Post by klep on May 30, 2016 9:46:39 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 5/30: The Thief, The Cook, His Wife & Her Lover
Red is the dominant color of The Thief, The Cook, His Wife & Her Lover. It's the color of lust, the color of hunger, and it is the color of rage. There are others colors at play in the film, and characters' costumes change color as they move between sets. The kitchen and backlot of the restaurant are green, and the bathrooms are white. But the rest of the restaurant is a deep crimson, and the emotions the color evokes are the ones the film explores most.
Michael Gambon has the film's most thankless role. He plays Albert Spica, a mobster who owns Le Hollandais restaurant. He's introduced force-feeding feces to a chef who displeased him, and then spends the rest of the film yelling and generally being a monstrous brute desperate to be seen as a sophisticate. He's despicable, but it's a despicable that is hard to get right. Albert's lengthy carryings-on must have been pages of script at a time, and Gambon had the task of learning it and delivering it at full intensity. Barely anyone else gets a word in edgewise, and when they do they are generally met with belittlement or outright abuse from Albert.
Naturally his abused wife Georgina (Helen Mirren) is looking for a way out, and she spies one in a man across the restaurant who seems to share her literary bent and the same culinary tastes. They strike up a discreet but highly dangerous affair aided by head chef Richard (Richard Bohringer). It is intense and passionate if entirely wordless for the first 50 minutes of the film, but when they start to converse later on it becomes clear that they do have a true connection. Naturally it is only so long before they are found out, and things rapidly spiral out of control from there.
In the early going, the restaurant is brightly lit. The red of the decor is lush, but cheery. It is a hopeful red, to match the feelings Georgina and her lover have and the potential she sees for escape from her husband. But as things become more unstable, it becomes darker and darker. In the final scene, after Albert has finally caught up with his wife's lover, it has become nearly black. The passion that started Georgina's affair has curdled to the hottest rage, and we witness one of the more shocking endings ever committed to celluloid.
In doing some research on the film, I was surprised to learn that it was considered controversial not just for its content (it was released unrated rather than receive an X), but for its alleged political message about Margaret Thatcher's government. The idea is that the titular characters represent various aspects of the British body politic at the time, with Albert (The Thief) representing the Thatcher government. I was not old enough to form cogent thoughts on politics across the pond, let alone watch this film but I know we have people here who were. How much water do you think this theory carries? Was it a political statement or was Peter Greenaway "just" making a movie about abuse, lust, love, and revenge?
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/6: Singin' In The Rain
FIRST WEEK OF MUSICALS MONTH
We'll be kicking off MUSICALS MONTH with this classic Gene Kelley musical. Enthusiasm so far has been great for this theme month, and I'm hoping we're going to have a fun time as we go through the films we decide to cover. Singin' In The Rain is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 6/7: L.A. Confidential
Another classic film, albeit of more recent vintage, kicks off this week's pairing for the Next Picture Show Podcast. We'll have a day to discuss this excellent noir and Tuesday's podcast episode on Wednesday. L.A. Confidential is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
Red is the dominant color of The Thief, The Cook, His Wife & Her Lover. It's the color of lust, the color of hunger, and it is the color of rage. There are others colors at play in the film, and characters' costumes change color as they move between sets. The kitchen and backlot of the restaurant are green, and the bathrooms are white. But the rest of the restaurant is a deep crimson, and the emotions the color evokes are the ones the film explores most.
Michael Gambon has the film's most thankless role. He plays Albert Spica, a mobster who owns Le Hollandais restaurant. He's introduced force-feeding feces to a chef who displeased him, and then spends the rest of the film yelling and generally being a monstrous brute desperate to be seen as a sophisticate. He's despicable, but it's a despicable that is hard to get right. Albert's lengthy carryings-on must have been pages of script at a time, and Gambon had the task of learning it and delivering it at full intensity. Barely anyone else gets a word in edgewise, and when they do they are generally met with belittlement or outright abuse from Albert.
Naturally his abused wife Georgina (Helen Mirren) is looking for a way out, and she spies one in a man across the restaurant who seems to share her literary bent and the same culinary tastes. They strike up a discreet but highly dangerous affair aided by head chef Richard (Richard Bohringer). It is intense and passionate if entirely wordless for the first 50 minutes of the film, but when they start to converse later on it becomes clear that they do have a true connection. Naturally it is only so long before they are found out, and things rapidly spiral out of control from there.
In the early going, the restaurant is brightly lit. The red of the decor is lush, but cheery. It is a hopeful red, to match the feelings Georgina and her lover have and the potential she sees for escape from her husband. But as things become more unstable, it becomes darker and darker. In the final scene, after Albert has finally caught up with his wife's lover, it has become nearly black. The passion that started Georgina's affair has curdled to the hottest rage, and we witness one of the more shocking endings ever committed to celluloid.
In doing some research on the film, I was surprised to learn that it was considered controversial not just for its content (it was released unrated rather than receive an X), but for its alleged political message about Margaret Thatcher's government. The idea is that the titular characters represent various aspects of the British body politic at the time, with Albert (The Thief) representing the Thatcher government. I was not old enough to form cogent thoughts on politics across the pond, let alone watch this film but I know we have people here who were. How much water do you think this theory carries? Was it a political statement or was Peter Greenaway "just" making a movie about abuse, lust, love, and revenge?
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/6: Singin' In The Rain
FIRST WEEK OF MUSICALS MONTH
We'll be kicking off MUSICALS MONTH with this classic Gene Kelley musical. Enthusiasm so far has been great for this theme month, and I'm hoping we're going to have a fun time as we go through the films we decide to cover. Singin' In The Rain is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 6/7: L.A. Confidential
Another classic film, albeit of more recent vintage, kicks off this week's pairing for the Next Picture Show Podcast. We'll have a day to discuss this excellent noir and Tuesday's podcast episode on Wednesday. L.A. Confidential is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.