Sight & Sound

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PEDRO ALMODOVARS IM SO EXCITED! JERRY SCHATZBERGS SCARECROW
THE ROOTS OF NEOREALISM IN THE FOG THE HISTORY OF THE MUSIC VIDEO
SPRING BREAKERS
TEENAGE KICKS: SIMON REYNOLDS ON HARMONY KORINES
PLUS
MAY 2013 VOLUME 23 ISSUE 5
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THE INTERNATIONAL FILM MAGAZINE
FRANCE
Directory of World Cinema: France
Edited by Tim Palmer and Charlie Michael
Paperback | 9781841505633 | 327 pages | 240x174mm | 15.95
eBook | ISBN 9781841507019 | 6
Artistic, intellectual, and appreciably avant-garde, the French lm industry has,
perhaps more than any other national cinema, been perennially at the centre of
international lmmaking. With its vigorous business and wide-ranging lm culture,
France has also been home historically to some of the most inuential lmmakers and
movements and, indeed, the very rst motion picture was screened in Paris in 1895.
This volume addresses the great directors and key artistic movements, but also
ventures beyond these well-established lms and gures, broadening the canon
through an examination of many neglected but intriguing French lms. Framing essays
explore the salient stylistic elements, cultural contexts, and the various conceptions
of cinema in France, from avant-gardes to lmmaking by women, from documentary
and realism to the Tradition of Quality, as well as genres like comedy, crime lm, and
horror. Illustrated by screen shots, lm reviews by leading international experts offer
original approaches to both overlooked titles and acknowledged classics. Readers
wishing to explore particular topics in greater depth will be grateful for the books
reading recommendations and comprehensive lmography. A visually engaging
journey through one of the most dynamic, variegated, and idiosyncratic lm industries,
Directory of World Cinema: France is a must-have for Francophiles and cinema savants.
Intellects Directory of World Cinema aims to play a part in moving intelligent, scholarly
criticism beyond the academy by building a forum for the study of lm that relies on
a disciplined theoretical base. Each volume of the Directory will take the form of a
collection of reviews, longer essays and research resources, accompanied by lm stills
highlighting signicant lms and players.
www.intellectbooks.com | publishers of original thinking
EXPERIENCE GLOBAL CULTURE THROUGH THE MAGIC OF FILM
To explore the rest of Intellects Directory of World Cinema series visit
DIRECTORY OF
WORLD
CINEMA
May 2013 | Sight&Sound | 3
The above image looks pure noir and indeed its
Clara Calamai inViscontis Ossessione (1943), a
Po-valley transplanting of James M. Cains pulp-
ctionclassic The Postman Always Rings Twice. Its
not noir were celebrating inthis issue, however,
but neorealism, as our Deep Focus (p.56) traces the
movements antecedents inSoviet, German, French,
Japanese and Britishcinema before its owering
inItaly immediately after World War II. Of course
neorealismwasnt so mucha style as a state of mind,
echoed in1970s Americancinemas commitment to
real locations and the hard-pressed lives of ordinary
folk: anoverlooked gemof the period is Jerry
Schatzbergs rereleased Scarecrow(p.42). But its not all
dusty roads this month: we also offer you Harmony
Korines day-glo breakthroughSpring Breakers (p.26), a
history of the pop video (p.50) and Pedro Almodvar
onthe secret of comedy (p.39). Arriba! Nick James
Welcome
P
H
O
T
O
F
E
S
T
N
Y
C
Contents May 2013
26
COVERFEATURE:
You only live once
Is HarmonyKorines Spring Breakers just a
gun-crazyGirls Gone Wild, asks Simon
ReynoldsPLUSAmyTaubintalks tothe
director about his dazed-gloaesthetic
32
Men of shadows and fog
Anna Fomicheva talks toSergei Loznitsa
about his WWII drama Inthe Fog
PLUSMichael Brooke onhowRussian
lmmakers have representedthe
Great Patriotic War onscreen
42
Drifters escape
The 1973Palme dOr-winningAl Pacino/
Gene Hackmanroadmovie Scarecrowis
backincinemas this month. Director
JerrySchatzbergtalks toPeter Tonguette
46
Moments of truth
Withnods tobothneorealismandcinma
vrit, FrancescoRosis lms have probed
the darkness at the heart of Italianpublic
life for 40years. ByPeter Cowie
50
Eye tunes
As a newexhibitiontraces the historyof
the popvideoandits cross-fertilisation
withcinema backas far as the 1920s,
SamDavies says the formitself has now
hit a digital crossroads
56
DEEPFOCUS:
The roots of neorealism
Pasquale Iannone onwhyItaliancinema
inthe immediate post-war period, though
revolutionaryinits impact, didnot
represent a complete breakwiththe past
Wings of desire
ImSo Excited! is a timelydissectionof secrets andlies, writes
Maria DelgadoPLUSPedroAlmodvar onhowhis newlm
blends the USscrewball traditionandMediterraneancomedy
REGULARS
9 Editorial Aculture of talk
24 Reader Offers
Rushes
10 Jane Giles browses KennethAngers
collectionof movie memorabilia
12 Object Lesson: HannahMcGill
onthe Bible inthe movies
15 Obituary: Patrick Russell pays tribute
toBritishdocumentarist Mike Grigsby
17 Dispatches: Mark Cousins offers his
perspective onthe Zfactor inlm
The Industry
18 Development Tale: Charles Gant
onMira Nairs quest tolm
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
19 The Numbers: Charles Gant on
the ongoingsuccess of Dogwoofs
live documentaryevents
21 Prole: KieronCorless talks to
Olivier P` ere of Arte France Cinma
Festivals
22 Amidthe inevitable festival repeats,
Nick Pinkertonmanagedtouncover
a fewgems at SouthbySouthwest
WideAngle
64 Simon Merle salutes Kira
Muratovas experimental genius
66 Soundings: Frances Morganon
the sounddesignfor Brazilian
lmNeighbouring Sounds
67 Nick Bradshawonthe delightful
intimacyof the Spanish
documentaryfestival Play-Doc
68 Sukhdev Sandhunds richrewards in
the workof Swiss artist Ursula Biemann
69 Primal Screen: Bryony Dixonon
Americanphotographer Ansel
Adamss counterparts inthe cinema
70 Bradlands: BradStevens on
masculinityin1980s cinema
71 Lost andFound: Michael Koresky
onthe Freudianpleasures of
BernardRoses Paperhouse
Forum
72 Chris Petit onhis post-cinema art
project the Museumof Loneliness
74 Letters
Endings
128Adrian MartinonJimMcBrides steamy,
overblown1983remake of Breathless
FEATURES
36
11
Glorious new HD transfers of both lms, both presented with their alternate American
International Pictures (AIP) versions with Les Baxter scores and different edits. Loaded
with classic and new extras including insightful commentaries by Bava biographer Tim
Lucas, brand new interviews and featurettes, trailers and promo material, gorgeous new
artwork by legendary artist Graham Humphreys and exclusive booklets, featuring new
writing on both lms, an epic interview with AIPs Sam Arkoff and more!
Beautiful new HD transfer from MGM loaded with extras including brand new interviews
with Ed Harris (The Rock), Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead), and Patricia Tallman (Army of
Darkness), audio commentary with Romero, Savini, John Amplas (Martin) and Christine
Romero, trailer, TV Spots, reversible artwork and a deluxe 36-page booklet featuring new
writing on the lm by Brad Stevens, a new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein and
an interview with Romero from 1981!
Contents Reviews
89
FILMS OF THE MONTH
78 The Gatekeepers
80 Inthe Fog/Vtumane
82 Me and You/Io e te
84 The Place Beyond the Pines
FILMS
86 The ABCs of Death
86 All Stars
87 BAFTAShorts
88 Bernie
89 Chimpanzee
89 The Croods
90 Dark Skies
91 Evil Dead
91 The Eye of the Storm
92 First Position
93 Flying Blind
94 Fuck for Forest
95 Gimme the Loot
96 The Hardy Bucks Movie
96 ImSo Excited!/Los
amantes pasajeros
97 The Incredible Burt
Wonderstone
98 Jack the Giant Slayer
99 King of the Travellers
99 The Look of Love
100 Love is All YouNeed/
Denskaldede frisr
101 Michael H. Profession:
Director/Michael
Haneke Portrt eines
Film-handwerkers
101 Oz the Great and Powerful
102 Promised Land
103 Rebellion/LOrdre
et la morale
104 Red Dawn
104 SimonKiller
105 Snitch
106 Spring Breakers
107 21 &Over
107 Vinyl
108 We Went to War
109 White Elephant/
Elefante blanco
HOME CINEMA
112 Alois Nebel, Baise-moi, Films
by Claude Chabrol, City of
Women, La Dame de pique,
Diary of a Chambermaid,
The Murderer Lives at
21, The Red Menace,
Swandown, Tess, The
Third Girl fromthe Left
DVDfeatures
110 Sukhdev Sandhuenjoys
the eccentric wit of the
lms of B.S. Johnson
113 DavidThompsonturns on
totheerotic lms of Radley
Metzger
116 GrahamFuller onsexand
lucre inSamsonandDelilah
118 Michael Atkinsonexplores
the unsettlingbrilliance of
Wake inFright
Television
119 Dead Head, House of Cards,
Philip Marlowe, Private Eye
Series 1, Quincy, Me
Series 3, Storyboard, Utopia
121 Mark Duguiddips intothe
treasures inArmchair
Theatre Volume Four
BOOKS
122 Linda RuthWilliams
surveys aninstructuve
overviewof 100years of
the BBFC
123 TimLucas welcomes the
rst inaproposedve-
volume biographyof
director KenRussell
124 Jane Giles is fascinated
bya1920s novelisation
of Hollywoods rst
vampire movie
(incorporatingMonthlyFilmBulletin)
PublishedmonthlybytheBFI
Editorial enquiries
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t: 02072551444
f: 02075805830
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Volume23Issue5(NS)
ISSN0037-4806 USPS496-040
CONTRIBUTORS
Michael Brookeisafreelance
writer andlmhistorian, andthe
co-producer of theBFIsrestoration
of JanSvankmajersAlice
Mark Cousinsisacritic
andlmmaker
Peter Cowie haswrittensome30
booksonlm, amongthemstudies
of Bergman, Coppola, andKurosawa
SamDaviesisafreelance
writer onlmandmusic
Maria Delgadoisacriticand
professor of theatreandscreenarts
at QueenMary, Universityof London
Anna Fomichevaisafreelancelm
writer andcurator basedinOxford
Jane Gilesisheadof
Content at theBFI
Pasquale Iannoneisalmwriter,
broadcaster andcurator. Heis
senior teachingfellowinFilmStudies
at theUniversityof Edinburgh
Trevor Johnstonwritesonlmfor
TimeOut andtheScript Factory
AdrianMartinisassociateprofessor
of FilmandTelevisionStudies,
MonashUniversity, andco-editor
of theonlinelmjournal Lola.
Frances Morganisdeputy
editor ofTheWire
Chris Petit isalmmaker
andnovelist. HisLPMuseum
of Loneliness isout now
Nick Pinkertonisaregular
contributor toTheVillageVoice
SimonReynoldsisawriter andcritic.
Hislatest bookisRetromania: Pop
CulturesAddictiontoitsOwnPast
Patrick Russell issenior curator
(non-ction), BFI National Archive
Sukhdev Sandhueditedthe
recentlypublishedbookThe
Twilight Languageof Nigel Kneale
Peter Tonguetteistheauthor of
TheFilmsof JamesBridges
COVER
SpringBreakers, retouched
byDawkinsColour
NEXTISSUE
onsale7May
And online this month The beers of Blue Velvet | Neorealism
video clips | True/False FilmFest | Penny Woolcock | Female lm
reporter competitionwinner and more b.org.uk/sightandsound
102
84
99
DEFINITIVE VERSIONS
Q
COLLECTABLE EDITIONS
The Ealing Studios Rarities Collection Volume 1
Ealing Studios - a global byword for quality, quintessentially
British cinema. This collection features four rare Ealing
titles including Escape!, the very rst Ealing production,
and the early Carol Reed lm Penny Paradise.
TheBritishFilm
networktweets # TheBritishFilm
For the latest updates on Network products plus
exclusive news and video content and to receive
a monthly collectable The British Film PDF,
visit www.networkonair.com
Network are proud to announce the launch of The British Film collection
a new range of classic lms covering over half a century of British Cinema.
Showcasing a diverse mix of genres, The British Film collection features
many titles that have never previously been released.
ON DVD THIS APRIL
Man at the Top
The gritty 1973 lm starring
Kenneth Haigh as Joe
Lampton; the aggressively
ambitious protagonist who
originated in John Braines
novel Room at the Top.
On the Fiddle
A year before he became Bond,
Sean Connery starred in this
comedy caper alongside Alfred
Lynch and Stanley Holloway.
Spanish Fly
Screen icons Terry-Thomas
and Leslie Phillips star in this
vibrant mid-70s sex comedy set
in sunny Menorca.
The House in Nightmare Park
Frankie Howerd stars in this
hilarious horror spoof from
Doctor Who and Blakes 7
writer Terry Nation.
Edgar Wallaces Flying Fifty-Five
An exciting tale of double-cross-
ing and blackmail from legendary
thriller author Edgar Wallace.
10 | Sight&Sound May 2013
By Jane Giles
First seeninBerlinearlier this year, the exhibition
Icons features afractionof the lifelongpersonal
collectionof movie memorabilia belonging
toKennethAnger, legendaryexperimental
lmmaker, pagan, popbitchandfanboy(born
1927). Anger has curatedthe exhibitionwith
humour andreverence, workingacross two
rooms replicatingthe wayinwhichthe items
are usuallydisplayedinhis Los Angeles home.
Icons demonstrates that oldHollywood
has historicallyinuencedthe avant garde,
andshows howaspecic sensibilitycan
connect eventhe most diverse of objects.
The rst roomis deepcrimson, twovintage
armchairs facinganenormous reproductionof
Angers ownsignature, surroundedbyposters
andproductionstills fromthe Magick Lantern
Cycle lms, especiallyLucifer Rising (1970-80) and
Inaugurationof the Pleasure Dome (1954). The red
wall onthe left is mostlydevotedtoRudolph
Valentino. Studioportraits of Valentinoas the
SheikandPanare framedalongside atattered
front page of the Los Angeles Examiner dated
Friday13November 1925, its headline reading
Valentinotoget Paris Divorce (Films greatest
wooer andwife scheduledtodropshackles
of matrimony). Theres creamyembossed
stationeryfromValentinos FalconLair estate
onBella Drive, BeverlyHills, andaSheik tie-in
boudoir lampprofferingincense. Alobbycard
for MaxReinhardt andWilliamDieterles 1935A
Midsummer Nights Dream(inwhichAnger may
or maynot have appearedas achangeling) sits
alongside that of D.W. Grifths The Fall of Babylon
(alsoknownas Intolerance). Aglamorous studio
portrait of Anger himself has beensmuggled
inat the edges of his homage toValentino.
Onthe right-handredwall, ahandsome
portrait of Frankensteindirector James Whale
hangs next toawolshRinTinTin, andin
amongst the manyimages of Darryl Zanuck
andfriends is afull-page newspaper article from
AmericanWeeklydated1922, detailinghowthe
LOOKBACKWITHANGER
Arriving inLondonfromBerlin,
KennethAngers exhibitionIcons
evokes his dual roles as lmmaker
andHollywoodchronicler
Inauguration of the pleasure home: Icons houses Kenneth Angers collection of memorabilia
ONOUR
RADAR
INTHE FRAME
Rushes
NEWS ANDVIEWS
Werner Herzog
Aretrospective of
lms by the great
seeker of ecstatic
truth plays at BFI
Southbank throughout
June and July
this summer, with
extended runs of new
restorations of Aguirre,
Wrath of God and
The Enigma of Kaspar
Hauser opening in UK
cinemas nationwide.
Ben & Shezads
Moviedrome Presents...
Artist/lmmakers
Shezad Dawood and
Ben Rivers kick off a
newseries of personally
chosen double bills at
the Whitechapel
Gallery on 12 May with
a screening of Italian
director Lucio Fulcis
1982 Egypt-set gorefest
Manhattan Baby, plus a
surprise title...
SPRINGBREAKERS
Detroit courts strippedbare the plans of alittle
coterie of evil ledbybookshopmanager Albert
W. Ryerson, publisher of Aleister Crowleys The
Equinox, toestablishanewreligionbasedonthe
astonishing doctrine, Dowhat thouwilt shall
be the whole of the law. The article is illustrated
bythe nowfamous photographof Crowley
circa1910inceremonial robes makingthe Sign
of Pan(agesture of creative energy), withdire
warnings of the trail of wreckedlives, broken
homes andbusiness disaster knowntofollow
membershipof his OrdoTempli Orientis.
The redwalls behindthe seatedviewer are
dedicatedtothe Hollywoodsilent lmstar Billie
Dove, whowas famouslybought byHoward
Hughes in1930whenhe paidher wildlmmaker
husbandIrvinWillat $325,000inthousand-
dollar bills toget adivorce. Billie Dove was
once as popular as ClaraBow, withabox-ofce
pull that exceededeventhat of MaryPickford,
GloriaSwansonandGretaGarbo. The singer
EleanoraFagannamedherself Billie Holiday
after Dove. But her name is nowlittle known
andmanyof her lms are lost, includingthe
bi-racial epic The Love Mart (1927), stills of
whichadornthe gallerywalls, alongwithmany
of Doves ownmelancholic oil paintings.
The secondroomis paintedmidnight blue,
illuminatedbyaHollywoodBabylonneonsignin
the formof apair of openlips. One wall features
publicityshots, mostlyof Billie Dove, while
another wraps inDove, GretaGarbo, Valentino
andaninvitationfor a1985launchpartyto
HollyBabyII (the secondvolume of Angers
scurrilous book, producedduringthe hiatus in
his ownlmmaking). Facingthis wall, avitrine
displays arange of objects, includingamodel of
Darryl Zanuckplayingcroquet inhis underpants,
aFrenchrst editionof HollywoodBabylone (to
use its Gallic title), anAgns BT-shirt featuring
the occultist Marjorie Cameronas the Scarlet
WomaninInaugurationof the Pleasure Dome (1954),
green-inkedsignatures inthe guest bookfor
Zanucks PalmSprings Estate, Valentino-inspired
packagingfor The Sheikof Five Cent Cigars
(mild), aKodachrome lens, acopyof Crowleys
The Book of the Law, andthe BFIs ownpublication
about Angers lms, Into the Pleasure Dome (1989).
The overall effect of Icons is of asurreal
spiders web, drawingtogether self-mythologising
memorabiliafromAngers ownbooks and
lms withimages andobjects fromthe golden
age of Hollywood, the cross-threads beinghis
enduringfascinationwiththe occult andhis
belief that makingamovie is castingaspell.
Misunderstoodgenius Aleister Crowleydied
in1947, the year that Angers lmmaking
career tookoff withFireworks. In2000Anger
returnedfromcinematic silence withThe Man
We Want to Hang, ashort studyof Crowleys
paintings shot insituat the October Gallery
exhibitioninLondonin1998. Althoughnot the
greatest of Angers lm, it will always occupya
particular signicance inhis oeuvre, not least
as areminder that Angers 1955documentary
about Crowleys erotic frescoes of Thelema
Abbeyis lost, like somuchof earlycinema.
Perhaps evenmore sothancinemas,
art galleries are the sacredplaces where
cultural icons suchas Anger, Crowley,
ValentinoandDove canbe brought together
across time tocreate anewmagick.
i
KennethAnger Icons is at
SprthMagers, Londonuntil
20April. The Magick Lantern
Cycle is available onBFI Video
The blue room The red room
Ozu
Avery special BFI members
screening of Ozus 1930gangster
lmWalk Cheerfully takes place
at BFI Southbank on 22April,
with a live benshi
narration by
Tomoko Komura
and live musical
accompaniment by
Clive Bell. S&Ss
ownTony Rayns
will introduce the
screening.
Alan Partridge
The jump fromsmall
screen to big has often
been a bumpy one
for UK comedy, but
the recent trailer for
the upcoming Alan
Partridge spin-off
suggests that Steve
Coogans most famous
creation may buck the
trend. Alan Partridge:
Alpha Papa is released
on 16 August.
Billy Liar
The lmthat
made stars of Tom
Courtenay andJulie
Christie marks its
50th anniversary this
year. Anewrestoration
screens at the
Bradford International
FilmFestival on 14
April, at the British
Library on 26April,
and is released on
Blu-ray on 6May.
ANATOMYOF AMOVIE
18% Crossroads (2002)
16% Mean Girls (2004)
12%Thuggin It & Lovin It (2009)
11%Windowlicker (1999)
10% Cities of Gold and Mirrors (2009)
8% Girls Gone Wild (1999)
8%American Apparel advert
7%Tree of Life (2011)
CHARLIE CHAPLIN
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Crueltyis abasic element
incomedy. . . The audience
recognizes it as afarce on
life, andtheylaugh
at it inorder not
todie fromit,
inorder not
toweep.
Extracted
fromChaplins
1966interviewwith
RichardMeryman
7%Where the Boys Are (1960)
3% Piranha (2010)
By Hannah McGill
Youknow, I imagine
theres onlyone thing
thats beeninas many
hotel rooms as I have,
SkyMastersontells
SalvationArmysergeant
SarahBrowninGuys andDolls (1955), and
thats the GideonBible. Soit is that this morally
insubstantial gambler is able tocorrect pious
Sarahs misquotationof the GoodBook; andso
Sky, withhis physical understandingof the world
as distinct fromher cold, theoretical processing
thereof, begins toget under the sergeants skin.
She might have the Bible loggedas aset of moral
rules, but hes actuallyreadit at least adozen
times. Andhe gets her againlater, after she
slaps his face, withMatthew5:39(Dont bother
lookingit up; its the bit about the other cheek).
Skyis not the onlycinematic sinner tohave
obtainedacounter-intuitive familiaritywiththe
wordof Godcourtesyof the Gideons evangelical
largesse. Whenthe amnesiac protagonist of
Memento (2000) refers toreadingmotel Bibles
religiously, hes emphasisingnot just his own
lonesome monomania, but alsothe lms stylistic
debt tonoir conventions. Noir protagonists are
toocynical tofall for organisedreligionbut
toodamnedclever toshare aroomwithabook
without readingit through. Dont lookback,
baby, says another MastersonVanHeins
Sam, alsoaconrmedGideonacionadoinThe
Strange Love of MarthaIvers (1946). Youknow
what happenedtoLots wife, dont you? The
mysterytobe unlockedinRoyDel Ruths RedLight
(1949) lurks withinastolenGideonBible, aplot
point echoedin1996s MissionImpossible (perhaps
unconsciously, thoughone might note that MIs
director BrianDe Palmaandco-screenwriter
Robert Towne are nostrangers tolmnoir).
The Bible knowledge of PulpFictions (1994)
bombastic hitmanJules is less thoroughthanthat
of SkyMastersonQuentinTarantinois more
thanalittle free inhis adaptationof Ezekiel 25:17
but it creates the same image that soimpresses
Sergeant SarahBrown: the habitual wrong-doer
possessedof aforceful religious instinct, if not
adirect line toGod. Withstudy, after all, sucha
personmight ndaBible verse tojustifywhatever
excesses he might have undertakeninhis life.
Jules feels vindicatedenoughbythe vengeful
language of Ezekiel tophysicallyenact it just as
the depravedpreacher inCharles Laughtons The
Night of the Hunter (1955), HarryPowell, assures
himself of Gods complicityinhis murders with
the words Theres plentyof killings inyour
book, Lord. Harryis particularlycertainthat
Godsanctions his killingof women. After he
murders his wife, we ndhimreadingaloudfrom
Proverbs 23:27, whichwarns against whores and
adulteresses: Astrange womanis anarrowpit.
Its the fact that these commandment-breakers
do knowtheir Bibles that sets themdangerously
at odds withconventionallyChristian values.
Alsomore knowledgeable about the Bible
thanthe fastidious moralists whooppose him
is HenryDrummond, the intellectual lawyer
inStanleyKramers Inherit the Wind(1960).
EnlistedtodefendaBible Belt teacher ontrial
for instructinghis pupils about evolution,
Drummondgoes upagainst Fredric Marchs
fundamentalist Christianpoliticianandcannot,
for all his studious references tothe marked-up
Bible he holds inhis hand, penetrate that mans
stubbornacceptance of contradictions and
inconsistencies inthe text he chooses toregard
as literallytrue. Yet Drummondis nallyouted
as abeliever himself, tothe dismayof his friend
andally, Gene Kellys cynical, staunchlyatheist
journalist. Left alone withthe trials keybooks
the Bible andDarwins The Originof Species
Drummondweighs theminhis hands, slaps
themtogether, andwalks out holdingboth.
InCarl Theodor Dreyers Ordet, releasedthe
same year as The Night of the Hunter andGuys
andDolls, interpretations of scripture differ so
intenselywithinone tinycommunityas to
create ableaksort of comedy: asingle crazed
fanatic lives amongagnostics, broadminded
believers andthe sombrelydevout. Whena
Bible is produced, its tokeepyoungAnne and
Anders occupiedwhile their fathers, adherents
of differingfaiths, discuss whether theycan
wed. Just as HarryPowell, violentlyappalledby
his ownsexual urges, forces Willatoprayhers
away, the couple inOrdet are physicallypartedby
the Bible staunchlymannedbyAnnes mother.
Markedlyselectingastoryof life beingbestowed
Cinema is litteredwithmists and
sinners whoare gracedwithfar
more knowledge of the Bible than
the moralists rangedagainst them
Angel of death: Theres plenty of killings in your book, Lord, says Harry inThe Night of the Hunter
Inherit the Wind
INTHE BEGINNINGWASTHE WORD
OBJECT LESSON RUSHES
asexuallyas well as preguringthe lms own
comingmiraculous revival she calms them
withthe storyof Lazaruss resurrection. When
Anders seeks anopportunitytoget closer tohis
beloved, showingher anillustration, theyre
slappedapart. The presence of the bigBible and
its sterninterpreter expresses the weight of
parental control onthe pairs lives, as well as the
incompatibilityof the hatredof original sinwith
the power of the sexual impulse andthe necessity
of reproduction. Its the sexuallyfullled, happily
pregnant Inger whois almost sacricedand
whodoes lose her childwhenthe twofamilies
cannot marrytheir beliefs, andwhois savedwhen
theyreconcile. This eventual rapprochement is
promptedwhenAnnes father sits downwith
the familyBible and, inhis reading, hits upon
SkyMastersons bit about the other cheek.
Its the fact that these sinners
do knowtheir Bibles that sets
themdangerouslyat odds with
conventionallyChristian values
TERENCE STAMP FILMS
THE FIVE KEY
1
Billy Budd(1962)
At 24, Stampmade anunforgettable debut in
Peter Ustinovs HermanMelville adaptation, his
eponymous seamananembodiment of goodness
inconict Robert Ryans sadistic master-at-arms
Claggart. It was cinematographer Robert Krasker
whosuggestedthe peroxide that facilitatedthose
angelic looks.
2
Toby Dammit (1967)
Fellinis segment of the Edgar Allan
Poe-themedtriptychSpirits of the Dead is a
sinister visionof celebrity. Stampis mesmerising
as TobyDammit, the Englishfopwhos out of his
headandout of his depthinthe ominous
Cinecitt dreamscape.
3
Theorem(1968)
OnlyPasolini couldconjure upa story
whereina divine strangers polymorphous
sexualityprecipitates the breakdownof
capitalist patriarchy. OnlyStampcouldmake
those ideas esh, his captiviating self-possession
radiating erotic andspiritual allure.
4
The Hit (1984)
InPeter Princes story, directedby
StephenFrears, anEast Endcrookhas found
enlightenment inSpanishexile whenhis old
gang seekvengeance. The serenityStampbrings
tothe role puts this among the great unsung
performances inBritishcinema.
5
The Limey (1999)
Borrowing KenLoachs Poor Cowfor
ashbacks, Soderberghconstructs a modern
thriller onwhichStampinscribes hard-edged
vengeance andmelancholymusing onlost time.
Asplendidlast blast thoughthis years Song for
Marionsuggests Terence still has gas inthe tank.
ByTrevor Johnston
He mayhave trained
at dramaschool, but
Terence Stamps
screenpresence bears
little trace of the
theatrical tradition.
Giftedwithabone
structure usuallyreservedfor statuary, his
singular grace has circumventedthe class
strictures sooftendeningBritishperformers. A
keyface of the Swinging60s, he surviveda
fallow70s, tore-emerge as acharacter actor of
cherishable poise. Theoremis rereleasedintoUK
cinemas on12April, andafull Stamp
retrospective at BFI Southbankfollows inMay.
WithSong for Marion, below, in
cinemas anda retrospective at
BFI Southbank, its a goodtime
toassess the Britishscreenicon
1962s Tomorrows Saturday. Its apitythat,
againbecause of his televisionwork, Grigsby
rarelyreturnedtoshort-formdocumentary;
the exceptions were the atmospheric Pictures
onthe Piano (1995) andThe Score (1999), co-
fundedbythe BBCandthe Arts Council.
At Granada, Grigsbys career advancedfrom
helmingeditions of What the Papers Sayto
directingepisodes of the documentaryseries
This England. Enthusiasticallyembracinga
still-youngmediumandinvigoratedbythe
presence of documentarygreats suchas Norman
SwallowandDenis Mitchell, Granadamust have
beenas excitingaplace for younglmmakers
toworkas the GPOhadbeen30years earlier.
Grigsbys breakthroughwas Deckie Learner
(1965), about aGrimsbyteenagers apprentice
triponashingtrawler. His fascination(shades
of FlahertyandGrierson) withthe dangers,
isolationandendurance of the shinglife
reappearedinthe excellent ALife Apart (1973).
Continuingfor manyyears at Granada, then
later workingfor other ITVcompanies andthe
BBC, Grigsbywouldoftenobsessivelyrevisit
themes andlocales. See, for instance, his trilogy
of NorthernIrelandlms (Too LongaSacrice,
1984, The Silent War, 1990, Rehearsals, 2005) and
his considerations of the effects of the Vietnam
War onAmericans (I Was aSoldier, 1970) and
Vietnamese (The Search, 1991, Thoi Noi, 1993). His
career tookhimeverywhere fromrural, urban
andindustrial BritaintoInuit CanadatoIndia.
The directors most ambitious lms, inscale and
thematic implication, were Livingonthe Edge
(1987) andThe Time of Our Lives (1994), sweeping
studies of social andpolitical change inBritain
that were acclaimedbymanyas his masterpieces.
Theyare powerful andessential viewing,
but perhaps slightlyweakenedbyacertain
rather sweet naivety. Grigsbywas essentially
anemotionallyintuitive, visual, humanist
lmmaker more thanacoldlyanalytical one. His
Troubles trilogy, for example, is full of moving
humanmoments andmoody, tellingUlster
landscapes, but perhaps doesnt fullypenetrate
cause andeffect. Suchlargelyapolitical lms
as the superbLockerbie: ANight Remembered
(1998) maybe Grigsbys most enduring.
Startingout innon-broadcast documentary
making, before workingthroughthe glorydays
of TVdoc, Grigsbylivedtowitness the relative
declineof thesecondandparticipateintherevival
of the rst. As presidingspirit of the revived
AbingdonFilmUnit, he andunit headJeremy
Taylor have overseenaremarkable output of
documentaryandanimationshorts. Grigsbys last
lmWe Went to War, co-authoredwithproducer
andclose collaborator RebekahTolley, revisits
the TexanVietnamvets he lmedsomovinglyin
1970. Its out, onthe bigscreen, now. See it, mourn
Mike Grigsbys loss, andrediscover his work.
By Patrick Russell
The deathof Britishdocumentarist Michael
Grigsbyon12Marchcame as ashatteringshock:
not just because it was sosuddenbut alsobecause
he was one of the most infectiouslyalive people
his friends, acquaintances andadmirers ever
knew. It was hardtobelieve the irrepressibly
energetic Grigsbycoulddie, let alone that he had.
Grigsbys lms, though, will live on. Interest
inthemwill growandit will become obvious
that the bodyof workhe leaves is amajor one.
That this hasnt yet beenuniversallyrecognised
has muchtodowiththe infrastructural history
of Britishdocumentaryproduction. HadGrigsby
beenFrenchor American, hedbe widelyfeted.
Its preciselybecause, for several decades, UK
documentarytelevisionwas creativelyand
structurallysostrongthat its great practitioners
were perverselyignoredbycineastes. Most of
Grigsbys workwas made for the small screen.
Ahandful of perceptive critics andhistorians
championedhimwithincinemaculture
(notablyIanChristie, JulianPetley, JohnCorner
andChristophe Dupin), but it was broadsheet
TVreviewers whomost oftenmentionedhis
work. Anadditional problemis that, for rights
andother reasons, televisionlms are not yet
as widelyavailable digitallyas other content.
Infact, Grigsbyperfectedcinemaandtelevision:
the democratic power of the rst withthe formal
qualities of the second. His talkative, energetic off-
screenpersonalitycontrasted, intriguingly, with
his boldlyunhurried, contemplative lmmaking
style. Inthe best traditions of Britishvisual craft,
Grigsbyexcelledat, andawlesslysynthesised,
the arts of portraiture andlandscape. He spoke
oftenof seekingtogive avoice tothe voiceless.
People inhis lms are treatednot just with
compassionbut withrare respect, empowered
tondtheir owneloquence byspeakingin
longtakes, attentive equallytotheir voices and
faces. But theyare always meaningfullysituated
intheir physical environment. Fewdirectors
imbuedtheir workwithsuchasense of place.
Grigsbys hauntinglandscape compositions led
tojustiedcritical comparisons withFlaherty
andJennings, whomhe muchadmired.
Grigsby, indeed, was inspiredtolmmaking
bythe GPOandCrownFilmUnit shorts shown
on16mmprojectors at AbingdonSchool,
where he was apupil inthe 1950s. Settingup
the precociouslynamedAbingdonFilmUnit,
he shot amateur lms about life at the school.
Decades later he remainedenthusedbyListen
to Britain, Coal Face andNight Mail. While
workingas aGranadaTelevisioncameraman
he bought his ownequipment andspent his
spare time makingEnginemen(1959), about
railwayworkers affectedbythe shift fromsteam
todiesel. CompletedwithLindsayAndersons
help, it was shownat the NFTs nal Free
Cinemaprogramme. This lovelylo-effort
was followedbyanother ne BFI-fundedshort,
MIKE GRIGSBY(1936-2013)
RUSHES
Thedeathof thedocumentarist has
robbedthelmworldof amajor
gurewhohadyet toreceivethe
truerecognitionhedeserved
OBITUARY
Inthe best traditions of British
visual craft, Grigsbyexcelledat,
andawlesslysynthesised, the
arts of portraiture andlandscape
Closely observed trains: Michael Grigsby, Ivan Halleron and Christopher Faulds shootingEnginemen
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etc), andeconomics (the multiplexs 3D), it also
has what youcouldcall empathics. Inthe Yaxis,
people talktoeachother, sing, dance or kiss. Yis
the social axis, the plane inwhichpeople already
knoweachother or get toknoweachother. Xis,
youcouldargue if youre intosuchthings, the
godaxis. Religious people inPasolini andBruno
Dumont movies levitate abit, Buddhist monks
inKingHus ATouchof Zen(1969) defygravity.
Incomparisonwiththese two, the Zaxis is a
humanplane but one inwhichpeople leave what
theyknow, their owncommunityor family, and
headtowards the horizon, over the rainbow, to
another world. Zedness is reachingout beyond
what youknow; its wanderlust, curiosity. In
lmterms, its the axis onwhichmanyof the
best documentaries work. Zedness is empathy.
While onholidayonSkye recently, I started
thinkingof makingalmabout zedness. At dusk,
inazure blue light, I lmedahighlandcow. The
light was solowthat the focus was reallyshallow,
but the cowwalkedtowards me, alongthe Z.
As it did, the autofocus onmycameraadjusted
tokeepthe cowsharp, alongthe Z. We talk
about pulling focus. Zedness is pushandpull.
OnSkye I realisedthat Zis everywhere.
Its avisual thing, almic thing, astaging
thing, amoneything, anoptics thing.
Maybe most of all, its apeople thing.
By Mark Cousins
Whenever Imasked
for lmmaking
advice byanew
director, I always say,
Remember the Zaxis.
The Xaxis is upand
down, the Yis left andright, the Zis inand
out the relationshipbetweenforegroundand
background. Whentheyre lmingadialogue
scene, for example, not enoughdirectors consider
what might happeninfront of or behindit.
There have beenbooks andthousands of
articles onthe Zaxis, whats usuallycalleddeep
stagingand/or deepfocus. It was the signature
tune of OrsonWelles; its the dimensionthat
gives WilliamWylers The Best Years of our Lives
(1946) its dimension; its what makes BlaTarr
movies cavernous andclear; Omar Sharifs
spectacular camel ride towards the camerain
Lawrence of Arabia(1962) is Ztothe power of
Z; and, inFrenchcritic Andr Bazin, lmhada
patronsaint of zedness. Incinemas sister art,
painting, Vermeer presents us withthe domestics
of Z; Mantegnaputs us at Christs feet andlays
his bodybackwards, like tramlines; Canaletto
does Zwithaset square. Youcouldargue that
WesternRenaissance paintingingeneral marked
the discoveryof the illusionandcoherence of Z.
Zcame easilytothe movies andwas the source
of its startle. The trainarrivingat LaCiotat on
celluloidin1896, andall those phantomrides
that followed, showedthe thrill of Z, the mother
of all trompe loeils. As movie modes startedto
emerge andseparate, it became clear that some
were better at zedness thanothers. Musicals,
for example, were mostlyYFredandGinger
were side byside andcomedyis mostlyY(all
those double-acts andcomedymid-shots; the
exceptions are lmmakers like Tati andKeaton).
However, the fact that inhorror movies we want
toshout behindyou shows that that genre is
more zeddy. One of the pleasures of Halloween
(1978) for example, is that Michael Myers is in
the scene, advancingalongthe Z. We cansee him,
but poor Jamie Lee cant. Andif horror movies
are zeddy, roadmovies are evenmore so. Theyre
entrancedbyZ, inlove withit, turnedonbyit.
Andsuchthings are not onlythe concernof alm
director. Script editors should, I think, always ask
screenwriters, Sowhats happeninginthe Z?
If Sight &Soundcouldbe printedin3D, Id
askyoutoput onthe glasses here toemphasise
the obvious point that zedness these days isnt
onlyaquestionfor lmgeeks. Whether we
like it or not, 3Dcinemais nowapart of the
multiplexbusiness plan. The aesthetic zedness
of Welles-Wyler-Bazin-Tarr has become astaging
imperative inkids lms andactioncinemathese
days. Zis what we paythe extrathree quidfor.
Move beyondmuckymoneystuff, however,
andthe ideaof Zbegins toresonate andopen
up. If Zhas poetics (Welles etc), generics (horror
THE ZAXIS
RUSHES
Onceyoustart looking, youll nd
theZaxis, therelationshipbetween
foregroundandbackground, shapes
bothlmaesthetics andeconomics
DISPATCHES
Depth charge: the Z axis was key to Orson Welless work, as seen here inCitizen Kane (1941)
Its a long shot: WilliamWylers The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Hes behind you: Halloween (1978)
18 | Sight&Sound | May 2013
By Charles Gant
Inspring2007, MiraNair andproducer partner
LydiaPilcher were busywiththe imminent
USrelease of their latest lmThe Namesake
whentheycame across MohsinHamids then-
unpublishednovel The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
The storyof aPakistan-bornhighachiever whose
success at PrincetonandonWall Street sours
inthe wake of the 9/11attacks, its themes of
assimilationandalienationresonatedespecially
withNair, whowas borninIndia, educatedat
Delhi andHarvardUniversities andresides in
NewYork. Despite competitionfromUSstudios,
the pair wonthe battle tosecure lmrights, using
their personal funds tooptionHamids book.
The project was back-burneredfor awhile
whenFoxSearchlight askedNair todirect Amelia,
its AmeliaEarheart biopic, releasedin2009,
before the lmmaker returnedtothe tricky
challenge of adaptingthe rst-personmonologue
for the screen. The biggest conundrumof all:
howtorepresent the unnamedAmerican
stranger towhomprotagonist Changez relates
his life storyover the course of one day?
Says Pilcher, whose partnershipwithNair
dates backto1991s Mississippi Masala, The
creative challenge withthe novel lies inthe
fact that it is veryliterarymaterial, andits all
centredaroundthis conversationinaLahore
teahouse. Youonlymeet one personfully; the
other personis amystery. The novel reads like
apsychological thriller. It has the Hitchcockian
qualityof the tickingbomb; the intrigue of
the situationthat makes youkeepturning
the pages tosee whats goingtohappen.
Pilcher andNair initiallypaireddebut
feature writer Ami Boghani, ayoungexecutive
at Nairs Mirabai Films, withnovelist Hamid.
Development fundingfor the screenplay
came fromSaudi-born, London-basedcinema-
lovingentrepreneur Hani Farsi, swervingpast
traditional partners suchas broadcasters and
boutique studios. Explains Pilcher, We were
interestedinndingdevelopment funds that
wouldnot come withlots of creative control.
Namingthe unknownAmericanBobby
Lincoln, Boghani andHamideshedout the
character who, inthe lm, is ajournalist and
CIAasset whobelieves Changez canhelp
locate akidnappedAmericanwhose life is in
imminent peril. Says Pilcher, We concocted
different directions interms of what the
urgent situationwas that was causingthe
conversationtobe tense. Ultimatelywe kept
ndingourselves returningtothe novel. This
is anamazingstory: what is it that we cando
withthe movie that doesnt straytoofar?
Toget the script across the nishingline,
Pilcher andNair next brought onBill Wheeler,
whose screencredits include the RichardGere
conmantale The Hoax(2006). What we found
was that towrite athriller was not aneasything.
We neededsomeone more adept at that, says
Nair. Pilcher adds that the writer alsohelpedto
give bothcharacters more authenticity. There
were aspects of Changez that neededtofeel
Americanwhenhe was livingthe American
dream, she says. Bill couldhelpbringthat
Americanvoice infor those dimensions of
Changezs character as well as for Bobby.
While the screenwriters were workingonthe
drafts, Pilcher was talkingtointernational sales
agents, investigatingthe likelymarket value of
the lm. The results were not encouraging. The
leadactor was not goingtobe aJohnnyDeppor
aBradPitt, it was not goingtobe anA-list actor
that Westernaudiences were goingtobe familiar
with, she says. Interms of international sales,
theyre lookingat the cast, andtoacertainextent
the director, andusingformulas totranslate it into
boxofce. That was reallythe headache andthe
challenge: togure out howtoovercome those
numbers inawaythat couldsupport abudget for
almthat was goingtobe shot infour countries.
Withone Britishnancier pressingfor budget
reductions andbluntlytellingPilcher, I dont
care if youshoot inRockawayBeach, darling.
Lets face it, your leadingmanis aPakistani
Muslim, rescue came fromQatars DohaFilm
MiraNair facedahost of dramatic,
nancial andcultural challenges
inadaptatingbestsellingnovel
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
East meets West: Riz Ahmed plays Changez, a Pakistan-born high achiever whose relationship with America sours after the 9/11 attacks
DOUBLE IDENTITY
DEVELOPMENTTALE
The Industry
BUSINESS NEWS & OPINION
Institute, whose Western-educatedchair Sheikha
MayassaAl Thani tookapersonal interest in
the project. Escalatingits commitment from
cornerstone equitytofull nancing, Dohawas
alsosupportive of Nairs choice of leadactor,
Oxford-educatedBritishPakistani Riz Ahmed,
havingseenhis charismatic performance intheir
ownproductionBlack Gold(2011). Hollywood
thesps LievSchreiber (as BobbyLincoln), Kiefer
Sutherland(as Changezs Wall Street boss) and
Kate Hudson(as girlfriendErica, reconceivedas a
multimediaartist) addedsome mid-level cast heft.
WithOldDelhi doublingfor Lahore, Atlanta
standinginfor NewYork(takingadvantage of
Georgias taxsubsidy), andatwo-dayshoot in
Istanbul, Pilcher andNair preparedtounveil
the lmat the openinggalaof the Venice Film
Festival andthensell it territorybyterritory
at Toronto. Challenges that hadbeenpushed
toone side one screenwriter theydinitially
approachedfor the adaptationhadsaid, First off,
were goingtohave todropthe title. Youcouldnt
dragme toalmwiththe wordfundamentalist
init nowhadtobe faced. It hit me much
harder whenwe begantoaddress howtomarket
the lm, says Pilcher. Whenyoure talking
about the book, its abestseller, its shortlisted
for the Booker, its onhigh-school readinglists
all over the world, andit sounds great. But
thenpeople inthe lmindustryare already
envisioningtheir movie poster, The Reluctant
Fundamentalist, andits awhole different thing.
Tocome upwithone image that really
embodiedthe lmwas challenging. One
companysent us alot of different images that
all includedChangez, sometimes inhis suit,
sometimes inhis Pakistani garb. It tookme
completelybysurprise, whenI startedtotest
thoseimages, howWesternpeoplealways wanted
tosee himinthe suit. That was abigeye-opener.
What we came upwithfor the NorthAmerican
campaignis animage that gives youasense
of the essence of the novel: acharacter headed
downaroadbut lookingover his shoulder.
Poster artworkvaries byterritory, but
taglines consistentlyinclude the wordthriller,
positioningThe Reluctant Fundamentalist as a
ticking-bombsuspenser rather thanapolitical
issue movie. Says Pilcher, Audiences are very
comfortable withgenre. The opportunityfor us
was tobanner the fact that this is averydifferent
kindof MiraNair lm; it goes beyondanyrealm
of storytellingthat shes workedinbefore but at
the same time it has her character-drivenMira
Nair handprint. We triedtosteer awayfromthe
9/11angle. I thinkour challenge was tohelp
buyers andsellers feel that this is goingtobe an
entertainingandexcitingmovie towatch, while
at the same time its almof substance.
i
The Reluctant Fundamentalist is released
inthe UKon10May, andwill be reviewed
inthe next issue
The novel has the Hitchcockian
qualityof the tickingbomb; the
intrigue of the situationthat
makes youkeepturningthe pages
Simulcast: The Spirit of 45 event at the Brixton Ritzy in London was beamed into 42 other cinemas
By Charles Gant
The past decade has seenrecordingartists
increasingly lookingtolive performance for
their income, as values for recordedmusic
have declined. Andcinemas are alsoexploring
live alternative content operas, plays, rock
concerts, sports events tosupplement
the programmingmix. While this content is
eatingintoavailable screenspace for lm,
especially inthe indie sphere, one distributor
sees the growingaudience appetite for live
experience as more opportunity thanthreat.
Documentary specialist Dogwoof was
one of the rst andnotably successful
companies toadda live component toa lm
release whenit stageda peoples premiere for
ecological cautionary taleTheAge of Stupid
in2009. Witha post-screeningdiscussion
betweendirector FrannyArmstrong, actor
Pete Postlethwaite andthe thenenergy
andclimate change secretary EdMiliband,
beamedinto54cinemas, the event grossed
more than71,000, a signicant chunk of the
lms eventual total of 190,000. Subsequent
events forBurmaVJ: Reportingfroma Closed
Country, Dirty Oil andCountdowntoZero
performedat a lower level, but the takings
similarly representeda hefty proportion
of total box ofce (see chart below).
WhenDogwoof pitchedtobe the UK
distributionpartner forThe Spirit of 45,
KenLoachs documentary about the creation
anddismantlingof nationalisedindustries
andthe welfare state, a live discussionwas
a central plank of their conception. Explains
distributionboss Oli Harbottle, Witha
historical archival documentary, there is always
a concernit will be a relatively hardsell. We
wantedtomake the most of Kens involvement
andget people involvedwiththe debate.
WorkingfromDogwoofs ofces, a three-
personteamspent more thantwomonths
seekingoutreachpartners, linkingwithrelevant
organisations, trade unions andlocal political
groups. For the event itself, moderator Jeremy
Hardy (68,000Twitter followers) was joinedat
the BrixtonRitzy byChavs: The Demonisation
of theWorkingClass author OwenJones
(90,000Twitter followers) andDot Gibsonfrom
the National Pensioners Convention. Owen
was key tohelpconnect this toa younger
audience,says Harbottle. Hes inhis twenties
andvery bigonsocial media. These things
are important whenyouhave live events.
Withthe 45-minute discussionbeamedinto
42additional cinemas, Dogwoof achieveda
record86per cent seat occupancy, withreports
of a highly diverse audience notably populated
by students andpensioners; aTwitter spike
duringthe debate alsoboostedawareness
nationwide. Astrategy of collapsedwindows
means the DVDwill be onsale inmid-April,
followedswiftly by Film4s transmissionin
May. Harbottle is condent that the latter will
help, not hurt, its ownsales. We have such
a wealthof additional material addingupto
sevenhours spreadacross twodiscs. TheTV
broadcast will helpkeepthe lminthe public
consciousness, andwe believe the audience will
want tosee more andexplore further. This isnt
just a nostalgic lm, but a very relevant one,
andvery pressingfor the newgeneration.
THE NUMBERS
DOGWOOF DOCUMENTARYLIVE EVENTS
DOGWOOFS LIVE SATELLITE EVENTS
Film Event gross Total gross
The Age of Stupid 71,259 190,220
The Spirit of 45 55,033 149,854*
Burma VJ 26,896 44,249
Dirty Oil 11,005 12,035
Countdown to Zero 6,460 15,042
*gross after 10 days
Spotlight
Cinemas Thematic Strands
1000 Words
Moments That Changed Cinema Forever
Widescreen
Film in A Wider Context
Architecture & Film
Adventures in Filmed Environments
Screengems
Evocative Objects Onscreen
Reel World
Film Beyond the Borders of the Screen
Parting Shot
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
On Location
The Places That Make the Movies
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By Kieron Corless
Last summers editionof theLocarnoFilmFestival
turnedout tobe the last under the stewardship
of Olivier Pre. Despite makingaconsiderable
impact duringhis three-year tenure, andseeming
set for acontract renewal, Pre was unable to
resist the opportunitytosucceedMichel Reilhac
at the Franco-GermanTVchannel Arte, as CEO
of Arte France Cinma, apart of the organisation
dedicatedtolmproduction. InadditionPre
is director of the cinemaunit of Arte France, in
charge of acquisitionof bothclassic lms and
newfeatures for broadcast onthe channel.
Nice workif youcanget it. Whenwe met
inParis inJanuarythis year, three months
intohis newjob, Pre was effusive about the
possibilities openingupinhis newcareer path:
Its averyexcitingjobbecause youcanbring
avisionof cinematobear onall the different
aspects of the channel: broadcasting, acquisition
and, of course, co-productionfor cinema.
Pre reallyforgedhis ownvisionand
reputationprior toLocarno, duringhis six-year
stint as artistic director of the Quinzaine in
Cannes, puttinghis weight behindthe edgling
careers of youngdirectors (RayaMartin, Lisandro
Alonso, Albert SerraandMiguel Gomes, toname
but afew) while skilfullynessingandhonouring
the Quinzaines longstandingreputationas a
home for worldcinemas more independent-
mindedtalents. Undauntedbythe bigger scale of
Locarno, Pres strategy, as I notedinmyreport
last year, consistedof combiningretrospectives
of classic directors suchas LubitschandOphuls
withbothqualitycommercial lms andthe more
radical currents incontemporaryworldcinema.
Theres nodoubtingPres breadthof
experience andcinephilic chops, but the switch
toArte is somethingaltogether different. Yes,
its myrst time inTVandinproduction,
he says, soits brandnew, but onthe other
handI feel like its a continuityof something
I startedwithfestivals. I dont feel at all lost
inthe newjobbecause whenI arrivedmy
ideals andmyknowledge of the industry,
international EuropeanandFrench, were quite
apparent because of those tenyears I spent in
festivals. And, of course, I was not a producer
andImstill not a producer, eventoday; but
tobe involvedinthe rst stepof a lmand
togive the support of Arte, whichis vital for
a lot of projects, is veryimportant for me.
Arte co-produces around20features each
year, but there is alsomoneyavailable for
aroundthree cinema documentaries andone
animationfeature. The budget at Pres disposal
for all of these projects is around9.4million(8
million). Its more or less the same as previous
years, he says. Unlike some of the other French
TVchannels, we didnt experience a reduction
inour budget, sothere is a kindof stability
inArte. I have tosay, I arrive here at a good
moment; the channel is inverygoodhealth.
Thats excellent news for followers of auteurist
cinema. Arte has always representedsomething
of a cinephilic lodestone inthat regard; projects
commissionedprior toPres arrival andnow
readyfor unveilinginclude The Bastards directed
byClaire Denis, the newlmbyEdgar Reisz,
BrunoDumonts byall accounts magnicent
Camille Claudel, 1915andthe UlrichSeidl trilogy.
Pre has just chairedhis rst committee
meetingtogreenlight newprojects, and
receivedunanimous support for his rst three
co-producedlms Abel Ferraras Pasolini, set
entirelyonthe dayof the murder of the Italian
director (playedbyWillemDafoe whoelse?);
NadavLapids LInstitutrice; andVirgil Verniers
Mercuriales. Of course, we are retainingthe
Arte traditionof beingverydevotedtoyoung
lmmakers, tothe rst feature, tothe new
auteur, he says, but its alsoimportant tohave
aneditorial line whichis devotedtothe masters,
tothe great lmmakers suchas Ferrara. And
note, too, that those rst three co-productions
are directedbyanAmerican, a Frenchmanand
anIsraeli. This is still the most mind-boggling,
un-Anglo-Saxonaspect of Frenchculture: that
theyll actuallyhandout substantial sums of
public money(Arte is a state channel) todirectors
fromaroundthe world, the onlystipulations
beingthat a Frenchproducer is onboardand
that the project has artistic merit. Pre explains:
We are tryingtorespect rst andforemost
the Europeanidentityof Arte byof course
supportingFrenchcinema, but at the same time
beingveryopenandcurious about international
cinema. We are goingtokeepit that way.
Tosomeone livinginthe UK, hearingthis
brings home withsome force not onlyhow
detachedfromEurope we are inour thinking
but alsohowparochial andself-interestedour
cinema culture still is. Ferraras lms dont even
get releasedhere, let alone co-fundedandco-
produced. Andlets not forget the nancial and
other material support France offers todirectors
across the developingworldthroughthe CNC
fundingmechanismthat usedtobe calledthe
Fonds Sud, nowrenamedCinema duMonde,
whichhas its equivalents inother European
countries Holland, Spain, Sweden, Norway,
Germanybut not here, tothe detriment of a
trulydiverse UKlmculture.
Yes, its atraditioninFrance toopenits doors
toartists andlmmakers andtowelcome them,
says Pre, but alsotobe veryinterestedinwhat is
goingoninother countries. Its crucial topromote
Frenchcinema, national cinema, but most of the
important Frenchproducers are alsoproducing
international lms withthe same interest andthe
same passion. It represents apolitical desire and
apolitical visiontobe involvedinart andcinema
all aroundthe worldand, inthat respect, I really
dothinkwe are blessed.
The former Locarnoartistic
director is still makinghis presence
felt ininternational lmthrough
his newjobat Arte France Cinma
Work of Arte: Olivier Pre rst forged his reputation as artistic director of the Quinzaine in Cannes
We are devotedto young
lmmakers, to the newauteur,
but its also important to be
devotedto the masters
OLIVIER PERE
PROFILE THE INDUSTRY
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By Nick Pinkerton
For most of the year, Austinis as pleasant a
place toworkandplayas anycityonearth,
giftedas it is withthe surroundingsceneryof
the Texas Hill Country, crispnatural springs,
Mexicanandbarbecue restaurants where
one candine al frescothroughthe mild
winters, andaltogether anoverabundance of
those things that make life worthliving.
InMarch, however, entertainment descends
onthe Texancapital like aplague; not just
the RodeoAustin, but three permutations of
SouthbySouthwests festivals andconferences.
Theres Music, the original andcornerstone
component, foundedin1987; Film, nowinits
20th-anniversaryyear; andInteractive, created
bythe schismof SXSWMultimedia, arelative
newcomer whose popularityhas speedily
snowballedandwhichbrings together the
architects of the comingsingularityinthe
analogue world, blinkingat the sunlight.
Ineachof its hydra-headedpermutations,
SXSWis aagrantlyfor-prot enterprise afact
thats evident inthe bold-facedsponsorshipof
everysquare inchof the festival, fromhip-hop
MCs givingon-stage shout-outs for Doritos
tointernet meme GrumpyCat beingmade
available for IRLmanhandlingat the house
rentedbysocial-media news website Mashable.
SXSWprobablywouldnt have appearedso
egregiouslycommercial, tothe point where art
seemedanafterthought, hadI not arrivedin
AustindirectlyfromColumbia, Missouri. That
medium-sizedcollege townhadbeenhostingits
tenthTrue/False documentarylmfestival, an
event that focuses onlms withaformalist air,
particularlythose that muddythe distinction
betweenfact andction. T/Fis asympathetic
little-festival-that-couldthat has followedthe
example of Telluride, makingits reputationon
smart, uncompromisedprogrammingdespite
havingnogreat deal of start-upmoney. It would
be tooeasytomake anunatteringcomparison
here at the expense of SXSWFilm, which, by
buildingits brandbeyondthe point where
curatorial discretioncanexercise control, has
hypertrophiedtoits present ungainliness.
Andthis is whyit wouldbe tooeasy: infour
nights andthree days at T/F, I sawmore movies
that I wantedtocampaignfor thanI didover the
full ten-dayslogthat is SXSW. (For one example,
T/Falmost single-handedlyrescuedLebanese
Eliane Rahebs superlative 2012lmSleepless
Nights fromdisappearingonthe American
festival circuit.) Whichis not tosaythere werent
things worthseeingat Southby, as its now
universallycalled. Afewof themhadevencome
fromT/Fwithme, like Omar MullickandBassam
Tariqs These Birds Walk, shot inaPakistani
orphanage, the indefatigable camerawork
approximatingachilds-eye perspective.
ParsingSXSWs doc slate, I tookinZakKnutson
andJoeyFigueroas MILIUSandPennyLanes
Our Nixonone aprole of the Zenanarchist
director of RedDawn(1984) whichattracteda
veritable Whos Who of movie-brat talkingheads,
visiblyaffectionate towards the lms subject;
the other aportrait of the 37thUSPresident from
his aides recentlyexhumed8mmhome movies.
Bothare as watchable as youmight expect
giventhe intrinsicallyfascinatingindividuals
theyre addressingbut nomore so. A.J. Schnack
andDavidWilsons We Always Lie to Strangers,
LOST INAUSTIN
Festivals
SouthbySouthwest featuredits
share of ller andlms that had
premieredelsewhere, but there
were still gems tobe unearthed
SXSW
Flying colours: Omar Mullick and BassamTariqs These Birds Walk
Penny Lanes doc Our Nixon
however, was areal blindsidingdiscovery: a
wrenchingworkof comic empathythat looks at
the year-roundresidents of Branson, Missouri,
atourist towninthe Ozarks whichspecialises
inkitschymusical entertainment. Against
Bransons cartooned, family-friendlyAmericana,
SchnackandWilsonreveal the actual diversity
of what constitutes familyinthe heartland, the
mythandtruthmade toaugment rather than
ironicallynegate one another. Last years Fuck for
Forest centres onanextendedfamilyof its ownas,
withextraordinaryintimacyandaccess, director
Michal Marczakdocuments aBerlincollective
that aspires tocure the ailingenvironment with
the proceeds of homemade internet pornography,
followingthemintothe deadendof their
foolhardybut touchinglynaive utopianism.
There was animpressive delegationof
Made inTexas lms inevidence, includingJeff
Nicholss Mudfrom2012, AndrewBujalskis
Computer Chess andShane Carruths Upstream
Color. The last arrivedatopatidal wave of
reinvents cinema! buzz, but tomyeyes offered
onlyarudimentarysci-premise mussedinto
anappearance of profundity. The whole affair
displayedacontemptuous indifference toactors
(includingthe director-star himself) whichwas
the exact opposite of DavidGordonGreens
verycool, humanPrince Avalanche. (Starring
Paul RuddandEmile Hirsch, Avalanches tale of
personal andnatural renewal was shot alittle
wayoutside AustininBastrop, Texas, inthe
aftermathof anapocalyptic 2011wildre.)
All of the aforementioned, as well as Austinite
RichardLinklaters Before Midnight which
hadits local premiere hadalreadydebuted
at Sundance. Of the Austin-shot SXSWworld
premieres, far andawaythe best was Katie
GrahamandAndrewMatthewss Zero Charisma,
whichnot surprisinglygiventhe fairly
uproarious screeningthat I attendedwent
home withthe Audience Award. This isnt
tosaythat Zero Charismapanders: the lms
studyof codependent pathologyhasnt been
cleanedupanymore thanits protagonist,
Scott Weidemeyer, anill-kempt, overloaded
thirtysomethingtrash-bagof amanwholives
withhis grandmother andstructures his week
arounddungeon-masteringaD&D-like role-
playinggame for agroupof weedyfriends who
qualifyas suchbecause theycanbe successfully
bullied. SamEidsons performance becomes a
marvel of spittle-ecked, infantile rancour as
Scotts smugfacade cracks, his dictatorial control
of the onlythinghe does control challenged
whenatrue alphageekjoins his game. (Inan
age that makes muchof the triumph of nerd
culture, Zero Charismaillustrates the delineation
betweenhipster nerd-dombasedonchoice and
that determinedbygenuine maladjustment.) I
went intoZero Charismawithnoexpectations,
but once it reachedthe scene where Scott moves
aposter tocover upahole hes just punched
inhis bedroomwall onlytoreveal anidentical
hole beneaththe poster hes moving, I knew
I was inthe hands of lmmakers withacrack
sense of timing. (Computer Chess, set amongthe
early-1980s programmer crowd, alsodeals witha
culture of extreme social retardationsomething
the controversial advertisement of aFacebook
hook-upappcalledBangwithFriends at SXSW
Interactive apparentlysought toovercome.)
The GrandJuryawardwent toDestin
Daniel Crettons Short Term12, set inafacility
for disturbed, delinquent teenagers pure
middlebrowwithabout ahundredtoomany
meaningful shots of sad, stoic, knowing,
understanding, abidingsmiles. The hottest ticket,
meanwhile, was the USpremiere of Harmony
Korines SpringBreakers, whichpackedthe
1,200-seat Paramount Theatre, where Texas-born
DisneypropertySelenaGomez was onhand.
While Korine andCarruthwere the festivals
toutedavant-gardists, their use of feature length
seemedless designedtoserve their material
andintentions thanadutiful compromise to
ensure their works prominence andsaleability.
The festivals narrative short lmprogrammes
were lardedwithplentyof slick, unremarkable
calling-cardpieces, but there was alsopleasingly
disconcertingworknearer tothe worldof
performance/videoart bythe Miami-basedduo
Mayer/Leyva(#PostModem) and, workingin
afliation, NewYorkmultimediaartist Celia
Rowlson-Hall (Si nos dejan, The Audition).
InThe Audition, Rowlson-Hall is put through
the wringer byanoffscreencastingdirector, a
process that moves fromlight physical comedy
toblas sado-masochisminthe space of three-
and-a-half minutes. #PostModemis achainof
tendeadpanblackout sketches (described
as aseries of cinematic Tweets) inwhich
Mayer appears lookingbleary, as though
fromalifetime of staringat screens. Pullingin
primitive CGavatars, home-shoppinggraphics
andjetpacks, #PostModemroasts the same
glowingnewworldthat was elsewhere being
outlinedat Interactive fest panels. More than
anyother work, it distilledthe essence of the
crass, absurdfuture advertisedat SXSW.
Fuck for Forest is releasedinthe UK
on19April andis reviewedonpage 94
Emile Hirsch and Paul Rudd inPrince Avalanche Shane Carruths long-awaitedUpstreamColor SamEidson inZero Charisma
Cast away: multimedia artist Celia Rowlson-Halls disconcertingThe Audition
SXSWFilmhas built its
brand beyond the point
where curatorial discretion
can exercise control
i
David O. Russells Silver Linings Playbook
comes to DVDand Blu-ray courtesy of
Entertainment inVideo. Having spent
time ina state institution, Pat returns
home to live withhis parents and deal
withhis depression. Whenhe meets a
young womanwithproblems of her own,
anunexpected bond develops. Bradley
Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert
De Niro star inthe much-acclaimed
comedy drama. We have ve copies to
give away onbothDVDand Blu-ray.
To be inwitha chance of winning,
simply answer the following question
and state your editionpreference:
Q. Whichof these lms starredboth
Bradley Cooper andRobert De Niro?
a. The Words
b. Limitless
c. Everybodys Fine
Inthis Cinema of... series from
Columbia University Press, lm
academics analyse the work of some
of the most signicant directors
fromaround the world. The latest
volumes inthe collectionfeature Terry
Gilliam, the Dardenne Brothers and
Takeshi Kitano, and explore themes
that include Terry Gilliams war on
cautionand conventioninHollywood
and his ght against American
hyper-consumerism. We have three
sets of the books to give away.
Tobe inwitha chance of winning,
simplyanswer the following question:
Q. For whichlmwasTerry Gilliam
nominatedfor the Palme dOr?
a. The Imaginariumof Doctor Parnassus
b. Brazil
c. Fear and Loathing inLas Vegas
Inspired by our neorealismfeature
onpage 56, we have gathered
together a selectionof lms to
give away to three readers. Man of
Aran, The End of St. Petersburg and
People on Sunday, key lms that
inuenced neorealist lmmaking,
are included inthe package
alongside classic neorealist works
suchas Ossessione, Bellissima and
Miracle in Milan. The Neo-realist
Collection also includes I Vitelloni,
Umberto Dand Rome, Open City.
To be inwitha chance of winning
all of these lms, simply answer
the following question:
Q. OnwhichJames M. Cain
novel isOssessione based?
a. The PostmanAlways Rings Twice
b. Loves Lovely Counterfeit
c. Jealous Woman
Email your answer, name and address, putting either
Neorealismcompetition, Silver Linings Playbook
competition or Director Books competition inthe
subject heading, to s&scompetition@b.org.uk
Or send a postcard withyour answer to either
Neorealismcompetition, Silver Linings Playbook
competition, or Director Books competition at Sight
&Sound, BFI, 21 StephenStreet, LondonW1T 1LN
The deadline for all competitions is Tuesday 14 May 2013.
* The prizewinners of all competitions will be picked at
randomand notied withintendays of the closing date.
* Employees of the BFI or companies related to
the competitionare ineligible to enter.
* Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash.
* The BFI may wishto contact youto keep youinformed of future
events. Please indicate onyour email/postcard if youdo not wish
to hear fromthe BFI regarding any other BFI promotions or news.
March issue winners:
Articial Eye DVDs Raquel Garcia, Clive Sykes.
My Brother the Devil DVDs A. Beale, Sara Brooks,
David Callicott, Andy Smart, JohnSpiers.
My Brother the Devil Blu-rays Oliver Crook, David Miller,
Erlend Palm, Laszlo Purdy, Thomas Stoddart.
Richard Burton Diaries Ivor Nash, Karl OKeeffe,
Andrea Peace, AnnRyan, James Vujicic.
SILVERLININGSPLAYBOOK: FIVECOPIES
ONDVDANDBLU-RAYTOBEWON
DIRECTORS: WINBOOKSONTAKESHI KITANO,
THEDARDENNEBROTHERSANDTERRYGILLIAM
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1
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3
DAMSELS INEXCESS
Left to right: Spring Breakers
Faith (Selena Gomez),
Cotty (Rachel Korine),
Brit (Ashley Benson) and
Candy (Vanessa Hudgens)
Harmony Korines Spring Breakers,
plunging us into the distinctly American
carnival that is Spring Break, is marked by a
steadfast refusal to judge its characters antics.
So is it just a gun-crazy Girls Gone Wild or
is there something more in the mix?
By Simon Reynolds
An American tradition that dates back to shortly after
World War II, Spring Break today involves hordes of
college students descending onFlorida beachtowns for
week-long bacchanals of binge drinking and bare esh.
Taking place in the gap between the second and third
terms of the academic year, its essentially anamplied
version of what goes on every weekend at frat houses
across America, especiallyat those partyschools where
higher learning is not necessarily a priority for the
students. The only differences are the duration of the
debauchandthe fact that the revellers wear bikinis and
thongs andtrunks.
Break echoes the idea of school breaktime, when
children dash out of class and play free. Confusingly,
Americans use the word school where the British
refer touniversity. But that does effectivelycapture the
way that college, for most Americanmiddle-class kids,
is merely anextensionof highschool; marginally more
autonomous but still a time of grafting for grades and
extra credit, all of whichare enteredintoa ledger whose
nal tallydetermines what kindof career youll have.
The rst scenes inHarmony Korines Spring Breakers
had me flashing on Chuck Berrys 1957 single School
Days, which juxtaposes the dragging time of the
classroomwiththe ecstatic release of the jukebox joint:
Soonas three oclock rolls around/Younally lay your
burdendown... All daylongyoubeenwantingtodance.
Inthelecturehall, aprofessor drones onabout JimCrow
laws and the black struggle for civil rights. Bored and
restless, twofemale students Brit andCandy, playedby
AshleyBensonandVanessaHudgensamusethemselves
by drawing an erection plus the slogan I Love
Penis onasheet of paper andmimingfellatio.
YOU
ONLY
LIVE
ONCE
SPRING BREAKERS HARMONYKORINE
The salacious duo and their marginally less-
wickedfriendCotty(Rachel Korine) aredesperate
toescape the college grindandget awaytoSpringBreak.
So is their newfriend Faith (Selena Gomez), a virginal,
goody-two-shoes type whos ina Christianyouthgroup
(Are you jacked up on Jesus? asks the pastor), but
whos beingseducedoff thepathof righteousness bythe
charismatic Candy andBrit. The only hitchis that, after
pooling all their cash, the four girls discover they dont
have nearlyenoughtoget toFlorida.
Desireconfrontsalimit. But intherst signthatSpring
Breakers is set toascendthroughstages of implausibility
into sheer fantasy, desire wills itself through. The
girls blindly grope their way past the impasse, almost
seeming to stumble on the solution: crime. The script,
here and at other critical moments, has anincantatory
quality; phrases repeat and accumulate like a magic
spell. Bitching about their plight (so tired of seeing
the same things every single day...) the girls seemingly
hypnotise themselves into a volitional state (Imnot
going to sit in the same classroom... weve been stuck
here... were getting out of here). After stealing their
poor old professors car, Brit, Candy and Cotty rob a
fast-food diner and its working-class customers. Given
their slight physiques andgirlishvoices, pulling off this
stunt requires whipping themselves into a thuggish
frenzy. We can do this... just fucking pretend like its a
videogame... act like youre in a movie or something.
The girls need to believe their own make-believe. To
makeit toSpringBreak, theybreakthelawbut alsobreak
withReality.
Because Ive more in common with the professor
than with these tearaways, watching Spring Breakers I
immediately thought of the Situationists: their slogan
Take your desires for reality, the pamphlet diatribe
On the Poverty of Student Life, the notion of the politics
of boredom. Above all, I thought of that widely daubed
graffito of Paris 1968, Under the pavement lies the
beach: pavement (the flat, functional surface guiding
the citizen-consumer to the workplace and the shops)
representingmundanity, business as usual, the poverty
of everyday life; beach (a sandy, sun-kissed playpen
for kids and adults temporarily reverting to childhood)
representing the utopia of life as permanent vacation.
Paradise regained.
Im afraid I also thought of Mikhail Bakhtin: the
notionof the carnival, dened as anevent inwhichall
rules, inhibitions, restrictions and regulations which
determine the course of everyday life are suspended: a
Medievalritualinwhichtheworldisturnedupsidedown
inapotlatchof pleasure, profanityandinsubordination.
THEPOWEROFNOW
As it happens, carnival is a wordthat has newcurrency
in American pop culture through the massive success
of Electric Daisy Carnival, the brand-leader of the new
breed of festivals for EDM (electronic dance music).
Thesemassive, weekend-longdancepartiescombinethe
drugginess of 1990s raves withthenon-hipster appeal of
Spring Break but they also weave in aspects of fancy
dress and fantasia derived fromMardi Gras and Cirque
duSoleil. Theclothingwornbydevoteesof ElectricDaisy
Carnival and similar festivals mixes super-sexed-up
outts (manyof thegirl ravers arecladinlingerie, barely
more dressed than the female cast of Spring Breakers)
withkitschy-surreal accoutrements like fairywings.
Spring Breakers latches onto the EDMboomwith its
soundtrack, partly the work of Skrillex, whose audio-
visual spectaculars have made him king of the new
dance-festival circuit in America. His tracks deftly
merge dubsteps blaring bass-blasts with the hands-in-
the-air builds and climaxes of trance. But the overall
effect betrays his past inthe emo punk band FromFirst
To Last: an electronic, digital-maximalist update of the
moshing catharsis offered by arena rock styles. EDM
buzz phrases like rage hard andthe popular acronym-
slogan YOLO(you only live once) express a spirit of
embattledhedonismandlets-get-wreckedrecklessness.
Myowntermfor this carpe diemattitude is NOW!-ism. It
hasaformal corollaryinthemusicandthevideos, which
offer a barrage of sensational effects andnon-sequential
intensities: pop videos involving costume changes and
location shifts every five seconds, sampled phrases or
rapped lyrics that freeze-frame moments of triumph,
glory, excess, disdain, euphoria.
Even more than its EDM tie-in, Spring Breakers
references the mainstreamradio sounds of dance pop
and gangsta rap. There are several overt nods to Britney
Spears, includingthe deliberate echoinBrits name and
a scene in which the girls sing Spearss breakthrough
smash ...Baby One More Time. The arrival of drug
dealer and aspiring rapper Alien (James Franco) shifts
the movie away from EDMs artificial elation and
pseudo-communality and into hip hops fantasy world
of regal splendour andparanoia. Wearingcorn-rowsand
a grill of goldteeth, Alientakes the girls under his wing.
Even though he never learns about their foray into
armed robbery, this self-described gangsta with a
golden heart recognises them instinctively as
motherfuckin soul-mates.
GLO-INGMYWAY
Harmony Korinesvision of
a girl in bikini and ski mask
was the visual starting-point
for Spring Breakers
Some of the key
scenes involving
Alienappear to
have beenmade
expresslyas
DVD-rewind
favourites, to be
endlesslykaraoke-
performedbyfans
AT: What inspiredSpringBreakers?
HK: Acouple of years agoI startedcollecting
SpringBreakimageryfromvarious sites co-ed
pornographysites tofrat partysites, WildCancun
realitysites. I was usingthemmostlyfor paintings
andart work. But lookingat themall together I
was intriguedbythe details byhowsexualised
andviolent the imagerywas but alsobyall these
childlike pop-culture indicators, the uorescent
bathingsuits andHelloKittybags. It was like
acodedlanguage or aseparate vernacular. I
thought it was aninterestingbackground. Thats
it. AndthenI dreamedupthis image of girls ona
beachinbikinis robbingfat tourists. AndthenI
sawthis Nashville rapper, YoungBuck, wearing
aski maskandgoldteeth. I thought it would
be amazingtosee these girls inbikinis withski
masks. Thats howit startedlike avision. And
if those images were toexist inreal life, how
wouldit happen? Thats howthe storycame.
