic widescreen transfer, at the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Contrast, fortunately, is quite good, as in a black-and-white film it has to do a lot of the work that color would otherwise do. The print is reasonably good but does show a few flaws, most notably a moderate noise level throughout the entire film, and a touch of edge enhancement.
Audio
Man of the Century's Dolby 5.1 track is a pleasure to listen to. Music plays an important and prominent role in the film, and the snazzy 20's songs burst out in lively style, with a clean, robust sound that's very well balanced with the soundtrack as a whole. Dialogue is similarly well-handled, always coming across faithfully.
Extras
The DVD has a fairly long list of special features, but they're not all "the bee's knees," as the film's hero Johnny Twennies would say. The standout in the extras section is the audio commentary, by Gibson Frazier, the co-writer of the script as well as the lead actor. A very short behind-the-scenes featurette is indeed pure "behind the scenes," being a series of clips of miscellaneous backstage footage without any narration. Script excerpts for deleted and alternate scenes are also available, but only as a DVD-ROM feature. To round it out, there's a photo gallery, trailers, poster art, and a text glossary of 1920s people, places, and terminology.
Final thoughts
Man of the Century is an odd little film that manages to be charming, funny, and completely different. It's a light piece that mildly pokes fun at some of the absurdities of modern life, and human nature, while providing a healthy dose of cheerful humor.
What is Man of the Century about? It's a question that I had to ask myself, because having the main character be a man literally "out of his time" strongly suggests that it's more than a stylistic afterthought. Man of the Century is clearly neither fantasy nor science fiction, as it doesn't attempt to answer the question of "how can Johnny Twennies exist?" The film simply takes him for granted: he just is. This puts Man of the Century into the realm of the fantastic – not fantasy, the fantastic – where non-realistic effects are used for cinematic (or literary) effect.
With that in mind, the film never even attempts to rationalize how Johnny can exist; to do so would break the dreamlike world that the film sets up. The effect is not entirely smoothly managed, though. Johnny has a few surrealistic moments (like popping from one scene to the next out of a garbage can) that seem a bit too fantastic, but on the other hand there's also one scene that seems to be "the world as Johnny sees it," as if the 1990s world was, to him, still the 1920s; this puts some tension on the pure "fantastic" setup of the film, as it suggests, but doesn't supply, a reason for the way Johnny is.
So, what is Man of the Century about, and why does it use this man-out-of time figure as its hero? It seems to me that Johnny Twennies is, on one hand, the essential individualist: everyone around him takes him on his own terms, though his terms are nearly a century out of date, simply because of his dynamic personality. Whether it's doing his job, helping strangers on the street, facing down a mob boss, or going out on a date, Johnny does things in inimitable 1920s style, and ends up charming everyone else halfway into his world. On that note, Gibson Frazier imbues Johnny with a fast-talking, snappy energy that somehow seems to capture the essence of the 1920s "star reporter", which is great fun to watch.
The film is also an amusing look at the way that style, language, and behavior change so much from one generation to the next. Johnny is more than out of date; he's practically alien to 20th-century life. While spouting off fascinating slang left and right, he's caught short trying to make sense of modern language, as when he's faced with the question "Are you gay?" (Hint: "gay" used to only mean "cheerful.").
Man of the Century does have a plot, but it's not a particularly elaborate one, as most of the appeal of the film lies in its playful handling of the curious juxtaposition of Johnny and the modern world. As the film winds to a close, it's clear that it really couldn't have sustained itself much further than its 77 minutes; as it is, Man of the Century is short and sweet.
Video
Man of the Century is presented in a black-and-white anamorphic widescreen transfer, at the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Contrast, fortunately, is quite good, as in a black-and-white film it has to do a lot of the work that color would otherwise do. The print is reasonably good but does show a few flaws, most notably a moderate noise level throughout the entire film, and a touch of edge enhancement.
Audio
Man of the Century's Dolby 5.1 track is a pleasure to listen to. Music plays an important and prominent role in the film, and the snazzy 20's songs burst out in lively style, with a clean, robust sound that's very well balanced with the soundtrack as a whole. Dialogue is similarly well-handled, always coming across faithfully.
Extras
The DVD has a fairly long list of special features, but they're not all "the bee's knees," as the film's hero Johnny Twennies would say. The standout in the extras section is the audio commentary, by Gibson Frazier, the co-writer of the script as well as the lead actor. A very short behind-the-scenes featurette is indeed pure "behind the scenes," being a series of clips of miscellaneous backstage footage without any narration. Script excerpts for deleted and alternate scenes are also available, but only as a DVD-ROM feature. To round it out, there's a photo gallery, trailers, poster art, and a text glossary of 1920s people, places, and terminology.
Final thoughts
Man of the Century is an odd little film that manages to be charming, funny, and completely different. It's a light piece that mildly pokes fun at some of the absurdities of modern life, and human nature, while providing a healthy dose of cheerful humor.
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