MUSIC TO MY EARS

CONTAINS SPOILERS!

The other night I noticed something in the films of Stanley Kubrick, it was one of those realisations that only ever seem to come during a sleepless night. It seems to me that Kubrick used wildly inappropriate songs to brilliant and often unnerving effect. The most obvious example to come to mind here is in A Clockwork Orange when Alex treats us to a rendition of Singin’ In The Rain during a rape. 

The next one that came to my mind is in Dr. Strangelove... where the nuclear-armed airplane flies toward igniting the Cold War, is accompanied by the ‘animals go in two by two’.

In Full Metal Jacket, after the devastating sniper showdown at the end, the platoon marches off singing the Mickey Mouse March:

Possibly the most strangely human moment in 2001: A Space Odyssey is the death of HAL 9000 at which point he reverts to his childlike early stage of programming and begins to sing ‘Daisy, Daisy...’

To me these are truly great cinematic moments, unachievable in any other media; these moments would not even necessarily work in theory, but do magnificently in practise. Maybe it is just personal taste but I love moments such as these, which has got me thinking about other films that demonstrate them. The only example that currently comes to mind is the torture scene in Reservoir dogs set to Stealers Wheels. Can anyone think of anymore? Is it just me that likes these moments?

p.s. Someone has probably already noticed this and if they have, I am sorry for that, there is no plagiarism intended. 

CON AIR

The most important thing to know about this film is that it stars Nicolas Cage, to the nth degree. Resplendent with an improbable haircut and uniquely bizarre delivery of lines, this is a must see for the legions who follow the rollercoaster-style trajectory of Cage’s career and let’s be honest, a must see full stop. This is not Seven Samurai, it is not an arthouse master class, but what it is, is a flat out ridiculous action film. What sets it out from the inbred pool of over the top action films is that it features great actors having a great time hamming it up; John Malkovich is exceptional as a psychopathic genius, John Cusack is a sandal and sock wielding US Marshall, Nic Cage a maniacally virtuous veteran and Steve Buscemi plays a deranged serial killer.

The plot of this film is not altogether that important, it just provides a narrative for some truly ridiculous dialogue and some brilliantly overblown set pieces. If you want camped up action with some stellar performances then this is definitely the film for you. I don’t want to say too much, not that spoilers would matter too much, but just watch it. What I will say is that standing alone, the elements of this film, such as the ludicrous wailing guitar in the soundtrack, wouldn’t work. In this case works though, and how.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118880/ 

PROMETHEUS

I had been looking forward to this film for a seriously long time. Even when the only thing I knew was that it was (nearly) a prequel to Alien and called Prometheus. It was inevitable then that I would be disappointed in some way or deflated when it came around to the cinema. Add to this a Blitzkrieg style of advertising and this was made even worse. I should have avoided all this and gone into the film cold, as much wiser people I know did, but I didn’t. I can safely say though that I enjoyed it even if it took me a while to realise.

The first thing that should be mentioned is the plot, expanding the Alien mythology into the existential and profane, verging onto 2001 territory. The script bites off far more than it can chew. Ideas are bandied about unnecessarily and bluntly, lacking some of the subtlety that I was hoping for. Still though it is intelligent, it conveys the surreal horror of just how vast space and existence can be. Certain touches to the script are fantastic though, mostly relating to Michael Fassbender’s David and without spoiling anything a scene involving Noomi Rapace (you’ll know the one when/if you see it) had me cowering in my seat. Overall though it lacks the streamlined brilliance of Alien and the gritty edge. In Alien the crew of the ship talk as people do and even though the crew of Prometheus were on a scientific expedition they lacked something that made them seem as real. Once you go down the road of comparing films to Alien though, the outcome is usually pretty one way.

It has been said by everyone but I will say it again, Michael Fassbender was great. In fact everyone was brilliant in it and it was particularly nice to see Idris Elba utilising his immense talent more than in his monosyllabic turn in Thor. I even liked the 3D in this, it is the best I have seen, due I imagine to the 48 frames per second. I’ll leave the technicalities to those who understand it. My only other problem is that the soundtrack to me, felt more like it belonged in a Spielberg film, for me it didn’t gel properly. The soundtrack suggested something much nobler than it was and obscured one of the more interesting aspects of the expedition, its flawed nature.

Go and watch the film, let me know what you think but what I will say is that it is best sci-fi to come out in a long time. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/ 

Jurassic Park

I thought that for my first review for this blog, I had better choose something appropriately magnificent. And when it comes to films, especially films from the '90s, and especially films from the '90s about dinosaurs featuring The Fly and Kris Kringle, none is more magnificent than Jurassic Park. Directed by Steven Spielberg, like many of his efforts it has become pop culture fodder,  inspiring parodies, references in TV shows, and weird art. It is easy to see how it has become so well-known, with dialogue that is eminently quotable, one of the greatest scores of all time, and stellar performances from its cast. One of the best films of all time? Maybe. One of the best films of the '90s? Definitely.

The plot is simple. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) discovers a way to create living dinosaurs from prehistoric blood, and then puts these Frankenstein-osaurs in a theme park. To test out his park, he invites Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) for a tour, along with some annoying kids and various other expendable characters. Meanwhile, the double-crossing Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) screws the pooch by turning off the electric fences that enclose the dinosaurs, in an attempt to steal some embryos. Dinosaurs run amok, escapades ensue. Or to simplify it, Sam Neill + Jeff Goldblum + Dinosaurs = Awesome. Whilst it may not seem like the deepest film ever, it does touch upon themes of the dangers of science, corporate greed, and environmentalism. However, these themes are for the most part subdued by the healthy amounts of quips, PG violence, and great special effects. The CGI and animatronics are really what make this film, and they even hold up almost 20 years later.