AT: Howclosely didyoustick tothe script?
HK: Its always amixture of things. Directingis
not sostraightforward. I write scripts veryquickly.
Its like asketch. Like whenyoumake apainting
tryingtogure out what colours touse. I tryto
make the script goodenoughtoraise moneywith
it andget the actors I need. AndthenI develop
it duringthe rehearsals andthe shooting. I had
adenite storyline, narrative andcharacters,
but whenwe were all there it developed.
AT: Didyoualways plantohave Faith[Selena
Gomez] leave at the halfway point?
HK: She was always meant togoat that point.
The girls were four parts of asingle entity. Shes
the morality, soonce she leaves thats stripped.
AndthenCotty[Rachel Korine] goes next,
andyoure left withsomethingreallyprimal
andviolent, andthats whenall the damage
is done andall the excitement happens.
AT: Howwill youanswer whenpeople say this
is a racist lm?Youhave youngwhite women
massacringblack gangster drugdealers.
HK: I wouldsaythats the storyline. Thats the
waythat worldworks. I never sawit as racist. I
dont thinkthe girls thinkof colour inthat way.
The waytheyact is akindof cultural mash-
upareinterpretationof that world. Sofor
them, theyare just badguys. It evensays inthe
beginningof the lmthat Alien[James Franco]
was best friends withArchie, the blackdrug
dealer [Gucci Mane], whentheywere boys. SoI
didnt see it as racist, althoughthere is denitely
aracial distinction. Its just ajobthese girls
have todo. Theyhave toexecute these guys.
AT: Couldwe talk about the shape of the
movie? It is a narrative but, because the
dialogue andthe images keeprecirculating,
present, past, andfuture get mashedup.
HK: I wantedtomake somethingthat was
more like adrugexperience, that was more
experiential, [but] that hadaphysical side toit. I
felt like if it was somethingthat I couldexplain
inwords, I didnt want touse it. Sointalkingto
the cinematographer, the productiondesigner,
the editor, I made it clear that I wantedtomake
almthat is propelledbyastory, but around
the edges I wantedwhat I thought of as liquid
narrative. I hadbeentryingtodevelopmicro-
scenes things that happenedquicklyandwould
repeat. That was basedonelectronic music
loop-basedandtrancelike. Things that would
repeat like mantras or choruses inpopsongs,
things that wouldget lodgedinyour head. That
became the model or aesthetic for the lm. But
mostlyI triednot topayattentiontotime and
tohave the lmbe basedinakindof energy.
AT: Inthe rst half, I felt as if I was outside
the movie lookingin, but once only twoof the
girls are left I got soinvolved. They are the
Furies, but somehowyoucare about them. Its
like youre playinga videogame andit doesnt
matter that its awful, youre just intoit.
HK: Yes, thats what I triedtodo. Again, it goes
backtowhenI was lookingat those SpringBreak
pictures. Theyworkedintwoways. There was
aseductive side toit andthere was anastyside.
There was the popside that seemedlike candy
andgloss andthere was this sinister energythat
was like the residue fromthe surface. There was
aduality, or asexual andmoral ambiguity. You
are watchingpeople whoare compellingand
whoyouroot for eventhoughtheydothese
borderline sociopathic deeds. That was the goal.
AT: Will the movie be releasedinmultiplexes?
HK: Yeah. We got anRinthe US. InFrance its 12
but inGermanyits 18. Hopefullyalot of people
whonever sawmyother lms will see this.
AT: Didyouhave tocut anythingtoget the
R? Like the oral penetrationwiththe guns?
HK: No, the ratingboardhadaproblemwithone
or twoshots of girls withhuge asses. AndI had
done these twerking[dance] sequences, andthey
hadaproblemwiththose, soI dealt withthat.
AT: Didyoushoot the whole thingonlm?
HK: Yes, 35mm. But we alsohadthese little
noveltyvideocameras, andwe basicallyattached
themtothe maincameraor tosteadicams, andwe
hadthemonall different settings, like sepia, and
some sotheylookedkindof like Super 8. I used
the stuff fromthe little cameras verysparingly, for
these kindof morphing, druglike effects. The are
like punctuations, like hallucinatoryvisual stabs.
AT: Andthe luridcolours? Didyougel the lights
or didyoudothe colour inpost-production?
HK: We brought everythingout inpost but
[DP] Benot [Debie] andI were always talking
interms of colour. I wantedahyper-stylisation,
almost like aworldof neonpainting. We
lit the rooms as if the lights were Skittles or
Starburst candy. Lots of gels, lots of diffusion.
Andwe mixedthat withscenes onthe street
where we lookedfor interestingexistinglight
sources. Wedndplaces that matchedwhat
we were doinginside; inFlorida, there are
buildings that are lit upinourescent yellow.
AT: Andthentheres the music by Skillrex
HK: The score was acollaborationbetween
SkrillexandCliff Martinez. If the lmis about
atype of energy, thats Skrillexs bombarding,
physical electronic music that has these pop
elements as well. Like the lm, the music never
lets youget comfortable. I wantedit constantly
tobe shifting. AndI alsowantedthere tobe
beautiful, soft popelements mixedinwith
all the harder stuff andthats what his music
andCliffs music is. Also, Skrillexis of that
culture hes someone theydbe listeningto.
AT: Is Jane Holzer [one of the executive
producers] BabyJane Holzer, the
former Warhol Superstar?
AT: Yeah. Shes incredible. She came down
toFloridawhile we were shooting
AT: HowoldwouldLefty, your four-
year-olddaughter, have tobe before
youdlet her see the movie?
HK: Idhave tosee where her personalitywas
at. If she was susceptible andunhinged, Id
probablywant her towait until her late teens.
If she was together, Idlet her see it at 15.
CULTURAL
MASH-UP
Writer-director Harmony Korine
explains howamateur porn and
trance-dance loops inspired the dazed-
glo aesthetic of Spring Breakers
By Amy Taubin
Sweet Harmony: Korine eyes a wider audience P
H
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Y
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Y
:
K
R
I
S
D
E
W
I
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I thought it wouldbe amazing
to see these girls inbikinis
withski masks. That was
howit startedlike avision
SPRING BREAKERS HARMONYKORINE
Some of the key scenes involving Alienappear
to have been made expressly with the intention
of being DVD-rewind favourites, to be endlessly quoted
and karaoke-performed by fans, just like the Say hello
to my little friend! line in 1983s Scarface. One of these
sequences has Alienshowing off to the girls, repeatedly
exulting Look at my shit as he points to his deluxe
bed (That not a bed, its an art piece) and brandishes
a bounteous array of assault weapons. Even before The
Sopranos it was a clich that gangsters like to watch
gangster movies andare inuencedbythem: a feedback
Moebius loop of simulacrumshaping reality shaping
simulacrumshaping And sure enough, Alien points
to his atscreen TVand says, I got Scarface on repeat!
Close on the heels of this scene comes another would-
be-classic candidate: Brit andCandygrabsomeguns and
turnthetablesontheirhost. Whentheyorallyrape him
withthe weapons, Alienresponds like a true sport and
ardently sucks off the barrels. Its an echo of an earlier
scene where one girl lls a water pistol withliquor and
ejaculates it intoher ownmouth.
Franco apparently based his character on a real-life
white rapper called Dangeruss. But why Franco even
needed a template is unclear, given that the white
appropriation of the Stagger Lee archetype is one of
the longest-running stories in popular culture, from
the Rolling Stones to Eminem. Stagger Lee is at once a
historical legend and a recurring social fact: the fantasy,
realised at severe cost both to those who pursue it and
to the community they inhabit, of criminality as a life
without limits. The gangster is a sovereign individual
in a world of peons and bureaucrats, someone whose
existence is bothregal (swathed inluxury and prestige)
andprimal (a warriors life, shedding bloodfor territory,
vengeance and honour). Alienembroils the girls inhis
strugglewithrival gangsterArchie, playedbycult rapper
Gucci Mane. Onthe surface, the enmity is explained as
a mixture of friendship betrayed and turf war. But at
a subliminal level the dispute is also about symbolic
capital: Aliens appropriation of what belongs to the
black gangster, his stylisation of rapacity, the lore and
lingohe invented.
As Archie, Gucci Mane gets to utter the movies most
memorable line, whenhe praises the giver of a blowjob
with Youre playing Mozart on my dick, baby. But for
a film whose function is partly to give an adult edge
to the careers of former teen-TVstars like Gomez and
Hudgens, there is a surprising decit of actual carnality.
Spring Breakers is mostly about sexual display. Sotheres
lots of bump n grind dancing in the semi-nude, guys
andgirls snifng coke off the at abdomens of girls and
guysandraunchytalk: thesmell of money makesagirl
wet, acoquettishandwastedCottytauntsaguythat hell
never get the pussy. But apart fromArchies blowjob
threesome, theres just one actual sex act. (Gomez,
notably, has exited the storyline by this point. Clearly
shewasonlypreparedtogosofar inanR-rateddirection:
shes not involvedinthe robbery, is never showntaking
drugs or havingsexanddoesnt evenswear much.)
As depicted in Korines film, the participants in
Spring Break act out an idea of unbridled freedomand
lascivious irresponsibility thats as convention-bound
and repetitive as the regular, regulated life of whichits
a carnivalesque inversion. Is that the message? Its hard
to say: the director steadfastly refrains fromanything
that might resemble judgement. As with his script-
writing debut Kids (1995), you can take Spring Breakers
as anindictment of youthtoday, acomment onhowpop
Whenapopstar
as blandas Katy
Perrysings about
binge drinking
past oblivionand
mnage-a-trois
romps, its clear
that excess is
normative and
breakingloose
just another
set of chains
GANGSTASTYLE
The girls are taken under
the wing of drug dealer
and rapper Alien, played by
James Franco complete with
gold teeth and corn-rows
cultures anti-social fantasies contaminate real life. Or
youcanenjoyit as a(prettysoftcore) wank-fantasy.
Theres a smidgeonof a hint of authorial irony inthe
juxtaposition of squalour (a passed-out girl in a vomit-
spatteredtoilet) withvoiceovers fromthe girls phoning
theirmotherstoreassurethemthattheyrehavingagreat
time, theyvemet somanywonderful people, next yearI
want tocome here withyou. Whats disquieting about
thesephonecalls, whichrecurat variouspointsandhave
that same incantatoryrepetitiousness, is youre not sure
that the girls are simply spinning a line of bullshit (a
thought to give jitters to anyone inthe audience whos
actually a parent). Could it be that they actually believe
what theyresaying, whenwaxinglyrical about howits
likeparadisehere... somagical... Imstartingtothinkthis
is the most spiritual place Ive been... Its way more than
just havingagoodtime?
One of the voiceover lines crystallises the movies
theme: Its sonice toget abreakfromreality. The point
of carnival is that its temporary. Faithsays wistfully, If
we could just freeze time, this is the way its going be
forever, this moment. But she acquiesces to the school-
bell call of realityand, like everybodyelse, heads backto
college. The two really bad girls, Brit and Candy, dont.
They stay withAlien, whoboasts, I live at the beachall
yeararound.But toactuallylivefull timewithout limits
is psychosis. Bythe movies end, the girls nallybecome
videogame characters, toting AK-47s and clad in pink
balaclavas andyellowbikinis.
Unlike earlier youth-gone-bad movies inwhichnon-
entities retaliate for the fate of boredomandanonymity
promisedbytheirenvironmentBonnieandClyde(1967),
Badlands(1973), evenludicrousram-raidingexploitation
vehicle Shopping (1993) there is no comeuppance for
these renegades fromreality. The movie, which starts
out gritty andnaturalistic, ends upanoneiric art-movie
dilationof the gangsta-rapvideo, a pornotone poem.
Watching Spring Breakers play out to its morally
unsatisfactory (in)conclusion, I thought finally of
Marcuses concept of repressive desublimation.
Way back in the 1960s, the Frankfurt School associate
grasped that capitalism had an interest in creating
wantonconsumers, insatiable and impulsive. External
constraints on our appetites for sex and destruction
still exist (police, law, social services etc), but they are
contradictedandunderminedbyaconsumer capitalism
that erodes internal restraints like guilt and inhibition,
the ability to defer gratification, even the capacity for
linear thought. Stimulating desire and narcissism, the
economys interests collide withthose of other political
structures like church, education and family, all of
which aim to channel energy into long-term projects
(heaven beingthe longest-termof themall). Capitalism
and advertising, as well as their bedfellowpop culture,
have harnessed Romanticism not for repressive ends
(unrepressionis precisely the modus operandi) but for
the dissipationof energy andthe displacement of anger
fromanykindof political articulation.
When a pop star as bland as Katy Perry can sing, in
her number-one hit TGIF, about binge-drinking past
oblivion (Its a blackout blur, but Im pretty sure, it
ruled) and mnage--trois romps, it seems pretty clear
that excessisnormativeandbreakingloose just another
set of chains. Likewise, of Spring Break and Spring
Breakers, I found myself wondering: if this is the beach
underneaththepavement, what, if anything, liesbeyond
the beach? Popculture inits present state has exhausted
its point; its incitements to poor impulse control and
attention-decit disorder nolonger threatenanything.
If desublimationis regressive onboththe individual
psychological level and in terms of its political
consequences, can one perhaps talk of a progressive
re-sublimation? What seems likely to be valued in the
future is the ability to wrench oneself out of the state
of distraction, dampdownthe desirousness stimulated
by consumer capitalism. Discipline, focus, rigour:
everything that cuts throughthe non-linearity of post-
MTV, post-internet popculture (using the word linear
as a pejorative is so 20th-century, dont youthink?). The
artistic corollary of sucha shift might be a director who
actually dared to pass judgement, who was unafraid to
risk being didactic; in other words, to be more like the
lecturer inthe hall andless like a lecher ogling babes on
the danceoor.
i
SpringBreakers is releasedinthe UKon5April,
andis reviewedonpage 106
POOLPARTY
Cotty (Rachel Korine, above)
and the other girls progress
fromsunlit outdoor frolics to
a darker criminal milieu
MENOF
SHADOWS
ANDFOG
With its classical hero and traditional structure,
Sergei Loznitsas second feature In the Fog is the furthest
venture into ction yet for a lmmaker who began as one
of Russias most consistently fearless documentarists
By Anna Fomicheva
INTHE CROSSFIRE
InIn the Fog railway worker
Sushenya (Vladimir Svirski)
is captured by the Nazis,
top, only to nd himself in
trouble with the partisans,
below, on his release
Aforest in the dead of night: it is 1942 inNazi-occupied
Belarus. Sushenya(VladimirSvirski) isasquare-built rail-
way worker whos literally just dug his own grave and
is waiting, passively, tobe executedby his former friend
Burov(VladAbashin), apartisanwhosecomradeiskeep-
ing guard. Sushenya was imprisoned by the Germans
alongwiththree other railwayworkers, but thenmyste-
riously released while the others were publicly hanged.
Hismiraculoussurvival makesit seemthat heisatraitor
andsothe twopartisans have come tohis house tovisit
justice uponhimand have walked himinto the woods.
Weknow, or thinkweknow, that heis innocent, though
there is more tobe learnedabout himinashback. And
his future, if he has a future, is one that will become in-
creasinglyunclear.
IntheFog(Vtumane), thelmImdescribing, isthenew
featurefromBelarus-bornSergei Loznitsa, aformermath-
ematician, translator of Japanese and prolic maker of
documentaries. Hemadehisctionfeature-lmdebut in
2010withMyJoy(Schastyemoe), ahard-hitting, narrative-
lyboldstoryof a truckdriver whose life is swallowedup
by the great Russian hinterland. The lmimmediately
attracted critical attentionwhenit was selected for the
ofcial programme at Cannes. In the Fog met witheven
higher acclaimat last years festival.
Loznitsas early career was devoted to contemplative
documentaries about life and hardship in provincial
Russia. These ledtothe experiments inediting oldSovi-
et footage that producedthe poignant Blockade (Blokada,
2006), whichre-useswell-knownarchival imageryof the
siege of Leningradandrecreates the absent sound. With
MyJoyLoznitsa not onlyturnedtoctionbut alsomade
a nightmarish, explicit, unforgiving critique of post-So-
viet Russia.
In the Fog is a very different beast, a historical drama
based on a novella by Vasil Bykov that concerns
characters withcomplex moral dilemmas and explores
the indistinct line between fate and free will. The
measured pace, small cast and spare dialogue magnify
the lms thematic focus. The workof cinematographer
Oleg Mutu(4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, My Joy), with
its mutedpalette andprecisionof expression, makes the
lmajoytowatch. Thereis astripped-downqualitythat
allows the viewer to consider the potential outcomes
and moral implications of every decision, eventhose of
someoneas seeminglydoomedas thestoical Sushenya.
AnnaFomicheva: YouwereborninBelarus, youvestudied
in Ukraine and Russia, you live in Germany and German
companies back your lms. Youre described as a Belar-
us/Ukrainiandirector, but your lmsareoftenreferredto
as Russian. Howdo you identify yourself?
Sergei Loznitsa: Well, my lms canhardly be denedas
German, but after that it gets confusing, because these
countries are very close. They are referred to as Russian
because they are seen as belonging to Russian culture.
This kind of division makes sense when we talk about
states, but not whenwetalkabout culture. Thecountries
that partookintheproductionof mylatest lmincluded
Belarus, Russia, Latvia, GermanyandHolland. About half
of thebudget wasGermanandtherest wasgiventousby
theother four countries, includingprivateorganisations
andevenindividuals.
AF: ManyRussiancriticshavecommentedthatIntheFog
isshot inthetraditionof aSoviet war lm. Doyoufeel the
inuence of Soviet cinema on your work?
SL: When we talk about Soviet cinema we need to be
clear about what we mean. On one hand we can
talk about the Soviet political system, or on the
INTHE FOG SERGEI LOZNITSA
other we cantalk about the cinema of the 1960s,
70s, 80s. Because for me the works of Iosseliani,
Parajanov, Muratova, Tarkovsky, German, Abdrashitov
areanti-Soviet inthesensenot just that theystayedaway
frompraising that social system, but that their very es-
sence stood in opposition to it. The lms made during
that periodbysuchindividuals have hada biginuence
on me. This tradition is unavoidable the same as lit-
erature andmusic. It all inuences me. I graduatedfrom
VGIK, the oldest lmschool inthe world, andtraditions
are very strong there. I dont knowabout now, but cer-
tainly when I studied there certain values were passed
onto us without ever being talked about explicitly. We
existedinthem. The teachers I was luckytostudyunder
passedona lot of traditions fromthe Soviet periodtous,
for whichI amgrateful.
AF: In the Fog is a signicant departure fromMy Joy in
that although the worldis a harsh place in both lms, the
characters actions in the newlmare morally and ethi-
cally motivated. Also, In the Fog has a more traditional
narrative structure.
SL: I wouldsaythat onelmgrewout of theother. Infact
thesecondlmgrewout of oppositiontotherst. InMy
Joywehavetheabsenceof aherointheclassical senseof
the wordnot inthe patriotic sense but inthe sense of a
character who takes actions for whichhe is responsible
and whichare the result of conscious decisions. All the
characters inMy Joy canbe described as dead souls, and
the lms narrative is ironic. Eventhoughit has a tragic
ending, it is full of comedic moments. In the Fog is classi-
cal drama, withaclassical hero. Thestructureof thelm
is traditional. This is, of course, anillusion, but it offers a
wayof combiningmodernist features withclassical dra-
ma. For instance, the lms ashbacks [tothe events that
leduptoSushenyas arrest] haveaveryspecicfunction.
AF: What was it about this story that appealed to you?
SL: The fact that the story has a hero, andthat his fate is
representedinaparticular way. WhenI readthe novella
I immediately wanted to make it into a lm, and wrote
thescript prettymuchstraight away. AlthoughI wasnot
readytomakeit at thetime; acertainamount of timehad
topass it hadtorest for awhile.
AF: Couldyoutell usalittlebit about howyoumanagedto
get such impressive fog in the shot?
SL: Let it remainamystery. Its magic.
AF: The magic of cinema?
SL: Yes we put the camera on and the fog appeared!
There is a very good documentary filmmaker, Victor
Kossakovsky, andhetells this storythat whenever hear-
rives anywhere and switches onhis camera, something
immediatelyhappensinfront of it. Itsmagic! It seriously
is, because the result that we get at the endof the experi-
ment lets call shooting a lmanexperiment is com-
bined fromwhat is looked at and who is looking. What
yousee onlmis not what we look at or what was rep-
resentedbut the unionof both. The personwhois look-
ing partakes inthe nal result. Inthis sense we cantalk
about the lmexisting only in the viewers head. How
the viewer managedtoachieve sucha magical fogeffect
is aquestionI shouldbe askingyou.
AF: Howdoes your documentary workwhichemphasis-
es peoples daily struggle with the physical world around
themfeed into your features?
SL: In1997 we went to shoot my second[documentary]
lminprovincial areas andI was astonishedat the state
of things there. I amanurbanpersonandI never looked
closely at what happens in those areas. I started travel-
ling around with some dedication and I realised these
areas at least intheEuropeanparts of theformer Soviet
Unionthat were under Germanoccupation still carry
the scars. I kept returningagainandagaininthe hope of
ndinggreenshootsof recovery, becauseI wasindespair
about what I saw. I dont knowhowthingsaretherenow,
but I suspect that not muchhaschanged. Thisiswhat my
documentarylms are about the state of things inthose
provincial areas.
AF: Is there a big difference for you between documenta-
riesandfeaturelmsasformsof expression?Godardsaid
that there is theatre and there is documentary realism,
but at the highest level they are one and the same.
SL: Godard is absolutely right there, but there is still an
important difference, whichlies inthe ethical position
of the author. There are things that wouldbe impossible
to shoot as a documentary that you could shoot if you
were making a feature lm, but this divisionlies inour
impression of it, not in the resulting material. There is
also, of course, thedifferenceinthewaythat youget this
material, althoughsometimes the method canbecome
almost the same. For instance, you throwan actor into
the street [and followhim] witha camera to get certain
reaction, or you have an unrehearsed scene and actors
have toimprovise. These are verysimilar approaches.
AF: Youhave workedwithcinematographer OlegMutuon
both your features.
SL: Oleg Mutu is an outstanding cinematographer,
one of the best working today. He thinks visually and
forces me tohave the same frame of mind. We start pre-
production very early. For instance weve just nished
storyboardingournext lmBabi Yar[about themassacre
inthe Ukraine in1941], but I wont start shooting until
next year. So there is still time to think about it all, and
then meet up again and perfect it even further. I prefer
to prepare well inadvance, so as to never nd myself in
a situation with a hundred people waiting and I dont
knowwhat Imdoing. If almworksyoucanbesurethat
there is a great teambehind it. They always talk about
the importance of the director and oftenthe actors, but
inrealityits ateamart.
i
Inthe Fog is releasedinthe UKon26April, andis
one of our Films of the Monthonpage 80
The result we
get at the end of
the experiment
lets call
shooting a lm
an experiment
is combined
fromwhat is
looked at and
who is looking
CONDEMNEDMAN
Sushenya shares a poignant
scene with his wife (Julia
Peresild) before the
partisans come for him
Since the moment Hitlers tanks rst trundled
eastwards, the so-calledGreat Patriotic
War has cast the longest of shadows over
Soviet andRussiancinema. Sergei Loznitsa
is merelythe latest inaverylongline of
Russianlmmakers that includes some
of his most distinguishedcompatriots.
Duringthe war itself, lms serveda
primarilypropagandist function, with
documentaryunits switchingovernight
fromanti-Britishandanti-Polishnewsreels to
anti-Nazi equivalents. Longer documentaries
were alsoverypopular, includingAlexander
Dovzhenkos The Battle for Our Soviet
Ukraine (1943), whichcombinedfootage
fromcapturedGermannewsreels with
Dovzhenkos ownmore lyrical material.
Fictionlms were initiallyhamperedby
MoslmandLenlms relocationtocentral
Asia, whichproducedmanylogistical and
technical challenges, not least that of faking
harshSoviet winters inbalmier climes. But
once productionresumed, over two-thirds
of Soviet features made between1942and
1945were directlyrelatedtothe war in
some way. Fewof these were artistically
important, but MarkDonskois partisan
lmRainbow(1944) hadits admirers, as did
Sergei Gerasimovs The Great Land(1944),
about afactorybeingphysicallyrelocated
tothe Urals followingthe Nazi invasion.
The major Soviet WWII masterpieces
emergedafter Stalins death, when
lmmakers were nallyable totell more
complex, morallyambiguous stories. The
rst widelyrecognisedclassic was Mikhail
Kalatozovs Palme dOr-winningThe Cranes
Are Flying(1957), inwhichthe traumas of
war andenforcedseparationare heightened
bycinematographer Sergei Urusevskys
virtuosomasteryof the movingcamera.
It was followedinrapidsuccessionby
Grigori Chukhrais Balladof aSoldier (1959),
Sergei Bondarchuks Destinyof aMan(1959,
showcasinganintriguinglymasochistic
performance fromthe director himself) and
Andrei Tarkovskys Ivans Childhood(1962).
The latter, withits childprotagonist and
frequent eavesdroppinguponhis dreams,
showedhowversatile awartime setting
couldbecome inthe hands of amajor artist.
But the thawonlywent sofar. When
Alexei Germanexplorednotions of patriotic
heroismthroughthe personaof aRedArmy
ofcer whoinitiallydefectedtothe Nazis,
his lmTrial onthe Road(1971) was shelved
for 15years. The release of Germans next
lmTwentyDays Without War (1975) was
alsodelayedfor several years, presumably
because of its explicitlyanti-war theme and
its denunciationof the crude propaganda
methods usedbywartime lmmakers.
Germans lms are goodexamples of the
more thoughtfullypersonal lms being
made betweenhuge, ofteninternational co-
productions suchas Bondarchuks TheyFought
for the Motherland(1975) andYuri Ozerovs
The Battle of Moscow(1985). Others include
StanislavRostotskys Oscar-nominated
At DawnIts Quiet Here (1972), about the
shiftingrelationshipbetweenamale ofcer
andsixmuchyounger andless experienced
women, andSemyonAranovichs Torpedo
Bombers (1983), anunsentimental portrait of
the lives of personnel onanair-force base.
LarissaShepitkos The Ascent (1976)
contrasts twopartisans onamercymission
inoccupiedBelarus, one murderedbythe
Nazis while the other survives onlyby
betrayingeverythingthat he stands for.
After Shepitkos death, her husbandElem
Klimovrealisedher dreamof dramatising
the Nazis total destructionof the Belarussian
village of Khatyn: this became Come andSee
(1985), one of the cinemas most viscerally
vividdepictions of war as alivinghell.
The 1991collapse of the Soviet Union
was matchedbyaparallel collapse inlm
nance, andit wasnt until 2002that Russian
cinemareturnedtolarge-scale war lms
withNikolai Lebedevs The Star, about
soldiers operatingbehindenemylines.
Ahandful of Westernlms have also
dramatisedthe EasternFront, distinguished
examples beingSamPeckinpahs Cross of
Iron(1977) andJosephVilsmaiers Stalingrad
(1993). Unsurprisingly, Russians have
beenslowtotackle the USSRs activities
between1939and1941(the time of the
grievouslymisnamedNon-Aggression
Pact withthe Nazis), withevenrecent
lms like Alexander Kotts otherwise
impressive Fortress of War (2010) omitting
mentionof what exactlythe RedArmywas
doingonformerlyPolishterritoryprior
tothe 1941Nazi invasionof the USSR.
That said, after failingtosecure
theatrical distribution, Andrzej Wajdas
sombre Katyn(2007) about one of the
wars most notorious Stalin-sanctioned
atrocities andits subsequent Soviet-
backedcover-upwas shownonone of
Russias maintelevisionchannels.
HOWWEWON
THEWAR
Throughout the Soviet era, stories of
the Great Patriotic War were a staple
of Russian cinema, but they evoked a
range of responses fromsome of the
eras greatest lmmakers
By Michael Brooke
War child: Tarkovskys debut Ivans Childhood showed howpoetic a WWII movie could be
Come and See
WINGS
OF
DESIRE
MOTLEYCREW
Above: the pilots are
confronted by passengers
(left to right) Norma Boss,
Infante, Ms and Bruna.
Below: the honeymooning
couple and, far right, the
stewards
Spoiler alert: this article gives away plot twists
The playful opening credits of Pedro Almodvars new
film Im So Excited! (Los amantes pasajeros), created by
graphic designer and 1980s underground icon Javier
Mariscal, allege that the lm is ction, a fantasy that
bears no relation to reality. But it is an assertion that
shouldbetakenwithapinchof salt. It maybeset almost
entirely in the bubble of a plane suspended in mid-air,
but ImSoExcited! isanythingbut escapist entertainment.
It ostensiblyfunctions as a screwball comedy, withnods
toLuis GarcaBerlangas acerbiclms of the1950s, but it
is a feature groundedinSpains political actualities and,
arguably, celebrates the need for playful pleasure and
excess at a time whenpoliticians canonlyrespondwith
the bland, uninspireddiscourses of austerity.
The lm brings together a group of characters
cocoonedinthe Business Class cabinof ctional airline
Pennsulas ight 2549, making its way fromMadrids
BarajasAirport toMexicoCity. Atechnical failuremakes
an emergency landing necessary, only theres a United
Nations security summit at Barajas, so returnis no lon-
ger anoption. While they wait for news fromair-trafc
control on where they might bring the plane down to
safety, a trio of male air stewards try to keepthe cockpit
andcabinentertained.
Drawing on the conventions of theatrical farce, the
action is largely conned to a single interior location.
The cabinis styledina more mutedcolour scheme than
the primary shades that dominatedAlmodvars earlier
comedies. Here, redis restrictedmostly tothe piping on
theseatsandthetrioof airstewards baby-blueshirts, and
is evident in the theatrical curtains that separate busi-
ness and economy-class cabins, inthe carmine lipstick
of a wronged woman and the scarlet summer dress of
her dramatic nemesis. The dominant palette of pastels
gives the lma retro feel that positions it ina mythical
space betweenthe blackhumour, systematic distortion
and disguring anti-naturalism of Spains esperpento
tradition, 1980s pop cinema and the classic comedy of
transformation. The latter traditionally sees characters
escaping conformity to nd release, albeit temporar-
ily, fromoutmoded norms of behaviour while learning
somethingabout themselves inthe process.
All of the lms characters have something to hide.
Norma Boss (Almodvar regular Cecilia Roth) is a failed
actress turned dominatrix with a powerful client list
and an inated sense of her own importance. There is
something of the Barbra Streisand-Carol Burnett hybrid
inher self-conscious appearance; earlyoninthelmshe
is spotted, as if indisguise, peering irately fromher seat
at the stewards. Her high-ying companions include
shady businessman Ms (Jos Luis Torrijo), embroiled
in a major nancial scandal and intent on leaving the
country without drawing attention to himself; wom-
anising actor Ricardo Galn(Guillermo Toledo) galn
is the Spanish term for a leading man in theatre and
cinema who is travelling to Mexico to shoot a soap
opera and escape responsibility for his emotionally
disturbed girlfriend; a recently married couple (Miguel
Angel Silvestre and Laya Mart) who are carrying some
illegal substances tospice uptheir honeymoon; Infante
(JosMaraYazpik), ahitmanposingasasecurityadvisor
whose ostentatious urbanity, inkyhair andslicksuit ref-
erence the macho menof Reservoir Dogs (1991); and the
wistful psychic Bruna (Lola Dueas), headingtoMexico
tohelpwiththedisappearanceof anumber of Spaniards
involvedindrugtrafcking.
These are all knowingly theatrical types, larger-than-
life characters whose self-conscious performance
registers owe much to the lively generation of
Pedro Almodvars Im so Excited! is a return to the carnality and earthy language of his early
work, framed as a camp screwball comedy but shot through with merciless satire. As his native
Spain struggles against austerity, its a timely dissection of deceit and wilful forgetting
By Maria Delgado
IMSO EXCITED! PEDROALMODVAR
1950s actors deployed by two directors much
admired by Almodvar: Berlanga and Fernando
Fernn-Gmez.
The expressionless face andimpassive lookthat char-
acterised Antonio Banderass suave surgeoninThe Skin
I Live In (La piel que habito, 2011) has here beenreplaced
byashamelesscarnalityandluridexpressivity. Thethree
gay air stewards this is Almodvars most overtly gay
lmsince Lawof Desire (La ley del deseo, 1987) function
as achorus of sorts: atrioof picaresqueadventurers com-
menting on the predicament of the passengers while
throwing their own amorous intrigues and obsessions
intothenarrativemix. Theindiscreet chief stewardJoser-
ra (a svelte Javier Cmara), incapable of keepinga secret,
is having anaffair withthe planes pilot Alex (Antonio
de la Torre), a married father-of-two who isnt prepared
to go public with their relationship. His two deputies,
purse-lipped Ulloa (Rul Arvalo) and the superstitious
Fajas (Carlos Areces), offer little inthe way of construc-
tive advice, instead throwing their ownmix of fear and
paranoiaintothecrews attempts tokeepthepassengers
distractedandentertained.
Almodvarcultivatesatopsy-turvyworld; at timesthe
cameraworkliterallyemulates theplanes movement to
plungetheviewerintothecabinspace, creatinganarena
for revelry and fantasy where anything is possible. The
baby-blue walls of the cabin interior suggest a childs
nursery and the idea of regression, infantilisation and
play is evidently central tothe directors handling of his
skeletal plot. The trio of stewards performan expertly
choreographed safety routine, dancing to the donning
of life-jackets while the opening and closing of the red
curtainsthat separatethedifferent partsof thecabinlend
atheatrical sense of purpose.
SHAKESPEAREINBUSINESSCLASS
Theatrical enterprise appears central to the lm. Key
here is the appropriationof pivotal tropes fromShake-
speares A Midsummer Nights Dream, a play that simi-
larly dismantles archaic models of authority in a fairy-
land setting where magical makeovers are matched
by erotic gameplay. The love potion of Shakespeares
comedy is refashioned by Almodvar. Economy-class
passengers and their ight attendants have beengiven
a tranquiliser to send them to sleep while the trio of
enterprising air stewards the Rude Mechanicals of
Shakespeares piece amuse business-class passengers
withanecdotes and escapades. In AMidsummer Nights
Dreamthe Mechanicals put ona play; here, moved by a
similar creative impulse, they present a choreographed
dance routine to The Pointer Sisters 1984 hit Im So
Excited, whichAlmodvar shoots ina manner worthy
of Busby Berkeley as legs kick, heads peer out and cur-
tains openandclose withaboisterous sense of timing.
InAlmodvars hands, Shakespeares elixir becomes
rst tequila and thena cocktail, agua de Valencia [Valen-
cianwater], comprising vodka, champagne and orange
juice withsynthetic mescaline the illegal cargo of the
honeymooning Groom thrown in for good measure.
As the intoxicatingbeverage is consumedbypassengers
andcrew, confessions andrevelations tumble out.
Bacchanaliansexual encounters take over the cabin:
the sleepy, dishevelled Bride fellates the Groom; Joserra
and Alex escape to the lavatory; Ulloa comforts the
unhappily married rst ofcer Benito; while the
wistful clairvoyant stalks the Economy cabin in
search of a stud male with whom she can lose her
virginity a sequence scored by Alberto Iglesiass
snake-charming soundtrack. Codes of decorum
effectively fall away. Suspended in time and space,
intoxicated and deprived of their mobile phones and
social media, the characters cross the boundaries that
normally govern their behaviour. Their progressively
dishevelled hair and clothing testify to the collapse of
polishedappearances.
Bit by bit, Almodvar exposes the destructive games
his characters play. The selsh womanising of actor
Ricardo Galn is revealed through the public phone
he uses to ring his on-off girlfriend Alba (Paz Vega),
only to nd that she is contemplating suicide perched
onthesideof Madrids SegoviaViaduct. Inacoincidence
worthy of classic screwball comedy, the phone
falls from her hand and into the basket of another of
this Don Juans exes, Ruth (Blanca Surez) her
open face, short fringe and bouncy ponytail visibly
referencing Audrey Hepburn. This temporary foray
away from the plane serves to highlight Ricardos
irresponsibility while also offering a brilliant cameo to
CarmenMachi inmatchingaquaoutt andeyeshadow
as his inquisitive concierge (a role patented by the
iconic Chus Lampreave inprevious Almodvars).
THEPOLITICSOFDECEPTION
ImSo Excited! is, inso many ways, a lmabout the poli-
tics of deception. AlexandBenitohave shammarriages;
unbeknowntohis newBride, theGroomis transporting
recreational drugs; Norma protects herself by alleging
ownership of a collection of videos implicating 600 of
her clients in compromising behaviour. Ms is
a nancier whose Guadiana Savings Bank has
Keyhere is the appropriationof
pivotal tropes fromAMidsummer
Nights Dream, aplaythat similarly
dismantles archaic models of authority
UNHAPPYLANDINGS
The deserted airport at La
Mancha where the plane
nally lands echoes Spains
illusory construction boom,
during which vast projects
were completed that fell into
disuse within years
There is humour inall mylms; at times
comedybursts intoother genres, embodiedin
one of the characters. Forgive the self-quote,
but Agrado(AntoniaSanJuan) inAll About
MyMother [1999] andPaca(Javier Cmara) in
BadEducation[2004] fullledthat function.
Whentheyappear inascene, theybring
comedywiththemandimpose themselves
onthe general tone of the narrative. As a
writer anddirector, I reallyenjoythose kinds
of incursions andit has takenme time to
impose themindramatic lms especially
knowingthat Anglo-Saxoncritics are less
exible whenit comes toacceptingamix
of genres, somethingas natural inlife as it
is incinema. Fromwhenyouget upinthe
morninguntil yougotobedat night, you
move throughvarious, sometimes opposing,
genres. Since the start of mycareer that is
howIve understoodcinematic narrative.
Ascript isnt nisheduntil the lmhas
opened. I rehearse ascript as if it were a
play. Coincidentally, bothWomenonthe
Verge of aNervous BreakdownandImSo
Excited! seemlike plays; inboththe action
takes place mainlyonone set. I rehearse
themlike plays, but I dont lmthem
like plays (Ive never directedaplay: I
dont knowwhat its like). Theyre very
oral comedies the actionis basedinthe
words andthe characters openness.
Theatre-style rehearsals aimtoachieve
another keyelement incomedy: the rhythm,
the timing. Timingincomedyis not like
rational time. Whenthe actor gives his reply,
he hasnt hadthe physical or mental time
toassimilate the previous line, but he has
todeliver his at full speed. Noone is going
towonder if hes understoodwhat was
beingsaid, andits abadsignif aspectator
does wonder. Withincomedy, the style that
teaches youabout rhythm(as doall of Woody
Allens lms, but I thinkthats because hes
inahurry) is screwball, the crazyAmerican
comedy. Thinkof Midnight (Mitchell Leisen),
The PhiladelphiaStory(George Cukor), Bringing
upBaby(HowardHawks), The PalmBeachStory
(PrestonSturges), NinotchkaandTo Be or Not
to Be (Ernst Lubitsch), EasyLiving(Mitchell
Leisen), Sullivans Travels (PrestonSturges)
anycomedywhere the comebackis delivered
byCaryGrant, Carole Lombardor Katharine
Hepburn. Marilynis agoddess of the genre,
but she hadher ownrhythm, alethal rhythm.
Seductresses ingeneral needthat rhythm
inorder toseduce. Marlene Dietrich, even
whendirectedbyLubitsch, never managed
totalkquickly. Theyare the exceptions.
Beautiful stars, male or female, arent usually
goodcomic actors. Lets addSophiaLoren
andPenlope Cruz tothe list of exceptions.
Bothare gorgeous andtheycanalsotalkat
breakneckspeedbut, of course, one passes as a
Neapolitanandthe other is fromAlcobendas.
Imagreat admirer of the Spanishschool
of actingandthe Mediterraneanschool
ingeneral. I wouldnt include themin
the screwball style (inthe 1930s and40s
Spainwasnt inanyconditiontomake
crazycomedies; our tragic realityonly
allowedfor cinematic escapismviaquaint,
traditional, veryhonourable comedies). Inthe
Mediterraneanschool, what dominates is the
characters passion, carnalityandopenness,
as if the characters dont respect themselves
or others. This characteristic is something
that suits comedyverywell. The women
andmenare made of eshandblood. They
havent beentothe hairdressers andthey
shout alot, theylose control it seems theyre
goingtodevour eachother eventhough
afterwards everythingis resolvedas it should
be, inbed. Theyare less elegant thanthe
Anglo-Saxons but sexier. This closeness tothe
earthandrealityallows the Mediterranean
school totalkabout social problems with
humour, laughingat lifes limitations and
tragedies, lettinglight andlaughter break
throughthe blackness. Amaestrowho
workedwiththe greatest local exponents of
this wayof actingwas Luis GarcaBerlanga.
He was unclassiable andunique.
THE RHYTHM
OF COMEDY
The fantastical airborne satire
Im So Excited! blends two traditions
of comedy: American screwball and
the Mediterranean school
By PedroAlmodvar
Plane speaking: PedroAlmodvar puts the crewthrough its paces on board the fictional Pennsula flight 2549, almost the sole setting for ImSo Excited!
Inthe Mediterraneanschool,
the womenandmenare
made of eshandblood. They
shout alot, theylose control
IMSO EXCITED! PEDROALMODVAR
swindled millions of clients out of their savings.
While Almodvar wrote the lmbefore Spains
former Bankia chairman Rodrigo Rato was called to
Spains High Court (along with 32 current and former
ofcialsfromthebank) toanswerquestionsonfraudand
thefalsicationof accounts, theongoingcaseis apotent
offscreenbackdroptothe action.
BankiaisSpainsfourth-largest bank, createdbytheso-
cialist government inDecember2010throughthemerg-
er of seven ailing cajas [savings banks] hit badly by the
toxic assets generated when the property bubble burst
two years earlier. The Spanishgovernments bailouts of
the bank inMay and September 2012 failed to curb the
culture of haemorrhaging, withlosses of 19billionreg-
istered in 2012, six times those of 2011. In Spain ImSo
Excited! went ongeneral release on7 Marchamid press
reportsthat Bankiashareholdersstandtolosepractically
all of their investedcapital inwhat looks tobe a fraudu-
lent overemphasis of the market value of its loans. So
while shady Ms decides to return and face the music
following his inight ordeal, no suchaccountability is
inthe ofngfor Bankias unluckyinvestors.
As unemployment hits 26 per cent and painful aus-
teritymeasures take their toll including savage cuts to
culturespendingwhichincludeariseinVAToncinema
ticketsfrom8percent to21percent thereappearstobe
little governmental appetite to tackle institutional cor-
ruption. The Bankia scandal rumbles on, while the rul-
ing Peoples Party is tainted by the revelation that Luis
Brcenas, its former treasurer, amassed 22 million in
Swiss bankaccounts, overseeingawidespreadcultureof
bribes topoliticians fromsenior gures inthe construc-
tionindustry. The terms recession or economic crisis
are conspicuously absent from the lm, but the Gua-
diana plotline offers pertinent comment on a society
where patronage, politics andpublic administrationare
inextricablyinterwoven.
The metaphor of a society ying around in circles
without actually going anywhere is hugely relevant to
Im So Excited!. The plane lands at La Mancha airport,
anempty, ghostly space of pristine oors and mirrored
surfaces that manifestly references the high-prole
white elephant airports of Ciudad Real and Castelln.
The former, 150 miles south of Madrid, was closed in
2012after just threeyears inoperation; thelatter was ini-
tiallyunabletosecurealicencebecauseitsrunwayfailed
tomeet EUregulations. Thesederelict spacesarethepub-
licwastelandsof anationinebriatedbythefrenzytocon-
struct at any price. Almodvars intoxicated characters
arepotent similes for anirresponsiblegenerationwhose
vanitybrought the countrytothe point of bankruptcy.
Im So Excited! paints a society indelibly scarred by
secretsandlies. LolaDueasspensivepsychicisenroute
to Mexico to try and locate the bodies of Spaniards who
have disappeared in mysterious circumstances, a pos-
sible reference to Spains own disappeared from the
Civil War andits aftermath, thought tonumber 100,000.
Javier Cmaras Joserra mentions his owninvolvement
inapact of silencethat echoes that of theSpanishnation
inrelationtothe crimes of the Francoera, whenhe tells
the tale of a manwho was suffocated by his fellowpas-
sengers. To a greater or lesser degree, all the passengers
are somehowimplicated ina pact of silence and decep-
tion in which the relationship between truth and lies
cannot easilybe prisedapart.
ImSo Excited! will not betoeveryones taste, but this is
anextra-ordinarylmfor the extraordinarytimes Spain
is currently living through. Almodvar consciously
recycles elements, characters and lines of dialogue
fromhis earliest work. Characters talk openly of desire
and dicks, of fellatio and fucks. The uncompromising
exchanges, the sexual puns and adoption of caricature
hark back to his rst lm, Pepi, Luci, Bom(1980). There
is a nod to the nal sequence againset ona plane in
Labyrinth of Passion (Laberinto de pasiones, 1982), while
and the stylish reprocessing of camp, kitsch and Span-
ish 1950s cinema was previously evidenced in Dark
Habits (Entre tinieblas, 1983). The tone of the new film
owes more to the in-your-face verbal excesses of these
early lms than to the noir-ish melodrama of 2009s
BrokenEmbraces or thelithequickredialogueof Women
onthe Verge of aNervous Breakdown(Mujeres al borde de un
ataque de nervios, 1988).
The phantoms of Madrids movida may run through
ImSoExcited!, but this promisinggenerationis shownin
the lmto have noweither beenput to sleep like the
passengersineconomyclassorbeenallowedtorunriot
without anysense of social responsibility.
i
ImSo Excited! is released in the UK
on 3 May, and is reviewed on page 96
Almodvars
characters are
potent similes for
anirresponsible
generationwhose
vanitybrought the
countryto the point
of bankruptcy
VIEWFROMTHE BRIDGE
Paz Vega and Blanca Surez
play the girlfriend and
former lover of actor Ricardo,
each seeking different
ways to move on froma
relationship based on vanity
and lies
DRIFTERS
ESCAPE
APalme dOr-winner in 1973, the downbeat road movie Scarecrow sidestepped the early-
1970s vogue for countercultural hokumand, for its director Jerry Schatzberg, has hardly aged
at all. Back in cinemas this month, it stands up as a heartfelt study of friendship and faint hope
By Peter Tonguette
YELLOWBRICKROAD
Lion (Al Pacino, left) and
Max (Gene Hackman, right)
hit the road in 1973s
Scarecrow, directed by
Jerry Schatzberg, below
Heemergesout of nowhere: amiddle-agedman, sporting
a cap and swaddled in sweaters, ambles distractedly
across a hilly, unpeopled field that could have been
painted by AndrewWyeth. He carries with himonly a
suitcaseandasour expression. Therst glimpsewehave
of Max(GeneHackman) inJerrySchatzbergsScarecrow
whichcelebrates its 40thanniversarythis year denes
his character: cross, mistrustful andalone.
Max eventually reaches a seemingly empty road,
where he encounters another man, who has been
watching Maxjust as we have. Fromhis perch, between
two branches of a tree, he looks like an owl, but in fact
he is named for another species: Lion. Thats what Max
rechristens Francis (Al Pacino) whenthe two menlater
become business associates. Inthe opening scene, how-
ever, suchanalliance seems all but impossible. Dodging
tumbleweed, Max and Lionset themselves uponoppo-
site sides of the roadas hitchhikers competingfor a ride.
They go about it quite differently. Whena truck rudely
racesbywithout stopping, Maxscreamsobscenitiesborn
of genuinefrustrationwhileLion(gentlyimitatingMax)
yells silly gibberish. At dusk, the two nally commune
over a cigar; when Lion sees that Maxs lighter is shot,
he draws himacross the roadby offering his. One of the
most touchingof movie friendships commences.
SchatzbergbecameinvolvedinScarecrowbecauseof a
friendshipof hisown. It hadbeenonlytwoyearssincehe
had cast Pacino inthe leading role inThe Panic in Needle
Park (1971), the second lmfor bothmen. Nonetheless,
Schatzberg assumed that when Pacino had Garry
Michael Whites screenplay sent to him, the actor was
merelylookingfor creativeinput fromaformer director.
I thought that he had it sent to me just to read it so he
could discuss it with me, just for his own work, which
he likes to do, Schatzberg tells me now, remembering
the lm40 years on. In fact, Pacino wanted Schatzberg
tomake the lm, whichhadbegunlife at UnitedArtists
as a vehicle for Bill CosbyandJackLemmon. Of course,
it would have been a different lm, Schatzberg says
politely. BythetimeSchatzberggot involved, theproject
hadmigratedtoWarner Bros withHackmanandPacino
to star. Evidently the two actors didnt get along with
the director originally attached to it, Schatzberg says.
When I said I liked it, my agent said, OK, were going
to send you to LAto meet Hackman and see if you get
along, andobviouslywe did.
SoonMaxandLions backgrounds become a little less
opaque: theyaredrifters, andsincethelmtakesplacein
the early 1970s, largely inthe westernUnitedStates, we
maybeforgivenforpresumingthat theyareparticipants
inthecounterculture. Asit turnsout, Whitesscreenplay
gives themparticular histories which severely delimit
their exposure tomainstreamAmericanlife during this
period: as the lmopens, Max has just ended a six-year
prison termin San Quentin, while Lion is a navy man
who has been at sea for nearly as long. Perhaps that is
why Scarecrowhas not dated. The interesting thing
and I like it when people tell me is it doesnt seemto
have aged, Schatzbergcomments. It couldve beenthis
years lm. Maybe Imjust beingalittle proudof it.
Max subscribes to anethos that is more AdamSmith
thanTimothy Leary; no turnon, tune in, drop out for
this would-be entrepreneur. Wanna go into business?
he asks Lion, who canbarely spit out ananswer before
Max starts outlining the car washthey will runinPitts-
burgh. Theworkloadwill besplit betweenthem, though
it will bear the bosss imprimatur: Maxys Car Wash. In
spite of his tenuous position in society no home, no
family, norecordof professional success Maxpreaches
good old-fashioned thriftiness, oblivious to the irony
that the moneyhe has beendutifullysaving was earned
behind bars. I believe inAmerica, says the manat the
start of 1972s The Godfather (thePacinolmsandwiched
betweenThe Panic in Needle Park andScarecrow) andso
does Max.
The two set out from Bakerseld, California, with
stops in Denver (to see Maxs sister) and Detroit (to see
Lions child) on the way to Pittsburgh, the promised
land. It was a path that Schatzberg and his crew (led
by cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond) followed: th
lmwas shot roughly inthe order of the story. Maybe
on a day-to-day basis, we may have reversed scenes,
Schatzberg says. But when we started out, they were
onthe road, andthat was the wayit went. Eventhough
Scarecrow focuses on Max and Lion, its visual scale is
the opposite of a chamber piece: I started late in both
photography and in filmmaking, says Schatzberg, a
former fashionphotographer. So my lms have a little
bit more grandeur thanif I had really started out young
doingundergroundlms.
Schatzberg stayed close to his Bronx roots onhis rst
two lms, the New York-set Puzzle of a Downfall Child
Scarecrow began
life as a United
Artists vehicle for
Bill Cosby and
Jack Lemmon.
It would have
been a different
lm, Schatzberg
says politely
(1970) and The Panic in Needle Park, but onScarecrowthe
directorfoundhimself criss-crossingpartsof thecountry
hehadneverseenbefore. I dothesamethinginmypho-
tographs, he says. If Imgoing todo a portrait of some-
body, I like to talkto themfor three-quarters of anhour
or anhour tondout whothey are, or what they are, or
whats open for me to explore. Later lms would take
Schatzberg to the South in Honeysuckle Rose (1980) and
TunisiainMisunderstood(1984); all aremarkedbyalived-
inquality. Asafashionphotographer, heexplains, I kept
moving awayfromthe obvious poses, the obvious ways
of working withmodels. I startedto make themreal. Id
have themrunning across the paper. Because whenyou
wear theclothes, youhavetoshowthat youcanwear the
clothes. Well, I feel that alsointhe scenes I doinlm.
The actors enjoyed making a lmin continuity. Its
closer to doing a play, Schatzberg points out. When
you make a film, its like being in a time capsule. You
go fromthe beginning to the middle, to the end, to the
beginning. But his prior associationwithPacino, which
was responsible for Schatzberg becoming involved in
the project in the first place, hovered over the produc-
tion. Hackmanlet us knowright at the beginning that
he was paranoidabout the fact that Al andI hadworked
ona lmtogether, Schatzberg says. Early one morning,
Schatzberg decided to shorten a dialogue-heavy scene
withHackmanandPacino, inviting the ire of Hackman
(whomSchatzberg calls one of Americas great actors,
andwithwhomhecollaboratedagainonMisunderstood).
As Schatzberg tells it, He says, Oh, fuck. I said, Whats
the problem? He said, No, no. Lets go, lets go. Lets do
it. I said, Come on, come on. Lets talk. We were in a
locationwhere theres analley. I said, Lets go into that
alley. Well talkabout it. He said, Yeah, he comes, too
meaning Pacino. We got inthere and he says, I amsick
and fucking tired of youguys deciding the night before
what my dialogues going to be! The irony is that I de-
cided at the very beginning of the lmthat I wasnt go-
ing to socialise witheither one of themat night.
Everthediplomat, Schatzbergacquiescedandshot K
O
B
A
L
C
O
L
L
E
C
T
I
O
N
(
1
)
/
P
H
O
T
O
F
E
S
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C
(
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)
SCARECROW JERRYSCHATZBERG
thesceneaswritten, but whenhegot intotheedit-
ing roomhe realisedhis instinct was right andhe
made his cuts there.
A going-away party on their last night in Denver
turns into a scufe that ends withMax and Lioninjail.
Holding Lion responsible, Max takes what amounts to
a vowof silence. Being driven to work on a prison-run
hogfarm(anintentionallydegradingjobarrangedbyan
unhingedfellowinmate playedby RichardLynch), Max
passesLion, whohasdrawncushierwork, andstareshim
downwitha lookof bothhatredandgrief. How, his eyes
ask, could my trusted partner inMaxys Car Washhave
done this tome? Yet Schatzberg lms the moment with
quiet restraint. Similarly, whenMaxgetsintoaght with
theinmate, thecameraissofarawayfromtheactionthat
their punches are barely audible, and as they wrestle
eachother to the ground, their falls are brokenby little
bushelsof hay. Weknowwhatshappening,Schatzberg
explains. We see everythingwithout seeingit.
Out of jail, Maxquicklyrefocuses onthe car washbut
Lionmust take care of business inDetroit, where he left
his wife and a child whose gender he doesnt know he
was inthe navy before it was born. Inspite of his absen-
tee parenting, however, Lion is shown to be as eager to
join the straight-and-narrowas Max. Preparing for his
reunion, Lionhas ashort haircut bettingamilitaryvet-
eran; before contacting his abandoned family, he nds
a churchto kneel inprayer. Yet Schatzberg assiduously
avoids themost obvious pitfall of theaudiencespending
so muchtime inthe company of Max andLion: that we
will overlooktheir terrible aws. So, whenLioncalls his
wife (Penelope Allen), who has not heard fromhimin
ve years, Schatzberg tends to stay on close-ups of her
evenwhenit is hewhois doingthetalking. This striking
editing choice renders the content of their conversation
ambiguous: she claims that she lost their child, cruelly
blaming the miscarriage on his absence, but we see a
youngchildwithherasshetalks. Isit Lions?Isit hernew
husbands? Is she tryingtomake apoint?
Inanycase, LionhasanervousbreakdowninDetroits
BelleIsleParkanothersignof hisscruples, andatourde
force by Pacino. Ina dank hospital corridor Max pleads
with an unconscious Lion to wake up. It has taken the
whole lm, but we nally realise that whenMax repre-
sentedhimself as a loner, it was a bluff. InThe Prince, Ma-
chiavelli wrote: One must be a foxinorder torecognise
traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves. Max needs his
Lionas armour against the world. Besides, they have to
get their car wash up and running. The lmends with
Max at a trainstation, barely able to scrape together the
faretocontinueonhis own, andwewonder if hehas left
Lionfor good.
I always thought he was going to come back for
him, Schatzberg says. Ive had friends of mine ask me
that. Andthese same friends, one of whomwhobecame
apriest, said, No, I dont thinkhes goingtocomeback. I
alwaysthought hewasgoingtocomeback. But thatsmy
optimism. Imalways somewhat optimistic.
During its production, Warner Bros executives John
Calley and Ted Ashley supported Scarecrow, but the
studioscommitmentwanedafteritwasreleased. Ithink
the first two weeks did record box office, Schatzberg
says. AndthenWarner Bros came out withThe Exorcist,
and that was where the money was. They just dropped
it like a hot potato, and that means something. The
studio didnt evenget onthe bandwagonwhenthe lm
was invitedto Cannes: They were pushing about six of
their newlms that hadnt come out yet. They also had
two lms that were invited in competition, and they
thought that probablyOLuckyMan! might wintheprize
or Dayfor Night might winthe prize, andsotheypaidno
attentiontoScarecrow. OLuckyMan! hadabigparty. Day
for Night had a big dinner. And we had a little dinner.
Schatzberg got the last laugh, however, whenScarecrow
walkedawaywiththe Palme dOr.
For a longtime, the director wouldwait 15or 20years
after makingalmbeforerevisitingit, but thisoneand
its pair of misfits had a hold on himfromthe begin-
ning. I dolike it and, as a matter of fact, I like it somuch
Ive writtena sequel, he says, adding, Its 30 years later.
Theyownaverysuccessful car wash, but theyrestill two
shout of water.
i
Scarecrow is rereleasedat BFI Southbank,
Londonandother UKcinemas on26April B
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THE LIONSTALE
Pacino, left, had worked with
Schatzberg on his previous
lm, which created tension
with co-star Hackman, right
We did record
box ofce in the
rst two weeks.
And thenWarners
came out with
The Exorcist and
they just dropped
Scarecrow like
a hot potato
MOMENTS
OFTRUTH
With nods to both neorealismand cinma
vrit, Francesco Rosis tense thrillers and
crime procedurals have probed the darkness
at the heart of Italian public life for 40 years.
But dont call hima political lmmaker.
By Peter Cowie
Francesco Rosi was born 90 years ago in Naples. His
father headedasail-boat companybut was alsoaphotog-
rapherandacartoonist. Duringthelate1920s, Rosi Senior
submitted a photograph of the boy to a Jackie Coogan
lookalike competitionorganisedbyMGM; he won. As a
youngman, FrancescowaschosenbyLuchinoVisconti to
beanassistant onhis semi-documentaryabout aSicilian
shing community, La terra trema (1948). Betweenwin-
ning the MGMcompetitionandworking withVisconti,
Rosis only other professional experience of the cinema
was accidentallyburninganentire reel of Ren Clairs Le
Million(1931) duringalm-societyprojection.
Thoughnurturedbyneorealist masters, Rosi imitated
neithertheemotionallychargedapproachof DeSicanor
the operatic formso dear to Visconti. Instead his lms
steer a course between neorealism and cinma vrit.
Appalled by southern Italys poverty and incensed by
the venality at its root, Rosi brought a forensic energy
and passion to his analysis of power and corruption in
such films as Salvatore Guiliano (1962), Hands over the
City(Le mani sullacitt, 1963) andThe Mattei Affair (Il caso
Mattei, 1972). Theseworksareimbuedwithanaggressive
vitality, their narratives thrust forward in a quest for
a mirage-like truth. His cinema constantly questions
but never preaches and his editing creates the kind of
suspense you see in American political thrillers of the
time suchas SevenDays inMay (1963), The ParallaxView
(1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), All the Presidents
Men(1976) andMarathonMan(1976).
Atypical full-blooded Rosi thriller grips its audience
from the outset. At the start of Hands Over the City an
entire block of ats collapses into a busy street. Who is
responsible? The event reverberates throughout a lm
that condemnspropertyspeculationwithaferocityeven
KenLoachmight strive to match. The opening scene of
Salvatore Giuliano shows the corpse of the eponymous
bandit (played by the uncredited Pietro Cammarata)
spreadeagledintheharshsunlit glareof aSicilianvillage
street. Its a perplexing image to which Rosi returns
againandagain. Whokilledthis young andimmensely
powerful bandit? And how did they get to him? The
electrifying prologue in The Mattei Affair plunges us
into the aftermath of a plane crash in which Italian oil
magnate Enrico Mattei has perished. Using a handheld
camera and ultra-long lens, the cinematographer
Pasqualino De Santis darts among the rescue teams
as they search during a rainstormfor remnants of the
aircraft. Was the crash due to bad weather, to engine
failure or to a bomb? Rosi likes to use such immediate
dramaticimagerytoarousethecuriosityofthespectators,
tokeepthemhooked.
Unlikelmsthat campaigndirectlyagainst war, racial
prejudice or graft in high places, Rosis cinema reveals
theabuseof powerwithout offeringasolutiontheterm
political lm for himis anathema. He prefers a dialecti-
cal procedure, layingbarefault-lines inpolitical systems
insuchawaythat thepubliccanbeinformedandat the
same time have the chance to reect onthe issues. He
rejectedboththe trite convenience of the happy ending
and the striving after a kind of proletarian poetry that
mars somuchof early-1960s Britishcinema.
Like Antonioni and Pontecorvo, Rosi was almost 40
before he achievedinternational recognition. His debut
feature and first vision of his native Naples, La sfida
(1958) about asmall-timecigarettesmuggler whotries
to muscle inonCamorra-controlled produce markets
suffers froma melodramatic tendency that wouldrecur
(just the one time) withLucky Luciano (1973). He found
his touchmore surely withI magliari (1959), about the
partnership of two Italian immigrants in Hamburg.
Mario(RenatoSalvatori) is the youngnewarrival,
and Tonnoto (Alberto Sordi) the swindler who
COMPLETELYFRANK
Francesco Rosi refuses
to offer trite solutions to
injustice, preferring instead
a questioning, forensic
dissection of power and
vested interests
FRANCESCO ROSI
takes the boy under his wing to hustle a living
at the margins of Germanys post-war economic
miracle. The presence of the vampish British actress
Belinda Lee playing the love interest gives this gritty
apprentice effort somethingof anoir-ishavour.
But it was Salvatore Giuliano, Rosis third feature as
a solo director, that established him as a new force in
contemporary cinema. Giuliano as a living, breathing
man is barely glimpsed during the film, which adds
to the mystique of his reputation as a Sicilian Robin
Hood. Elusive among the hills andcaves, he indulges in
kidnappingandextortioninclosecollaborationwiththe
Mafia. Rosi is less interested in his personality than in
ascertaininghowthebandit functionedandhowhewas
nally betrayed. My rst preoccupation, Rosi told me
in2001, was to recount the story of the man... and also
the nature of the Sicily even the Italy of that period
so as to denounce the hidden links between the power
of the state, the power of the countrys institutions and
the power of the Maa. Corruptionpercolates through
every level of authority, fromthe highest government
echelons to the simplest local policeman. The lmis a
kind of quest for the truth: anapproximate search, too,
because eventodaywe donot knowthe whole truth.
Salvatore Giuliano wonthe Silver Bear for Directionat
the Berlinale in 1962, but Rosis worldwide reputation
would not be established until Hands over the City won
theGoldenLioninVenicein1963. Thelmtacklesprop-
ertyspeculationandlanddevelopment andthe struggle
between political expediency and moral conscience.
Eduardo Nottola (Rod Steiger) lusts for control over the
urbansprawl of Naples, a hunger suggestedbythe huge
maps of the area adorning the walls of his penthouse.
He relishes his mixed status as public councilman and
private developer. Withelections inthe ofng, the right
wing need Nottola to secure victory and protect their
interests. One councillor, De Vita (Carlo Fermariello),
dares to protest against Nottolas disregard for urban
regulations and humansafety. The arguments between
them, whetherinthecouncil chamberorinthechaosof a
buildingsite, underscoreRosis anxietyabout thedissipa-
tionof justice inamodernindustrial context. He sees the
political will ofagreatcitybeingsappedandemasculated.
RosiandhisfellowscreenwritersEnzoForcella, Raffaele
La Capria and Enzo Provenzale offer their characters
every shade of rhetoric, fromthe desperate pleading of
De Vitatothe silkeneloquence of the mayor, De Angelis
(Salvo Randone), who cherishes a private chapel in his
house andtells a doubting candidate: The only true sin
is losing. Rosi choreographs the fevered comings and
goings in the council chamber with telling close-ups
andOlympianoverheadshotsthat rhymewiththeaerial
views of the cityduringthe credits sequence.
HITTINGHISSTRIDE
Rosis early 1960s ourishwas followed by a less-noted
periodthat takes inThe Moment of Truth (Il momento della
verit, 1965), More Than a Miracle (Cera una volta, 1967)
andManyWars Ago(Uomini contro, 1970), beforetheturn
of the decade saw the director hit his best form with
The Mattei Affair.
Areal-life gure, Mattei (Gian Maria Volont) began
his working life as a waiter inNaples but endedthe war
as a partisan commander. In 1945, he was made head
of Agip, the Fascist-created state oil body, with orders
to close it. He refused and staked his future on the dis-
covery andexploitationof methane gas. By 1953 he had
become the Italys oil supremo, merging Agip withthe
Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI). Matteis charismaand
negotiating skills broke the monopoly of the Seven
Sisters (his term for the 20th centurys dominant oil
companies) andenragedtheAmericansbyinsistingthat
Italy should retain75 per cent of the prots fromits oil
reserves, some four decades ahead of a similar move by
Venezuelas HugoChvez.
Links between the death of Enrico Mattei and the
shooting of John F. Kennedy often enliven conspiracy
debates. The killings occurred less thana monthapart;
rumoursatthetimesuggestedthatAmericanoilinterests
had arranged for the Italian Cosa Nostra to eliminate
Mattei because he poseda threat to their cartel. In1970,
Rosi enlisted journalist Mauro De Mauro to investigate
the magnates demise. De Mauro travelled to Sicily and
located a tape of Matteis last speech; eight days later he
vanished, never tobe found. Anumber of police ofcers
involvedintheDeMaurocaseweresubsequentlykilled.
Rosi, however, pressed ahead with his film, which left
little doubt that Mattei had become too dangerous to
Americaninterests andhadpaidwithhis life.
Deftly switching from reconstructed highlights of
Matteis rise to power to the present-day inquiry into
his death led by Rosi himself the film attains an
almost uncomfortable verismo. Rosi sees himas a lonely,
authoritarianindividual who regards the Americans as
high-handed buffaloes and whose cavalier idealism
renders hima state within the state. We are reminded
The strength of
Rosis cinema is
that all power
is inscrutable,
endowing it
with a universal
relevance that
spreads far beyond
Italys borders
continually of the power of the media, with multiple
screens packed within a single frame reminiscent of
Frankenheimers The Manchurian Candidate (1962).
Orgasmic geysers of methane gas, surging into the air
near Piacenza and flaming over theTunisian desert by
night, signifybothMatteislustforenergyandthenatural
resource so coveted by the great powers. When Mattei
visits the townof GaglianoinSicily, the heaving crowds
embodythe adulationsurroundinghim. Like Mussolini
beforehimandBerlusconi afterhim, EnricoMattei knew
howtowoopeoplewithamboyant rhetoric.
Lucky Luciano echoes Salvatore Giuliano withits analy-
sis of the Mafias rise to dominance in Sicily and then
in the United States. Journalistic indignation and me-
ticulous documentationagainenlivenRosis work, but
life and conviction lose out to the lms disconcerting
switches of time and place. The sequences in America
seemclumsilydirectedandthedubbing, alwaysahandi-
cap for Italian films, is execrable. Yet the chief culprit
maybe the subject himself: a personalitytoogentle and,
perhaps, lackadaisical tojustifyRosis strident style.
Illustrious Corpses (Cadaveri eccellenti, 1976) is more
a political thriller than a docudrama. Rosis most sus-
penseful lm, it unmasks the crypto-fascismingrained
in the higher echelons of Italys judicial systemduring
the GiulioAndreotti era, whenthe ties betweenthe gov-
ernment andthe Maa appearedcloser thanever. Based
on a novel of savage irony by Sicilian author Leonardo
Sciascia, Illustrious Corpses follows theefforts of policein-
spector Rogas (played by animpassive Lino Ventura) to
solveaseries of perplexingmurders. Threesenior magis-
trates havebeenassassinatedin20days; thecloser Rogas
comes to the truth of the conspiracy, the more vulner-
able he becomes. The lmopens andcloses ona note of
death, andwiththecrimes still unexplained. Thestench
of hypocrisy inhighplaces nds a visual equivalent in
the rubbishpiledupinthe townstreets.
The films most unnerving moments occur during
the inspectors conversations with two of the doomed
magistrates. One is the paranoid Judge Rasto (Alain
Cuny), clearly following the orders of anunseenpower
clique; thesecondis noneother thanthepresident of the
Supreme Court (MaxvonSydow), whotells Rogas, with
ineffable complacency, that judicial error does not exist.
He compares the pronouncement of justice to the cel-
ebrationof the sacrament. Once again, as inHands over
the City, the Churchis abulwarkfor the establishment.
The states iniquity lurks behind the pomp of
authority, whether it be the head judge clad in scarlet
neryor the ominous solemnityof a funeral procession
for one of the magistrates. The only hope for the future
seems to lie innature itself; seconds before his murder,
the aged procurator played by Charles Vanel one of
Rosis favourite actors pauses in a sunlit street and
gazes at the flowers on a wall as though recognising
their lifeandinnocence.
Illustrious Corpses was dismissedbysome leftist critics
inItaly as being too abstract. That, however, is precisely
the strengthof Rosis cinema: that all power is inscruta-
ble. The lms refusal to incriminate individuals, focus-
inginsteadonanabstract evil, endowsit withauniversal
relevance that spreads far beyondnational borders.
Rosisinuenceonotherscanbeseenrst inThe Battle
of Algiers (1966), Gillo Pontecorvos unblinking viewof
the Frenchfailure tocontainthe uprisinginthe Casbah,
and then most notably in the works of Costa-Gavras,
many of which employ the mechanics of suspense to
analyse political abuse: see Z (1968), Confession (1969),
State of Siege (1973), Missing (1981), Amen (2002) andlast
years Capital. Rosis mise-en-scne alsoleft anabiding im-
pressiononFrancis Coppola. The boardroom scenes in
bothThe Godfather (1972) andThe Godfather Part II (1974)
areshot inmuchthesamewayas thecommitteegather-
ings inHands over the City, creating a moodof smugness
andcollusion.
The sense of individuals being manipulated, even
swept away, byunseenforcespredominatesinalmost all
of Rosis work, whether its thebullghter inThe Moment
of Truth, whosuccumbs tothe pressures of fame andfor-
tune; theyounglieutenant inManyWars Ago, whoques-
tions in vain the absurdity of war and the misguided
strategy of his superiors; the siblings in Three Brothers,
eachwithhis fear of deathor ineffectiveness inthe face
of social problems; the murder of SantiagoinChronicle of
aDeathForetold(1987); theidealisticyoungmayorof New
York confronted by Mafia power in To Forget Palermo
(Dimenticare Palermo, 1990) and, of course, thetragicg-
ures of CarmenandDonJos inCarmen(1984).
Still feisty in his 91st year, Francesco Rosi may have
ceasedmakinglms but, solongas injusticeandcorrup-
tionhold centre stage, his legacy will endure. Fewlm-
makers have beenable to reconstitute reality onscreen
in such a persuasive way, and its appropriate that his
nal lmThe Truce (Latregua, 1996) shoulddeal withan-
othergreat Italiancreator, PrimoLevi, andhistriumphin
survivingAuschwitz.
CRIME SCENES
Fromfar left to right:
death in the sun in
Salvatore Giuliano (1962);
the Hamburg-set I magliari
(1959); expediency and
conscience clash in
Hands over the City (1963);
The Mattei Affair (1972)
EYETUNES
As a newexhibition traces the history of
the pop video and its cross-fertilisation with
cinema back as far as the 1920s, the formitself
is at a crossroads in an age of YouTube and
falling record-company revenues
By SamDavies
CLIPSWITHEVERYTHING
Left to right, top row: Jake NavasSingle Ladies, Andy
WarholsHelloAgain, James Frost/Aaron KolbinsHouse of
Cards; 2nd row: Tony OurslersWhere Are We Now?, Michel
GondrysFell in Love with a Girl, D.A. Pennebakers
Subterranean Homesick Blues; 3rd row: Hype WilliamssThe
Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), David FinchersVogue, Spike Jonzes
Weapon of Choice; bottomrow: Howard GreenhalghsGo
West, John LandissThriller, JonzesIts Oh So Quiet
The music video hasanuncertain, evenvexedstatus cul-
turally. Its easily and often disregarded: it is in essence
an advert a fact that even Radiohead, a group with a
long history of serious engagement with the format,
acknowledged in the sardonic title of their own 1998
video compilation7 Television Commercials. Andthere is
arguably something second order about the video from
whichit cannever escape: its always anadaptation, an
interpretation, a supplement. To anextent it evenover-
laps with the position of exploitation cinema: largely
low-prestige and left to engage inwild button-pushing
tosnare audiences. At different times the videoformhas
gladlytappedintothe taboo(Madonnas Like a Prayer),
the pornographic (Mtley Cres Girls, Girls, Girls, Eric
Prydzs Call onMe), theviolenceof thevideonasty(The
Prodigys SmackMy BitchUp), andmore art-school-ac-
cented provocations (RomainGavrass Punishment Park-
referencingvideofor M.I.A.s BornFree).
Yet as demonstrated by The Art of PopVideo exhibi-
tionat Liverpools FACT, this is aformwhoseearliest his-
torybeganwithambitious fusions of modernism, music
andcinema. It has providedthelaunchpadfor major fea-
ture directors (many of whomcontinue toproduce pro-
mos), including suchnames as DavidFincher, Jonathan
Glazer andSpike Jonze. Andthe music videohas always
drawn in talent fromthe art world, withAndy Warhol
directing for The Cars (1984s Hello Again), or Tony
Oursler making promos for Sonic Youth(1990s Tunic
(Song for Karen)) andmost recentlyDavidBowie
(Where Are We Now?), toname just afew.
THE ART OF POPVIDEO
The exhibitions deep historical perspective is
oneof itsmainstrengths; for astart, it comprehen-
sivelydeates themuch-repeatedmyththat BruceGow-
erss promo for Queens Bohemian Rhapsody (1975)
represents the moment of the music videos birth. The
exhibition sits the liquid shimmer of Man Rays 1926
short Emak Bakia alongside Dudley Murphys 1929 lm
of Duke Ellingtons Black and Tan, but could quite eas-
ily have addedto its playlist another Murphy collabora-
tion withFernand Lger and George Antheil on Ballet
mcanique (1924) or Ren Clair andErikSaties Entracte
(1924). LenLyes short RainbowDance (1936), produced
for the GPOFilmUnit, is a particular highlight, its vivid,
kaleidoscopictumbleof colour, shapeandsilhouettean-
ticipating styles as distant intime fromthe 1930s as 60s
psychedelia and the summer-bright primary colours of
80spopandNewWave. Theselectionmakesabundantly
clearthat assoonassoundbecameavailable, lmmakers
wantedtoillustrateandinterpret it that aspiringtothe
conditionof music was a dreamnot only for writers but
for directors too.
