I've never understood the Hollywood fetish for remaking 'classic' movies. These are meant to update the films in question to the tastes of the modern audience, who by and large are unfamiliar with the original -- and which nowadays means drenching the narrative with unnecessary CGI effects. Kenneth Branagh's recent revamp of the above title, which he has directed and in which he stars, is to my mind another pointless exercise. I understand this new version is attracting substantial box office, but from the reviews I've read, I am in no hurry whatsoever to view his magnum opus. However I thought it might be a good idea to refresh my memory by re-watching the original 1974 version to determine whether an update really is in order.
The answer is an emphatic 'NO'. Directed by Sidney Lumet and boasting an incredible all-star cast of Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark, Anthony Perkins, Rachel Roberts, Martin Balsam, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and George Coulouris (many of whom are sadly no longer available), the A-listers in Branagh's version are not really in the same galaxy. Since the tale's 'big twist' is probably well-known to most viewers, the film must stand or fall on the quality of the performances. While the 2017 version boasts some big names from Judi Dench downwards -- and I gather some overpowering special effects -- I fear that it will never be held in the same affection.
The original is a fun watch and even if it is a little leisurely at times, there are many compensations, starting with the fine cinematography and the snappy script and of course giving us another chance to view so many fabled actors in one place. Finney disappears into the role of Hercule Poirot with all his fussy mannerisms and is nearly unrecognizable. While Branagh is also a fine actor, I suspect that his penchant for hamminess and his apparent need to be centre-stage at all times (to say nothing of the ridiculous moustache he is sporting) will overpower the other 'name' performances. Pppatty being Pppatty, I will of course see the new version in due course, but I very much doubt that my overall suspicions will alter.
People say that the l974 version was the template for the further all-star adaptations of Agatha Christie stories which followed, but it seems to me that they have forgotten about the wonderful 1945 version of "And Then There Were None" and Billy Wilder's version of "Witness for the Prosecution" with its knock-out cast of Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, and Marlene Dietrich. However I must add that I did enjoy seeing the movie again and being reminded how much I miss certain actors. An example: John Gielgud's snooty butler is forced to share a rail compartment with a low-caste Italo-American car salesman. Trying to strike up a conversation the latter asks John-baby what he is reading. Having been told the title, he then asks 'what's it about?' 'It's about l0.30' retorts Gielgud.
As the saying goes, they don't make them like that anymore!
Friday 24 November 2017
Friday 17 November 2017
A Dismal Week...or is it me?
I'm beginning to wonder just what it is about so many recent releases that leaves me cold. Since my dutiful watching makes me look at any recent film that comes my way, I find that this is becoming something of a tiresome task. Let's consider the 'new' movies viewed over the past week to see if we can solve my malaise.
Last Friday there was "Voice from the Stone" (2017) starring Emilia Clarke as a drab governess in 1950's Tuscany trying to get her mute charge to speak again after the trauma of his mother's death. As an actress she's remarkably uncharismatic without her Game of Thrones blonde wig and I was hard-pressed to give a toss whether she would succeed.
Then on Saturday I felt obliged to watch "Fifty Shades Darker" (2016) the sequel to the dreary 2015 'hit' "Fifty Shades of Grey". Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan were even less appealing than before and even the additions of Ria Ora, Marcia Gay Hardin, and Kim Basinger to the cast did little to up the ante.
Sunday we re-watched "Terminator Genysis" (2015) since Michael said he could not remember it -- nor if the truth be told could I. Emilia Clarke again and the boring Jai Courtney in a muddled mess only enlivened by Arnie's occasional appearances, including old footage of the young Arnie reminding me of the passing of time. Guess what? Five days later I still can't remember much about it --- just another pot-boiler.
Monday was even worse when we watched "Assassin's Creed" (2016) a complete waste of the talents of Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons, as the film was far too dependent on CGI-enhanced fight scenes for its very little excitement. Not being a gamer I can't comment on how successful this transition to the big screen might have been, but I found it as boring as nearly all the other movies based on video games going back to "Super Mario Bros." in 1993.
