The Bonfire of the Vanities

Based on the novel by Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities is the story of a Wall Street investor whose life of wealth and materialism shatters after his mistress had ran over an African-American teenager in the Bronx where a district attorney and many others want to punish the man for their own selfish reasons. Directed by Brian de Palma and screenplay by Michael Cristofer, the film is an exploration of a world gone wrong where a man is being ruined as an alcoholic reporter tries to capture everything that is happening. Starring Tom Hanks, Melanie Griffith, Bruce Willis, F. Murray Abraham, Kim Cattral, Saul Rubinek, Alan King, John Hancock, Kevin Dunn, and Morgan Freeman. The Bonfire of the Vanities is a disastrously incomprehensable and outrageously bad film from Brian de Palma.

The film explores the rise and fall of a Wall Street investor whose life is shattered where he is targeted by many factions including the press, political leaders, racial factions, and religious leaders over the hit-and-run of an African-American teenager in South Bronx in which his mistress actually ran over the young man. It’s a film that has a lot to delve into as it is largely told by a washed-up, alcoholic reporter who would later turn the story into a best-selling novel where he reflects on everything he wrote during an event that would celebrate his achievement. While it is a story that explores the world of materialism, social classes, greed, power, race-baiting, and all sorts of things. It is meant to be presented as a satire where it would’ve been an intriguing idea on paper. Unfortunately, what is presented is something that sort of takes itself too seriously and doesn’t offer very much in terms of characters to care for nor a story to really be invested in.

Michael Cristofer’s script doesn’t just sensationalize things as it plays into the chaos of inhumanity not just in the way many rich, white people are portrayed but also in how minorities are depicted and how even the media and political figures are portrayed with very few that have qualities that can redeem them. While the protagonist Sherman McCoy (Tom Hanks) and the reporter Peter Fallow (Bruce Willis) both go through some development where both of them would sort of display redemptive qualities. The way the development was written isn’t exactly smooth as both of those men aren’t good people either since McCoy is this entitled blue-blood who doesn’t think about how this incident will effect him until he realizes that there are those in the world of politics that want to fry him. His ignorance and indifference about the realities of the world would eventually not only give him a wake-up call where he does show remorse. There is a payoff to his development as he realizes that life he had with all of this money, a Park Avenue apartment, a vapid socialite for a wife, and an immoral job are all bullshit as the moment he snaps is a highlight.

The Fallow character does start off as someone who finds out about McCoy and his mistress Maria Ruskin (Melanie Griffith) where he gets McCoy targeted as a way to work again. Once he meets McCoy by accident where the two share a ride on the subway, though McCoy has no idea who he is talking to, where Fallow has a revelation about what he’s doing though he is still portrayed as some alcoholic schmuck. The other main characters such as Maria Ruskin, District Attorney Abe Weiss (F. Murray Abraham), and Reverend Bacon (John Hancock) don’t really have anything that makes them complex as Ruskin is a gold-digging slut from the South, Weiss is a power-hungry Jew who wants to become mayor, and the reverend is a man who uses racism for not just power but also greed. Weiss and Bacon don’t care if McCoy is really innocent while Ruskin is someone who doesn’t want to own up to anything as she’ll do anything to save her hide by aligning herself with the assistant DA Jed Kramer (Saul Rubinek). All of which would lead to this climax in which Sherman McCoy would take drastic measures for the truth to come out.

Brian de Palma’s direction is definitely a mess despite this start where it opens with a five-and-a-half minute tracking shot of Peter Fallow getting ready for this presentation in a building where it displays that sense of inventiveness in de Palma’s as well as the way he would create close-ups in some of the key events in the film such as McCoy saying he’s sorry in court. While de Palma does create some amazing images and stylistic shots that would include an intimate medium shot inside a subway where Fallow and McCoy talk about what happened where McCoy would reveal something big that would mark a change in Fallow. Those moments along with the scene of McCoy finally snapping where he grabs a shotgun and gets everyone out of his apartment are the few scenes in the film that are worth watching. It’s just a shame that de Palma was unable to really do so much more for the rest of the film where it’s not the script that lets him down. It’s just the fact that it has no real identity in what it wants to be.

