Le corbeau - Probably the most controversial wartime French production, which managed the impressive feat of being loathed by both Right and Left *and* the Germans. The film's ambiguity gives rise to such wildly differing interpretations. Whether you view Le corbeau as an attack on French society or on collaboration with the Germans, it certainly has a cynical attitude about human nature. The supposed hero is actually rather unpleasant and is labelled as an adulterer and abortionist by the poison pen letters driving the plot. Just about everybody else reveals themselves to be totally self-serving, and the most sympathetic character commits a cold-blooded murder before calmly walking away down the street. In other words, a thoroughly fascinating and gripping film.
Seven samurai - Kurosawa's film will forever be associated with the American remake, The Magnificent Seven, even though a comparison reveals some crucial differences. Seven samurai is set in a wartorn society with a rigid class structure which creates a totally different dynamic. The farmers hate and fear both bandits and samurai, and in turn are viewed with contempt by both. In this world there can be no happy romantic union at the end because a farmer's daughter can never marry a samurai. The farmers also hunt down and kill weak and injured samurai, stealing their armour. The samurai they hire are furious about this but Toshiro Mifune perfectly summarizes the bitter relationship that exists between the two classes. Himself a farmer's son, he can never be a true samurai and his behaviour is never quite up to the standards of his companions, yet he is also brave and resourceful. It's Kurosawa's masterful pacing that makes this a classic. The lengthy running time flies by. He understands that the quiet moments, the character development, hugely increase the audience's involvement with the action scenes. Something different jumps out at each viewing. This time it was the lovely moment when the young samurai finally blurts out his total admiration for his quietly professional colleague, who responds with the slightest of smiles...
Throne of blood - Personally I think Kurosawa's Shakespeare adaptations are the finest ever made, despite differing from the source plays and using none of the original texts. Macbeth is transplanted to the chaos of 16th century Japan, and is full of images of spinning and entrapment. The witch spins out the fates of Washizu and Miki, who are frequently framed through the tangled branches in Cobweb Forest. At the end, Washizu is trapped behind wave after wave of arrows slamming into the walls around him. It's a supremely eerie film, from the storms that herald the witch's appearances, to the bloodstained wall behind Washizu and his wife as they plot murder, Miki's ghost revealed by the prowling camera, and the unnerving sight of the forest moving through the mist.
Yojimbo - Another Kurosawa film later remade as a Western. Considering all the murder and mayhem involved, Yojimbo is a very funny film, and has a wonderfully eccentric and playful score. Mifune is far more restrained than in the other 2 films, though he's still an incredibly physical actor. Sanjuro might be a man of few words but he manipulates the two opposing gangs into slaughtering each other with consummate guile. Despite his appearance he's a deeply moral and honourable man. He rescues the abducted wife of a gambler, and is suitably embarrassed by their gratitude, and spares the life of the foolish young man first encountered at the start of the film. However, it's not clear how much is left of the town by the time he's finished clearing out the criminals. A victory yes, but what's left?
Showing posts with label DVDs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DVDs. Show all posts
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
DVD roundup July
Another month, another batch of DVDs which I shouldn't have purchased ...
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - this was the best film of last year and shamefully overlooked. OK, so it was a long film which always deters some people, but the running time flies by even on a second viewing. The one disadvantage of catching up with it on DVD is that you can't fully appreciate the sheer beauty of the cinematography. On the big screen Roger Deakins' images are luminous, and bring to mind Terrence Malick. What still remains are the terrific performances, especially Casey Affleck as Robert Ford. You start off finding him just as irritating as the rest of the James Gang - he's ingratiating and desperate to be noticed - but gradually the humiliation heaped upon him makes him a more sympathetic character. When the key moment arrives, you feel he's been left with only one option, which will ultimately destroy both him and his brother.
Pan's Labyrinth - the Spanish language films of Guillermo Del Toro are always far more interesting than his English language films. His commentary draws out the parallels with the equally wonderful The Devil's Backbone, which likewise focuses on a child protagonist faced with fantasy crossing over into the harsh reality of Civil War Spain. Del Toro also elaborates on the highly detailed mise en scene, drawing the viewers' attention to aspects that aren't immediately obvious. This is a man who plans his films to the minutest detail, though it definitely pays off. Not that he then neglects the actors. No, he gets top class performances from them all, and Sergi Lopez is more scary than anything in the fantasy sequences - and yes, I'm including the Pale Man. And it *still* makes me cry.
