Breaking the Waves (no 7)

(Denmark/UK 1996 159m) DVD1/2

Talking to God

p  Vibeke Windelov, Peter Aalbeck  d  Lars Von Trier  w  Lars Von Trier, Peter Asmussen  ph  Robby Müller  ed  Anders Refn  m  Joachim Holbek  art  Karl Juliasson

Emily Watson (Bess McNeil), Stellan Skarsgård (Jan), Katrin Cartlidge (Dodo), Jean-Marc Barr (Terry), Adrian Rawlins (Dr Richardson), Sandra Voe (Bess’ mother), Udo Kier, Jonathan Hackett,

“It’s when two people are joined with God” Watson’s Bess responds to the question of what matrimony is in the opening sequence.  That’s one way of looking at it, but it’s more indicative of the strictly Presbyterian upbringing of her remote island (Shetland or Orkneys, it’s not made entirely clear); she is, from the outset, looking like she’s ready to meet her maker.  So much so that when she eventually does leave this mortal coil, it’s as if she’s returning home and it’s hard to feel any sorrow.  Certainly that is what Von Trier seemed to be saying, with his miraculous bells from on high. 

Eyes Wide Shut (no 8)

(USA 1999 159m) DVD1/2

Fidelio

p/d  Stanley Kubrick  w  Frederic Raphael, Stanley Kubrick  novel  “Traumnovelle” by Arthur Schnitzler  ph  Larry Smith  ed  Nigel Galt  m  Jocelyn Pokk (including “Jazz Suite” by Dimitri Shostakovich)  art  Les Tomkins, Roy Walker  cos  Marit Allen

Tom Cruise (Dr Bill Harford), Nicole Kidman (Alice Harford), Marie Richardson (Marion), Sydney Pollack (Victor Ziegler), Rade Scherbedgia (Milich), Leelee Sobieski (Milich’s daughter), Todd Field (Nick Nightingale), Alan Cumming (desk clerk), Vinessa Shaw (Domino, the hooker), Faye Masterson (Sally), Sky Dumont (Sandor Szavost),

Stanley Kubrick’s final film must surely qualify as one of the most misunderstood of recent times.  Much of the blame for that, of course, must be laid at the late master’s own feet due to the laborious shoot, beginning in late 1996, going through cast replacements and all sorts of delays before the final release, and then Kubrick’s untimely death in post-production.  This in addition to a frankly awful marketing campaign helped the film to its modest critical reception and decidedly cold box-office performance. 

Noirish ‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’ Showcases Surrealism and Hilarity

Eva Mendes and Nicolas Cage in Warner Herzog’s ‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’

    by Sam Juliano

     Although Werner Herzog’s new feature Bad Lieutenant: Port of New Orleans is neither a sequel nor a remake of Abel Ferrara’s 1992 cult film, there’s an undeniable kinship in the immorality of the lead characters.  Like the earlier film , the central character becomes addicted to what he is cracking down on vocationally, and is caught up in gambling, prostitution and mob involvement.   But Herzog veers this film in a different direction, making his corrupt cop a kind of Hunter S. Thompson.  Hunching over as a result of a back injury, and laughing at the oddest moments, homicide detective Terrence McDonagh make claim to seeing iguanas, which are not visible to anyone else.  McDonough was hurt while rescuing someone from the rising floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina, and he quickly becomes addicted to Vicodin.  In no time he begins to swipe cocaine and heroin from the evidence room, and he shakes down people for drugs (which he then uses or sells) theatening arrest if they don’t cooperate.  He even gets high with some and forces the guys to watch him have sex with their women.