Tuesday's 'delight' (not) was a French film "Neither Heaven nor Earth" (2015) starring Jeremie Renier (the glum hero of so many Dardennes Brothers' depressing movies) as a army commander in Afghanistan whose men keep mysteriously disappearing. And the mystery remained unsolved. Yawn!
I was actually looking forward to watching "Effie Grey" (2014) on Wednesday, but this lacked much life to remain anything other than a worthy period piece telling of the unconsummated marriage between Effie and the eminent 19th Century art historian John Ruskin -- he was apparently horrified to learn that she had body hair. Scripted by Emma Thompson, who also played a major role -- along with her husband Greg Wise as the uptight Ruskin -- it was rather like watching a wax tableau. Effie was played by the talented Dakota Fanning -- once a teenaged sensation -- who has not grown up to be the beauty that her sister has become.
Then yesterday afternoon I decided that I had better have a look at "Cemetery of Splendour" (2015) which has been languishing on our hard disc for some weeks now. Directed by the Thai art-house darling Apichatpong Weerasethakul (apparently 'Joe' to his friends) it required as much close attention as his previous films like "Tropical Malady", "Syndromes and a Century", and "Uncle Boonmee...". The plot -- such as it was -- concerns a group of hospitalised soldiers struck down by a mysterious sleeping illness. I think it must have been catching as I gave up half way through.
To wake me up I watched A.C.O.D. (2013). The acronym stands for 'Adult Children of Divorce' and while the movie was no great shakes, at least it had a lively cast headed by Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O'Hara, Amy Poehler, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jane Lynch, and Jessica Alba. It seems that Scott's younger brother (Clark Duke) who has been living in his garage and who doesn't even possess a credit-card wants to marry his Japanese-American sweetie and wants his estranged divorced and multi-married parents to be present at a big wedding.. At least the cast seemed to be enjoying the ensuing shenanigans before the rather ambiguous ending.
Finally last night's choice was "The Olive Tree" (2016) a rather winning Spanish flick telling of a young lady's quest to return a 2000-year old tree to the family plot before her beloved grandfather dies. The tree in question had been sold by her father some years before and now has pride of place in the Dusseldorf headquarters of a multinational corporation. She sets out with her uncle and a friend in a 'borrowed' truck -- and with no clear plan -- to rescue the ancient tree. One always knew that hers would be a fruitless endeavour but her determination and its resulting media uproar provide a pretty satisfying and even moving experience.
I think the answer is that I watch too many movies (the above selection is not all of the past week's viewing) but it would be rather to difficult to wean myself from my obsession. And of course I never know when a real gem will suddenly appear to surprise me and to make it all worthwhile.
Last Friday there was "Voice from the Stone" (2017) starring Emilia Clarke as a drab governess in 1950's Tuscany trying to get her mute charge to speak again after the trauma of his mother's death. As an actress she's remarkably uncharismatic without her Game of Thrones blonde wig and I was hard-pressed to give a toss whether she would succeed.
Then on Saturday I felt obliged to watch "Fifty Shades Darker" (2016) the sequel to the dreary 2015 'hit' "Fifty Shades of Grey". Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan were even less appealing than before and even the additions of Ria Ora, Marcia Gay Hardin, and Kim Basinger to the cast did little to up the ante.
Sunday we re-watched "Terminator Genysis" (2015) since Michael said he could not remember it -- nor if the truth be told could I. Emilia Clarke again and the boring Jai Courtney in a muddled mess only enlivened by Arnie's occasional appearances, including old footage of the young Arnie reminding me of the passing of time. Guess what? Five days later I still can't remember much about it --- just another pot-boiler.
Monday was even worse when we watched "Assassin's Creed" (2016) a complete waste of the talents of Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons, as the film was far too dependent on CGI-enhanced fight scenes for its very little excitement. Not being a gamer I can't comment on how successful this transition to the big screen might have been, but I found it as boring as nearly all the other movies based on video games going back to "Super Mario Bros." in 1993.