It’s not just a lot of the humor and approach to satire that doesn’t connect, it’s also in the fact that de Palma couldn’t do enough to make things more engaging where the many situations get more and more ridiculous that includes this weird dinner scene between Fallow and Maria’s husband Arthur (Alan King). These scenes tend to overwhelm whatever good the film tried to do where it would have this strange climax where McCoy is finally on trial with Ruskin ready to burn him. It is then followed by this monologue from Judge Leonard White (Morgan Freeman) that feels shoehorned as to create a message over everything this movie was supposed to be about. Though White’s words do hold some resonance about the dark aspects of humanity, it is unfortunately ignored over the fact that the people who wanted McCoy fried for his crimes to come off as even worse than they already are. Overall, de Palma creates an unfunny and nonsensical film about a rich white man accused of running over an African-American teenager where everyone tries to tear him apart for their own bullshit reasons.

Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography in the way some of the interior scenes at night are light along with the look of the courtroom and the lighting for the scenes set in South Bronx as it play into that disconnect between the social classes. Editors Bill Pankow and David Ray do some fine work in the editing in trying to create some stylish cuts in the dramatic moments along a few split-screen pieces but much of it doesn‘t really work while the comedic moments don‘t hit it off editing wise. Production designer Richard Sylbert, with set decorators Joe D. Mitchell and Justin Scoppa Jr. and art directors Gregory Bolton and Peter Landsdown Smith, does fantastic work with the look of McCoy‘s lavish Park Avenue apartment home as well as the apartment that Maria would live in that actually belonged to one of Fallow‘s colleagues.

Costume designer Ann Roth does nice work with the costumes from the lavish clothes that the women wear as well as the very cheesy and silly clothes of Reverend Bacon. Sound editor Maurice Schell does terrific work with the sound to play into some of the moments at some of the social gatherings including the scene where McCoy snaps and gets rid of everyone from his home. The film’s music by Dave Grusin is pretty good for its orchestral-based score that play into the world of the rich and important though some of its attempts to create comedic-like pieces aren’t so great.

The casting by Lynn Stalmaster is superb despite the fact that many of the people who were in the film weren’t given much to do or play characters that were fully realized to the point that they just become caricatures. Notable small roles include a young Kirsten Dunst as Sherman and Judy McCoy’s young daughter Campbell and Donald Moffat as Sherman’s father as they’re among the few characters who actually show some good to the world. Other performances from Adam LaFerve as McCoy’s fellow stockbroker Rawlie Thorpe, Barton Heyman and Norman Parker as a couple of detectives meeting McCoy over the incident, Andre Gregory as an AIDS-stricken poet, Geraldo Rivera as a tabloid reporter, Clifton James as a friend of Reverend Bacon who would give Fallow the scoop, Robert Stephens as one of Fallow’s bosses, Beth Broderick as a colleague of Fallow who would reveal a key point in the film’s plot, Louis Giamblavo as an associate of the district attorney, and Kurt Fuller as McCoy’s neighbor Pollard Browning aren’t given anything to do where some are just played for laughs or as people no one can give a fuck about.

In the role of the hit-and-run victim’s mother, Mary Alice gives a very quiet performance until there’s a moment in the film which has this reveal which makes her a horrible person as it’s a real waste of Alice. Kevin Dunn is alright as McCoy’s lawyer Tom Killian as someone who tries to get McCoy to see the severity and reality of his situation. John Hancock’s performance as the Reverend Bacon is just fucking silly as this Al Sharpton-caricature that is supposed to be played for laughs but ends up being really dumb. Saul Rubinek also gives a terrible performance as assistant DA Jed Kramer as this buffoon who tries to do whatever it takes to win and help Weiss as he’s just Weiss’ bitch. Kim Cattrall is just fucking horrible as Sherman’s wife Judy as this vapid socialite who is more concerned about social statues and gatherings while trying to look and act the part of a wife as she doesn’t provide much depth except for the scene where she tells her daughter what Sherman does for a living. Alan King is wasted in his small role as Maria’s husband Alan as he only has a few scenes where the big scene he’s in during a dinner with Fallow is one of the most ridiculous as it displays some of the worst aspects of wealth and power.

