STACK August 2016 Issue 142

visit

stack.net.au

DVD

FEATURE

jbhifi.com.au

AUGUST

2016

DVD

This month sees a major detour for the Guide – we're diving straight into the Hollywood

mainstream to explore one of the biggest franchises on the planet!

Words: Scott Hocking

WHAT TO EXPECT

Unless you've only just arrived on Earth, chances

are you already know exactly what to expect and

have seen at least one Marvel movie, or are at least

aware of the MCU's impact on the pop

culture zeitgeist. But if you're not the type

to 3D print a Thor hammer for the next

Comic-Con event, or think Iron Man sounds

like a guy who presses shirts, then read on.

Comic book and superhero movies are

hardly new, but the MCU has transformed

them into a brand synonymous with

excellence in the genre. Moreover, Marvel

Studios head Kevin Feige's vision of a

shared universe means that its heroes

inhabit standalone films and their respective

sequels, and also assemble for crossover

event movies. The films have their own distinctive

look, tone and feel, but yet all fit together seamlessly

as part of a greater whole.

Characters you'll get to know like old friends

include Tony Stark/Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain

America, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Clint

Barton/Hawkeye, Peter Quill/Star Lord, and the God

of Thunder, Thor.

Marvel movies feature some major talent on

both sides of the camera. The studio hires indie and

fanboy filmmakers like Joss Whedon, James Gunn

and the Russo brothers (who all tend to deliver the

best installments), as well as directors you wouldn't

normally associate with comic

book movies – like Kenneth

Branagh (

Thor

), Shane Black (

Iron

Man 3

) and Peyton Reed (

Ant-

Man

) – to diversify the universe.

The MCU is also populated by

A-list stars who bring considerable

gravitas to roles requiring them

to fly through the air, shrink

to microscopic size, transform

into a green rage monster,

battle invading aliens, and give

a raccoon and a walking plant

a voice. Robert Downey Jr. probably wouldn't

still have a career if he hadn't played Iron Man. The

supporting players are often equally high profile, with

veterans like Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins, Jeff

Bridges, Ben Kingsley, Michael Douglas, William Hurt

and Stellan Skarsgård all getting their Marvel on, and

enjoying themselves immeasurably in the process.

Two things that remain constant throughout the

MCU are a cameo from 93-year-old Marvel Comics

godfather Stan Lee, and a post-closing credits scene

that will lay the groundwork for films/characters to

come. Certain otherworldly artifacts are also a key

component in the MCU – after a few films you'll

recognise a Tesseract and an Infinity Stone when you

see one.

Once you've sampled just a fraction of the MCU,

you'll begin to appreciate the grand scale of the

place, and want to explore further. In the words of

S.H.I.E.L.D. (as in Strategic Homeland Intervention,

Enforcement and Logistics Division) boss Nick Fury,

"You've become part of a bigger universe, you just

don't know it yet.

WHERE TO START

Movies in the MCU don't necessarily have to be

watched in order of release, although you will get a

better appreciation of the universe's scope and grand

design if you view them in sequence. Recurring

themes, character arcs, plot threads and payoffs will

have greater impact and you won't be left wondering,

"What? Who? When did that happen?"

That said, you should ideally start with

Captain

America:The First Avenger

(2011). He's the oldest

Marvel hero and one of the most important, as Kevin

Feige explains: "We could not have created this

notion of an interlinked Marvel Cinematic Universe

without Captain America – not only in the history of

BEGINNER’S

GUIDE

#5 - THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

An offshoot of Marvel Comics, home of iconic superheroes like

Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Incredible Hulk, the Marvel

Cinematic Universe (MCU) shares characters, concepts, plot elements and

cast members to build an extended film franchise comprising standalone

features, crossovers and spin-offs.

Note:

The MCU relates to films produced by Marvel Studios, which are the sole focus of this article.

The X-Men and Fantastic Four, although Marvel characters, are licensed to 20th Century Fox. Spider-

Man is licensed to Sony, however a new contract now allows him to participate in the MCU.

Stan Lee spotted in

Guardians of the Galaxy

[Note: All titles discussed are available on DVD and Blu-ray.]