The Truth About Demons - quite why "Irrefutable" was dropped from the original title I don't know (too many syllables? too controversial for fundamentalists?) I've always enjoyed horror films having grown up watching those BBC2 Saturday double bills. They used to mix Univeral and RKO classics with stuff from the opposite end of the quality spectrum. I didn't mind. This New Zealand horror isn't bad and has some nice one liners. The plot though is all over the place but at least it mostly disguises the low budget effects. And of course there's a young Karl Urban to enliven proceedings ...
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - this was the best film of last year and shamefully overlooked. OK, so it was a long film which always deters some people, but the running time flies by even on a second viewing. The one disadvantage of catching up with it on DVD is that you can't fully appreciate the sheer beauty of the cinematography. On the big screen Roger Deakins' images are luminous, and bring to mind Terrence Malick. What still remains are the terrific performances, especially Casey Affleck as Robert Ford. You start off finding him just as irritating as the rest of the James Gang - he's ingratiating and desperate to be noticed - but gradually the humiliation heaped upon him makes him a more sympathetic character. When the key moment arrives, you feel he's been left with only one option, which will ultimately destroy both him and his brother.
Pan's Labyrinth - the Spanish language films of Guillermo Del Toro are always far more interesting than his English language films. His commentary draws out the parallels with the equally wonderful The Devil's Backbone, which likewise focuses on a child protagonist faced with fantasy crossing over into the harsh reality of Civil War Spain. Del Toro also elaborates on the highly detailed mise en scene, drawing the viewers' attention to aspects that aren't immediately obvious. This is a man who plans his films to the minutest detail, though it definitely pays off. Not that he then neglects the actors. No, he gets top class performances from them all, and Sergi Lopez is more scary than anything in the fantasy sequences - and yes, I'm including the Pale Man. And it *still* makes me cry.
The Truth About Demons - quite why "Irrefutable" was dropped from the original title I don't know (too many syllables? too controversial for fundamentalists?) I've always enjoyed horror films having grown up watching those BBC2 Saturday double bills. They used to mix Univeral and RKO classics with stuff from the opposite end of the quality spectrum. I didn't mind. This New Zealand horror isn't bad and has some nice one liners. The plot though is all over the place but at least it mostly disguises the low budget effects. And of course there's a young Karl Urban to enliven proceedings ...
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
DVD roundup June
I can't blame HMV this time. I did it all myself by looking at Amazon...
The Bourne Ultimatum - it's still a tremendously thrilling experience although my favourite of the trilogy remains Supremacy. Ultimatum does suffer from a slight case of sequelitis, especially in the car chase sequence which seems determined to top that in it's predecessor but without the same effectiveness. David Strathairn makes a steely adversary even if Albert Finney is wasted. The Paul Greengrass commentary is typically informative and generous. I do hope though that the powers that be *don't* try to extend the franchise further. It would be a shame to see it succumb to the movie law of diminishing returns.
Out of the Blue - this disc has a lot of very useful extras that fill in the background to the true-life events depicted on screen. It becomes clear why the film is made with such care as the traumatic happenings in Aramoana have left a deep mark on the community. Out of the Blue is the complete antithesis of the Hollywood action film. There's no superhuman cop to save the day, no snarling embodiment of evil to revile. The sense of panic and confusion is perfectly captured and the acting complements this. No histrionics, no flashiness. As deeply moving as it was on first viewing.
The Chronicles of Riddick Director's Cut - I was hoping that the Director's Cut might make more sense than the theatrical version, and in some ways it does. The roles of Vaako and Dame Vaako are expanded considerably so their Macbeth-like subplot now feels less like an afterthought (plus more Karl Urban is always a good thing) However, the addition of Riddick's Furyan visions actually make that side of the plot more confusing. OK, so the film was supposed to be one of a sequence and in the overall scheme of things, Furya might have made sense, but as a one-off it's not helpful.
The Bourne Ultimatum - it's still a tremendously thrilling experience although my favourite of the trilogy remains Supremacy. Ultimatum does suffer from a slight case of sequelitis, especially in the car chase sequence which seems determined to top that in it's predecessor but without the same effectiveness. David Strathairn makes a steely adversary even if Albert Finney is wasted. The Paul Greengrass commentary is typically informative and generous. I do hope though that the powers that be *don't* try to extend the franchise further. It would be a shame to see it succumb to the movie law of diminishing returns.
