Monday 30 July 2012
Kansas City Confidential (US, 1952)
Yet another great noir crime thriller. It and many other noirs are available for viewing, legally and free of charge, here.
Sunday 29 July 2012
Blade Runner (US, 1982)
Atmospheric, visually inventive, dimly-lit and rainy dystopian urban sci-fi, with a distinctly Asian/Japanese look and feel and a marvellous soundtrack by Vangelis. There was a temptation to link the sax playing on the soundtrack with that of Gary Barnacle on "Seán Flynn", third song on side 2 of The Clash's Combat Rock, also released in 1982, but the album came before the film.
One can imagine The Clash on a day off while touring America going to see Blade Runner on its release 6 weeks later though...
One can imagine The Clash on a day off while touring America going to see Blade Runner on its release 6 weeks later though...
Saturday 28 July 2012
Bluebeard (1972, HU/DE/FR/IT)
Many's the gem that was shown late Fri night/early Sat morn after The Late Late Show on RTÉ1 back in the day. None more so than Bluebeard, which made quite an impression on this pubescent male adolescent, basking in the newly found freedom of staying up a bit later than normal at the weekend.
This film is a moderately faithful adaptation of the folktale, transposed to fascist-era central Europe, nominally Austria. There's every ingredient present in the film for a morbidly humourous, camp and kinky, sumptuous soft-porn melodrama-horror, but somehow it just doesn't happen. The performances are wooden (with the exception of Joey Hatherton as the proverbial ladykiller's latest conquest) and the whole thing falls a bit flat. Could it have been the oppressive hopelessness of a Summer shoot in/near Budapest?
The movie does retain a curios value, but this re-viewing has illustrated more than any other how one's impression of things changes and diminishes with age: what left me deeply awe-stricken, shocked, horrified, thrilled and titillated as a 14 year old in 1989 now seems slightly naff. CF my review of The Outsider. This viewing of Bluebeard also occurred on youtube, it has been up and down over the past while, probably owing to copyright infringements by the uploader(s). The limited DVD relase is available only as an expensive US or Spanish import. There's an interesting review of the DVD release by Paul Mavis.
The film theme/score is arguably one of Morricone's best and also one of his lesser known works. One of the variations is sampled on Grantby's excellent compilation CD of late 90's downtempo, Coffee Table Music.
This film is a moderately faithful adaptation of the folktale, transposed to fascist-era central Europe, nominally Austria. There's every ingredient present in the film for a morbidly humourous, camp and kinky, sumptuous soft-porn melodrama-horror, but somehow it just doesn't happen. The performances are wooden (with the exception of Joey Hatherton as the proverbial ladykiller's latest conquest) and the whole thing falls a bit flat. Could it have been the oppressive hopelessness of a Summer shoot in/near Budapest?
The movie does retain a curios value, but this re-viewing has illustrated more than any other how one's impression of things changes and diminishes with age: what left me deeply awe-stricken, shocked, horrified, thrilled and titillated as a 14 year old in 1989 now seems slightly naff. CF my review of The Outsider. This viewing of Bluebeard also occurred on youtube, it has been up and down over the past while, probably owing to copyright infringements by the uploader(s). The limited DVD relase is available only as an expensive US or Spanish import. There's an interesting review of the DVD release by Paul Mavis.
The film theme/score is arguably one of Morricone's best and also one of his lesser known works. One of the variations is sampled on Grantby's excellent compilation CD of late 90's downtempo, Coffee Table Music.
Saturday 21 July 2012
Salò (IT, 1975)
Pasolini's last and most infamous film; frequently and deliberately excessive, horrific and disgusting, certainly, and never in a manner that can be reconciled as theatrical or humourous.
Conversely, the film, as all of PPP's do, exploits to the fullest Italy's abundant, unending surfeit of natural, geographical, architectural/interior and human beauty. In this respect, it's one of his finest, and, dare I say it, on a par with Kubrick's Barry Lyndon; this countered though by the negativity of the action. Like others of his work, there's some manner of intellectual allusion (Dante, de Sade) in the film's structure, but it "works" on its own too.
The late WWII circumstances are "present" but largely in the background, and, while the intention may have been to vilify the fascist regime, the trappings of same are largely absent. The impending demise of the RSI is not hinted at, save for the sound of remote bombers in the air.
It is thought that the depiction of regime associates in the film may have informed Pasolini's murder shortly before its release. Not surprisingly for Italy, there are no two concurring versions of the circumstances surrounding his death, and the matter remains ripe for picking by conspiracy theorists.
Conversely, the film, as all of PPP's do, exploits to the fullest Italy's abundant, unending surfeit of natural, geographical, architectural/interior and human beauty. In this respect, it's one of his finest, and, dare I say it, on a par with Kubrick's Barry Lyndon; this countered though by the negativity of the action. Like others of his work, there's some manner of intellectual allusion (Dante, de Sade) in the film's structure, but it "works" on its own too.