Tuesday's 'delight' (not) was a French film "Neither Heaven nor Earth" (2015) starring Jeremie Renier (the glum hero of so many Dardennes Brothers' depressing movies) as a army commander in Afghanistan whose men keep mysteriously disappearing. And the mystery remained unsolved. Yawn!
I was actually looking forward to watching "Effie Grey" (2014) on Wednesday, but this lacked much life to remain anything other than a worthy period piece telling of the unconsummated marriage between Effie and the eminent 19th Century art historian John Ruskin -- he was apparently horrified to learn that she had body hair. Scripted by Emma Thompson, who also played a major role -- along with her husband Greg Wise as the uptight Ruskin -- it was rather like watching a wax tableau. Effie was played by the talented Dakota Fanning -- once a teenaged sensation -- who has not grown up to be the beauty that her sister has become.
Then yesterday afternoon I decided that I had better have a look at "Cemetery of Splendour" (2015) which has been languishing on our hard disc for some weeks now. Directed by the Thai art-house darling Apichatpong Weerasethakul (apparently 'Joe' to his friends) it required as much close attention as his previous films like "Tropical Malady", "Syndromes and a Century", and "Uncle Boonmee...". The plot -- such as it was -- concerns a group of hospitalised soldiers struck down by a mysterious sleeping illness. I think it must have been catching as I gave up half way through.
To wake me up I watched A.C.O.D. (2013). The acronym stands for 'Adult Children of Divorce' and while the movie was no great shakes, at least it had a lively cast headed by Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O'Hara, Amy Poehler, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jane Lynch, and Jessica Alba. It seems that Scott's younger brother (Clark Duke) who has been living in his garage and who doesn't even possess a credit-card wants to marry his Japanese-American sweetie and wants his estranged divorced and multi-married parents to be present at a big wedding.. At least the cast seemed to be enjoying the ensuing shenanigans before the rather ambiguous ending.
Finally last night's choice was "The Olive Tree" (2016) a rather winning Spanish flick telling of a young lady's quest to return a 2000-year old tree to the family plot before her beloved grandfather dies. The tree in question had been sold by her father some years before and now has pride of place in the Dusseldorf headquarters of a multinational corporation. She sets out with her uncle and a friend in a 'borrowed' truck -- and with no clear plan -- to rescue the ancient tree. One always knew that hers would be a fruitless endeavour but her determination and its resulting media uproar provide a pretty satisfying and even moving experience.
I think the answer is that I watch too many movies (the above selection is not all of the past week's viewing) but it would be rather to difficult to wean myself from my obsession. And of course I never know when a real gem will suddenly appear to surprise me and to make it all worthwhile.
Friday 10 November 2017
Illustrious Corpses (1976)
And so another of my longstanding 'would like to see' films (Italian title "Cadaveri eccellenti") bites the dust...and once again I was a little disappointed. From the socially aware director Francesco Rosi the film focuses on Italy's bloody decade of political turmoil in the l970s. In the director's own words the film is 'a trip through the monsters and monstrosities of power'. It's a paranoid thriller in the vein of 1974's "The Parallax View".
Someone has murdered three senior judges in different parts of the country and Italy's top homicide detective Rogas (Latin for 'you ask') is called upon to clean up the mess. Played by the strong and tough actor Lino Ventura, he soon develops a theory that the murderer is one of three victims of a miscarriage of justice and he soon hones in on one elusive killer. However the murders continue and it becomes apparent that these are 'copycat' killings to rid the State of potential enemies by unknown powers-to-be. Rogas finds evidence of widespread surveillance -- wiretaps and bugging -- and even his own apartment is being watched. Who can one trust?
The film has a wonderfully brilliant opening set in Palermo's Convento dei Cappuccini with the first victim wandering through the crypt with its 8000-odd bodies, some mummified, some rotting, indulging in a silent dialogue with power figures from the past. As he emerges into the sunlight and reaches toward a new spring blossom, he is shot dead. Unfortunately this is the only involving scene and I found the construction of the remaining movie something of a jumble, with meaningful scenes cut short and irrelevant scenes played at length.