It would be remiss of me, as a self-confessed dino-geek, if I did not mention the inaccuracy in some of the portrayals of the dinosaurs (Wikipedia even has a page for this, so it's not just me!). More recent discoveries indicate that most dinosaurs had feathers, and were a lot more bird-like than previously imagined. By the standards of science in the '90s though (before the internet for god's sake!), the depictions in Jurassic Park must have been pretty darn cool.
Another slight issue with the film, though this may be an unhealthy dose of cynicism on my part, is how the film seems very well suited for spin-off merchandise, almost as if it was written by a marketing team. There is even a shot in the film of Jurassic Park toys in a gift shop. Who knew that corporate avarice could be so meta? Of course I may be reading too much into it, and in any case, it's quite hypocritical of me to complain, as I have cupboards full of JP stuff at home that I still haven't the heart to throw away.

In a nutshell though, most things about the film are greater than great. Especially this -

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/

Scenes From a Marriage

I now want a divorce. I’m not even married, nor do I now plan to be. As Johan put it, marriage should only be a five year contract.

Through Igmar Begman, you watch a clear play of sex and power between Johan and Marianne. They’ve been married for ten years and seem like a happily functioning couple on the surface but it quickly becomes clear that they aren’t content when one decides to come clean.

The balance of power shifts dramatically and while one thinks they have the upper hand, it twists, violently at times, into the other’s palm as they try to cling onto what they have left.  The monologues that followed question what it means to be with someone and sometimes tried to define love, ticked over in my head long after the film had finished.

There’s no soundtrack and only two characters throughout which added to the confining element of this film. Even though a few other couples made a brief appearance, I get the impression they were just reflections of Johan and Marianne as they strive to make sense of their own marriages.

Ullmann really shined in her role as Marianne which shows just how sharp an actor she is. Keeping her emotions on the very surface, unlike in Persona, it was compelling to watch her every change in expression and the effect it had on the situation.

What upset me the most was the clear passion and love they at times had for each other that only the viewer can see. Simple gestures such as watching the other read or the ever so slight disappointment in a reaction, tell the other half of this film.

Maybe I need to have been married for a good ten years before I fully understand every detail but not once could I spot a weakness in the legitimacy of Johan and Marianne in what was the most convincing portrayal of a relationship I’ve seen.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070644/

Talk to Her

Pina opens the film with her famous Café Muller piece; showcasing a society stuck in a loop, forever playing their part in a kind of hopeless repetition. The bold strokes from the dancers are amplified when they wade through awkwardly placed chairs which grunt along the floor in a way they don’t want to be shifted.

Almodóvar contrasts this expertly in a very still hospital where a nurse, Benino, is doting over the every need of a dancer in a coma. With a surgeon’s control, he paints her nails describing the scene you’ve just watched as if she were awake.  The delicate way in which the camera moves makes you almost cringe as he cleans her naked bosom in such an invasive and routinely manner allowing you to quickly connect intimately with their relationship.

As ever, Almodóvar creates powerful female characters. Lydia Gonzalez, a female bull fighter, is introduced through a talk show. The presenter seems less interested in her killing credentials and would rather ask her about her personal life which results in Lydia walking off. Through a mutual loneliness, she befriends a journalist named Marco who genuinely seems interested in her career.

After an accident involving Lydia, Marco and Benino strike up an odd friendship. The way in which they each deal with the two women is interesting to watch and verges on the comedic when they start to make up what one would be saying to the other. It can at times become creepy and this is accentuated brilliantly through long time collaborator Alberto Iglesias’ music which plucks its way through your spine.

One of my favourite moments in the film is when you see Alicia’s body covered in a cloth very much akin to the Cristo Veleto at Cappella Sansevero, it was then that I realised that perhaps Benino wasn’t doting but rather polishing her.

This film is to be watched many times. After a second viewing, I realised just how many clues and metaphors Almodóvar had woven throughout.  What I love about this film is how personal it can be and how people come up with different interpretations. For me, I wonder if Pina had told the story in a much simpler way in the magnetic attraction between partners and in the cyclic nature of life. The powerful ending itself provokes many questions and you’ll be left knowing that Almodóvar is smiling somewhere at your yearning for more. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287467/

ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD

Werner Herzog became one of my favourite people very quickly. For me, this puts him up there with Tom Waits. This is not just because he saved Joaquin Pheonix or one of many other amazing feats, it would have happened just for his films. This 2007 documentary sees Herzog travel to the ‘end of the world’, to Antarctica. He makes his vision clear early on, this is not a film about ‘fluffy penguins’ but rather about the people he will meet, the world he sees and life at its most surreal and extraordinary.

The poetic Bavarian narration of Herzog takes us through the world as experienced by the population of the Antarctic, we meet a bus driver who had a near death experience with a tribe, a woman who seems to have travelled through Africa in the most bizarre ways imaginable and a scientist with a love for doomsday sci-fi. What is striking is the people we meet along the way, they are all lost souls and dreamers who find meaning and direction in this otherworldly existence.

I am not going to try to describe what Herzog found in the Antarctic, only he could do it justice. What I will do is tell you that this film is incredible; hauntingly beautiful, funny and profound, it is curiously life affirming. To describe this as a documentary is perhaps misleading as it suggests objectivity, this is not that. Encounters... is a subjective, almost gonzo like journey of discovery by a man of unique vision. It is many things, but above all, it is heart-rendingly human.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1093824/