Shooting the Past (no 9)

 

(UK 1999 182m) DVD1/2

The Gadarene Club

p  John Chapman  d/w  Stephen Poliakoff  ph  Bruno de Keyser, Ernie Vincze  ed  Paul Tothill  m  Adrian Johnston  art  John-Paul Kelly  cos  Susannah Buxton

Lindsay Duncan (Marilyn Truman), Timothy Spall (Oswald Bates), Liam Cunningham (Christopher Anderson), Emilia Fox (Spig), Billie Whitelaw (Veronica), Arj Barker (Garnett), Blake Ritson (Nick), Andy Serkis (Styeman), Sheila Dunn, Jean Channon,

It’s time for a personal favourite here, one of the great achievements of either screen in the last two decades, but also typical of the way television is overlooked for its bigger brother.  And yet look at films such as Dekalog, Berlin Alexanderplatz, Heimat, Das Boot and Fanny and Alexander.  All are works that are listed in film guides and yet were originally made for the small screen.  Of writers at their peak around the time of the millennium, surely the best would have to be Stephen Poliakoff, whose delights have ranged from the enigmatic Friends and Crododiles to the affecting Gideon’s Daughter, from the intricate Perfect Strangers and the less successful but still memorable The Lost Prince.  All of which leads one to beg the question, why go for this?

Three Colours: Blue (no 10)

(France/Poland 1993 104m) DVD1/2

Aka. Trois Couleurs: Bleu

270641196

p  Marin Karmitz  d  Krzysztof Kieslowski  w  Krzysztof Piesiewicz, Krzysztof Kieslowski  ph  Slawomir Idziak  ed  Jacques Witta  m  Zbigniew Preisner  art  Claude Lenoir

Juliette Binoche (Julie), Benoît Régent (Olivier), Florence Pernel (Sandrine), Charlotte Véry (Lucille), Hélène Vincent (journalist), Claude Duneton (Doctor), Hugues Quester (Patrice), Emmanuelle Riva (Mère), Philippe Volter, Julie Delpy, Zbigniew Zamachowski,

What sort of a tagline is that, I hear you ask?  In the movie it’s merely an account number, but it’s one of those rare almost frighteningly prophetic numbers in cinema.  You see, 270641 is Kieslowski’s birthday, leaving just the last three numbers 196; Kieslowski died, prematurely of heart failure at 54, in 1996.  A coincidence, for sure, but a rather disconcerting one.  And talking of disconcerting, this is a very disconcerting film, probably the most cerebral of the trilogy.  It’s also possibly disconcerting in another non-existent meaning; someone who goes out of their way to stop a concerto being heard might be said to be disconcerting.  Such is the attitude of Juliette Binoche here.  This is a film about grief and the ways we cope with it.  People have been known to cope with grief in bizarre, selfish and even cruel ways (think of Samantha Morton’s Morvern Callar, for example; body in the bath anyone?).  But Binoche, Kieslowski and Piesewicz make her pain almost unbearable.  When she is asked by her maid at her old country house why she is crying, the maid replies “because you’re not.”  She’s crying not just because she’s upset, but because the most affected person is so upset she can’t even show it. 

40% Off on EVERY DVD at DeepDiscountDVD!!!

                 

by Sam Juliano

     Those who were unable to take advantage of the recent Barnes & Noble 50% off Criterion DVD sale, which ended yesterday, can instead aim their focus on another offer that appears ever better.  At ‘Deep Discount DVD’ (until November 29th only though, so there are only four days left to act) they are offering the entire invantory for 40% off.  And of course there isn’t any sales tax and shipping is always FREE.  So for those who weren’t able to attain the recently-released Criterion set of The Golden Age of Television, the Deep Discount sale will enable you to buy it for a price that is nearly as low as the Criterion mark down.

     But there is so much more there, and collectors are urged to get over there ASAP to pick up gifts and shore up the holes in their collection.  All blu-ray DVDs are also 40% off, books, 30% off and CDs 30% off.  Get over there now!  (no I am not winning any commission!)

NOTE WELL:  This sale includes EVERY DVD from EVERY COMPANY, not just Criterion.  All Warners, Paramount, MCA, MGM, Kino, Image, etc, etc, are 40% off!