It was inthe1960s that themusic videosolidiedinto
its most commonly recognisedformas a lmaccompa-
nying a pop song for promotional purposes. In France,
stars of yy and pop Franoise Hardy, Serge Gains-
bourg, Jacques Brel made short lms for the Scopitone,
a kind of visual jukebox. And as Britishpopboomed, so
too did the video: with groups like The Beatles unable
to make enoughlive TVappearances to meet demand,
short promotional lms began to be used as stand-ins.
The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, David Bowie and others
followedsuit.
While The Beatles long-formfeatures AHard Days
Night (1964), Help! (1965) andMagical MysteryTour(1967)
all had easily extracted sequences, the 1966 single Pa-
perbackWriter andits Bside Rain hadtheir ownstand-
alone shorts made. The 1967 promo for Strawberry
Fields Forever, directedbyPeter Goldman, has beennor-
malised nowthroughfamiliarity, but at the time it was
a drastically un-pop gesture in borrowing all kinds of
avant-garde tropes: abrupt jumpcuts, reversed lmand
aJohnCage-stylepreparedpianoasacentral propwhich
the groupdrenchinpaint. It sits ona throughline from
themodernist interest inmusical lmearlier inthe20th
century to the conventions of the pop video today. Just
as lmgenres like horror or the thriller work as portals
throughwhichmodernist music reaches a general com-
mercial audience, the music video is the filmic genre
throughwhichexperimental or expressionistic visuals,
freefromthedemandsof naturalism, narrativeandchar-
acter, canmeet the public withthe least friction.
Inthissensethemusicvideocanofferakindof labora-
toryspace inwhichdirectors canexperiment andcreate
effects that then feed back into feature cinema. Music
videos have always borrowed liberally fromlm: as af-
fectionate parody, sincere tribute and blatant theft. But
the current of inuence is not entirely one-way. David
Finchers promo for Madonnas Vogue (1990) revels
PROMOPROGENITORS
Clockwise fromtop left:
lms as diverse asEntracte,
RainbowDance, Magical
Mystery Tour andTop Hat
fed into the evolution of the
pop video
in the nitrate gleam of Art Deco monochrome, while
Bad Girl (1993) remakes inminiature the scenario and
tone of Richard Brookss Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977).
Yet Finchers rst two features, Alien 3 (1992) and Se7en
(1995), have a very different and quite specic palette:
their muddysepias are more of a piece withSamBayers
endlesslyplayedandequallymurky1991clipfor Nirva-
nas (Smells Like) TeenSpirit. Later the debt to Michel
Gondrys use of still-camera effects in his video work
was explicitly acknowledged by the effects teamof The
Matrix(1999).
The Art of Pop Video, however, focuses more on
films influence on video rather than the reverse. Its
sectiononthe functionof dance invideos, for instance,
could easily have beentakenup just withthe dialogue
betweenscreenmusical andpopvideo. Manyof theclas-
sic set pieces of musical theatre have beenretroactively
granteda kindof music-video status, so oftenhave they
been quoted and referenced in the mirror held up by
poppromos. Compare FredAstaires title number inTop
Hat (1935) andJohnLandiss videofor Michael Jacksons
Thriller (1983), in both of which the star leads a pyra-
midtroopof dancers fannedout behindthem; or Martin
Scorseses video for Jacksons Bad (1987) and its nods
to the tribal dance wars of West Side Story (1961). Gene
Kellys Singin in the Rain sequence may be his most
famous, but its his gravity-defyingroutineinRoyal Wed-
ding (1950) thats drawn on in the 1986 clip for Lionel
Richies Dancingonthe Ceiling (all three were directed
byStanleyDonen).
Bjrk, TheDandyWarholsandevenAphexTwinhave
all minedthemusicals physical vocabulary. Perhaps the
most stunning recent example is the 2008 video for Be-
yoncs Single Ladies (Put a Ring onIt), directedbyJake
Nava. Made at the last minute with minimal budget
and just two dancers flanking the star, it gives the im-
pression of a single-camera, single-take document of a
performance thats almost superhumaninits effortless
physicality. Yet the video which Kanye West crashed
the stage of 2009s MTVVideo Music Awards to declare
(withgoodreason) one of the greatest of all time was
essentially an updating of a Bob Fosse-choreographed
routine from1969calledMexicanBreakfast.
WINDOFCHANGE
Somekeydevelopments intheforms morerecent histo-
ryare glossedover inthe Liverpool exhibition, inwhich
the videos present and indications of its future are pre-
sented through a kind of tech-utopian prism. There is
no hint of any troubling currents; instead there is a set
of recent promos that take advantage of the internets
potential for interaction(Chris Milks The Wilderness
Downtown, whichallows fans to personalise the video
for Arcade Fires We Used to Wait by feeding in their
owngeographical data; the virtual spaces of HTML5 in
Milks 3Dreams of Black promofor the Danger Mouse/
Daniele Luppi albumRome; or Mary Fagots interactive
videofor Robyns KillingMe, whichscans for andrepro-
duces keyphrases fromsocial media).
But in fact the pop video has spent much of the last
decade inanincreasingly precarious position, buffeted
bytwomajor changes that haveyet tofullyplayout. The
damaging effect of downloading onthe music industry
has hadaninevitable knock-oneffect, reducing market-
ing budgets and meaning fewer and cheaper videos. At
thesametimeMTVhasall but ceasedtobeamusic-video
channel, relegating its video playlists to the early hours
andreplacingthemwithreality-TVshows.
In the meantime YouTube has grown exponentially
sinceitslaunchin2005. WithTVmusicchannelsretreat-
ing to the margins, YouTube (and its competitors such
as Dailymotion) has become a kind of super-Scopitone
of the 21st century: a visual jukeboxthats bothfree and
practically inexhaustible in its depth, but also experi-
encedaccordingtoaverydifferent logic. Videos are now
farlessoftenencounteredascommunal momentsonTop
of the Pops or music channels. Insteadthey are chasedby
the audience downthe pathof YouTubes opaque algo-
rithms, whichdecide what tooffer next as connectedor
related content. Brand-newvideos are simultaneously
andubiquitouslyavailable, but theysit onthesamelevel
as thevideoarchive, jostlingit for spaceandlosingview-
ers toolder promos, torare live performances, tore-edits
byfans andhome-made tributes.
This slowebbingof moneybehindthe scenes means a
certainhighwatermarkmayalreadyhavepassedinterms
of pure spectacle. High-concept, big-budget, extended-
play videos are still made, but increasingly they are the
exception. Acertainstrandof hip-hopvideohas become
ever rarer, namelythe urrymade aroundthe millenni-
umfor artists fromthe Ruff Ryders or Roc-A-Fella stables
whichareoftenwrittenoffastrashymaterialism(thereby
missingthesubtletyandnuancewithwhichtheyarticu-
late a grammar of glamour, luxuryandsensuous surface
intheir furs, chains andgleaming20-inchrims). Director
Hype Williamss output is certainly anomissiononthe
part of FACTscurators: ratherthanpopulatinghisvideos
withsuperbikesoryachts, Williamsinhisbest workfor
BREAKOUT
Jonas Akerlunds extended
2010 promo for Lady Gagas
Telephone also featuring
Beyonc, right rivals the
pop-video epics of the 1980s
Music videos have
always borrowed
liberally from
lm, but the
current of
inuence is not
entirely one-way
THE ART OF POPVIDEO
MissyMisdemeanour Elliot, BustaRhymes andothers
has beenhugely inuential. Characterisedby the use of
sh-eye lenses that warpthe performers across bulging
screens, he was equallyreadytowarpvideoconventions
ingeneral, dressingElliot in, essentially, ashinyblackbil-
lowingbinbagfor The Rain(Supa Dupa Fly) (1997) and
reinventing R&B and hip-hop choreography as some-
thingalmost awkwardlyangular.
The current queen of excess is Lady Gaga, who is
never shyabout her ambitions tomatchandsurpass the
titans of 1980s popand MTVs peakyears. Regardless of
whether her musicmatches Madonnas or Michael Jack-
sons, her videos are extraordinary, near-delirious design
visions. The orbital birthscene that opens NickKnights
2011 video for BornThis Way is anunholy cocktail of
Jodorowsky, H.R. Giger andBarbarella. DirectedbyJonas
Akerlund, the long narrative into which Telephone
(2010) is stretched taking ina womens prison, a road
trip and a mass-poisoning at a diner comes across as
Lynchs nightmare logic filmed through the aesthetic
of David LaChapelle: the subconscious of American
pop culture poked witha stick and captured inimages
as glossy and plastic as PVC. It certainly makes Lynchs
ownforayintovideolookdrab(his 1990videofor Chris
Isaaks WickedGame is disappointingly conventional,
and makes Herb Rittss subsequent remake feel pro-
foundlyatmospheric bycontrast).
Of courseathree-and-a-half minutepopsongdoes not
always require a six-gure budget, andthere is a distinct
tradition within video history that makes the most of
the space left behind by the bigger productions. React-
ing against the bombast, pomp and circumstance of a
Michael Jackson epic, there have always been videos
like JohnMayburys Nothing Compares 2 U (1990) for
Sinead OConnor, or Godley &Cremes Cry (1985). As
a bare minimum, a video canbe little more thana cam-
era pointedat a the face of a performer assuming he or
she has sufcient charisma; if not, other ideas are easily
brought in, andthiskindof head-room videoisarguably
a genre untoitself. KevinGodleys Numb (1993) for U2,
Grant Gees No Surprises (1998) for Radiohead, Tom
KuntzsAll MyFriends (2007) forLCDSoundsystemand
WendyMorgans ColdWar (2010) for JanelleMoneare
just a fewof the videos that have tapped into a simplic-
ity of framing that canbe tracedbackto Andy Warhols
ScreenTests (1964-1966).
With music-industry revenues unlikely to recover
anytime soon, videomakers will be increasingly depen-
dent on ideas that catch and spread virally online. The
video for PSYs GangnamStyle is probably the largest-
scale example of this happening, but another recent
phenomenontoexplodeintomillions rather thanthou-
sandsof onlineplaysBaauersHarlemShake issurely
a pointer to what will become a newkind of normfor
the video form. Since anAustraliancomedy group rst
uploaded a short homemade clip of their ownamateur
dance routine to Baauers track, hundreds of imitations
and variations have swarmed onto video-sharing sites.
The availabilityof DV, bedroomeditingandonline shar-
ingmeans that increasinglytheboundaries betweenthe
ofcial promoitemandthefan-madetributewill begin
toblur anddisappear.
i
The exhibitionTheArt of PopVideo is at FACT,
Liverpool until 26May
As a bare minimum, a video can be little more
than a camera pointed at the face of a performer
assuming he or she has sufcient charisma
UPCLOSEANDPERSONAL
John MayburysNothing
Compares 2 U, top, and
Godley &CremesCry,
above, are famous examples
of the close-up style that can
be traced back toWarhols
ScreenTests, below
By Pasquale Iannone
One glance at the bookshelf of volumes dedicated
toItalianneorealismmight leadus toassume that
there is verylittle left tosayabout what Martin
Scorsese has calledthe most precious moment
inlmhistory. The proponents of this politically
committedreactiontothe glossy, studio-bound,
Hollywood-inuencedproductions approvedby
Mussolinis regime were determinedtotake their
cameras tothe streets, toneglectedcommunities
andtheir surroundings, toshowthe real Italy in
all its diversity. Here was anewkindof cinema,
one that returnedtoits roots, apeoples cinema
that chronicledthe struggle against Nazismbut
alsohighlightedthe hardshipandupheaval of
the post-war period. Of recent studies of the trend,
Christopher Wagstaffs ItalianNeorealist Cinema:
AnAesthetic Approach(2007) stands out, but there
are twomainareas that remaincomparatively
unexplored. First, muchof the writingon
neorealism(not onlythat inEnglish) has tended
toworkwitharestrictedlmographyof adozen
or sotitles, focusingalmost exclusivelyonthe
canonical trioof Rossellini, De SicaandVisconti.
Second, evenafter sevendecades of debates on
the subject, in-depthstudies of the trends origins
are surprisinglyfew. We knowmore about
neorealisms ownlegacythanwe doabout some
of the lms that helpedshape it inthe rst place.
If it canbe saidthat neorealisms political
agendaandworldviewwere verymuchproducts
of aspecic time andplace, the same certainly
cannot be saidof what are usuallydeemedto
be its formal innovations. Inaesthetic terms
virtuallynothinginneorealist cinema was new,
fromde-dramatisednarratives toscrupulous
use of real locations tothe castingof non-
professionals. FedericoFellini, inarevealing
interviewfrom1961, reinforces the importance
of aesthetics, arguingthat neorealismis not
about what youshow, but howyoushowit. Its
simplyawayof lookingat the worldwithout
preconceptions or prejudices. Some people are
still convincedthat neorealismshouldonly
be usedtoshowaparticular type of reality
social realitytobe exact. But thenit becomes
propaganda. AdmittedlyFellini was indefensive
mode here, respondingtocritics whohadaccused
himof betrayingneorealism, but his remarks are
more thanvalid. If we are toforegroundstyle and
tone, thenthere are agreat manyworks that were
neorealist avant lalettre, bothinItalyandabroad.
Without tryingtocompile adenitive list,
Idlike toexplore 12titles which, invarious
ways, canbe saidtohave inspired, inuenced
and/or anticipatedneorealism. Some of the
lms are acknowledgedinuences, suchas
JeanRenoirs Toni or AlessandroBlasettis
1860, whereas others Pudovkins The End
of St PetersburgandOzus AnInninTokyo, for
instance might seemmore left-eldchoices.
I alsowantedtomake roomfor works that
appearedat the same time as neorealismandare
verymuchinthe same veinbut are nowhere
near as well knownas theyshouldbe (Oliveiras
Aniki Bb andGrmillons Le ciel est vous).
The rst neorealist picture mayhave been
made more than70years ago, but the trendstill
fascinates critics, scholars andlmmakers alike.
Italiandirectors are still grapplingwithit, from
veterans suchas the Taviani brothers (Caesar
Must Die, 2012) tothose of the younger generation
suchas MatteoGarrone (Gomorrah, 2008
Reality, 2012). Later in2013one of the last
THE ROOTS OF
NEOREALISM
Deep focus
Italianlmmakers inthe immediate post-war periodcreatedtheir owncinematic language to
capture the hardships of everydaylife inashatterednation. But thoughrevolutionaryinimpact,
the newrealismwas not acomplete breakwiththe past. Its roots went deep, tothe workof
directors inItalyandbeyondwhich, over precedingdecades, hadpreguredthe themes and
formal innovationof astyle that wouldbecome one of cinemas most inuential movements
We knowmore about
neorealisms legacythanwe
do about the lms that helped
shape it inthe rst place
The pioneers: Vittorio De Sica, left, in conversation with Roberto Rossellini Aman alone: Carlo Battisti as De Sicas Umberto D B
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Earth-shaker: director Luchino Visconti, who laid the foundations of neorealist lmmaking with his sweltering 1943 noir Ossessione
survivingneorealists, 91-year-oldCarlo
Lizzani (AchtungBandit!, 1951, The Verona
Trial, 1962) will release adocumentaryentitled
We Werent OnlyBicycle Thieves, whichwill include
contributions fromBernardoBertolucci, Paolo
andVittorioTaviani, MartinScorsese, Steven
Spielberg, RidleyScott andRonHoward, among
others. Listingthese famous names together
makes yourealise just howfar neorealisms
branches have spread; but what of its roots?
1
The Endof St Petersburg (Konets Sankt-
Peterburga) (VsevolodPudovkin, 1927)
One of the famous theoretical debates of the
1940s set upaclear dichotomybetween
(Soviet) montage cinemaandlmic realism.
Comingdownrmlyonthe side of realism,
Frenchcritic andtheorist Andr Bazinargued
that montage cinemawas didactic and
manipulatedthe viewer intoaparticular point
of view. Ontheother hand, realismandits stylistic
devices suchas deepfocus andlongtakes helped
the lmmaker maintainanaesthetic of reality
without imprisoningthe viewer whichBazin
arguedwas the case inmontage cinema. Bazins
views have beenarguedover bygenerations of
subsequent theorists, but its interestingtonote
howthe neorealists of the 1940s oftenhad
nothingbut admirationfor montage lmmakers
suchas Sergei Eisenstein, DzigaVertov, Alexander
DovzhenkoandVsevolodPudovkin. One of the
earliest Italianlmmakers toactuallydisplaythe
inuence of Soviet cinemawas Alessandro
Blasetti, but later lms suchas Viscontis
Laterratrema(1948) alsodrewunmistakably
fromthe montage school.
Like Eisensteins October (1928), Pudovkins
The Endof St Petersburg was commissionedto
markthe tenthanniversaryof the October
Revolution. It spans three years interms of
storytime from1914andthe outbreakof
WorldWar I tothe tumultuous events of
1917. As Vance KepleyJr has notedinhis 2003
monographnamedfor the lm, The Endof St
Petersburgexplores the conditions that make
seeminglypowerless, unremarkable individuals
intoagents of historical change... Pudovkin
sets forthaviewof revolutionthat stresses
personal empowerment. This foregrounding
of the humanaspect, this history-from-below
perspective seemedfull of expressive potential in
the context of Italianpost-war lm. We caneven
see it inproto-neorealist works suchas Blasettis
1860. Pudovkinmaybe deemedsomewhat
less radical inhis montage experimentation
thanEisenstein, but his greater focus onthe
interactionof societyandthe individual marks
himout as akeyforerunner of neorealism.
2
People onSunday
(MenschenamSonntag)
(Robert Siodmak &Edgar G. Ulmer, 1929)
Shot fromJulytoSeptember 1929, People on
Sundayis verymuchaliminal work. It has
oftenproveddifcult for critics andhistorians
tocategorise the lm, hoveringas it does
betweenpopular andart cinema. The lm
presents problems for the auteurist critic too,
giventhat it is the workof acollective. But
what acollective: Robert andKurt (later Curt)
Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer, BillyWilder, Fred
ZinnemannandEugenSchfftanall contributed
toone of the great citylms, avibrant, sun-
kissedsnapshot of late-Weimar Germany.
After aquarrel withhis wife, ataxi driver
spends alazySundaywithafriendandtwo
girls bythe Berlinlakes. The four characters
lapupthe sun, take aswim, listentomusic,
have apicnic, ride apedal boat andgenerally
doall theycantoenjoyadayawayfromthe
responsibilities of work. People onSunday
unfurls like abridge betweenthe avant-garde
citylmof the early1920s andthe neorealist
cinemaof the 1940s. It exudes agreater sense
of humanwarmththanworks suchas Walther
Ruttmanns Berlin: Symphonyof aGreat City
(1927) or AlbertoCavalcantis NothingBut Time
(1926), but equallyit makes aclear choice not
todepict the conict andhardships of life in
the modernmetropolis. Mondaywill come
aroundsoonenough, it seems tosay; best tograb
these last fewprecious moments of freedom.
Nearlyall of the younglmmakers involved
withthe productionof People onSundayleft for
Hollywoodinthe 1930s, where discussions
over whocontributedwhat dependedonwhich
of themyouhappenedtobe talkingto. The
lms inuence onpost-war Italiancinema
is undeniable most pronounced, perhaps,
inalesser-known1950picture fromLuciano
Emmer calledASundayinAugust. Emmers lm,
whichfeaturedFrancoInterlenghi fromDe
Sicas Shoeshine (Sciusci, 1946) as well as anearly
performance fromMarcelloMastroianni, was
consideredthe rst example of neorealismo rosa
(pinkneorealism). This trendsawlmmakers
continue touse manyof the formal devices of
neorealismwhile discardingits political agenda
anddrawingonpopular genres suchas comedy
andmelodrama. Inreality, this hadalreadybegun
withlms like De Santiss Bitter Rice (1949) and,
some might argue, goes as far backinthe timeline
of neorealismas Viscontis Ossessione (1943).
3
Manof Aran (Robert Flaherty, 1934)
WithFlaherty, wrote the pioneeringJohn
Griersoninhis 1930s essayFirst Principles of
Documentary, it became anabsolute principle
that the storymust be takenfromthe location...
History frombelow: The End of St Petersburg portrays 1917 fromthe point of view of the powerless
Eveninthe context of 1930s
Frenchcinema, Renoirs
proto-realist Toni is startling
inits sensuous immediacy
THE ROOTS OF NEOREALISM DEEP FOCUS
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His drama, therefore, is adramaof days and
nights, of the roundof the years seasons, of
the fundamental ghts that give his people
sustenance. Griersoncouldjust as easilyhave
beentalkingabout Viscontis secondneorealist
lmLaterratremaalmclearlyinuencedby
Flaherty, andinparticular the Michigan-born
lmmakers Manof Aran(1934). Drivenbya
desire touse lmtodiscover andreveal little
knownpeople andplaces, Flahertys rst lm
Nanook of the North(1922) remains one of the
best-knowndocumentaries of the silent era,
andwhile the director wouldtravel the world
insubsequent decades, his preoccupations
remainedthose of his debut: the dangers of nature
andthe struggle of communities for survival.
In1934, withalimitedbudget providedby
producer Michael Balcon, Flahertyshiftedhis
focus tothe islanders of Aran, off the west coast
of Ireland, tomake the lmthat, more thanany
of his others, wouldbe criticisedfor its supposed
distortion. Manof Aranwas deemedtobe more
about Flahertys visionof life thanlife as it
was, but of course his lms were always highly
personal andhis workperhaps more thanthat
of anyof the documentarypioneers has muchto
sayabout the subjective nature of the form. Man
of Aranfeaturedasoundscape createdentirelyin
post-production; this was partlydowntologistics,
but the nal result imbuedthe images witha
lyrical, poetic quality. Inaesthetic terms, it was far
aheadof the vast bulkof ctionlms of the time.
More thanadecade after Manof Aran, Visconti
wouldndhimself havingtoanswer the same
kindof criticisms as Flahertyfor his portrayal of
aSicilianshingcommunityinLaterratrema.
4
Toni (JeanRenoir, 1935)
Anydiscussionof the roots of neorealism
cannot fail totake inthe 1930s lms of Jean
Renoir. Comingroughlymid-point ina
remarkable runof features that included
LaChienne (1931), BouduSavedfromDrowning
(1932), LaGrande Illusion(1937) andLaRgle dujeu
(1939), Renoirs Toni is oftenregardedas the major
precursor of neorealist cinema.
Shot inthe summer of 1934, the lmlike
Viscontis Ossessione is built aroundacrime
passionel. Italianimmigrant labourer Toni
(Charles Blavette) arrives inthe Frenchtown
of Martigues onthe Mediterraneancoast and
moves inwithhis landladyMarie (JennyHelia).
Before long, however, he falls for the vivacious
Josefa(CeliaMontalvan), aSpanishgirl whose
marriage toaboorishforemandoes little todim
Tonis passion. What is most strikingabout Toni
is less Renoirs basic plot but his treatment of
it his attitude towards the material. Reecting
later inlife onthe lms inuence onneorealism,
the director himself shruggedoff anydirect link.
The Italianlms are magnicent dramatic
productions, he wrote inhis memoirs My
Life andMyFilms, publishedin1974, whereas
inToni I was at pains toavoidthe dramatic
Myaimwas togive the impressionthat I was
carryingacameraandmicrophone inmy
pocket andrecordingwhatever came myway,
regardless of its comparative importance.
Eveninthe context of 1930s Frenchcinema,
Renoirs lmis startlinginits sensuous
immediacy. The Italianauthor andjournalist
ItaloCalvinoonce wrote that the Frenchlms
he devouredas ayoungster inthe 1930s seemed
dense withnatural odours, whereas Hollywood
pictures smelledof Palmolive, lustrous and
antiseptic. Fewother lms of the time capture
this better thanToni. The directors languid
pans unobtrusivelylinkcharacters totheir
(new) surroundings, while his innovative use
of live soundmakes avirtue of what was at
the time still primitive cinematic technology.
These twoelements come together inmany
of the lms most memorable passages, such
as the scene inwhichimmigrant workers
performfolksongs, their melancholy
notes hanginginthe balmyair.
Late-Weimar downtime: People on Sunday The drama of the seasons: Man of Aran
Trees lounge: Celia Montalvan and Charles Blavette get intimate in Renoirs Toni
5
1860 (Alessandro Blasetti, 1933)
Inhis inventive approachtoboth
lmformandcontent, AlessandroBlasetti was
the keyItalianlmmaker of the Fascist era.
Not onlywas he apioneer inhis experiments
withsoundandcolour, but he alsodaredto
explore the limits of what couldbe depicted
inmainstreamlm. This partlyexplains
why, unlike manyof his contemporaries, his
reputationenduredinthe post-war period,
evenamongthe ferventlyanti-fascist.
Blasettis startedout as acritic inthe early
1920s whenhe foundedCinematografo, the rst
Italianlmmagazine dedicatedtotechnical
andmaterial aspects of lmmaking. He made
his feature debut withSole (1929), acelebration
of rural regenerationwhichMussolini himself
describedas markingthe dawnof Fascist
cinema. It is interestingtonote that, while
Blasettis workfoundfavour withthe Fascist
regime, his mainformal inuences post-Sole
came fromthe Soviets. He particularlyadmired
Nikolai Ekk, whomade the rst Soviet sound
picture The Roadto Life amajor success at
the inaugural Venice FilmFestival in1932
andcontinuedtobe aninuence onBlasetti,
especiallyonhis breakthroughlm1860.
Apatriotic, realist history-from-below
chronicle of the unicationof Italy, 1860was
describedbyhistorianPierre Sorlinas the most
optimistic screenportrayal of the Risorgimento.
It chronicles the popular protests that unfolded
inSicilybothduringandafter Garibaldis
expeditiontothe island. Giuseppe Gulino(anon-
professional) plays Carmineddu, apeasant whois
dispatchedbypalermitano priest Padre Costanzo
(GianfrancoGiacchetti) tomeet Garibaldi in
Genoaandinformhimof the Sicilianuprisings.
Onhis journeyhe meets avarietyof bourgeois
characters, eachof differingpolitical persuasions.
After arrivinginGenoa, he eventuallyjoins
Garibaldis Expeditionof the Thousandas it
makes its waysouth; the lmends withthe
Battle of Calatami inthe north-west of Sicily.
While 1860is certainlyanimportant Italian
precursor toneorealisminits use of landscape
andnon-professional actors, the lms also
notable for Blasettis sophisticateduse of sound,
withthe inuence of Ekkespeciallycomingto
the fore. DuringCarmineddus long, solitary
journeybyseatothe mainlandport of
Civitavecchia, the director evokes his
protagonists exhaustionunder the blazingsun
bysuperimposingshots of the seaandimages of
the port. These shots are accompaniedbythe
clangingof tools andthe voices of dockworkers.
We thencut toaninterior where Carminedduis
questionedbylocal ofcials but is unable to
understandaword(the townwas thenunder
Frenchcontrol). The cameramoves towards a
portrait of NapoleonIII withFrenchvoices
continuingonthe soundtrack. Blasetti then
match-cuts toaportrait of Maria-Sophiaof
Bavariaandthe Frenchvoices become German.
We are nowbackinSicilywhere Carmineddus
wife Gesuzza(AidaBellia) has beencapturedby
Swiss soldiers hiredbythe Bourbons. Inthis brief
passage, Blasetti highlights bothsubjective,
individual experience andthe dividedstate of pre-
unicationItalytoquite brilliant effect.
6
AnInninTokyo (Tkynoyado)
(OzuYasujiro, 1935)
Like manyother countries, the soundlmin
Japandidnot reachpopular acceptance until
well intothe 1930s, withmanydirectors initially
hesitant toembrace the newtechnology. Only
after the success of foreigntalkies didcompanies
suchas Nikkatsuor Shochikumove decisively
towardsound. Ozuwouldholdout until 1936s
The OnlySon, makingmore than20silents in
just over ve years, includingPassingFancy
(1933) andAStoryof FloatingWeeds (1934). Both
of the latter lms feature SakamotoTakeshi as
Kihachi, acharacter whowouldreturninAnInn
inTokyo, Ozus nal (surviving) silent picture.
The lmtells of the plight of anunemployed
father searchingfor workinandaround
Depression-hit Tokyo, his twoyoungsons byhis
side. Thematically, there are manylinks tobe
made withDe Sicas Bicycle Thieves but, as David
Bordwell has rightlynoted, AnInninTokyo
brings style intoprominence throughrepetitive
patterningandparametric variation. Rather
thanwalkingthe bustlingancient streets of
Rome, Kihachi andhis boys roamaat, industrial
desert litteredwithgiant spindles, gasometers
andtelegraphpoles. Ozureturns againand
againtoshots of the three characters dwarfed
bythese loomingsigniers of modernity.
Inkeepingwithseveral of the directors lms
of the 1930s, AnInninTokyo foregrounds the
vibrance andresourcefulness of children. While
their father oftenappears (understandably)
despondent, his twoboys are playful andvibrant.
It is nocoincidence that the lms most heart-
rendingmoments occur preciselywhenthis
enthusiasmis sapped. Throughout the lm,
the characters fewmoments of happiness are
unfailinglypuncturedbythe harshrealityof
their situation. WhenKihachi reveals that he
onlyhas enoughmoneyfor foodor aroomfor
the night, the sons choose food. Ozucuts to
Red and black: 1860 was described as the most optimistic screen portrayal of the Risorgimento
Tokyo drifters: Ozus An Inn in Tokyo explores themes later found in De Sicas Bicycle Thieves
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father andsons hungrilyeatingrice at alocal
inn. The twoboys worriedthat their foodwill
be takenawaybefore theyget the chance to
nishliterallyhugtheir bowls as theyeat. The
scene anticipates asimilarlypoignant passage
inBicycle Thieves whenfather andsonstopoff
at atrattoriafor ameal theycanbarelyafford.
Manyfamiliar Ozuthemes (andformal devices)
canbe foundinthis neglectedmasterpiece of
1930s cinema, withthe directors depictionof
the parent-childrelationshipwrapped, as ever,
inanair of melancholy. AnInninTokyo is more
thandeservingof rediscovery, not merelyas a
precursor toItalianneorealismbut as one of
Ozus most beautifullyrealisedworks tout court.
7
Aniki Bb (Manoel de Oliveira, 1942)
We seemto be running out of ways to
describe the incredible longevity of Portuguese
director Manoel de Oliveira. At the time of
writing the 103-year-oldis working onhis latest
lmThe Devils Church, after his previous work
Gebo and the Shadowpremieredat last years
Venice FilmFestival. To put his miraculous
achievements incontext, we shouldremember
that Oliveira was bornin1908, the same year as
DavidLean, Bette Davis, James Stewart andAnna
Magnani, andthat he made his feature debut
more than70 years ago, as his native Portugal
was entering the seconddecade of Salazars
repressive regime.
As withcinema inMussolinis Italy, the
vast majority of Portuguese lms of the time
were conformist. Made in1942, Oliveiras
Aniki Bb was intendedas a symbolic attack
onhis countrys dictatorship. The lmwas
basedonRodrigues de Freitass short story
Little Millionaires, rst publishedinthe pages
of leading modernist journal Presena inthe
1930s. It tells of the rivalry betweentwo boys,
Carlitos andEduardinho, andtheir attempts to
winover the same girl, Teresinha. Charismatic
but also a bully, Eduardinho is the leader of a
groupof childrenwho play onthe banks of the
Douro. His love-rival Carlitos seems to be his
polar opposite. Shy andnaive, he nonetheless
lands what he thinks is a major coupwhen
he steals a doll Teresinha has admiredina
local shop; but this by no means signals the
endof the competitionbetweenthe boys.
Inits unvarnisheddepictionof the lives of
children their playfulness but also their lies,
deceit andcruelty Aniki Bb anticipates both
De Sicas Shoeshine (1946) andLuis Buuels Los
olvidados (1950), eventhoughits urbanlandscape
is perhaps closer to An Inn in Tokyo. Oliveira, like
Ozu, purposely makes little attempt to recreate
the bustle of city life. The depopulatedstreets of
Porto inAniki Bb allowOliveira to make the
contrast betweenthe restrictioninside andthe
freedomoutside the classroom.
Adult authority, inthe formof parents
andschoolteachers, is viewedwithgreat
suspicionby Oliveira. Fewadults are given
names andwe dont evensee the face of
Carlitoss mother, who appears ina handful
of scenes, including a moment towards the
endof the lmwhenshe wakes the boy from
a nightmare presentedby Oliveira inall its
contorted, quasi-expressionist hysteria.
The maincriticismlevelledat Aniki Bb at
the time of its release seems nowto be the lms
overriding strength: its depictionof childhood
not as anidyll but as a worldthat canbe just as
tumultuous andunforgiving as adulthood.
8
Ossessione (Luchino Visconti, 1942)
While Rossellini andDe Sicawere concerned
explicitlywithchroniclingthe hardships of
wartime andthe post-war era, LuchinoViscontis
Ossessione for manythe veryrst neorealist
lmdrewontypicallyAmericangenres (in
particular the Americannoir andwestern)
as well as Italiancronacanera. Together with
agroupof younganti-fascist critics (Mario
Alicata, Gianni Puccini, Giuseppe De Santis),
the well-travelledaristocrat transposedJames
M. Cains 1934novel The PostmanAlways Rings
Twice tothe swelteringatlands of the Podelta.
Visconti hadspent several years inFrance in
the 1930s, where mutual friendGabrielle Coco
Chanel hadintroducedhimtoJeanRenoir.
Informally, Visconti joinedRenoirs troupe as
theymovedfromlmtolm, culminatingin
the unnishedshort Une partie de campagne
(1936). Ashort time later, Renoir was invited
toItalytolecture at the CentroSperimentale
di Cinematograa, but the outbreakof World
War II forcedhimtoabandonEurope for the
US. He left behindatreatment he hadwritten
of Cains novel andthis was the basis of what
later became Ossessione. Inthe lm, wandering
hoboGino(MassimoGirotti) arrives at a
roadside trattoriaownedbythe harmlessly
garrulous Bragana(JuanDe Landa). Having
set his sights onBraganas downtroddenwife
Giovanna(ClaraCalamai), Ginooffers his
services as amechanic inexchange for room
andboard. GinoandGiovannasoonbecome
lovers andhatchaplantomurder Braganabut, in
typicallynoir fashion, things donot gotoplan.
As withRossellinis Rome OpenCity, Visconti
cast twowell-knownItalianstars inthe lms
mainroles. MassimoGirotti hadmade his
international breakthroughas a21-year-old
inAlessandroBlasettis historical epic The Iron
Crown(1939), andwent ontostar inRossellinis
APilot Returns (1942). For the role of Giovanna,
the director was sodeterminedtocast Anna
Magnani that evenwhenthe actress toldhim
she was pregnant, he wasnt deterred. However,
productionof the lmwas delayed, meaning
that Magnani hadtoeventuallyabandonthe
project. The role went toClaraCalamai, a
prominent Italianstar of the so-calledwhite
telephone lms of the 1930s andearly1940s.
Under Viscontis remorseless direction, she
was completelytransformedfromglamorous
divatoslouched, worn-out adulteress.
Fromopeningscene topitch-blacknale,
Ossessione presents asweat-drenched, earthy
alternative tothe polishof fascist-approved
cinema. Most satisfyinglyfor the lms
makers, whenOssessione was rst shownin
September 1943anoutragedVittorioMussolini
stormedout of the screening, proclaiming
This is not Italy! Visconti wouldgoonto
make afurther twofeatures inthe neorealist
style, nallygettingtoworkwith
AnnaMagnani on1951s Bellissima.
Po Valley noir: Massimo Girotti and a de-glamourised Clara Calamai inOssessione
Ossessione presents a
sweat-drenched, earthy
alternative to the polishof
fascist-approvedcinema
Aniki Bb
9
Le ciel est vous (TheWoman
WhoDared) (JeanGrmillon, 1944)
Evenacursoryglance throughthe writings
of Frenchauteur JeanGrmillonreveals a
sensibilitythat inseveral ways mirroredthat of
the neorealists. Throughimages andsounds,
he once said, cinematic expressionlooks for
the paththat leads toneglectedregions of
humanexperience. Film, for Grmillon, was
about lookingbeyondwhat couldbe perceived
bythe humaneye. The Frenchrealist, he
argued, looks at realitybycombiningchildlike
freshness andmathematical precision.
Grmillonhadabackgroundinclassical music
before he made his feature debut in1927with
Maldonne. Inathree-decade career straddling
the silent andsounderas withequal assurance,
he went ontomake more than50features. His
rst talkie Petit Lise (1930) was acommercial
failure but nonetheless featuredastunninguse
of sound(Henri Langlois later saidit was the lm
that made himstoppiningfor silent cinema).
Grmillonworkedwithsome of the most famous
names inFrenchlm, fromactors JeanGabin,
RaimuandMadeleine Renaudtoscreenwriters
Jacques Prvert andCharles Spaak. While Prvert
wrote the screenplays for Grmillons rst two
lms made under the Nazi occupation, Remorques
(1941) andSummer Light (1943), Spaakwrote
the third, Le ciel est vous (1944). Its the storyof
Th erse Gauthier (Renaud), the wife of aformer
ghter pilot, whobecomes obsessedwiththe idea
of takingtothe air inher ownright andsets out
tobreakthe long-distance yingrecord. Le ciel est
vous is unusual for bothits locationshooting
andits proto-feminist perspective. Its exaltation
of humancourage anddeterminationimpressed
bothPtainists andresistance ghters (though
as acommittedresistant, Grmillonwas no
doubt more happyabout the latters approval).
While muchhas beenwrittenabout directors
suchas Renoir, Carn andVigo, Grmillon
is cryingout for rediscovery. Its particularly
exciting, therefore, tosee retrospectives of his
workonthe horizonat this years Edinburgh
International FilmFestival andat BFI Southbank.
10
Rome, OpenCity (Roma citt
aperta) (Roberto Rossellini, 1945)
Between1945and1947, RobertoRossellini
made three lms chroniclingthe nal throes
of WorldWar II andits devastatingimmediate
aftermath: Rome, OpenCity (1945), Pais (1946)
andGermany Year Zero (Germania, anno zero 1948).
It was Rossellinis secondwar trilogy, coming
after three pictures he made while Italywas still
under fascist rule: The White Ship (1941), APilot
Returns (1942) andThe Manwith the Cross (1943).
Rome, OpenCity was initiallyplannedas
a documentaryonDonGiuseppe Morosini,
a priest accusedof resistance activityand
executedbythe Nazis, but as the project evolved,
Rossellini andhis collaborators (includingSergio
Amidei anda youngFedericoFellini) decided
tobroadenthe lms scope sothat the story
of the priest became one of several narrative
strands. Theydrewonother harrowingstories
of life anddeathunder the Germanoccupation,
includingthat of Teresa Gullace, whowas
shot while goingtothe aidof her husband.
AlthoughRome hadbeenliberated, shooting
conditions inearly1945were difcult.
Electricitysupplies were erratic andcurfews
were still inplace. Rossellini hadbeengiven
funds bya local countess, but these quickly
ranout. Tonishthe lmhe soldwhatever
personal items he couldandmade dowith
discardedpieces of lmstock, including
material the Allies usedtoproduce newsreels.
Synchronisedsoundwas alsoout of the question,
sothe lmwas shot silent withdialogue
andsoundeffects addedinpost-production,
together withRenzoRossellinis score.
Helpingtokeepthe project aoat amidmyriad
difculties were twoestablishedpersonalities
of stage andscreen. AldoFabrizi andAnna
Magnani hadalreadyappearedtogether in
twolighter, more comic portraits of Roman
life: MarioBonnards Campo de ori (1943)
andMarioMattolis The Last Wagon(1943).
Rossellini himself was quicktoacknowledge the
importance of these lms inthe development
of neorealism, especiallyintheir small-scale,
regional storytellingandtheir use of dialect.
Fabrizi andMagnanis performances inRome,
OpenCity have beensearedintolmhistoryfor
Magnani inparticular, it was the role of a lifetime.
11
BicycleThieves (Ladri di
biciclette) (Vittorio De Sica, 1948)
Mygoal, saiddirector VittorioDe Sicaabout his
approachtoBicycle Thieves, was tolookfor the
dramatic inordinarysituations, the wonderful in
the smallest, the tiniest news item, inthe material
everybodyconsiders insignicant. De Sicahad
foundthe ideal collaborator inscreenwriter
Cesare Zavattini, withwhomhe wrote the
majorityof his lms, includingfour dening
classics of neorealism: Shoeshine (1946), Bicycle
Thieves, Miracle inMilan(Miracolo aMilano, 1951)
andUmberto D(1952). Zavattini, the pre-eminent
theorist of neorealism, was oftencalleduponto
justifyhis andDe Sicas apparent non-spectacle,
the mundanityof their lms. Their loose,
episodic approachtonarrative seemedtobe the
antithesis of tightlyconstructed, neatlyresolved
Hollywoodnarratives but real life, theyclaimed,
was not like that. Lives move forward, but they
alsomeander, lose their way, double-back. It has
tobe saidthat the overall structure of almlike
Bicycle Thieves does more tochallenge Hollywood
conventions thanlms suchas Ossessione
andRome, OpenCity. It is closer, perhaps, to
Rossellinis GermanyYear Zero (signicantly, both
lms feature childprotagonists whooscillate
betweenpassivityandagency). Zavattini actually
lamentedthe fact that he didnt gofar enough
withBicycle Thieves; infact his goal insubsequent
years was topushthis approachfurther. The
results canbe seeninUmberto D, most notably
inthe morningsequence famouslylaudedby
Andr Bazininacontemporarypiece onthe lm.
The plot of Bicycle Thieves couldnot be simpler.
Wheels of misfortune: the impact of Bicycle Thieves is in its uninching portrayal of mundanity B
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Rome, Open City Le ciel est vous
Inpost-war Rome, husbandandfather-of-two
AntonioRicci (LambertoMaggiorani) nds a
jobputtingupadvertisingbills. Tocarryout his
work, he needs abicycle, whichhe manages to
retrieve fromthe pawnbrokers. Onthe rst day
at work, his bicycle is stolen. The rest of the lm
follows anincreasinglydesperate Antonioand
his youngsonBruno(EnzoStaiola) as theyscour
the streets of Rome insearchof what is essentially
the familys lifeline. We therefore have what in
the larger scheme of things is aninsignicant
story, especiallyif we compare it tothe mortal
struggle against Nazi occupiers inRome Open
City. But as Bazinargued, Rossellinis style is a
wayof seeing, while De Sicas is primarilyaway
of feeling. The moment whenAntonioemerges
fromatunnel inawide-eyed, coldsweat and
stares intoabustling, uncaringRomanstreet
still has the power tomake the heart sink.
Bicycle Thieves remains arguablythe most
famous neorealist work, but its production
history(exploredbyRobert Gordoninarecent
BFI FilmClassics monograph) offers upa
bewilderingarrayof what-ifs. Muchhas been
writtenonthe fact that DavidO. Selznick
offeredtonance the lm, but onlyif Cary
Grant playedAntonio. It might make us laugh
now, saidscreenwriter SusoCecchi DAmico,
but Selznicks offer was takenveryseriously
andthere was ahigh-level meetingabout it.
12
Bitter Rice (Risoamaro)
(Giuseppe De Santis, 1949)
Almost sevendecades after neorealisms post-war
heyday, the bulkof English-language writingon
the trendcontinues tofocus onthe canonical
trioof Rossellini, Visconti andDe Sica. It may
be that theyengage more withgenre or it may
simplybe downtoavailabilityof subtitledcopies
of their lms, but directors suchas Alberto
Lattuada, CarloLizzani, AldoVergano, Pietro
Germi andLuigi Zampaall of whommade
precious contributions tothe development of
neorealist cinemaare continuallyoverlooked.
Critic-turned-lmmaker Giuseppe De Santis
shares this groups fate but stands out as the
most iconoclastic of the so-calledsecond-tier
of neorealists. His impassionedwritingfor the
journal Cinemaincludes afamous piece calledPer
unpaesaggioitaliano (For anItalianLandscape).
Init, he praises JeanRenoir (andhis 1938lmLa
Bte humaine inparticular) for the veryprecise
use of landscape toreect character andemotion:
Renoir seems totell us that there are some
emotions that mancannot give voice tosowe
must drawoneverythingthat surrounds himto
express them. Of all the retrospective comments
onthe legacyof neorealism, De Santiss voice
shines out. Ina1981interview, he argued: Even
the most stubbornandfaithful belief inpursuing
the dailylife of this or that character comes
tonought if the director is not able toknow
himself, tochoose andselect, togive aparticular
lookandsense tothe most representative
moments of this humancondition.
De Santiss career inctionlmbegan
withscreenwritingcredits onViscontis
Ossessione andRossellinis Desire (1946). For
his ownrst feature ATragic Hunt (1947),
he drewonthe services of important gures
suchas Cesare Zavattini, Lizzani andnone
other thanMichelangeloAntonioni. Funded
byANPI (the National Associationof Italian
Partisans), the lmanticipates muchof De
Santiss subsequent cinemainits exploration
of themes of ideological conict throughthe
prismof genre (inthe case of ATragic Hunt,
the Hollywoodcrime/gangster lm).
Twoyears later came the rushof wild,
unabashedsensualitythat is Bitter Rice, apicture
that incontent andtone is about as far from
the worldof lms suchas GermanyYear Zero or
Umberto Das its possible toget. Perhaps most
famous for astar-makingappearance by19-year-
oldSilvanaMangano, De Santiss lmcentres
aroundthe fateful meetingof twocouples in
the rice elds of the Povalley. Famously, the
romantic intrigues inthe lmitself were put in
the shade bythose behindthe camera. Producer
DinoDe Laurentiis marriedManganoshortly
after the lmwas made while shockingly
writer Cesare Pavese committedsuicide after
beingjiltedbyConstance Dowling, sister of Bitter
Rice actress Doris. Amongthe manyvisitors
tothe set was renownedphotographer Robert
Capa, whoshot hundreds of behind-the-scenes
pictures for magazine readers inthe US.
i
These 12lms screenat BFI
Southbank, LondoninMay as part of
the Sight &SoundDeepFocus season
The Roots of Neorealism, which
includes a panel discussionon
7 May chairedby Pasquale Iannone
See the Sight &Soundwebsite for
videolinks tothis piece
DavidO. Selznick offeredto
nance Bicycle Thieves, but
onlyif CaryGrant played
the leadcharacter Antonio
Fields of dreams: Bitter Rice leavened neorealist veracity with sensual drama and an earthy glamour
By Simon Merle
Theres always something preposterous to
claims that Kira Muratova ranks among the
greatest lmmakers, evenwhenit might simply
be true. Because Muratova is not a household
name andher lms remainalmost impossible
tosee inthe UKsuchproclamations invariably
soundsmug. Not that the Ukrainian-based
lmmaker is anunknown: whenher latest,
Eternal Homecoming (Vecnoe vozvrascenie), hadits
worldpremiere inRome last November, some
devotees travelledhundreds of miles tobe there;
whenRotterdamhonouredher witha complete
retrospective this year, the screenings turnedout
tobe among the biggest successes the festival had
scoredinsome time, withpeople ghting every
daytoget tickets. Still, dont expect tosee Eternal
Homecoming openat your local artplex; evenif it
did, the regulars might freakout at the sight of
something sorelentlesslystrange andabsurdly
tender, outrageous, playful, wacky, disquieting,
curious, wistful andboisterous something both
renedandgarish, free-oating yet steely-willed,
a whollyparadoxical creation. Inthat respect,
the lmis the sumtotal of Muratovas art.
Inprinciple, Kira Muratova has the right
pedigree for mainstreamcultural acceptance:
most of her soloworks made during Soviet times
were frowneduponofciallyLong Farewells
(Dolgie provody, 1971) got shelved, Getting to
Knowthe Big Wide World (Poznavaya belyy svet,
1979) hadonlya limitedrelease, andAmong Grey
Stones (Sredi serykh kamney, 1983) was re-edited
ina fashionthat made Muratova withdrawher
name. OnlyBrief Encounters (Korotkie vstrechi,
1967) andthe Somerset Maughamvariation
Change of Fortune (Peremena uchaste, 1987) came
throughalmost unscathed. True, after her debut
feature Our Honest Bread (Nash chestnyy khleb,
1964) a poetic piece of post-ThawSocialist-
Realist lmmaking made intandemwithher
then-husbandAlexander Muratovnobody
expectedanytrouble fromher; like the couples
medium-lengththesis lmOnthe Steep Cliff (U
krutogo yara, 1961), Our Honest Bread is a typical
earlywork, a pastoral about changing times
thats full of gorgeous images, a bit brooding
thoughessentiallyinaccordwiththe system.
Whatever one might sayabout Muratovas
lms, theywere never openlycritical of the
USSR, because the questions she ponderedwent
beyondthat one-sixthof the earth. Muratova
was andhas remaineddoubtful about human
relationships. Mankind, for her, is toofrail to
carrysomething sograndas the worldonits
own. Whichis tosaythat the triangle of her
Brief Encounters estrangedmiddle-class couple
anddelightful ingnue couldhappeninmany
countries; that the tensions betweenmother
andsonthat are the dynamoof Long Farewells, as
well as those betweenfather andsoninAmong
Grey Stones, are not rootedmerelyinthe Soviet
but inthe civilisedhumancondition; andthat
the torntemptress of Change of Fortune canbe
foundwherever andwhenever womenhave the
opportunitytolive for their passions. Maybe
Muratovas most Soviet-specic workis the
lmmanyconsider her masterpiece: Getting
to Knowthe Big Wide World, about labourers
inlove onthe constructionsite of a tractor
factory. It sounds almost like something by
that master of Stalinist musical comedies of the
1930s and40s IvanPyryev and, ina gleefully
Neither the USSRs strictures
nor its downfall couldget inthe
wayof KiraMuratovas ongoing
experiments inrupture
Mother and son blues: Long Farewells
Muratovas art is renedand
garishat the same time, free-
oatingwhile steely-willed, a
whollyparadoxical creation
THE MAYORESS OF MOVIEDOMCOME
FOCUS
Wide Angle
EXPLORINGTHE BIGGER PICTURE
twistedway, it plays at times as if Pyryevhad
reinventedhimself inoffbeat 60s avant-garde
fashion. Getting to Knowthe Big Wide World is
a brazenlyeclectic mishmashof styles and
tones, more a quilt of scenes thana storytold
frombeginning toend; andwhile the narrative
develops the waylove stories tendto, the lm,
withall its aesthetic odds andends, seems to
runa course all its own. There wouldbe more
of that tocome, inmore extreme fashions.
Tellinglyenough, Muratovas problems didnt
endwiththe liberalisationof the late 1980s. The
Asthenic Syndrome (Astenicheskiy sindrom, 1989),
the lmthat put her onthe world-cinema map,
got intotrouble at the time; glasnost certainly
has its zones of darkness. Call it a paradoxof
Muratoviandimensions that the moment
Long Farewells was made available, The Asthenic
Syndrome was shelved, considereda dangerous
disturbance bycertainparties inpower; haunted
intimacywithincestuous undertones was on,
furious X-rays of the nations impossiblydivided
soul off. Partlybecause of that, Muratova (along
withAleksandr Sokurov) became glasnosts
poster lmartist: formerlysuppressedvoice
anda womanat that! cannallymake herself
heard(withsome coughs andhiccups). Indeed,
Muratova has kept herself busyever since, witha
newfeature readyeverythree years or so, as good
anaverage as youcouldhope for whenyoumake
a cinema somewhat more demanding thanmost.
The Asthenic Syndrome introduces a strategy
toMuratovas cinema that has become ever
dearer toher throughthe decades: rupture.
She likes tohackher stories intopieces. The
patchworkqualityof Getting to Knowthe Big
Wide World alreadyhintedat that will tobreak
withnarrative traditions, while the mutually
exclusive worlds of father andsoninAmong Grey
Stones lookretrospectivelylike Muratovas rst
timidessayindoing a two-in-one narrative. With
The Asthenic Syndrome, she does exactlythat for
the rst time: the rst part, shot inblackand
white, is a lmwatchedbythe protagonist of
the secondpart, shot incolour. Does life imitate
art whenthe later scenes recall moments from
earlier inthe lm? Or are the scenes played
out inthe real world, whichlooks more like
a nightmare populatedbyzombie versions
of ordinarypeople, just there totell us that
art always knew, whether we like it or not?
Muratova elaboratedthat strategywith
Three Stories (Tri istorii, 1997), ChekhovianMotifs
(Chekhovskie motivy, 2002) andTwo inOne (Dva
v odnom, 2007): ineachof them, opposites or
composites are turnedloose oneachother. The
stories of ChekhovianMotifs complement each
other ina rather disturbing fashion, as dothe two
halves of Two inOne. None of these, though, has
the sheer visceral power, the sense of urgency
that made The Asthenic Syndrome sucha shock
tothe systembackin1989theyre more aloof,
metaphysical. Inthat sense, Eternal Homecoming
feels like the zenithof this straininMuratovas
cinema: the viewer is confrontedwithvariation
uponvariationof twoor three exchanges the
same dialogue deliveredbyverydifferent people,
playedat times bythe same actors (some of them
Russiansuperstars, others amateurs) insettings
that use andre-use certainprops while covering
the whole range of society, fromlumpen
dwellings tochalets. Onlyafter a while does it
become clear that these are screentests for a lm
productionthat has runout of moneyandis now
looking for investors. So, the comdie humaine
playedout thus far the farce of mans foibles
turns out tobe but a casting showof sorts. But
the remarkable thing is that this doesnt devalue
the experience. If life is but anafternoonspent in
the cosmic screening room, among manyothers
doing almost the same thing, whocares, as long
as it is me doing it? I might knowthat billions
of others dojust about the same, dayin, dayout,
but Imstill the one doing it right here, right
now. Everymananeccentricity, a frolic or jest.
Carnivalesque, burlesque, grotesque Punchand
Judyshows for adults thats what Muratovas
lms are at their cruel, compassionate hearts.
Since Passions (Uvlecheniya, 1994), Muratova
has oftencollaboratedwithwriter-actress
extraordinaire Renata Litvinova. But between
The Asthenic Syndrome andPassions, she made
another lmthat ranks for some as her
nest achievement: The Sentimental Policeman
(Cuvstvitelnyy milicioner, 1992), whichis every
bit as bitter anddisgustedwiththe waythe post-
Soviet worldhas turned. Theres more grime here
thaninanyMuratova lmsince, more bile, more
of a straightforwardpolitical purpose toher
aesthetic of contradictions. Here, the perennial
outsider is for once at one withthe moment ina
wayshe never was andnever wouldbe again.
i
Passions andChekhovianMotifs
are available onRegion1 DVDfrom
online retailers
Onto the world-cinema map: The Asthenic Syndrome
Strategies of separation: Three Stories
Kira Muratova
SOUNDINGS
By Frances Morgan
NeighbouringSounds (Osomao redor), reviewed
inlast months Sight &Sound, is adisturbing
studyof howpeople incities trytoinsulate
themselves fromone another, andthe tension
that builds andsimmers fromthis paranoid
impulse. As its title suggests, Kleber Mendona
Filhos lmis unusuallydrivenbyits characters
sense of hearing: eavesdropping, surveillance,
hearsay, noise pollutionandunexplained
bumps andthunks inthe night all playtheir
part. Soundcontrols the temperature of the
storyandis the means throughwhichmenace
gathers inthe sunny, middle-class street
onthe outskirts of Recife, Brazil onwhich
the majorityof the actiontakes place.
Its not unusual for lms set incities
whether real or imagined(the much-referenced
hierarchical future Los Angeles of Blade Runner
springs tomind) toexaggerate urbansounds
as shorthandfor class andethnic divisions. In
the most simplistic expressions, marketplaces,
favelas andinner-cityareas are loud, Babel-like
andvolatile while richenclaves andsuburbs are
cushionedandquiet bothheightenedversions
of the realities most citydwellers operate within.
NeighbouringSounds doesnt deal insuchsharp
contrasts. Instead, sounds fromthe unruly
outside bleedmomentarilyintothe quiet of
the community, fromastreet vendors mobile
soundsystemtothe sudden, resentful scratch
of car keys onpaintwork. Mendonaallows
the street tosoundlike itself, toplayitself.
Inthat sense, his lmis verydifferent from
RodrigoPls Lazona(2007), athriller set inagated
communityinMexicoCitythat Neighbouring
Sounds recalls thematicallyif not stylistically. La
zonas soundscape is dramatic, literallystormy,
startingwiththe thunderstormthat shuts
downpower andallows three youngthieves
tobreakintothe exclusive Zone. Conict and
tensionare spelledout for the most part not with
diegetic soundbut asharporchestral score. Pls
social concerns are similar toMendonas in
NeighbouringSounds, but Lazonais afar less ironic
andmore sombre comment onurbansegregation
andits consequences, andthus uses these more
immediatelyrecognisable sonic andmusical
conventions tomake its wider point. It has a
distancedfeel comparedto, say, LaHaine (1995) or
Cityof God(2002), bothiconic urbanlms that use
citysounds withanurgent, rhythmic directness
that meshes withthe popmusic ontheir
soundtracks andtransports the viewer straight
tostreet level inbothParis andRiode Janeiro.
The potential for darkness inacitys fringes is
evokedsubtlyinAnimal Kingdom(2010), whose
broodingsoundtrackbyAnthonyPartos lends the
quiet streets of the Melbourne district inwhich
the lmis set alayer of gravitas andtragedythat
transcends its mundane location. Despite its
violent narrative, Animal Kingdomis adeliberately
quiet lm. Its most menacingcharacters speak
softlyanddeliberately, withmanyscenes taking
place duringclose, warmnights soundtracked
bythe constant lowhumandchirrupof insects.
NeighbouringSounds allows some music into
its soundscape: it opens withSerge Gainsbourgs
Cadavres ensrie, the percussion-ledopening
theme from1968thriller Le Pacha, which
hints that the Brazilianlmis more thanjust
adomestic drama. (Elsewhere, the use of Jorge
Bens songCharles, Anjo45, withits lyrics about
alocal protector of the weak returningfrom
prison, underlines the lms deep-seatedtheme of
revenge.) But the drums of the Gainsbourgtrack
are subsumedinlayers of trafc sounds, drills
andvoices that fade upas the lmbegins. This
cacophonyquietens toasingle sound: abarking
guarddogthat keeps stay-at-home mother Beatriz
awake night after night. Her neighbour Joo, a
youngmanwhose father andgrandfather own
most of the properties onthe street, is seenthe
next dayshowingclients aroundafortress-like
at, extollingits securityfeatures andsheltered
aspect. Onthe other side of the apartment blocks
pristine white wall, akidkicks afootball; even
that innocuous soundfromthe outside induces
afaint air of jumpiness, afeelingof suspicion
that will come toinfect the whole lm.
Mendonas sounddesignseems naturalistic
but it is cleverlyconstructed, withsurreal
touches that disorientate the ear suchas the
sporadic electronic pulse that takes youby
surprise ina dreamlike scene inwhichJoos
grandfather goes for a late-night swiminthe
sea. The streets coastal locationhas been
almost hiddenupuntil this point; yourealise
suddenly, amidthe ampliedhiss andcrashof
the waves, howprecariouslyclose its people live
toa shark-infestedocean. This burst of noise
feels like a deliberate rupture inthe carefully
layered, palimpsest-like soundscape of the city
that is made bothbythe lmmaker andby
manyof us wholive incities everyday, tuning
out some sounds andbeing hyper-aware of
others. This isnt the shocktactic of cutting from
quiet enclave toteeming slumbut something
more primal andunnameable, sounding out
the ne line betweencivilisationandchaos.
SYMPHONYOFACITY
The bustle of the market andhush
of lite enclaves are clichs of the
urbansoundscape that anew
Brazilianfeature carefullyavoids
Beware of the sharks: Neighbouring Sounds
WIDE ANGLE
Eavesdropping, surveillance,
hearsay, noise pollutionand
thunks inthe night all playtheir
part inNeighbouringSounds
Quiet menace: Animal Kingdom Thunder in Mexico City: La zona
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Foldedintothe slopes where Mount Aloia meets
the River Minhosome 20kilometres from
Galicias Atlantic edge, Tui is asmall cathedral
town, its stonyoldalleys more hushedbyday
thanat night. Wildhorses andcows traverse its
uplands, sheepgraze vacant lots off the mainroad,
andablockbeyondI foundashermanworking
atinytributaryof the Minho. Coffee lovers are
directedacross the mainriver toPortugal for a
better-caffeinatedlife, but this is the place tobe
for succulent polbo feira(octopus), heartycaldo
Gallego (hamsoup) andother local delicacies.
It almost feels abreachof condence toreport,
but Tui alsohosts one of the most exquisite of
lmfestivals, entirelyapt tothe surroundings.
SaraGarca-Villanueva andAngel Sanchez
beganPlay-Doc in2005, invitingamere handful
of admireddocumentaries andtheir makers;
nine years later the budget remains minimal
andthe programme is, if anything, evenmore
paredaway: one theatre hosts atotal of 17
screenings over ve days, includingave-lm
international competitionandtworetrospectives.
The condent curation, relaxedtimetable
anddisarminghospitalityall instil amoodof
extreme receptiveness tounconventional
nonctionmovies andbeyondthat seemed
tobe sharedbythe local layviewers. But you
dont have totake mywordfor it: eachyear the
festival invites aprevious years retrospective
guest tointroduce the newprogramme, so
at www.play-doc.comyoucanreadarelay
of eulogies fromRoss McElwee, Marcel
ozinski, JayRosenblatt, Audrius Stonys, Lech
Kowalski, Pepe Coira andDaniel Dominguez.
I trust Albert Maysles is nowworkingup
his welcome note tonext years edition.
The festival alsoserves tohold(or lift) up
current Galiciancinema toaglobal standard.
Local lms have not onlygrowntheir wayfrom
anAtlntico sidebar intotheir ownshowcase,
but frequentlycompete inthe SeccinOcial
competition; the past twoyears have seenOliver
Laxes YouAre All Captains (in2011) andXurxo
Chirros Vikinglandride out winners. Under the
circumstances it almost seemedthe juryon
whichI joinedViennale director Hans Hurchand
Portuguese critic andprogrammer Lus Miguel
Oliveira was spoilingthe partybynot festooning
EloyEncisoCachafeiros Arraianos, arichlypoised
andaskance portrait of acloisteredGalician
border village alreadypraisedinthese pages in
reports fromLocarnoandSeville. I alsocaught
Lois Patios Montaaensombra(Mountains in
Shadow), acrisplystunning14-minute studyin
longshot of ski mountains andskiers whichtoys
withshifts of soundandlight andlocal regular
Marcos Nines Abrecha(The Gap), adextrous
celluloidblowout whichmight entertainanyone
curious towatchaStanBrakhage making-of.
Brought intofocus bythe classic vrit
collaborations withhuckster-performers (The
Beatles, The RollingStones, TrumanCapote, Bible
salesmenandthe Beales of GreyGardens) that
Maysles brought us, questions of documentary
observationandself-presentationspanned
the ve competitionlms. Beautifullyhewn,
AlessandraCelesiaMcIlduffs The Bookseller
of Belfast hungout impressionisticallywith
aNorthernIrishsage andsurvivor andthree
younger aspirants topaint arefreshingsense of
Belfast community. Melanie ShatzkyandBrian
M. Cassidys The PatronSaints, anelegiac portrait
of ananonymous Americannursinghome for the
aged, is challengingonmore thanone level, the
patients/inmates/subjects capturedinoftenharsh
relief withunclear levels of complicity; what
brought it together was asad, acerbic voiceover by
the homes youngest lifer. Andsimilarlydesolate
withanundercurrent of humanindefatigability
was Wang(West of the Tracks) Bings Three
Sisters, another of the directors hardboiled
inscriptions of modernChinas expendables,
here childrenscratchingalivingwithlittle
adult care atopaYunnan-regionmountain.
But the lmwe couldnt stoptalkingabout was
Soas Last Ambulance, IlianMetevs y-on-the-
dashboardrecordof three ambulance workers
tryingtodotheir jobs inthe face of innumerable
collapses andcalamities across the Bulgarian
capital. A180-degree turnfromthe gaze of The
PatronSaints (or indeedThe Deathof Mr Lazarescu,
whose milieuit echoes), the lmis shot partly
like Kiarostamis 10, withanautomatic camera
oneachof the cockpits trio, andthe unstinting
focus conjures perhaps acontinents worth
of offscreenspace intimating, as we wrote in
our jurystatement, the concrete problems of
asocietyonthe brinkof social andeconomic
collapse. The lmalsoinspiredsome hero
worshipfor these three musketeers youmight
retitle it OnlyAngels Have WorkingAmbulances.
Finally, notes for another time: Nicols Guilln
Landrin, Cubandissident, electroshockrecipient
andexile, seeminglyamaster of boththe lyrical
andagit-montage modes, thoughnot somuch
the revolutionarytub-thumper. I couldnt see the
festivals secondretrospective insitusoamtrying
myresearches viaYouTube; I alsorecommend
manuelzayas.wordpress.comandChris Fujiwaras
appraisal at movingimagesource.us.
SNAPSHOTS FROMGALICIA
The Spanishcathedral town
of Tui is host toPlay-Doc,
afestival onanequallysmall
andexquisite scale
Soas Last Ambulance
inspiredsome hero worship
youmight retitle it OnlyAngels
Have WorkingAmbulances
FESTIVAL WIDE ANGLE
In cold vrit: Maysles brothers Albert, right, and David makingWith Love fromTruman with Capote Three Sisters
Soas Last Ambulance
By Sukhdev Sandhu
Circulationlies at the heart of Zurich-bornUrsula
Biemanns work. As well as movingherself
betweenmanyelds andpractices, operating
as acurator, asocial theorist, almessayist,
Biemannis bothpassionatelyandforensically
interestedinlookingat the worldthroughthe
lens of ow: the owat times obstructed, at
other times supportedbygunpower, technology
andgovernmental heft of oil, water, bodies.
InSaharaChronicle (2006-2009), anexploration
of migrationnetworks across Africa, she visits
desert-truckterminals, uraniummines, iron-ore
trains, octopus-processingplants. Elsewhere
she drifts towards border ports, transit hubs,
deportationprisons transitional spaces and
in-betweengeographies that are as politically
pivotal as better-knownmetropolises. At
all times, she is anavant-gazetteer, apoet of
capitalist infrastructures, amapmaker of
all-too-overlookedcontemporaryworlds.
Last years EgyptianChemistry, whichforms one
strandof athree-part installationcurrentlyon
displayat Germanys Neuer Berliner Kunstverein,
is asustainedinvestigationintothe politics of
water inacountrythat is increasinglyshort of
it. Ave-channel videopiece, it looks at new
schemes totransformdesert intoarable land,
examines the impact of damconstructionon
the migrationpatterns of different kinds of sh
(fat, lazytilapia are apparentlyinthe ascendant),
follows scientists as theytake water samples
tobe examinedinlaboratories. Its impossible
towatchit without thinkingof the Egyptian
uprisingof 2011, alsoknownas the Revolution
of the Thirsty owingtothe anger provokedby
risingwater rates andthe WorldBank-mandated
privatisationof public water. Yet the traditional
iconographyof resistance is absent: there are
noclose-ups of placard-wieldingprotestors,
noshots of siltedriverbanks, noimages of
dry-facedhousewives lookinganguished.
This doesnt meanthat Biemannhas
abandonedthe political concerns that have
always impelledher work; indeed, as if to
underscore the ways inwhichpolitical realities
canrupture everything(eventhe normally
rather hermetic worldof artist-lmproduction),
one of the most unexpectedepisodes involves
aninterviewwithCairo-basedspeculative-
realismphilosopher GrahamHarmanbeing
interruptedbyabombalert andthe interviewee
squirminginteargas-inducedpain. However,
its clear that almmaker whoonce described
her workas postcolonialist andwhoargued
that the lmessaywas aformparticularlywell
suitedtothe postcolonial project (because, for
example, it linkedquestions of representation
tothose of victimisationandspectacle), is here
searchingfor anaugmentedvisual language.
Earlyshots depict the Toshka NewValley
project as acompoundof Ballardianhyper-
realism, science-ctionlunar colonyandeerie
example of what the title of Jennifer Baichwals
2006documentaryabout photographer Edward
Burtynskyrefers toas ManufacturedLandscapes.
Rather thanactivists or eco-campaigners, its
the voices of electrical engineers, atmospheric
physicists andhydraulic researchers that are
heardmost loudly. Bothinthe elliptical text that
appears onscreenandinBiemanns ruminative
voiceovers, metaphors of chemistry, science
andthe cosmos take precedence; the Nile itself
is describedas ahybridsystemthat has always
beenat once organic, technological andsocial.
EgyptianChemistryis astrikingcontribution
tothe emergingbodyof moving-image workon
the topic of hydropoetics (others include Peter
BoRappmunds Psychohydrography, The Otolith
Groups HydraDecapita, AllanSekulaandNoel
Burchs The ForgottenSpace), but equallyimportant
is howits quest for posthumanaesthetics aligns
Swiss avant-gazetteer Ursula
Biemanns installationabout the
Saharasits alongside other recent
workabout the politics of water
Global connections: Deep Weather, above, links Bangladesh and Alberta; below, Egyptian Chemistry
AnEgyptiandevelopment
project seems to combine
Ballardianhyper-realismand
science-ctionlunar colony
LIQUIDASSETS
ARTISTS FILM&VIDEO WIDE ANGLE
the lmmaker withabroadrange of visual
artists whoare beginningtoinvestigatingthe
implications of livinginananthropocene era,
anewhistorical phase markedbythe impact
of humanactivities onthe earths geology.
At the Kunstverein, Biemannis alsoshowing
DeepWeather, anewnine-minute lmthat
connects the tar sands aroundFort McMurray
inNorthernAlbertawiththe coastal areas of
Bangladesh: the toxic clouds, acidwinds and
marine violence of the former will, over the
next decades, contribute tothe meteorological
derangement that maywell sinkthe latter a
linkthat Biemann, inanunusuallydramatic
move, narrates inawhisper as if she were a
harrowedmessenger fromGreektragedy, a
bearer of badtidings she hardlydares voice.
Eachelement of the installationnot only
works onits ownterms but links withand
broadens out the themes of the others. The
showcements Biemanns standingas one of
the most rigorous andrewardinglyspeculative
documentarians of the present age. It alsomakes
one wonder whyshe isnt better known. Could
it be that the worldof the lmessayis, more
thanit wouldlike tothink, amen-onlyclub?
i
Sahara Chronicle, EgyptianChemistry
andDeepWater are at the Neue Berliner
Kunstverein, Berlinuntil 28April
Filmloves water. The random
movements of seawaves or
waterfalls showedoff the new
mediums abilitysimplyto look
Gems of American Scenery
By Bryony Dixon
The spirit of our age is connectivity, made
possible or at least a hell of a lot easier by
the web. The oodof scientic andartistic as
well as mundane administrative connections
beingmade usingour newtoys (sorry, tools)
is infull spate. Inthe art world, we bandy
aroundugly but serviceable terms likemedia
specicity andintermodality. Rather more
pleasingly, web-think offers the opportunity
toexplore commonfeatures of different arts.
Inrecent years we have seenthe ourishing
of those modishsidebar programmes at the
margins of major exhibitions inwhichne art,
music, lm, photography, academic study and
museumcuratorshipndcommonground.
Recently I was involvedinone suchprogramme
at the National Maritime Museuman
exhibitionof the photographs of Ansel Adams
onthe theme of the waters edge. Drawing
out this aspect of his work reveals the extent
towhichhe usedwaterfalls (includinginhis
most famous image, ClearingWinter Storm),
rivers andstreams, geysers andice, mirror
pools, thunderous clouds andbreakingwaves.
Critics oftenrefer tohis astonishingability
tocapture the kinetic andreective qualities
of water inthe still frame. As Chloe Hodge
put it inher reviewof the exhibitiononwww.
onestoparts.com, Adams may have moved
away fromthe uffy glowof the Pictorialists
but he is evidently a ne artist, andby
nomeans a documentary photographer
treatingscenery as buildingblocks for
a photograph, tobe manipulatedinthe
darkroom, water becomes thick treacle, or ne
andfast-owingdependingonAdamss mood.
As one of a groupof curators, artists and
lmmakers askedby the museumtorespond
tothe exhibitionfor a lmweekendevent,
I hadnoprobleminidentifyingthe nexus
of early cinema andAdamss brandof still
photography, for they share this afnity.
Film, whether still or moving, loves water.
Very early lmexploitedthis phenomenon:
R.W. PaulsRoughSea at Dover (1895) and
Edisons Niagara Falls series (1896) are just
twoexamples amongmany that were shown
all over the world. The randommovements
of waves or waterfalls showedoff the new
mediumandrequirednofurther mediation
fromthe lmmaker. Unencumberedby
narrative, early lmwas viewedsimply for
the joy of looking, just as we look at nature in
real life. Audiences were already familiar with
natural views depictedinpaintings, lantern
slides, stereoscopic views andpostcards,
but the mesmerisingmovement was clearly
compelling. Todays newmedia likewise fully
exploit the simple aesthetic pleasures of water:
witness the Fluidapp, showreels promoting
newatscreenTVs or the BBC2coastal ident.
One or twoearly lms inparticular didnt
just share aesthetic or thematic groundwith
Adamss photographs but presentedexactly
the same views later made famous by him. A
short lmcalledGems of AmericanScenery
(1919) shows views of the waterfalls of Yosemite,
includingshots of Nevada Fall takenfromthe
very same viewpoint asAdamss photographs
(presumably there are only somany places
there where youcanstandwithyour camera).
The lmmaker here captures the beauty of
the cascade, the powerful smashof water on
rock androilingclouds of mist, againnding
noneedtocomment a tourists postcard
inmotion, withjust a captiontoidentify the
place. The lmis usually categorisedas a
non-ctionprogramme ller of its era, even
if its aesthetic recalls high-art imagery of the
Victoriansublime andpicturesque tendencies,
as well as lookingforwardtoAdamss
stunningstill images of the 1930s and40s.