The late WWII circumstances are "present" but largely in the background, and, while the intention may have been to vilify the fascist regime, the trappings of same are largely absent. The impending demise of the RSI is not hinted at, save for the sound of remote bombers in the air.
It is thought that the depiction of regime associates in the film may have informed Pasolini's murder shortly before its release. Not surprisingly for Italy, there are no two concurring versions of the circumstances surrounding his death, and the matter remains ripe for picking by conspiracy theorists.
Monday 16 July 2012
Your Sister's Sister (US, 2011)
A fairly ordinary romantic/situation comedy, verging slightly towards the flat and formulaic. The film is neither great nor awful, male lead Mark Duplass (director of Jeff Who Lives at Home) impresses more than the rest.
Judging from the chat outside afterwards, it clearly went down well with a group of young students though. Might be an "age thing"...
Judging from the chat outside afterwards, it clearly went down well with a group of young students though. Might be an "age thing"...
Sunday 15 July 2012
Dark Horse (US, 2011)
I've long been a Todd Solondz fan, since seeing Storytelling in QFT on my first visit to Belfast in 2001, following a never-to-be-surpassed 6 weeks inter-railing around central Europe. In particular his daring black humour, and the fact I can frequently relate to the sometimes pathetic, edgy, marginalised misfits, misfortunates and minorites who populate his freaky shows.
Selma Blair reprises her role as Vi from the hilarious Storytelling 10 years later as an anomic, heavily medicated, still aspiring writer living at home with her folks. After a brief meeting with loser Richard, Vi/Miranda casually accepts an out-of-the-blue proposal of marriage. Their relationship becomes complicated through illness and accident, while Richard must negotiate difficulties at his job in his father's company. Christopher Walken plays a not very Walken-esque Richard's father, Mia Farrow's in there too, and Donna Murphy as Marie pretty much steals the show towards the end.
Unfortunately managed to miss this during last month's Belfast Film Festival. 'Misanthropic' is frequently used to describe Solondz's work, I would tend to view it more as articulate, dark humour. Dark Horse may not be Solondz's best film, but it's a good one and retains his trademark qualities.
Selma Blair reprises her role as Vi from the hilarious Storytelling 10 years later as an anomic, heavily medicated, still aspiring writer living at home with her folks. After a brief meeting with loser Richard, Vi/Miranda casually accepts an out-of-the-blue proposal of marriage. Their relationship becomes complicated through illness and accident, while Richard must negotiate difficulties at his job in his father's company. Christopher Walken plays a not very Walken-esque Richard's father, Mia Farrow's in there too, and Donna Murphy as Marie pretty much steals the show towards the end.
Unfortunately managed to miss this during last month's Belfast Film Festival. 'Misanthropic' is frequently used to describe Solondz's work, I would tend to view it more as articulate, dark humour. Dark Horse may not be Solondz's best film, but it's a good one and retains his trademark qualities.
Sunday 8 July 2012
Notes on a Scandal (UK, 2006)
I obtained Zoe Heller's novel from the wonderful Bookfinders of Belfast shortly after moving here in 2009. The shop is one of many gems peculiar to the city, and all too rare nowadays - a dusty, dark place where the charming owner serves coffee and plays old classical records, which in Dublin would've been converted into "apartments" long ago.
I eventually brought it with me on a pointless "must use leave up by a certain date" Winter trip to Stockholm, and was soon engaged with a morbidly absorbing, propulsive page turner, which treats a difficult topic 'factually' but sensitively. I'm not a great reader, but this is well up there among the best I have read
I eventually brought it with me on a pointless "must use leave up by a certain date" Winter trip to Stockholm, and was soon engaged with a morbidly absorbing, propulsive page turner, which treats a difficult topic 'factually' but sensitively. I'm not a great reader, but this is well up there among the best I have read
The Amazing Spider-Man (US, 2012)
It's far-fetched, sure, but a decent enough and entertaining movie. The first Spiderman I've ever seen and my first movie in 3D as well; some of the FX were really, really good.
Monday 2 July 2012
The Killing Fields (1984)
Much lauded and highly successful factual drama about American journalist Sydney Schanberg and his Cambodian interpreter, Dith Pran. Eventually, all westerners flee while Pran must face the ministrations of the incoming Khmer Rouge regime. Schanberg does his utmost to reunite Dith and his estranged family (now in America), but will he succeed?
None of the Cambodian dialogue is subtitled. A glimpse of the wikipedia article on the film is recommended to get an idea of the historical background. It's a good film, but Apocalype Now mk II it is not.
None of the Cambodian dialogue is subtitled. A glimpse of the wikipedia article on the film is recommended to get an idea of the historical background. It's a good film, but Apocalype Now mk II it is not.
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