F. Murray Abraham, in an un-credited role, as District Attorney Abe Weiss is just horrendous in how brash he is as it’s character that is never fleshed out and is once again a bad attempt at satire that never really connects. Morgan Freeman is excellent in his role as Judge Leonard White as one of the few characters in the film that actually stands for something where he does give this amazing monologue in the end though Freeman doesn’t go unscathed where it is kind of obvious he is wearing a bald cap in the film. Melanie Griffith is bad as Maria Ruskin as this Southern gold digger who cares more about herself than Sherman where Griffith is right for the role but is never given much to do while the script also fails her to make her compelling.

Bruce Willis’s performance as Peter Fallow is a prime example of someone just basically sleep-walking through the film. It’s a performance where Willis doesn’t do much but look and act drunk as someone who is pathetic only to be given this story where he tries to do what is right but Willis would have this smugness to the role that is just wrong for the role. Finally there’s Tom Hanks where it’s a performance that isn’t bad but it is clear he is not the right person to play Sherman McCoy. Despite the moment where his character snaps and just goes bonkers, Hanks was really unable to rise above the script’s shortcomings to make the character more engaging as well as the fact that’s kind of too likeable to play this Wall Street investor that is quite full of himself as it’s really Hanks being completely miscast.

The Bonfire of the Vanities is a horrendous film from Brian de Palma. Nonsensical storylines, ugly characters, wasted talent, and a lot of inconsistency in what it wanted to be. The film isn’t just a bad satire but also a film that displays some of the worst aspects of humanity through greed, power, race-baiting, and all sorts of bullshit. In the end, The Bonfire of the Vanities is a horrific and awful film from Brian de Palma.

Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface (1983 film) - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - Casualties of War - Raising Cain - Carlito's Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))

© thevoid99 2016

The Last Temptation of Christ

Based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, The Last Temptation of Christ is a film that depicts Jesus Christ of Nazareth as a human being who deals with temptation of all kinds as he would eventually be crucified for his own sins. Directed by Martin Scorsese and script adaptation by Paul Schrader, with additional contributions from Scorsese and Jay Cocks, the film explores the final days of the life of Jesus Christ told in a different style where he’s portrayed as a human being. Playing the role of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is Willem Dafoe. Also starring Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry Dean Stanton, Verna Bloom, Andre Gregory, and David Bowie as Pontius Pilate. The Last Temptation of Christ is a mesmerizing yet uncompromising portrait of Jesus Christ’s final days from Martin Scorsese.

Jesus Christ is a carpenter who is dealing with his own self and whatever plans God has for him. Already helping Romans crucify Jewish revolutionaries, he is dealing with self-doubt and self-loathing as his friend Judas Iscariot (Harvey Keitel) is frustrated with him. After meeting with the local prostitute Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey) and asking for her forgiveness, Jesus decides wanders around where he would encounter various moments that would question his role. After seeing Mary Magdalene being stoned for her prostitution, Jesus comes to her aid and asks those who are stoning her if they’re any better where would preach about his ideas to a crowd at the Sermon on the Mount. After gaining some disciples, he meets John the Baptist (Andre Gregory) who would baptize him and later discuss their differing views.

Jesus later tries to communicate with God as he would fight off various temptations including one from the voice of Satan (Leo Marks). Still, Jesus ponders about his role as he takes shelter in the home of Martha (Peggy Gormley) and Mary of Bethany (Randy Danson) where would resurrect their brother Lazarus (Tomas Arana) from the dead. It would be among the many small miracles that would increase his number of disciples, including Judas, as Jesus would lead them to Jerusalem at a temple to rid of those he believed are destroying it. Yet, he gets the attention of Romans while Jesus becomes aware of what he must do as does Judas. After the Last Supper and Judas’ eventual betrayal, Jesus meets with Pontius Pilate who reveals why Jesus had to be crucified.

During Jesus’ crucifixion where Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ mother Mary (Verna Bloom) watches, a young girl (Juliette Caton) who claims to be his guardian angel tells him that he doesn’t have to die for the sins of humanity. Jesus steps out of his cross to live the life of a human being with Mary Magdalene where he would face loss and other circumstances. Notably when a man named Paul (Harry Dean Stanton) makes claims about meeting Jesus Christ over his sins prompting Jesus to wonder if he made the right choices in his life.