Out of the Blue - this disc has a lot of very useful extras that fill in the background to the true-life events depicted on screen. It becomes clear why the film is made with such care as the traumatic happenings in Aramoana have left a deep mark on the community. Out of the Blue is the complete antithesis of the Hollywood action film. There's no superhuman cop to save the day, no snarling embodiment of evil to revile. The sense of panic and confusion is perfectly captured and the acting complements this. No histrionics, no flashiness. As deeply moving as it was on first viewing.
The Chronicles of Riddick Director's Cut - I was hoping that the Director's Cut might make more sense than the theatrical version, and in some ways it does. The roles of Vaako and Dame Vaako are expanded considerably so their Macbeth-like subplot now feels less like an afterthought (plus more Karl Urban is always a good thing) However, the addition of Riddick's Furyan visions actually make that side of the plot more confusing. OK, so the film was supposed to be one of a sequence and in the overall scheme of things, Furya might have made sense, but as a one-off it's not helpful.
Friday, 28 March 2008
DVD roundup March
HMV, your sales are evil. I have no willpower to resist whenever I set foot in the store. This month has been particularly bad for what little space I have left on my shelves.
Blade Runner: Final Cut - I'm not enough of a nerd to remember all the minute differences between the various cuts. However, this one does look nice and shiny and more to the point doesn't have that wretched voiceover. I realized that I don't much like the music apart from the main theme and that the sections with the replicants are far more interesting than the rest of the film. Another good Ridley Scott commentary too. He's always so proud of the way he reuses props and parts of the set!
Children of Men - Still works on a second viewing. Actually it feels even shorter. Michael Caine's performance is his best in years. Genuinely moving.
Tell No One - Again it still works despite now knowing what the various twists and turns will be. The performances are terrific and carry you across the more unlikely pieces of the plot, of which there are many!
Amazing Grace - What I like about this so much is the way it captures a genuine sense of friendship between Wilberforce and Pitt. You feel that they have indeed known each other for years. I also love the ramshackle air around Wilberforce's home, with all the rescued animals roaming around. It immediately makes you warm to the man. Plus it doesn't shy away from scenes of politics. It trusts the audience to actually listen.
Seraphim Falls - Almost a mixture of Anthony Mann and Clint Eastwood though it goes seriously odd (in a Dead Man kind of way) at the end. I do love a good Western, especially one that treats the genre with respect. Inventive ways of killing people also a plus.
Pathfinder - OK, my "I've had a rotten week" treat to myself. Every bit as daft as you would expect for Vikings vs. Native Americans, but who cares when there's a barely clothed Karl Urban to lift the spirits:)
Blade Runner: Final Cut - I'm not enough of a nerd to remember all the minute differences between the various cuts. However, this one does look nice and shiny and more to the point doesn't have that wretched voiceover. I realized that I don't much like the music apart from the main theme and that the sections with the replicants are far more interesting than the rest of the film. Another good Ridley Scott commentary too. He's always so proud of the way he reuses props and parts of the set!
Children of Men - Still works on a second viewing. Actually it feels even shorter. Michael Caine's performance is his best in years. Genuinely moving.
Tell No One - Again it still works despite now knowing what the various twists and turns will be. The performances are terrific and carry you across the more unlikely pieces of the plot, of which there are many!
Amazing Grace - What I like about this so much is the way it captures a genuine sense of friendship between Wilberforce and Pitt. You feel that they have indeed known each other for years. I also love the ramshackle air around Wilberforce's home, with all the rescued animals roaming around. It immediately makes you warm to the man. Plus it doesn't shy away from scenes of politics. It trusts the audience to actually listen.
Seraphim Falls - Almost a mixture of Anthony Mann and Clint Eastwood though it goes seriously odd (in a Dead Man kind of way) at the end. I do love a good Western, especially one that treats the genre with respect. Inventive ways of killing people also a plus.
Pathfinder - OK, my "I've had a rotten week" treat to myself. Every bit as daft as you would expect for Vikings vs. Native Americans, but who cares when there's a barely clothed Karl Urban to lift the spirits:)
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