With cameos from Fernando Rey, Max von Sydow, Charles Vanel, and Tina Aumont, it's only Ventura who holds the plot together -- but I found the largely linear story far from clear or straightforward. It finishes with a shock ending (no spoiler here) in a classic museum setting, as throngs of banner-waving communists march through the streets while just out of sight tanks are revving up for their right-wing antagonists.
I remember viewing an American television movie from l999 called "Falcone" (original working title "Excellent Cadavers") with Chazz Palmentieri as a crusading cop. However that film is not a remake of the above political expose; rather it is a semi-documentary of the fight against the Mafia set in Sicily a decade later. This earlier Italian film above is considered a classic by some, but I can't count myself among them.,
Someone has murdered three senior judges in different parts of the country and Italy's top homicide detective Rogas (Latin for 'you ask') is called upon to clean up the mess. Played by the strong and tough actor Lino Ventura, he soon develops a theory that the murderer is one of three victims of a miscarriage of justice and he soon hones in on one elusive killer. However the murders continue and it becomes apparent that these are 'copycat' killings to rid the State of potential enemies by unknown powers-to-be. Rogas finds evidence of widespread surveillance -- wiretaps and bugging -- and even his own apartment is being watched. Who can one trust?
The film has a wonderfully brilliant opening set in Palermo's Convento dei Cappuccini with the first victim wandering through the crypt with its 8000-odd bodies, some mummified, some rotting, indulging in a silent dialogue with power figures from the past. As he emerges into the sunlight and reaches toward a new spring blossom, he is shot dead. Unfortunately this is the only involving scene and I found the construction of the remaining movie something of a jumble, with meaningful scenes cut short and irrelevant scenes played at length.
With cameos from Fernando Rey, Max von Sydow, Charles Vanel, and Tina Aumont, it's only Ventura who holds the plot together -- but I found the largely linear story far from clear or straightforward. It finishes with a shock ending (no spoiler here) in a classic museum setting, as throngs of banner-waving communists march through the streets while just out of sight tanks are revving up for their right-wing antagonists.
I remember viewing an American television movie from l999 called "Falcone" (original working title "Excellent Cadavers") with Chazz Palmentieri as a crusading cop. However that film is not a remake of the above political expose; rather it is a semi-documentary of the fight against the Mafia set in Sicily a decade later. This earlier Italian film above is considered a classic by some, but I can't count myself among them.,
Friday 3 November 2017
Toni Erdmann (2016)
If there is a lesson to be learned it's that over-hyped movies often prove disappointing. This was certainly the case with "Meyerowitz" which I reviewed last week and to some extent -- but in a different way -- with the above film. Sight and Sound magazine selected this film as the best of the bunch at last year's Cannes and Germany submitted it as their entry for best foreign film at this year's Oscars. From what I had read I fully expected it to emerge the winner (which it didn't); nearly all of the reviews stressed the movie's hilarity and mile-a-minute laughs with the tagline of 'who says the Germans can't do comedy?'
Well, let me pull the wool from potential viewers' eyes -- the film is NOT funny; if anything it is a tragedy with strange comic overtones. Peter Simonischek plays divorced music teacher Winfried who is devastated when his elderly pooch dies. He realises that there is little to love in his life, despite his penchant for pranks, and that he has lost any meaningful relationship with his only child Inge, played by Sandra Huller, who is a high-flying executive with an international company in Bucharest. So he ups and books a flight to Romania and finds that he is an unexpected and unwanted visitor. His sense of fun makes him confide in her boss that he has had to hire a replacement daughter since his own child is too busy to cut his toenails. This jolly jape goes down like a lead cloud and Inge can't wait to get shot of him.
