Canning it Up

For myself, I love Cannes because it’s a place where Wong Kar-Wai is bigger than Steven Spielberg. And it’s a place of monumental, crazy passion: in 2003, a French critic, enraged at Vincent Gallo’s slow and self-consciously pornographic The Brown Bunny, yelled at the screen: “I’ve got a bigger c–k than yours!”

Some may like it hot, but success at Cannes doesn’t always mean success back here.¬† CNN’s Todd Leopold does a decent job of running down what didn’t work at Cannes last year (although a glance back at this era and most of the “failures” will be re-considered as masterpieces) and what has worked throughout their history.

“Pulp Fiction’s” 1994 win of the Palme d’Or — Cannes’ highest honor — launched Quentin Tarantino, previously known for the mildly successful indie film “Reservoir Dogs,” into the big leagues. The film made more than $100 million at the North American box office, was nominated for seven Oscars and revived John Travolta’s career.

“Sex, lies and videotape,” which won in 1989, is credited with boosting director Steven Soderbergh, studio Miramax Films and independent film in general, according to Peter Biskind’s history of ’90s indie film, “Down and Dirty Pictures.”

“Marty” (1955), “La Dolce Vita” (1960), “Blow-Up” (1967), “MASH” (1970), “Taxi Driver” (1976), “Apocalypse Now” (1979) and “Fahrenheit 9/11” (2004) all used victory at Cannes as a springboard to great critical or financial success, and in many cases both. And though 2007’s “No Country for Old Men” didn’t win the festival’s big prize, the buzz surrounding the film after its Cannes showing was instrumental in carrying it to a best picture win at the Oscars.

One could argue that doing well at Cannes but not doing well at the Oscars doesn’t really mean anything since one could also argue that Academy members not only have terrible taste but tend to fall in love with movies – a love that doesn’t last. One could argue that critics fall in love with them at Cannes too. Expectations rise and the film suffers.¬†¬† Cannes kicks off on Wednesday.