Adams famously left people out of his
photographs, thoughwe knowthat certain
pictures were takenfroma popular car-park
viewing-point buzzingwithvisitors. Many of
the early lms, by contrast, incorporate the
tourists: the BFI National Archive inclides an
as-yet unidentiedlmfromaround1901 of Old
Faithful inYellowstone, another site famously
photographedbyAdams, inwhichtourists are
shownviewingthe famous geyser before being
transportedtothe next site by horse-drawn
carriage. But whenthe lmlters out the people,
our experience of viewingthe natural scene
edges nearer totheexperienceof viewingartists
lms or art photography. The act of connecting
similar images fromdifferent media inthis way
tells us a lot about howthese different forms
are seen, ina spectrumrangingfromgreat art
toslickly made commercial product. It also
gives us a chance toreinterpret the aesthetic
values of early lms as things of beauty.
i
Ansel Adams: Photography from
the Mountains tothe Sea is at
the National Maritime Museum,
Greenwichuntil 28April
PRIMAL SCREEN
THE WORLD OF SILENTCINEMA
Ansel Adamss iconic photographs of the American
landscape have movingcounterparts inearlycinema
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By Brad Stevens
It is oftensuggestedthat
whereas adventurous
adult cinema ourished
in1970s America,
the followingdecade
was dominatedby
crude right-wingfantasies: TopGun, the Rambo,
IndianaJones, Lethal Weapon, Back to the Future
andDie Hardseries, andsoon. But the 1980s also
producedagroupof lms radicallyopposedto
the tendencies that characterisedthe periods
biggest hits. Most of these lms were box-ofce
failures but theywere addressingnot mass
audiences but those left behindbythe wave of
conservative reassurance associatedwithRonald
Reagans presidency. Americas leftist lmmakers
were clearlydeterminedtointerrogate 1980s
Hollywoods twomainobsessions: the hero
as guarantor of patriarchal/imperialist values;
and, intimatelyrelatedtothis, the redemptive
power of masculinity. Other distinguishedlms
didappear duringthis period, but most of the
signicant titles fall neatlyintotwocategories:
1. Films that explore the problemof the hero:
Michael Ciminos Heavens Gate (1980), The Year
of the Dragon(1985) andThe Sicilian(1987); Ivan
Passers Cutters Way(1981); SidneyLumets
Prince of the City(1981); RidleyScotts Blade
Runner (1982); WilliamFriedkins To Live andDie
inL.A. (1985); Abel Ferraras Cat Chaser (1989);
entries inthe serial-killer cycle suchas Friedkins
Cruising(1980), RichardTuggles Tightrope
(1984), Michael Manns Manhunter (1986) and
James B. Harriss Cop(1987); andseveral lms
peripherallybelongingtothat cycle, including
BrianDe Palmas BlowOut (1981), Oliver Stones
The Hand(1981), DavidLynchs Blue Velvet (1986),
Tobe Hoopers The Texas ChainsawMassacre
2(1986) andJoe Dantes The Burbs (1988).
2. Films that critique masculinity. All the
above titles couldt just as easilyintothis
category, but masculinityis specicallythe focus
of MartinScorseses RagingBull (1980) andThe
Kingof Comedy(1983), StanleyKubricks The
Shining(1980) andFull Metal Jacket (1987), James
Tobacks Love andMoney(1982), De Palmas
Scarface (1983), JimMcBrides Breathless (1983),
SergioLeones Once uponaTime inAmerica(1983),
Paul Schraders Mishima: ALife inFour Chapters
(1985), George A. Romeros Dayof the Dead
(1985), Robert Altmans Fool for Love (1985), Tim
Hunters Rivers Edge (1986), NormanMailers
ToughGuys Dont Dance (1987), SamShepards
Far North(1988), Monte Hellmans Iguana(1988),
three lms specicallyabout masculinitys
consequences for womenSidneyJ. Furies The
Entity(1981), BobFosses Star 80(1983), Donald
Cammells White of the Eye (1986) andve
comedies: JerryLewiss Smorgasbord(1981),
Scorseses After Hours (1985), Elaine Mays Ishtar
(1987), Blake Edwardss SkinDeep(1989) and
Arthur Penns Penn&Teller Get Killed(1989).
Inthose lms belongingtothe rst category,
the heroviewedsounproblematicallyby
Spielberg, Stallone andLucas is subjectedto
extensive criticism, his attempts toght injustice
endingdisastrously, his decisive actions taken
toolate or inthe name of the wrongcause, his
assumptionthat there is aclear distinction
betweenhimself andthe ostensible villain
undermined, his right toassume the heroic role
calledintoquestion(Arent youthe good man?
Battyasks DeckardinBlade Runner). Cutters Way
focuses onaherowholacks bothcontext and
object, his dilemmaimbricatedwiththat crisis of
condence inAmericanvalues engenderedbythe
Vietnamwar. Cutters climactic charge onawhite
horse links himexplicitlywiththe westerner,
Americancultures heroic archetype, but does
soinawaythat undermines bothpast ideal and
present reality. This connectionis alsomade by
The Texas ChainsawMassacre 2, inwhichDennis
Hoppers obsessional police lieutenant andthe
cannibal familyhe is pursuingare associated
withwesterniconographyandVietnamis again
areference point, the familyhavingtakenrefuge
inanAlamo-themedamusement parkthat one of
themsuggests convertingintoNamLand. But the
keytitles are Heavens Gate andThe Sicilian, which
tentativelysuggest that aviable solutiontothe
problemof heroic individualism just might be
foundinsome formof collective activity; needless
tosay, theywere commercial andcritical disasters.
Inall 40of these lms, masculinityis presented
as monstrous, narcissistic, absurd, neurotic,
conformist, delusional, immature, excessive and
hauntedbythe fear that it is indistinguishable
fromits gay/female opposite, frequentlytaking
its inherent negativitytoalogical conclusion
byannihilatingitself andeverythingaroundit.
The apocalyptic nales of The Entity, Scarface,
Mishima, Dayof the Dead, Fool for Love, The Texas
ChainsawMassacre 2, White of the Eye andPenn
&Teller Get Killedare especiallyeloquent on
this last point, as are Cutters WayandCop,
bothof whichendabruptlywithcuts toblack
after their protagonists re guns at the camera/
audience. One needonlycompare MartinBrests
blockbuster BeverlyHills Cop(1984) withthe
barelyreleasedSmorgasbordtosee what 1980s
audiences requiredwhere representations
of the male bodywere concerned: inthe one
lm, Eddie Murphymoves effortlesslyacross
spaces he dominates andcontrols, muchas he
dominates andcontrols less masculine men; in
the other, JerryLewis is unable tosuccessfully
negotiate eventhe most neutral spaces, his
humiliationcompoundedbyaseries of assured
andcondent menwhoregardhis failures with
contempt (but whomwe are never askedtond
admirable). Lewiss problemis identical tothe one
encounteredbysomanymales inthese critiques
of masculinity: that of the bodyout of control, a
bodythat cannever be strongenough, attractive
enoughor disciplinedenoughtocompensate
for its owners insecurities. Lackof control is also
central tothe problematic heronarratives, whose
central characters prove incapable of controlling
events, other people or eventhemselves.
What seems most impressive about these
lms is howcoherentlytheyfunctionas agroup.
Andone reasontheydeserve re-evaluation
is that, while goodworkis still occasionally
beingdone inUScinema, there is nolonger a
coherent oppositional movement of this kind.
Insteadwe have indie directors whose attitude
of postmodernsuperiority(towards values,
viewers, characters andcinematic codes) is,
for all intents andpurposes, indistinguishable
frommainstreamHollywoods. Consider Bill
Murray, whomAndrewBrittononce describedas
radiatinganincorrigiblycynical insouciance
inrelationtothe Reaganite entertainment in
whichhe participated. But Murrayimportedthis
personaintocollaborations withauteurs Jim
Jarmusch, Wes Anderson, SoaCoppolawhose
output has far more incommonwith, say, Ghost
Busters (1984) that model of 80s reactionthan
it does withthe radical texts describedhere.
As well as machowish-fullment,
UScinemaof the 1980s offered
plentyof lms that questioned
ideas of heroismandmasculinity
All mixed up: Michael Ciminos The Sicilian
These lms present masculinity
as monstrous, narcissistic,
absurd, neurotic, conformist,
delusional, immature, excessive
RAMBOAGONISTES
BRADLANDS WIDE ANGLE
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By Michael Koresky
Whenchildrenare playingalone onthe green
Incomes the playmate that never was seen.
Whenchildrenare happyandlonelyandgood
The Friendof the Childrencomes out of the wood.
Robert Louis Stevenson, The UnseenPlaymate
Inanerasaturatedbymovies of refashioned
fairytales, trottedout less for their primal pull
thanfor their marketability, lmmakers could
learnafewthings fromBritishdirector Bernard
Roses authenticallystorybook-like Paperhouse,
whichhas the feel of aslightlyaskewchildrens
lm. Made of equal parts bone-rattlingintensity
andethereal sweetness, Paperhouse is, alongwith
all the best kids stories, aconstant negotiation
betweendreamandnightmare. And, as inthe
greatest of fairytales, the content of Roses lmis
less likelytosoothe achildtosleepthaninstil a
whole newhost of terrible anxieties. This 1988
curiosityplays as somethinglike acontemporary
variationonthose beguiling-bedevilinglullabies
inRobert Louis Stevensons AChilds Gardenof
Verses, all of which, whenreadat twilight, seem
tomake the encroachingshadows growever
longer. If the passage quotedabove gives you
ashudder rather thanawarm, fuzzyfeeling,
Roses lmwill likelyworkits magic onyou.
Judgingbymost cinephiles ignorance of
Paperhouse andthe waylmhistoryhas largely
swept JackClaytons masterpiece The Innocents
andRobert Mulligans evocative The Other under
the bassinet, the subgenre we might call Kinder-
horror wouldseemtobe one of cinemas least
embraced. Toodelicate for the gore-hounds,
tooupsettingfor the kiddies, these proceedlike
picturebooks inwhichwe growtooterriedto
turnthe page. Paperhouse is basedonayoung-
adult novel fromthe 1950s Marianne Dreams
byCatherine Storr but alteredenoughfrom
the source material toengage withthe kinds
of profoundemotional andphysical ruptures
Rose wouldlater feature inhis Hollywood
dream-slasher Candyman(1992). Paperhouse is a
Freudianworkinwhichthe protagonist behaves
inways that adhere onlytothe rationality
of her ownunconscious, awhollyinterior
lmthat envelops the viewer inthe mindof
adelirious girl onthe verge of pubescence.
Adaughter of divorcedparents wholives
withher mother inadrabsuburbanapartment
complex, 11-year-oldAnna(stoic, sullen-faced
Charlotte Burke, whomight have gone onto
acareer of playingsociopaths) is Paperhouses
Christopher Robingure, grantedthe abilityto
enter adreamworldpopulatedbyplaces and
characters of her ownmaking. This abilityis
rst brought onafter acollapse at school, when
she nds her unconscious self bangingat the
front door of anominous stone house thats the
uncannylikeness of arather haphazardimage she
has doodledinclass. Juttingout of anotherwise
untouched, windswept eld, the lonelyabode
looks like anabandonedremnant of some lost
GermanExpressionist production, slate-grey
andstrikinglydisproportioned. Findingnobody
home, Annarealises that she needs tocreate a
friendif she wants one inthis imaginaryrealm,
sobefore fallingasleeponthe seconddayshe
sketches aboys face inthe houses window.
Toosad, she says as she notes melancholyin
its expression, but shes unable toturnhis frown
upside down; her rubber might as well be a
piece of plastic as she hopelesslyrubs it across
the image. As the lmcreeps forward, Anna
begins toaddandsubtract elements toher paper
second-life, all the while forginganunmistakably
psychosexual bondwiththe boy, Marc (Elliott
Spiers), whomshe discovers has awaking-life
counterpart of the same name. Bothare sick: the
real Marc withafatal illness, the imaginaryMarc
because Annadidnt drawanylegs for him.
Well, that makes sense, inasense. These sorts
of irrational yet understandable conceits form
the strange bedrockof Paperhouse. Thus whena
brutal, boogeymanevocationof Annas largely
absent father shows upinher dreamworld, blind,
ragingandwieldingahammer, it perfectlyts
withinthe lms ownlogic, whichis basedmore
onthe fear anderoticismof the subconscious
thanontenable cause-and-effect motivations.
The startlingandif yousee this lmas achild
unforgettable gure of the daddy-ogre creates
acognitive dissonance: inreality, despite one
subtle intimationof alcoholism, Annas father
(BenCross, ahealthyjogawayfromChariots
of Fire) is aperfectlypleasant chap. That she
summons himintobeingas anappalling
maniac equallyreects her resentment and
her burgeoningsexual fascinationwiththat
lumberingbeast knownas man. After all, like
the best childrens stories, Paperhouse is atale of
growingupandfacingyour fears andbecoming
asexual beingoftencome as apackage deal.
SPILLINGOFFTHE PAGE
Paperhouse, BernardRoses eerie
lmabout agirl whoenters a
dreamworldpopulatedbyher own
creations, rewards exploration
Like all the best kids stories,
Paperhouse is aconstant
negotiationbetween
dreamandnightmare
LOSTAND FOUND WIDE ANGLE
Paperhouse offers amodest triumphinthe
productiondesignbyGemmaJacksonThe
dreamhouseis astrikinglygaunt structure
onaperilouslybleaklandscape, its interiors
openingout withuneasyperspectives andcruel
shadows worthyofCaligari. As theyslowly
accumulatefurniture, therooms become
suitablyeeriemetaphors of disorder, abizarre
mental parallel tothegirls ownclutteredhome
where, bycontrast, thecolours aredeceptively
luxurious. Filmedwithsomeappealingswoops
andglides byMikeSouthons camera, the
hauntedresidencegrows increasinglyforbidding
under siege, nallysinkingUsher-likeintoa
splendidinfernoof ame. Anadventuruous
choiceas arst
featurefor rock-video
director Bernard
Rose,Paperhouse
compensates for
hesitations inall
other departments
bysuchgratifyingly
frequent displays of
visual panache.
PhilipStrick,
Monthly Film
Bulletin, June 1989
WHATTHE PAPERS SAID
To the lighthouse: Paperhouse
By Chris Petit
AlthoughI gave updirectinglms inany
acceptedsense in1984after myfourthfeature
Chinese Boxes, I never gave upthe business of
lming, however muchthe business gave up
onme; nocall frommylmagent in20years!
Anylmmakingis amatter of positionand
strategyand, althoughwithinthe broader
spectrumI was neither artynor commercial
enough, I thought it possible tomake acareer
of transit whicheventuallyhappened, but
not howI hadimagined. At the time I couldnt
reallysee what I hadtocontribute tothat beast
calledBritishcinema. Not until over adecade
later, experimentinginthe margins that still
existedintelevision, didit become possible
for me tomake the sort of scaled-down, tight
collaborations I felt comfortable with.
The time whenI rst stoppedmaking
lms coincidedwiththe passingof acertain
kindof cinema. Its decline was reectedin
the closingof Londonart houses suchas the
AcademyinOxfordStreet in1986(demolished
three years later, includingits marquee and
restaurant designedbyphotographer Angus
McBean) andthe Paris Pullman, which
shut in1983after showingVeronikaVoss. In
retrospect the deaththe year before of that
lms director, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, came
tomarkthe endof aEuropeanart cinemathat
hadourishedsince the endof the war.
It is extraordinarytothinknowthat Channel
4once ranamajor retrospective of Godardor
that Chinese Boxes got shownonBBC2after a
Liberal partypolitical broadcast. Youwouldnd
it extremelyhardtocome across either asubtitled
lmor anythinglike the latter ontelevision
today, despite the proliferationof channels. The
BBCs agshipcultural programme, Imagine,
has proledjust twolmmakers in21series,
one of themdead. Film4is aprogramming
shambles. At least it shows older movies where
noone else does, currentlyajoblot fromthe
1950s and60s (BloodAlley, The BedfordIncident,
GunFury), but I couldnt ndasingle subtitled
lmshowingthis weekother thanthe bizarre
exceptionof Dreyers austere Ordet, screened
at 1.25am. This isnt necessarilyabadthing,
just indicative of televisions inabilityto
cope or redene itself inthe digital age. With
televisions abandonment of cinema, it is
increasinglyleft tothe art worldtoappropriate,
if not cinema, thenthe ideaof cinemathrough
aseries of mostlymechanical exercises.
In2010I made Content for More 4, conceived
as aninformal codatoRadio On(1979). When
Ghost world: by the timeContent was made in 2010, the Lumire brothers would not have recognised lmmaking there was no lmand no linear assembly
I startedthinkingof lms that had
never got made, alost pantheon
of abandonedscreenplays, busted
careers andcensoredmoments
Inanerainwhichmainstreamtelevisionhas nallyabandonedcinema, it is increasinglyleft tothe art worldto
appropriate, if not cinema, thenthe ideaof cinema. The Museumof Loneliness is aphilosophical explorationof
the realmof post-cinema, avast image bankwaitingtobe uneditedandstitchedtogether inunexpectedways
POSTMORTEM
VIEWPOINT
Forum
DEBATE AND OPINION
in1979. Whether it deserves tobe remembered
is not the point: the forgettable maybe less
interestingper se, but what makes it forgettable
alsomakes it interesting, andisnt it the fate of all
cinematobecome forgettable? Avalanche Express
stands for aparticular kindof industrial product
andnancingandstar rankingandis of archival
interest interms of its making, whichmust
have beenmore thanusuallywildor stressful
because it nishedoff director MarkRobsonand
star Robert Shaw, bothof whomdiedof heart
attacks duringshooting. Director Monte Hellman
was brought intosupervise post-production.
Out of suchidle morningviewings came the
decisiontowatchdaytime TVuninterruptedfor a
fortnight, simplybecause it was largelyuncharted
white space andrepresentedsome kindof nal
frontier. The Guardiancommissionedapiece
andnever ranit after I declinedeither toprovide
aplausible journalistic reasonfor watching
suchtelevisionor tolet themphotograph
me doingso. The rejectioncontributedtothe
notionof ndingless personal ways of dealing
withthese kinds of projects, outside the usual
bylines, especiallyas we all seemedtohave
embarkedonajourneythroughcinemaand
beyond, bothobvious celluloidtomemory
stickandless obvious, involvingeverything
fromdeadTVandvast electro-magnetic slums.
I becamemildlyobsessedwithaudioandvisual
junk: call waiting, elevator announcements,
obsoleteweather andtrafcreports, all the
visual craponYouTubeandsomanyburgeoning
andover-documentedvirtual lives. I wanted
tobede-Googled. I grewimpatient with
standardcategories: cinema, television, feature,
documentary, lmandtape; fromwhat I couldsee,
it was all animagebankwaitingtobeunedited
andstitchedtogether innewandunexpected
ways. I startedthinkingof lms that hadnever got
made, alost pantheonof abandonedscreenplays,
censoredmoments andbustedcareers. I decided
aMuseumof Loneliness couldusefullydedicate
itself tosiftingsuchareas, mindful of Bressons
quotethat all thegreat militarybattles were
fought andwonintheinterstices of staff maps.
Fromthis came the ideaof ananti-pantheon
for whichthere is nostrict denitionother than
we were workingonthe lm, it occurredto
me that, hadthe Lumire brothers visitedthe
lmingor editingof Radio On, theywouldhave
seenaprocess not sodissimilar totheir own,
but bythe time of Content theywouldhave
recognisedverylittle. Things hadpassedfrom
the mechanical tothe invisible: nolm, nomore
physical linear assembly. AroundthenI began
tothinkinterms of apost-cinema, basedpartly
onthe experience of makingthe lmNegative
Space (1999) withthe critic andpainter Manny
Farber (at atime whenthere was muchgeneral,
premature talkof the deathof cinema) andthe
short lmSurveillance (1993), whose camera-
machines amountedtothe rst post-human
cinema. Inashort ve or six-year periodaround
the turnof the centuryit became possible to
treat everylmproject like anexperimental
laboratory, playingwiththe feature-lmimage,
splittingit, reframing, relming, concentrating
onbackgroundrather thanforeground, treating
celluloidanddigital as thoughit were aclash
of titans. Not that we were reinventinglm,
but we were turningit intosomethingelse:
fragments seenlike artifacts of alost civilisation.
The experiments reectedFarbers belief that
space, not narrative, is the most signicant
element of lmand, as Godardsaidof Hitchcock
inHistoire(s) ducinma, howdetails suchas the
glass of milkinSuspicionstayinthe mindlong
after their narrative point is forgotten; they
transcendthe original tobecome lm-as-memory.
As Godardshowed, cinemacreates its own
memorybankthroughthe process of being
viewed. I hadinstinctivelystumbledonthe
same point whenaskedtocontribute toaSight
&SoundcolumncalledObsessions in1993.
Rather thanproduce the usual essayI decideda
more appropriate approach, giventhe subject,
wouldbe tomake astaccatolist of ickers or
lmfragments (againbasedonsomething
Godardhadsaidabout lmmoments), usually
unrelatedtothe mainthrust of the lm,
whichremindedyouthat youwere alive.
In2010, tryingtothinkof strategic ways of
advancingthis notionof post-cinema, I came
upwiththe ideaof aMuseumof Loneliness,
whichfedintowider notions of non-place and
transit. It was conceivedas ananti-institution
aparasite workingthroughother bodies
because institutional thinkingwas showing
itself incapable of readingthe modernworld.
Its concept of loneliness referrednot toangst
but toits foundingobservationthat modern
lifes primaryrelationshipis nolonger human
but withthe screen, actual andpsychological,
makingeverywhere connectedandunconnected,
lonelyandnot lonelyat the same time.
The image bankexplodedwiththe digital
revolution, makingprevious categories
insufcient. Post-cinemaexists beyondthe
usual boundaries of lmculture, dependingnot
onaesthetic judgement but onacombination
of anthropological andpersonal memoryand
forgetting, ineffect acontinuationof terrain
mappedout byChris Marker. So, for example,
alargelyforgettable Hollywoodlmsuchas
Avalanche Express becomes averydifferent
experience watchedonTVinthe middle of the
dayin2010thanat apress screeningonits release
notions of opposite andobscurity, andof terminal
cinema, perhaps, andanti-curation. IainSinclair
foundacopyof BuddBoettichers last lmATime
For Dying(1969) inaremainder bininHastings
andpassedit onwiththe informationthat it was
interesting. It was, andashocktoo, completely
unlike Boettichers laconic classic westerns. It was
garrulous, noisyandjaundicedinits depictionof
drunkenhangingjudges, psychotic aggression
andsexual coercion. AccordingtoSinclair, the
lmwas done as afavour toits nominal star
Audie Murphy, whowas inhocktothe Las Vegas
mob, andit was made as amoney-laundering
exercise; anunfortunate decline byany
conventional assessment, but watchedaskance it
stands inantithesis to, as well as beingasummary
of, acareer. It is bothdeparture anddistillation.
I thought people might get tohear of the
Museumof Loneliness or it might exist in
obscurity, bothstances equallyvalid. Infact it has
beenbusy, curatinganonline seasonfor Curzon
onDemandinaneffort totrytochange the usual
viewingexpectations of lmprogramming. It
alsoseemedappropriate that it shouldsucceed
aseasonbyScott Walker, whose career remains
exemplarybythe standards of anymuseumof
loneliness. Last year I was amongfour writers
approachedbyTest Centre, ayoungpublishing
outt dedicatedtothe writtenandspokenword,
tomake anLP. Havingalways paidattention
tosoundwhenwatchingandmakinglms,
I wonderedwhether it wouldbe possible to
produce somethingmore like asoundtrack
thanBook at Bedtime bytakingthe experience
of cinemaandtryingtomake fromit acinema
without cinema, sotospeak. Without realising,
this is perhaps what I have beentryingtodoall
along: mybookRobinson(1993) was anattempt
tocarryonmakingimages byproducingaprose
lmdisguisedas anovel. WhenEmmaMatthews
andI were composingthe soundtrackfor the
installationFlyingDownto Rio (2011) for the
SketchGalleryit occurredtous howlittle the
cinematic memorybankhas beensampledfor
abstract soundcollages. For the albumMuseum
of Loneliness, the oldSight &SoundObsessions
piece was reworkedbyMordant Music (which
haddone Misinformationfor the BFI) intoa
Krapps Last Tape of cinemafragments, leaving
me towonder whether the realmof post-cinema
evenneeds pictures. Perhaps not, because, as
Godardonce said, everythingis cinema.
i
Chris Petits CurzononDemand
programme runs fromthe endof April.
TheMuseumof Loneliness LPis out now
Avalanche Express Suspicion
I thought people might get to
hear of the Museumof Loneliness
or it might exist inobscurity
bothstances equallyvalid
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Letters are welcome, and should be
addressed to the Editor at Sight &Sound,
BFI, 21 StephenStreet, LondonW1T 1LN
Fax: 02074362327 Email: S&S@b.org.uk
TOPHAT
Inlight of HannahMcGills fascinating
Object Lesson (S&S, March), its interesting
torevisit the Coens Millers Crossing, almin
whichthe hat plays aprominent symbolic
role. Inthis case, the lmappears tobelong
tothe gangster genre, not the western.
Throughout the lm, the fedorawornbyTom
Reagan(Gabriel Byrne) is thefocus of considerable
attention. He is rarelyonscreenwithout it, losing
holdof it onlywhenbeaten, havinglost at cards
tohis lover Verna(MarciaGayHarden), or when
heldat gunpoint inthe woods byEddie Dane
(J.E. Freeman). At one point Reaganreports a
dreaminwhich, while walkinginthe woods, the
windcame upandblewme hat off aglimpse
of whichappears tobe showntous inthe title
sequence. Tothe extent that the cowboyhat
represents (inMcGills words) anuncomplicated,
effective masculinity andanearthypurity
whichbelongs tothe wilderness, Reagans
hat represents amore complex, compromised
character whobelongs tothe city, whose
masculinityis questioned(Youdsooner joina
ladies league thangunaguydown, says Dane).
However, as McGill reminds us, the cowboy
hat is alsoasymbol of Americancorruption,
of blackmarketeering, smugglingand
theft. Inthis respect, then, Reaganis atrue
cowboy. Perhaps this makes Millers Crossing
anunorthodoxcontributiontothe western
genre, anticipatingnot onlythe Coens True
Grit but alsoThe BigLebowski, withits own
Dude, tumbleweedand, of course, Stetson.
Daniel Whiting, Southampton
ZEROTOLERANCE
CallumReidsupports his defence of Zero Dark
Thirty(Letters, S&S, April) bycitingthe ght
re withre speechfromThe Life andDeath
of Colonel Blimp. This misses the point. The
questionraisedinGuyWestwells review(S&S,
February) isnt whether torture is justiedin
ghtingadeadlyenemy, but whether or not
Zero Dark Thirtyis anhonest piece of art. Didthe
authors of the lmmake amorallyexplosive
factual error inthe tellingof atrue story? The
answer seems tobe yes: theypresentedthe use
of torture as beinginstrumental tothe detection
of OsamabinLaden. Didtheyacknowledge
the error whenconfrontedwithit? The answer
here is no: theyeither deniedit or sidestepped
it byaddressingadifferent questionthat the
depictionof torture is not anendorsement of
it. Westwell is right the picture smells shy.
But onthe questionMr Reiddoes raise in
respect of Colonel Blimp, lets not forget that that
lmwas made at atime whenBritainfaceda
far greater threat thanIslamist terrorism.
Paul Cunningham, SouthKorea
POLLREFLECTIONS
Its nice tosee arange of lms selectedinthe
context of the Sight &Soundpoll (The Greatest
Films of All Time, September 2012). Films chosen
include ones that might be aminute long, or
reect other forms andcontexts of viewingor
re-viewing. Shorter works bylmmakers like
Bruce Baillie, Robert Beavers, MayaDerenand
Margaret Tait appear in[voters] selections,
alongside feature-lengthworks. Examples
fromthe directors poll include JoannaHogg
choosingAPortrait of GabyMargaret Tait
andApichatpongWeerasethakul selecting
Valentinde las Sierras byBruce Baillie (as didI).
Lookingat these selectedworks onthe poll
database canleadtopaths throughachanging
prole of lm. The output of some lmmakers,
interms of the number of lms theymade,
means that theymight receive votes spread
almost individuallyover anumber of lms,
andare therefore less visible inthe results
(Beavers andBrakhage beingtwoexamples).
Peter Todd, London
SAYINGYESTONO
Its interestingtoreadCharles Gants columnon
No (The Numbers, S&S, April), andthe success
of the lmis tobe celebrated. It was the second-
highest performinglmat Curzoncinemas
throughout February. Myeyebrows were among
those that were indeedraisedbythe decision
toplayNo as part of aDiscover Tuesdays slot so
close torelease. The results were terric, andif
more people got tosee the lmnationwide, then
somuchthe better. As anexhibitor whogave
astrongcommitment tothe lmonrelease,
however, it does begthe questionas tothe future
of specialisedlms, especiallyinthe regions.
Is almsuchas No reallyconsideredtobe
worthjust aTuesday-eveningshowing? Its
commercial prospects always struckme as
stronger thanthat. I wonder what the long-
termprognosis is for cinemaoutside the West
EndandLondonif titles suchas this are only
giventhe potential toplayfor asingle day.
JasonWood, director of programming,
CurzonCinemas
WORKINGTITLES
Mywife andI are keencinemagoers andwe
visit our local art cinemathe Cornerhouse
inManchester practicallyeveryweek. Last
weekwe sawGangs of Wasseypur. Unfortunately
the subtitles for some parts of the lmwere
unreadable, ie white onwhite, whichof
course spoiledthe lmfor us. Earlier inthe
weekI sawthe lmNo andthe subtitles were
inyellow, andtheywere easytoread.
Is it possible toaskthat lms be subtitled
ineither yellowor astripof blackalong
the base of the print where of course
the subtitles wouldbe inwhite?
KennethGold, Bury, Lancashire
Additions andcorrections
April p.80NeighbouringSounds, Cert 15, 131m26s, 11,829ft +0frames;
p.90Dragon, Cert 15, 98m0s, 8,820ft +0frames;
p.92Home (Yurt), Cert 12A, 76m30s, 6,885ft +0frames;
p.94Inthe House, Cert 15, 105m6s, 9,459ft +0frames;
p.95ALate Quartet, Cert 15, 105m39s, 9,508ft +8frames;
p.100Papadopoulos &Sons, Cert 15, 108m44s, 9,786ft +0frames;
p.102Reincarnated, Cert 18, 96m7s, 8,650ft +8frames
Marchp.82Compliance, Cert 15, 90m24s, 8,136ft +0frames;
p.88Babeldom, Cert 15, 84m17s, 7,585ft +8frames
READERS LETTERS
FORUM FEEDBACK
Indecades of writings onOzu(above),
descriptions of the style of his later lms (xed
camera positionetc) have beenrepeatedoften
enoughthat misleadingslips occasionally
occur. Thelongunbrokentakethat Philip
Kempmentions inhis reviewof the DVDof
Ozus gangster lms (Home Cinema, S&S,
April) is pretty muchabsent fromOzu.
Ona relatedpoint, OzusJapaneseness,
as withall Japanese things, is a fascinating
construct. But inattributingthe phrase
the most Japanese of all directorssolely
toDonaldRichie, the complexity of whats
happeningis elided. Richie actually wrote, the
manwhomhis kinsmenconsider the most
Japanese, andsothe meaningof these words
lies outside Richies empirical judgement.
Ozus currency as particularlyJapanese stems
fromdialectics at play withinandwithout the
lms, andwithinandwithout Japanitself.
TomVincent, lmprogrammemanager,
National MediaMuseum, Bradford
LETTER OFTHE MONTH
RICHIE PICKINGS
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Peter Bradshaw,
THE GUARDIAN
IN CINEMAS
26 APRIL
ONE OF THE FILMS I MOST
WANT TO SEE AGAIN IN 2013.
Jonathan Romney,
SIGHT AND SOUND
++++
THIS VERY RUSSIAN
TRAGEDY IS A JEWEL
Fionnuala Halligan,
SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
ONE OF THE VERY BEST WAR MOVIES IN RECENT YEARS
Jonathan Romney, THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
++++
Geoff Andrew, TIME OUT
www.newwavelms.co.uk
www.newwavelms.co.uk
onDVD
AvailableonDVDand
download13May
l Includes documentary on
Bruno Dumont and the sound-mix
AvailableonDVDand
download27May
l Includes an exclusive
interviewwith Cristi Puiu
Order from
Aurora
Cristi Puiu
The follow-up to The Death of
Mr Lazarescu is the ultimate
slow-burn film, following the
apparently banal life of a man,
played by Puiu himself,
whose nervousness and
unease is gradually revealed
as the prelude to revenge.
A technical and emotional

tour-de force. A great addition
to the so-called Romanian
NewWave
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
This quotidian portrait of a
man contemplating violence
builds in the mindCinemas
own Crime and Punishment.
Nick James
Sight &Sound
One of the most distinctive

artists working in the
cinema anywhere today
Puius special approach
ensures that Aurora rings
unusually true. Superb stuf.
Geoff Andrew,
Time Out
Hors Satan
Bruno Dumont
Amysterious drifter played by
the late David Dewaele prays,
poaches and occasionally solves
problems faced by the locals
with violence or some kind of
exorcism. Acharacter beyond
God or Satan this is Bruno
Dumonts universe, here in
Hors Satan in its most distilled
and unsettling form.
Dumonts flm-making is just

so fuent, unnerving, gripping;
he is entirely unique
Peter Bradshaw
The Guardian
Probably his greatest flm,
its a brilliant distillation of his
customary themesIt shows
Dumont is world-class, right
at the top of his game.
Kieron Corless
Sight &Sound
Mesmerising, beatifc,
disturbing.
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
We think its kinda brilliant.
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
99 The Look of Love
Steve Coogan precipitated the lmand apparently had his Paul
Raymond impression honed by the rst meeting, yet somehowthe
end result lacks the sense of purpose and the sheer larkiness that
he and Winterbottombrought to their previous feature projects
78 Films of the month 86 Films 110 Home Cinema 122 Books
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ReviewedbyTrevor Johnston
The target has beenidentied. Avehicle
drivingthroughabuilt-upareais there inthe
crosshairs. The order tore couldtake out
anenemyterrorist, but whoelse is travelling
withthem? Innocent individuals wholl also
perish? What about passers-byonthe street?
Howmanyordinaryfamilies couldsuffer in
the collateral damage of asingle word?
Thinkabout it andits adauntingtask
toplayGod, but one thats adailyprospect
for the chief of the ShinBet, Israels internal
securityservice. Under the mottothe unseen
shield, its ofcers workinsecrecy, identities
unknowntooutsiders, the sole exception
beingthe headof the organisation. Ina
remarkable coup, lmmaker Dror Morehhas
persuadednofewer thansixformer ShinBet
directors totalkopenlyoncameraabout their
experience of frontline operations. Intime,
The Gatekeepers delivers adetailedaccounting
of their battle-hardenedruminations, but
before that it opens withaerial surveillance
AvrahamShalomandhis colleagues are there
because theyhave somethingtosay.
The startlingandauthoritative result bears
that out, for while we might expect aringing
endorsement of the ShinBets ongoingmission
tomaintainthe securityof the state of Israel,
what we get, across the boardfrominterviewees
whose service was decades apart, is agrim
assessment of the bitter legacyof the Palestinian
resentment spurredbytheir activities We
wantedmore security, we got more terror,
asserts one of their number. Moreover, the
witnesses alsotake totaskIsraels current
political leadershipfor its absence of visionin
movingbeyondinterminable attritional conict
towards alastingpolitical solution. The tragedy
of Israels public securitydebate, reckons Ami
Ayalon, the former naval commander who
footage layingout, as describedabove, the stark
consequences of anywould-be surgical strike.
Life canbe snuffedout inaninstant, comes
the message fromthese oldwarriors but
memories linger for years, decades even. Faces
inthe mirror, images inthe wee small hours.
Because of whothese menare andwhat theyve
done, some viewers will ndthemselves in
staunchideological oppositiontothe likes
of AvrahamShalomandCarmi Gillon. But
before the arguments canevenbegin, Morehs
lmmakes the fundamental point that, while
theycertainlyhave bloodontheir hands,
rightlyor wrongly, these subjects deserve the
dignityof their humanitybeingrecognised.
Inassertingthat members of the Israeli
militaryhave feelings too, The Gatekeepers
aligns itself withAri Folmans 2008lmWaltz
withBashir (adocumentarypredecessor rather
different informfromMorehs relatively
conventional interview-and-archive
assemblage) andindeedwithctional
counterparts like Samuel Maozs Lebanon(2009).
Still, the bulkof Morehs lmgoes much
further inprovidingafrankandchallenging
analysis of the wider context, somethingthose
earlier offerings largelyoptedtosidestep. Much
as one might credit the lmmakers evident
powers of persuasioningettingthese former
intelligence commanders toline upindividually
before the camera, theres alsoasense that
Out of the shadows: Yaakov Peri, one of six former Shin Bet directors to talk openly on camera in Dror Morehs The Gatekeepers
The Gatekeepers
Israel/France/Belgium/Germany/
Canada/The Netherlands/Sweden/
Denmark/Norway/Finland 2012
Director: Dror Moreh
Certicate 15 100m45s
Carmi Gillon speaks out
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headedthe ShinBet from1996to2000, is that
we dont realise we face afrustratingsituation
inwhichwe wineverybattle but lose the war.
Withsuchincendiaryopinionon
offer, it might have beenatemptationfor
cinematographer-turned-director Morehtolay
out these testimonies endtoend, since the words
themselves are hardlylackinginimpact (not
without reasondoes YaakovPeri, ShinBet head
from1988to1994, suggest that after retiring
fromthis job, youbecome abit of aleftie).
What makes the lmsosatisfying, though, is
the appreciable craft withwhichthe material
is organisedandpresented, lteredthrougha
post-1967historical overviewthat allows the
interviewees toreect onthe shiftingdemands
of eachnewpolitical anddiplomatic era, and
intercut witharchive footage reectingthe
transformationof the imageryof conict across
the decades. Thus we gofrompaternalist old-
school newsreels of the Six-DayWar, tostreet-
level TVcameraworkcapturingthe deance
of Palestinianopposition, tothe nowfamiliar
aerial surveillance images that encourage the
viewers complicitywiththe all-powerful
aggressor as missile strikes hit their targets.
Positionedwithinanoverall production-design
context that cleverlydraws onthe iconography
of espionage (lingcabinets, CCTVmonitors,
shadowydetentioncentres), the changing
perspectives tracedbythese various archive
formats productivelyencourage the viewer to
lookmore closelyat howthe mediapresent the
unfoldingstoryof the Israeli-Palestinianconict.
Its the revelations offeredbythe interviewees
that are the real meat of the matter, however,
indicatingsomanyshades of moral uncertainty
behindthe seeminglyimplacable public face
of Israeli state securitypolicy. Whether its
the ShinBets reorganisationinthe light of
another millionadditional potentiallyhostile
Palestiniancitizens withinIsraels expanded
borders after the Six-DayWar, its beingcaught
unawares bythe First Intifadain1987or failing
toprevent the assassinationof PMYitzhak
RabinbyaZionist extremist in1995, the lm
delivers apacy, agile narrative reectingthe
mens viewthat operational setbacks andtactical
efcacyalike are underminedbyongoing
questions of the moral authorityof their orders.
Nocoincidence, then, that asimilar sort of
doubt surfacedinthe ctionalisedenvirons
of StevenSpielbergs Munich(2005), though
the focus there was onthe lethal exploits of
the ShinBets sister organisationMossad.
Inaway, debate over the use of force is tobe
expectedinthis documentarycontext, though
theres quite adiversityof positions outlinedhere:
Shaloms shockingadmissionthat he authorised
the killingof capturedterrorists whodhijacked
abus; the detailingof the precise circumstances
inwhichenhancedpressure is permittedduring
suspect interrogations; anexpressionof defeat
whenarare chance totake out anentire cadre of
high-value Palestiniantargets inone locationis
missedthroughpolitical cautionover collateral
damage. Hawkishness is denitelyevident,
especiallyfromMessrs ShalomandGillon, but
whats especiallypotent anddisarmingis how
the lmbuilds toanunequivocallydespairing
conclusion. The future is dark, reects Shalom,
whoexpresses aseemingconsensus opinion
amonghis compadres onthe urgent needtoseek
atwo-state solution, undercut byanequallyclear
assessment that the toxic combinationof hardline
securitypolicyandapolitical leadershipwith
little genuine taste for compromise renders such
asolutionextremelyunlikelyanytime soon.
Evenmore extraordinary, whenAyalonlikens
Israels current security-rst relationshipwith
the Palestinianterritorytothe Germanarmys
repressive occupationof PolandandHolland
duringWWII, he appears tostophimself using
acertainN-wordtodescribe the crueltywhich,
inhis opinion, has permeatedhis countrymen
after decades of conict. Moments suchas these
exemplifyhowthis ercelyintelligent lmis
likelytochallenge political assumptions across
the spectrum, but it is inthe endapartisanview,
anact, however brutallyhonest, of self-analysis
fromthe perspective of those for whomthe
continuingexistence of anIsraeli state is never
inquestion. As such, its perhaps advisable, if one
is seekingasense of the wider picture, toview
it alongside, say, EmadBurnat andGuyDavidis
recent 5BrokenCameras, avividandequally
partisanportrait of the sufferings of ordinary
Palestinians onthe receivingendof Israeli
securityoperations. Its temptingtowonder
toowhether the same conundrumof squaring
long-termpeace withthe demands of daily
violent actionis playedout amongthe command
structure onthe Palestinianside, but well almost
certainlynever hear those voices as we dohere,
since the ShinBet has silencedsomanyof them.
Life can be snuffed out in an
instant, comes the message
fromthese old warriors
but memories linger for
years, decades even
Adocumentary in which the six surviving former
heads of Israels interior security service, the
Shin Bet, are interviewed. They explain howtheir
daily duties involved life-or-death decisions which
continue to haunt them. Their testimony is intercut
with archive footage contextualising their comments.
The expansion of Israels borders in 1967 after the
Six-Day War placed an extra million potentially
hostile Palestinians under Israeli authority, creating
for the Shin Bet a massive surveillance challenge
which it approached via the recruitment of informers
and a programme of arrests and interrogation.
Resentment in the Palestinian community prompted
an ongoing terror campaign, which tested the Shin
Bets ability to respond while remaining within the
law. With its moral authority in question, the Shin
Bet also failed to anticipate the First Intifada from
1987 onwards, which seriously escalated the security
challenge and led to the diplomatic engagement
that produced the OsloAccords. The creation of the
PalestinianAuthority provided the Shin Bet with
partners in surveillance, but an upsurge in militant
rocket attacks on Israel put pressure on PMYitzhak
Rabin fromthe Israeli right; his assassination in
1995 and the Shin Bets arrest of Jewish religious
terrorists demonstrated the threat fromradicals
within the Israeli establishment. The consensus
among the interviewees is that the subsequent lack
of real political engagement with the Palestinians has
been a serious mistake, placing Israel in a hopeless
situation military and technological might has
brought victory in every battle but defeat in the
war, leaving the state devoid of moral credibility.
Producers
Dror Moreh
EstelleFialon
PhilippaKowarsky
Cinematographer
Avner Shahaf
Editor
OronAdar
Production
Designer
DoronKoren
Original Music
AbOvo
Jrme
Chassagnard
Rgis Baillet
SoundDesign
Alex Claude
Dror Moreh
Productions, Les
Films duPoisson,
LePremier Poisson,
Cinephil, Mac
Guff, WildHeart
Productions,
ARTEFrance,
NDR, IBA, RTBF
Production
Companies
Dror Moreh
Productions, Les
Films duPoisson,
Cinephil, WildHeart
Productions present
inco-productionwith
ARTEFrance, IBA
Israeli Television
- Channel 1, NDR
- Norddeutscher
Rundfunk, RTBF-
BelgianTelevision
andMac Guff, CBS
RadioCanada
withthesupport of
National Centreof
Cinematography and
theMovingImage,
MEDIAProgramme
of theEuropean
Union, Rgionle-de-
France, Rabinovich
Foundation- Cinema
Project, Israel
FilmCouncil,
ProcirepAngoa
Almby Dror Moreh
Aco-production
of Dror Moreh
Productions, Les
Films duPoisson,
Cinephil
WildHeart
Productions, Mac
Guff, ARTEFrance,
UnitSocit
et Culture, IBA
Israeli Television
- Channel 1, NDR
- Norddeutscher
Rundfunk, RTBF-
BelgianTelevision
Withthe
participationof RTS
- RadioTlvision
SuisseDocumentary
Department, VPRO,
CBCRadio-Canada,
SwedishEducational
Broadcasting
Company, Danish
Broadcasting
Corporation,
Norwegian
Broadcasting
Corporation, YLE
andthesupport of
National Centreof
Cinematography and
theMovingImage,
NewTechnologies in
Production&COSIP,
MEDIAProgramme
of theEuropean
Union, Rgionle-
de-France, together
withtheC.N.C.
This lmwas
producedwith
thesupport of
TheRabinovich
Foundationfor the
Arts - CinemaProject
Withthe
participationof
theLeonRecanati
Foundation
Supportedby
theCultural
Administration,
Israel Ministry
of Cultureand
Sport, TheIsrael
FilmCouncil,
PROCIREP- Socit
des Producteurs
andANGOA
Producedwiththe
endorsement of
Copro- Documentary
Marketing
Foundation.R.A.
Visions duRel
Sunny Side
of theDoc
With
AvrahamShalom
Yaakov Peri
Carmi Gillon
Ami Ayalon
Avi Dichter
Yuval Diskin
Dolby Digital
InColour
[1.85:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
Metrodome
DistributionLtd
9,067 ft +8frames
Credits and Synopsis
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Reviewedby HannahMcGill
Spoiler alert: this review
reveals a plot twist
It was kindof myfault,
except not at all, one man
says of anothers deathin
Sergei Loznitsas solemnmoral epic, adaptedby
the director froma1989novel byVasil Bykov.
Shiftingplanes of responsibility, onwhich
the slightest decisionbyone individual can
tipothers intocatastrophe, characterise the
philosophical settingof aworkthat takes as
its central premise aterrible irony: that aman
sparedanunjust deathshouldndsurvival
aninnitelycrueller sentence for acrime
that he didnt commit inthe rst place.
Sushenya(Vladimir Svirski) is arailway
worker inNazi-occupiedBelarus whofails in
his attempts todissuade hot-headedco-workers
fromsabotagingatrainandis consequently
implicatedintheir plot. The others are hanged,
but the investigatingNazi commander (Vlad
Ivanov, playinganother memorable monster after
the abortionist inCristianMungius 4Months, 3
Weeks and2Days) offers Sushenyaanout if hell
collaborate andinsightfullyrecognises, on
beingrefused, that hell punishthis particular
manmuchmore bykeepinghimalive than
bykillinghim. Martyrdombecomes areward
denied. (Youwant anoble death? Want everyone
towrite pamphlets about you? Thats not going
tohappen.) Subsequently, thoughtheir actions
were intruthspurredbynothingmore high-
mindedthanahankeringtoget their dislikedboss
intotrouble withhis Nazi superiors, the deceased
plotters are celebratedas heroes, while Sushenya,
whotriedtointervene intheir foolishness and
refusedtobetrayanyone else, is taintedbyhis
verysurvival withthe suspicionof collaboration.
Loznitsa, whose previous feature was 2010s
MyJoy, allows all this toemerge inashback,
after Sushenyareceives anight-time visit fromhis
erstwhile friendBurov(VladAbashin). Slowlywe
establishwhySushenyaoffers solittle resistance
whenBurovandhis sidekickVoitik(Sergei
Kolesov) marchhimintothe woods, obviouslyto
shoot him; he evenoffers tobringhis ownshovel.
Burov, bypromisingthe deathsentence that
Sushenyais sowidelyperceivedtohave earned,
offers relief fromhis misery. Except that Sushenya
is ahabitual unwillingescapee fromdeaths
clutches, condemnedseeminglytostayalive with
one canonlyimagine that the revolver will jam.
Deathas the happiest endingavailable. Amoral
fogof impenetrable density. Suchis the bleakness
here that it occasionallyrisks atension-releasing
blurt of laughter onthe part of the less-engaged
viewer: whenSushenyas wife Anelyaruns after
her doomedhusbandpleadingwithhimto
brightenhis nal walkbytakingsome lardand
anoniontosnackon; whenSushenyacompletes
the tale that ends inhis workmates hangings
onlytondthat his listener has diedduringthe
telling; when, at the end, he sits betweenthe
corpses of his twocomrades, contemplating
suicide as the fogdescends aroundhim.
Perhaps theres noreasonfor Loznitsato
concernhimself withless-engagedviewers. His
tone is consistent here andtrue toitself, his story
thickwithideas andhis characters deeplyfelt by
the actors. But there is certainlynocomedyof the
intentional sort toleaventhe lms denser material,
andthat doesnt just test the audiences endurance
it arguablyrobs the characters of acertain
complexity. What theyre missingbylosing
their freedomandthentheir lives is perhaps
less striking, giventhe staunchlymaintained
absence of light intheir existence. One grabs
greedilyfor some warmth, some levityon
his guilt while those aroundhimclaimthe simple
endingfor whichhe himself yearns. Sushenyas
status as asort of mythic gure, doomedtolive on
withhis multiplyingdemons, is emphasisedbya
forest settingshot byOlegMutu(MyJoy; 4Months,
3Weeks and2Days; The Deathof Mr. Lazarescu) in
layeredsepiatangles suggestive of primeval depth
andcomplexity. Sushenyais inthis forest forever.
If he takes the plunge andshoots himself the
last possibilitywithwhichthe lmleaves us
The living dead: Sushenya (Vladimir Svirski) is implicated in an act of anti-Nazi sabotage in Belarus
Sushenya (centre) is taken to be shot by Voitik (Sergei Kolesov) and former friend Burov (Vlad Abashin)
In the Fog
Germany/Russia/Latvia/The Netherlands/
Belarus 2012
Director: Sergei Loznitsa
See Feature
on page 32
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toabrief scene of Sushenyacarvingwooden
animals withhis son, but bothparticipants take
eventhat project rather seriously. Theres barely
arelationshiphere without anedge of sourness
toit: nolardwithout onion. Love, insofar as we
see it at all, is most clearlysignalledbetween
BurovandSushenyaas theyhide out inthe
forest: aslowlydyingmanandthe former friend
hedbeenresolvedtokill. But this sadscenario
lets us graspthe poisonedrealityof life under
occupation, andspecicallyof Sushenyas recent
existence. His domestic set-up, whichappears
soundeservedlyidyllic toBurovat the lms
openingcosyhome, family, warmbathwater
has infact beenunderscoredbysufferingall
along. Bybeingspared, Sushenyahas earnedthe
suspicionof all aroundhim, includinghis wife.
Respectful of its novelistic origins, Inthe Fog
allows its philosophical content the difference
betweenbeingalive andbeingdead, the stability
of essential character traits, the meaningof
martyrdomandof moral gestures, the challenge
toall suchnotions intime of war toprovide the
bulkof its complexity. Inother respects, its told
quite straight, without the eerie waywardness
of MyJoy. Loznitsadoesnt always spell out
whats happeninghere but he does give us to
assume that were onone solidplane of reality,
andthat what were seeinginashbackis
what we shouldassume went down. The lms
structure, wherebyeachcharacter receives a
contextualisingashback, linkedtothe others
byasequence showingall of theminthe present
day, offers just the sort of neatness, rhythmand
fair distributionof resources not apparent in
the characters haphazardmoral universe a
further deepironyinalmreplete withthem.
Sushenya, for one, is aware that storytelling
might be the nal arbiter of their situation, their
sole remainingwayout of the swamptheyre
inalbeit aposthumous one. Tell everythingto
your commander about me, he exhorts Voitik,
encouraginghimtowrite it down.Yourelyon
documents? the manasks him. Sushenyaclearly
does, onthe basis that, Maybe theyll sort it all
out one day. If he cant clear his name inhis
lifetime, the art of historiographymight doit for
him. The simple narratives requiredinwartime
heroor traitor, loyaltyor betrayal dont have the
scope tocapture what hes undergone; he must
looktoposterityfor adequate representation.
Not that its goingtohappen, just as the Nazi
ofcer predicted: the people whoknowhis story
promptlyconveyit withthemtothe grave.
More clouds of grey, indeed, thananyRussian
playcouldguarantee. The heavytragic faces here,
the sorrowful contemplationof our collective lot
andthe absence of levityof anykindall adhere to
national stereotype toadegree that some will nd
wearing. But the intellectual range is vast, and
the images andperformances stirringbeyondthe
customarystandard. Inits thoroughmeditation
onmans moral place, andits beautiful depiction
of one versionof lifes trial, lies this lms joy.
The main characters status as
a mythic gure, doomed to live
on with his multiplying demons,
is emphasised by a forest setting
suggestive of primeval depth
German-occupied western Russia, 1942. Residents of a
small Belarusian town witness the hanging of three of
their number for alleged anti-Nazi sabotage. Some time
later, partisans Burov andVoitik showup at the home
of Burovs childhood friend Sushenya, to mete out a
punishment. They take himinto the woods, where he digs
his own grave; but before Burov can kill him, he is shot
by police himself. Sushenya crawls away, but returns
to nd Burov. Aashback shows Burov blowing up a
truck he built that the Nazis have commandeered. Back
in the forest, Voitik goes to nd a cart to transport the
wounded Burov, while Sushenya tells his story, depicted
in ashback. Arailroad worker, he failed to dissuade
colleagues fromsabotaging a railway line to get their
boss into trouble. He was implicated in their plot; they
were hanged but Sushenya was spared the death penalty
if he collaborated. Though he refused, his survival has
convinced townspeople that he named names.
Burov dies while Sushenya is telling his story. Voitik,
hiding frompassing tanks, recalls his own history:
forced to give away his familys location, he saw
their home blown up by a Nazi grenade. He returns
to Sushenya and the dead Burov. Voitik and Sushenya
attempt to make it out of the forest with the corpse, but
Voitik is shot and killed. Sushenya, anked by his dead
comrades, cradles a revolver.
Producer
HeinoDeckert
Scriptwriter
Sergei Loznitsa
Basedonthenovel
byVasil Bykov
Director of
Photography
OlegMutu
Editor
Danielius Kokanauskis
ProductionDesigner
Kirill Shuvalov
Sound
Vladimir Golovnitski
Costume Designer
DorotaRoqueplo
ma.ja.dection, GP
CinemaCompany, Rija
Films, LemmingFilm,
Belaruslm, ZDF/Arte
Production
Companies
ma.ja.dection, GP
CinemaCompany, Rija
Films, LemmingFilm,
Belaruslm, ZDF/
Artepresent alm
by Sergei Loznitsa
Aco-productionof
ma.ja.dection, GP
CinemaCompany, Rija
Films, LemmingFilm,
Belaruslm, Zdf/Arte
Developedwith
thesupport of
Cinemart, Rotterdam
International
FilmFestival and
Medienboard
Berlin-Brandenburg
Sponsoredby
Federationder
Filmclubs der
RussischenFederation
andFashionDesign
StudioBasharatyanV
Madewiththesupport
of Mitteldeutsche
Medienfrderung,
Eurimages, Cinema
FundRussia,
Medienboard
Berlin-Brandenburg,
Deutscher
Filmfrderfonds, Riga
City Council, National
FilmCentreof Latvia,
NederlandsFilmfonds,
i2i MediaSupport
Cast
Vladimir Svirski
Sushenya
VladAbashin
Burov
Sergei Kolesov
Voitik
Nikita Peremotovs
Grisha
Julia Peresild
Anelya
Kirill Petrov
Koroban
Dmitrijs Kolosovs
Mishuk
Stepans Bogdanovs
Topchievsky
Dmitry Bykovskiy
Yaroshevich
VladIvanov
Grossmeier
Igor Khripunov
Mirokha
Nadezhda Markina
Burovs mother
Dolby Digital
InColour
[2.35:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
NewWaveFilms
Russiantheatrical title
Vtumane
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Reviewedby PhilipKemp
Its tenyears since we last hadalmfrom
BernardoBertolucci (2003s The Dreamers), and
nearly30since he made one inItalian. Following
afall inwhichhe injuredhis back, aninjury
that acourse of surgeryfailedtocorrect, hes
beenconnedtoawheelchair, andit was widely
believednot least bythe director himself that
he wouldnever lmagain. Afewyears ago, I
couldnt move anymore. I couldnt walk. That,
maybe, was the moment whenI thought I
couldnt doanymore movies. I thought, OK, it is
nished. Ill dosomethingelse[but] everything
changedthe moment I acceptedthis situation.
This, youmight think, couldexplainwhyhe
chose tomake almwithasmall cast largely
connedtoone interior locationexcept that
the same couldbe saidof The Dreamers andof its
predecessor Besieged(1998) or indeedof Last
Tango inParis (1972). The fact is that, evenbefore
his accident, Bertolucci was slimmingdownhis
shrink, interestingly, is inawheelchair a
Bertolucci surrogate?) andhis air of suppressed
anger andmulishrefusal torespondsuggest
that anoutbreakof ultraviolence, if not
the oldin-out, maybe inthe ofng.
But Lorenzo, it turns out, is noAlexclone.
True, he plots todeceive his mother bypretending
togoonaschool skiingtripwhile holingup
inhis apartment blocks basement for aweek
but that apart, hes remarkablywell behaved
andevenstudious for amaladjustedteenager.
He takes apile of books withhimintohis
basement hideawayrather thanaPlayStation,
andkeeps his lair scrupulouslytidy, puttingout
all his refuse inblackplastic bags. He dutifully
visits his aged, bedriddengrandmother, with
whomhes gentle andaffectionate; andhes
evidentlywell uponnatural history, knowing
far more about chameleons thanthe offhand
youthstafngthe pet store where Lorenzobuys
himself aglass-sidedants nest for company.
The lms onlyoutbreakof violence apart
fromLorenzoscreamingat his mother inthe car
is aclumsyscufe betweenthe siblings when,
goingcoldturkeyfromheroin, Oliviademands
sleepingpills. At one point Lorenzoclaims
that he andhis father killedthe oldcountess
whose clothes andfurniture conveniently
furnishthe basement withsome comfort,
cinema, restrictingits reachand, some would
argue, narrowingits conceptual scope. Other
directors, of course, have retreatedintochamber
works as age andinrmityhave overtakenthem
Dreyers Gertrud, Hustons The Deadbut inthe
process contrivedtone downandconcentrate
their central concerns. But inthe past twodecades
Bertoluccis workhas seemedincreasingly
prone tosideslipintothe slight andeven, at its
worst, the trivial. The Lean-esque grandeur of
The Last Emperor (1987) feels veryfar away, the
shrewdvisionandtrenchant political edge of The
Conformist andThe Spiders Stratagem(both1970)
yet more so. The nadir of his worktodate is surely
StealingBeauty(1996), ajaw-droppinglyvapidlm
inwhichBertoluccis cameralargelypreoccupied
itself withoglingLivTylers crotchandbottom.
Me andYouis bysome waybetter thanthat
admittedlynot difcult but it still comes across
as astylishexercise inwilledclaustrophobia(or
claustrophilia, as the director puts it) without a
great deal tosay. The storyinwhichateenage
boyandhis older half-sister spendaweektogether
inacrampedbasement is adaptedfromanovel
byNiccolAmmaniti, whoalsoco-scripted
alongwithBertolucci andtwoothers. One of
Ammanitis earlier novels providedthe basis for
Gabriele Salvatoress ImNot Scared(2003), about
claustrophobiaof adifferent sort: asmall boy
nds another boybeingheldcaptive inahole in
the groundandcomes torealise that his father is
involvedinthe childs kidnapping. Salvatoress
lmis let downinits nal fewminutes bya
lurchintosentimental religious symbolism, but
luckilythe religiositythat blightedLittle Buddha
(1993) plays nopart inMe andYoualthough
Bertolucci has admittedtomakingthe ending
of his lmhappier thanit is inthe novel.
Bertolucci oftenlikes tospice uphis lms
withahint of incest (if usuallystoppingshort
of the actual thing) andsohe does here. After
The Dreamers, inwhichTheo(Louis Garrel)
andhis sister Isabelle (EvaGreen) like totake
baths together, we might expect somethingof
areplaybetween14-year-oldLorenzo(Jacopo
OlmoAntinori) andhis 25-year-oldhalf-sister
Olivia(TeaFalco). But thoughwe see agrowing
closeness andaffectionbetweenthe siblings
(literallysotheymove their beds closer
together), theres little suggestionthat theyfancy
eachother. The frissonof anillicit relationship
comes earlier, whenLorenzoembarrasses his
youthful-lookingblonde mother Arianna(Sonia
Bergamasco) inarestaurant bywonderingif
people might take themfor acouple, before going
ontoaskif shedhave sexwithhimif theywere
the sole survivors of aholocaust andneededto
repopulate the planet. If it was aboy, what would
youcall him? he teases her. This faintlyechoes
Bertoluccis Laluna(1979), where Jill Clayburghs
character masturbates her son(MatthewBarry).
AccordingtoClayburgh, Bertolucci shiedaway
fromfeaturingfull-onmother-sonincest, unlike
Louis Malle (Murmur of the Heart, 1971) or
DavidO. Russell (Spankingthe Monkey, 1994).
If intimations of sexgolargelyunfullledin
Me andYou, the same goes for anyanticipations
of violence. The rst shot of the lmis of ashock
of blackcurlyhair onaheadstubbornlylowered;
whenits raisedtoface the interlocutor, the
resemblance tothe youngMalcolmMcDowell
is startlingall the more sosince the shot so
blatantlyreplicates the openingof Kubricks
AClockwork Orange (1971). It transpires
that Lorenzois inapsychiatrists ofce (the
Himand her: Jacopo Olmo Antinori with Tea Falco
Me and You
Italy/Switzerland 2012
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Certicate 15 96m26s
Present-day Rome. Disturbed 14-year-old Lorenzo
Cuni tells his mother Arianna that hes going on
a weeks school skiing trip, but secretly he plans
to use the money for the trip to buy supplies and
spend a week alone in his apartment buildings
basement. He pays a visit to his grandmother,
bedridden in a nursing home, before settling down
in the basement with books and, for company, an
ant colony hes bought in a pet shop. His solitude
is disrupted by the arrival of his 25-year-old
half-sister Olivia. Lorenzo tells her to go, but
when she threatens to reveal his whereabouts
hes forced to let her share the basement.
Olivia, whos a photographer, tells Lorenzo that
she has to go cold turkey, as her lover, whomshe
plans to live with in the country, insists she come
off heroin. Lorenzo nds her groaning with agony
in the shower. She screams for sleeping pills and
they ght, smashing the ant colony. Lorenzo goes to
his grandmothers home and steals some sleeping
draughts. Returning, he nds Olivia with an older
lover, Ferdinando, who gives her money for one of
her photographs and leaves. As their food is now
infested with ants, Lorenzo and Olivia go up to
the apartment and raid the fridge without waking
Arianna, though Olivia steals her cigarettes. That
night, while Lorenzo is asleep, Olivia phones a dealer,
who brings drugs. The next morning the siblings part,
and Lorenzo prepares to resume his regular life.
Producedby
MarioGianani
Screenplay
NiccolAmmaniti
UmbertoContarello
FrancescaMarciano
BernardoBertolucci
Basedonthenovel
by NiccolAmmaniti
Cinematography
FabioCianchetti
Editor
JacopoQuadri
Production
Designer
JeanRabasse
Music Composed
andConductedby
FrancoPiersanti
SoundRecordists
RemoUgolinelli
AlessandroPalmerini
Costumes
MetkaKosak
Fiction- Wildside
Production
Companies
AFictionandMario
Gianani production
for Wildside
Incollaboration
withMedusaFilm/
Sky Cinema/
Mediaset Premium
Inassociationwith
IntesaSanpaolo
S.p.A. under the
rules ontax credits
Producedwith
thesupport of
RegioneLazio
Cast
Jacopo Olmo
Antinori
Lorenzo
Tea Falco
Olivia
Sonia Bergamasco
Arianna
Veronica Lazar
grandmother
Pippo Delbono
psychologist
Tommaso Ragno
Ferdinando
Dolby Digital
InColour
[2.35:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
Articial Eye
FilmCompany
8,679ft +0frames
Italiantheatrical title
Io e te
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but this is clearlyfantasyandOliviabrushes
it aside. Onlyonce does areal sense of danger
rufe the lms tranquil surface, whenthe pair
creepuptoLorenzos at at night toraidthe
fridge (the ants nest havingbeenbrokeninthe
scufe, ants nowinfest all their provisions).
TheyndAriannafast asleeponasofawith
the TVstill on, andOliviahovers malevolently
over her stepmother, her face alividblue from
the light of the screen. Lorenzomanages to
persuade her awaywithout harmingArianna.
Bertolucci draws performances of impressive
directness andnaturalismfromhis twoprincipals
especiallyfrom14-year-oldAntinori (inhis
screendebut), everyinchthe awkward, unhappy
teenager withhis acne-pittedface anduffy
incipient moustache. He makes masterlyuse
of his restrictedspace too, framingandreframing
the basement withhis roamingcamerasothat
it never becomes monotonous. But as with
The Dreamers, set in1968Paris but largely
ignoringthe political turmoil onthe streets
outside infavour of the narcissistic trioin
their apartment, Me andYourarelyventures
intoanywider arena. At the endof the lm
the siblings offer eachother advice. Lorenzo
tells Olivia, Never take drugs again, while
she tells her brother, Stophiding. Weve seen
Oliviatake adeliveryfromher pusher the night
before, sowe knowshes unlikelytocomply.
As for Lorenzo, Bertolucci (channellingThe
400Blows) ends onanenigmatic freeze-frame
of his face, leavingthe questionopen. You
cant helpwonderingwhether Bertolucci,
once one of Europes most politicallyacute
andchallenginglmmakers, maynot also
have settledfor hidinginthe basement. Lorenzo and Olivia hide out in their basement lair
The lmcomes across
as a stylish exercise in
willed claustrophobia
(or claustrophilia, as
the director puts it)
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ReviewedbyThirzaWakeeld
Spoiler alert: this reviewreveals a plot twist
Theres ascene inDerekCianfrances latest
lminwhichcarnival stuntmanLuke Glanton
(RyanGosling) tears throughaforest onhis
motorcycle. The cameraducks anddives tostay
level withhim, till he catches sight of another
rider keepingpace onaparallel path, andhes
shrink-wrappedinatight frame. The leaves rush
by, agreencrosshatch, as the cameraswitches
betweenriders, andLuke square inthe middle
of the screenlooks, for all his speed, tobe
motionless. Little does he knowthat he has
lockedeyes withthe manwhowill set himon
the pathtoself-destruction. Theres urgencyand
aponderous fatalitytothis moment quickand
slowwhichencapsulates the lms (almost)
conclusive perceptionof its characters: that
thoughlife maymove aroundthem, theyare
unalterablythemselves, andgettingnowhere.
The thirdlmfromdirector Cianfrance (with
asoft C) is inclinedtothis sort of symbolism
inawaythat his last, Blue Valentine (2010), was
not. Anaturalistic capsule-studyof one loves
genesis anddegenerationalsostarringGosling,
alongside Michelle Williams Blue Valentine
made it easyonhimself. The lmspans nearly
twodecades, withajumpto15years later at
the halfwaymark, andit runs totwoandahalf
hours. Infact, its aneloquent, engagingdebut-
of-scale, pensive andpacybyturns, andone
whichspeaks of more lmmakingexperience
thanCianfrance has hadtime toaccumulate.
Pines opens onatattooedLuke as he makes his
wayover toacircus tent toperforminathree-
manmotorcycle stunt inthe globe of death.
Whenhe nishes, he sees Romina(EvaMendes),
anoldame of ayear earlier. It isnt longbefore he
learns, unceremoniously, that shes hadhis baby,
Jason, andhas settleddownwithnewmanKo,
whois the model of constancyandtogetherness.
Luke andRospendadaytogether, andhe tries
topersuade her, withsmall-towncharisma, to
invite himtotake backhis family. But Romina
is realistic: hes far toorestive tobe depended
upon, andMendes puts this across inpoignant
shorthand, avertingher face tohide ahurt no
fault of her own, as theylie together nakedinhis
trailer. WhenLuke meets car repairmanRobin
the mysteryrider inthe woods he turns toserial
bankrobberytoprove his solvency, but it spirals
swiftlyout of his control. Ignoringawarning
fromRobin, he blunders ajobandis killedin
amishapshootingbytrigger-happytrainee
copAveryCross, playedbyBradleyCooper.
Its aboldmove toget ridof Goslingsoearlyin
thelm, becausetheactor brings ared-rawvitality
engenderedalot of pre-release fuss whenit got
aroundthat the twoleadactors hadimprovised
the lions share of dialogue. Whenit nallyhit
screens, the procurement of the lms central
performances matterednot at all, because its
director hadcreatedanabsorbingchiaroscuro
universe of butteryemotionturnedprosaic,
dexterouslycollagingthe nowandthen.
WithThe Place Beyondthe Pines, Cianfrance
moves intovastlydifferent territory. An
expansive, many-texturedepic intwoparts,
shot onlocationinSchenectady, NewYork, the
lmexplores the bloodline tie betweentwo
adolescent boys (the secondpart) andtheir absent
fathers (the rst). Usinganensemble cast, live
locations andmore thantentimes the budget
of previous productions, its anambitious work
of afar larger scope thanthe director is usedto
collaring. Its not tobe expectedthat he would
succeedoutright inmakingsogiant aleap
fromlo-indie toblockbuster its beenthe
downfall of numerous others andhe hasnt
Counting the cost: Ryan Gosling as stunt-rider Luke in Derek Cianfrances The Place Beyond the Pines
Its an eloquent debut-of-scale,
pensive and pacy by turns, and
speaks of more lmmaking
experience than Cianfrance
has had time to accumulate
The Place Beyond the Pines
USA2012
Director: Derek Cianfrance
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tohis performance. There follows somethingof
atemporaryslumponhis replacement withthe
far less soluble Avery. But as the onlycharacter
tosubstantiallyoccupybothhalves his rookie
indiscretionemergingas the linchpinof the
storyAverygrows more interestingas the lm
goes on. This is especiallythe case inthe second
chapter, whichsees the sons of AveryandLuke
bothnow16edgingcloser touncovering
the painful truthof their connection. The older
Avery, havingblackmailedhis wayintothe role
of district attorneyandinthe midst of apolitical
campaign, is livingwiththe consequences of
neglectinghis sonout of anindomitable lust for
success. Somehow, still, one feels for him, as a
mansubstitutingambitionfor intuitivetalent: life
sofar has shownthat he gets results byhardwork,
dedicationandanace inthe pack, not byany
natural aptitude. For Avery, theres adisconnect
betweenhis professional andprivate self.
Comingtoafter surgeryfollowinghis shootout
withLuke, the rst words out of his mouthare:
What happenedtothe other guy? Didhe have
afamily? Averyis instinctivelycompassionate,
but whensomethings right infront of him
whenhes face toface withLuke, whenits his
ownsonhis goodconscience isnt operative.
Where Blue Valentine was stylistically
coherent, Pines spins genres. Texas-bornBritish
cinematographer SeanBobbitt whohas worked
withartist-turned-lmmaker Steve McQueen
onall three of his features todate (Hunger, Shame
andthe upcoming12Years aSlave) shot the
lmon35mm, andhis experimentingwith
nostalgic compositionyields beautiful results.
The same goes for the editing: ablue-lter
fadeout fromhusbandandwife abedtoan
overhangingshot of their white-collar home
recalls 1980s Michael Mann, andthere are
traces of Terrence Malickinthe disembodied
conversationoverlayingtableauxof like-souls
RobinandLuke, includingalong-shot of ahalf-
tight Robinchasinggeese inthe drivingrain.
Infact, the lmshares withDays of Heaven
(1978) acertainnarrative tone, insomuchas it
feels bothimmediate andremembered, as though
its players were predestinedtoact andendas they
do. Cianfrance has saidthat he wantedit toplay
out like astorybook, andachieves this with
leaps andbounds intime, quickcutaways anda
liquidtopography. Its amlange that works, and
its mirroredinthe directors choice of music,
mixingdiegetic anthems suchas Springsteens
Dancinginthe Dark withex-cathedrachorales
andanoriginal pianotheme byMike Patton, so
gorgeouslyevocative that it sends one combing
for deeper-hiddenmeaningwitheveryuse.
Withanytrans-generational narrative without
adominant central character, theres ariskof
obscuringthe heart of the lm. Cianfrance cites
the secondact as the real lm the storyin
earnest but leaves nobreadcrumbtrail tohelp
his audience tothe same understanding. The lm
is perhaps overlong, andloses momentumthree-
quarters of the wayinnot helpedbythe tonal
shift inthe secondact, analmost two-hander of
suchextraordinaryhightensionthat it borders
onthe homoerotic. However, newcomers Dane
DeHaanandEmoryCohensoimpress with
the pathos andmaturityof their performances
that the lmholds attentiontothe end.
The sins of the father visiteduponthe sons is
adifcult theme topull off, but Pines fares better
thanEliaKazandidwithhis 1955adaptationof
JohnSteinbecks East of Eden, whichsimilarly
tracedparental heredityintwoteenagers. Grand,
plangent andinnervating, Cianfrances latest
is more thanadequate proof that hes as cut
out for the bigas for the small of cinema.
Schenectady, NewYork State, the present. Recently
back in town for the rst time in a year, carnival
stunt-rider Luke Glanton runs into his former lover
Romina. Dropping by her house, he discovers that
hes the father of her baby, Jason. Romina hadnt
told Luke about her pregnancy because he left town
suddenly, putting an end to their ing. Luke tries to
talk her into letting himraise the baby, but shes in
a newrelationship and doesnt believe that he can
provide for a family. When Luke is befriended by car
repairman Robin, he starts robbing banks for an
income, but is eventually caught out and killed by
Avery Cross, a policeman giving chase. The shooting
makes headlines andAvery is awarded a medal for
bravery. He attends counselling to work through his
guilt over killing a man with a baby: he has a boy, AJ,
the same age. Avery goes on to expose corruption in his
department, buying himthe role of district attorney.
Fifteen years later. Troubled teenAJ moves in
with his father, nowseparated fromAJs mother and
active in local politics. At his newcollege, AJ nds
a friend in well-meaning loner Jason, but the two
get into trouble when arrested for drug possession.
Looking for information about his biological father,
Jason discovers Lukes identity and the nature of
his death. Jason goes after AJ andAvery, meaning
to exact revenge, but then thinks better of it. He
buys a motorcycle like his fathers and rides away.
Producedby
Sidney Kimmel
JamiePatricof
LynetteHowell
Alex Orlovsky
Screenplay
Derek Cianfrance
BenCoccio
Darius Marder
Story
Derek Cianfrance
BenCoccio
Director of
Photography
SeanBobbitt
Editedby
JimHelton
RonPatane
ProductionDesigner
Inbal Weinberg
Music
MikePatton
SoundMixer
DamianElias Canelos
Costume Designer
ErinBenach
Kimmel
Distribution, LLC
Production
Companies
Focus Features and
Sidney Kimmel
Entertainment
present anElectric
City Entertainment
productionin
associationwith
Verisimilitude
Almby Derek
Cianfrance
Executive Producers
JimTauber
Matt Berenson
BruceToll
Cast
RyanGosling
Luke
Bradley Cooper
Avery
Eva Mendes
Romina
Ray Liotta
Deluca
BenMendelsohn
Robin
Rose Byrne
Jennifer
MahershalaAli
Ko
Bruce Greenwood
Bill Killcullen
HarrisYulin
Al Cross
Dane DeHaan
Jason
Emory Cohen
AJ
Olga Merediz
Malena
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
Studiocanal Limited
12,651 ft +0frames
Eva Mendes plays Romina, Lukes former lover and mother of his child
R
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ReviewedbyAntonBitel
Imsorry, it was goingtobe better but we didnt
have time. The unnamedspeaker has been
poisoningher husbandfor months, intendingto
murder himslowlyandinconspicuouslybut
nowshe has changedtack, messilystabbing
himandtheningingboilingoil over his face.