Since this is a film about the final days of the life of Jesus Christ told from a very different perspective in which Jesus is portrayed as a human being with flaws and vices. It is a unique approach to exploring the life of a man who would die for the sins of the world. Yet, he would be a man that will be filled with the same doubts and temptations that would drive anyone into doing things that are considered wrong. The story is told from Jesus’ perspective as he would often narrate his doubts about the role he’s playing while he tries to deal with what humanity wants in life.

Paul Schrader’s screenplay, with some re-writes from Martin Scorsese and Jay Cocks, opens with text from the book’s novelist Nikos Kazantzakis to emphasize that this story about Jesus Christ is just a fictional interpretation. Schrader’s script definitely explores the complex behavior of Jesus as he tries to come to terms with who he is and the role that his father God wants from him. Particularly as Jesus wants to be among the many men who will want Mary Magdalene as well as the idea of having children. Yet, he would eventually tempted by strange forces that would challenge his will as he starts to realize the role he is to play. While that role would be a difficult one as people would find his preaching of love as a lot of wishy-washy idealism. He would eventually gain disciples who are interested in what he has to say thinking he has the answers.

Another character that is given more complexity is Judas who is known as Jesus’ betrayer. Yet, he is presented as a man that has a hard time trying to deal with Jesus’ insecurities as he is willing to follow him thinking he could lead a revolution. Eventually, he also realizes the role he must play as well as the fact that he is aware of the heat he will received from Jesus’ disciples. Still, there’s an element of the regret that Judas is going to face as he will appear in a key moment in the film’s third act. Other characters such as Mary Magdalene, Pontius Pilate, John the Baptist, and Saul/Paul would also emphasize the more human interpretation Schrader and Scorsese wanted. Notably in the way they speak their dialogue where instead of displaying some sort of period voice. They talk in their natural dialects or something just as if they’re talking somewhere around the corner.

Schraeder’s intricate yet loosely-based script would allow Martin Scorsese to create a film that doesn’t play up to previous versions of Jesus Christ’s story. Instead of this romanticized portrayal or the shock-value that would be later displayed in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Scorsese chooses to create a film that is entrancing in its images while making Jesus Christ into someone that the viewer can relate to in his struggles with faith and humanity. Shooting on location in Morocco, Scorsese decides to create a film where Jesus is surrounded by a world where things seem to go into chaos as he tries to make sense of everything. Notably as Scorsese would utilize lots of stylistic crane and tracking shots to play up the anguish he’s dealing with early in the film as of God is trying to tell him something.

The sense of style that Scorsese presents is very evident as it includes a key scene of Jesus facing his temptations through various creatures including Satan in the form of a rising flame from the ground. The film would progress into these wonderful moments such as the small miracles Jesus would display but not do it in a grand way as Scorsese wants to maintain a simplicity of these miracles without really showing anything. The sense of style is evident in various key moments of the film such as the Last Supper and the Cleansing of the Temple scene. Notably in the way Scorsese frames the actors and the situation that is happening without explaining very much. The film’s crucifixion scene is very brutal but there is a restraint in the violence though the way the nail sounds piercing onto Jesus’ hands and foot do maintain its visceral tone that is quite unsettling.

The film’s third act following the crucifixion scene is very dream-like for the way Jesus sees the world as if he is about to live the life of a man with a family. Yet, it’s also quite surreal because it feels like it’s a dream-world where he would age like everyone else around him. It would lead to this very climatic ending that would reveal the world that Jesus has put himself upon while the film’s ending is truly powerful in what Jesus would do. Overall, Martin Scorsese creates a film that is more than just a marvel to watch but also provocative for the way he tells the life story of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus does a brilliant job with the film‘s evocative cinematography with its lush shots of the Moroccan skylines as well as the colorful scenery for many of the film‘s nighttime settings including some of its dark interiors. Ballhaus’ use of lights to play up the presence of God or Satan is very inspiring to create something that seems out of this world as Ballhaus’ work is truly amazing. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker does a superb job with the editing to emphasize a lot of stylish cuts to present the film as it includes rhythmic dissolves, jump-cuts, and quick-reaction cuts to play up the drama that occurs in the film. Notably as Schoonmaker maintains a very methodical pace to explore Jesus Christ’s journey in the course of its 164-minute running time.