                            http://www.deepdiscount.com/

La Belle Noiseuse (no 11)

(France 1991 239m) DVD1/2

We want truth in painting

p  Martine Marignac  d  Jacques Rivette  w  Pascal Bonitzar, Christine Laurent, Jacques Rivette  story  “Le Chef d’Oeuvre Inconnu” by Honoré de Balzac  ph  William Lubtchansky  ed  Nicole Lubtchansky  m  Igor Stravinsky  art  Emmanuel de Chauvigny

Michel Piccoli (Edouard Frenhofer), Jane Birkin (Liz), Emmanuelle Béart (Marianne), Marianne Denicourt (Julienne), David Bursztein (Nicolas), Giles Arbona (Porbus),

Jacques Rivette is probably the most individual director of the acknowledged greats of the nouvelle vague, a director of a purely personal vision, one which may alienate as many as it entrances but which remains wholly original.  His 1991 study in the creative artistic process qualifies as a Rivettian subject in more ways than one.  Not only is the film itself one to split audiences down the middle, but so too is the eponymous painting itself.  In truth, the finished article (or should one say articles, as he bricks his original up rather than have people see it) is not one that I could say I really appreciated remotely enough to confer with the notion of his being a genius, but it’s the process itself that is under the microscope here.  Well, that and the human soul. 

Coffee Messiah Joins Tony d’Ambra in Winning Book Giveaway; Barnes & Noble Criterion Sale Ends Today

     The Eric Beetner book giveaway, sponsored online by our dear friend and affiliate “Dee Dee” of Darkness Into Light, is officially concluded, but two winners have been officially confirmed.  The friendly blogger known online as “Coffee Messiah” became the second winner, as per e mail confirmation yesterday by Dee Dee.  He follows the first winner, WitD’s own Tony d’Ambra, in naming director Sidney Lumet to successfully navigate the question.  Congratulations to both winners and to Dee Dee for all her efforts, and of course to Mr. Beetner for his generosity.

    Today officially ends the 50% off Barnes & Noble Criterion DVD sale, so those who still want to buy, I believe you have until closing time tonight at area stores.

LA Confidential (no 12)

(USA 1997 136m) DVD1/2

Paging Rollo Tomassi

p  Arnon Milchan, Curtis Hanson, Michael Nathanson  d  Curtis Hanson  w  Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland  novel  James Ellroy  ph  Dante Spinotti  ed  Peter Honess  m  Jerry Goldsmith  art  Jeannine Oppewall  cos  Ruth Myers

Kevin Spacey (Sgt.Jack Vincennes), Guy Pearce (Lt.’Ed’ Exley), Russell Crowe (Off.Bud White), James Cromwell (Capt.Dudley Smith), Kim Basinger (Lynn Bracken), Danny de Vito (Sid Hudgens), David Strathairn (Pierce Patchett), Graham Beckel (Dick Stensland), Ron Rifkin (D.A.Ellis Loew), Matt McCoy (Brett Chase), Paul Guilfoyle (Mickey Cohen), Amber Smith (Susan Lefferts), Darrell Sandern (Buzz Meeks), Simon Baker Denny (Matt Reynolds), Shawnee Free Jones (Tammy Jordan), Tomas Arana (Breuning), Michael McCleery (Carlisle), Gwenda Dracon (Mrs Lefferts), Brenda Bakke (Lana Turner),

Of all the great films released in the nineties, few could have been greeted with such joyous surprise as LA Confidential.  Firstly it was directed by someone who, up until that time, had seemed no more than a journeyman director and, secondly, it was a throwback to the old fashioned noirish dialogue and seedy atmosphere of the forties, with added modern censorables.  Furthermore, if it still isn’t as complex or delicious as the novel on which it is based and the finale does slightly disappoint, it’s still a damn near magnificent achievement that also showcased new talents in front of the camera.

Monday Morning Diary (November 23)

by Sam Juliano

     This morning’s installment of the Monday Morning Diary is the last before the Thanksgiving weekend, which traditionally is a time for family interaction, turkey dinners (some ravioli or lasagna too if you’re Italian-American) NFL football (of the Cowboys and Lions variety) and a late night trip to the multiplex.  This year, The Road, based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, would seem to be an excellent choice.