The reasonfor this suddenhaste, hintedat
bythe escalatingsounds of mayhemcoming
fromoutside the couples apartment window,
is nallyrevealedinthe title that follows: A
for Apocalypse. If the worldis about tocome
apart andeveryone is goingtodie, thenthis
most coldlyvindictive of wives is damnedif she
wont kill her husbandrst. Nacho(Timecrimes)
Vigalondos piece makes aperfect introduction
toThe ABCs of Death, ananthologyof 26short
tales of deathbygenre directors from15different
countries. Not onlydoes his chapter ensure
that the collectionaptlybegins at The End, it
alsorather neatlysets forththe limitations of
the omnibus format. Nodoubt Vigalondo(and
manyof the other contributors) might, like the
wife, have preferredbeingable tocraft abetter,
less inelegant death, but there is onlysomuch
that one candowhenthere is solittle time.
Like DavidLynchs more economically
unnervingshort The Alphabet (1968), The
ABCs of Deathwas inspiredbyadream, but its
nightmarishabecedary, thoughcertainlydrawing
onhorror, depends far more onshocktactics
andgrotesque abjectionthanongenuine frights
the latter requiringaslowbuildingof tension
impossible insoshort aformat. Shocktoois most
effective whendeployedsparingly, sothe effect
of the individual chapters here is deadenedby
their relentless succession, despite the range of
styles, sensibilities andmedia(POVcamerawork
inAndrewTrauckis GandBenWheatleys U,
Lets put onashow! is atrope that canbe
tracedfromBabes inArms (1939) throughThe
Blues Brothers (1980) andHoney(2003) toThe
Muppets (2011). Sowhenthe schoolchildren
inBenGregors All Stars attempt torescue
their local youthcentre withatalent contest,
theyare dancingtoafamiliar tune, while their
chosencompetitive mediumalsotaps intoa
recent rashof dance-basedlms, fromStepUp
(2006) andsequels throughtothe UKs own
phenomenallysuccessful StreetDance 3D(2010)
andStreetDance 2(2012), of whichAll Stars is a
spinoff (its workingtitle was StreetDance Juniors).
If rst-time feature director Gregor comes from
the small screen, sotoodothe idioms of his lms
dance-off format, currentlytobe seenintelevision
programmes suchas Got to Dance (whose rst
winner, Akai Osei, takes aleadrole here as
contest organiser Jaden) andStrictlyCome Dancing
(whose runner-upfromlast year, Kimberley
Walsh, plays another characters mother). There
is even, inall the school-set shenanigans, quite
abit of TVs Grange Hill andwhenanolder
dance rival describes Jadens schoolmate Ethan
(TheoStevensonof HorridHenry) andhis friends
as Glee-Beebies (apunningblendof TVseries
Glee andthe BBCs preschool networkCBeebies),
screenwriter Paul Gerstenberger, whoalsohas
anextensive backgroundintelevision, is openly
acknowledgingthis lms cultural inuences.
Yet if viewers are familiar withits routines,
All Stars still nds ways tokeepthe individual
steps diverting, showcasingabroadrange
of dancingtalent while mixingchildrens
entertainment withadegree of social realism.
Withanearlysequence that expresslycontrasts
Ethans Dream inwhichhe is met at school
byasunny, choreographedfanfare fromthe
pupils andhis Reality inwhichhis late
arrival is markedbydrizzle andnoticedonlyby
anangryteacher All Stars establishes dance as
anescape fromgrimmer realities. Accordingly,
whenJadenis facedwiththe pressures of an
entrance examfor whichhe hasnt studied, he
imagines himself dancingoff against paper
samurai inanorigami world; meanwhile Ethans
neighbour Amy(Fleur Houdijk), facedwith
adepressedandwithdrawnfather at home,
animationinAnders Morgenthalers KandJon
Schnepps W, claymationinLee Hardcastles
hilarious T). Bythe time we reachthe scattergun
offensive against goodtaste that is Nishimura
(Tokyo Gore Police) Yoshihiros Z, eventhose
unfamiliar withits directors trademarkCG-
inectedbubblegumsplattercore will have had
their reactions muted. Call it shockandbore.
This is, inpart, the subject of Timo(Macabre)
Tjahjantos startlingL, whose protagonist, bound
toachair andforcedtomasturbate competitively
toaseries of increasinglyrepellent scenarios,
holds amirror not just tothe paradoxical
pleasures of horror viewingbut the specic
experience of The ABCs of Death. Other highlights
include Xavier (The Divide) Genss confronting
carve-upof body-image obsessioninX, Simon
(RedWhite &Blue) Rumleys deftlyediteddescent
intounderclass exploitationinP(the segment
most groundedinthe real world, andthe only
one without humandeath), andSrdjan(ASerbian
Film) Spasojevics use of Cronenbergianidioms
toallegorise the deathof lminthe bewildering
R. The punchof some sections comes inthe
paratext: the best joke inThomas (Norwegian
Ninja) Mallings His theunguessabletitlerevealed
at the end, while the true impact of I, Jorge (We
Are What We Are) Graus disturbingriff ontorture
porn, is deliveredinanexplanatorytext that
doesnt appear until the features closingcredits.
As withmost anthologies, the qualityvaries
greatly, andthe talents of directors suchas
Ti West (The Innkeepers), Wheatley(Kill List),
AdamWingard(AHorrible Wayto Die) and
Marcel Sarmiento(Deadgirl) are shownoff to
greater effect intheir feature-lengthworks.
There are some memorable moments here
but reports of afollow-upalphabetic runwill
hardlyspell enthusiasmfor lmgoers.
The ABCs of Death
USA2012
Certicate 18 124m4s
All Stars
United Kingdom/Germany 2013
Director: Ben Gregor
An anthology of 26 short lms, each named for a
different letter of the alphabet, each directed by a
different genre lmmaker, and each focused on death.
Producedby
Ant Timpson
TimLeague
Basedona
nightmare by
Ant Timpson
SoundMix
TomMiskin
MagnoliaPictures
LLC&ABCs of
DeathFilmLimited
Production
Companies
Magnet Releasing
presentsaDrafthouse
Films &Timpson
Films production
Executive Producer
TomQuinn
Apocalypse
Written/Directedby
NachoVigalondo
Cast
Eva Llorach
Miguel Insua
Bigfoot
Written/Directedby
AdrinGarca
Bogliano
Cast
Alejandra Urdiain
HaroldTorres
Greta Martnez
Cycle
Written/Directedby
ErnestoDaz Espinoza
Cast
Matas Oviedo
Juanita Ringeling
Dogght
Written/Directedby
Marcel Sarmiento
Cast
Steve Berens
Riley
Chris Hampton
Exterminate
Directedby
AngelaBettis
Basedontheshort
story The Spider
and the Man by
Brent Hanley
Cast
BrendenJ. McVeigh
FartYoung Ladies
andPoisonGas
Written/Directedby
Iguchi Noboru
Cast
NakamuraArisa
MurataYui
Gravity
Written/Directedby
AndrewTraucki
Hydro-electric
Diffusion
Written/Directedby
Thomas Cappelen
Malling
Cast
Ms Martine rnes
Mr Johannes
Eilertsen
Ingrown
Written/Directedby
JorgeMichel Grau
Cast
Adriana Paz
Octavio Michel
Jidai-geki
Written/Directedby
Yamaguchi Yudai
Cast
Sasaki Daisuke
NishinaTakashi
Klutz
Written/Directedby
Anders Morgenthaler
Libido
Written/Directedby
TimoTjahjanto
Cast
Paul Foster
KellyTandiono
Miscarriage
Written/Directedby
Ti West
Cast
Tipper Newton
Nuptials
Directedby
Banjong
Pisanthanakun
Screenplay
Banjong
Pisanthanakun
NontraKhumvong
Cast
Wiwatt Krongrasri
Orn-Arnin
Peerachakajornpatt
Orgasm
Written/Directedby
HlneCattet
BrunoForzani
Cast
ManonBeuchot
Xavier Magot
Pressure
Written/Directedby
SimonRumley
Cast
Yvanna Hilton
Chaira Sedney
Shelissa Sedney
Chennevieve
Huisden
Quack
Written/Directedby
AdamWingard
Cast
AdamWingard
SimonBarrett
Liz Harvey
Removed
Directedby
SrdjanSpasojevic
Writtenby
DimitrijeVojnov
SrdjanSpasojevic
Cast
SlobodanBestic
Ljubimir Todorovic
Marina Savic
Speed
Writer/Directedby
JakeWest
Cast
Darenzia
Lucy Clements
Peter Pedrero
Toilet
Written/Directedby
LeeHardcastle
Voice Cast
KimRichardson
Lee Hardcastle
Unearthed
Directedby
BenWheatley
Writtenby
BenWheatley
Andy Starke
Cast
Neil Maskell
Michael Smiley
RobinHill
Vagitus
Written/Directedby
KaareAndrews
Cast
KyraZagorsky
Fraser Corbett
Michael Rogers
WTF
Written/Directedby
JonSchnepp
Cast
Dink ONeal
JonSchnepp
Tommy Blacha
XXL
Written/Directedby
Xavier Gens
Cast
Sissi Duparc
Yasmine Meddour
Patrick Ligardes
Youngbuck
Written/Directedby
JasonEisener
Cast
TimDunn
RylanLogan
Zetsumetsu
Written/Directedby
NishimuraYoshihiro
Cast
Je$$ica
Yashiki Hiroko
Murasugi
Seminosuke
InColour
[1.85:1]
Distributor
Bounty Films
11,166ft +0frames
Tiny dancers: Fleur Houdijk, Theo Stevenson
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Here to Fall
Ireland/United
Kingdom2012
Directedby
Kris Kelly
Producedby
EvelynMcGrath
Writtenby
EvelynMcGrath
Kris Kelly
Editor
JimAgnew
Music
Michael Fleming
Blacknorth
StudioLtd
Production
Companies
BordScannnna
hireann/theIrish
FilmBoard, RTE-
RaidiTeilifs ireann
andArts Council/An
ChomhairleEalaon
present inassociation
withBlacknorth
[2.59:1]
The Curse
UnitedKingdom2012
Written/Directedby
Fyzal Boulifa
Producedby
GavinHumphries
KarimDebbagh
Director of
Photography
TainaGalis
Editors
TainaGalis
Fyzal Boulifa
Art Director
HichamAfghani
TheBritish
FilmInstituteand
Quark Films
Production
Companies
Film4andBFI present
AQuark Films
production
Developedwiththe
support of B3Media
Madewiththe
support of the
BFIs FilmFund
Executive Producers
Marc Boothe
TraceyJosephs
Cast
IbtissamZabara
Fatine
Abdel Jalil Abdelaoui
Fantines boyfriend
Sabrine Sghiri
Bushra
Abdeljalil Azdour
Hassan
InColour
[1.66:1]
Subtitles
Tumult
UnitedKingdom2011
Written/Directedby
Johnny Barrington
Producedby
RhiannaAndrews
Cinematographer
Manuel Claro
Editor
MayaMafoli
Production Designer
Laurel Wear
Music Providedby
LoveTriangle
Composedby:
WilliamThrelfall
SimonHalsberghe
YoungFilms
Production
Companies
CreativeScotland
presents aYoung
Films production
inassociationwith
Channel 4Television
Cast
Ingvar E. Sigurdsson
chief
DollyWells
tour guide
Gsli rnGardarsson
dark son
Ivar rnGardarsson
fair son
RaymondMearns
bus driver
[2.35:1]
Part-subtitled
ImFineThanks
UnitedKingdom2011
Director/Animator
EamonnONeill
TheRoyal
Collegeof Art
Voices
Paul Thomas
SimonRoberts
JosephTate
[1.78:1]
The Making of
Longbird
UnitedKingdom2011
Directed, Animated
&Compositedby
Will Anderson
Script
Will Anderson
AinslieHenderson
Vitalij Sicinava
Composer
Atzi
Production
Companies
Whiterobot.co.uk
ECA- Edinburgh
Collegeof Art
Cast
Vitalij Sicinava
Longbird
Tobias Feltus
Feltov
Will Anderson
Will
[1.78:1]
GoodNight
UnitedKingdom2012
Writer/Director
Muriel dAnsembourg
Producer
EvaSigurdardottir
Cinematographer
ArturoVasquez
Editor
UnaGunjak
Production Designer
Beck Rainford
Music
Jody K. Jenkins
LondonFilmSchool
Production
Companies
ALondonFilm
School andBlindeye
Films production
inassociationwith
TheFarmGroup
andTheFrame
University of
Westminster
Skillset Screen
Academy
UKFilmCouncil
Lottery Funded
Cast
Anna Hogarth
Rosie Day
Dave MacRae
Michael Stevenson
JayTaylor
[1.85:1]
Swimmer
UnitedKingdom2011
Directedby
LynneRamsay
Producedby
Peter Carlton
DiarmidScrimshaw
Director of
Photography
NatashaBraier
Editor
AdamBiskupski
Production Designer
JaneMorton
FreeSwimmer
Limitedandthe
BritishBroadcasting
Corporation
Production
Companies
BBCFilms andFilm4
withTheLondon
2012Festival funded
byTheNational
Lottery andCreative
ScotlandaWarp
Films production
inassociationwith
Rockinghorse
Films Limited
Almby Lynne
Ramsay
Olympic Lottery
Distributor
Lottery Funded
Supportedby the
National Lottery
throughCreative
Scotland
AWarpFilms
productionfor BBC
Films andFilm4in
associationwiththe
Cultural Olympiad
andLondon2012
Festival, using
funds fromthe
National Lottery and
CreativeScotland
Executive Producers
ChristineLangan
JoeOppenheimer
KatherineButler
RuthMackenzie
LeonieBell
LynneRamsay
Rory Stewart Kinnear
FilmExtracts
(Soundonly)
If.... (1968)
Billy Liar (1963)
Walkabout (1970)
The Loneliness of
the Long Distance
Runner (1962)
Cast
TomLitten
theswimmer
Sophie McKeeman
younglover - her
Oscar McVeigh
younglover - him
[1.85:1]
All lms incolour
except The Making of
Longbird (incolour
andblack andwhite)
andSwimmer (in
black andwhite)
Distributor
Independent
CinemaOfce
South London, present day. SchoolboyJadenhas
beenforbiddento dance by his parents, whowant
himto concentrate onpassing the entrance exam
for a private school. However, whenlocal youthclub
The Garage is threatenedwithclosure, Jadensecretly
organises a talent contest to save it. He turns for
helpto scamming schoolmate Ethan, who needs a
dance crewof his ownafter his pursuit of Lucy has
endedina reckless challenge to her older boyfriend
Kurts semi-professional streetdance outt. The two
boys recruit Ethans karate-obsessedneighbour Amy,
overweight remix artist Brianandposhballroom-
dancing siblings Rebecca andTim. After some teething
troubles, Jadendevises a way to incorporate the crew
members different strengths into their routine.
Efforts to persuade the local council to keep
The Garage openare ruinedwhenKurt provokes
Ethaninto a ght outside the meeting. Both
EthanandJadenquit the crewbut returnin
time for the talent contest, whichthey win. They
alsowinover Jadens parents anda key council
member. EthanandAmy become a couple, and
the evictionnotice for The Garage is tornup.
Producedby
AllanNiblo
James Richardson
JimSpencer
Writtenby
Paul Gerstenberger
Director of
Photography
BenWheeler
Editor
JonoGrifth
Production
Designer
MatthewButton
Music
Composedby
SimonWoodgate
Production
SoundMixer
StevieHaywood
Costume Designer
AndrewCox
1975Limited
Production
Companies
VertigoFilms
presents in
association
withSquareOne
Entertainment a
BenGregor lm
AVertigoFilms
production
Executive
Producers
Al Munteanu
Rupert Preston
Nigel Williams
Nick Love
Cast
AshleyJensen
Gina
AshleyWalters
Mark
KevinBishop
Andy
HughDennis
Mr Hart
Mark Heap
SimonTarrington
Javine Hylton
Kelly
JohnBarrowman
Matthew
KimberleyWalsh
Trish
Theo Stevenson
Ethan
Akai
Jaden
Fleur Houdijk
Amy
Dominic
Herman-Day
Tim
Amelia Clarkson
Rebecca
Gamal Toseafa
Brian
HanaeAtkins
Lucy
KieranLai
Kurt
Dolby Digital
InColour
Some screenings
presentedin3D
Distributor
VertigoFilms
Reviewedby DylanCave
Short lms virtuallyvanishedfromcinema
programmes decades ago. Todayonlyahandful
of features playwithasupportingshort,
sorelativelyfewshort lms actuallyreach
general cinemaaudiences. This selectionof
live-actionandanimatedshorts nominated
for the 2013Baftaawards is abravuraattempt
torectifythe imbalance. Well packagedand
thoughtfullysequenced, the lms assembled
here provide arare chance tosee the best of
Britishshort lmmakingonthe bigscreen.
Giventhe programmingchallenge of
selectingfromsuchatight number of titles
(all but one of the eight nominatedshorts are
included), its remarkable that the chosenlms
t sowell together. These are nominees for
national lmmakingawards soone expects
themtobe well crafted, andindeedeachboasts
anuancednarrative andvisual air. But this
best of British package alsoreveals apleasingly
diverse range of lmmakingvoices, telling
unique stories fromacross the UKandbeyond.
Kris Kellys British-Irishco-productionHere to
Fall is asojournthroughadisintegratingurban
landscape. Kellys lmanimates the collapsing
worldof Amy, ayoungwomanshatteredbya
call fromher estrangedfather. The directors
beautifullyrenderedcityscape is fragmented
bythe ominous darkshadows of the absentee
parent as it morphs betweencomfortingand
consumingthe vulnerable Amy, providing
asolidvisualisationof the hole inher life.
Fyzal Boulifas The Curse alsofeatures apursued
youngwoman. InMorocco, teenager Fatine is
harassedbykids fromher village whoknowthat
shes sleepingwithanolder manandblackmail
her intobuyingcakes. Boulifacharts Fatines
tragic descent as she offers sexual favours in
exchange for moneytobuythe treats. Set rmly
inthe realityof authentic Moroccan
locations, Boulifas lmnevertheless
BAFTAShorts
United Kingdom/Ireland 2011 - 2012
Directors: various
fantasises acharmingblack-and-white tap-
dancingduet withher re-energiseddad. These
bursts of fantasyshowoff the lms 3Dtobest
effect, andadmit aninventive varietyof saltatory
styles tothe lmmuchas Jadens crew, though
nominallyastreetdance outt, additionally
incorporates Amys martial-arts moves andthe
ballroompoise of posh public-school siblings
Tim(Dominic Herman-Day) andRebecca
(AmeliaClarkson). Yet the fantasysequences
alsoslylysuggest anongoingdisjunction
betweendreams andreality, sothat the ultimate
on-stage triumphof these schoolchildren,
savingtheir youthclub, their families andtheir
community, is framedas preciselywhat it is:
genre-boundwish-fullment inasociopolitical
environment of failingschools, brokenhomes,
council closures andbulldozingrecession.
Sodespite its hackneyedstoryline,
broader-than-broadcharacterisationand
utterlypredictable ending(all of whichare of
course likelytoappeal toits target pre-teen
viewership), All Stars takes contemporary
Britishrealities as its partner, andoccasionally
evenlets themleadits merrydance.
Acompilation of seven lms selected fromthe 2013
Bafta nominations for best short animation and best
short live-action lm. Here to Fall animates the tale of
a young girl sent tumbling through a chaotic universe
after receiving a call fromher estranged father. The
Curse takes place in Morocco, where a boy spots
teenager Fatine having sex with an older man; the
boy and his friends threaten to expose Fatines secret
liaison unless she buys themcakes. InTumult, a Viking
family encounters a group of modern-day sightseers;
their initial confusion soon descends into bloody
confrontation. In the animationImFine Thanks a man
struggles to cope with his failures; his frustration leads
to a frenzied rage that only succeeds in bringing about
his death. The Making of Longbird shows a budding
lmmakers attempt to resurrect Long Bird, a popular
animated character fromearly Russian cinema; after
several setbacks, the lmmaker abandons his project,
leaving the paper Long Bird to perish in a studio re.
InGood Night, two 14-year-old girls go nightclubbing
but nd themselves in compromising situations
with older men. The nal lm, Swimmer, follows an
endurance athlete who swims the canals and rivers of
Great Britain; his observations on life on the riverbank
blend into depictions of his memories and feelings.
R
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offers narrative space for allegorical
interpretation. The childrenare palpable
as closed-mindedandimmature bullies, yet
insome moments theyappear tofunctionas
part of Fatines subconscious. Her desire to
leave the sociallyclaustrophobic village at the
start of the lmcomes backtohaunt her as the
childrencontinue toprevent her returnhome.
The tensionof these rst twoofferings
is leavenedslightlybyJohnnyBarringtons
Tumult. Essentiallya comic sketchthrowing
together Norse warriors anda groupof
contemporarysightseers, the storyis mainly
toldfromthe perspective of the confused
Vikings. Barringtonhas enoughtwists to
prevent the storybecoming one-note but its
the sharpness of the productiondesign, along
witha strong sense of genre, stunning locations
andpredictablybrutal denouement, that make
this one of the most funof the Bafta offerings.
EamonnONeills ImFine Thanks is much
darker despite the primarycolour palette of
his kinetic animation. The shortest of the
bunch, ONeills lmis aspeedyziparoundthe
moments inayoungmans life that have left him
feelingmarginalisedanddepressed. The lm
jumps swiftlybetweenthese painful formative
incidents, whichare repeatedandreinterpreted,
convincinglyencapsulatingthe sensation
of life ashingbefore adyingmans eyes.
ONeill completedImFine Thanks while at
the RCAandit is one of twostudent lms to
be nominated. Will Andersons The Making of
Longbird, made at EdinburghCollege of Art,
is the other. Unlike ONeills lm, Longbird
limits its depictionof a frustratedyoung man
tothe experiences of writers block. Anderson
ctionalises himself attempting toresurrect
a Russiananimatedcharacter for the digital
era. The lmcontrasts different animation
techniques andmourns the loss of traditional
cell animation. If this sometimes feels a little
studious, Andersons knowing humour prevents
the lmfromever feeling like anundergraduate
dissertation. It wonthe Bafta award.
Penultimate lmGood Night follows two
teenagers whoget intotrouble while out in
East London. Its the longest lmhere, and
writer-director Muriel dAnsembourg allows
actors Anna HogarthandRosie Daytogradually
developtheir characters andtheir rapidly
changing relationshipover 28 minutes. The
performances are impressive but the lms
generous running time might have stopped
this well-made drama claiming the topprize.
Insteadit was multiple short-lmaward-
winner Lynne Ramsaywhowonthe live-action
categorywithSwimmer. Commissionedby
the LondonOrganising Committee of the
Olympic Games, Swimmer eschews a literal
depictionof the Olympics, offering insteada
broader reectiononsport andphysicality.
Natasha Braiers black-and-white photography
blends withPaul Daviess texturedsound
designtoshape the interior worldof Swimmers
eponymous athlete. As he glides through
the Britishwaterways, hypnotic images
provide aneloquent coda tothe showcase.
Onthe evidence of these lms, the British
shorts scene has muchtocelebrate.
ReviewedbyAndrewTracy
RichardLinklaters Bernie ends withadedication
toLouPerrymanandEagle Pennell, the co-star
andwriter-director respectivelyof The Whole
Shootin Match(1978), whose success would
vitalise the Texanindie-cinemascene that
subsequentlyspawnedLinklater. Its atribute
bothtouchingandbittersweet, as Linklater,
whobefriendedPennell aroundthe time of the
latters sophomore feature Last Night at the Alamo
(1983), has greatlysucceededwhere Pennell
sadlyfailed. While Linklater was able toparlay
the critical acclaimaccordedSlacker (1991)
intoaprolic career bothinside andoutside
Hollywood, Pennell, continuallystymiedinhis
Californiadreams, eventuallydrankanddrugged
himself intocareer oblivionandanearlygrave.
Pennells manyfailedbids toexpandhis career
beyondhis regional roots speaktoatension
at the heart of that kindof lmmakingthe
muchvauntedauthenticity onwhichregional
cinemas artistic bonades are basedalsosets
it somewhat aside fromthe airier heights of
cinematic art proper. Its tellinghowoften, when
regional lmmakers make the transitionto
international festival-circuit success, their funky
local avour begins toacquire more rareed
seasonings. Greater critical andcommercial
exposure caninspire more programmatic
formal impulses or heightenthose impulses
alreadypresent inthe work(JimJarmuschs no-
wave NewYorkdeadpanfusingwithEustache
andCosta, Gus VanSant dabblinginTarr,
Haneke andWongKar-Wai), while reviewers
comparisons andpoints of reference become
similarlyelevated(Linklater andhis fellow
TexanWes Andersonreceivingplaudits for
their Renoirian generosity, for example).
SoBernie, Linklaters returntohis home state
after dalliances in1930s NewYork(Me and
Bernie
USA2011
Director: Richard Linklater
Assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede is the most
popular resident of Carthage, Texas, renowned for
his sensitivity towards the bereaved, his community
involvement and his free-spending generosity. In
contrast, fellowCarthage resident Marjorie Nugent
is mean, spiteful and widely disliked. Despite the
differences in age and temperament, Bernie and
the wealthy widowbecome inseparable friends.
Mrs Nugent persuades Bernie to reduce his hours
at the funeral parlour so that he can also work for
her. Eventually, her possessiveness and abusiveness
overcome Bernies good nature. He shoots her and
hides her body in the freezer. For the next eight
months, Bernie convinces the local community
that Mrs Nugent is recovering froma series of
strokes. He takes money fromher bank accounts
to buy extravagant gifts for the townspeople.
Finally, Mrs Nugents suspicious stockbroker
persuades the police to search her home; the body
is discovered. Bernie immediately confesses to
his crime; prosecutor Danny Buck Davidson has
Bernies trial moved to a neighbouring county for
fear that a Carthage jury would acquit him. Bernie is
sentenced to life in prison, where he devotes his time
to teaching his fellowconvicts to cook and making
needlepoint tributes to Carthages recently departed.
Producedby
Ginger Sledge
RichardLinklater
Producers
CelineRattray
MartinShafer
Liz Glotzer
Matt Williams
DavidMcFadzean
JuddPayne
DeteMeserve
Screenplay
RichardLinklater
SkipHollandsworth
Basedonthearticle
inTexas Monthly by
SkipHollandsworth
Director of
Photography
Dick Pope
Editor
SandraAdair
ProductionDesigner
BruceCurtis
Music
GrahamReynolds
SoundMixer
JohnPritchett
Costume Designer
Kari Perkins
BernieFilm, LLC
andWindDancer
Bernie, LLC
Production
Companies
MandalayVisionand
WindDancer Films
present aDetour
Filmproduction
ARichard
Linklater lm
Inassociation
withCollins House
Productions, LLC
andHorsethief
Pictures, LLC
Executive Producers
DonFox
Darby Parker
Jack Gilardi Jr
Johnny Lin
KenHirsh
WilliamT. Conway
JohnPaul DeJoria
Michael Bassick
Jack R. Selby
DuncanMontgomery
JohnSloss
Alex Gudim
LissaCollins-Gudim
Cast
Jack Black
BernieTiede
Shirley MacLaine
MarjorieNugent
Matthew
McConaughey
Danny Buck Davidson
Brady Coleman
Scrappy Holmes
RichardRobichaux
LloydHornbuckle
Rick Dial
DonLeggett
BrandonSmith
Sheriff Huckabee
LarryJack Dotson
ReverendWoodard
Merrilee McCommas
Molly
MathewGreer
Carl
Dolby Digital
InColour
[1.85:1]
Distributor
TheWorks UK
DistributionLtd
Crazed and bemused: Shirley Maclaine, Jack Black
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OrsonWelles, 2008), the Dickianfuture-present
(AScanner Darkly, 2006) andarealmof protean
dreamscapes (WakingLife, 2001), clearlybears
the markof those far-ungtravels andvariably
ambitious ventures. What youre xin tosee
here is atrue story, announce the slyopening
titles adeclarationof authenticitythat
automatically(andidiomatically) places the story
inthe at-the-very-least semi-ctional realmof the
tall tale. Andas per that consciouslyexaggerated
folksiness, Bernies particular authenticity
revels inthe free playof fact andfabrication: its
chronicle of belovedTexas funeral director Bernie
Tiedes unlikelyfriendshipwith, andeventual
murder of, despisedwealthywidowMarjorie
Nugent (ShirleyMacLaine) is punctuated
byinterviews bothwithreal-life residents of
Bernies hometownof Carthage andinterviews
withactors playingreal-life characters, while
manyof those real residents subsequently
playthemselves innarrative scenes proper.
Fromits rst scene, inwhichJackBlacks jovial
Bernie takes the stage infront of amortuary
science class todemonstrate the properly
sensitive waytoprepare the recentlydeceasedfor
display, Bernie is, amongother things, almabout
performance about howwe present ourselves
or, inthe case of the dearlydeparted, are presented
inpublic. He hadareal knackfor drama,
enthuses one of the real-life Carthage residents
of Bernie asentiment that darklyboomerangs
whenpreeningdistrict attorneyDannyBuck
Davidson(MatthewMcConaughey, hilarious)
declares inhis summationat Bernies trial that
Bernie Tiede is acalculating, evil actorhe fooled
this whole town. Whether formallypresiding
at funerals, lendinghis goldenvoice toSunday
services andcommunitymusicals and, nally,
testifyingat his murder trial or informallyinhis
everydayinteractions, Bernie is always playing
toanaudience; andits part of the brilliance of
Blacks skilledandwhollyendearingperformance
that its impossible tobanishones awareness of
his personaas malevolent, troubadouringjester-
demon. (Whenhe sings of the master of the sea
inahymnal, one almost expects himtoveer off
intoaridiculous Tenacious Dmyth-rockopus.)
Yet despite all of Bernies upfront formal
play, Linklater isnt indulginginanykindof
postmodernnavel-gazing. The playbetween
ctionandnon-ctionthat constitutes the
lms narrative dynamic is preciselythat: play,
not anundermining or interrogation of the
codes of ctional/non-ctional lmmaking.
Just as Linklaters double-decade-spanning
Beforetriptychis as muchadocumentary
about its actors as acontinuingstoryabout its
characters, Bernie intuitivelyunderstands the
intrinsic permeabilitybetweenctionandfact
atruthattestedtobythe presence of Sonny
Davis, the other star of Pennells Shootin Match
andAlamo, authenticallyplayinghimself as one
of the authentic Texans interviewedabout the
authentic Bernie Tiede affair. Inthe face of the
strenuous andostentatious realism of lms
suchas Argo andZero Dark Thirty, its instructive
that Linklater, like anyaccomplishedartist
regional or otherwise, realises that authenticity
is, andcanonlybe, agreater or lesser element in
his fabrications rather thananendof itself.
ReviewedbyVadimRizov
Disneynatures latest productionChimpanzee
is rmlyinline withDisneys 1950s True-
Life Adventures series, whichshamelessly
anthropomorphisedits subjects fromthe start
in1953s The LivingDesert, inwhichfootage
of scorpions loopedandlurchedbackwards
andforwards tomake it lookas if theywere
dancingtothe soundtracks square-dance
music. That comparativelyplayful approach
is missinginChimpanzee, whichstrings
together (what looks tothis admittedlynon-
nature-lovingwriters eye) unexceptional
footage andincoherent coverage throughthe
inescapable glue of TimAllens narration.
Allenis aregular Disneyemployee whose
voiceover serves as promotionfor his SantaClause
andToyStoryfranchises plus assortedfeatures
(WildHogs, The ShaggyDog) fromthe companys
library. Sometimes his commentaryalsoseems
like promotionfor his role as TimThe Tool
Man Taylor inthe too-long-enduringsitcom
Home Improvement, co-producedbyDisneys
Touchstone Televisionandstill insyndication
aroundthe world. Mr Nut, meet Mr Rock, Allen
says, observingayoungchimptryingtobreak
anut witharock. Power tools, he chuckles,
whenheavier rocks are brought out. Hehheh.
The imposedstoryconcerns youngOscar,
whostruggles tondanewparent after his
mothers death. Inthe manner of countless
Disneyproductions, he succeeds innding
asurrogate father andfamily. Meanwhile,
the tribe is threatenedbyenemychimps
ledbyone Scar, whose name reminds
parents tocue upThe LionKingthe next
time their ownoffspringare bored.
Chimpanzee
USA/United Kingdom/France 2012
Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Lineld
Certicate U 78m7s
Adocumentary about chimpanzees inAfrica. Young
Oscar is endangered after the death of his mother
Isha. With no one to take care of him, Oscar is
eventually adopted by tribe leader Freddy. Freddy
and the tribe are threatened by the advance of
a group of enemy chimpanzees led by Scar, but
manage to defeat them. Afewmonths later, Oscar
is still in Freddys care and the tribe is thriving.
Producedby
Alastair Fothergill
Mark Lineld
AlixTidmarsh
Writtenby
Mark Linfeld
Alastair Fothergill
DonHahn
Directors of
Photography
Ivory Coast:
MartynColbeck
Uganda:
Bill Wallauer
Editedby
Andy Netley
Music
Nicholas Hooper
SoundRecordist
KristinMosher
Disney
Enterprises, Inc.
Production
Companies
Disneynature
presents aGreat
Apeproduction
Executive Producer
DonHahn
narrator
TimAllen
Dolby Digital/
Datasat/SDDS
InColour
[1.85:1]
Distributor
BuenaVista
International (UK)
7,030ft +8frames
Reviewedby Kate Stables
Theres asmall ironyinthe central theme of The
Croods, inwhichafamilyof Neanderthals have
toembrace change or die as their worldcrumbles
aroundthem. Its producedbyDreamWorks,
whose static creative formulawas cruelly
summedupbyanEatliver.comcartoonas: Uhh,
there are talkinganimals. Andtheydothings
animals dont normallydo. Andtheyall make
this face. KirkDeMiccoandChris Sanderss
affable if unsurprisingcavemancomedymayopt
for human-familydynamics over wisecracking
Pliocene mammals (see the Ice Age lms) but
this journeytale still follows some well-trodden
paths the onlythings breakingnewground
here are the expertlyrenderedearthquakes.
Prehistorydoesnt offer manyplot options. So
the Croodfamilyare chasedfromtheir habitat
Ice Age-style byanenviro-apocalypse, this time
the shiftingof tectonic plates. Withrumbling
rockfalls, explosive earthtremors andlava-lled
ravines, this is the 3Dgift that keeps ongiving.
Imaginative, almost painterlyanimationturns
the earths eruptions intojaw-dropping, ember-
scatteringspectacle, but infrequentlyenough
toallowthe lms humour breathingroom.
Like the Flintstones, the Croods are abickering
nuclear familytransposedintotiger skins,
thoughtheir smart character designdifferentiates
themneatly(quadrupedspeed, lowbrows,
brute strength) fromHomo-sapiens inventor
boy-hunkGuy, addedbylovesickteenager Eep
totheir travellingband. If troublesome-teen
gags are the lms predictable fallback, the real
nubof the storyis the struggle betweenGuys
innovative thinkingandpaterfamilias Grugs
refusal toabandonhis safety-rst status quo:
Newis always bad. Never dont be afraid.
But The Croods, whose warm, visual
humour anddeft slapstickskewit towards
younger children, prefers its ideas ultimately
unthreatening, like its danger-strewnbut never
terrifyingworld. Grug, outpacedbyHomo-
sapiens ingenuity, must adapt tosurvive; yet his
wobblypatriarchal authorityis restoredwhen
the groupneedhimtoingthemtosafety. What
elevates Grugbeyondthe dumb-dadstereotype
is Nic Cages standout voicework, bothfunny
andtouchingas he ineptlychivvies his ockto
safety. He andEmmaStones quicksilver Eepare
the lms onlyfullyhonedcharacters, however,
the rest of the familybeingone-note jokes like
annoyingGran(Animals youdont eat? We call
themchildren) anddim-bulbbrother Thunk.
Where the lmscores is inits imaginative
visualisationof asuccessionof new-world
landscapes, vibrant tropical rainforests or tunnel
mazes lledwithoutlandishhybridanimals
land-whales, owl-bears, piranha-birds. Theres
awelcome sense of wonder andcharminits
discoveries, after the slick, pop-culture sensibility
of recent animatedfeatures. Similarly, the lms
franklygorgeous animation, lushlycoloured
andsubtlylit (consultant Roger Deakins gives us
sparkingdawns, uidres, acanopyof soft stars),
is asignicant advance onthe Day-Glopulsing
palettes of Wreck-It Ralphor Madagascar 3. Equally
sensitivelymodulated3Dsequences are alsoa
revelation. For everyclifftoptumble or
kinetic egg-chase choreographedlike an
The Croods
USA2013
Director: Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco
Certicate U 98m30s
Wanna be like you: Chimpanzee
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Reviewedby CarmenGray
Writer-director Scott Stewart was behind
derivative dystopiangenre mash-ups Legion
(2009) andPriest (2011), andhis latest lm
Dark Skies is nodeparture, exploitingas it
does numerous clichs fromfamiliar sci-
andhorror predecessors toworkmanlike
effect but withzerosparkof innovation.
Sharingaproducer withParanormal Activity
andInsidious, the lmsimilarlydraws fear from
supernatural home invasion. Out-of-work
architect Daniel (anondescript JoshHamilton)
andreal-estate agent Lacy(Keri Russell, who
brings more chutzpahtothe little the screenplay
offers) are goingthrougharoughspot in
their marriage, compoundedbythe stress of
nancial problems. This has unsettledtheir two
boys, Jesse (DakotaGoyo) andSammy(Kadan
Rockett). Strange night-time phenomenainthe
house soonaugment the domestic discord.
Classic fright scenes have beenco-opted
unashamedly: towers of packagedproduce
inthe familys kitchenare eerilystackedso
that their shadows make signs onthe ceiling,
recallingClose Encounters of the ThirdKind(1977)
andThe Blair WitchProject (1999); the starling
ocks poundingintothe windows (one of the
most effective scares) are all Hitchcock; and
the trance-like blackouts of familymembers
ape awhole lineage of possessionlms. The
presence of surveillance-eratechnologymeans
that all this happens withinamatrixof security
cameras andalarmsystems whose registeringof
strange activityonlyadds tothe siege-like sense
of threat. Anerve-shreddingtension, aidedby
stabs of music at choice moments, is maintained
throughout, thoughthe indiscriminate mixing
of disparate tried-and-true tricks results inan
incoherent hodgepodge lackingnarrative nesse.
Sammys claims of beingvisitedbythe
Sandman suggest that were infor amodern, dark
twist onfolklegend, but the power of Google
reveals toLacyfairlyearlyonthat aliens are the
likelyculprits. Her suspicions are validatedbya
visit toself-appointedexpert EdwinPollard(J.K.
Simmons, whose character seems tooclosely
modelledindress andmannerisms onHunter
S. Thompson). Hes beenstudyingabductions
for years andhas awall coveredinnewspaper
clippings. Pollardwarns that anextraterrestrial
race has beenobservingthe familyfor some
time, preparingfor anabductionbut, he
says, inrare cases resistance byaunied
familycanprevent achildbeingsnatched.
This provides all the justicationthe lm
seems toneedtobecome agunlobbyists dream,
aconservative-inectedscare-campaignfor the
nuclear familys sacredstatus. Havingshopped
for anAlsatianandashotgunthat packs alot of
punchat close range, husbandandwife barricade
themselves andtheir childrenintheir house and
gather roundthe table for aheartyFourthof July
dinner, awaitingthe aliens vigilantly. Theres an
endtwist but it does little more thanleave the
door ajar for awhollyunnecessarysequel.
Dark Skies
United Kingdom/USA/Canada 2012
Director: Scott Stewart
Certicate 15 96m53s
Arizona, present day. Unemployedarchitect Daniel
andreal-estate agent Lacy, who are under marital and
nancial strain, beginto experience strange night-time
disturbances inthe home they share withsonsJesse and
Sammy. The refrigerator is raided; products are stacked
ineerie formations; family photographs vanishfromtheir
frames. Sammy claims that a being calledthe Sandman
visits himinhis dreams. The security systemindicates
home intrusionat all entry points simultaneously, while
video cameras reveal a strange shifting energy force. The
family members all experience trance-like episodes and
notice unexplainedbruising. Birds y into the windows.
Lacy sees a dark gure standing over Sammys bed.
Internet researchleads her to specialist EdwinPollard,
who attributes these phenomena to alieninvasion,
saying that anextraterrestrial race, the Greys, has been
observing themfor some time andcontrolling them
throughimplants behindtheir ears. He warns that an
abductionis imminent, andthat only a unitedfamily
defence canthwart it. Lacy andDaniel buy shotguns and
barricade the family inthe house. The Greys inltrate the
home anda struggle ensues. Jesse is taken. The family,
regardedas suspects inhis disappearance, move house.
Sorting throughJesses belongings, Lacy nds evidence
that he interactedwiththe Greys froma young age, and
she links this to his long illness. Atransmissionfromthe
walkie-talkie withwhichJesse usedto communicate
withSammy announces thatthey are coming.
Producedby
JasonBlum
Writtenby
Scott Stewart
Cinematographer
DavidBoyd
Editedby
Peter Gvozdas
Production Designer
Jeffrey Higinbotham
Music
JosephBishara
Production
SoundMixer
Buck Robinson
Costume Designer
KelleKutsugeras
AllianceFilms (UK)
Dark Skies Limited
Production
Companies
AllianceFilms
presents in
associationwithIM
Global aBlumhouse
andRobotproof
production
Executive Producers
BobWeinstein
HarveyWeinstein
Scott Stewart
Charles Layton
BrianKavanaugh-
Jones
Jeff Okin
Cast
Keri Russell
Lacy Barrett
JoshHamilton
Daniel Barrett
Dakota Goyo
JesseBarrett
KadanRockett
SamBarrett
JoshStamberg
policeofcer
LJ Benet
KevinRatner
J.K. Simmons
EdwinPollard
RichHutchman
MikeJessop
Myndy Crist
KarenJessop
AnnieThurman
ShellyJessop
JakeWashburn
BobbyJessop
RonOstrow
RichardKlein
Dolby Digital/
Datasat
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
MomentumPictures
8,719ft +8frames
Bodysnatchers: Keri Russell, Kadan Rockett
Tunnel vision: The Croods
Americanfootball game, there is soft 3D
of oatingembers, dust motes or ower
petals, addingatmosphere rather thanvertigo.
ThematicallyThe Croods is ajaunty, none-too-
subtle reminder that our ownworldis being
transformedbythe digital youthquake. Guy,
withhis shell-call phones andre-stones, is the
Zuckerbergof the Palaeolithic era. The lms
savinggrace is that it makes us marvel at the
simple wonders of worlds botholdandnew.
Earth, prehistoric times. Neanderthal teenager Eep
Crood is frustrated by her father Grugs insistence on
keeping the family conned to their cave for safety.
She meets Guy, a Homo-sapiens teenager who shows
her re and reveals that the world is ending. When
a giant earth tremor buries their cave, the Crood
family jump into the subterranean tropical forest that
emerges. Guy, summoned by Eeps shell-call, saves
the family fromesh-eating birds by making re.
Though Grug disapproves, Guy suggests they trek
to the faraway high mountains. The family, except
Grug, start to enjoy Guys ideas and newinventions
as they cross lagoons and plains and dodge giant
hybrid animals and carnivorous plants. Jealous
of Guy, Grug tries to copy him. After falling into a
tar pit while ghting, Grug and Guy bond, and fool
a giant cat into releasing them. As the collapsing
world catches up with them, a lava-lled ravine
separates the group fromfreedom. Grug throws
themall singly across the gap, then makes a giant
bird-powered skeleton-helicopter to cross the ravine
himself. He reunites with his family, and they all make
their home on a beach at the continents edge.
Producedby
KristineBelson
JaneHartwell
Screenplay
Kirk DeMicco
Chris Sanders
Story
JohnCleese
Kirk DeMicco
Chris Sanders
Visual Consultant
Roger Deakins
Editor
DarrenHolmes
Production
Designer
ChristopheLautrette
Music Composed
andConductedby
AlanSilvestri
SoundDesigner
RandyThom
Animation
Supervisors
LineK. Andersen
Hans Dastrup
JakobHjort Jensen
Fredrik Nilsson
Kristof Serrand
SeanSexton
DreamWorks
AnimationLLC
Production
Company
DreamWorks
AnimationSKG
presents
Cast
Nicolas Cage
Grug
Emma Stone
Eep
RyanReynolds
Guy
Catherine Keener
Ugga
Cloris Leachman
Gran
Clark Duke
Thunk
Chris Sanders
Belt
Dolby Digital/
Datasat/SDDS
InColour
[2.35:1]
[1.44:1] - IMAX
prints
Some screenings
presentedin3D
Distributor
20thCentury Fox
International (UK)
8,865ft +0frames
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Reviewedby KimNewman
The current cycle of horror remakes, reimagining
everyclassic (or half-remembered) title fromthe
1970s and1980s, is nowitself adecade old. Marcus
Nispels The Texas ChainsawMassacre (2003) and
ZackSnyders Dawnof the Dead(2004) set the tone
for contemporary treatments of the eraof horror
boundedbyNight of the LivingDead(1968) and
Night of the LivingDead(1990) cast withattractive
TVstars andinterestingcharacter actors, crafted
like grittythrill rides, denudedof specic
social or political content andmountedwith
relativelydecent productionvalues andasense
of qualityoftenlackinginthe lower-budgeted
originals. Tenyears on, the lawof diminishing
returns means that the cycle has yieldedtoo
manyunmemorable redos of the likes of When
aStranger Calls andPromNight, plus genuinely
disastrous takes onHalloweenandIts Alive.
Unlike manyremakes, whichassume that their
audiences havent seenor canbarelyremember
the propertybeingtartedup, Fede Alvarezs Evil
Deadcounts onacertainfamiliaritywithSam
Raimis The Evil Dead(1982) andits sequels, Evil
DeadII (1987) andArmyof Darkness (1992). For
example, after the lms horrors have shifted
intooverdrive, the most culpable character sets
re tothe magic bookthats responsible for the
summoningof demons the methodbywhich
the evil deadwere dispelledin1982andthe
pages refuse toburn. The ve kids here arent
quite analogues of the original characters, and
several candidates are put forwardas successors
toBruce Campbells Ash, the seriess muchput-
uponlead. The twist that its ex-junkie Mia
rather thanher straighter brother Davidwho
becomes the Ashsurrogate inthe climaxgets
awayfromone of the more unusual aspects of
The Evil Dead(puttingamaninthe nal girl
role) bydefaultingtobusiness as usual as Jane
Levy(scarcelyacredible heroinaddict but game
enoughwithpower tools) loses ahandbut still
wields achainsawinamanner that Campbell,
appearingafter the endcredits, approves
withone of his signature lines (Groovy).
Alvarez restages keyimages fromRaimis lm
(the possessedsister liftingthe chained-down
cellar door toleer at her friends) andevenfrom
its publicitycampaign(amuchreproduced
still of awomanpullingherself out of agrave)
but comes upwithnewcringe-makinghorrors
ascaldingshower rather thanapencil inthe
ankle, for instance andgoes for agrimmer, less
joshingtone. Inhis sequels, Raimi has already
remade The Evil Deadwithaddedslapstick,
soAlvarez deliberatelyavoids that route. The
possessions are depictedwiththe sort of horrid,
bone-crackingcontortions foundinlatterday
demonmovies like The Exorcismof EmilyRose
(2005) andThe Devil Inside (2012), andthe funis
inhibitedbycalculatedlyupsettingdetails such
as one characters bladder lettinggoas she is
overwhelmedbythe evil force andpromptedto
cut off her cheekwithashardof brokenmirror.
Whenher horriedboyfriendsteps onthe cut-
off eshandslips, this variant onthe classic
banana-peel gagelicits ajolt rather thanalaugh.
If this Evil Deadis areturntoform, its not
because it aspires tothe achievement of The
Evil Deadbut because it works onthe level of
suchsolidmakeovers as Nispels Chainsawor
Alexandre Ajas The Hills Have Eyes (2006) rather
thanjoiningthe ranks of agging, desperate
offshoots like the recent Texas Chainsaw3D. Its a
product picture, but anefcientlypackagedone.
Evil Dead
USA/NewZealand 2013
Director: FedeAlvarez
Certicate 18 91m28s
Michigan, present day. Aprofessor of the occult
exorcises a demon fromhis possessed daughter by
burning her alive in the basement of a cabin. Sometime
later a group of young people arrive to spend a
weekend at the same cabin mechanic David and
his girlfriend Natalie join Davids old friends Eric, a
teacher, and Olivia, a nurse, in supporting Davids sister
Mia in her resolution to beat her heroin addiction.
In the basement, they nd a magic book; Eric reads
aloud fromit, summoning a demon. After suffering
withdrawal symptoms, Mia tries to leave but crashes
the car and is possessed by the demon. She injures
herself in a scalding shower. The others nd that a
rainstormhas washed out a bridge, trapping them
all at the cabin. Olivia, also possessed by the demon,
mutilates herself and then attacks Eric, forcing himto
kill her. David, Eric and Natalie fend off the demon Mia.
When Eric and Natalie are also possessed, David ghts
them. David learns fromthe book that the demon can
be dispelled if the possessed person is buried alive;
he puts his possessed sister in a shallowgrave, then
uses a homemade debrillator to bring her back to
life free of the evil spirit. Mia nowhas to destroy her
possessed friends to avert a demonic apocalypse.
Producedby
RobTapert
SamRaimi
BruceCampbell
Screenplay
FedeAlvarez
RodoSayagues
Basedonthemotion
pictureThe Evil Dead
writtenby SamRaimi
Director of
Photography
AaronMorton
FilmEditor
BryanShaw
ProductionDesigner
Robert Gillies
Music
RoqueBaos
ProductionMixer
Myk Farmer
Costume Designer
SarahVoon
Evil Dead, LLC
Production
Companies
TriStar Pictures,
FilmDistrict and
Ghost House
Pictures presents
Withtheassistance
of theNewZealand
LargeBudget Screen
ProductionGrant
Executive Producers
NathanKahane
JoeDrake
J.R. Young
Peter Schlessel
Cast
Jane Levy
Mia
ShilohFernandez
David
LouTaylor Pucci
Eric
Jessica Lucas
Olivia
ElizabethBlackmore
Natalie
Phoenix Connolly
teenager
JimMcLarty
Harold
Dolby Digital/
Datasat/SDDS
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
Studiocanal Limited
8,232 ft +0frames
Touch of evil: Jane Levy
Money matters: Geoffrey Rush
ReviewedbyJane Lamacraft
Introducedtothe central characters inFred
Schepisis adaptationof the 1973PatrickWhite
novel The Eye of the Storm, youcouldbe forgiven
for not wantingtostickaroundwiththemfor
the rest of the movie. Middle-agedsiblings Basil
andDorothy(variouslyvain, selsh, weak, self-
pitying) have arrivedbackinSydneytoreunite
withtheir elderlymaElizabeth(imperious,
spoilt, spectacularlyself-centred), bedridden
since astroke anddyinginthe lapof luxuryin
her overstuffedmansion. Manyof the characters
at the edge of this triptychof humanturpitude
are distinctlyawedtoo, fromactor Basils
ghastlythespianfriends toperkyyoungnurse
Flora(playedwithspirit bySchepisis daughter
Alexandra), whoplumps Elizabeths pillows while
helpingherself tothe oldladys couture wardrobe.
The kiddies, as Elizabethinsists oncalling
them, have beendrawnback(fromEngland
andFrance respectively) less byanyfondness
for their wealthymother thanbyconcern
for their inheritance. Its easytosee why
solittle love is lost: barelyhave the hellos
beensaidthanElizabeths cruel barbs begin,
elegantlybut viciouslydelivered, as when
she pointedlyreminds Basil of his disastrous
Lear (acharacter whoechoes here). Toher
daughter: What have youdone toyour hair?
Rather disconcertingly, this ancient ruinof
amummy is playedbyCharlotte Rampling, all
tooclearlyneither ancient nor ruined, despite
the lilac wig. Her castingmakes more sense,
though, whenwe see her inashbacks as her
younger, bewitching, man-magnet self. We
assume fromthese glimpses intothe past
andfromheavilysignalledclues that adark
secret is tobe revealed. Is it better, Basil asks
invoiceover, tolockloveless miseryinabox
burieddeepinabedroomcloset withall the
other memories of childhood? Or is it braver to
take it out andexamine it inamore forgiving
light? Shots of maggots infruit or ies trapped
injars of preserves further hint at something
rottenat the heart of this family. Skeletons,
we feel, will be clatteringout of cupboards
anytime soon. But whenit nallycomes, the
stormof the title is more squall thantempest.
The bigreveal, it seems, is that simplytobe
alive is tobe at the eye of the storm.
GeoffreyRushmakes Basil hollow,
The Eye of the Storm
Australia/United Kingdom2011
Director: Fred Schepisi
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pompous andabsurd, while JudyDavis
shines as Dorothy, the daughter forever
outshone. Schepisi (directinghis rst featuresince
2003s Kirk/Michael/CameronDouglas vehicle It
Runs inthe Family) seeps his Sydneyin70s olives
andochres andcuts cleverlybetweenhis three
maincharacters past andpresent. Andbythe
endyouvery, verynearlycare about them.
Sydney, 1972. Middle-aged siblings Basil and Dorothy
Hunter have returned fromabroad to visit their
wealthy mother Elizabeth, bedridden following a
stroke and cared for by nurses Flora and Mary and
housekeeper Lotte. Basil is a stage actor based in
England; Dorothy is divorced fromher aristocrat
French husband. The relationship between the
siblings and their mother is strained, and it becomes
clear that Elizabeths behaviour in the past has
caused great unhappiness, especially for Dorothy
we ashback intermittently to an incident years
earlier, when Dorothy and then boyfriend Edward
stayed with Elizabeth on a tropical Queensland island.
Though Flora has a boyfriend, Col, she irts
with Basil and they start sleeping together;
she stops taking the Pill and becomes
pregnant. However, when Basil humiliates her
in front of his actor friends, she runs off.
When the wife of Elizabeths lawyer Arnold
Wyburd visits, Elizabeth deliberately lets slip
that she andArnold once had an affair. Basil
and Dorothy drive to the country house where
they grewup. Dorothy remembers walking in on
her mother and Edward making love while they
were on the island years before; she becomes
distressed, and when Basil comforts her they sleep
together. Elizabeth tells Arnold that she wants
to leave all her money to him. She recalls the
incident on the island: after Dorothy and Edward
left her there alone, a tropical stormstruck. She
survived by hiding in an underground shelter.
Back in Sydney, Dorothy reconciles with
Elizabeth moments before her death. Lotte kills
herself. Flora, who has miscarried, returns to
Col. Arnold tells Basil and Dorothy that their
mother has left the money to them. Dorothy
makes clear to Basil that what happened between
themat the country house must never recur.
Producedby
AntonyWaddington
Gregory Read
FredSchepisi
Screenplay
Judy Morris
Basedonthenovel
by PatrickWhite
Director of
Photography
IanBaker
Editedby
KateWilliams
Production
Designer
MelindaDoring
Music
Paul Grabowsky
Production
SoundMixer
JohnWilkinson
Costume Designer
Terry Ryan
Paper Bark Films
EOSPty Ltd
Production
Companies
AnAntony
Waddington
presentationin
associationwith
RMBProductions
andAustralian
Broadcasting
Corporation
APaper Bark Films
production
AFredSchepisi lm
Madewiththe
assistanceof
ScreenAustralia
andFilmVictoria
MediaProductions
(International)
Limited
Co-produced
withIngenious
Broadcasting
Producedin
association
withAustralian
Broadcasting
Corporation
Developedand
nancedwith
theassistanceof
ScreenAustralia
Executive
Producedby
JonathanShteinman
EdwardSimpson
Executive
Producers
BobMarcs
JamesVernon
Geoffrey Rush
Judy Davis
AndrewMackie
RichardPayten
Cast
Geoffrey Rush
Sir Basil Hunter
Charlotte Rampling
ElizabethHunter
Judy Davis
Dorothy de
Lascabanes
Alexandra Schepisi
Flora
HelenMorse
Lotte
JohnGaden
ArnoldWyburd
RobynNevin
Lal Wyburd
ColinFriels
Athol Shreve
MariaTheodorakis
Mary
Bille Brown
Dudley
Jane Menelaus
Maggie
DustinClare
Col
MartinLynes
Edward
InColour
[1.85:1]
Distributor
MunroFilmServices
Reviewedby Sophie Mayer
First Positionhas aclever double meaning: winning
but alsostartingat the bottom. Technically, it
refers toballets deceptivelysimple rst stance,
the basis of its language. Inthis documentary
about aspiringdancers, we see talentedstudent
JoanSebastianteachit tohis younger brother
Alejandroonarare visit fromNewYorkback
home toColombia. He lines Alejoupagainst the
foot of the bedtoget the turnout of his feet; Alejo
tumbles backwards as his legs rotate unnaturally.
Its acomic moment conveyingthe mind-
bogglingdifcultyof eventhe most basic step.
Other reections include amontage of foot
injuries that out-grosses the Sawlms, as well
as dancers beingsmackedinclass, dancingon
fractures anddoingmaths homeworkwhile in
full splits. Beyondthe physical pain, First Position
focuses onthe psychological andemotional drain
of competingat the YouthAmericaGrandPrix.
First-time lmmaker Bess Kargmansensibly
eschews the high-dramahistrionics of The XFactor
infavour of protagonists whoare balancedand
reective, albeit relentless. We see tears backstage,
but not fromthe sevendancers whomake up
the focus of the lm. Rather thanbeingaskedto
sympathise withthem, we are askedtorespect
themandtheir choice tobecome dancers.
That the lmcommands this respect is a
triumphof dispassionate cameraworkand
subtle editing, as there are fewnarrative twists or
hard-hittingexposs onoffer. Afewadults pass
comment onthe nancial burdenof supporting
acompetitive ballet student, andonthe parlous
state of ballets ownnances, but mostlythe
camerais there for its well-chosenyoungsubjects
First Position
USA2011
Director: Bess Kargman
Certicate U 94m40s
Adocumentary following seven ballet students taking
part in theYouthAmerica Grand Prix, a prestigious
event in which competitors can win scholarships
and jobs. Most of the students are American or US-
based but they represent the emerging diversity of
contemporary classical dance: 17-year-old Rebecca
Houseknecht, known to schoolfriends as Barbie,
is a blonde fromMiddle America; Joan Sebastian
Zamora moved fromColombia at 14 to train in the
US; Michaela DePrince is a Sierra Leonean orphan
adopted by anAmerican couple; Aran Bell, whose
father is in the US Navy, has moved fromCalifornia
to Kuwait to Naples, where he meets fellow11-year-
old dancer Gaya Bommer Yemini fromIsrael; Miko
andJulesJJ Fogarty are mixed-race siblings.
The dancers withstand gruelling hours of training
and parental pressure to reach the regional semi-
nals, where we see themqualify. Before the nals
in NewYork, Joan visits his family in Colombia; JJ
quits ballet, upsetting his mother; and Michaela
suffers severe tendonitis. All except JJ perform
in the nals and are among the prizewinners.
Producedby
Bess Kargman
Director of
Photography
Nick Higgins
Editedby
KateAmend
Bess Kargman
Music
Chris Hajian
SoundMixer
EricThomas
First Position
Films, LLC
Production
Companies
ABess Kargman
production
Supportedby the
ManhattanMovement
&Arts Center
Executive Producer
RoseCaiola
With
AranBell
Rebecca
Houseknecht
JoanSebastian
Zamora
Miko Fogarty
JulesJarvis Fogarty
Michaela DePrince
Gaya Bommer
Yemini
Dolby Digital
InColour
[1.78:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
Articial EyeFilm
Company
8,520ft +0frames
Bound to succeed: First position
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togive accounts of themselves, verballyand
choreographically. WithJoanSebastian, whose
familyis relyingonhimtosucceedandsend
moneyhome, andMichaela, aSierraLeonean
war orphanadoptedbyanAmericancouple,
the lmrisks askingfor pity, but theyboth
have suchelectric presence onandoff stage
that, like the lm, we focus ontheir dance.
Bothof themdeservedlywinscholarships to
topschools, anoutcome signalledthroughout
the lm; yet JoanSebastians arrival at the Royal
Ballet School inLondonis incrediblymoving
for all the heavyhandedsymbolismof lming
himonthe schools Bridge of Aspiration in
Covent Gardenperhaps because his arrival
conveys the titles double meaning. Joan
Sebastianwonbut hes alsostartingagain, in
anewcountry, competingfor avanishingly
small number of professional positions.
Its equallyunsubtle, yet telling, toclose the
storyof prizewinning12-year-oldMikowitha
shot of her mother remarkingthat she needs
tobe stretched, followedbyashot of Mikos
brother JJ sayingthat, since quittingballet,
hes beingcoachedfor the IvyLeague. Andyet
these seemof apiece withballet boththe
emotional storylines of the dances, andthe
erce, ruthless intensityof the professional
world. WhenMikos coachViktor announces
that hes freakinghappy about her nals
performance, he sounds like aTerminator.
Its inArans story, whichopens the lm, that
this monomaniais perhaps best observed. Aran
rst appears pogoingandridingaunicycle not
for fun, we realise, but as part of his training. His
father has, his mother tells us, beenstructuring
his career inthe USNavyaroundArans need
tobe near adance school. LivinginNaples,
Aranorders his dance costumes fromChicago.
Yet hes alsogenerous: after the prize-giving,
he doesnt want totalkabout his ownnervy
moment of thinkinghes missedout, but to
make sure that his friendGaya, whospeaks
Hebrew, has fullyrealisedthat shes wonbronze.
The endcredits sequence, as expected, updates
the viewer onthe dancers progress, including
reassurance that pink-lovingall-American
princess Rebeccahas receivedabelatedcallback
fromthe WashingtonBallet. More tellingly,
Aranappears tohave takenaleaf out of Gayas
bookandis rehearsingacomic, contemporary
choreographythat seems more ttingfor apre-
teenthanthe grandromantic solos. The kids,
the lmsuggests, are all right bothbecause they
are talentedanddedicateddancers, andbecause
theyare humanbeings whosee ballet as awayof
creatingbeautyinachaotic andunjust world.
Despite its conventional narrative and
generallyat digital cinematography(not
helpedbyshootingindingystudios), First
Positiondeserves anaudience wider than
wannabe dancers andarmchair balletomanes
as it demysties this elite artform. Like Man
onWire (2008), its astudyof artistic and
physical dedication; like the dancers it follows,
it has the gift of balance. While clear about
the economic andphysical costs of adance
career, the lmallows us toenter intothe
protagonists perspective tostretchourselves
imaginativelyas theydophysically.
Bristol, the present. Engineer Frankie is working on
the designof more efcient drones for the Ministry of
Defence. After delivering a lecture to students, she nds
herself without her car keys; a young man, Kahil, helps
her. Days later she runs into himagainandoffers to
lendhima textbook; he buys her a fast-fooddinner and
returns to her house withher. Aseductioncommences
but he departs abruptly, leaving a note inArabic which,
whenshe has it translated, proves to be love poetry.
She tracks himdownandthey make love; askedabout
scars onhis body, he gives no reply. Separating onthe
street, they are observedby Frankies father. Eating
out together, they runinto Kahils ex-girlfriendfrom
Algeria; the two speak inArabic andFrankie is jealous.
Frankies father asks her if its wise for her to have an
Arabboyfriend. Making a surprise visit, Frankie sees
Kahil dropping off taxi customers. She phones the
university andnds that he isnt registeredas a student.
Confronting him, she establishes that he has dropped
out andis inthe country illegally, driving a cab. Frankie
offers himwork repainting her at. Onher way into
work she is stoppedandquestionedby anMoDstaff
member. It transpires that Kahil andhis friends are
consideredpersons of interest. Frankie nds extremist
websites onKahils laptop; they ght andbreak up, but
soonreconcile. She nds guns hiddeninhis bathroom,
tells her father, andthey informthe police, who reveal
that Kahil spent time inprisoninAlgeria. Frankie
nds Kahils ex, who explains that he was a socialist
student leader, andsays that the guns werent his.
Frankie goes to see Kahil again, but armedpolice raid
his home andarrest him. Frankies father admits that
he alertedthe authorities onrst seeing the couple.
Kahil is deported; Frankie watches the plane leave.
Producedby
AlisonSterling
Writtenby
Naomi Wallace
BruceMcLeod
CarolineHarrington
Director of
Photography
Andrzej
Wojciechowski
FilmEditor
EwaJ. Lind
Production Designer
AlisonRiva
Composer
JonWygens
LocationSound
Mixer
AlanODuffy
Costume Designer
SaffronWebb
iFeatures Limited
andBBC
Production
Companies
SouthWest Screen
andBBCFilms
withMatador
Pictures, Cinema
Six, Regent Capital
andCity of Bristol
anIgnitionFilms/
iFeatures production
Developedwith
theassistanceof
SouthWest Screen
throughtheRegional
Investment Fundfor
England/BBCFilms
Madewiththe
support of Bristol
City Council
Executive Producers
Christopher Moll
SteveJenkins
CharlotteWalls
Cast
HelenMcCrory
Frankie
NajibOudghiri
Kahil
KennethCranham
Victor
TristanGemmill
Robert
Sherif Eltayeb
Malik
Philippa Howard
NinaSimons
LorcanCranitch
DuncanMorehouse
RazaneJammal
Dima
CameronStewart
AndrewDockings
GlynGrimstead
Terry
SamEllis
DCHarry Dixon
Dolby Digital
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
SodaPictures
Reviewedby HannahMcGill
This cool, solemndramacommences with
animage self-assuredaeronautical engineer
Frankie (HelenMcCrory) positionedinawind
tunnel, hair blownwildandface set rmthe
rakishswagger of whichwill not be much
replicatedinthe lmthat follows. Frankies
fraught affair withAlgerianstudent Kahil (Najib
Oudghiri), whichinteracts awkwardlywith
daylight hours spent designingkiller drones
for the Ministryof Defence, is for the most
part renderedintones as mutedas the steely
palette deployedbycinematographer Andrzej
Wojciechowski. What initiallyregisters as an
across-the-barricades love affair (ostensibly
irresistiblypassionate but portrayedina
disapprovingmanner suggestive of exploitation
or inappropriateness onone side or the other,
recallingalmost anyaffair inaHanif Kureishi
script) becomes apolitical mineeld, as Frankie
nds her lover beinginvestigatedbythe MoDas
apersonof interest, andherself under suspicion
as anaccessory. The moodthroughout is sadand
edgy; andwhile the development of the storyis
unpredictable andbroadlycompelling, the tone
as Frankie succumbs toparanoiaandfails to
standbyher manturns intosomething
alittle frownyandself-righteous.
Flying Blind
United Kingdom2012
Director: Katarzyna Klimkiewicz
An affair to remember: Najib Oudghiri, Helen McCrory
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McCrory, withher cut-glass accent,
raucous laughandbeautybyturns severe
andcherubic, is goodcastingfor acharacter
shuttlingbetweenstaunchself-control and
recklessness. But Frankies mercurial mood
changes alsofrustrate the viewer, who,
compelledbythe lms subplotless intimacyto
observe rather closelyher actions andapparent
motivations, maybe driventowonder whya
womansoprofessionallyuncompromisingand
sexuallyassertive wouldbe soquicktoshed
all trust inher ownjudgement andbuythe
imsilysupportedtheories of others inthis sole
matter. Frankie is inher forties; thoughthe lm
sensiblyavoids givingher anoverdetermined
backstory, we mayassume that shes dealt before
withings andinfatuations. Indeed, we know
she doesnt suffer inadequacyor sensitivity
gladly: He criedandsaidthankyou after
sex, is howshe sums uparecent boyfriends
limitations toacolleague. Kahil is cute and
everything, but are we reallytoaccept that this
callow, shaggybedsit-dweller wouldwaltz so
easilypast her defences? Or that, workingin
the eldshe does andpresumablyspendinga
lot of time abidingbythe Ofcial Secrets Act
andbeingsecurity-cleared, she wouldnt have
developedabit of aradar not for Muslims,
necessarily, but for students, intellectuals or
journalists whomight have anot-entirely-
sympathetic interest inthe highlyethically
sensitive matter of killingpeople fromadistance?
Frankies lackof engagement withthe
humanitariancost of her workis glancingly
coveredat the lms start, whenwe see her
answer astudents questiononthe matter
withthe evasive assertionthat none of us
is outside the military-industrial complex
andthe glibself-justicationthat Imnot
aphilosopher; Iminterestedinthe beauty
of ight rather thanour abilitytoght. But
beyondthis public disingenuousness, one
feels that this smart, spikywomanwouldbe
atouchmore preparedthanshe seems for
negative reactions toher areaof expertise.
These are the wrongexpectations, perhaps,
for almseeminglyintendedtofunctionlargely
onthe level of allegorybut what its saying
allegoricallyis alittle thintoo. Appearances
canbe deceptive? East is east andwest is west
andnever the twainshall humppassionately
against awindowpane without racismcoming
alongtotaint the idyll? Arms manufacturers
might want toconsider the functionas well
as the formof the objects theydesign?
Alow-budget lmconstructed with
discipline and condence, and featuring a
lead performance fromMcCrory that makes
youwishshe got more of them, Flying Blind
has muchto recommend it. The ambiguity it
brings to its central relationshipis sporadically
intriguing, despite chemistry that doesnt
re as strongly as must have beenintended.
However, its lackof humour renders its
mood a little lifeless, and inthe end, just as
its heroine proves to be more gooey than
her striking opening appearance suggests,
it leans towards why-cant-we-all-just-get-
along weepiness rather thana truly rigorous
engagement withthe issues it raises.
Reviewedby Geoffrey Macnab
Givenits subject-matter, youmight have
expectedMichal Marczaks lmtobe
titillating, prurient or sensationalist intone.
Its adocumentaryabout the Berlin-based
erotic, non-prot ecological organisation
Fuckfor Forest, whichuses pornographyto
raise moneyfor environmental causes. Have
Sex, Save the World is one of its slogans.
YoungPolishdirector Marczakcant resist
satirisingFFFs activities, andtheres adeadpan,
verydryvoiceover runningsparinglythroughout
the documentarywhichsuggests that hes
strugglingtotake the groupaltogether seriously.
However, he resists the temptationtomockhis
protagonists. This is atraditional observational
documentaryinthe style of the Maysles brothers
or D.A. Pennebaker, andwhether lmingFFF
inundergroundBerlinnightclubs or deepin
the Amazonrainforest, he shoots inthe same
matter-of-fact way. The groupclearlyaccept
himandbehave inanatural wayoncamera.
One of the frustrations of the lmis its
lackof context. Marczakdoesnt provide us
withapottedhistoryof FFFor give us much
sense of whenhe startedlmingor why.
Instead, we see the groups activities fromthe
perspective of Danny, ayoungNorwegian
whousedtobe achampionhorse-rider but has
rebelledagainst his bourgeois background.
FFFs politics andworldviewseempainfully
simplistic. This is agrouprivenbycontradictions
the founders are idealists andyet theyre part
of the pornindustry. As theytalkabout sperm
andbloodwhile decryingthe prudishness
andrepressioninthe societyaroundthem,
theydont realise their owngrotesquerie. Nor
dotheyappear muchinterestedingender
politics or what it costs some of their women
followers tojointhe movement (we learn
almost inpassingthat ayoungIndianwoman
has beendisownedbyher familybecause of
her associationwithFFF). Youhave toadmire
their proselytisingandresourcefulness though
theyclaimthat one intenof the strangers
theyapproachonthe street will agree to
participate intheir photoandvideosessions,
andtheyclearlyraise large amounts of money.
The most poignant andpainful part of the lm
comes whentheyheaddeepintothe Amazon
forests. Theyare hopingtondaworldof
prelapsarianinnocence but are regardedbythe
villagers theywant tohelpas just more decadent
Europeans, out toexploit them. InEurope you
canwalkaroundnakedbut not here. Youare
prostitutingthe children, theyare toldbythe
peopletheyhavecomethousands of miles tohelp.
Theyare utterlycrestfallen. Dannyinparticular
seems aninnocent andvulnerable gure a
long-hairedtroubadour desperate tobe liked.
Later, we see himtellingPalestinianrefugees
that his ght is similar totheirs, andaskingthem
tojoinhiminhis latest nakedprotest outside
the townhall. Understandably, theyseemboth
amusedandembarrassedbyhis sheer naivety.
Fuck for Forest
Poland/Germany 2012
Director: Michal Marczak
Certicate 18 86m14s
Porn to be wild: Fuck for Forest
Danny is an idealistic young Norwegian who was a
horse-riding champion in his youth but has rebelled
against his bourgeois background. In Berlin, he
becomes part of environmental movement Fuck
for Forest, a group of hippy anarchists who post
porn videos and photographs online and then
invest the prots in ecological projects. Together
withTommy, Leona and Natty, Danny takes part
in FFF events and happenings. They tell strangers
that they are raising money tosave nature.
Asurprising number of these strangers are
willing to be photographed for the FFF site.
With the money it has raised, FFF has an
opportunity to invest in an ecological project in
a remote part of the Amazon. FFF members head
rst to Manaus in Brazil and then on to Colombia,
eventually arriving deep in the rainforest. At rst
they are welcomed by the isolated and impoverished
community they have come to visit. However, when
they have a formal meeting with the villagers and
announce their plans to give themmoney to buy
their ancestral land, the villagers are suspicious
and then hostile. They want to knowwhat FFF is
demanding in return for its investment. They also
tell their visitors that in their community, nudity is
prohibited. Eventually, the FFF group is asked to leave.
Crestfallen, the members go their separate ways
across South America. After six months, we hear that
they returned to Berlin to come up with a newplan
for saving the planet. Danny is last seen back home
in Norway discussing his plans to protest naked with
a group of very sceptical Palestinian refugees.
Producedby
Mikolaj Pokromski
Michal Marczak
Script
Michal Marczak
Lukasz Grudzinski
Cinematography
Michal Marczak
Editing
Dorota
Wardeszkiewicz
Music
MarcinMasecki
LocationSound
RadoslawOchnio
Lukasz Grudzinski
Pokromski Studio/
Michal Marczak/
KinomatonBerlin
Production
Companies
Pokromski Studio
presents aMichal
Marczak lm
Co-producedby
KinomatonBerlin,
Against Gravity
Fundedby Polish
FilmInstitute,
Medienboard
Berlin-Brandenburg
APolishFilm
Instituteco-nanced
production
AMedienboard
Berlin-Brandenburg
co-fundedproduction
Producedby
Pokromski Studio
andMichal Marczak
InColour
[1.78:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
Dogwoof
7,761 ft +0frames
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ReviewedbyAshley Clark
Crashingout of the blocks withanenergyit
succeeds inmaintaining, AdamLeons brisk
debut feature is anenjoyablypicaresque tale that
has the historyof NewYork-set, youth-centric
subcultural cinemawoventhroughit like shot
silkbut never feels remotelyderivative. Set across
twodays, Gimme the Loot evokes the temporal
constrictionandsummer sultriness of Spike
Lees Do the Right Thing(1989) but perhaps more
germanelyrecalls the zzingenergyandreckless
forwardmomentumof JohnCassavetess Shadows
(1959), another compassionate, rough-edged
debut memorablydepictingyoungoutsiders
inastate of uxunder NewYorks unforgiving
glare. (Incidentally, the rst words spokenin
Shadows are: Hey, Benny, yougot the loot?)