She believes that he has taken a flight home but finds that Toni Erdmann -- her father in fake buck teeth and a dark mop of a wig-- is beginning to turn up at every social and business venue, wildly claiming to be a famous life-style coach or in one instance the German ambassador to Romania introducing Inge as his secretary Miss Schnook! Of course she knows who he is even if her colleagues do not twig that this madman is her Dad. While this strange bonding exercise seems to be a failure it becomes clear that her current career has probably hit its glass ceiling, her business meetings come across as pure gobbledegook, and she shows absolutely no emotional depth when she meets with her 'secret' lover. After Toni has crashed a local Easter party and has forced her to entertain the assembled guests -- singing an actually very moving version of Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" -- she escapes back to her flat where she is to host her own birthday party for her friends and colleagues.
Distracted while dressing and making the final preparations, she answers the door in her underpants and soon strips off completely, remaining totally unclothed for the remainder of the scene, as horrified or accepting guests arrive for her 'nude party' which she claims to be an exercise in team bonding. This weird gathering is then interrupted by Toni/Winfried now garbed as an eight-foot Kukeri -- a hairy Bulgarian costume meant to ward off evil spirits. After disrupting the proceedings he leaves, but Inge chases after him and when she eventually finds him, she gives him a big and heartfelt hug.
However when the film ends with them both back in Germany for a family funeral, one is left in doubt whether father and daughter are truly reconciled, especially when she announces that she has accepted a new position in Singapore which will keep her even further away from her embarrassing Dad. Both actors give fine performances -- and in Huller's case a brave one, but at 162 minutes the film is too long and too poorly paced. Yes, it's an outlandish movie and an ultimately tragic one -- but funny, definitely not.
Well, let me pull the wool from potential viewers' eyes -- the film is NOT funny; if anything it is a tragedy with strange comic overtones. Peter Simonischek plays divorced music teacher Winfried who is devastated when his elderly pooch dies. He realises that there is little to love in his life, despite his penchant for pranks, and that he has lost any meaningful relationship with his only child Inge, played by Sandra Huller, who is a high-flying executive with an international company in Bucharest. So he ups and books a flight to Romania and finds that he is an unexpected and unwanted visitor. His sense of fun makes him confide in her boss that he has had to hire a replacement daughter since his own child is too busy to cut his toenails. This jolly jape goes down like a lead cloud and Inge can't wait to get shot of him.
She believes that he has taken a flight home but finds that Toni Erdmann -- her father in fake buck teeth and a dark mop of a wig-- is beginning to turn up at every social and business venue, wildly claiming to be a famous life-style coach or in one instance the German ambassador to Romania introducing Inge as his secretary Miss Schnook! Of course she knows who he is even if her colleagues do not twig that this madman is her Dad. While this strange bonding exercise seems to be a failure it becomes clear that her current career has probably hit its glass ceiling, her business meetings come across as pure gobbledegook, and she shows absolutely no emotional depth when she meets with her 'secret' lover. After Toni has crashed a local Easter party and has forced her to entertain the assembled guests -- singing an actually very moving version of Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" -- she escapes back to her flat where she is to host her own birthday party for her friends and colleagues.
Distracted while dressing and making the final preparations, she answers the door in her underpants and soon strips off completely, remaining totally unclothed for the remainder of the scene, as horrified or accepting guests arrive for her 'nude party' which she claims to be an exercise in team bonding. This weird gathering is then interrupted by Toni/Winfried now garbed as an eight-foot Kukeri -- a hairy Bulgarian costume meant to ward off evil spirits. After disrupting the proceedings he leaves, but Inge chases after him and when she eventually finds him, she gives him a big and heartfelt hug.
However when the film ends with them both back in Germany for a family funeral, one is left in doubt whether father and daughter are truly reconciled, especially when she announces that she has accepted a new position in Singapore which will keep her even further away from her embarrassing Dad. Both actors give fine performances -- and in Huller's case a brave one, but at 162 minutes the film is too long and too poorly paced. Yes, it's an outlandish movie and an ultimately tragic one -- but funny, definitely not.
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