Post by klep on Sept 10, 2018 6:46:39 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 9/10: The Fall
DREAM PROJECTS WEEK!
Sometimes when a director is able to make their dream project, they prove unable to handle it. The constant efforts to achieve what's in their minds eye drives up the budget and sends the production sprawling out of control. Other times though - better times - it results in a singular work of art. A film of unique vision that shows you something special you haven't seen before, right from the director's heart and head.
Fortunately, Tarsem Singh's The Fall is the latter. Singh financed the production largely with his own money, filming in locations around the world over a four year period. That he was able to keep the cast together that long is a testament to the strength of his vision and the belief in him they had. And they were right to trust. The Fall is a brilliant work of fairy tale storytelling, full of bright and bold colors, memorable iconic characters, and a certain strangeness that can only come from a tale told to a child, made up as it goes along.
The fantastic story told in The Fall is regaled to a small child (Alexandria, played by Catinca Untaru) in a hospital by a bedridden man (Roy Walker, played by Lee Pace) she takes a shine to. It's a tale of resistance to tyranny and a quest for vengeance - starting delightfully and just broadly enough to be funny without being camp. A band of colorful characters - each with their own unique skill and motive - seeks to end the life of a villainous general. Every character in the tale is one of the people we see around the hospital, as Roy draws on his surroundings to enthrall Alexandria. The band's leader - while first Alexandria's father - soon becomes Roy himself as he works to please his young friend.
I hesitate to call the scenes in the hospital a framing device though, because they and the tale are inextricably bound. It's all a lie, you see. Roy is suicidal - a gag man in the silent era facing career-ending paralysis and a broken heart. The tale is all in service to convincing Alexandria to unwittingly aide in his suicide by fetching him morphine. As Alexandria's concern for Roy grows, she becomes a part of the tale herself.
The Fall is a beautiful film. Singh shoots his tale in some incredibly unique and beautiful places - the sorts of locations you'd think could only exist in stories, but are very much real. It results in imagery that adds a certain magic to Roy's story, making it feel like the epic Roy promised it would be. With photography that makes the most of the lush, vibrant colors of nature, it's easy to be become swept up in the story with the wonderment of a child even as the hospital scenes tell us adults that we're heading for a tragedy.
Eventually the risks Alexandria must take to help Roy lead her to get seriously hurt. But despite Roy's guilt and his confession, she still wants to hear the story. In his depression and self-loathing, Roy begins to kill off his cast one by one as their quest becomes a suicide mission. Identifying himself with the lead, he only sees one way for his story to end. But Alexandria - ever a beacon of light and cheer - can't fathom why the story must end this way. She loves Roy and his characters and begs for him to let them live.
And in her pleas, in her love, and in her forgiveness Roy finally finds the value still there in himself.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 9/17: The Talented Mr. Ripley
CON-ARTIST WEEK!
For Con-Artist Week we'll be covering one of 1999's best films and indeed one of the best films about a con-artist that has ever been made in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Join us next week as we delve into the minds of a nobody who wishes he was somebody and a somebody who lets him get too close. The Talented Mr. Ripley is available for rent on Amazon Video, though it is only free for Prime members with a Starz add-on.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 9/11: BlacKkKlansman
The latest edition of the podcast concludes with a look at Spike Lee's latest venture, the brilliant BlacKkKlansman. Join us on Wednesday for our own discussion! BlacKkKlansman is still in theaters.
DREAM PROJECTS WEEK!
Sometimes when a director is able to make their dream project, they prove unable to handle it. The constant efforts to achieve what's in their minds eye drives up the budget and sends the production sprawling out of control. Other times though - better times - it results in a singular work of art. A film of unique vision that shows you something special you haven't seen before, right from the director's heart and head.
Fortunately, Tarsem Singh's The Fall is the latter. Singh financed the production largely with his own money, filming in locations around the world over a four year period. That he was able to keep the cast together that long is a testament to the strength of his vision and the belief in him they had. And they were right to trust. The Fall is a brilliant work of fairy tale storytelling, full of bright and bold colors, memorable iconic characters, and a certain strangeness that can only come from a tale told to a child, made up as it goes along.
The fantastic story told in The Fall is regaled to a small child (Alexandria, played by Catinca Untaru) in a hospital by a bedridden man (Roy Walker, played by Lee Pace) she takes a shine to. It's a tale of resistance to tyranny and a quest for vengeance - starting delightfully and just broadly enough to be funny without being camp. A band of colorful characters - each with their own unique skill and motive - seeks to end the life of a villainous general. Every character in the tale is one of the people we see around the hospital, as Roy draws on his surroundings to enthrall Alexandria. The band's leader - while first Alexandria's father - soon becomes Roy himself as he works to please his young friend.
I hesitate to call the scenes in the hospital a framing device though, because they and the tale are inextricably bound. It's all a lie, you see. Roy is suicidal - a gag man in the silent era facing career-ending paralysis and a broken heart. The tale is all in service to convincing Alexandria to unwittingly aide in his suicide by fetching him morphine. As Alexandria's concern for Roy grows, she becomes a part of the tale herself.
The Fall is a beautiful film. Singh shoots his tale in some incredibly unique and beautiful places - the sorts of locations you'd think could only exist in stories, but are very much real. It results in imagery that adds a certain magic to Roy's story, making it feel like the epic Roy promised it would be. With photography that makes the most of the lush, vibrant colors of nature, it's easy to be become swept up in the story with the wonderment of a child even as the hospital scenes tell us adults that we're heading for a tragedy.
Eventually the risks Alexandria must take to help Roy lead her to get seriously hurt. But despite Roy's guilt and his confession, she still wants to hear the story. In his depression and self-loathing, Roy begins to kill off his cast one by one as their quest becomes a suicide mission. Identifying himself with the lead, he only sees one way for his story to end. But Alexandria - ever a beacon of light and cheer - can't fathom why the story must end this way. She loves Roy and his characters and begs for him to let them live.
And in her pleas, in her love, and in her forgiveness Roy finally finds the value still there in himself.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 9/17: The Talented Mr. Ripley
CON-ARTIST WEEK!
For Con-Artist Week we'll be covering one of 1999's best films and indeed one of the best films about a con-artist that has ever been made in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Join us next week as we delve into the minds of a nobody who wishes he was somebody and a somebody who lets him get too close. The Talented Mr. Ripley is available for rent on Amazon Video, though it is only free for Prime members with a Starz add-on.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 9/11: BlacKkKlansman
The latest edition of the podcast concludes with a look at Spike Lee's latest venture, the brilliant BlacKkKlansman. Join us on Wednesday for our own discussion! BlacKkKlansman is still in theaters.