As hintedat byits unambiguous, Notorious
B.I.G-quotingtitle, Gimme the Loot boasts a
narrative of urgent directness, trackingthe
efforts of MalcolmandSoaapair of likeable
hardscrabble Bronxteens toraise enoughcash
toexact creative revenge onthe rival grafti
outt whodefacedtheir latest masterpiece.
While there are illicit, vicarious thrills tobe
hadinthe pairs casuallyoffhandcriminal
activity, these are amusinglyoffset bythe
inherent unlikeliness of their missionandthe
near-bathetic haplessness of their efforts. Leon
simplytrusts that well care enoughthat Malcolm
andSoacare: its agamble that pays off.
Leonshoots withasearchingmobilitywell
suitedtoapanoplyof urbanlocations that reveal
the citys endlesslycontradictoryproximities.
His repeateduse of lengthytakes lmedwith
longlenses helps tosituate the characters within
their wider landscape andgive Malcolmand
Soaample time tobounce off eachother when
not indulgedinsmartlycross-cut individual
entrepreneurial activity. Leondraws ne
performances fromnewcomers TyHickson
(puppyish) andTashianaWashington(world-
weary), whoshare apalpable chemistryand
deliver the scripts rat-a-tat rallyof barbs with
relish. Their potential for romantic kindling
imbues the lmwithafurther narrative frisson
andbothcharacters embodyaproteansweetness
absent fromthe surlyurbantroglodytes that
pepperedthe landscape of LarryClarks alarmist,
if aestheticallycomparable, Kids (1995).
Despite MalcolmandSoas gaucheness, Leon
is careful not topatronise them, understanding
that their missionisnt quite as inconsequential
as it initiallyseems. Their aimstems as much
fromathirst for revenge as fromanyyearning
for visibilityandrespect (togodownin
history, as Malcolmputs it), the quest for
whichwas documentedinearlygrafti lms
like Charlie Ahearns WildStyle (1983) and
the landmarkStyle Wars (1983). Bothdepicted
primarilyblackandHispanic kids inrundown
areas of the city, highonthe rst ushes of a
subculture that prioritisedartistic creativity
while terrifyingparents andauthoritygures
alike. Grafti nowwelcomedintomainstream
popculture was deemedaqualityof life
offence byasuccessionof NewYorkmayors.
This type of desire for agencylies beyond
the comprehensionof Ginnie (Zo Lescaze),
the stoned, bohemian, well-heeledwhite girl
withwhomMalcolmbecomes infatuated
mid-scam. Intheir rst meeting, theyshare a
cross-cultural irtation, promptingawoozy
Malcolmtodeclare his love for her toa
disbelievingSoa. Soit comes as ashockwhen
he is callouslyandpointedlyothered byGinnie
andher coterie of drunk, richfriends later in
the narrative (Sayhellotothe drugdealer!).
Its adisquietingmoment that betrays Leons
awareness of NYCs de factorace andclass
segregation, andintelligentlyconnects his lm
tograftis sociopolitical roots. Later, aneerily
silent rooftopconfrontationbetweenMalcolm,
SoaandGinnie recalls the brilliant moment
inWalter Hills The Warriors (1979) whenthe
exhausted, decimatedConeyIslandgangboard
asubwaytrainandtrade emotionallycharged
glances withagroupof clean-cut promkids.
Tyingeverythingtogether is aresolutely
unashyaesthetic that radiates ananalogue
sensibilityinspite of beingshot digitally; the
mise enscne is largelyparsedof references
that might obviouslydate the lm. This retro
ideologyis further embodiedinSoas brusque,
anti-capitalist dismissal of the SheaStadiums
newname, Citi Field(Imnot callingit after
some stupidbank!), andahilarious sequence
inwhichheavilytattooedold-school criminal
Championreacts withspittle-eckedoutrage
toMalcolms suggestionthat he might google
advice onhowtopickanewfangledlock.
Augmentingthe lms curiouslytimeless
feel is awell-chosensoundtrackthat eschews
predictable hip-hopandyoof fare for awinning
combinationof vintage soul andR&B.
Withsupreme condence andclear vision,
Leonhas craftedanempathetic, non-judgemental
paeantoNewYorkCitys subcultural history
andthe dual joys of youthandbrevity. He
is without questionaname towatch.
Gimme the Loot
USA2012
Director: AdamLeon
Making their mark: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson
The Bronx, NewYork, present day. Teenaged grafti
artists Malcolmand Soa have one of their works
defaced (buffed) with the NewYork Mets logo by rival
grafti crewWKC(fromneighbouring Queens) and
resolve to take revenge by tagging the iconic Home Run
Apple monument at the Mets Citi Field stadium. To do
so they must raise $500 to pay off stadiumsecurity
guard Pedro. Malcolmtricks a local drug dealer into
giving himve packets of weed, which he delivers to
Ginnie, a girl in Manhattan with whomhe enjoys a brief
irtation. The dealers outraged boss arrives, prompting
Malcolmto ee, minus his sneakers and sufcient
cash. Soas attempts to raise money are thwarted;
she visits a customclient for payment but emerges
only with a pair of sneakers to sell. Her bike is stolen.
She pursues the culprits friend and steals his phone
but is tricked out of pawning it by a convenience-store
employee. She sells the sneakers and some stolen
spray cans to a friend but is robbed by the waitingWKC
crew. Malcolmreturns to Ginnies house in order to
seduce her and rob her parents jewellery box but he
fails to get the opportunity. Leaving, Malcolmsteals the
key to the jewellery box, then conspires with Soa and
local criminal Champion to break into Ginnies house.
The break-in is bungled and they leave with nothing. On
the morning of the scheduled break-in, the pair plan to
trick Pedro with dollar bills made frompaper. However,
Pedro fails to show, leaving the pair crestfallen.
Producedby
NatalieDifford
Dominic Buchanan
JamundWashington
Writtenby
AdamLeon
Director of
Photography
JonathanMiller
Editor
MorganFaust
Production Design
Sammy Lisenco
KatieHickman
Original Music
Nicholas Britell
SoundMixer
AnthonyThompson
Sevenfor Ten, LLC
Production
Companies
ASevenfor Ten
productionin
associationwith
FlagstoneFeatures,
DOTPictures,
Badminton
Stamps Films
Cast
Tashiana
Washington
Soa
Ty Hickson
Malcolm
Meeko
Champion
SamSoghor
Lenny
AdamMetzger
Donnie
GreysonGordo Cruz
Alfonso
James HarrisJr
Ronaldo
Zo Lescaze
Ginnie
Joshua Rivera
Rico
MelvinMogoli
Kaps
LeahHennessey
Hot Mess
InColour
[1.85:1]
Distributor
SodaPictures
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Reviewedby Derek OConnor
If youre not Irishdont worry, nobodys
perfect thenthe rise andrise of Celtic comedic
ensemble the HardyBucks has more thanlikely
bypassedyour cultural radar entirely. Ontheir
native shores, however, the Bucks have already
enjoyedconsiderable success as aninternet
phenomenon, atelevisionsitcom, alive show
andnowamovie, one underwritteninpart by
aHollywoodmajor (Universal) dippingits toe
intolocal waters. This tale of small-townwasters
originatedas aseries of largelyimprovised
mockumentarysketches postedonYouTube,
before graduatingtonational broadcaster RTE
viaanonline knockout competitionandtwo
TVseries, whichattempted(withrather mixed
results) tospinthe Bucks brandof short-form
observational goldintoahalf-hour format.
Freedof the excessive editorialisingthat often
goes withthe televisionprocess, this livelyand
likeable big-screendebut, producedonarelative
shoestring, gamelyserves torekindle the spark
that put the Bucks onthe radar tobeginwith.
Director/producer/editor Mike Cockayne a
collaborator since the HardyBucks earlyTV
days withcreators/stars MartinMaloneyand
Chris Tordoff (akaheadBuckEddie Durkanand
perennial nemesis the Viper) wrote the script
withGerryGreaney, stickingwithatried-and-
trustedscenariooftenappliedtositcoms-turned-
movies: the triptothe Continent. Following
inthe footsteps of anynumber of shows, from
Are YouBeingServed? toThe Inbetweeners, they
conspire toallowtheir freewheelingnarrative
andthe productionitself topiggyback
ontothe Irishfootball squads disastrous
2012EuropeanChampionshipcampaign,
landingthemselves plentyof free extras, some
clearlythe worse for wear, inthe process.
Thus our bevyof Bucks abandontheir
perpetuallydrizzlyMayohometownfor acrazy
roadtriptothe Euro2012nals inPoland, by
wayof hedonistic hijinks inwhere else?
Amsterdamandabarely-there caper plot that
sees themforcedtobecome drugsmugglers en
route. The designatedshowstealer as has been
the case throughout everyiterationtodate is
the Viper, co-creator Tordoffs would-be druglord,
asingularlypathetic andneedysoul, abandoned
byhis useless henchmenandpossessedof an
innate abilitytorubanylivingorganism
particularlythe female ones the wrongway.
Comedically, the Bucks might be viewedas
cousins of KevinSmiths Clerks posse bywayof
Mike Clattenburgs Trailer Park Boys lives going
nowhere, days draggingby, doingwhatever it
takes tokeepthe tediumat bay. At atime when
Irelands economyremains inthe toilet, with
emigrationat near-famine levels, the Bucks
inarticulate aimlessness feels curiouslyauthentic,
their needfor escape almost poignant. Almost,
we stress; their largelymale fanbase will delight
inthe relentless barrage of lavatorial humour,
punctuatedbythe occasional wittyaside.
Consideringthat the Bucks have made avirtue
out of exclusivelycastingnon-actors before now,
athird-act appearance here fromrenowned
Andrzej Wajdaregular Daniel Olbrychski (whose
credits include everythingfromKieslowskis
Decalogue tothe AngelinaJolie spythriller
Salt) comes as abit of ashockCockayne says
he cast Olbrychski as aheavyafter googling
most famous Polishactors. Like his character,
andthe movie itself, hes game for revelling
shamelesslyinthat most infamous of Irish
commodities inthe end, its all about the craic.
The Hardy Bucks Movie
Ireland/United Kingdom2012
Director: Mike Cockayne
The Irish hamlet of Castletown, the present. The Hardy
Bucks are a gang of bored slackers, living an aimless
existence and facing the prospect of another rainy
and bored summer. When local drug dealer the Viper
brags that hes taking a road trip to see the Irish squad
compete in the European Football Championships
in Poland, the Bucks leader Eddie Durkan resolves
to take the gang to Euro 2012. With a modest
inheritance bankrolling their trip, the Bucks take to
the road but by the time they reach the Continent,
their decrepit van is a write-off. An unanticipated
stop-off inAmsterdamreunites themwith the Viper,
whose insufferable behaviour has prompted his travel
companions to bail out; he offers the Bucks a ride,
which they grudgingly accept, antagonising their
would-be host at every opportunity. Awild druggy night
in anAmsterdamstrip club leaves Eddie and fellow
Buck Frenchtoast heavily in debt; to pay the money
back, they must deliver a large quantity of drugs to a
contact in Poland. When they arrive, they mistakenly
deliver the package to the wrong person but the day
is unwittingly saved by the Viper, who reveals that he
had already stolen their drugs and has themsafely
hidden. Debt repaid, the gang nally enjoy the football.
Producedby
MikeCockayne
Writtenby
MikeCockayne
Gerry Greaney
Director of
Photography
RobArrowsmith
Editedby
Rik Spangle
ChrisTordoff
ProductionDesigner
StephanieClerkin
Original Music
Sponge
SoundRecordist
Patrick Downey
Hardy FilmLtd
Production
Companies
Universal Pictures
andBordScannn
nahireann/theIrish
FilmBoardpresents
inassociation
withRTaHardy
Films production
AMikeCockaynelm
Executive Producer
Conor Harrington
Cast
MartinMaloney
EddieDurkan
OwenColgan
Buzz McDonall
ChrisTordoff
theViper
Peter Cassidy
Frenchtoast
TomKilgallon
theBoo
Michael Salmon
Mikey Salmon
Tommy Miller
Stateside
Eugene Maloney
UncleMick
Wayne Lynch
Dragon
Paddy Moore
Stephen
EoinOConnor
doctor
AlisonGormley
Aunt Salmon
Daniel Olbrychski
Roman
InColour
Distributor
Universal Pictures
International
UK&Eire
Continental drift: The Hardy Bucks Movie
Reviewedby Carlos Losilla
Ever since All About MyMother
(1999), andevenmore markedly
sofromthe start of this century,
PedroAlmodvars cinema
has endeavouredtothink
incessantlyabout itself. Its not somuchamatter
of ashift fromacomic toadramatic register, but
rather adesire tocontemplate his ownstyle from
adifferent, more analytical andreexive point
of view. Inlms suchas Talk to Her (2002), Bad
Education(2004), BrokenEmbraces (2009), The Skin
I Live In(2011) andeventhe more conciliatory
Volver (2006), another Almodvar emerged:
darker andmore sombre but alsomore doubtful,
more insecure aconditionthat has givenrise
tosome of his greatest achievements while also
plunginghimtosome of his lowest moments.
This is whytoregardImSo Excited! as his return
topure comedyturns out tobe impoverishing, a
serious mistake that has ledtohis worst reviews
since Live Flesh(1997). ImSo Excited! maystart out
as acomedybut the apparent festive feelingsoon
translates intoamelancholic tone sometimes
almost ercelysodirectedas muchat the very
personathe lmmaker has createdfor himself
as at the surroundings that have allowedthis
character toourish, andthe countrythat has
harbouredhim. ImSo Excited! is the darkside of
Womenonthe Verge of aNervous Breakdown(1988).
Almodvars customaryinsolent, provoking
females are here reincarnatedas three gay
air stewards trying toentertainrst-class
passengers onanimprobable airplane which
has brokendownhalfwaytoMexicoand
must nda free runwayonwhichtomake
anemergencylanding. (The economy-class
passengers, meanwhile, have beendruggedinto
passivity.) Something like a poppsychodrama,
hallucinatoryandoneiric, ImSo Excited! explores
various of the passengers quests for happiness
andends withthemremoving their masks
andgiving themselves uptothe liberating
psychological striptease provokedbytheir
insidious hosts simultaneouslyangels and
demons, masters of ceremonies andagitators
of conscience. Pushedtothe foregroundis one
of Almodvars mainsubjects: representation
as a catharsis, theatre as a palliative, ctionas
the onlyreality. The result is a successionof
disjointedsketches, a lmthat lurches hither
andthither, as directionless as the plane itself,
going forever incircles inanenergetic and
unpredictable narrative owwhichonly
once ventures outside its enclosedsetting to
give us what couldhave beenanother lm:
a delicious, sentimental intermezzohalfway
betweenJacques Becker andJeanNegulesco.
The sinuous rhythmof ImSo Excited! is not
sofar removedfromother recent genuinely
postmodernlms suchas HarmonyKorines
Spring Breakers andJoe Wrights Anna Karenina.
Whats at stake inall this muddle? Onthe one
hand, the lmmaker, the great Spanishdirector
whohas yet tondhimself, whois always
unsatisedandsearchingfor newstimuli but
whos alsothe salesmanwhose resistance to
losingthe audiences favour is the reasonwhyhe
dare not take that nal step, whichwouldvery
likelybe asteptoofar. Onthe other hand, Spain,
ImSo Excited!
Spain/USA2013
Director: PedroAlmodvar
See Feature
on page 36
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viewedwithamixture of attractionandrejection,
aculture surrenderedtoits double vocation, both
tragic andunconsciouslyhedonistic. That plane
suspendedinmid-air, withthe economyclass
signicantlydrugged, is Almodvars imaginary,
as if whats beinglmedis the inside of his head,
full of archetypes as recognisable as theyare
evasive, his owncreatures of the past seeping
betweenframes it isnt surprisingthat those
incharge of inauguratingthe whole event, ina
strange prelude at the airport, are Penlope Cruz
andAntonioBanderas. But time has passed, and
the countryof the movidaanddesignhas become
anabandonednomans land, mistyandspectral,
fromwhichthe onlythingleft todois runaway.
Its not just that the characters here allude to
Spains current economic crisis but that they
themselves are its victims andexecutioners: the
banker whohas launderedhis capital building
airports that are nowinactive; the luxurycall girl
whos made afortune thanks tothe bigwigs of a
systemthats nowcollapsingAlmodvar sums
upthis feelingwithdisturbingtakes of anempty
airport, its desertedcorridors, its motionless
conveyor belts. These are the least glamorous
images that Almodvar has ever lmedand
alsothe perfect metonyms for this imperfect,
hobblingcomedyone that lacks real sparkyet
is at the same time movinginits involuntary
vulnerability, inits meagre appetite for laughter
at the shameful spectacle of acountryinruins: a
failedlmwhich, nevertheless, says muchmore
about its author thanit wouldrst appear to.
TranslatedbyMar Diestro-Dpido
In-ight entertainment: Cecilia Roth
Tricks of the trade: Steve Carell
Madrid, the present. Aman and a woman, both ground
staff at the airport, are distracted fromtheir work as
they irt. Consequently, a plane to Mexico takes off
with a major fault one of the wheels cannot open for
landing. On board, before imparting the bad news, three
gay air stewards drug everyone in economy class and
prepare to entertain the business-class passengers:
a virgin clairvoyant, a runaway nancier wanted for
massive fraud, an actor eeing a failed love affair, the
female dominatrix boss of a high-class prostitution
service, a mysterious Mexican hitman, and a young
couple on their honeymoon. Head stewardJoserra is
having an affair withAlex, the bisexual pilot. As they
desperately search for an airport where they can make
an emergency landing and as the stewards distribute
plenty of drink and mescaline the passengers begin
to reveal things about themselves. The actor phones
a woman he abandoned in Madrid, who is on the verge
of jumping off a viaduct. She drops the phone mid-
conversation; it is picked up by the actors estranged
previous lover below, thus reconnecting them.
The Mexican hitman has been hired to kill
the dominatrix, but they become lovers instead.
The clairvoyant loses her virginity to a drugged
man asleep in economy class. The nancier is
reunited by phone with his estranged daughter,
whomthe dominatrix happens to know.
The plane nally lands safely at Castilla-La Mancha
airport; as the passengers head across the runway,
they each decide to make big changes to their lives.
Producer
AgustnAlmodvar
Producedby
Esther Garca
Writtenby
PedroAlmodvar
Director of
Photography
JosLuisAlcaine
Editor
JosSalcedo
Art Director
AntxonGmez
Music
AlbertoIglesias
Sound
IvnMarn
Costumes
TatianaHernndez
El DeseoD.A.S.L.U
Production
Companies
El Deseopresents
almby Pedro
Almodvar
Inassociationwith
BlueLakeMedia
Fund, FilmNation
Entertainment
Withthesupport
of Institutode
Cinematografa
y delasArtes
Audiovisuales
Withthenancial
support of Instituto
decrditoOcial
Withtheparticipation
of TVEand
Canal+Espaa
Cast
Antonio de laTorre
lexAcero
Hugo Silva
BenitoMorn
Miguel ngel
Silvestre
groom
Laya Mart
bride
Javier Cmara
Joserra
CarlosAreces
Fajas
Ral Arvalo
Ulloa
Jos MaraYazpik
Infante
GuillermoToledo
Galn
Jos LuisTorrijo
Ms
Lola Dueas
Bruna
Cecilia Roth
NormaBoss
Blanca Surez
Ruth
Antonio Banderas
Len
Penlope Cruz
Jessica
CarmenMachi
concierge
PazVega
Alba
Dolby Digital
InColour
[1.85:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
PathProductions
Spanish
theatrical title
Los amantes
pasajeros
Reviewedby SanamMaher
The nuts andbolts of some processes are best
left unimaginedhowsausages are made, for
instance. Andsoit is withThe Incredible Burt
Wonderstone: peekunder the magicians cape
or discover the secret stashof handkerchiefs
uphis sleeves andall youre left withis a
trickster inafunnyhat. Burt Wonderstone tells
the storyof twolonelyten-year-olds brought
together bythe transformative power of a
magic kit. Rance Holloway, creator of the kit,
promises that everyone loves amagician,
andsothe twoboys combine their talents
toworkout aseries of magic tricks.
Fastforward30years andthe duo, nowintheir
forties andknownas Burt Wonderstone (Steve
Carell) andAntonMarvelton(Steve Buscemi),
are performingnightlyat sold-out shows inLas
Vegas. Theyve swappedtheir braces for bighair
andsequinedjumpsuits but their routine retains
anunsettlingjuvenile tone theyopentheir
showwiththe Steve Miller Bands Abracadabra
playing(I wannareachout andgrabya) as
theyact out sketches about stealingthe school
quarterbacks girlfriendthroughmagic. The
fact that their routine has remainedunchanged,
downtothe simplistic titles of their tricks
(ManHead, LadyBody), maybe acomfort to
their audiences but its anigglingthornintheir
friendship, as theyre tiredof goingthrough
the motions hundreds or thousands of times.
While fame has gone toBurts overlycoiffed
headhe owns the biggest bedinVegas, able
toholdtwodozenpeople andleft himjaded,
Antonremains childlike inhis appreciationof
agoodtrickandits abilitytoinspire wonder.
Whenrival magicianSteve Gray(JimCarrey)
across betweenCriss Angel andDerren
Brownknownas the BrainRapist sweeps
intotownwithhis shock-and-awe routine,
Burt andAntons audiences start todisappear,
as dotheir nanciers. The movie frames Burt
andAntons career choices withinasimplistic
Hollywood-huedpsychoanalytic framework,
rootedintheir desire for acceptance andlove
as childrensoyoucanonlywonder at the
traumaSteve must have experienced, since
his act includes holdinghis urine for a
painfullylongtime, brandinghis esh
The Incredible
Burt Wonderstone
USA2013, Director: Don Scardino
R
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ArguablyShrek (2001) set the ball rollingwith
its anything-goes pastiche of familiar fairytale
motifs andafewsubsequent live-actionfeatures
notablyTerryGilliams The Brothers Grimm
(2005) andTommyWirkolas Hansel &Gretel:
WitchHunters (2013) have retainedthe unjolly
greengiants wildlypostmodernwaywithclassic
bedtime stories. Yet other recent revisions of
childrens tales, be it the recycledcontes of Red
RidingHood(2011), Mirror Mirror (2012) andSnow
White andthe Huntsman(2012) or the updated
treatments of local folklore inNorwegianlms
Troll Hunter (2010) andThale (2012), have focused
less ondeconstructive playthanontelling
oldstories innewer idioms. SimilarlyBryan
Singers Jack the Giant Slayer, thoughco-written
byDarrenLemke (whohelpedpen2010s Shrek
Forever After) andthoughreferencing, through
acameofromaginger cat, the 2011Shrek
spinoff Puss inBoots (whichalsoploughedthe
beanstalkplot), never quite goes full Shrek.
This is not for want of intertextuality. The
modest house of farmboyJack(Nicholas Hoult)
is swept upintothe air as thoughthe sprouting
beanstalkwere the tornadofromThe Wizard
of Oz (1939); inhis self-servingmotivations,
his giant-exploitingplot andhis willingness to
abandonthe princess towhomhe is betrothed,
StanleyTuccis villainRoderickis plainly
modelledonPrince HumperdinckfromThe
Princess Bride (1987); the cliffs andwaterfalls of
the giants landGantuaevoke the verticalityof
the oatingislands inAvatar (2009); andhaving
EwanMcGregors knight Elmont sayImgetting
anawfullybadfeelingabout this suggests that
perhaps the galaxyof theStar Wars prequel
trilogy(inwhichMcGregors Jedi knight Obi-
WanKenobi repeatedlyutters asimilar line)
maynot after all be soveryfar, far awayfrom
Jacks ctional hamlet of Cloister inmedieval
Albion. Yet all these allusions topre-existing
silver-screenadventures serve less tomarkJack
the Giant Slayer as apostmodernexercise in
mixandmatchthantoplace it inatraditionof
old-fashionedmatinee entertainment which
is exactlywhat Singers fairytale delivers.
There maybe toweringplants andoutsized
savages, but the lms ambitions are decidedly
modest, apart fromthe vividlyspectacular
presentationof its mocappedmonsters engaged
inclimactic gigantomachy. Princess Isabelle
(Eleanor Tomlinson) mayat rst seemanew
kindof fairytale heroine, independent of
spirit andchampingat the bit toescape the
constraints placeduponher bythe overprotective
patriarchyof widowedKingBrahmwell (Ian
McShane), but it isnt longbefore she has
revertedtothe status of archetypal woman-in-
peril. Meanwhile, the beanstalkitself becomes
asymbol not onlyof growingupbut alsoof
social elevation, as 18-year-oldJackrises above
his roots topursue aprincesss hand.
Jack the Giant Slayer
USA2013
Director: Bryan Singer
Certicate 12A 113m58s
Cloister, Albion, once upon a time. The boyJack
has been reared on bedtime stories of man-eating
giants banished to the aerial kingdomof Gantua by
old King Eriks magic crown, which gives its holder
power over the monsters. Ten years later, power-
hungry Roderick has secretly unearthed both the
crown and the magic beans that create a beanstalk
gateway to Gantua but a monk steals the beans
and hands themtoJack. Unhappily betrothed to
Roderick by King Brahmwell, adventurous Princess
Isabelle seeks shelter fromthe rain at Jacks
farmhouse, only to be swept into the sky by a towering
beanstalk sprouted froma moistened seed.
Jack and Roderick join loyal knight Elmonts
rescue party. On Gantua, Roderick seizes all but
one of the remaining beans fromJack. Everyone
except Jack is captured by the giants, but Roderick
takes command of the giants with the crown and
announces his intention to lead themagainst Albion.
Jack frees Isabelle and Elmont, and Elmont ghts
and kills Roderick. The three only just make it down
the beanstalk before it is uprooted by Brahmwells
men below but two-headed giant Fallon, wearing
the crown as a ring, leads his giant army to earth
down beanstalks sprouted fromRodericks beans.
The giants besiege Cloister, but Jack throws the last
bean (fatally) into Fallons mouth, stops the giants
onslaught with the crown, and marries Isabelle.
London, present day. The crown, on
display in the Tower of London, is eyed by a
schoolboy who resembles Roderick.
Producedby
Neal H. Moritz
DavidDobkin
Ori Marmur
BryanSinger
Patrick McCormick
Screenplay
DarrenLemke
Christopher
McQuarrie
DanStudney
Story
DarrenLemke
DavidDobkin
Director of
Photography
NewtonThomas Sigel
Editors
JohnOttman
BobDucsay
Production Designer
GavinBocquet
Music
JohnOttman
Production
SoundMixer
Peter Lindsay
Costume Designer
JoannaJohnston
Visual Effects
Digital Domain
MPC
SohoVFX
RodeoFX
TataElxsi Ltd(VCL)
HatchFX
Gener8
Stunt Co-ordinator
SteveDent
Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc.
andLegendary
Pictures Funding, LLC
Production
Companies
NewLineCinema
presents in
associationwith
Legendary Pictures
anOriginal Film/Big
KidPictures/BadHat
Harry production
ABryanSinger lm
Executive Producers
ThomasTull
JonJashni
Alex Garcia
Toby Emmerich
RichardBrener
Michael Disco
JohnRickard
Cast
Nicholas Hoult
Jack
Eleanor Tomlinson
Princess Isabelle
EwanMcGregor
Elmont
StanleyTucci
Roderick
Eddie Marsan
Crawe
EwenBremner
Wicke
IanMcShane
KingBrahmwell
Christopher
Fairbank
uncle
SimonLowe
monk
MingusJohnston
Bald
RalphBrown
General Entin
Bill Nighy
General Fallon
Dolby Digital/
Datasat/SDDS
InColour
[2.35:1]
Some screenings
presentedin3D
Distributor
Warner Bros
Distributors UK
10,257 ft +0frames
Monsters, inc: Jack the Giant Slayer
andcuttingintohis face witharazor.
While anunderusedBuscemi disappears
for muchof the latter half of the lm, Carrell
andCarreyportionout alitanyof trailer-friendly
gags andpunchlines that wouldbe perfectlyat
home onanepisode of 30Rock nosurprise, as
director DonScardinodirectedandproducedve
seasons of that NBCshow. As Burt andAntons
assistant Jane, OliviaWilde does afairlybland
turnas aformer geekwithaspirations toheadline
her ownVegas show. Meanwhile AlanArkin
breathes comedic life intothe character of Rance
Holloway, aslightlyacerbic oldhandwhocoaxes
Burt andAntontothe middle ground, showing
themthat aperformance neednot confound
or shockaudiences, but shouldsimplyenthral
themfor the time theyspendwithyou. Real
magic, the lmsuggests saccharinely, ultimately
lies inour abilitytotransformourselves.
US, the 1980s. Aboy, Burt, is given a magic kit for
his tenth birthday. Practising a trick at school one
day, he strikes up a friendship with fellowloner
Anton, and the two create their own tricks. Thirty
years later, they performat sold-out shows in Las
Vegas as Burt Wonderstone andAnton Marvelton.
When their sexually harassed assistant quits,
Burt recruits a stagehand, Jane, to replace her.
Rival illusionist Steve Gray introduces a new
brand of shock-entertainment that wows audiences,
and soon Burt andAntons ticket sales dwindle. In
an attempt to recapture their audiences attention,
the two plan a trick that involves sealing themselves
in a glass box for a week, suspended above a public
square inVegas. The trick goes awry as Burts
hysterical claustrophobia causes the box to crash
to the ground. Burt andAnton end their partnership.
Jane, frustrated at Burts selshness, quits. To
make ends meet, Burt performs in supermarkets
and retirement homes, where he runs into Rance
Holloway, the creator of the magic kit he received
as a boy. Rance encourages Burt to rediscover his
love for magic and to make peace withJane and
Anton. Jane and Burt fall in love; withAnton and
Rance they work to compete for a headlining act in
Vegas. Burt andAnton beat Steve by performing an
elaborate magic trick that causes their audience
to disappear and reappear at another location
(the trick involves drugging the audience). Burt,
Anton andJane are given their own shows.
Producedby
Chris Bender
SteveCarell
JakeWeiner
Tyler Mitchell
Screenplay
JonathanGoldstein
JohnFrancis Daley
Story
ChadKultgen
Tyler Mitchell
JonathanGoldstein
JohnFrancis Daley
Director of
Photography
MatthewClark
Editedby
LeeHaxall
Production
Designer
KeithCunningham
Music
LyleWorkman
SoundMixer
BenPatrick
Costumes
Designedby
DaynaPink
Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc.
Production
Companies
NewLineCinema
presents a
Benderspink/
Carousel production
Executive
Producers
DianaPokorny
VanceDeGeneres
CharlieHartsock
J.C. Spink
RichardBrener
Walter Hamada
DaveNeustadter
Cast
Steve Carell
Burt Wonderstone
Steve Buscemi
AntonMarvelton
OliviaWilde
Jane
JimCarrey
SteveGray
James Gandolni
DougMunny
AlanArkin
RanceHolloway
Jay Mohr
Rick theImplausible
Michael Bully
Herbig
Lucius Belvedere
MasonCook
youngBurt
LukeVanek
youngAnton
Dolby Digital/
Datasat/SDDS
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
Warner Bros
Distributors (UK)
9,015ft +0frames
R
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Reviewedby Derek OConnor
The travails of the Irishtravelling community
warrant honest examinationnowmorethan
ever, thanks inno small part to the perfect media
stormgenerated by a series of real-life dramas
(most notably the dramatic 2011 siege at the
UKs largest traveller halting site, at Dale Farm
inEssex) coupled withthe success of offensive
reality TVseries My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding,
a sneering grotesquerie designed to reinforce
every imaginable negative stereotype of the
traveller lifestyle for audiences delectation. A
balanced presentationof contemporary traveller
life (and travellers status, or lackthereof, in
modernsociety) is badly overdue, withcinema
offering occasional redress, as the age-old
portrait of the magical Oirishtinker has given
way to relatively nuanced explorationacross
a broad variety of genres. Noteworthy efforts
include Mike Newells kids fantasy Into The West
(1992) and Gilles McKinnons under-appreciated
conmandrama Trojan Eddie (1996), not to
mentionPerry Ogdens remarkable portrait
of a young traveller girl, Pavee Lackeen (2005),
witha tipof the hat to Brad Pitts gleefully
incomprehensible brawler inGuy Richies
wantongeezer-fest Snatch (2000). More recently,
IanPalmers fascinating documentary portrait
Knuckle (2012) offered a compelling portrait
of the elaborate, borderline farcical disputes
betweentraveller families, withthe antagonists
goading eachother to actionvia a series of
chest-beating, insult-ladenDIYvideo diatribes.
The narrative of King of the Travellers
pivots around one suchfeud: the seismic
fallout betweentwo traveller families, the
Moorehouses and the Powers, dating backto
the mysterious assassinationof Moorehouse
family paterfamilias BlackMartina decade
hence and brought to a head whenbothclans
set upcampinthe Dublinhinterlands. Cloaked
inShakespeareantropes and liberally dosed
withCorleone family values, writer-director
MarkOConnors ambitious tale actively
touches onany number of real-life hotspots
fromthe casual racismexperienced ona
daily basis by travellers to the domestic abuse
suffered by traveller women while delivering
a lean, moody revenge ickthat (at a brisk
80 minutes) doesnt outstay its welcome.
OConnor made one of the more promising
Irishdebuts inrecent years withBetween the
Canals, a no-budget Northside Dublinriff
onMean Streets withswagger to burnand a
refreshingly authentic feel for character and
milieu, frequently utilising non-professional
actors to winning effect. He plays to the
same strengths here, deftly raising his game
cinematically (a thunderous opening sequence
offers a pony-traprace ona busy Dublin
motorway) while simultaneously falling
somewhat short inthe script department.
Its to his considerable credit that the world
he evokes transcends any number of well-
worn(to say the least) narrative clichs.
The intention, successfully realised, is to
offer anhonest portrayal of Irishtraveller
living OConnor developed the project with
veteranactor Michael Collins, himself from
proud traveller stock, who gives a commanding
performance as the compromised scionof the
fractured Moorehouse clan. As reprisals and
revelations come thickand fast, what truly
engages is the natural charisma that unlikely
leading manJohnConnors brings to the often
thankless role of stocky antihero JohnPaul.
Saddled witha sub-Stanley Kowalski motivation
(he literally could have beena contender) and
a penchant for quoting Oscar Wilde, Connors
transcends his occasionally lumpy dialogue
by sheer force of physical presence alone,
giving his character the genuine pathos the
lmneeds. Its talented creator doesnt quite
pull off the epic tragedy hes clearly shooting
for, but comes tantalisingly close enoughto
warrant further attentionnext time out.
King of the Travellers
Ireland 2012
Director: Mark OConnor
Certicate 15 79m49s
Traveller John Paul Moorehouse is haunted by
the childhood memory of his father, Black Martin,
murdered before his eyes by a masked assassin after
hed triumphed over a rival family, the Powers. In the
years since, John Pauls uncle Francis has taken his
brothers place at the head of the family, keeping a
tight rein onJohn Pauls adopted brother, loose cannon
Mickey the Bags. When the Powers challenge John Paul
to a bare-knuckle bout, he defeats their champion,
attracting the attentions of childhood friendWinnie
Power. John Paul experiences a drug-induced vision of
his father demanding revenge for his murder. He nds
Winnie and arranges a clandestine meeting for the
following day, when the two profess love for each other.
Mickey attracts the ire of local landowner Lafferty and
his thugs; following a bout with the Powers, Mickey
is murdered at a local fair. WhenJohn Paul seeks
revenge, the Powers deny responsibility; the trail leads
to Francis, who confesses to murderingJohn Pauls
father to protect the familys honour. John Paul drowns
Francis, only to be shot by Lafferty while stealing a
horse fromhis estate. He dies inWinnies arms.
Producedby
Cormac Fox
Writtenby
Mark OConnor
Story
Mark OConnor
Michael Collins
Director of
Photography
DaveGrennan
Editor
JohnMurphy
ProductionDesigner
PadraigONeill
Composer
JohnReynolds
SoundMixer
DaveDorgan
Costume Designer
JoanOClery
VicoFilms and
Stalker Films
Production
Companies
VicoFilms/Stalker
Films/Black Sheep
Productions
Withthesupport of
theBroadcasting
Authority of Ireland
Inassociationwith
BordScannnna
hireann/Irish
FilmBoard
Almby Mark
OConnor
Producedwiththe
support of investment
incentives provided
by theGovernment
of Ireland
Madeinassociation
withTV3
Producedwiththe
assistanceof Bord
Scannnnahireann/
IrishFilmBoard
Executive Producer
JohnWallace
Cast
Michael Collins
Francis Moorehouse
Peter Coonan
MickeyTheBags
Moorehouse
JohnConnors
JohnPaul
Moorehouse
Carla McGlynn
WinniePower
Packy Lee
EamonMoorehouse
Thomas Collins
KylieMoorehouse
Mick Foran
Mick Lafferty
StephenClinch
Scully
Frank Melia
TomDunne
StephenJones
Noel Conroy
DavidMurray
Black Martin
Moorehouse
James Collins
James Moorehouse
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
Metrodome
DistributionLtd
7,183ft +8frames
Sex and the city:
Steve Coogan
ReviewedbyTrevor Johnston
Its veryobviouslyamodernMidas fable. Paul
Raymondturnedasmall fortune fromporn
intoaverylarge fortune viathe Central London
propertymarket but inthe process lost his
beloveddaughter toadrugs overdose avictim
of the hedonistic lifestyle he embracedtothe full.
The subject appears ripe withdramatic potential,
yet alsoperhaps heavywithimplicit wages-of-sin
disapproval: where else are lmmakers togowith
the material? The prolic Michael Winterbottom
andhis screenwriter Matt Greenhalghstruggle to
answer that question, as this muchtalked-about
homegrownbiopic proves sowiltinglybland
inthe telling, offeringabustlingskimthrough
the facts without ever reallybreachingthe
emotional heartlandof its errant protagonist.
LeadingmanSteve Cooganprecipitated
the project, andapparentlyhadhis Raymond
impressionalreadyhonedbythe rst meeting,
yet somehowthe endresult lacks the sense of
purpose andindeedthe sheer larkiness that
he andWinterbottombrought totheir previous
feature projects 24Hour PartyPeople (2002) andA
Cock &Bull Story(2005). That said, some credit is
due toCooganfor not sugar-coatinghis portrayal
of the nightclub-owner, porn-magazine publisher
andpropertymagnate once namedBritains
richest man, whoremains single-mindedlyself-
containedandblanklyunknowable onscreen.
Coogandoesnt trytoget laughs out of Raymonds
cringe-makingschoolboysense of humour or his
penchant for impressingfemale companywith
oddfactlets of general knowledge (all this and
anepic combover remindus of Coogans best-
knownsmall-screencomedic creation, the awful
local radiopersonality AlanPartridge), instead
showingus amanfocusedwhollyonachieving
andsustainingaJames Bond-style existence
of endless female conquests, Grande Marque
champagne andagadget-packedpenthouse. In
the process we cant helpbut note the bitter irony
that, havingturnedhis entire life intothe lurid
fantasyhe lucrativelypeddledtothe working-
class readers of his softcore mags, it ultimately
provedhis undoingbytakinghis daughter
Debbie awayfromhim, her fragile psychology
deeplyunsuitedtoits tawdryenvirons.
This single insight is never enoughtosustain
anentire movie, however, not least because the
lmmakers overall attitude remains ill dened,
offeringlittle indicationof whytheyshould
be tellingus this storynow. Notwithstanding
swathes of retrographics,
lovinglyrecreatedmagazine
layouts andsome
mesmerisinglygrim70s
theatrical tat, whats the
intent behindthe
art direction?
The Look of Love
United Kingdom/Luxembourg 2013
Director: Michael Winterbottom
R
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S
Topoke funat Raymonds gaudyattempts
at sophistication? Tocelebrate his absence
of hypocrisywhenit came topublic displays of
esh? Or simplytoprovide adetailedcontext
for his apparent inabilitytocultivate emotional
connections? Evenas aashbackframework
opens withthe brokenoldmanhimself trying
tomake sense of it all, Winterbottomis too
busybreezingthroughthe biography, usingthe
repeateddevice of fauxnewsreels, radioandTV
docs todeliver anoutsiders viewonthe Raymond
phenomenon. Its the insiders viewwe want, but
betweenmyriadmusic cues anddgetymontages
we never get it. Was sheer cautionthe central
issue here, or some well-meaninginclinationnot
tostrong-armthe audience? Either way, it comes
across like ayawningabsence of creative vision.
London, 1992. Porn and property magnate
Paul Raymond is distraught at the death of
his daughter Debbie in her mid-thirties. He
watches a TVprogramme in which they were both
interviewed, and begins to reect on his life.
In the early 1960s, Raymond made a name for
himself on the provincial variety circuit, adding
bodystockinged ladies to an otherwise standard
circus show. His wife, model Jean, sues the
newspapers for claiming that she was nude, and
although she loses the case Raymond exploits the
publicity to launch his newLondon strip club, The
Raymond Revue Bar. Its success funds Raymonds
playboy lifestyle, which causes a rift withJean
but also allows himto begin buying up properties
in the clubs Soho vicinity. Moving into theatrical
revues in the 1970s, he falls for his leading lady,
Amber St George, effectively ending his marriage,
and creates a key role for her as model and reporter
Fiona Richmond in his newtop-shelf magazineMen
Only. In an atmosphere of coke-fuelled hedonism,
his relationship withAmber runs its course, and
Raymonds daughter Debbie becomes the focus of
his attention. His decision to build a musical revue
around her backres since she lacks star quality but
cancelling the showdestroys her self-condence
and leads her into substance abuse, beginning
a downward spiral that ends in a fatal overdose.
DubbedBritains richest man, Raymond retires
fromthe spotlight, taking some comfort fromthe
property portfolio hell leave to his granddaughters.
Producedby
MelissaParmenter
Writtenby
Matt Greenhalgh
Basedon
biographical material
fromMembers Only:
The Life andTimes
of Paul Raymond
by Paul Willetts
Director of
Photography
Hubert Taczanowski
Editor
MagsArnold
Production
Designer
Jacqueline
Abrahams
Music
Antony Genn
MartinSlattery
SoundRecordist
Will Whale
Costume Designer
StephanieCollie
Studiocanal
Limited/Channel
Four Television
Production
Companies
Studiocanal and
Film4present in
associationwith
AntonCapital
Entertainment,
S.C.A. andLipSync
Productions a
RevolutionFilms
productionin
associationwith
Baby CowFilms
Executive
Producers
AndrewEaton
Jenny Borgars
KatherineButler
NormanMerry
Danny Perkins
PiersWenger
Cast
Steve Coogan
Paul Raymond
Anna Friel
JeanRaymond
ImogenPoots
DebbieRaymond
TamsinEgerton
Amber St George,
FionaRichmond
ChrisAddison
Tony Power
James Lance
Carl Snitcher
MatthewBeard
HowardRaymond
LiamBoyle
Derry
SimonBird
JonathanHodge
Matt Lucas
matronbehindbars
DavidWalliams
Reverend
EdwynYoung
Dolby Digital
InColour and
Black andWhite
Distributor
Studiocanal Limited
9,088ft +8frames
Susanne Bier, whomade her name outside
Denmarkwiththoughtful, downbeat family
melodramas like Brothers (2004) andAfter the
Wedding(2006), shifts intoabrighter, more
playful mode withthis delicatelycomic midlife
romance. Its afrothier lite-Bier, andfor those
fondof her more bitter brews suchas the Oscar-
winningInaBetter World(2010), it takes some
gettingusedto. Inplace of principledmen
infull-blowncrisis, theres Pierce Brosnans
pompous widower Philipgentlygetting
together withTrine Dyrholms sweet-natured
cancer survivor IdainSorrentolocations so
lushtheyresemble atimeshare brochure.
However, Bier andher longtime screenwriter
Anders Thomas Jensenhavent shuckedoff
their interest inexploringlifes cataclysms.
Here theyexamine parents andadult children
risingtothe challenge of makingnewlives after
illness, indelity, bereavement andcoming-out,
but use humour rather thanconict. What
gets left behindinthe shift frommelodrama
toromantic comedyis Biers usual chewy
characterisationandmoral dilemmas. Intheir
place, we get pleasant, unnuancedparticipants
inaperkyif meanderingprogressionfromIdas
betrayal byhusbandLeif toher Avanti!-style
odd-couple romance withPhilipduringtheir
respective childrens weddingweekend.
AccompaniedbyDeanMartinwarblingThats
Amore onthe soundtrack, we ndourselves in
that small subgenre youcoulddescribe as the
Mediterraneanmiddle-agedromcom. Previous
examples include Under the TuscanSun(2003),
AMonthbythe Lake (1995) andevenShirley
Valentine (1989) lms inwhichstrongsunlight,
stunninglandscapes andunlikelylove affairs
forge newlives for mature women. The most
famous example is MammaMia! (2008), whose
picturesque wedding-partyantics anddouble
romances for parent andchildare stronglyechoed
inLove Is All YouNeed, alongwiththe presence
of Brosnan. Deprivedof anywittydialogue The
Matador (2005) andMarriedLove (2007) revealed
that hes apleasinglight comedianbut thats
never visible here Brosnancoasts alongon
prickly, repressed-Englishreactions toevents.
AlthoughBrosnancant workanylaughs out
of the lms patchymixof photogenic family
dysfunctionandoutbursts of farce, Dyrholms
easygoingIdaelicits afewwhenwhipsawedby
confusionafter walkinginonher husbands
lunch-hour adultery, or beingdiscoveredwigless
while skinny-dipping. This is amovie that
shapes its womenbest, leavingmenas courtly
or churlishciphers (KimBodnia, familiar toUK
TVaudiences fromThe Bridge, is particularly
poorlyservedas the boorishLeif). But newcomer
MollyBlixt Egelinds pleasinglythin-skinned
portrayal of daughter Astridis nimble enough
toshowher rubbedincreasinglyrawat the
realisationthat her relationshipis built on
wishful thinking. Toobad, then, that shes in
the lms ller subplot, whose predictable plot
speed-bumps (pre-weddingnerves, loudhints at
her ancs gayirtations) dolittle more than
stretchout the runningtime, alongwithDP
MortenSborgs ravishingItalianpanoramas.
Biers attempt tocombine romance, family
dramaandgentle, unforcedcomedyis ultimately
rather more admirable thanit is enjoyable. Too
glossyandconventional tomobilise the kindof
kookyhumour that LynnSheltonemployedin
Your Sisters Sister (2011) withsimilar ingredients,
the lmsimplyisnt funnyenoughtomake
everythinggel. Trailingthroughthe social
embarrassments of the implodingweddingparty,
one longs ignoblyfor the sharp, slickbarbs of
anEphronor aNancyMeyers movie. Youeven
get acouple, courtesyof PaprikaSteens bitchy
sister-in-lawBenedikte (God, her father looks like
aLucianFreudpainting). Romantic chemistry
betweenthe twolife-batteredleads maybe sweet
enoughbut, as it turns out, love isnt all you
needtoget aromantic comedytotake wing.
Love Is All You Need
Denmark/Italy/France/Germany/Sweden/Japan/Norway 2012
Director: Susanne Bier
Certicate 15 116m3s
Copenhagen, present day. Hairdresser Ida, newly
recovered frombreast cancer, catches her husband Leif
cheating with his employee Tilde. At the airport, leaving
for daughter Astrids Italian wedding, she bumps cars
with the grooms widower father Philip, taking a dislike
to him. In Italy, Astrid has doubts about her wedding;
her anc Patrick is attracted to contractor Alessandro.
Philips brash sister-in-lawBenedikte repeatedly tries
to seduce himbut is rebuffed. Philip and Ida become
warily friendly, then are attracted to one another. Ida
nds a lump in her neck. During a disastrous wedding-
eve party, Patrick secretly kisses Alessandro, and
Tilde irts with Leifs son Kenneth. The next morning,
Astrid and Patrick call off their wedding at the altar.
Back in Denmark, Leif begs Idas forgiveness
and Philip asks her to come to Italy with him. Ida
rebuffs themboth. She has a biopsy and later
goes to Philips Italian property, where they open
the hospital letter together. He says that he will
love her whatever the outcome. Its good news.
Producers
VibekeWindelv
SisseGraum
Jrgensen
Screenplay
AndersThomas
Jensen
Story
SusanneBier
AndersThomas
Jensen
Director of
Photography
MortenSborg
Editors
PernilleBech
Christensen
MortenEgholm
Production Designer
Peter Grant
Composer
JohanSderqvist
SoundDesign
EddieSimonsen
AnneJensen
Costume Design
SigneSejlund
Zentropa
Entertainments29
ApS., Lumire
&Co., Slot
Machine, Zentropa
International
France, ArteFrance
Cinma, Zentropa
Entertainments
BerlinandZentropa
International Sweden
Production
Companies
Zentropa
Entertainments29
presents in
co-productionwith
Lumire&Co., Slot
Machine, Zentropa
International France,
Filmi Vst, Zentropa
Entertainments
Berlin, Zentropa
International
Sweden, DR, Sveriges
Television, Arte
FranceCinma,
Network Movie, ZDF/
Arte, Longride
Supportedby the
DanishFilmInstitute
under the60/40
scheme, Svenska
Filminstitutet,
Eurimages, Nordisk
Film&TVFond,
Canal+, Cin+,
ItalianMinistry of
Culture, Rai Cinema
ProducedbyZentropa
Entertainments29
ApS
Withthesupport
of theMEDIA
Programmeof the
EuropeanUnion
Incollaborationwith
FilmCommission
RegioneCampania
Executive Producers
Peter AalbkJensen
Peter Garde
Cast
Pierce Brosnan
Philip
Trine Dyrholm
Ida
SebastianJessen
Patrick
Molly Blixt Egelind
Astrid
Paprika Steen
Benedikte
KimBodnia
Leif
Christiane
Schaumburg-Mller
Tilde
Micky Skeel Hansen
Kenneth
Ciro Petrone
Alessandro
InColour
[2.35:1]
Part-subtitled
Distributor
ArrowFilm
Distributors Ltd
10,444ft +8frames
Danishtheatrical title
Denskaldede frisr
R
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Reviewedby CatherineWheatley
Yves Montmayeurs prole of Michael Haneke
begins withasearingnon-image of terror ripped
fromthe Austriandirectors 1992lmBennys
Video. Offscreen, but all tooaudible, ateenage girl
bellows inpainas she is murderedwithaboltgun.
Onscreen, all we see is avideomonitor, onwhich
the eponymous tape runs. This is Bennys video
but alsoHanekes lm, as aseguetoanunblinking
blackeye framedbysquare glass reminds us.
The next shot offers arather more pleasant
surprise as we cut tothe notoriouslyprivate
Haneke apparentlygoingabout his bedtime
routine brushinghis teeth, washinghis face.
But takingacue fromthe master of contradictory
realities, Montmayeur ips the image onits
head, as Haneke wanders out intothe hallway
andonto, we realise, the set of Amour, where
he is re-enactingakeyscene. Were jerkedaway
againas the white lines of arewindscuttle across
the screenandthe camerapans out toreveal
Haneke watchingthis footage onanother screen
inpostproduction. Just like that, Montmayeur
condenses some 25years of cinematic
manipulationintotenminutes. Its aneat, self-
effacingopeningtoalmthat places Hanekes
professional successes centre stage, andpays
tribute toits subject informas well as content.
One begins earlyontosuspect that
Montmayeurs focus onthe lms is bornof
necessityrather thanchoice. Fromthe off, Haneke
gives the lmmaker the runaround, berating
himfor askingwrongquestions andsnorting
withmirthat the alternatives. Imjust trying
tondastartingpoint, Montmayeur groans,
capturingthe familiar frustrationof interviewers
facedwithHanekes steadfast refusal of self-
interpretation. What thentomake of Hanekes
later admissions that various elements inhis
oeuvre are drawnfrompersonal memory; that
The White Ribbon(2009) is lmedinmonochrome
because Haneke remembers inblack-and-
white; or that he shares the great privilege of
all artists of beingable todeal withall myfears
andanxieties inmywork? Is this aslipof the
oh-so-solemnmask, or another of the funny
games Haneke likes toplaywithhis public?
The portrait the lmpaints of the manat work
does little waytoresolve the enigma. Wiryand
wired, Haneke scoots aroundsets, stagingscenes
for his actors andthrowinghimself intothe air
andontothe oor withabandon. He plays air
guitar withthe younger cast members of The
White Ribbon(2009) andmakes bunnyears behind
the heads of his actors at Cannes photoshoots.
But as Amour star Jean-Louis Trintignant puts
it, thoughtheysayyoull have funonaHaneke
shoot, its Haneke whohas fun. Youdont.
Everyone knows hes not aguyyouscrewaround
with. Soonenoughwe see himshort-tempered
andseethingonthe set of Code Unknown(2000).
Haneke admits that hes somethingof an
autocrat, citingLenins maximthat trust is
good, control is better. One wonders whether
his dominionextends tothe documentaryitself,
especiallygiventhe Stalinesque purgingof the US
remake of FunnyGames fromMichael Hs reverse
narrative (its absence is all the more glaringgiven
Hanekes comment about the risible offers hes
hadfromHollywood). Howrefreshingit would
have beentohear alittle self-critique rather
thanthe usual soundbites about craftsmanship
andrespect for the spectator. Montmayeur
doesnt indicate whenthese interviews
tookplace but some of Hanekes statements
makes here have longbeenincirculation.
Post-Oscars andmock-Twitter feed, Hanekes
personais the quintessential arthouse director
as clich, andthe lmcaptures this withalovely
lightness of touchwhile stayingonthe sober
side of parody. Fans will enjoyit greatly. But as
anexpos of oddball directorial obsessiveness it
lacks the wildness of, say, Lost inLaMancha(2002).
Maybe Montmayeur neededtoseize alittle
more control; maybe Haneke tocede alittle.
Michael H. Profession: Director
Austria/France/Germany/Switzerland 2013
Director: Yves Montmayeur
Certicate 18 92m20s
Adocumentary prole of director Michael Haneke,
focusing on his feature work. Opening with footage
fromhis 1992 featureBennys Video, the lmthen
tracks back from2012sAmour to his 1989 debut
featureThe Seventh Continent. Interviews with
Haneke and with actors including Susanne Lothar,
Emmanuelle Riva, Juliette Binoche and Isabelle
Huppert paint a portrait of a jovial but demanding
director, enthusiastic and obsessive by turns.
Producers
Vincent Lucassen
EbbaSinzinger
SergeGuez
Cinematographers
Yves Montmayeur
AttilaBoa
Editor
Oliver Neumann
SoundEditor
Hjalti Bager-
Jonathansson
Wildart Film,
CrescendoFilms, Les
Films duLosange
Production
Companies
AlmbyYves
Montmayeur
Aco-production
of Wildart Film,
CrescendoFilms, Les
Films duLosange
Withthesupport
of Fernsehfonds
Austria, MEDIA
Programmeof
theEuropean
Union, CNC, Film
FondsWien
Inco-operation
withBayerischer
Rundfunk, Cin+,
sterreichischer
Rundfunk, Schweizer
RadioundFernsehen
FilmExtracts
Amour (2012)
Das weisse Band
Eine deutsche
Kindergeschichte/
TheWhite Ribbon
(2009)
Cach/Hidden
(2004)
LeTemps du
loup/Time of the
Wolf (2003)
Die Klavierspielerin
/The Piano
Teacher (2001)
Code inconnu Rcit
incomplet de divers
voyages/Code
Unknown (2000)
Funny Games (1997)
71 Fragmente
einer Chronologie
des Zufalls/ 71
Fragments of a
Chronology of
Chance (1994)
BennysVideo(1992)
Der siebente
Kontinent/
The Seventh
Continent (1989)
The Making of
Amour (2012)
The Making of The
White Ribbon(2009)
The Making of
Hidden (2004)
The Making of Code
Unknown (2000)
The Making of
71 Fragments of
a Chronology of
Chance (1994)
With
Michael Haneke
Jean-Louis
Trintignant
Emmanuelle Riva
Josef Bierbichler
Emily Cox
Susanne Lothar
Batrice Dalle
Isabelle Huppert
Juliette Binoche
InColour
Subtitles
Distributor
Articial Eye
FilmCompany
8,310ft +0frames
Austrian
theatrical title
Michael Haneke
Portrt eines
Film-handwerkers
Directors cut: Riva, Haneke, Trintignant
Reviewedby Nick Pinkerton
Paynoattentiontothat manbehindthe curtain!
demands FrankMorganin1939s The Wizard
of Oz. This fussylittle manhas beencaught
operatingacontraptionthat allows himtoscare
upaterrible, erytintinnabulationas the Great
andPowerful Oz. Once outedas ahumbug, the
wizardmust confess that hes reallyjust anold
Kansas manPremier balloonist par excellence
tothe Miracle WonderlandCarnival Company.
Pullingbackthe curtainonMorgans life
duringhis days onthe carnycircuit, SamRaimis
Oz the Great andPowerful is aprequel tothe
best-lovedof the myriadlms set inL. Frank
Baums Worldof Oz. DavidLindsay-Abaire and
Mitchell Kapners script follows the process
bywhichafeckless youngOscar Oz Diggs, a
fairgroundhuckster, came tobe the Wizard
of Oz. James Franco, whoappearedinRaimis
Spider-Manlms, stars, andits immediately
evident that this castingis aninsuperable error.
Where the part requires the unctuous charm,
sleight of handanddexterous tongue of astep-
right-upsnake-oil salesman, Francomostly
resorts toboom, bluster andthat huge, clenched
smile, betrayinganuneasiness that nonatural-
bornbullshitter canafford. The performance
requires twolevels the salesmans bluff on
top, the implicationof exhaustionbeneath
but Francodoesnt evenget the supercial
part down. His elocutiononhighfalutin,
wow-the-yokels words like prestidigitation
(afavourite of W.C. Fieldss) rings as false as
his spriggishgoatee for the Midwest of 1905,
andthe movie never recovers fromthe wrong-
footedness of the rst impressionits star makes.
The 1939Wizardwas made inanAmerica
not toofar fromthe worldof turn-of-the-century
ballyhoothat Baumwas drawingoninfact, with
the castingof vaudevillians RayBolger, JackHaley
andBert Lahr, it is somethinglike the ultimate
incarnationof that theatrical tradition. And
Raimi knows athingor twoabout showmanship:
after aprologue inAcademy-ratioblack-and-
white, he puts his ownspinonWizards famous
Technicolor reveal, ingingopenthe wings of
the picture toexpandtowidescreenandcolour.
Courtesyof SonyPictures Imageworks, which
providedthe Spider-Maneffects, this digital 3DOz
is athingbeyondthe reckoningof Louis B. Mayer,
as candy-coatedalbeit inaverydifferent way
as the universe of Francos other newrelease,
SpringBreakers. But CGsucrose does not aclassic
make. The 1939Wizardis 101minutes longand,
withthe possible exceptionof If I Were Kingof
the Forest, I wouldnot see t toremove asingle
minute. The same cannot be saidof Oz the Great
andPowerful, whichis nearlyhalf anhour longer
despite havingnomusical numbers. None, that
is, save one begunbythe Munchkins before being
cut off inanudge-nudge joke. Its unclear why
Raimi felt the needtobe socheekyabout musicals
here whenSpider-Man3made evident his own
thwartedambitions inthe genre. If nothing
else, this lmgives Raimi the opportunityto
reworkmaterial fromArmyof Darkness, the
1992capstone of his Evil Deadtrilogy, whose
narrative arc Oz closelyfollows: reluctant hero
falls fromthe skyintoafarawayland, as per
prophecy, irresponsiblysweet-talks local
Oz the Great and Powerful
USA2013
Director: SamRaimi
Certicate PG 130m20s
R
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ladies andnallyuses his otherworldly
knowhowtodefeat the forces of evil.
The most welcome of the additions tothis Oz
is acharacter calledthe ChinaGirl, whoappeared
alongside the Scarecrowandthe LioninBaums
1900The Wonderful Wizardof Oz but onlynow
appears tobe havingher big-screendebut. The
character is voicedbyJoeyKingandFrancodoes
his most unaffectedactingof the movie inhis
tender scenes opposite this virtual co-star. On
the esh-and-bloodside, Rachel Weisz andMila
Kunis done workas sister witches Evanora
andTheodoraEvanoraknows shes wickedbut
Theodora, whoallows herself tobe sweet-talked
byOscar, doesnt. Its aperverse pleasure towatch
Evanorafanthe ames of jealousyuntil scorching
tears roll downher sisters cheeks, presaging
anaversiontowater. Despite suchbright spots,
this Oz is the product of a21st-centuryDream
Factorywhere everythingis possible, but very
little is magical. What aworld, what aworld!
Rural Kansas, 1905. Oscar Oz Diggs is an arrogant
sideshowmagician, interested in little but seducing
his female assistants. When the father of one of
those assistants, a strongman, takes exception,
Oscar runs for shelter in a tethered hot-air balloon,
which is then sucked up into a tornado. Weathering
the storm, Oscar nds himself in a foreign land of
strange ora and fauna. He meets a witch, Theodora,
who informs himthat he is in Oz. She takes Oscar
to be the wizard whose arrival has been prophesied,
and who will free Oz fromthe oppression of a wicked
witch and become ruler of the Emerald City. After
meetingTheodoras sister Evanora, Oz sets off
after wicked witch Glinda. He is accompanied by a
ying monkey, and they are joined on the way by the
orphan China Girl. When they nally nd Glinda, she
informs Oscar that hes been working for the wrong
side. Evanora, realising that Oscar nowknows the
truth, sets Theodora against him, usingTheodoras
jealousy of Glinda to turn her sister wicked. After
a crisis of faith, Oscar takes up arms against the
Emerald City and the sisters, using the technology
and the smoke-and-mirrors trickery of his own world
to counter real magic. Creating the illusion that
he is a mighty sorcerer, Oscar helps to free Oz. He
kisses Glinda and takes his place on the throne.
Producedby
JoeRoth
Screenplay
Mitchell Kapner
DavidLindsay-Abaire
ScreenStory
Mitchell Kapner
Basedontheworks
of L. Frank Baum
Director of
Photography
Peter Deming
FilmEditor
BobMurawski
Production
Designer
Robert Stromberg
Music
Danny Elfman
SoundMixer
Petur Hliddal
Costume Designers
GaryJones
Michael Kutsche
Visual Effects
andAnimation
Sony Pictures
Imageworks Inc.
lumapictures
Digiscope
Evil EyePictures
MethodStudios
Disney
Enterprises, Inc.
Production
Companies
Disney presents
aRothFilms
productionin
associationwith
Curtis-Donen
Productions
Executive
Producers
Grant Curtis
Palak Patel
JoshDonen
PhilipSteuer
Cast
James Franco
Oscar Diggs,Oz
Mila Kunis
Theodora/Wicked
Witchof theWest
Rachel Weisz
Evanora
MichelleWilliams
Annie/Glinda
ZachBraff
Frank/Finley
Bill Cobbs
master tinker
Joey King
girl inwheelchair/
Chinagirl
Tony Cox
Knuck
StephenR. Hart
Winkiegeneral
Abigail Leigh
Spencer
May
Bruce Campbell
Winkiegatekeeper
Dolby Digital/
Datasat
InColour
[2.35:1]
Some screenings
presentedin3D
Distributor
BuenaVista
International (UK)
11,730ft +0frames
Reviewedby Samuel Wigley
FilmedinfarmlandPennsylvania, Gus Van
Sants newfrackingdramais set rather in
Everywheresville, USA, its cinematic coordinates
onaline of longitude withthe political fables
of FrankCapra. Moses rst scopedout the
PromisedLand, JohnSteinbecklater ironicising
the promise for Depression-eraAmericawith
the disappointment of Californiafor migrant
workers inhis 1939novel The Grapes of Wrath.
InVanSants lm, the bounteous American
earthoffers potential salvationfor arecession-hit
agricultural community, their landpromised
toanatural-gas companywhowill drill into
its subterraneancrust torelease trappedgases,
makingpettyfortunes for the landowners and
untoldmillions more for the corporation.
Gods-eye-viewshots of the car of contractors
Steve Butler (Matt Damon) andhis partner Sue
Thomason(Frances McDormand), travellingto
the townof McKinleytosmooththe pathfor
the sale of drillingrights tothe terrain, tell us
everythingwe needtoknowabout the lms
righteous indignationat the proposedrape
of the land. Steve has beencherry-pickedfor
the taskbyhis employer, Global Crosspower
Solutions. Inaskin-crawlingopeningscene ina
plush, metropolitanrestaurant, Steve explains
his impressive trackrecordinmollifying
the anxieties of ordinaryJoes throughhis
abilitytotapintothe yokel mindset. His
ownbeginnings inabankruptedrural town
have instilledinhimanigh-onevangelical
attitude tothe savinggraces of bigbusiness.
Co-writtenbyDamonandoriginallyintended
as his directorial debut, PromisedLandplays to
the actors strengths, Steve sharingsome of the
slipperytenacityof Damons Mr Ripley, every
controlledgesture of placidamiabilitymarshalled
inthe services of ingratiation. Fishout of water
Promised Land
USA/UnitedArab Emirates 2012
Director: GusVan Sant
Pennsylvania, the present. Steve Butler andSue
Thomason, employees of natural-gas company Global,
travel to the farming townof McKinley to nisha deal
withthe citizens to signover drilling rights to their land.
Steve is himself froma poor farming community and
expert at winningover the sympathies of ordinary people.
Expecting an easy time, the pair meet resistance
at a town hearing, when local schoolteacher Frank
Yates speaks up about the dangers of fracking
(extracting the gas via hydraulic fracturing). At a bar,
Steve befriends local womanAlice, and gets drunk
in order to ingratiate himself with the townspeople.
An environmental activist, Dustin Noble, shows up in
town, telling people howfracking in his hometown led
to the poisoning of farmanimals and the destruction
of the local economy. Frustrated by Dustins
inuence on local opinion, Steve and Sue bribe him
to drop his campaign, though Dustin subsequently
continues, denying knowledge of the money thats
changed hands. Steve worries that Alice is swayed by
Dustins slurs, and Dustin later woos Alice himself.
Steve meets with landowners, getting many of
themto sign the agreement but meeting hostility
fromothers. The discovery that Dustins backstory
is a lie discredits his argument, and Steve later nds
out that Dustin is in fact a Global employee a plant
sent to pre-empt any environmental lobbying. As the
townspeople gather to vote on whether to sign over
their land, Steve delivers a speech admitting the
corruption of Global and the potential risks involved
in the drilling. Steve is red. He decides to remain
in McKinley to pursue his relationship withAlice.
Producedby
Matt Damon
JohnKrasinski
Chris Moore
Screenplay
JohnKrasinski
Matt Damon
Story
DaveEggers
Director of
Photography
Linus Sandgren
Editor
Billy Rich
ProductionDesigner
Daniel B. Clancy
Music
Danny Elfman
Production
SoundMixer
FelixAndrew
Costume Designer
Juliet Polcsa
Focus Features LLC
Production
Companies
Focus Features
presents in
associationwith
Participant Mediaand
ImageNationAbu
Dhabi aSunday Night,
Pearl Street, Media
Farmproduction
AGusVanSant lm
Executive Producers
GusVanSant
RonSchmidt
Jeff Skoll
JonathanKing
Cast
Matt Damon
SteveButler
JohnKrasinski
DustinNoble
Frances McDormand
SueThomason
Rosemarie DeWitt
Alice
Scoot McNairy
Jeff Dennon
TitusWelliver
Rob
Hal Holbrook
FrankYates
BenjaminSheeler
attendant
Terry Kinney
DavidChurchill
Carla Bianco
waitress
Joe Coyle
Michael Downey
Dorothy Silver
Arlene
Dolby Digital/
Datasat
InColour
[1.85:1]
Distributor
Universal Pictures
International
UK&Eire
What lies beneath: Matt Damon, Frances McDormand
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duringwhat theyhope will be aquickstay-
over insmall-townAmerica, Steve andSue are
always at work, their personalities subsumedin
their businesss project, everyconversationand
encounter theyhave withMcKinleys inhabitants
calibratedtoserve Global andwidenthe prot
margin. Steve is aterric studyinniceness, and
howit canbe perverted. If youcome awayfrom
PromisedLandwithanything, its the memory
of the ssures that slowlyopenupinSteves
practisedgeniality, frustrationgnawingawayat
his composure as Globals interests are stymied.
Elsewhere, VanSants dramaworks hard
tomuddythe city/countrydichotomy. The
proprietor of aconvenience store calledGuns,
Groceries, Guitars andGas proves wilier than
Steve andSue expect; the townmayor all but rubs
his hands withglee at the prospect of making
his frackingfortune, attemptingtoblackmail
Steve for alarger percentage; andwhenelderly
schoolteacher FrankYates (Hal Holbrook,
mainlininghonest-to-goodness nobility) speaks
his mindabout the dangers of frackingat a
townhearing, Steve errs inwritinghimoff as a
hayseeddilettante, discoveringafterwards that
hes aretiredMITacademic. The stage seems to
be set for aLocal Hero-style showdownbetween
corporate might andgoodol-fashionedrural
decency, yet theres somethingchillingbeyond
words about the ease withwhichthe wonderfully
namedDustinNoble (JohnKrasinski), an
environmental activist whos turnedupintown
withanaxe togrindagainst Global, sways the
local bar tohis cause withanopen-mic rendition
of Bruce Springsteens Dancinginthe Dark.
Its Noble whogets under Steves skin,
occasioningseveral memorablycontrolledip-
outs, Steves vexationat this yinthe ointment
creatingmomentaryripples inhis rictus nice-guy
facade. Whats worse, Noble proves alove rival
for Steve, stealingthe affections of local girl Alice
(Rosemarie DeWitt) whoseems tohave been
waitingher whole life for these twoparagons
of male competitiveness tostroll intotown.
The discordant notes inPromisedLand
are slowlygroundawayinfavour of ahand-
wringingendorsement of small-townintegrity,
VanSant drillingdownintothe wholesome
bedrockof America, careless of what miasmas
of sentimentalityhe unleashes. The lms
sweet-toothednadir comes prior tothe climactic
townmeeting, where McKinleyresidents
must vote onwhether or not toaccept Globals
offer. Steve hands over greennotes for a25-
cent glass of homemade lemonade, but his
proigate gesture is rebuffedbythe pint-sized
Pollyannamanningthe stall, providingthe city
boywithabeatic visionof simple virtue.
The slide intoCapra-cornandpreachiness
is ajarringt withthe lms conspiracy-drama
machinations. There mayyet be agreat lm
made about fracking, one that mines the same
mythic seamas Chinatown(1974) or There
Will Be Blood(2007), those parables onwater,
oil andAmericanpower. But, give or take the
biblical rainstormthat intervenes toscupper
Globals favour-curryinglocal fete, Promised
Landremains asimplistic andliteral-minded
fairytale, markingaslipbackintothe saccharine
for the GoodWill Hunting(1997) director.
Reviewedby GinetteVincendeau
The ironicallytitledLOrdre et lamorale is alm
about chaos andunethical politics (the English
title Rebellionmisses this dimension) that belongs
tothe growingtraditionof movies exposing
shameful episodes in20th-centuryFrench
history. It deals withthe brutal repressionbythe
Frencharmyof agroupof Kanakindependence
ghters whokilledthree Frenchgendarmes
andtookothers hostage inOuva, a
Rebellion
France 2011
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Soldier of misfortune: Mathieu Kassovitz
French NewCaledonia, April-May 1988. Captain
Legorjus, the head of the GIGN(an elite anti-terrorist
branch of the Gendarmerie Nationale), is sent with his
unit to the island of Ouva to deal with an uprising of
Kanak separatists which has led to the death of three
gendarmes and the taking of 27 hostages. Legorjus
nds that the army has also been sent to crush the
rebellion. Half the hostages are released. Legorjus
and his unit search for the others and eventually
locate them, but are taken prisoner. Legorjus wins the
trust of Alphonse Dianou, the head of the hostage-
takers, who releases himso that he can negotiate a
solution. Against a background of mounting tension,
we followLegorjus going back and forth between
the Gendarmerie and army base and the Kanaks
over ten days. These events coincide with the French
presidential elections, and the government wanting
to showits muscle to the electorate exaggerates the
violence of the Kanaks. Just as Legorjus is about to
obtain the peaceful release of the hostages, President
Mitterrand orders an assault by the army, during which
19 Kanaks, including Dianou, are brutally killed.
Producer
ChristopheRossignon
PhilipBoffard
Writtenby
MathieuKassovitz
PierreGeller
Benot Jaubert
withtheparticipation
of SergeFrydman
Basedonthebook
La Morale et laction
by PhilippeLegorjus
Director of
Photography
Marc Koninckx
Editors
MathieuKassovitz
Thomas Beard
Lionel Devuyst
Art Direction
BrunoCoup
EmmaCuillery
GiuseppePonturo
MelissaPonturo
Franck
Chicheportiche
Original Music
Klaus Badelt
Sound
Yves Comliau
Guillaume
Bouchateau
Cyril Holtz
PhilippeAmouroux
Costume Designer
Agns Beziers
Stunt Co-ordinator
LaurentLarry
Alexandre
Nord-Ouest Films -
UGCImages - Studio
37- France2Cinma
Production
Companies
ANord-Ouest Films,
UGC, Studio37and
France2Cinma
co-production
withtheparticipation
of OrangeCinma
Sries, France
Tlvisions
andtheCentre
National duCinma
et delImageAnime
withthesupport
of LAcs- Agence
nationalepour la
cohsionsocialeet
lgalitdes chances,
Fonds Images dela
diversit, laprovince-
NorddeNouvelle-
Caldonie, laprovince
des les Loyautde
Nouvelle-Caldonie
andlaide
laproduction
audiovisuelleet
cinmatographique
delaPolynsie
Franaise
Inassociation
withKassoInc
Productions,
Comage22,
Conova7,
Socinema6
Developedwith
theparticipation
of StudioCanal
Executive Producer
EveFranois Machuel
Cast
MathieuKassovitz
PhilippeLegorjus
Iabe Lapacas
AlphonseDianou
MalikZidi
JMPerrot
Alexandre Steiger
JeanBianconi
Daniel Martin
BernardPons
Jean-Philippe
Puymartin
Gnral de
GendarmerieJrme
Philippe de
JacquelinDulph
Gnral de
BrigadeVidal
PhilippeTorreton
ChristianProuteau
SylvieTestud
Chantal Legorjus
Dolby Digital
InColour
[2.35:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
LionsgateUK
12,147 ft +0frames
Frenchtheatrical title
LOrdre et la morale
R
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tinyislandinNewCaledonia, inApril/
May1988. Director MathieuKassovitz
plays leadcharacter CaptainLegorjus, headof
the GIGN, anelite groupof the Gendarmerie
Nationale trainedtonegotiate inhostage and
anti-terrorist crises. The lmbegins withthe
chaotic nal massacre, andone of the rst things
we hear is Legorjuss voiceover saying, I failed.