Production designer John Beard, with set decorator Giorgio Desideri and art director Andrew Sanders, does great work with the set pieces from the palace that Jesus and his disciples embark on to the design of the crucifixes that Jesus would make early in the film. Costume designer Jean-Pierre Delifer does a fantastic job with the costumes from the robes that Jesus and his disciples wear to the more stylish robes of Mary Magdalene. Special effects supervisor Dino Galiano does amazing work with some of the film‘s key special effects such as the rising fire to the brief moment of water turning into red with its dust coloring. Sound editor Skip Lievsay does tremendous work with the sound from the way the voice-over narration is edited to the distortion of sounds to play up Jesus’ sense of fear towards God as well as the anguish he would feel in the world around him.

The film’s music by Peter Gabriel is a major highlight of the film for the way it plays out the drama in a very hypnotic yet eerie tone. Featuring vocal contributions from Youssou N’Dour and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the soundtrack is a mixture of ambient and world music that channels the world that Jesus Christ is surrounded. At times, it’s soothing but a lot of it is unsettling as a lot of the arrangements features blistering polyrhythms, brooding drone sounds, bits of guitar crashes, and all sorts of ethereal keyboards arrangements that add to the exotic nature of the film. Gabriel’s score is truly one of the most definitive film scores that really serves as a great introduction to world music.

The casting by Cis Corman is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it would feature voice work from Martin Scorsese as the lion, Illeana Douglas as a voice in the crowd, and Leo Marks as the voice of Satan. Other notable small performances include Irvin Kershner as a man who tries to stone Mary Magdalene to death, Peggy Gormley and Randy Danson in their respective roles of Martha and Mary of Bethany, Tomas Arana as the resurrected Lazarus, Roberts Blossom as an old man Jesus meets at a funeral, Verna Bloom as Jesus’ mother Mary, and Juliette Caton as a young girl claiming to be Jesus’ guardian angel. In the roles of Jesus’ disciples, there’s John Lurie, Leo Bermester, Paul Herman, Michael Been, Victor Argo, and Gary Basaraba as the men who follow Jesus while discussing their thoughts on faith to each other. Andre Gregory is excellent as John the Baptist who helps Jesus with his test on temptation while David Bowie is superb in a small but memorable performance as a calm Pontius Pilate.

Harry Dean Stanton is great in the role of Paul/Saul as a man who was once a killer and then later transforms into a man who claims to have been saved by Jesus. Barbara Hershey is wonderful as Mary Magdalene as a woman who becomes the object of lust for Jesus as she also tries to help him deal with his role. Harvey Keitel is astonishing as the troubled Judas Iscariot who tries to be Jesus’ one true friend though he is aware of what he will do as it’s a very complex performance from Keitel. Finally, there’s Willem Dafoe in an outstanding performance as Jesus Christ. Displaying the sense of anguish, confusion, and fear of a man dealing with his destiny. Dafoe brings a performance that is very engaging and chilling as it is definitely one-of-a-kind for the way he makes Jesus Christ into a very human figure.

The Last Temptation of Christ is an astonishing yet chilling film from Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader that features a tour-de-force performance from Willem Dafoe. While it’s not an easy film to watch as well as a film that doesn’t portray him as a romanticized figure. It’s a film that cannot be ignored as it raise questions on faith and doubt. Particularly as it refuses to peg Jesus Christ of Nazareth as anything than just some idea or a man as he’s a whole lot more than that. In the end, The Last Temptation of Christ is a marvelous yet haunting portrait of Jesus Christ told from one of cinema’s great masters in Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking at My Door?) - (Street Scenes) - Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) - Italianamerican - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) - Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hours - The Color of Money - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - Cape Fear (1991 film) - (The Age of Innocence) - (A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies) - (Casino) - (Kundun) - (My Voyage to Italy) - Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues-Feel Like Going Home) - Gangs of New York - (The Aviator (2004 film)) - No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - (A Letter to Elia) - (Public Speaking) - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2012