     Action at Wonders was again most impressive, with a thread on the classic TV series Thriller, Allan’s countdown review of Fargo, and another on composer Bernard Hermmann, all attracting great traffic and hefty comment totals.

     On Friday night I attended a wedding of a young female teaching colleague, but rallied to pack six movies on Saturday and Sunday, half of which were seen with the entire family and one on this past Monday for a total of seven:

The Sun (Sokurov) **** 1/2   Sunday 1:00 P.M. – Film Forum

Broken Embraces (Almodovar)  ****  Sunday 10:30 A.M. - Landmark Cinemas

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call  (Herzog)  **** 1/2   Saturday night – Chelsea Cinemas

Twilight: New Moon  (Weitz)  *    Saturday afternoon – Edgewater Multiplex

The Blind Side (Hancock)   **    Saturday afternoon  – Edgewater Multiplex

Planet 51  (Blanco)   *        Sunday evening  – Edgewater Multiplex

Pirate Radio (Curtis) *** 1/2  Monday evening – Edgewater Multiplex

 

Sokurov’s claustrophobic, meticulously observed study of Emperor Hirohito during the closing moments of World War II, The Sun humanizes the monarch, but neither passes judgement on him nor shows him as undeserving of his fate.  The  central performance of Issy Ogata is brilliant, and the film, which opened in 2005 at the New York Film Festival, just now received a USA theatrical release.  The Russian helmer’s spare, brooding, almost surrealistic style shows some stunning prosaic segments of the devastation of war.

 

Almodovar’s Broken Embraces isn’t one of the great director’s best movies, but it’s nonetheless a passionate, tragic and satiric film that despite some narrative contrivances and convolutions, still manages some fascinating characters and some superlative individual scenes that recall the most mature Almodovar.  Cruz again leaves a strong impression.

 

Werner Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call makes excellent use of the Katrina-ravaged environs of New Orleans, and some surrealistic touches involving iguanas is wed to a mesmerizing noirish tale that provides Nicholas cage to deliver his best performances in years as a drug-addicted corrupt cop.  The film recalls Aguire the Wrath of God.

 

The new installment of the “Twilight Saga,” New Moon is tedious, vapid, and inane and those might  be its better points.  My daughter 13 year-old Melanie, however, has been waiting for this for a long time and she and the other kids were not at all disappointed.  Lucille thinks I’m being too harsh, but I just haven’t the patience for this.

 

Sandra Bullock is as good as she’s ever been in The Blind Side, but that’s not really saying all that much.  The film is formulaic and it plays shamelessly for the big emotional moments.  The film does contain some intermittant humor too, but a day later it’s completely forgotten.

 

The derivitive Planet 51 is trite, inert and derivative, and after just a few minutes it’s clear it’s low-grade stuff.

 

     Pirate Radio wasn’t always fun to watch, but it’s still hard to resist and the music of course is simply to die for. 

  

     I was hoping to see John Woo’s Red Cliff, but I couldn’t do any better than I did, so perhaps during the week.

 

    

 

     As always there’s a treasure chest of riches aroung the blogosphere:

 

At “The Life and Times of Troy” our very good friend, Troy Olson (no Kevin, we have not forgotten about you!) has a superlative round-up of 90’s films he recently saw in preparation for casting a ballot:

http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2009/11/more-best-of-90s-movies.html

 

Two of Wonders in the Dark’s most-revered friends, have posts up on classical Universal horror.  John Greco has a superb piece on display at his place for The Raven:

http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/the-raven-1935-lew-landers-2/#comments

 

And Joel Bocko..a.k.a. Movie Man, has already posted two excellent reviews on Dracula and Frankenstein at “The Sun’s Not Yellow.”  Here’s the latter:

http://thesunsnotyellow.blogspot.com/2009/11/frankenstein.html