I was here tonegotiate andI failed. Rebellion
thenproceeds inalongashbacktochart the
tendays that ledtothis disastrous outcome.
Basedonabookbythe real-life Legorjus, the
lmis clearlypartisaninits sympathyfor the
legitimate demands andgenerallynon-violent
attitude of the Kanaks, historicallyoppressed
byFrenchcolonisers andnowdouble-crossed
bypoliticians. The events take place duringthe
1988presidential electionandRebellionshows
the crisis tobe cynicallyexploitedbythe political
class, uptoPresident Franois Mitterrand. The
spectator is alsoleft innodoubt about the divide
betweenthe righteous Legorjus andhis GIGN
team, seekingfair andpeaceful solutions, andthe
martinet-like armycommandbent onaggressive
action. The virulent reactions fromarmyleaders
andpoliticians (includingBernardPons, the
thenminister for the overseas territories) when
Rebellioncame out inFrance inNovember 2011
mayraise issues about apossible bias inLegorjuss
version, but at anyrate theyattest tothe explosive
nature of the topic andits continuedrelevance.
Manyyears inthe making, Rebellionwas
alabour of love for Kassovitz, whohadto
overcome suspicionfromthe Kanaks, the
hostilityof the armyandamodest 15m
budget. NotwithstandingKassovitzs passionate
involvement andthe importance of the events,
Rebellion, as alm, disappoints. Nodoubt lack
of means is toblame for the restrictedvisual
scope (somanyshots of Kassovitz lookingout
of ahelicopter) but Rebellionstrangelylacks
tension, despite the explicit countdown(day
ten, daynine, etc), not tomentionsubtlety
the Manicheanapproachleaves little room
for complexity. The performances, apart from
Kassovitzs, are unmemorable, andseveral
speeches, suchas that of Alphonse Dianou
(Iabe Lapacas), the headof the hostage-takers,
onthe Frenchexploitationof NewCaledonias
natural resources, feel overlydidactic.
The disappointment withthe lmderives also,
perhaps unfairly, fromthe fact that Kassovitzs
groundbreakingLaHaine (1995) raisedhigh
expectations whichnever seemedtobe met byhis
subsequent work, muchtohis chagrin. Rebellion
has beenhailedas areturntoformie tosocial
andpolitical lmmakingafter anindulgent
detour throughcrime, horror andscience ction.
Yet Rebellionmet withneither popular success
(boxofce inFrance was verypoor) nor critical
recognitionthe Csars, for instance, ignored
it provokinganotoriouslyvolatile Kassovitz
topour abuse onFrenchcinemaviaTwitter:
Youdont like me. I dont like youeither
Gotohell. Goodday, ranthe most printable,
followedbythe threat dujour, emigrationto
Russia. Yet he maybe well advisedtostayin
the countryhe detests; as LaHaine shows, it
is whentakingahardlookat Frances social
dysfunctions that Kassovitz does his best work.
ReviewedbyAntonia Bettis
NorthKoreait doesnt make anysense,
complains teenquarterbackMatt Eckert (Josh
Peck) as his Americanhometownis invaded.
Matts bigbrother Jed(Chris Hemsworth) agrees,
insistingthere must be abigger picture which,
it will turnout, is support fromthe Russians.
Russiaalsoplayedaggressor inJohnMiliuss
original RedDawn(1984), but that was at the
height of the ColdWar, whenit reallydidmake
sense. Yet inthis remake bydebut director
DanBradley, the choice of enemyis arbitrary:
the identityof the invaders was cynically
changedinpost-productionfromChinese
toNorthKoreantoavoiddamage at Chinas
lucrative boxofce. Amindset that regards all
Asians as the same andinterchangeable fairly
reects this lms xenophobic ideology.
JedandMatt create anarmyof teenage
guerrillas, callingthemselves the Wolverines. In
the absence of abelievable invasion, the teens
rites of passage intothe Americanwayof NRA-
approvedpatriarchybecome the focus, as anew
bratpackcomes of age learningtokill withguns
andtobecome just like daddythoughpreferably
if father is adeant (white) coprather thana
quisling(black) mayor. Jedmakes menof all his
followers even, apparently, the women, who
are, one rueful youngmanclaims, hilariously, no
longer desirable nowthat theycome withAK-47s.
Sothere is the occasional subversive note
introduced, especiallywhenthe patriot
Wolverines use Viet Cong-style guerrilla
warfare andeventhe kindof terrorist tactics
recentlypractisedbymilitant jihadists against
the US. But for the most part RedDawnis
unreective jingoismwithlittle goodsense.
Red Dawn
USA2012
Director: Dan Bradley
US, the present. After North Korean soldiers occupy
Spokane, Washington, Jed and his younger brother
Matt witness the execution of their policeman
father by Captain Cho. The brothers create a mobile
guerrilla unit of teenagers, named the Wolverines.
Matt breaks ranks to rescue girlfriend Erica, causing
friction withJed. The Wolverines are recruited by
three adult soldiers to steal a communications box
fromNorth Korean headquarters. Jed kills Cho, but is
then himself killed. Matt continues the insurgency.
Producedby
BeauFlynn
TrippVinson
Screenplay
Carl Ellsworth
Jeremy Passmore
Basedonthemotion
pictureRed Dawn
[1984] screenplay
by KevinReynolds
andJohnMilius
Director of
Photography
Mitchell Amundsen
Editor
RichardPearson
Production
Designer
DominicWatkins
Music
RaminDjawadi
Production
SoundMixer
Kirk Francis
Costume Designer
CatherineGeorge
Stunt Co-ordinator
DarrinPrescott
[TBC]
Production
Companies
Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer presents
aContralm
production
Executive
Producers
Vincent Newman
KevinHalloran
Cast
Chris Hemsworth
JedEckert
JoshPeck
Matt Eckert
JoshHutcherson
Robert
Adrianne Palicki
Toni
Isabel Lucas
EricaMartin
Jeffrey Dean
Morgan
Tanner
Connor Cruise
Daryl Jenkins
EdwinHodge
Danny
Alyssa Diaz
Julie
JulianAlcaraz
Greg
Will YunLee
CaptainCho
Brett Cullen
TomEckert
Michael Beach
Major Jenkins
Dolby Digital/
Datasat/SDDS
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
KochMedia
Entertainment
8,409ft +0frames
Reviewedby PhilipKemp
BradyCorbet is buildinganimpressive gallery
of creepilyrebarbative characters. He was one
of the twoinitiallycharmingyoungmenwho
torment andkill Naomi Watts andher familyin
Michael Hanekes Americanremake of his rst
hit, FunnyGames U.S. (2007). InMarthaMarcy
MayMarlene (2011) he playedthe smooth-talking
Watts, wholures Martha(ElizabethOlsen) into
the oppressive upstate NewYorkcult where he
acts as the cult leaders adjutant andchief pimp.
MarthaMarcywas co-producedbyAntonio
Campos, whos nowgivenCorbet anevenmore
disquietingrole as the eponymous Simon, a
youngAmericannewlyarrivedinParis and
hidingcoldlysociopathic tendencies under a
facade of appealinglyboyishvulnerability.
We rst meet Simoninhis cousinCarlos
Paris apartment, tellingCarlohowhe broke
upwithhis long-termgirlfriendMichelle after
smellinganother mans bodyonher when
she came tobed. He relates his storysadlybut
without histrionics, arousingour sympathy.
But soonwe start torealise that we, like most of
the people Simonencounters, mayhave been
duped, since hes acongenital liar; andbythe end
of the lmits hardtoknowwhat if anything
weve learnedfromhimis true. Was that really
whyhe broke upwithMichelle? Indeed, did
she evenexist? We hear, inSimons voiceover,
the text of emails he sends her, andwe hear one
fromher inreplybut its readinSimons voice,
sparkingfurther doubts. This sense of uncertainty
spreads andthickens, darkeningthe whole lm
especiallysince Simons hardlyever off screen
andwere showneverythingthroughhis eyes.
Campos heightens this unsettlingmood
throughdistinctive use of visual andsound
devices. Transitions betweenscenes are often
markednot bysimple fades or cuts but by
stroboscopic, pulsingcurves of colour that wash
across the screen, as if camouagingor cancelling
out whatever came before. Inlong, unbroken
takes the cameraprowls close behindSimons
head, Dardennes-style, as he mooches through
the Paris streets or oscillates backandforth
inlong, slowpanningshots withall the lazy
menace of asnakes headabout tostrike. The
score tooevokes aqueasysubjectivity: we often
hear whatever Simonis playingonhis iPod, so
eventhe music comes tous lteredthroughhis
consciousness. Inone longwordless sequence
he dances android-like withtwoFrenchgirls in
anightclubtoLCDSoundsystems Dance Yrself
Clean withits jerky, obsessive beat andnervous
lyrics (Present companyaccepting/Presentlywe
all expect the worst/Works just like aneed).
Onthe basis of his twofeatures todate,
Campos shows apredilectionfor distinctly
unloveable protagonists. His rst full-length
outingas director, Afterschool (2008), starredEzra
Miller inadryrunfor his chillingperformance
inthe title role of We Needto Talk About Kevin
as anawkwardloner inaprestigious upstate
NewYorkprivate school whonds anoutlet in
videomaking. Whenhe encounters twogirls
dyingof anoverdose he calmlylms them
insteadof runningfor help. Simonshows an
equallycallous disregardfor those aroundhim,
especiallythe naive andtender-heartedhooker
Simon Killer
USA2012
Director: Antonio Campos
R
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Victoria, touchinglyplayedbyMati Diop(Alex
Descass daughter inClaire Deniss 35Shots of
Rum), whomhe moves inwithandbattens onto.
He oftenrecalls another conscienceless American
abroad, PatriciaHighsmiths TomRipley
except that Ripleywouldnever embarkonsuch
acrude, foredoomedscheme as the clumsy
blackmail scamthat Simontalks Victoriainto.
The script, co-creditedtoCampos, Corbet
andDiop, throws out oblique clues toSimons
skewed, scarilyself-directedtake onthe world.
Askedabout his graduate work, he says it was
concernedwithneuroscience andthe process
of perception, the relationshipbetweenthe eye
andthe brain, proudlyaddingthat his workwas
published. (All this of course maybe another of
his elaborate inventions; he tells asuspicious
airport securityofcer that he studiedFrench
literature.) His approachtosexis primarily
voyeuristic, rst askingbothVictoriaanda
blonde Frenchgirl, Marianne, whomhe later
takes upwith, CanI just lookat you? Marianne,
probablythe less experiencedof the two, is
spookedbythis. I dont likethe wayyoure
lookingat me, she says, echoingaremarkin
Michelles email (if indeedit is fromher): The
last time I sawyou, youfrightenedme. Inanal
and, as ever, mendacious message toMichelle
as he leaves France, Simontries toreassure her,
Whatever happenedbefore, Imnot dangerous.
Like Afterschool, SimonKiller builds slowly,
sometimes driftingtowards stasis. But its a
lmthat rewards patience, leavingalastingif
uncomfortable impressiononthe memory.)
American psycho: Brady Corbet
Snitchshares its title andlittle else witha1999
episodeof theAmericandocumentarynews show
Frontline. The basis for the inspiredbytrue events
openingcardis the storyof James Settembrino,
whose 18-year-oldsonwas arrestedin1992for
sellingacid. Settembrinoagreedtoget his sons
sentence reducedbyhelpingtondamajor drug
trafcker toarrest. After mortgaginghis house for
the $70,000necessarytoarrange ameetingwith
aSouthAmericansmuggler, Settembrinolost
his deal whenthe supervisingfederal prosecutor
tookumbrage at aroutine appeal motion, and
as aresult Settembrinos sonwas sentencedtoa
full tenyears for arst-time offence. Snitchhas
the set-upbut updates the age, actuallygets to
the sting, anddelivers happyendings all round.
Former stuntmanRic RomanWaughs fourth
feature is aneffective polemic against the
hastilyenacted, sociallydestructive mandatory
minimumsentence laws one of the main
reasons for Americas highprisonpopulation
(the highest inthe world). WhensonJason
(RaGavron) is arrested, constructionboss
JohnMatthews (Dwayne Johnson) gets astats-
heavycrashcourse inthe countrys druglaws.
Since rst-time offender Jasondoesnt have
anydealer friends torat out (whichwouldhelp
reduce his sentence fromtentotwoyears),
Johnoffers himself upas asubstitute snitch.
Throughemployee Daniel (JonBernthal), he
meets adealer toset up, fearsome trafcker
Malik(Michael KennethWilliams).
Williams will forever be associatedwith
his role as more-myth-than-real gangland
outlawOmar inHBOs The Wire, apart whose
connotations hes coastedonbefore (in2007s
Gone BabyGone). Until his appearance, Snitchis
commendablylow-keyandatmospherically
credible. Shreveport, Louisianaeffectively
doubles for JeffersonCity, Missouri, all
urbanoutskirts of featureless landpopulated
solelybyconstructioncompanies andother
functional/industrial spaces. Waughsays that
manyof his onscreenDEAagents anddrug-
gangmembers were the real deal, andmany
scenes have the intangible feel of atmospheric
verisimilitude. But Williamss appearance is
asignof ashift intomore outlandishterrain,
climaxingafter oftenpadded-out drama
withatruck-versus-cars chase as over-the-
topas it is impressive, withold-school stunt
derring-dotakingthe place of uffyCGI.
Snitchs action-movie endinghas
relativelylittle todowiththe realistic
Snitch
USA/Canada/UnitedArab Emirates 2012
Director: Ric RomanWaugh
Present-day Paris. Simon, a NewYork postgraduate
whos just split up with his girlfriend of ve years,
arrives at the apartment of his cousin Carlo. Hes
arranged to use the apartment while Carlo is away in
the South of France. Lonely and aimless, Simon fails
miserably in his attempt to pick up two French girls,
Marianne and Sophie. In a Pigalle clip joint he meets
a sympathetic young hooker, Victoria. They go back
to her apartment to have sex. Simon deliberately
gets himself beaten up at the Gare du Nord to induce
Victoria to pity him, and she lets himmove in.
Simon suggests that Victoria should lmherself
having sex with her married clients and then blackmail
them. The rst mark, Jean, turns out to be a brutal
cop who scares Simon off and later returns and
beats upVictoria. Agentle black man, Ren, proves
more amenable and gives Simon money, but then
disappears. Simon meets Marianne again in the street,
takes her to a nightclub and spends the night with her.
When Simon returns toVictoria she tells himto get
out. He beats her savagely and leaves her for dead.
Marianne refuses to let himstay in her apartment.
Simon collects his belongings fromCarlo and catches
a plane out of France. But Victoria may not be dead.
Producedby
JoshMond
SeanDurkin
Matt Palmieri
Writtenby
AntonioCampos
Story
AntonioCampos
Brady Corbet
Mati Diop
Photographedby
JoeAnderson
Editors
Zac Stuart-Pontier
AntonioCampos
BabakJalali
Production Designer
Nicolas deBoiscuill
Music
Saunder Jurriaans
Danny Bensi
Supervising
SoundEditor
Coll Anderson
Costume Designer
LaetitiaBouix
SimonK, LLC
Production
Companies
FilmHaven
Entertainment
presents aBorderline
Films production
FilmExtracts
Lourdes (2009)
Cast
Brady Corbet
Simon
Mati Diop
Victoria/Noura
ConstanceRousseau
Marianne
Lila Salet
Sophie
Solo
Ren
Michal Abiteboul
Jean
Nicolas Ronchi
Carlo
Dolby Digital
InColour
[2.35:1]
Part-subtitled
Distributor
EurekaEntertainment
The parent trap: Dwayne Johnson
R
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dramait starts with. Inarecession
economy, Johnis perfectlycredible as a
hardworkingsmall businessmanjust looking
for another income source totake care of his
family. Its all gone toshit, he says, andI dont
see anysignof it comingback. The movie is
appropriatelyshot inunfussybut serviceable
digital, DPDanaGonzaless response tothe
cruddyenvironments. The cartoonishly
huge Johnsonis forcedtokeephis bodyin
suppressedcheck, andhis palpable neuteringby
circumstance registers strongly. Solidsupport
is providedbyBernthal andironic chuckles
bythe famouslyliberal SusanSarandonas an
election-mindedRepublicanprosecutor.
Avoidingdiscussionof the drugs war as a
whole, the movie bores inonthe tyrannyof
multiple minimums, conningits portrait of
border cartels toerce gun-totingMexicans led
byEl Topo(BenjaminBratt). These over-the-top
late interventions juice upalmthat gets bogged
downinrote father-sondrama(Johnworries that
his absence as ahusbandandfather has ledto
Jasons fate; Jasonworries that his dadhates him).
Despite its longueurs, Snitchis commendably
clear about its target thenapologises for possibly
boringyoubybringingout the artillery.
Jefferson City, Missouri, the present. High-school
student Jason agrees to receive an MDMAshipment
froma friend, but he is arrested in a set-up and
faces a mandatory minimumprison termof ten
years unless he can provide information on another
dealer. Because he doesnt knowany other dealers,
Jason is unable to cooperate. His father John, who
runs a construction company, asks the prosecuting
attorney if he can act as an informant in his sons
place. Through employee Daniel, he meets drug lord
Malik and offers his businesss trucks as transport.
The police are supposed to arrest Malik following a
trial delivery, but they hold back when Malik offers to
introduce John to a kingpin; John is pressured into
continuing the sting. His identity is discovered by
the Mexican drug gang hes supposed to be working
for. He eludes themin a car chase. The drug lords
are arrested, andJason is released fromprison.
Producedby
Nigel Sinclair
Matt Jackson
JonathanKing
DwayneJohnson
Dany Garcia
Alex Brunner
TobinArmbrust
Writtenby
JustinHaythe
Ric RomanWaugh
Inspiredby
theFrontline
documentary Snitch
Director of
Photography
DanaGonzales
FilmEditor
JonathanChibnall
Production
Designer
Vincent Reynaud
Music
AntonioPinto
ProductionMixer
SteveAaron
Costume Designer
Kimberly
Adams-Galligan
SnitchFilm
Holdings, LLC
Production
Companies
Summit
Entertainment,
ExclusiveMedia
andParticipant
Mediapresent in
associationwith
ImageNation
AbuDhabi
AnExclusive
Mediaproduction
inassociation
withFront Street
Productions
ARic Roman
Waughlm
Executive
Producers
Jeff Skoll
Guy East
Becki CrossTrujillo
DavidFanning
JustinHaythe
Cast
DwayneJohnson
JohnMatthews
Barry Pepper
Agent Billy Cooper
JonBernthal
Daniel
Michael K. Williams
Malik
Melina
Kanakaredes
SylvieCollins
NadineVelazquez
Analisa
RaGavron
JasonCollins
DavidHarbour
Jay Price
BenjaminBratt
JuanCarlosEl
Topo Pintera
SusanSarandon
JoanneKeeghan
Lela Loren
Vanessa
J.D. Pardo
Benicio
Dolby Digital/
Datasat
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
MomentumPictures
Reviewedby Nick Pinkerton
The SelenaGomez fans are
goingtobe soscrewedup
bythis, saidaguysitting
behindme as SpringBreakers
was about toplaytoapacked,
tangiblyexcitedhouse for HarmonyKorines
fthfeature lmandrst collaborationwith
fellowmultimediawiseacre James Franco
arrives onagroundswell of anticipation. This
sentiment encapsulates the general line onSpring
Breakers, whichis beingdiscussedas aTrojan
horse, smugglingavant-garde aesthetics intoa
movie starringJustinBiebers exandWizards of
WaverlyPlace actress Gomez, VanessaHudgens
of Disneys HighSchool Musical trilogyandABC
Familynetworkstarlet AshleyBenson, alongside
Korines ownyoungwife Rachel. SpringBreakers
has beentoutedas aprankish, subversive work
toknockthese Disneyprincesses off their
family-friendlypedestals anddragthemintothe
subconscious murkof Americanfantasylife,
where Korine dwells. AndSpringBreakers is a
prankall right but is the joke onGomezs fans?
SpringBreakers exists inadeepvalley
overshadowedbythe twinpeaks of LarryClarks
Bully(2001) andHype Williamss Belly(1998).
Made bythe director of 1995s Kids, the best
movie Korine was ever involvedwith, Bullyalso
has violent young-adult amoralityas its subject,
andis alsoset inFlorida, that most obscenely
danglingstate of the US, where Pee-wee Herman
was arrestedfor public indecencyandAnna
Nicole Smithwent todie. Belly, meanwhile, is
the to-date onlyfeature byWilliams, the chief
music videomaker for BadBoyRecords intheir
ashshinysuits era. Theres ascene inBelly
where acharacter throws Korines Gummo on
the atscreen, andnowKorine has repaidthe
homage byliftingBellys day-glo, phosphorescent
palette wholesale Korine has beendescribing
the articial taste the rainbow visual texture
of SpringBreakers as Skittles. But Korine has
little of Williamss talent for ridingabeat with
hookyimages, andthe popdaydreamof Spring
Breakers doesnt manage the zeitgeist snapshot of
Clarks lm, whichcatches the moment when
Eminemwas explodingontothe national scene,
while simultaneouslyanalysingthe dangerous
suburbanangst tappedbyEms popularity.
The SpringBreakers score is bySkrillexand
Cliff Martinez, thoughageingenfant terrible
Korine has the girls singingalongtoBritney
Spearss BabyOne More Time andNellys Hot
inHerre practicallygoldenoldies. Aonetime
intimate of Ol DirtyBastardandastudent
of Norwegianblackmetal, Korine does still
have agift for brokeringpassage intoextreme
subcultures; inSpringBreakers, his coupis the
castingof Gucci Mane, one of the foremost
practitioners of Southerntrap rap, whichis
basedincrack-slingingstreet culture. Gucci,
whose rapsheet is the whole of his qualication
for the role of Archie, is playingthe mentor-
turned-rival toFrancos white-boyrapper Alien,
acharacter basedonsartorialist Houston-based
rapper Riff Raff, as well as Floridas Dangeruss.
There hasnt beensuchacomplete
usurpationof blackunderclass dangerousness
(Dangerussness?) since GaryOldmans
dreadlockedpimpinTrue Romance in1993, but
Francos wigger clowninghas nosuchdead-
bluff sincerity. Aliens takeawaymoment is
his look-at-my-shit monologue, amaterialistic
soliloquyinwhichhe enumerates his hoarded
treasures for anappreciative audience of girls
Scarface onrepeatCalvinKleinEscapeBlue
Kool-Aid andFrancoalmost breaks character,
giggling, whenhe gets aroundtomentioning
his nunchucks. That this remains inthe nal
cut means that Korine andFrancowant toshow
their hand, invite their audience intothe bigput-
on, let onabout the degree towhicheverything
intheir movie exists betweenair quotes.
Less amovie thanamovie, SpringBreakers has
approximatelyone moment whenit seems tobe
goingsomewhere unexpected. Duringforeplay
precedingathreesome, Hudgens andBensons
characters grabguns fromAliens arsenal and
force himtofellate the barrels whichhe not
onlydoes, but does withearnest, deep-throating
enthusiasm, as thoughthis sexual role-play
Spring Breakers
USA/France/Canada 2012
Director: Harmony Korine
Certicate 18 93m35s
US, the present. At a provincial campus, a group
of college friends realise that the money theyve
saved wont be enough to pay for their spring break.
Candy, Brit and Cotty impulsively decide to hold up a
restaurant with squirt guns. Using the proceeds, they
head for Florida, bringing along a fourth friend, the
devout and innocent Faith. After days of ceaseless
partying and binge-drinking, the friends are arrested.
To their surprise, they are sprung fromprison by
local rapper and drug dealer Alien. Discomted
by Aliens come-on, Faith decides to take the next
bus out of town. The other girls stay on, funding
their decadent lifestyle by stealing fromother
holidaymakers. This angers Archie, the local vice
king andAliens former mentor; he begins a shooting
war withAlien and the girls. After being wounded
in a drive-by shooting, Cotty too catches the bus
home. Candy, Brit andAlien stage a reprisal raid on
Archies compound. Alien is shot, but Candy and Brit
mowdownArchies henchmen, then kill Archie.
Producers
Chris Hanley
JordanGertner
DavidZander
Charles-Marie
Anthonioz
Writtenby
Harmony Korine
Director of
Photography
Benot Debie
Editor
Douglas Crise
ProductionDesigner
Elliott Hostetter
Original Score
Cliff Martinez
Skrillex
LocationSound
Mixer
AlexAltman
Costume Designer
Heidi Bivens
Spring
Breakers, LLC
Production
Companies
Heropresents
aMuse/Radar
productionin
association
withPOPFilms,
MJZ, Iconoclast,
OSalvation, Division,
Rabbit Bandini
AHarmony
Korinelm
Executive Producers
FernandoSulichin
TedField
JaneHolzer
MeganEllison
StellaSchnabel
Agns B
VinceJolivette
Miles Levy
AeyshaWalsh
VikramChatwal
WicksWalker
Chris Contogouris
Cast
James Franco
Alien
Vanessa Hudgens
Candy
Selena Gomez
Faith
Ashley Benson
Brit
Rachel Korine
Cotty
Gucci Mane
Archie
Heather Morris
Bess
Ashley Lendzion
Forest
EmmaJane Holzer
Heather
Dolby Digital
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
VertigoFilms
8,422 ft +8frames
See Feature
on page 26
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was his ideatobeginwith. Suchip-the-script
feminist posturingis set uptocollide with, say,
arecurringscene of Dionysianpartyingwhich
stands outside the narrative: boundingtits and
ass; youngbodies slipperywithsunscreenand
Lite beer; coeds signicantlysuckingred, white
andblue rocket pops. (The anti-Americanismis
anti-Americanism, too.) The lms retina-searing
visuals, shot byGaspar No collaborator Benot
Debie, have beencomparedtothe hellscapes of
BoschandBrueghel but MTVprovides more
accurate points of reference. The beachmaterial is
straight fromSisqs oglingThongSong clip, and
whenAlienperforms BritneySpearss Everytime
onawhite babygrandnext tohis in-groundpool,
its agoof on90s R&Baesthetics. Everytime
accompanies amontage of the girls onthe crime
spree that funds their spring-breakdecadence,
stickingupholidaymakers andwhile Korine
has spokenof his lmas akindof cultural
mash-up made of undenedconnections,
the juxtapositions that he builds are mostly
rudimentaryironies: saccharine popover images
of criminal savagery; Gomezs wistful phoning
home toher grandmother (Imstartingtothink
this is the most spiritual place inthe world)
over Jell-O-shots venality; undergrads drawing
dicks while their professor lectures oncivil rights.
Pretendlike its avideogame, says one of
the interchangeable girls whenpreppingtheir
rst hold-up. Act like youre inamovie. Its
the same directionthat Korine mightve given
his stars. SpringBreakers invites receptionnot
as acharacter-basednarrative lmbut as a
feature-lengthmusic videotakingplace inits
protagonists collective imaginations. Images
andbits of dialogue loopbackthroughout the
movie, fugue-like thoughveryfewof them
make animpressionthe rst time around. I can
vividlyremember Frenchartist CyprienGaillards
2009Cities of GoldandMirrors, anine-minute
piece shot on16mmat springbreakinCancun
andamongnearbyMayanruins, whichI saw
three years ago; SpringBreakers, whichI sawlast
week, is alreadyfadingintoaneonscribble.
The metagood-girl-gone-badnarrative which
truant Disneyproperties are extratextually
enactinginSpringBreakers is ametamorphosis
that weve come toexpect fromAmericas
girl popstars, fromRihannas albumof that
veryname toMileyCyruss Cant Be Tamed
toChristinaAquileras Dirrty makeover as
Xtinatoanother sulliedMouseketeer who
was the most famous andmost spectacularly
fallenof all, Britney. InSpringBreakers, Korine
seeks toexplode this phenomenonthrough
caricaturedexaggeration. The climaxis a
shootout betweenthe slummingspring-break
bandits andauthentic career criminals, inwhich
the remaininggirls have absurdlybecome
bulletproof seeminglyasymbolic expression
of the waythe safetynet of privilege allows for
hedonismwithminimal consequence. Andwith
SpringBreakers, whichshouldrestore Korine
as the court jester of Americanexperimental
lm, he turns inanaccomplishment recalling
the critic AndrewSarriss comments on
FrankTashlin: One canapprove vulgarity
intheoryas acomment onvulgarity, but in
practice all vulgarityis inseparable.
21&Over is the directorial debut of JonLucas and
Scott Moore, whose script laidthe foundation
for The Hangovers $467millionworldwide. Its
acomparativelymodest affair, costingamere
$12million. Part of the nancingcame from
Chinese sources throughadeal engineeredby
productioncompany/distributor Relativity,
the moneyprovidedonconditionthat cast and
crewrepair toChinaafter primaryshootingin
Seattle tolmbookends for anentirelydifferent
movie, one transformingChinese-American
character Jeff Chang(JustinChon) intoaChinese
transfer student whoreturns home chastened
byhis experiences andreadytoreject American
debaucheryandembrace responsibility. Previous
changes tocourt approval for release inChina
have includedcuttingscenes or (as inthe case of
Looper) beengupShanghais screentime, but as
the Los Angeles Times noted, this is the rst type
of accommodationmade for the purposes of a
lmthat activelycast[s] the USinabadlight.
The original versiondoes afair jobof this onits
own. Its alazyremake of Superbad(2007) sutured
toasubplot fromHarold&Kumar Go to White
Castle (2004). Former high-school buddies Miller
(Miles Teller) andCasey(Skylar Astin) reunite to
surprise Jeff onhis 21st birthdaywithawildnight
out. One drinkleads toanother, andMiller and
Caseymust gure out howtoget anunconscious
Jeff home intime for amedical school interview.
There are jokes about angryLatinasororitygirls
beingscaryman-haters, andone of the most
gratuitous topless shots onrecordas ashirtless
girl runs fromabull. The lms visionof ultimate
goodtimes beer pong, heavydrinkingand
boorishness is thoroughlydepressing.
21 & Over
USA2012
Directors: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Certicate 15 93m0s
US, the present. Miller and Casey persuade their
friendJeff Chang to go out for a drink to celebrate
his 21st birthday, even though he has to attend a
medical school interviewarranged by his strict
father the next day. Jeff becomes drunk and passes
out. After a series of misadventures, Miller and
Casey get Jeff ready for his interview, but he says
he doesnt want to go, and stands up to his father.
Producedby
HugoShong
RyanKavanaugh
DavidHoberman
ToddLieberman
Writtenby
JonLucas
Scott Moore
Director of
Photography
Terry Stacey
Editor
JohnRefoua
Production
Designer
Jerry Fleming
Music/Score
Composed,
Produced,
Recordedand
Mixedby
LyleWorkman
Production
SoundMixer
Robert Marts
Costume Designer
ChristineWada
Twenty
OneandOver
Productions, Inc
Production
Companies
Relativity Media
presents in
associationwithSky
LandEntertainment
andVirginProduced
aRelativity Media,
MandevilleFilms
production
Executive
Producers
JonLucas
Scott Moore
LuoYan
AndyYan
DavidManpearl
JasonFelts
RonBurkle
JasonColbeck
Tucker Tooley
Cast
MilesTeller
Miller
Skylar Astin
Casey
JustinChon
Jeff Chang
SarahWright
Nicole
JonathanKeltz
Randy
Franois Chau
Dr Chang
Dolby Digital/
Datasat Digital
Sound
InColour
[2.35:1]
Distributor
MomentumPictures
8,370ft +0frames
Reviewedby SamDavies
Some badlms are goodideas badlyexecuted,
some are well-executedbadideas. Vinyl falls
intothat gloomycategoryof terrible ideas
badlyexecuted. The problems beginwithits
premise. PunkcasualtyJohnnyJones, played
byPhil Daniels, is reunitedwithhis oldgroup,
The Weapons of Happiness. Theywrite anew
songinadrunkenhaze asongJohnnyis
certainis ahit but the recordlabel wont bite.
JohnnyandThe Weapons are tooold. Itdbe
like watchingyour parents have sex, shudders
label exec Jimmy. SoJohnnyputs together a
bunchof kids as agrouptofront the songand
expose the industrys hypocrisyandblindness
topure talent. What couldgowrong?
One problemis that out inthe real worldthe
opposite is true. Oldgroups reformandplay
all the time, fromThe Stooges toThe Stone
Roses: if oldpeople playingrockmusic is really
thought tobe hideouslyembarrassing, then
the receipts for recent RollingStones concerts
wouldindicate that embarrassment is bigbox
ofce. Thentheres Johnnys song, Free Rock
andRoll. It shouldbe nomore thanamacgufn,
the desiredanddesirable thingat the heart of
the storywhichprops upthe action, but its a
photocopyof acaricature of apunkclich, and
Vinyl hits the viewer over the headwithit at
everypossible moment, almost onrepeat.
The directionbySaraSugarman(whose
previous credits include MadCows andConfessions
of aTeenage DramaQueen) is at best bland, and
her screenwritingonlyfurther exposes the badly
tunedengine of the scenario. The dialogue is
rather like apiece of vinyl: at andgoinground
incircles. At times youhave tothinkhardabout
whether what youve just heardwas meant to
be ajoke. WhenJohnnytells Jimmyover lunch
that he doesnt eat meat, Jimmyresponds
byaskinghimabout LindaMcCartney
Vinyl
United Kingdom/USA2010
Director: Sara Sugarman
Certicate 15 85m0s
Punks not dead: Keith Allen
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vegetariansausages. The timing, the
editing, the reactionshots all indicate that
ajokes beenmade, but the last time jokes about
LindaMcCartneysausages were topical youcould
still buyalbums oncassette. Repeatedgags about
the care homes that former Weapons guitarist
Robbienowruns fall evenatter. Oldpeoplesmell
of cabbage! Theyre incontinent! Howthis line of
humour ts intoVinyls general argument that
youre never toooldtorockis amystery. But then
Vinyl is alsostrangelydismissive of the teenagers
whoformthe front band, The Single Shots (they
cant playandknownomusical history, tut their
agedpunkpuppetmasters, withnoapparent
irony). This andthe fact that its cast features
several actors withstrongconnections topunk-
eralm, inparticular Daniels (Quadrophenia)
andPerryBenson(Sid&Nancy) give Vinyl a
stiingsense of generational complacency.
UK, the present. JohnnyJones is a washed-up punk
rocker living in a caravan. When he hears that a friend
fromthe old days has died, he travels to the funeral in
northWales and is reunited with the members of his
former band, The Weapons of Happiness, for the rst
time since he broke themup with little explanation
two decades ago. After a long drinking session they
go back to the nearby mansion of guitarist Robbie
and impulsively work up and record a song. The next
morningJohnny listens to the song, Free Rock and
Roll, and is convinced that its a hit in the making.
However, a visit to the bands old label, Circ, proves
fruitless: Johnny is told that he andThe Weapons
are too old and unmarketable. Back inWales, Johnny
convinces The Weapons that they need a younger
front band to get the song into the charts. Agroup
of teenagers are auditioned and recruited as The
Single Shots, andJohnny andThe Weapons set about
educating themin the ways of punk rock. Meanwhile
Free Rock and Roll takes off on the radio, andThe
Single Shots are signed by Circ. Success beckons but
cracks soon emerge Weapons bassist Minto wants
the world to knowthe truth behind the song; Johnny
discovers that Drainpipe, lead singer of The Single
Shots, may be his lovechild. Johnny andThe Weapons
rush to London where The Single Shots are about
to make their TVdebut. They fail to stop the show,
but Drainpipe stops it himself and explains that the
hit song is actually Johnnys work. The Single Shots
then play a song they have written themselves.
Producedby
JohnH. Williams
PrestonClay Reed
SaraSugarman
Writtenby
SaraSugarman
JimCooper
Story
JimCooper
Cinematography
Benji Bakshi
Editor
Hazel Baillie
Production
Designer
AnnaLavelle
Original Music
MikePeters
Supervising
SoundEditor
IanMorgan
Costume Design
ClaireLester
Poppyeld
Films Limited
Production
Companies
H20MotionPictures
presents aVanguard
Films production
PrestonClay Reed
Films andMrsJones
present aSara
Sugarmanlm
Inassociation
withDiverseArts
andCwmni Da
Executive
Producers
Larry Reid
SueReid
MikeWalsh
SeanWalsh
LetitiaLawson
Gary Lippman
Andras Hamori
Mark Horowitz
JustinRibbons
CraigShurn
Cast
Phil Daniels
JohnnyJones
Perry Benson
Robbie
KeithAllen
Minto
Julia Ford
JulesJones
James Cartwright
Jimmy Breen
ChrisTurner
Griff
Jamie Blackley
Drainpipe
Alexa Davies
Flora
Daniel Washington
Fly
Will Peters
Will
Joel Sugarman
Zed
Phyllis McMahon
Mrs OMalley
InColour
Distributor
AltiveFilms
7,650ft +0frames
ReviewedbyWally Hammond
Askedduringaninterview
shortlybefore his death
if he hadanyadvice for
aspiringlmmakers, the
exceptional but little-lauded
Britishdocumentary-maker Michael Grigsby
replied: Keepit simple! That phrase could
well be the watchwordfor his ownwork
ever since he directedEnginemen, which
was, incredibly, screenedat aFree Cinema
programme more thanhalf acenturyago.
He certainlytakes his ownadvice inWe Went
to War, somethingof anexemplarydocumentary
onthe effects of combat onthree individuals
withexperience of one specic war. The lm
is afollow-uptoGrigsbys 1970documentary
I Was aSoldier, whichfocusedonthree young
Texans returnedfromghtinginVietnam.
One of the three, Lamar Wyatt, diedadecade
ago, but it is atribute tothe subtlety, artistry
andkeenprofessional judgement shownin
this newlmthat his storyis as keenlyfelt as
those of his twolivingVietvet colleagues, David
Johnson(his schoolfriend) andDennis Bolinger.
The simplicityshowninthe lmis essentially
that of approach: at all times, attentiontothe
experience (the director wouldsayfeelings)
of the subjects is paramount. Tothat end
andincontrast tothe predilectionfor the
foregroundingof lmmakers incontemporary
documentaryworkGrigsbyforgoes much
of the available editorial apparatus (directors
presence, contextual interviews, guiding
informational bulletins andsoon) inorder to
allow, as he puts it, thought andemotiontime.
Infact, there is probablyas muchbreathing
space inWe Went to War as there is talkand
tell. Indeed, there is oftenas muchbreathing
space duringthe talkandtell. For example, at
the lms beginning, asweepinghelicopter shot
designedbycinematographer Jonas Mortensen
gives emotional volume tothe words we hear
emanatingfromatravellingpickuptruck
(presumablyDenniss): I amslowlybecoming
miredinmyownapathy. As aconsequence, I
have become somebodyI donot know. Likewise
the evocationof alight-dappledeveningoutside
towngives amovingvisual accompaniment
toDavids sense of alost Eden: Youcome back
toaplace that is supposedtobe heaven. It is
heaven. But it [Vietnam] all comes backtoyou.
David, arancher andfamilyman, is the more
emotional of the twosurvivors; Dennis, aself-
confessedloner, the more pragmatic though
alsothe more contradictory. Grigsbyandhis co-
director RebekahTolleyhave done awonderful
jobestablishingthe trust that enables bothmento
provide suchanarticulate andmovingexpression
of the terrors, guiltanger andconfusionwrought
bywar, andthe longevityof its effects. Social
documentaries of this exceptional quality
have another quality, beyondtheir informative
interest, their aesthetic andpoetic pleasures and
their emotional force andthats their power
toinstill inthe viewer asense of sheer privilege
at beingable tohear andfeel the testimonies
of the people towhomtheygive voice.
We Went to War
Ireland/United Kingdom2012
Director: Michael Grigsby
At the start of this documentary by Michael Grigsby,
a brief title informs viewers of his 1970 lmI Was
a Soldier, which proled three youngAmericans
returned fromthe VietnamWar: Dennis Bolinger,
fromthe town of Brady, and DavidJohnson and
James Lamar Wyatt, both fromMenard. InWe
Went toWar, Grigsby returns to their stories
four decades later. Brief titles identify the now
sixtysomething Dennis and David, alongside
archive footage of Lamar, who died in 2002.
Dennis and David are interviewed about
their thoughts and feelings about their wartime
experiences and the continuing effects those
experiences have had on themand their families over
the intervening years. In the absence of Lamar, his
wife Barbara Wyatt and daughter Michelle Carlile are
interviewed. The interviews are intercut with archive
footage, mostly fromthe earlier lm. In addition,
David is lmed listening to two IraqWar veterans
whose experiences echo his own. The lmends
with a helicopter shot of a pickup truck traversing
the Texan landscape, the soundtrack lled with the
unidentied voices of present-day war veterans.
Producer
RebekahTolley
Writtenby
Michael Grigsby
RebekahTolley
Cinematographer
Jonas Mortensen
Editor
Emer Reynolds
Original Music
Gallagher &Lyle
SoundRecordist
DavidLindsay
SohoMoon
Pictures and
TarianFilms
Production
Companies
FilmAgency for
Wales inassociation
withShoot for
theMoon, More4
andFilm4with
theparticipation
of BordScannn
nahireann/
IrishFilmBoard
ASohoMoon
Pictures andTarian
Films production
inassociation
withChannel 4
Presentedby
Electric Sky
Supportedby
National Lottery
throughtheArts
Council of Wales
Executive
Producers
James Mitchell
AndreSinger
KeithPotter
AlanMaher
Paul McGowan
InColour
[1.85:1]
Distributor
TarianFilms
Battle scars: We went to War
See Obituary
on page 14
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Reviewedby Michael Brooke
Across his sevenfeatures todate, PabloTrapero
has become one of Argentine cinemas most
astute sociological analysts, displayinga
particular interest inofcial corruptionandthe
neglect andexploitationof the poor inhis native
Buenos Aires. The subject of Catholic priests
strivingtoimprove lives inashantytownbased
inandaroundahuge but uncompletedandlong-
abandonedhospital building(whose nickname
gives the lmits title) wouldseemtobe aperfect
subject for him, andindeedWhite Elephant may
be the closest thingyet toatypical Trapero
lm, evenif this means that its considerable
situational andcinematic strengths are offset
byoccasional melodramatic weaknesses.
White Elephants inspirationwas Carlos Mugica
(1930-74), aCatholic priest whowas assassinated
for his increasinglyovert political activismthe
lm(whichis dedicatedtohim) pauses for an
impassionedeulogyandatriptohis memorial
wall, while astoryabout his appearance ina
dreammakes it clear that he still casts along
shadowover Buenos Aires. His torchis carriedin
the lmbyFather Julin(RicardoDarn) andthe
younger Father Nicols (Jrmie Renier), whose
differences of temperament andopinionprovide
muchof the lms dramatic tension(Youdont
knowhowtohate, Nicols complains at one
point, althoughthis changes whenone of their
colleagues is murderedbydruggangs). Julinhas
similar difculties withhis more conservative
andtherefore obstructive superiors, whoamong
other things control muchneededconstruction
funds asubplot involvingunpaidandexploited
workers evokes atheme familiar fromTraperos
worksince his debut Crane Worldin1999.
He andregular cinematographer Guillermo
Nieto(whoshot all Traperos features between
2002s El bonaerense and2008s Lions Den) use
their favouredScope frame withunostentatious
condence, evenduringthe frequent handheld
journeys throughthe slums ricketystructures,
whichthankfullyprovoke onlyeeting
memories of the tonallyverydifferent City
of God(2002). Onlythe presence of familiar
actors detracts fromthe otherwise convincing
illusionthat muchof White Elephant is authentic
cinmavrit: Traperoremains as fascinatedby
day-to-dayminutiae as he is bywider narrative
issues. Images are ofteninfusedwithmultiple
layers of meaning, startingwiththe opening
shot of Julinhavingabrainscan, establishing
bothapotentiallyserious healthissue andthe
fact that he has access tofacilities out of reach
of most of the people whose lot hes trying
toimprove. Similarly, arain-soakedfuneral
procession, its participants ringguns intothe
air, conveys bothgrief andadesire for revenge.
Performances, always astrengthinTraperos
lms, are whollyconvincinghere, withprevious
collaborators suchas DarnandTraperos
actress-producer wife MartinaGusmn(as
slumsocial worker Luciana) minglingwith
non-professionals andaBelgianimport, Jrmie
Renier, whose experience withthe lms of Luc
andJean-Pierre Dardenne ensures that he ts
inseamlesslyhere. Disappointingly, despite
apromisingearlyscene where Lucianaand
Nicols holdaninformal discussionwith
various slumdwellers (duringwhichnewcomer
Nicols is judgedsufcientlycool toconsort
withthemafter demonstratinghis prociency
at swearinginFrenchandSpanish), the latter
spendmost of the lminthe background, a
Verdianchorus without the rousingtunes.
(AlthoughMichael Nymans statelyscore
imbues the lms downtroddensubjects with
some measure of dignity, the interpolationof
apiece originallyusedinPeter Greenaways
DrowningbyNumbers maybe distractingto
those whorecognise it, especiallysince it
accompanies shots of childrenplayinginwater.)
Traperos more recent lms have sometimes
shownatendencytowards melodramathat
becomes increasinglypronouncedinthe nal
act, andWhite Elephant falls preytothis too,
especiallyinthe overlypat climaxwithits
symbolic fusionof political statement and
self-sacrice. AlthoughDarntries hardtoadd
shadingandnuance, Father Julinis simply
not as complexor challengingarole as the
crookedlawyer SosainCarancho (2010); the
younghotheadFather Nicols is anequally
familiar archetype; andGusmnis givenlittle
todocomparedwithher barnstormingturns
inCarancho andLions Den(2008). Still, with
the electionof aformer Archbishopof Buenos
Aires as the rst non-EuropeanPope inmore
thanathousandyears, the central issue of the
Catholic Churchs involvement withArgentinas
poor has suddenlycome under the global
spotlight inawaythat neither Traperonor the
lms distributors couldhave anticipated.
Buenos Aires, the present. After undergoing a brain
scan, Catholic priest Father Julin travels to theAmazon
jungle to rescue his younger French counterpart Father
Nicols, the survivor of a village massacre. Back home,
Julin introduces Nicols toVilla Maria, the shantytown
where he works, to his colleagues Cruz, Lisandro and
Luciana, and to the slums inhabitants, including
teenage drug addict Monito. Nicols and Luciana grow
increasingly close, especially after theyre caught up
in a drugs-related shootout. Nicols tries to mediate
with local gangsters (retrieving the body of one of
their victims in the process), and is strongly criticised
byJulin, who is worried about reprisals if theyre
seen to take sides. While Nicols and Luciana make
love, Julin worries about living up to the ideals of the
Argentine activist-priest Carlos Mugica. Armed police
raid the slum, andJulin tries to calmthings down.
Nicols discovers that Julin may be gravely ill. Unpaid
construction workers charged with slumrenovation go
on strike. Cruz is murdered by gangsters. Construction
recommences with the help of volunteers, but Julin is
ofcially criticised for his intervention after the slum
dwellers stage an occupation. An attempted eviction
triggers a near-riot, and Monito is wounded, telling
Julin that this followed his killing of a policeman.
Julin and Nicols try to drive Monito to hospital.
They are stopped at a roadblock, and in the ensuing
melee Julin threatens a policeman with a gun and is
shot dead. Amass vigil is held inJulins memory.
White Elephant
Spain/Argentina/France 2012
Director: PabloTrapero
Producedby
JuanGordon
PabloTrapero
JuanVera
JuanPabloGalli
AlejandroCacetta
Writtenby
AlejandroFadel
MartnMauregui
SantiagoMitre
PabloTrapero
Director of
Photography
GuillermoNieto
Editor
PabloTrapero
NachoRuiz Capillas
ProductionDesigner
JuanPedrodeGaspar
Music
Michael Nyman
Sound
Carlos Lidn
Costume Designer
MarisaUrruti
MorenaFilms/
MatanzaCin/
Patagonik/Borsalino
Productions/
Maneki Films/Arte
FranceCinma
Production
Companies
AMorenaFilms,
MatanzaCine,
Patagonik production
Inco-production
withFull House, Arte
FranceCinma
Withtheparticipation
of TVE, Canal+
Espaa, Canal+
France, Cin+, ARTE
Inassociation
withWildBunch,
Socinma8
Withthesupport
of ICAA, INCAA,
Fondeart, Media
i2i Audiovisual
Programmeof the
EuropeanUnion
Executive Producers
AlejandroCacetta
PabloTrapero
Cast
Ricardo Darn
Father Julin
Jrmie Renier
Father Nicols
Martina Gusman
Luciana
Federico Benjamn
Barga
Monito
Walter AlfredoJakob
Lisandro
Mauricio Sergio
Minetti
Cruz
Paul Ramos
Bishop
Pablo Gatti
Sandoval
Tatiana Gimnez
Tati
SusanaVarela
Carmelita
JulioZarza
Danilo
Stella Maris
Delacroix
Rosa
EstebanDaz
Chato
Dolby Digital
InColour
[2.35:1]
Subtitles
Distributor
AxiomFilms Limited
Spanish
theatrical title
Elefante blanco
Father gure: Jrmie Renier
H
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YOUREHUMANLIKETHE
RESTOFTHEM: THE FILMS
OFB.S. JOHNSON
B.S.Johnson; UK1967-1974; BFI Flipside/Region2DVDand
RegionBBlu-rayDual-Format; Certicate12; 160minutes;
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1; Features:TheJohnsonPapers(2013):
insidetheBritishLibrarysarchive; booklet withcontributions
byJonathanCoe, BruceBeresford, Michael Bakewell,
CarmenCallil, DavidQuantick,JuliaJordanandDanFox
Reviewed by Sukhdev Sandhu
B.S. Johnsonthought of himself as apoet, is best
knownas anovelist and, before he killedhimself
in1973at the age of 40, directedanumber of
short lms that are as witty, ambitious and
poignantlyarrestingas theyare mostlyforgotten.
I consider lmtooffer potentiallythe widest
scope toawriter as apure form, he claimedin
the sort that might be foundinhis belovedJoyce;
his impatience withwhat he sawas afossilised
literaryculture urgentlyinneedof the catalytic
shockof modernism; anabrasiveness that
expresses itself incorporeal terms; askeinof last-
gasplyricismthat does little tocountermandthe
dominant tone of someone kickingagainst the
pricks andragingagainst the dyingof the light.
Amember of apostwar literaryclubthat
hadnoname andnever existedas acoherent
body(The AwkwardSquad? Avant Albionists?),
whose members wouldtheoreticallyinclude
WilsonHarris, Christine Brooke-Rose, Ana
QuinnJohnsons experimental ctions are not
onlyfull of devices that drawattentiontothe
materialityandconventions of the literarynovel,
but tryintheir tricksyfashions torender amore
convincingrelationshipbetweenthe truthof
literature andthe truthof life: Albert Angelo (1964)
features ahole cut throughtwoof its pages so
that readers cansee throughtoevents that take
place inthe future; The Unfortunates (1969),
inspiredbyafriends earlydeathfromcancer,
was issuedas aboxwhose rst andlast sections
a1965Belfast Universitylecture entitledHoles,
Syllabics andthe Succussations of the Intercostal
andAbdominal Muscles. However, he added,
at the moment it is still sohedgedaroundwith
economic andpseudo-moral limitations that it
is one of the most frustratingmediatoworkin.
Suchcaveats about the Britishlmindustry
were as nothingcomparedwiththe scorn
he pouredonits productions inone of his
(anonymous) columns for FilmandTelevision
Technicianjournal inAugust 1971: the
goldenlichenedmoneylovers whorunit ensure
that it produces onlystinkingcrap: fatuous
stories about sexless lovers, quaint oldtrains,
actionpictures whichmove the stomachto
retchandnot the heart tofeel, the class-riddled
setpieces of adeadculture, desperatelyunfunny
double-entendre comedies, all formingaVictoria
Falls of cesspool efuent. Onlythe purer waters
of the Britishdocumentarytraditionprevents
complete pollutionof the environment.
Johnsons novelistic voice comes across
forcefullyinthis diatribe: neologisms and
compoundterms suchas goldenlichened of
Through a glass darkly: B.S. Johnson committed sucide a fortnight after his eccentric lm essay Fat Man on a Beach (1974) was completed
After years of advocacyfromhis
admirers, novelist B.S. Johnsons
wittyandambitious short lms
have nallybeenmade available
DOYOU HAVE TOBE TOLDASTORY?
Home cinema
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are separatedby25pamphlets, some amere
paragraphlong, that canbe readinanyorder.
Give or take the occasional ICAor National
FilmTheatre retrospective, over the last
decades, the onlywaytondout whether
Johnsons lms were as ludic was viathe grey
economyof time-codedbootlegs andwobbly
off-TVvideos. Now, after years of advocacy
byhis admirers, preeminent amongthem
novelist JonathanCoe whowrote anexcellent
biographycalledLike aFieryElephant (2004),
the BritishFilmInstitute has bundledtogether
agenerous selectionof his output; its quality
ranges, but its earthymodernismandspirit of
truculent afrmationare consistentlybracing.
His lmmakingcareer beganwithabang
withYoure HumanLike the Rest of Them(1967), a
decasyllabic adaptationof his ownverse-drama
featuringaschoolteacher declaimingdark
thoughts about mortality. It wonthe Grand
Prixat the Tours Short FilmFestival where,
he later recalled, Jacques Tati kept hitting
me hardbehindthe ear withhis openhand
andsayingYouare appy?! Three times he
didthat, its myone coherent memoryof the
evening, perhaps because it hurt eachtime.
Bycontrast, whenJohnsons Paradigm(1969)
was screenedat Oberhausen, juryheadWalerian
Borowczykdescribedit as the worst short lm
hedever seen. It begins withWilliamHoyland
sittingnakedandyouthful inawhite studio,
natteringawaybuoyantlyinamysterious
language that couldbe Esperanto, Joycean
glossaliaor mere gobbyledygook. As time passes
he dons more clothes, ages conspicuously, and
speaks still inaninexplicable argot with
anguish. Bythe endhes mutelycontorted.
Apparentlyconceivedas aparadigmof the
writers conditionearlylogorrhoeafollowed
byparched, melancholic maturitythe lm
is accompaniedbyashrill electronic tone that
wouldnt be out of place at acontemporary
noise-music festival. JohnFurses art direction
is attractive andits hardtotake ones eyes
off Hoyland, whoapparentlymemorised
Johnsons completelymade-uplanguage. If the
youngDavidBowie hadstarredinit, it would
be regardedas afascinatingperiodpiece, an
oddbut rewardingslice of performance art.
Twolesser-knownworks Unfair! (1970) and
March! (1971) were didactic responses tothe
Conservative governments industrial relations
bill that sought tocurbthe power of the trade
unions. The former stars Bill Owen(Compo
fromlong-runningBBCsitcomLast of the Summer
Wine) as acap-wearingprole engagedinan
arm-wrestlingbout witharepresentative of the
toffee-nosedestablishment. This is punctuatedby
shots of themhavingaslo-moboxingmatchand
slogans suchas More workingdays lost through
bronchitis thanstrikes. Its knock-about agitprop
inthe veinof leftist street theatre or BashStreet
Kids creator LeoBaxendales anarchist comics.
March!, made for the TUC, documents amass
protest heldinLondonagainst the bill. Its highon
NALGOSays No banners, shots of associations
suchas the Writers Guildof Great Britainandthe
Free CommunicationGroup, as well as rousing
orchestral music toinsist that the future belongs
tothe workers. Whats lackinginbothlms,
perhaps throughdeference tothe TUC, is any
attempt toextendthe grammar of this kindof
political bulletin. Unlike, say, Jean-Luc Godards
BritishSounds (1970), the militancyof their
politics doesnt extendtotheir image-making.
March! has acouple of shots of younger, dancing
protestors, but its clear, as one processionof
middle-agedmenfollows another, that Johnson
has little interest inexploringor linkingto
broader forms of countercultural activism.
Its ashame that The Smithsons onHousing
(1970), aportrait of NewBrutalist architects
AlisonandPeter Smithson, perhaps the most
inadvertentlyunatteringbiographical
documentaryever broadcast inBritain, isnt
includedinthe DVDpackage. But Not Counting
The Savages (1972), along-presumed-lost Thirty-
Minute Theatre productiondirectedbyMike
Newell is here inall its scabrous darkness. Sois
B.S. JohnsononDr. Samuel Johnson(1971), made for
ITVs OnReectionseries, aterricallyebullient
meditationonhis 18th-centurynamesake, in
whichhe declares: Drinkingis anoccupational
hazardfor writers, rather like coal dust is for
miners. Theres averyimportant correlation
betweenthe owof thoughts ontopaper and
the owof drinkintoawriter, somuchsothat
it might be ofciallyrecognisedanddrink
couldbe made available onthe National Health
Service or perhaps throughthe Arts Council.
Best of all is the eccentric essaylmFat Manon
aBeach(1974), directedbyMichael Bakewell and
rather unbelievablybroadcast onHTVWales.
Its anintenselypersonal lmfull of youthful
memories andspeculations onmortalitythat
is byturns antic andhectoring, eager toexpose
its formal mechanisms (jumpcuts, he says, are
little deceits of lmmakers), andamanifesto
that doubles as anaesthetic credo(Whycant
almbe acelebrationof the accidental? Do
youhave tobe atoldastory? Tellingstories
is achilds euphemismfor tellinglies.)
At times, Johnsoncanbe rather bumptious
comingacross like The Ofces DavidBrent
if hedjust writtenatermpaper onTristram
Shandyandits amusingtoreadinBakewells
DVD-booklet essaythat youngsters wholived
near the bayof Port CeiriadinGwyneddwhere
it was shot werent impressedbythe lmteam
fromLondon: It was not until we were shooting
the helicopter sequences whichbeganand
endedthe lmthat theyvoicedtheir feelings.
There onaneighbouringstretchof beach,
scrawledinlarge letters inthe sandbelowus
was anominous warning, Downwithpompous
fatties (or somethingtothat effect!)
Johnsoncommittedsuicide afortnight after
Fat ManonaBeachwas completedandits hard
not towatchthe nal shot of himwalking
intothe seawithout thinkingit somewhat
premonitory. Its hardtoonot towonder what
kindof lms he might have gone ontomake.
His girth, ebullience andsharpintelligence to
saynothingabout his interest inarchitecture
anticipate the TVworkof JonathanMeades. His
medium-deconstructingtendencies pregure The
Paul MorleyShowonChannel 4. The personality-
drivencommissioningof modernnetworks
might have ledhimtobecome acaricature of
himself. But that seems unlikely: Johnson, as this
package triumphantlyshows, was always too
bolshy, toounvarnishedfor that dismal fate.
Unfair! (1970) B.S. Johnson
The collections quality ranges
but its earthy modernismand
spirit of truculent afrmation
are consistently bracing
Youre Human Like the Rest of Them
features a schoolteacher declaiming dark
thoughts about mortality.
William Hoyland inParadigm (1969)
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ALOISNEBEL
TomsLunk; CzechRepublic2011; Kimstim/Zeitgeist/
Region1 NTSCDVD; 84minutes; Aspect Ratio16:9
Reviewed by Michael Atkinson
What weve got here is athoroughlymodern
wonder, anew, hi-tech-yet-old-fashionedart-
lmhumdinger that appears tobe, byalmost
universal industryagreement, unreleasable
totheatres. (Outside its home region, the
CzechRepublic, onlydistributors inFrance
andRussiahave gambledonit.) This suggests
more about the current nerveless state of lm
culture andmarketingthananythingabout
the lmitself, whichis astartlinglyoriginal,
impressionistic, black-and-white animation,
not inthe familiar Svankmajer stop-motion
mode but ablack-hearted, shadow-moody
rotoscopedColdWar rumination, adapted
fromthe CzechRepublics rst graphic novel.
Toms Lunks feature debut didwinaBest
Animationtrophyat the EuropeanFilmAwards
last year, andits anevocative mini-masterpiece,
brimmingwithsubjective atmospherics and
broodingmenace andcapturingthe sensuous
experience of aparticular place andtime a
remote traindepot inthe JesenkMountains
inthe late 1980s inawaythat feels, sensibly
enough, more poetic thanphotographic.
The amorphous, slipperyplotline centres
onanearlymute middle-agedstationagent
(MiroslavKrobot), his invasive memories of the
Holocaust andof the Germans expulsionby
the communists at wars end, andhis eventual
mental breakdownandhospitalisation, all of it
rhymingmysteriouslywithastranger illegally
crossingthe Polishborder inthe middle of the
night. But Lunks movie is constitutedmostly
out of visionarymoments, suggestive shadow,
dark-dreamyconnections andhistorical pain,
andapropulsive narrative is never neededto
keepyour eyeballs gluedtothe hypnotic surfaces
or tomake the resonances of historypalpable.
Reports of the BerlinWall fallingare heardon
the stationradio, but everyshot inthe lmlooks
backward, intothe 20thcenturys darkness.
Lunkuses the same computer rotoscoping
programthat RichardLinklater usedinWaking
Life (2001) andAScanner Darkly(2006), but
his style is more singular andstylised, taking
disarmingadvantage of that ambiguous,
puzzlingregionbetweenthe real andgraphic
characterisation. The lms consistent plastic
bewitchment comes directlyfromthe no-
mans-landbetweenmusteringthe natural
andbeingabstractedwithexpressionist dread,
tothe extent that the visuals become akind
of metaphor for the haunteddisconnect of
late communist life. Certainly, its one of the
most powerful movies ever made about the
darkness of the Europeanforest, whichcanbe
saidtobe substantiallydarker since 1936. Its
almthat deserves tobe widelyseenand
wouldhave beenjust afewdecades ago.
Disc: Perfect. Sadly, nosupplements, though
onlyLunks earlyanimatedshorts mightve
beenappropriate amaking-of docs revelations
wouldve pulledthe curtainonthe artice.
BAISE-MOI
VirginieDespentes/CoralieTrinhThi; France2000; Arrow/
Region2DVD; Certicate18; 74minutes; Aspect Ratio1.66:1
anamorphic; Features: making-of, trailer, directorsQ&A
Reviewed by Michael Brooke
Fuck, were useless. Where are the witty
lines? complainManu(RaffalaAnderson)
andNadine (KarenBach) partwaythroughthe
nihilistic killingspree that occupies most of
their wakinglives. This couldbe anin-joke by
the lms neophyte directors, aware of their
limitations, but it alsopowerfullyconveys
the sense that as working-class womenat the
bottomof the social ladder, ManuandNadine
will never be cool or self-possessedenough
tobecome authenticallymythologised.
Narratively, Baise-moi runs alongbroadly
similar lines toMs.45(1981) andThelma&
Louise (1991), but its afair bit more complicated
(or confused) inits sexual politics. Although
Manuis rapedat the start, her response is one
of contemptuous indifference: she doesnt fear
her rapist, but utterlydespises him. While
ManuandNadine goontomurder the vast
majorityof their sexual partners like tooled-up
prayingmantises, this isnt ahard-and-fast rule,
andneither are their victims invariablymale.
Whentheypickupacouple of youngmenand
enthusiasticallyshagthemsenseless, theypart
onentirelyamicable terms. However, when
another insists onusingacondom, theytreat it
as apersonal insult, withfatal consequences.
Shot onatinybudget, the lmis deliberately
rough-edgedandgrungy, as thoughManuand
Nadine were beingstalkedbyacamcorder-
totingaccomplice. Indeed, theyseemaware of
the cameraat times, strikingposes that crudely
mimictheiconographyof far glossier exploitation
icks andthere are alsonods tothe porn
backgrounds of bothleads andco-director Coralie
TrinhThi inthe sexscenes beingdecidedly
unsimulated. If Baise-moi ultimatelybites off
rather more thanits able tochew(source novelist
andco-director VirginieDespentes has beenmuch
more coherentlyprovocative onpaper), it stands
upsurprisinglywell 13years onasobering
reectionof the fact that the dehumanising
misogynyagainst whichManuandNadine
are tryingtorebel is just as prevalent today.
Disc: The lmwas shot onpoorlylit standard-
denitionvideo, soaBlu-raywouldhave
beenpointless. However, this improves on
Universals 2002release bypresentingit both
uncut andcorrectlyframed, while retaining
all its extras: asubstantial 40-minute making
of (whichsegues intoacensoringof, as much
of it covers the lms post-release treatment)
andaQ&AfollowingaBritishscreening.
FILMSBYCLAUDECHABROL
LEBEAUSERGE
France1958; Eureka/Mastersof Cinema/RegionB
Blu-ray/Region2DVD; Certicate12; 99minutes;
Aspect Ratio1.37:1; Features: trailer, Chabrols1962
shortLAvarice, documentaryClaudeChabrol
LaunchestheNewWave: Part 1, essaybooklet
LESCOUSINS
France1959; Eureka/Mastersof Cinema/RegionB
Blu-ray/Region2DVD; CerticateTBC; 109minutes;
Aspect Ratio1.37:1; Features: trailer, Chabrols1964short
LHommequi vendit laTour Eiffel, documentaryClaude
Chabrol LaunchestheNewWave: Part 2, essaybooklet
Technicallythe rst lmof the nouvelle vague,
Le BeauSerge, Chabrols darkmoral fable in
whichJean-Claude Brialys educatedreturner
determines torescue his drunkenbuddy
(GrardBlain) fromvillage life, was catnipto
critics if not audiences. Praisedfor its use of
non-professional actors, for DPHenri Decas
natural-light monochrome realism, andabove
all for Chabrols personal vision, it was famously
innovative. Fascinating, then, todiscover inthe
documentaryaccompanyingit here that it was
originallyconceivedtocatchRossellinis eye
for aslate of 16mmlms (whichmayexplain
its markedneorealist traits, its wrestlingwith
Catholicism, andits Christ gure) but failed
tondfavour. Still, Chabrols rst excoriating
lookat provincial life retains anintensely
personal imprint lmedinhis boyhood
village, its shot throughwithautobiographical
elements, andthat raw, distinctive lookwas
gainedbyignoringeverysuggestionthe
productions ofcial adviser mooted.
For almabout judgingothers, its nimbly
ambivalent, swingingour sympathies between
the self-destructive Serge andthe priggish
Franois right downtothe last gloriouslyopen
shot, equallyredolent of either redemptionor
contempt. The onlypoint that feels less than
thrillinglynovel is the typicallyNewWave
displayof distinctlyold-guardgender politics,
playedout inthe madonna/whore gures of
Serges pregnant wife (unsubtlyidentiedwith
the earthytrapof village life) andBernadette
Lafonts sluttishteenager, whose incest-rape
reduces her toablank-eyedplot device.
Le BeauSerge is, aufond, amale romance, its
fascinationwiththe dynamics of twoconicting
characters andthe Hitchcockianideaof the
double carryingover neatlyintoChabrols next
lm. Les Cousins, aBalzac-style tale of Parisian
corruptionextinguishinganaive young
provincial, is Le BeauSerges evil twin. Brialyand
Blainevenswaproles, Brialypeacockingas the
manipulative, manneredPaul. (His character
owes agreat deal tothe lms amboyant
screenwriter Paul Ggauff, whoonce attended
acome as the jobyouwishyouddone party
dressedas anSSofcer.) But its Blains Charles,
eyes bright withappetite andthenincreasingly
dulledbymisery, whopins youtothe
drama. AlthoughChabrols morbid Home truths: Le Beau Serge
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FILMSBYRADLEYMETZGER
CAMILLE2000
USA/Italy1969; ArrowFilms/Region-freeBlu-rayandDVD
Dual Format; Certicate18; 131 minutes; Aspect Ratio2.35:1;
Features: commentary, featurettes(OntheSet,Silvanas
BareStriptease,CubeLoveScene), multipletrailers, booklet
THELICKERISHQUARTET
USA/Italy1970; ArrowFilms/Region-freeBlu-ray
andDVDDual Format; Certicate18; 88minutes;
Aspect Ratio1.85:1; Features: commentary,making
of, featurettes(Cool VersionLoveScenes,Giving
VoicetotheQuartet), multipletrailers, booklet
SCORE
USA1972; ArrowFilms/Region-freeBlu-rayandDVD
Dual Format; Certicate18; 85minutes; Aspect Ratio
1.78:1; Features: commentary,makingof,KeepingScore
withLynnLowryfeaturette, multipletrailers, booklet
Reviewed by David Thompson
Givenhis shameful neglect inmost published
lmguides anddictionaries, this is awelcome
issue of newHDtransfers of three lms byRadley
Metzger, onlytwoof whichwere ever shown
inthe UKandwhichhave beenunavailable
for decades. After beginninghis directorial
career in1961witharesoundingop(Dark
Odyssey, acrime dramashot onlocationinhis
home territoryof NewYorkCity) andmoving
successfullyintodistribution, Metzger saw
that his future layinchoosingeither horror or
eroticism. These well-produceddiscs demonstrate
that, inspite of all the prejudices surrounding
the latter genre, withinit Metzger aimedto
make lms withstyle, sophisticationandsly
humour, andmostlypassedwithdistinction.
For one thing, Metzgers cinemais the polar
opposite of his contemporaryskin-ick specialist
Russ Meyer. Speakingonthe phone fromNew
York, the long-retiredoctogenarianconrms this,
while acknowledgingthat Meyers rst lm, The
Immoral Mr Teas (1959), dealt adeathblowto
censorshipinthis country. Metzgers inspiration
was less Playboymagazine thanthe great wave
of Europeancinemaof the late 50s andearly60s
somethinghe experiencedinclose-upwhile
cuttingtrailers for the arthouse distributor Janus
Films (whichhas nowmorphedintothe Criterion
Collection). Actuallytoholdinmyhandaprint
of Lavventuraor anIngmar Bergmanlmwas
thrilling, andI thinkmaybe somethingbledoff
throughosmosis, just handlingall those lms.
Theres noquestionthat the Europeanhigh
societyMetzger lovedtodepict inhis lms has a
direct linkwiththe participants inthosesoign
parties inLadolce vita(1960) andLanotte (1961).
While makinghis lms primarilyfor the US
market, Metzger shot theminEuropeanlocations
Germany, Italy, France withEuropeancrews
andactors, andthendubbedthemintoEnglish
toastandardgenerallysuperior towhat was
oftenperpetratedat the time. I always felt I
made the lms twice, once whenI shot them
andthenagainwhenI synchronisedthem.
As for their erotic content, bothCamille 2000
(1969) andThe LickerishQuartet (1970) mayseem
mildstuff today, but it will soonbecome clear to
anyviewer that Metzgers interests laybeyond
mere titillation. Camille 2000is anupdatingof The
Ladyof the Camellias, the same storyof the doomed
courtesanthat inspiredVerdis opera Latraviata
andthe 1936Garbovehicle Camille. The Lickerish
Quartet was adramaof sexual therapycooked
upbyMetzger andhis writer Michael Deforrest,
whichplayedwiththe unrealityof lmthrough
aseries of visual games andpuzzles laAlain
Resnais. The costume andproductiondesignof
bothlms, outlandishincolours andconcept,
was the workof EnricoSabbatini, whose credits
runfromCandy(1968) toThe Mission(1986).
Sabbatini was the superstar! says Metzger. It
was just like anylove affair, whenyour thinking
synchronises withsomebody, andwe worked
reallywell together. Camille 2000alsoboasts
ne photographyfromEnnioGuarnieri anda
brilliantlyintense lounge score byPieroPiccioni.
Whenhardcore sexlms begandominating
the exploitationmarket inthe US(DeepThroat
was releasedin1972), Metzger adoptedwhat
he calls his nomde fuck, HenryParis, and
made ve movies withmore explicit content.
Thoughhe nowsighs that he didnt have the
availabilityof the talent for the complicated
stuff I wrote, the lms nevertheless standhigh
above practicallyeverythingelse producedin
the genre, withThe Openingof MistyBeethoven
(1976) oftencitedas the nest adult movie of
all time. Its recentlybeengiventhe deluxe Blu-
raytreatment inthe US, as has 1975s The Image,
arguablyMetzgers greatest andtoughest lm,
basedonthe S&Mnovel byone Jeande Berg, in
fact apseudonymfor Catherine Robbe-Grillet.
Score signalledMetzgers capitulationtothese
shiftinggoalposts inerotic cinemainthe 1970s.
The script closelyfollows anoff-Broadwayplayby
JerryDouglas whichexploitedthe newfreedom
onthestageestablishedbyKennethTynans revue
Oh! Calcutta! andfocusedonabisexual couples
plantobedamore innocent straight pair, the
twist beingtheir sole interest intheir ownsex. I
thought it was analmost perfect representation
of seduction, andthe fact that seductionis not
gender-based. Metzger relocatedthe lmfroma
Queens apartment tothe coast of Yugoslavia, and
throughhis imaginative use of the cameradeftly
avoidedanysense of it lookinglike almedplay.
The cast includes the remarkable LynnLowry
(the off-centre attractioninCronenbergs Shivers)
andtwomale actors alreadypart of the gayporn
scene. At the endof shooting, theyencouraged
Metzger tolmreal sexacts betweenthem.
Audiences at the time rejectedwhat Scores
poster citedas the bisexual chic phenomenon,
preferringthe sleazier, totallyheterosexual
hardcore onoffer elsewhere. Metzger createda
versionof Score without the hard elements, and
it is this that appears onthe UKrelease, as the
BBFChas rejectedthe original as asexwork an
extraordinarydecisionat atime whenBaise-moi
andthe lms of Peter de Rome have just been
passeduncut. Metzger takes asanguine view.
I thinkit was Georges Simenonwhosaidthat
youshouldbe able totake the last page off a
murder mysteryandnot hinder the readers
enjoyment. If your pleasure inScore depends on
those fewminutes of explicit oral activity, thenI
dont thinkyoure goingtoenjoyit anyway.
For toolongneglectedor
scorned, the erotic lms of
RadleyMetzger are full of
highstyle andslyhumour
The adult movie grows up: Camille 2000, Metzgers update of The Lady of the Camellias
Metzgers inspiration was less
Playboy magazine than the
great wave of European cinema
of the late 50s and early 60s
SAUCE MATERIAL
Rediscovery
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picture of the younger generation shocked
NewYork Times critic BosleyCrowther
andothers withits carefullychoreographed
orgy scenes, these are dottedwithwhat seems
toour jadedeyes like juvenile, bourgeois-baiting
decadence. However, le style Chabrol emerges
deliciouslyfull-blownhere, the uid, considered
cameraworkfull of unusual angles that make
everyshot ashort story. Charles becomes a
trappedanimal, torturedbythe carousinglovers
visible throughthe glass shower of his cousins
apartment, or the raucous partyshadowedon
his bedroomwall. Cynical where Le BeauSerge
is earnest, overdeterminedagainst the others
pleasingnaturalism, Les Cousins is ascintillating
but brittle piece of work, albeit one whose stature
as coruscatingsocial satire remains considerable.
Discs: Tworeallyrst-rate Gaumont restorations
showoff the 50shades of greyof Decas
cinematographyandasharpsoundtrack. Pierre-
Henri Giberts heftytwo-part documentaryis a
considerable boon, heavywithunsentimental
memories fromChabrols colleagues (Ggauff
gets aparticularlystiff appraisal) andarchive
footage of Chabrol himself, wryabout his
Cahiers colleagues TheysulkedwhenI
praisedFordor Huston. TwoChabrol shorts,
LHomme qui vendit laTour Eiffel andLAvarice,
are pleasingandplayful additions.
CITYOFWOMEN
(LACITTADELLEDONNE)
FedericoFellini; Italy1980; Eureka/Mastersof Cinema/Region
BBlu-ray/Region2DVD; Certicate18; 139minutes; Aspect
Ratio1.85:1 (DVDanamorphic); Features: documentaries
(ADreamof Women,NotesonCityof Women), interviews
withDanteFerretti andTintoBrass, trailers, booklet
Greetedwithunderstandablymixedreviews 33
years ago, inretrospect Cityof Women(Lacitt
delle donne) nowlooks like Fellinis last great
lm. As he follows his protagonist-cum-alter
egoSnporaz (MarcelloMastroianni inhis rst
substantial Fellini role since 8
1
2 in1963) intoa
Lewis Carrolliandreamworldthat lays bare his
deepest insecurities about the opposite sexafter a
decade of feminist emancipation, its hardtomiss
howFellini is acutelyconscious of the mineeld
hes gingerlytraversing. Indeed, whenSnporaz
is spottedat aradical feminist conference that
hes accidentallyattending, andhumiliatingly
outedover the tannoy, Fellini seems tobe
anticipatingthe reactiontohis ownwork.
Giventhat Snporaz is rst shownmaking
acrude pass at anattractive pinstripedwoman
onatrain, its temptingtoassume that this is
merelyachauvinist fantasyareadingsupported
bythe fact that he cant helplteringall the
womenhe subsequentlymeets intoconvenient
pigeonholes: madonna, whore, dominatrix,
exotic other andsoon. But he alsorecoils from
the grotesquelymedallion-totingDr Katzone
(Ettore Manni) andhis multimediashrine to
thousands of his sexual conquests, andthe more
he consciouslytries tosoundbalancedand
reasonable, the more hes mockedbypeople who
cansee right throughhimnotablyhis wife,
whopops upfor amid-point heart-to-heart.
Conceptuallyandvisually, Fellini was still
ringonall creative cylinders, andCityof Women
contains some of his most memorable ideas,
rangingfromthe straightforwardlymetaphorical
(Snporaz wobblingonroller-skates while
far more condent womenliterallyrunrings
aroundhim) tothe all-stops-out concoctions
that pushedCinecitts resources tothe limit,
notablyarollercoaster-shapedslide which
forces Snporaz torelive his various sexual
experiences fromthe viewpoint of older but
not necessarilywiser middle age. The lmmay
oftenbe toe-curling, but for sheer balls-out,
soul-baringcourage, nothingelse that Fellini
didsince Amarcord(1973) comes close tothis.
Disc: Anexceptionallygenerous package gives
the lmthe best possible showcase, starting
withasuperbhigh-denitiontransfer (one of a
number of Gaumont restorations that Masters
of Cinemahas recentlyacquiredfor the UK
market) andcontinuingwithsome lengthy,
fascinatingdocumentaries andinterviews,
includinganhour-longportrait of Fellini at work.
LADAMEDEPIQUE
LonardKeigel; France1965; LesDocuments
cinmatographiques/Region0DVD;
78minutes; Aspect Ratio1.77:1
Reviewed by Philip Horne
The Americannovelist JulienGreenwho
livedalmost entirelyinFrance, wrote in
Frenchandbecame amember of the Acadmie
franaise hadaninterest inlmwhichis
markedbythis release inthe series Julien
Greenet le cinma. He co-wrote the script for
this 1965versionof Pushkins muchadapted
uncannyshort storyof obsessionandmadness
andthe secret of winningat cards inamonth
of dailyone-hour sessions withhis adoptive
sonEric. Eric discusses the project inan
interviewonthis beautifullypackagedDVD.
The lmwas directedbyLonardKeigel, who
hadbeenanassistant toRen Clment. But this is
writers cinema: Eric says, rather chillingly, that
the director onlyhadtofollowthe directions and
the story. I dont diminishhiminsayingthat he
hadthe intelligence toconformtoit. Greengot
state fundingfor the lmbyhavinglunchwith
his friendAndr Malraux, the Minister of Cultural
Affairs, andthe productionwas shot inthe grand,
Russian-furnishedChteaudHarou ineastern
France, withbeautiful costumes andwigs.
The oldCountess AnnaFedorovna(playedby
EdithEvans inThoroldDickinsons brilliant 1949
Britishversion) is here the charmingbut alas for
this part rather limitedDitaParlo, best known
for Vigos LAtalante (1934) andRenoirs LaGrande
Illusion(1937), makingacomebackat 58after 15
years awayfromcinema. The ambitious young
ofcer Herman(AntonWalbrookinDickinsons
version) is here Michel Subor, Godards Petit
Soldat but the free adaptationandexpansion
of Pushkins pungent little tale (showingsome
things that Pushkinhadonlytouchedon, in
Erics phrase) make it primarilyavehicle for Parlo.
Eric describes the actingstyle as mostlymort-
vivant indeedtheres atouchof Malrauxs son-
in-laws Marienbadinthe weirdlylifeless waythe
groupscenes are handled. The music, Schuberts
great late StringQuintet, is unfortunately
City of WomenThelmmayoftenbetoe-curling,
but for sheer balls-out, soul-baringcourage, nothing
elseFellini didsinceAmarcord comes closetothis
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overused(about adozentimes) tothe point of
banality. Infact, the lmloses convictionas it
heads for what inPushkinis ashatteringclimax.
The GreenandGreenscript is full of additional
ideas, some of theminteresting(afatal curse on
the mentowhomthe Countess tells the secret,
anabundant use of mirrors andreections, the
niece Lisas nal suicide rather thanmarriage),
but cumulativelytheydiffuse the emotional
interest inthe core of the storyandfeel rather
self-indulgent. Asort of Mrs Danvers gure
the malignant retainer Mademoiselle Doucet
(KatharinaRenn) is invented, but she mainly
has the effect of drainingagency(andenergy)
fromthe central gures. The dialogue is often
clumsilyexplicit, the plottingimplausible.
Keigel lacks the instinct tobuildtensionand
throws awaywhat chances the script leaves.
Nonetheless, this strange lmis areal curiosity
partlyas adocument of its moment andmilieu.
Disc: AbeautifullyproducedDVDwith
useful extras includingafascinating
interviewwithEric Green.
DIARYOFACHAMBERMAID
JeanRenoir; USA1946; OliveFilms/RegionABlu-ray/
Region1 NTSCDVD; 86minutes; Aspect Ratio1.37:1
As close toanold-school gothic as JeanRenoir
ever got, this secondadaptationof the Mirbeau
novel is anunavoidable companionpiece/
complement toBuuels version18years later,
the twolms formingaheavenlydiptych
that not onlyexhausts the scandalous-pulp
class-warfare scenariobut alsoelucidates how
muchthe twomasters sharedandhowtheir
sensibilities t together like ahandshake.
Characteristically, Renoirs take onthe saucy
maid(Paulette Goddard) hiredontoaluridly
dysfunctional familyestate in1880s France and
incitingall kinds of unrest andsexual distraction
is full of humanbustle, balletic cameraroamings
andrevealingdoorways; unlike Buuel, Renoir
was sympatheticallydedicatedtobalancing
everycharacters batteryof desires, andsoFrancis
Lederers saturnine butler, HurdHatelds
oedipallyvexedfamilyscion, Burgess Merediths
loonyneighbour andJudithAndersons
monarchal ber-momare all givenroomto
gallop, andtime topursue their ownconicts.
The tensionbetweenthe storys pulpy
melodramaandRenoirs needtohumanise
everybodyis fascinating(alternately, Buuel
was beguiledbythe juicyRomantic stereotypes),
andthere are lovelygestures inasurrealist vein
(the fetishistic regardfor Goddards blonde curls,
etc). All told, withits air of impulsive nuttiness
andbizarre psychological implications, its
quite unlike anyother Hollywoodlmof the
40s, whichmaybe as muchMerediths doing
as Renoirs; Meredith, for atime something
of aRenaissance gure inAmericantheatre
andlm, alsoco-producedandwrote the
screenplay, andhis jabberingperformance,
as anewpost-revolutionaryRepublicangone
hopelesslymad, is inastartlingclass byitself.
At the centre is Goddard(marriedtoMeredith
at the time), owner of the brightest eyes in
Hollywoodandacroaky, sardonic voice that
was wasted, as she was generally, byChaplin.
Never quite the star she shouldhave been,
here Goddardhas her one moment inthe halo
of amaster of actors anddramatic comedy,
andits her Carole Lombardmoment.
Disc: Nice archive print, noextras.
THEMURDERERLIVESAT21
Henri-GeorgesClouzot; France1942; Eureka/
Mastersof Cinema/RegionBBlu-ray/Region2DVD;
Certicate12; 84minutes; Aspect Ratio1.37:1; Features:
introductionbyGinetteVincendeau, booklet
Althoughnot unknownonthis side of the
Channel (it evenmade anunexpectedBBC2
appearance inthe mid-1980s), Henri-Georges
Clouzots directorial debut has beenwidely
overlookedinfavour of its immediate successor
Le Corbeau(1943) andthe masterpieces that
followed. True, its more of ajollycomedy-thriller
thanthe grimlyprotractedsuspensers with
whichClouzot made his lastingreputation, but
it unmistakablyforeshadows his later work,
witheventhe jokier moments undercut bya
bitter andall toocharacteristic misanthropy.
Aserial killer is onthe loose, his presence
establishedbyacalling-cardfor Monsieur
Durand left oneachcorpse. Inspector Wens
(Pierre Fresnay) andhis girlfriendMila(Suzy
Delair) take onthe case (unofciallyinher
case), quicklyturnupevidence that Durand
lives at aboardinghouse at number 21Les
Mimosas, anddulytake rooms there in
undercover guises inthe hope of catchinghim
inthe act. Naturally, virtuallyall of Wenss new
neighbours couldbe Durandor have avested
interest inthe continuationof his activities:
struck-off abortionist Dr Linz defends them
philosophically(Its not murder, its slaughter);
Mademoiselle Cuqis writingathriller with
asimilar plot; andthe illusionist Professor
Lalah-Poors alreadysinister stage act pulls in
thrill-seekingaudiences thanks tothe possibility
that he might have amurderous double life.
AlthoughClouzot relocatedthe actionin
Stanislas-Andr Steemans source novel from
late-1930s Londontoearly-1940s Paris, theres
noonscreenmentionof the Nazi occupation
of France but there are manynods towards its
day-to-dayreality, specicallythe notionof death
comingout of the blue andthe hopelessness of
the Frenchauthorities inpreventingit. While
the bigclimactic reveal wont be spoiledhere, it
toohas aspecic satirical thrust thats hardto
miss. The lmis startlinglyracycomparedwith
its buttoned-upEnglish-language counterparts,
not just inits innuendo-chargeddialogue but
alsoits overall sexual frankness. Like the same
labels recent disinterment of SachaGuitrys
LaPoison, its averywelcome rediscovery.
Disc: The Blu-raywasnt suppliedfor review,
but eventhe DVDis towards the upper end
of the qualityscale, as one wouldexpect
fromarecent Gaumont restoration.
THEREDMENACE
R.G. Springsteen; USA1949; OliveFilms/Region1
NTSCDVD; 87minutes; Aspect Ratio1.37:1
Forgottenmissiles out of the smoke banks
of the 20thcenturydont come muchmore
fascinatingthanthis low-budget Republic
ag-waver, ofciallythe rst Hollywoodlm
toconsider the creepingplague of communist
inltrationonAmericansoil. Comingsix
months before the popular rise of Senator Joe
McCarthyandthe public launchof his anti-
communist initiative, this lmdoesnt have its
propagandistic semiotics set instone just yet,
andasense of panickyweirdness dominates at
rst, fromthe outrageous title sequence (The
Internationale playingover apicture of aLenin-
facedoctopus envelopingaUSmap), tothe rst
sternnarrationbyLos Angeles CityCouncil
member LloydG. Davies (!), tothe rst piece of
drama, inwhichstars Robert Rockwell andHanne
Axmanare drivinginacar at night, eeingsome
mysterious force. Stoppingfor gas inthe desert,
theyinstantlysuspect the clueless pumpclerk
of beingpart of the unholyconspiracyhunting
themdown, ascenariothat resonates for us
nowas derangedanti-Redparanoia. Whichis
of course the opposite of what was intended.
The feverishandrather EdWoodianvibe tries
tosmoothitself out, ashingbacktoRockwells
introas areturnedWWII vet scammedout of
real estate andleft out inthe coldbythe Veterans
Benets Administrationwhichis exactlywhere
the Communist PartyUSAlooks for recruits.
Hes pickedupas thoughbyahawkat acitybus
stop, brought toaprivate Partybar andseduced
rather obliviouslyintothe fold, where the Party
seems toconsist of maybe eight individuals,
workingonaRedtabloid(The Toilers) andholding
indoctrinatingclasses inwhichthe raving
lessons are proudlyfrankabout the Stalinist
violence that awaits dissenters. What follows,
though, as Rockwells lunkheadnegotiates
the local bureaucracy(lookingtoget laidby
agood-time girl onlytobe hit withavolume
of Marx), is far more nuanced, as various Party
members (includingablackreporter) endure
oedipal trials of conscience, worktogainthe
Politburos unpredictable favour andsuffer
expulsionfor thought crime inthe lms
dramatic crest, aJewishpoet (Shepard
Staff relations: Diary of a Chambermaid
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SAMSONANDDELILAH
Cecil B. DeMille; USA1949; Paramount/Region
1 DVD; 133minutes; Aspect Ratio1.33:1
Reviewed by GrahamFuller
Whenthe SundayTimes Magazine publisheda
celebratoryseries oncinemain1970, it fuelled
at least one Englishschoolboys nascent erotic
reveries withthe still fromCecil B. DeMilles
SamsonandDelilahthat it put onthe cover of
The Epic issue. Her hair spangledwithgems
andher eshsqueezedbyagoldarmband, Hedy
Lamarrs Delilahlooks downimperiouslyat
Victor Matures besottedSamsonas she juts a
goldenC-cupat his Adams apple. Samsonhas not
yet beensymbolicallyemasculatedbylosinghis
locks, but the conquest is otherwise complete.
Reekingof sexandlucre, the time-honoured
currencyof DeMilles lms, the still comes from
the initiallyromantic scene (or its publicity
re-enactment) inDelilahs tent. As toldinJudges
13-16, Samsonis aDanite of Israel whose tribe
is oppressedbythe Philistines. Susceptible
toPhilistine women, he chooses the blonde
huntress Semadar (AngelaLansbury), spurning
the luscious Delilah. Bent onrevenge, she
seduces himanddiscovers the source of his
army-vanquishingstrength, prior todrugging
him, shearinghimanddeliveringhimto
her paymasters. She is oftencharacterised
as afemme fatale, but feminist critics have
championedher as aproto-MataHari whouses
her allure toentrapanenemyduringwartime.
Since there are maternal elements inSamson
andDelilahs relationship, his subsequent
blindingcarries anoedipal charge. For the
narcissistic Delilah, it means hell nolonger be
able togaze onher beauty. Fewof the moviegoers
whomade the lmthe box-ofce sensationof
1949wouldhave pickeduponits psychological
subtext, but some wouldhave noticedthat
Delilahpracticallyorgasms whenshe urges
SamsontogoFaster, faster! as she clings tohim
inachariot. Others wouldhave appreciatedthe
fetishisationof the bare-midriffedLamarr in
jewels andfabrics. Bondage acionados would
have thankedDeMille for constantlyrestraining
her beefcake co-star, promptingDelilahs lustful
remark, Hes magnicent, eveninchains.
Mature andLamarr wouldhave bothturned
100in2013, explainingwhyParamount has
restoredandreleasedonDVDfor the rst
time one of the most sought-after titles inits
catalogue. Alongwiththe completionof the
overture andthe restorationof the monotrack,
the original three-stripnitrate colour negatives
were digitallyscanned, the three-stripimage
was registered, cleanedandcolour-corrected,
andoptical improvements were made. The
result is aniridescence, courtesyof George S.
Barness cinematography, that surpasses the
vividness of 19th-centuryorientalist paintings
while ampingupDeMilles illusionism: Edith
Heads dazzlingcostumes, the soldiers armour
andthe lionSamsonwrestles are as fake as
the emotions. (DeMille hadastunt double
grapple withareal bigcat that scaredMature.)
AlthoughSamsonandDelilahs success led
tothe 1950s biblical epic trendandDeMilles
swansong, his 1956TenCommandments remake,
it is more of achamber piece thananepic.
Except for afewlocationsequences lmedbya
secondunit inNorthAfricaandthe spectacular
climaxinDagons temple, the movie is intimate:
the tightlycomposedshots emphasise the
heat betweenSamsonandDelilah, especially
duringtheir postcoital idyll bythe oasis pool,
andthe decadent splendour of the court of the
sardonic Philistine king(George Sanders).
DeMille was adevout Episcopalian. Though
frequentlyderidedas acrass showman, he had
great commercial instincts andknewthat the
movies carnalityandrefulgence were powerful
lures for audiences whomhedtreat toaninter-
testamental Bible lesson. Noone interested
inDeMille shouldignore the theological
analyses of the lmbyAntonKarl Kozlovic,
whohas shownhowCB andhis writers
reinforcedthe Samsonstorybydrawingonthe
Gardenof Edennarrative andthe Gospels.
Kozlovic persuasivelyargues, for example,
that the Fall of Manis representedinthe
gardenscene inwhichDelilah(aslithering
plum-eatingserpent) begins her temptingof
Samson(Adam) inthe presence of her sister
Semadar (Eve), whichends withtheir departure
(expulsion). The lmalsoidenties Samson, a
sometime shepherdandGods agent onearth,
as arustic Christ gure betrayedbyDelilah
(whokisses himas Judas kissedJesus).
The virginMiriam(Olive Deering), wholoves
Samsonunconditionally, echoes Mary, themother
of Jesus; the courtesanDelilahs redemptionat
the side of Samsonsuggests MaryMagdalene;
andthe blindingof Samsonequates toJesuss
aying. WhenSamsonplaces himself between
the pillars of the temple tobringit down, his
posture replicates that of the cruciedJesus. His
self-sacrice andhis destructionof the Philistines
liberate the Israelites fromdomination, which
is analogous toJesuss salvationof mankind.
Another parallel: SamsonandDelilahs maker,
Kozlovic enthuses, hadencapsulatedthe very
essence of [Jesuss] ownteachingstrategyin
his lmmakingpraxis. Namely, he went tothe
people, spoke tothemintheir language, about
their desires, toteachthemabout his ideas. If
this pedagogic model was goodenoughfor
the kingof kings, it ought tobe enoughfor the
kingof Hollywood. DeMille maynot have
beenthat, but he certainlyknewhowtouse
sexandsumptuousness tosell religion.
In1949, Cecil B. DeMille
wowedaudiences withsex,
sumptuousness anda
surreptitious Bible lesson
And cut: Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr in the title roles inSamson and Delilah
It is more of a chamber piece
than an epictightly composed
shots emphasise the heat
between Samson and Delilah
MYMY, DELILAH
Revival
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Menken) condemns the commies as
psychopathic mists after hes kicked
out for insistingthat Marxismhas Hegelian
roots, andbefore hes houndedtosuicide.
Hegel inHollywood! Oftenenough,
particularlyinthe USandUSSR, mid-century
propagandaturns out tobe muchmore
sophisticatedandambivalent inits social
messagingthanwe remember or assume, and
soit is that this pioneeringlmis bothfull
of unquestionable stories about povertyand
inequityinAmericaandyet maniacal about
communisms moral taint. Confusedand
earnest soul-searchingis the storys default
conversational gear. Certainly, the lmis semi-
literate about Marxism, toadegree that just one
year later became virtuallyforbiddeninmovies
as well as inCongress, andits heros bafement
about the dissonance betweencommunist
ideals andtotalitarianpractice is the movies as
well. Written, directedandphotographedby
veterans of scores of Republic westerns, The Red
Menace freezes amoment of transitional muddle
inAmericanlife, andits pro-democracycant
has adistinctive air of questioningunease.
Disc: Fine archival print, noextras.
SWANDOWN
AndrewKtting; UK2012; Cornerhouse/Region0Blu-ray
andDVDDual Format; Certicate12; 94minutes; Aspect
Ratio16:9; Features:Glitter andStorm,Bunhill Fields, ve
Artefacts(expanded/deletedscenes), Q&A, theatrical trailer
Reviewed by SamDavies
Swandowncomes front-loadedwithcertain
nudges tothe viewer suggestinghowit should
be read. Its tale of twomentakingaswan-shaped
pedalofromcoastal Hastings toOlympic Hackney
viasouth-east Englands sleepybackwaters
(literally) is set upas acollisionof Dadaand
psychogeography: surrealist lmmaker Andrew
Kttinginthe companyof poetic cartographer
of Londonandits hinterlands IainSinclair.
Andit begins inuncompromising, avant-garde
fashion: saturatedshots of swans, sundown
andglitteringlens-are, followedbyKtting
andSinclair performingalibationceremony
dousingaplastic swanwithwine andattempting
tolaunchthemselves onthe seawhile the
waves bear themceaselesslybacktoshore.
But Swandowns secret is that it is infact
aclassic piece of whimsyinnest English
tradition. Jerome K. Jeromes Three Menina
Boat was publishedin1889; 123years later,
Swandownis essentiallyTwo MeninaSwan-
ShapedPedalo. There is evenatraditional English
qualitytoits gentle, genial air of anticlimax.
KttingandsecondcameramanNickGordon
Smithcapture some lovelyandstartling
images: the pedaloinportage fromone river
tothe next, carriedinsilhouette downahill,
for instance. AndKtting, always readyto
plunge, fullysuited, intothe greenest bilge to
cut the pedaloclear of weeds andrubbish, is
anadmirablygonzocounterpoint toSinclairs
rather priestlyruminations onthe passing
riverbanks andtheir deephistorical connections.
But inessence verylittle happens beyond
some light banter withpassingshermenor
pedestrians andsome pre-plannedencounters
withfriends. Andjust as theypass the Thames
oodbarrier andaconfrontationlooms between
Sinclair andhis bte noire, the Olympic site, the
author has toleave the lmfor abooktour.
Kttings deationis capturedperfectlybyshots
of himslumpeddisconsolatelyinapedalonow
listingbadlywithout Sinclairs counterweight.
Disc: Aseries of brief Artefacts offers extended
andalternatecuts of keyscenes fromthelm. One
of themfeatures artist Dinos Chapmanas apedal
pal, andone avisit toBunhill Fields inLondon
(burial place of Bunyan, Defoe andBlake). Glitter
andStorm, ashort lmbyRebeccaE. Marshall, is
afascinatingseries of interviews withswimmers
inthe seaoff Hastings, the camerasosunkamong
the waves youcanpracticallytaste the saltwater.
TESS
RomanPolanski; France/UK1979; BFI/RegionBBlu-rayand
Region2DVD; 172minutes; Aspect Ratio2.35:1; Features:
Tess: FromNovel toScreen,FilmingTess,Tess: The
Experience, costumefeaturette, trailer, subtitles, booklet
Reviewed by Patrick Fahy
RomanPolanskis epic lmof Thomas Hardys
biggest-sellingnovel, about adecent countrygirl
beset byparental ambitionandthe advances of
twoirregular suitors, Tess surelyranks among
cinemas great labours of love. Recommendedto
SharonTate for its ideal leadrole, it was lmed
nine years after her deathwhenPolanskis
career was startingtolanguish. Shot innorthern
France (handsomelydoublingfor Wessex) over
nine months, throughall seasons, the most
expensive productioninFrenchcinemahistory
was anambitious gamble, withits Dorset
dialect, aGermanleadandnostars. Producer
Claude Berri hadtomortgage his house for
funds, andtragedystruckwhenrenowned
BritishcameramanGeoffreyUnsworthdied
(replacedbyGhislainCloquet, whose scenes
are markedbyatelltale light fallingontopof
the actors heads). Ultimately, it paidoff, and
the lavish, unhurriedadaptationdelighted
audiences andwonOscars, understandably, for
photography, costumes andproductiondesign.
Ever the curious outsider, Polanski loves
peeringat the detail of the worldclosingin
onTess, andorchestrates bravurareal-time
scenes suchas the openingshot of the village
virgins headingtotheir clubdance, or Angel
Clares carryingof four milkmaids over alarge
puddle, leavingTess, nerve-rackingly, till last. As
ever, Polanski draws goodperformances from
non-star actors, withNastassjaKinski passive
andsteelybyturns as Tess, andLeighLawson
spot-onas oilyAlec dUrberville, abigbadwolf
whoretains the merest trace of decency.
The Polanski touches are thrilling(acarriage
ride where youfear for the actors safety, or
sunlight blindingthe lens whenTess makes
asickeningdiscovery), but what exerts a
strange holdover the viewers mindfor days
afterwards is the lms darksense of misfortune
unfolding, as unrelentingas the seasons.
Disc: TakenfromPaths restoration, which
premieredat Cannes in2012, this luminous
transfer does glorious justice tothe photographys
strikingpainterlybeautyandthe extraordinary
elegance andauthenticityof AnthonyPowells
costumes andPierre Guffroys sets. It also
recties the lms unevensoundlevels, pointing
upthe contributions of composer Philippe
Sarde (whoblends pastoral, folkandnursery
music tohauntingeffect) andJohnBrownjohn,
whotranslatedPolanski andGrardBrachs
screenplayintorobust Hardy-esque dialogue.
THETHIRDGIRLFROMTHELEFT
Peter Medak; USA1973; WarnerArchive/Region
1 DVD; 93minutes; Aspect Ratio1.37:1
Reviewed by Peter Tonguette
Fans of KimNovakmust have beentakenaback
whentheytunedintowatchher rst made-
for-televisionmovie, The ThirdGirl fromthe Left.
The formerlywinsome star of Picnic (1955) and
Pal Joey(1957) hadnever lookedas bedraggled
onscreenas she didhere. The rst shot is
unforgiving: atight close-upstays trainedonher
linedface as anunmade-upNovakmeticulously
applies concealer, false eyelashes andlipstick.
The coupde grce comes whenshe plants a
gigantic wigatopher thinningblonde tresses.
It is abrave showingbyNovak, andastriking
beginningtoanotherwise predictable effort
fromdirector Peter Medakandscreenwriter
DoryPrevin. Novakis Gloria, aNewYorkchorus
girl longpast her prime inaprofessionthat
inevitablysends its practitioners tothe backline.
The lmis at its most pungent earlyon, as Gloria
is made toreckonwiththe passage of time: her
younger, more limber cast mates present her with
abirthdaycake, while her longtime beauJoey
(TonyCurtis) is under the mistakenimpression
that theyhave beenseeingeachother for eight
years (insteadof the more ominous-sounding13).
Unfortunately, thescreenplayconcocts aphony
love triangle betweenGloria, Joeyandadelivery
boynamedDavid(Michael Brandon), who
introduces Gloriatothe wonders of eamarkets
androckmusic, as thoughshes beenstuckin
amber for the past 20years. It is hardtoaccept
that Joey, despite his protestations about making
anhonest womanof Gloria, wouldsocasually
carryonaffairs behindher back, but evenharder
toaccept that Gloriawouldbe soeasilybeguiled
byaguitar-strumminghippie who, if anything,
has evenfewer career prospects thanshe does.
Nonetheless, the talent of the gifted
director of The RulingClass andADayinthe
Deathof Joe Egg(both1972) comes through
inthe vividNewYorklocationshootingand
anappropriatelydepressingpsychedelic
montage inwhichGlorias life all sparkles
andglitter ashes before her tired, tiredeyes.
Disc: Nofeatures.
New releases
The only way is Wessex: Tess
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Oz trial: Gary Bond (centre) as John Grant inWake in Fright
Donald Pleasence and Gary Bond
Ahyperventilating bad dream,
sticky with sweat, cheap beer
and kangaroo gutsIts Sartre
in a sea of Aussie brew
WAKEINFRIGHT
TedKotcheff; Australia1971; DrafthouseFilms/RegionA
Blu-ray/Region1 DVD; 109minutes; Aspect Ratio1.85:1
What quicklycame tobe regardedas the
AustralianNewWave was still inits squawking,
colickyinfancywhenthis hyperventilating
baddreamemergedfromthe dust, stickywith
sweat, cheapbeer, kangarooguts andfrontier
vertigo. Wake inFright whichseems anoddly
namedmovie about ajoyless outbackbender
until youtrytoconsider it as anythingother
thanahorror lmhas analmost legendary
prole as acrystalline manifestationof some
black-heartedbrandof Australianness. But when
youlookat the nascent movements other peak
pieces of cinemaTomBurstalls Stork (1971),
Peter Weirs The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) and
Picnic at HangingRock (1975), FredSchepisis
The Devils Playground(1976) andThe Chant of
Jimmie Blacksmith(1978), George Millers Mad
Max(1979), Bruce Beresfords Breaker Morant
(1980), etc its clear that the Oz notionof a
national cinemacame seethingwithqueasy
ambivalence, post-colonial guilt andaremarkable
dose of self-loathing. The NewWave schema
ofteninvolvedsocial critique, but onlyDown
Under didthe reexreachsuchferal intensity.
Wake inFright maybe the most scaldingof
the lot, andwhat was not overlookedbymany
backhome in1971was its foreignroots, witha
Canadiandirector (TedKotcheff), aJamaican/
Brit screenwriter (EvanJones), aNorwegian/Brit
producer (George Willoughby) andaBrit star
(GaryBond). Hailedbystartledcritics everywhere,
the lmpredictablydiedat home, andwas
deemedsorepellent (or tooclose tothe bone,
dependingonwhere youlive) that it was hardly
ever broadcast onAustralianTVinthe ensuing
years, andnever appearedonhome video. The
inattentionallowedit todecayintofull-onlost
status, until nallyin2009asingle salvaged
uncut print was fullyrestoredandre-released.
Inasense, the lms exile fromcultural
consciousness ts its grottypersonafar better
thanits recent coronationat international
festivals. It is, nally, awrenchinglyoddpiece of
work, analcoholic exploitation-ishmoralitytale
withnomoral message, aportrait of beer-soused
ruinthat couldve easily, withsome tweaks,
emergedas adarkcomedy. The hero, JohnGrant
(Bond, lookingeveryinchascionof the OToole
estate), is abondedteacher embitteredbyhis
government debt andassignment toasingle-
roomschoolhouse inthe middle of absolutely
nowhere apoint Kotcheff smacks home with
the openingshot, whichrevolves 360degrees
andcaptures nothingbut at wasteland. On
Christmas leave, Grants planis totrainit toa
nearbyminingtown, Bundanyabba, andthen
ytoSydneyfor aromantic holiday, but during
his layover hes pliedwithbeer byalocal sheriff
(Chips Rafferty) anddecides togamble his
nest eggonthe local bar-wager game of two-
up. Insteadof freeinghimself fromhis federal
bond, he loses everythingandbecomes trapped
for the durationinthe Yabba, dependent
onasuccessionof soddenlocal man-beasts,
includingDonaldPleasences unsavourydipso
wastrel, for everythingfromahot meal of roo
stewtoapissyoor onwhichtopass out.
Its Sartre inaseaof Aussie brew, as Grant is
teased, knockedout, patronised, semi-luredby
acatatonic local slattern(SylviaKay, Kotcheffs
wife), runincircles andeggedonintoabloody
night-time kangaroohunt that culminates inan
act of self-debasinganimal butchery. (Executed
bylicensedhunters, the skirmishwas genuine
enoughtocause walkouts bysome viewers.)
Bythe nal reel it seems that someone will
have todie, andGrant doesnt muchcare who.
Canadianor not, Kotcheff certainlynaileda
signature Aussie vibe (or, alternatively, mayve
helpedoriginate it) withabatteryof sh-eyed
cameramuggings, howlinghysteria, drunken
handheldgrunge, sun-charreddizziness and
apermanent moodof impendingdoom, not
at all unlike the eponymous feelingone gets
wakinguphungover inanunknownplace
andhavingthe vague sense that something
incrediblyterrible has alreadyhappened.
Civility, were sure, couldvanishat any
moment andthoughit doesnt quite, Kotcheff
doesnt soft-pedal, usingcutawayshots of
mutilatedkangaroocarriontohaunt the lm
thereafter, explodingout the alreadyalmost
post-apocalyptic sense of drunkardculture. As
stranger-in-a-strange-landmovies go, Wake in
Fright is connectedat the hiptoits American
counterpart Deliverance (1972), andthough
aprimitive homophobiaruns throughboth
(ironically, givenBonds thoroughlyuncloseted
public persona), Kotcheffs lmfeels pettier and
therefore more brutal about its society, andmore
critical of its heros weakness. Australians had
decent reasontoshunit, youdthink, except that
now, thanks tothis gorgeous polishjob, its been
embracedas the nastiest of national classics.
Aseethingoutback-bender of a
movie, steepedinself-loathing,
Wake inFright is Deliverances
black-heartedAustraliantwin
WAKINGNIGHTMARE
Rediscovery
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DEADHEAD
RobWalker; UK1986; BBC/EurekaEntertainment/Region
2DVD; Certicate15; 191 minutes; Aspect Ratio1.33:1
Reviewed by Robert Hanks
The 1980s was aboomtime for screenconspiracy
theories: Birdof Prey, Edge of Darkness, Inthe Secret
State andAVeryBritishCoupontelevision, Defence
of the RealmandThe Whistle Blower inthe cinema.
Evenamongall this paranoia, DeadHead, shown
onBBC2in1986, was noticeablyfebrile; wherethe
competitiontookits cue fromreal-life political
issues (nuclear power, the CommonMarket, the
ColdWar), HowardBrentons four-part thriller
was aconsciouslynightmarishcollisionof
sexual perversityandclass loathing, inwhich
the conspiracyinvolvedaroyal Jackthe Ripper.
Pettythief Eddie Cass (Denis Lawson), having
agreedtotransport anunspeciedparcel across
London, discovers that it contains awomans
severedhead. Thats one deadhead: the other
is Eddie himself, braindeadpatriot, monarchist
andToryvoter. Inthe frame andonthe run,
he zips aroundthe country, runningintoa
number of sinister aristocrats andspooks (the
categories overlap), beddingthe oddupper-
class beauty, andndingout that his affection
for the Establishment is not returned. The
politics are broad, andafter apacy, teasing
set-up, the plot is frequentlylost amongthe
picaresque actionandEddies voiced-over
philosophising; inparticular, muchof the third
episode, inwhichEddie undergoes rigorous
physical preparationfor the trials tocome,
seems tobe left over fromadiscardeddraft.
Brentonwas still acontroversial gure after
the druid-buggeringantics of his 1980play
The Romans inBritain, thoughthe success of
the 1985newspaper dramaPravda, co-written
withDavidHare, hadboostedhis stock. These
days, he is better knownfor his workonSpooks.
DeadHeadshows himat atransitional stage
theatrical gesture andagitproppolitics diluted
byadawningawareness of howpleasing,
andhowuseful, genre conventions canbe.
But it has pleasures beyondits interest as a
historical document: the actingis excellent, from
aweasellyLawson, agorgeous, terrifyingLindsay
Duncan(frustratinglyunderusedas his ex-wife),
SimonCallowas acamprogue MI5operative, and
NormanBeatonas aJamaicancrook-cum-mystic.
RobWalkers productionhas some lovelyvisual
touches (inthe openingcredits, aclockwork
model of Lawsonblunders intoabrickwall)
andsome bizarre, stylishanachronisms: at one
point Eddie, dressedlike DanaAndrews inalate-
40s noir, leaves agrottyInterCitybuffet car and
somehowends upinanold-fashionedcorridor
carriage out of The 39Steps or The LadyVanishes.
HOUSEOFCARDS
Netix; USA2013;
Reviewed by Nick Roddick
ANetixOriginal the rst dramaseries
commissioneddirectlybythe USVODcompany
House of Cards maynot be especiallyoriginal,
but it certainlyearns its place alongside such
HBOheavyweights as The Sopranos, The Wire and
Boardwalk Empire as grown-upentertainment.
This is not altogether surprisinggivenareported
$100millionbudget, acast headedbyKevin
SpaceyandRobinWright, andbehind-the-camera
contributions fromsuchmovie-movie directors
as DavidFincher (whoalsoproduces) andJoel
Schumacher. Indeed, the whole thingpositively
reeks of prestige. It alsohas just the right narrative
momentumtoencourage binge-viewing, with
Netixmakingall 13episodes available at once
(February1), pointedlyomittingthe previously
on recaps that eat upthe time inother series.
House of Cards is basicallyanextendedriff
built aroundthe political manoeuvres of Francis
Underwood(Spacey), acongressmanfromDown
Southwhois the chief Democrat whipand
whose power rests onhis abilitytodeliver tothe
president the votes he needs for certainkeybills,
despite the latter havingbrokenhis promise
tomake UnderwoodSecretaryof State. The
congressmans wife Claire (Wright), meanwhile,
runs anenvironmental non-prot whichalso
relies onits ownkindof people-manipulation, at
whichshe proves equallyruthless (if not always
as effective). Bothare havingaffairs Claire
withaBritishphotographer, AdamGalloway
(BenDaniels), Francis withalethallyambitious
youngreporter calledZoe Barnes (Kate Mara),
whostarts off withthe WashingtonHerald(read
Post) but soondefects toanonline news site called
Slugline. Plus there is amajor subplot involving
aPhiladelphiacongressmancalledPete Russo,
playedbyCoreyStoll, the seriess most promising
newcomer, previouslyknownfor havingplayed
HemingwayinWoodyAllens Midnight inParis.
Andthats about it: the structure requires
Underwoodrepeatedlytomanipulate,
manoeuvre, berate, backstabandevenkill to
get what will further consolidate his andthe
presidents (but mainlyhis) holdonpower
somethingwhich, as he informs us inan
earlyaside, shouldnever be confusedwith
money. As Underwood, Spaceyis as goodas
he has ever been(whichis sayingsomething),
luxuriatinginaSoutherndrawl the
rhythms of whichare never quite predictable
andboundless, irresistible amorality.
The asides tocameraandthe startingpoint
achief whiptowhomthe partyleader has
brokenhis wordandwhoengages inaseries of
silkilyexecutedpower games are takenfrom
the four-part BBCseries of the same name rst
broadcast in1990, inturnbasedonanovel by
Michael Dobbs. But, while the set-upmaybe
identical andsome character names recur, the
subsequent plot andabove all the pace are
totallydifferent. Indeedthere are several PhD
theses tobe writtenonthe wayTVdrama
has changedinthe 23years betweenthe two
House of Cards. Bycontrast withthe Netix
versions slickcuttingandrelentless forward
momentum, the BBCseries cutting-edge at
the time but comingat the tail-endof the Tinker,
Tailor traditionseems slowandstagebound.
The screenplayfor the newversionis byBeau
Willimon, whohas become the go-toguyfor
Washington-baseddramasince the not-dissimilar
George Clooneyvehicle The Ides of March(2011),
whichwas basedonhis playFarragut North. Here
he offers anexemplar of the nowwell-established
genre of political procedural, but witharich
undercurrent of Tennessee Williams-inected
language, whichmakes it verydifferent from
the more traditional West Wing. All the same,
it is aclosedworld. Whenever House of Cards is
safelywithinthe Beltway, the tone of heightened
realismis condentlymaintained. But the same
cannot be saidfor those scenes inGalloways
NewYorkloft or inblue-collar Philadelphia,
or onatrouble-shootingtripbyUnderwood
tohis home base inGeorgiapeachcountry
where the non-political worldis the focus.
And, for all its occasional abilitytosurprise
ascene where Claire visits Franciss former
driver inhospital is especiallymemorable
House of Cards steers right downthe middle
of the quality TVmainstream, withacredit
sequence (time-lapse shots of Washingtonfrom
dawntodark) that harks straight back, byway
of The Sopranos andThe Wire, tothe urtext of
modernAmericanTVdrama, The RockfordFiles.
There are alsodistinct echoes of that 1970s
classic series LouGrant inthe scenes involving
Zoe andher (lackof) journalistic integrity.
Above all, however, House of Cards conrms
that, giventhe space todevelopacharacter
over several hours of screentime, television
dramais at its most powerful whenit focuses
onafull-scale monster. The series follows
condentlyandbrazenlyinthe footsteps of
The Sopranos andThe Wire (before it killedoff
Stringer Bell), built aroundalarger-than-life
protagonist whose energyanddrive are ininverse
proportiontohis sense of right andwrong. It is
dramatic identicationas Schadenfreude: we
knowthat there will be acomeuppance, but
wedlike it tobe postponedas longas possible
cos the badguys have all the best lines.
PHILIPMARLOWE,
PRIVATEEYESERIES1
DavidWickesTelevision/LWT/ITV; UK1984; Dutch
FilmWorks/Region2DVD; Aspect Ratio4:3; 253minutes
Reviewed by Sergio Angelini
In1978, while promotinghis remake of
The BigSleep, Michael Winner defendedits
transpositiontothe UKnot bycitingEady
Levyincentives or cheaper labour costs but
bypointingout that Chicago-bornRaymond
Chandler was schooledat Dulwich, where he
excelledat classics. Nonetheless or perhaps
because of this Chandler went ontobecome
the most celebratedauthor of the poetryof
violence andcreatedthe enduringmythof
PhilipMarlowe, the hardboiledknight errant.
Inthe 1980s, writer-producer-director David
Wickes revivedanideafromthe old
Marlowe radioshow, takingChandlers Whispering campaign: House of Cards
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apprentice pulpctionandinjecting
the eponymous PI intostories originally
featuringsuchprototypes as JohnnyDeRuse,
Mallory, JohnDalmas andSteve Grayce. The
series was mainlyBritish-basedbut exteriors were
lmedinPasadena, SantaMonicaandevenat
the AltaLomaTerrace inHollywoodwhichwas
Marlowes home inAltmans The LongGoodbye
(1973). Directedaffectionatelybysuchpros as
Peter Hunt, SidneyHayers andBryanForbes,
lovinglyscoredwithatouchof bebopbyJohn
CameronandprefacedwithBond-style main
titles byMaurice Binder, the result is acurious
but painstakinglystylishhybrid, one that cant
quite escape asense of cultural dislocation
despite clear evidence of the fealtypaidto
the literaryoriginals. Yet its the transatlantic
collisions of this curiouslyaccentedvisionof a
late-1930s Los Angeles, one populatedmostly
byexpat yanks andBritishcharacter actors
(ArabellaWeir turns upas aHispanic cleaning
lady), that creates abeguilingandsympathetic
reectionof the authors ownmixedinuences.
The ve episodes traverse Chandlers canon
fromhis secondstory, Smart-AleckKill, to
the posthumous The Pencil, the onlybona
de Marlowe short story, whichreunitedhim
withAnne RiordanfromFarewell, MyLovely.
She was turnedintoarecurringcharacter, with
KathrynLeighScott sparringcoquettishly
opposite lantern-jawedPowers Boothe,
easilythe toughest of onscreenMarlowes.
Disc: Not currentlyavailable inthe UKor
the US, this Dutchrelease offers adequate
transfers inthe correct 4:3ratio.
QUINCY, MESERIES3
Universal/NBC; US1977-78; AcornMedia/Region2DVD; 953
minutes; Aspect Ratio4:3; Certicate12; Features: stillsgallery
Hollywoodwriter-producer-composer Glen
A. Larsonwas nicknamedGlenA. Larceny by
HarlanEllisonfor his quick-off-the-markTV
projects inspired byrecent movie hits. Thus
ButchCassidyandthe Sundance Kid(1969) begat
Alias SmithandJones (1971-73), Coogans Bluff
(1968) became McCloud(1970-77), Burt Reynoldss
back-to-backhits Smokeyandthe Bandit (1977)
andHooper (1978) spawnedBJ andthe Bear (1979-
81) andThe Fall Guy(1981-86), while Battlestar
Galactica(1978-79) cashedinonStar Wars (1977).
The one real exceptiontoLarsons reactive
copycat tendencyinthe 1970s was medical-cum-
mysteryshowQuincy, starringJackKlugman.
Armedonlywithanunwaveringmoral compass
andone of the nest toupees inHollywood,
Quince fought the goodght against the
Establishment indefence of the underdogweek
in, weekout, touchingonsuchtopical issues
as police corruption, domestic abuse andthe
rehabilitationof juvenile delinquents. Whennot
diagnosingsubdural haematomas or performing
emergencytracheotomies withabiro, our herois
at his best communingwiththe CommonMan,
never more charminglythaninanextended
cameobyFrankFaylen, whodeliveredhis last
onscreenperformance as anold-time railroader.
Disc: The transfers are impeccable, though
afewearlyepisodes are missingthe
memorable openingspiel (Youare about to
enter the most fascinatingsphere of police
work, the worldof forensic medicine).
STORYBOARD
Thames/ITV; UK1983-88; Network/Region2DVD;
569minutes; Certicate12; Aspect Ratio4:3;
Features:SinglesNight
One of the last ITVanthologyseries, this show
takes its title fromthe practice inlmand
advertisingof creatingdetailedpanel drawings
as proof of concept inpre-production. The title
provedapt, as most of the one-hour segments
servedas pilots for half adozendifferent series.
The most successful, byfar, was Geoff
McQueens Woodentop, depictingthe rst
dayonthe jobof PCCarver, who, together
withnewpartner June Ackland, would
continue toappear inThe Bill for the next
20years. Other successes includedLyttons
Diary, aPeter Bowles vehicle about aFleet
Street gossipcolumnist; George Marksteins
The Traitor, whichbecame Mr Palfreyof
Westminster, asuperior bit of ColdWar cloak-
and-dagger starringAlec McCowen; Kingand
Castle, IanKennedyMartins zestytale of debt
collectors; MakingNews, afast-pacedtale of
backbitingbroadcast journalismstarringBill
Nighy; andLadies inCharge starringCarol
Royle, set just after the First WorldWar and
one of onlytwonon-contemporarysegments
(the other is HuntedDown, ane Dickens
adaptationnarratedbyMcCowen). Royle also
starredopposite TonySteedmaninJames
Dorans Judgement Day, the best of the
standalone items, inwhichanambitious young
lawyer has toput aveteranout topasture.
Disc: Made entirelyonvideo, the transfers are
of ahighstandardthroughout. Extras include
StoryboardMost of thesegments servedas pilots
for other series.TheTraitor becameMr Palfreyof
Westminster, asuperior bit of cloak-and-dagger
Singles Night (1984), made for the series but
screenedseparately, whichlater servedas
the basis for the sitcomSingles (1988-91).
UTOPIA
Channel 4/RegionB/2Blu-ray/Region2DVD;
Certicate18; 300minutes; Aspect Ratio16:9; Features:
deletedscenes, audiocommentary, featurettes
Reviewed by KimNewman
Bravely, Utopiais framedwider eventhanthe
1.85of widescreentelevisions anduses the
letterboxed, windscreen-shapedspace of 1970s
paranoiaor science-ctioncinemawithmuch
more deliberationthanis usual inBritishTV.
Writer Dennis Kellysets upaninterlockingset
of plots andsubplots as various innocents and
guiltyparties ndthemselves onthe trail of the
never-publishedsecondissue of acomic book
createdinaninsane asylumbyasince-deadmad
scientist whose scheme tosave the worldthrough
quiet genocide is onthe point of beingcarriedout
byasinister cabal. Amongthe strugglinglittle
people are the visionarys cracked-in-childhood
offspring, paranoidoff-the-griddweller Jessica
Hyde (FionaOShaughnessy) andshufing,
raisin-munchinghitmanArby(Neil Maskell).
Exceptionallyviolent one of the shows
themes is torture andyet oddlypoised
andclassical withits use of vividlycoloured
landscapes andeerilyemptycorridors as
punctuation, this weaves together its threads
over sixepisodes andbuilds toanale that
springs surprises andposes toughquestions. It
maylackthe angrysatire of Edge of Darkness or
the mystic overtones of TwinPeaks but it adds
its ownpostmodern, thought-throughtake
onthe choice betweenvaryingdystopias.
Disc: Deletedscenes, interviews withcast
andcreator andy-on-the-wall B-roll.
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ARMCHAIRTHEATRE
VOLUMEFOUR
ABCTV/ITV; UK1958-66; NetworkDVD/Region2
DVD; 733minutes; Certicate12; Aspect Ratio4:3
Reviewed by Mark Duguid
Before Playfor Today, before The Wednesday
Play, there was Armchair Theatre. ITVs most
enduringandsuccessful dramaanthology(1956-
1974) has longbeenovershadowedbyits BBC
rivals, but inits dayits contributiontoBritish
TVdramawas pivotal. Helpfullypositioned
inthe schedule just after the ratings-topping
SundayNight at the LondonPalladium, Armchair
Theatre was mass viewinginthe late 1950s and
early1960s. More thansixmillionhomes were
tunedtoHaroldPinters ANight Out inthe slot
in1960; it wouldtake 30years, reckonedPinter,
for that manytosee The Caretaker inatheatre.
Andit was populist ITV, not the high-culture
BBC, that rst reectedthe revolutioninstage
dramathat beganwith1956s Look Back inAnger.
The rst twovolumes of Networks ambitious
excavationminedthe years from1968to1974,
whenArmchair Theatre was producedbyThames.
Withvolume three the label turnedits attention
tothe more vital earlyyears at ABC, when,
especiallyafter the arrival of visionaryCanadian
producer SydneyNewmanin1958, Armchair
Theatre beganajourneyawayfromclassic literary
andtheatrical sources andtowards contemporary
Britishsubjects andwriters. This fourthvolume
is perhaps less essential thanvolume three
whose highlights includedANight Out, the
landmarkLena, OMyLenaandinnovative sci-
melodrama The ManOut There but onlyjust.
The 12plays here trace afascinatingevolution
inBritishtelevisiondrama, as it struggles to
overcome the challenge of live studiodrama
andcast off its theatrical bonds inpursuit of a
dynamic dramatic formsuitedtothe small screen.
The rst stepinthat emancipationwas a
more creative use of the studioitself. Directors
suchas TedKotcheff, PhilipSaville andCharles
Jarrott, followingthe leadof the BBCs Rudolph
Cartier, employedartful composition, expressive
close-ups, restlesslymobile cameras andrapid
cross-cutting(occasionallytooquick, leaving
unwarycrewmembers scramblingtoget out
of shot), while testingthe limits of their gifted
set designers. The earliest example here, an
adaptationof The Emperor Jones, Eugene ONeills
highlychargedstage playabout anescapedblack
Americanconvict andone-time slave whohas
installedhimself as aCaribbeandespot, seems
tocatchdramatic formevolvinginreal time. As
Brutus Jones prepares tomakes his escape from
his newlyvengeful subjects, director Kotcheff
abandons the imposingpalace set of the rst act
infavour of achaotic roamaroundthe cavernous
studiospace, haphazardlyfurnishedwithjungle
foliage, the better tochart his protagonists
descent intohis ownpersonal heart of darkness.
There are other, less adventurous adaptations
here: The Greatest Maninthe World, acommentary
onAmericanhero-worshipandthe space race
adaptedfromaJames Thurber story, andtwo
fromWilde, includingastarryThe Importance of
BeingEarnest. But Armchair Theatres reputation
was built onoriginal workdealingwith
contemporaryissues. TedWilliss The Scent
of Fear is aclaustrophobic ColdWar drama
centringonadesperate defector stowedawayon
aplane fromEasternEurope toLondon. InAlun
Owens The HardKnock anembitteredwanderer
returns tohis native Liverpool determinedto
prove the innocence of the brother whowas
hangedfor murder, but nds onlyunwanted
memories andunpalatable truths. InAngus
Wilsons After the Showanidealistic youth
makes achivalrous attempt torescue his uncles
beautiful but damagedgirlfriendfromself-
destruction. Other troubledwomenfeature in
The Paradise Suite, inwhichaHollywoodstarlet
goes madwithisolationinher hotel room,
andinJohnHopkinss intense psychodrama
I Took MyLittle WorldAway, aprovocative if
not entirelysatisfyingexplorationof swinging
Londons darker side, starringSusannahYork.
But the series remit embracedmore thanjust
grimsocial realism. JackRosenthals The Night
Before the MorningAfter is atypicallydeft wedding-
night nerves comedy, while inthe glorious The
Trouble WithOur Ivyabitter neighbourlyfeud
betweenrival suburbangardeners escalates
intoafull-scale horticultural apocalypse
provingthat Ionesco-style absurdisminltrated
BritishTVwell before MontyPython. But
the surprise here is LenDeightons LongPast
Glory, adeceptivelyBeckettiandiscourse
onEnglands batterednobility, withJohnle
Mesurier andMaurice Denhamas apair of
threadbare aristocrats exiledinwhat appears
tobe asectionof the Londonsewer.
Bythe mid-60s the zeitgeist hadbeenseized
byThe WednesdayPlayset upbyNewman
after he was poachedbythe BBCwhere the
likes of KenLoachwere desertingthe studioto
lmonthe streets. Theres nothinghere that
quite matches the political or aesthetic impact
of Loachs Upthe Junctionor CathyCome Home,
but plentytorestore Armchair Theatre toits
rightful place inthe storyof Britishdrama.
Networks set boasts more thanacceptable
transfers giventhe telerecordedsource material,
althoughsome of the earliest works here
capture the aws of their recordingas well as
those of performance andproduction.
Thelatest volumeof ITVs pivotal
dramaanthologyturns upahost
of minor treasures fromthelikes of
EugeneONeill andLenDeighton
Heart of darkness: Eugene ONeills Emperor Jones tells the story of an escaped American convict
Len Deightons Long Past Glory
The 12 plays here trace a
fascinating evolution in British
television drama as it struggles
to cast off its theatrical bonds
CLASSACTS
B
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MAKINGTHE CUT
BEHINDTHE SCENES
ATTHE BBFC
FilmClassicationfromthe
Silver ScreentotheDigital Age
Edited by Edward Lamberti, Palgrave Macmillan,
240pp, 16.99, ISBN1844574768
Reviewedby Linda RuthWilliams
Rather like the BritishSecret Service, the
BritishBoard of FilmClassication(formerly
the BritishBoard of FilmCensors) only began
to openitself up to proper public scrutiny in
the 1990s. For the rst time newly appointed
press ofcers offered context for decisions
previously handed downas unarguable faits
accomplis; scholars could consult long-buried
les; classicationcriteria were published for
all to see; a website enabled public scrutiny. If
the doors of the BBFCs Soho Square HQwerent
exactly thrownopenas the century turned,
they were at least admitting ngers of light.
Commissionedbythe BBFCtomarkits 100th
anniversary, Behindthe Scenes at the BBFCis
certainlynot boundbyasanctionedpartyline.
The veryfact of abooksuchas this existingat all
self-authorisedthoughit might be is evidence
of aseismic shift inthe boards viewof itself as
more transparentlyaccountable. Past overviews
range fromself-pennedreminiscence (BBFC
SecretaryJohnTrevelyans What the Censor Saw,
coveringhis tenure from1958-1971); diatribes
as The Devils, StrawDogs et al). This bookgives a
clearer versionof the post-1960s story, including
the apparent liberalisationof Trevelyanandthe
more fraught erafromthe 1970s tothe 90s under
the efdom of James Ferman, whichsawsome
relaxationbut alsoaconservative consolidation.
The contradictions here are particularly
fascinating; Fermansawhimself inGuy
OsbornandAlexSinclairs quotationas less a
policemanof the industrythanas its conscience.
But despite undoubtedepisodes of
authoritarianism, the boards authorityis shown
tobe constantlytested. Against the prevailing
viewof abastionof patriciansovereigntyis
set animage of the boardunderminedand
compromisedbylocal andregional authorities,
pressurisedbyUSproducers, oftenfailingto
please the general public andthe tabloidpress
for beingvariouslytooliberal or toodraconian.
Beleagueredfromwithout, it was alsosometimes
dysfunctional within. Former president Robin
Duval, inhis astonishinglyfrankaccount, reects
onthe moment he was offeredthe jobas Fermans
replacement: I knewenoughabout the BBFCs
historytorecognise apoisonedchalice when
it was placedbefore me. Throughthis rather
modest account Duval emerges as apivotal gure,
turningthe warringgroup(like abadlyparented
familyinwhichthe older children... workedoff
their frustrations bytakingit out onthe younger
ones) intoatransparent andeffective public
bodyt tothe demands of 21st-centuryculture.
This is not tosaythat the taskof the moment is
straightforward: some areas remainconsistently
byliberal journalists withanti-censorshipaxes
togrindandpoor access tocoal-face board
processes; or patchyhistories penneddespite
closeddoors andlockedarchives. ThoughTom
Dewe Mathews hadsome access toBBFCles, his
frequentlycritical 1994bookCensoredstruggled
withandragedagainst its cloak-and-dagger
practices. Behindthe Scenes at the BBFCis alively
attempt toinitiate afuller story. Followingan
authorisedBBCFour documentary(Dear Censor)
andBFI Southbankseason, it thoughtfully
presents current practices inthe frame of past
contexts as part of anongoingdebate about what
audiences might want fromtheir classiers.
While this excellent bookdoes give some
attentiontocensorshipinthe rst half of the
20thcentury, some two-thirds of its space is
dedicatedtothe periodsince 1970. Academic
andjournalistic analyses have tendedtofocus
onspecic post-1960s cause clbre cases (such
Ahistory of violence: the book covers the usual censorship suspects such as AClockwork Orange, above, alongside less familiar cases
Books
ASerbian Film B
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controversial. Ahistoryof struggles over horror
runs throughthis study. Sexandviolence
incombinationcontinue tobe problematic
for eventhe R18category. This bookamply
reminds us that anylocallyboundmoral panic
will quite quicklybe supplantedbythe next
tabloid-designatedmost obscene lmever
made. Imagistic envelopes maybe pushed, but
there is nothingnewunder the censorshipsun.
Indeed, the changinghistoryof social attitudes
makes fools of morallyabsolutist examiners,
whooftenexplicitlypresentedthemselves as
social as well as moral custodians, curtailing
dangerous messages of protest: Robert Jamess
comprehensive account of the periodfrom1928
to1948quotes LordTyrrell, president for much
of the 30s and40s, as takingpride inobserving
that there is not asingle lmshowinginLondon
todaywhichdeals withanyof the burning
questions of the day. We might have come a
longwayfromthe veryearlydays whenalm
couldbe bannedfor holdingupaminister of
religiontoridicule or depictingnative customs
inforeignlands abhorrent toBritishideas, but
the boardmust still take account of that slippery
entity, public opinion. Current director David
Cooke describes difcult decisions aroundA
SerbianFilmandI Spit onYour Grave, but lucidly
elaborates onhowrepresentations of real sex
have, inthe last decade, beensensiblydealt with
as generallyunproblematic for over-18s. More
recent discussions about harm(particularlyin
relationtochildren) andabout extreme images
suggest that manywider debates concerning
affect andobscenityare crystallisedthrough
anxieties over lm. SianBarbers scrutinyof the
BBFCFiles coveringthe 1980s indicates that
the shiftingboundaries betweenchildhood,
adolescence andadulthoodmight partly
have beenredenedas the boardset about
distinguishingwhat it wouldpermit for 12, 15
and18 andwhat it wouldnot permit at all,
for anyone. The historical essays are augmented
byaseries of sidebars inthe formof single-lm
case histories. Whereas elsewhere the BBFCs
historyhas beentoldthroughnotorious cases
(fromStrawDogs toBaise-Moi), it is fascinating
tosee more mainstream, arguablyprosaic cases,
whichperhaps give amore representative view
of the routine workof the board. Some of British
censorshipss usual suspects are here (AClockwork
Orange and9Songs), but soare BattleshipPotemkin
andHarryPotter andThe Goblet of Fire. Such
distinct cases enable the booktotell the storyof
changingvalues throughthe censorshipstories
of individual lms (Potemkingoes frombeing
bannedin1926tobeingclassiedPGin1987). A
culture might dene itself throughits monsters,
but it alsodoes sothroughwhat it tries tohide
andwhat it thenfeels liberatedtoreveal.
BECOMINGKENRUSSELL
By Paul Sutton, Bear ClawBooks,
324pp, 14, ISBN9780957246232
ReviewedbyTimLucas
Subtitled The Authorised Biography of Ken
Russell, Volume One, Paul Suttons book is the
rst of a proposed ve-volume work, sevenyears
inthe researching and writing, to be released
serially. One hopes the wait for Volume Two
wont be too far off because his initial entry
proves captivating indeed, limited as it may
be to off-stage material: Russells childhood
and young manhood, his early experiments in
photography and amateur short lmmaking
(including Peepshowand Amelia and the Angel),
and nally the sevenlms he made for the BBC
in1959, his rst year as a professional. It is a
tribute to Suttons love for his subject that he is
able to write so vividly and persuasively about
work one likely hasnt seen, completing it in
a sense for readers and presenting it to them,
bothas a project and as anobject for critical
appreciationand assessment. It is likewise a
tribute to Suttons critical eye, and his abilities as
a writer, that this volume seldomoccupies only
one plane of time; if anearly work incorporates
anidea that will later blossommore fully ina
better-knownwork, Suttonacknowledges this,
and occasionally the work inhand will lead
himback to something Russell once told him
ininterview, or that one of Russells colleagues
shared withhimontape or incorrespondence.
Suttons title recalls that of asimilar book,
Paul M. Jensens Hitchcock Becomes Hitchcock: The
BritishYears (2000), whichchartedhowthat
directors earlyworkdevelopedintoadistinctive
style telegraphedbyhis name alone. Becoming
KenRussell is alsoabout ashyandsomewhat
reclusive individuals indulgence of his own
fantasylife throughmusic anddance (at the age
of 12, he was caught dancingnakedaroundhis
emptyhouse toStravinskys The Rite of Spring
byhis returningmother, whoallegedlydidnt
bat aneye), andhis later gradual discovery
of his ownartistic condence throughthe
personalities andopportunities that life and
workpresentedtohimcircumstantially. Unlike
most directors whondtheir waytocinema
throughliterature or other lms, Russell was
activatedbyclassical music, whichmade him
want toshare those emotions he felt; though
he hadbeenalifelonglmbuff, it was onlythe
realisationof his skill as astill photographer
that made himrealise that lms might be the
waytogoabout it. While carefullydodging
some anecdotes relatedelsewhere byRussell
(like his horriedreactiontoanearlyBritish
horror picture calledThe Secret of the Loch), Sutton
meticulouslychronicles Russells step-by-step
discoveryof cinemafromthe serials of his youth
tohis teenage revels inrentedcopies of Battleship
Potemkinandother lmclubbery, culminating
inhis discoveryof Powell andPressburgers The
RedShoes, whichsingle-handedlyprovedtohim
that the sort of high-colouredlms he dreamed
about couldbe indeedhadbeenmade in
Britain. Anencouragingletter fromPowell
himself provedone of the more helpful incentives
toset himonthe pathtohis workingfuture.
Suttons descriptions andpocket histories of
Russells historic workfor the BBCprogramme
Monitor dothe valuable workof placingthese
not onlyinthe chronologyof Russells artistic
development but inthe context of Britishcinema
itself, assemblingacompellingpleafor the
BBCtodenitivelyorganise andpreserve this
material andmake it more widelyaccessible.
But insome ways the books most fascinating
passages cover Russells workas ane-art
photographer, whichis not ideallypresented
but is at least offeredinthumbnail, allowing
the reader tosee that Suttonis not overselling
its importance as adecisive stepawayfrom
kitchen-sinkrealisminthe directionof popart.
Surprisingly, but alsopleasingly, Suttonshies
awayfromthe armchair psychologyone might
expect. Instead, he adheres closelytostories
sharedwithhimbyhis subject andhis colleagues,
todocumentationprovidingillustrationof
the youngRussells thought processes (like the
fascinatinglist of the eight points he knewhe
must encompass inashort about the guitar,
whichincludes Elvis Presley, the SalvationArmy
andJoaqunRodrigo), andtoas he sometimes
openlyallows the likelyinventionof legend.
Whenthe bookreaches its end, it does sowith
anepisode that couldonlyhave beenshared
withthe author byRussell, as the youngdirector
returns home after alongdayandfeels seized
bythe desire tohear The Rite of Springagain, but
hesitates because he doesnt want towake his
childrenor dothe music the injustice of playing
it at toolowavolume. Sohe nds the nearest
date onhis calendar whenhe will be home, and
whenhe will likelybe alone tosummonits full
concert-hall authority. Its alovelymoment of
intimacy, borderingonpsychology, but also
poeticallydescriptive of the storyyet tocome:
the career of anartist whocherishedinnocence
andthe hearthof home, whowas always
measuringarts abilitytoinformanddisrupt it,
andvigilant for those sacredandsoul-nourishing
moments whenall one candois showart the
respect of allowingit tolet ripat full blast. Portrait of the artist as a young man: Ken Russell
Aculture might dene
itself throughits monsters
but it also does so through
what it tries to hide
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The destructionof LondonAfter
Midnight inthe MGMarchive
re of 1967meant the loss of
Hollywoods rst vampire movie
LONDONAFTER MIDNIGHT
By Marie Coolidge-Rask, The Imaginary Book
Co, 200pp, 40
ReviewedbyJane Giles
A1920s pulp novelisationis the sort of book
youd expect to nd witha cracked cover at
a collectors fair rather thanrepublished ina
tactile, tantalisingly limited hardback edition.
Described by JonathanCoe as that bastard,
misshapenoffspring of the cinema and the
writtenword, the novelisationhas rarely been
takenseriously. But like lmadaptations of
books and plays, novelisations have existed
since the early years of cinema, satisfying fans
desire to relive the movie and go deeper into
the story. Marie Coolidge-Rask was a hack
journalist formerly of the PittsburghPress
and author of lmnovelisations including
King Vidors La Bohme. Her versionof London
After Midnight (1927) for US photoplay-edition
publisher Grosset &Dunlap was based on
the rst draft of Waldemar Youngs script,
not onTod Brownings nished lm.
Unable toobtainthe rights toadapt Bram
Stokers 1897novel Draculaor the 1924stage
playversion, Browningwrote anoriginal
story, The Hypnotist. It retainedenoughgothic
iconographytosatisfyfans of the newvampire
genre, but was alsocloakedinthe studio-friendly
mechanismof the detective genre, popularised
bySir Arthur ConanDoyles SherlockHolmes
stories. Browningtherefore avoidedthe fate of
F.W. Murnau, whowas suedbyStokers widow
for his unauthorised1921version, Nosferatu.
Amongthe hauntedhouses, cobwebbedrooms,
howlingwolves andswirlingmists, Coolidge-
Raskdevelopedthe familymelodramaas the
frameworkfor her novel. Lonelywidower
Roger Balfour has committedsuicide, leaving
his twoyoungchildren, HarryandLucy, tobe
adoptedbyhis friendandneighbour Sir James
Hamlin. Balfour House is left empty, torot. The
childrens future seems assured, but ve years
later, after anargument about the renovation
of the property, Harryis founddeadwith
small wounds inhis throat. Aninvestigation
begins as strange tenants move intothe
decrepit Balfour House andLucycanhear her
name beingcalledfrombeyondthe trees
Coolidge-Raskintroduces not somuchasense
of colour andlife this remains ablack-and-white
tale of the undeadas agreat deal of atmospheric
soundintothe memoryof what wouldhave
beenasilent lmaccompaniedonlybyasmall
orchestraor lone pianist. The pages reverberate
withdialogue, muchof it colloquiallywritten,
howlingbanshees, screamingmaids andthe
clatter of ablackcat knockingover saucepans
inthe kitchenchaos of ahouseholddescending
intopanic. While the author goes totownwith
the tropes of gothic horror andrevels inthemes
of drugaddictionandalcoholismthat wouldnot
have pleasedthe censors, her representationof
the subplot of paedophiliais nostronger thanin
Youngs script, despite its pot-boilingpotential for
the book. However, Coolidge-Raskdoes amplify
the esoteric central character of Colonel Yates, an
occult expert recentlyreturnedfromIndiawitha
headfull of ancient beliefs andastful of charms.
While the shootingscript is clear about the true
identityof Colonel Yates, inthe novel this is only
revealedat the end, alongwiththe secret of the
ghastlyvampire. Its likelythat evenif Browning
hadinitiallyconceivedwildlydifferent triple
roles for manof athousandfaces LonChaney,
this hadprovedtooconfusingfor what would
become aslender lmof just 65minutes long.
The destructionof LondonAfter Midnight in
the MGMarchive re of 1967meant the loss of
Hollywoods rst vampire movie andakeylmin
the trajectoryof one of cinemas most fascinating
creative partnerships. BrowningandChaney
made tenlms together, includingThe Unholy
Three (asilent versionin1925, remade as Chaneys
onlysoundlmin1930) andThe Unknown(1927).
After the re, all that remainedof LondonAfter
Midnight were the productionstills, andtomark
the lms 75thanniversary, lmpreservationist
RickSchmidlinproduceda45-minute long
photo-lmbasedonnearly200images edited
accordingtothe original continuityscript. The
result leaves the viewer withthe impression
that the real storylies elsewhere, inwhat cannot
be seen. Coolidge-Rasks novelisationnot only
provides this missinglinkbybringingthe lmof
LondonAfter Midnight backtolife inthe readers
imaginationbut is alsoapleasure inits own
right, acrispmurder mysteryredolent of Kate
Summerscales The Suspicions of Mr Whicher.
Ahybridof the BritishandAmericanversions
of Coolidge-Rasks text, this lavishnewedition
features 15pages of tobacco-tintedstills, the
original editors note andanewintroductionthat
reveals that Chaneys portrayal of the vampire
was creditedwithinspiringareal-life murder
inHyde Parkin1928. Withsome poignancy,
the bookalsoincludes the Times obituaryof
Chaney, whodiedof throat cancer in1930just
as Browningwas about tobe hiredbyUniversal to
direct the rst authorisedadaptationof Dracula.
Aghost of a lm: Lon Chaney and Marceline Day inLondon After Midnight, now lost
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September 2012| Sight&Sound | 125
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MA Film Studies
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By Adrian Martin
Youve got to hand it to Raymond Bellour. Those
who havent read muchof his work since circa
1976 dismiss himas a fearsome, impenetrable
semiologist/narratologist; but he is a dab hand
at poetic phrases that encapsulate the cinema-
viewing experience. Back inthe 1970s he evoked
that unreal real we call lm. More recently,
he has elaborated anargument about the
importance of watching lms under properly
pre-digital projectionconditions, declaring that
movies crucially offer anirreducibly singular
conguration, inwhichthe singularities of
space intersect withthe fatalities of time.
However I must confess that, althoughI did
have myvirginexperience of JimMcBrides
masterpiece Breathless (1983) in35mm, I
dont reallycare howI re-watchit today: ona
TVscreen, onYouTube, or just replayedover
andover as amemoryinmyhead(whichis,
nally, the onlyunreal real that matters);
because, nomatter howit gets projected,
those singularities andfatalities stayrm.
Everycut, everymovement, everyword
everymusical note inthe nal 90seconds of
this lmis mine forever. Asuddenclose-upof
Monica(Valrie Kaprisky) running, shouting,
Jesse, I love you, Jesse! The manhimself (played
byRichardGere, outrageouslyoverdressedat all
times), caught inthe middle of the street: cops
behindhim, his girl (whohas just betrayedhim)
infront andacriminal connectionspeeding
awayafter throwinghimagunas his last hope
of survival. Its the endof the line for Jesse after
alouche life of reckless, opportunistic crime
perhaps the onlywayhe couldmanage to
stayateenager for all his days andnights.
Sonow, at the end, trappedanddoomed,
what does Jesse do? Suddenly, ridiculously,
sublimely, he sings anddances tohis favourite
track: JerryLee Lewiss Breathless, of course. He
creates alittle bubble of fantasyright around
himself, withcinematographer RichardH.
Klines telephotolens atteningandencasing
himinthis magical sphere. The pianorocks
onuntil suddenlythe trackis snatched
awayandanother (whichhas beenbubbling
awayall along, downinthe mix) remains:
arearrangement of PhilipGlass keyboard
arpeggios, toppedbyamelancholic accordion.
Jesse holds out his arms andtremblinghands
toMonicalike abridge, atunnel, andshe runs
towardhim, magneticallypulled: the singularities
of space, dynamisedandelectriedinasuperb
mise enscne. But here come the fatalities of time:
Jesses songreaches its nal exclamation(you,
youleave me), he looks downat the gunonthe
groundbetweenhis legs, utters (inthree syllables
across three rapidlycut shots, his arms air-
guitaringapower chord) breathless, ah and
thenmakes his nal gesture. Youll have tosee the
lmyourself todiscover it. Let us merelysaythat
it is anopen, but denitelysatisfying, closure.
Andalsoone of cinemas greatest freeze-frames.
The movie that precedes this nale is one great
spurt of energyalast chance power drive, as
Springsteenoncesang. McBride, whooncefrankly
declaredthat he likes toget some skinupthere
onscreen, dishes updizzyinglyerotic scenes
betweenhis stars andoods the soundtrackwith
everythingfromElviss Suspicious Minds toThe
Pretenders Message of Love. Comic books, rock
n roll, street murals, dance parties, the classic
lmnoir GunCrazy(1949), Los Angeles beach
culture: all is blendedintothis ode tophysical
release andecstatic emotion. There is anarmy
of depressinglystaid, joyless cops, bureaucrats
andcorporate types constantlypassingthrough
the plot, but the lovers remaingloriouslyfree-
and-easy, eveninthe face of certaindeath.
McBride is anunderratedlmmaker withan
unusual career arc. He began, precociously, with
the ingenious, ultralow-budget DavidHolzmans
Diary(1968) cookedup, like Breathless, withhis
frequent collaborator L.M. Kit Carson, whoalso
co-scriptedWenderss Paris, Texas (1984); andhe
seems tohave ended, for the time being, witha
musical tele-biopic about Meatloaf (To Hell and
Back, 2000) andworkonthe series SixFeet Under
(2001-2005). The 1980s offeredhimashot at
commercial success withThe BigEasy(1986) and
Great Balls of Fire! (1989), bothne, spiritedlms.
But its Breathless, alongwithDavidHolzman, that
will winhimlastingcult status amongcinephiles.
Oh, bythe way, Wikipediatells me that
Breathless is aremake of a1960Frenchlmof
the same name, directedbysomeone named
Godard. Beingacompletist lmnerd, I checked
it out for the benet of Sight &Soundreaders.
Its not half as goodas this one, I tell you. And
its ending, bycomparison, is soweakcool
andironic toafault. Howmuchbetter it would
have beenif JeanSebergcouldhave runtoher
guy, screaming: Michel, I love you, Michel!
Andif JerryLee Lewis couldhave battledit
out withPhilipGlass onthe soundtrack.
BREATHLESS
JimMcBrides steamy, overblown
ode tolove onthe runis amainline
tothe preoccupations of 1980s
rebellionandimpeccablydressed
Comic books, rock n roll, lm
noir, LAbeach culture: all is
blended into this ode to physical
release and ecstatic emotion
ENDINGS

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