Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/20/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.
Based on the novel by Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is the story of a Czech surgeon who deals with two relationships involving an innocent photographer and an artist as they both represent different ideas of what he wants. Directed by Philip Kaufuman and screenplay by Kaufman, Jean-Claude Carriere, and Saul Zaentz, the film is an exploration into a love triangle that occurs during the 1960s where they also endure political and social changes in the former Czechoslovakia. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Derek de Lint, Donald Moffat, Pavel Landovsky, Erland Josephson, and Stellan Skarsgard. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a harrowing yet mesmerizing film from Philip Kaufman.
It's 1968 in Prague, Czechoslovakia as a surgeon named Tomas (Daniel Day-Lewis) spends his life flirting and sleeping with other woman including a nurse named Katja (Pascale Kalensky). Tomas also has a mistress named Sabina (Lena Olin) who works as an artist as she is the only real friend he has and understands him better than anyone. Then one day as Tomas goes to a country spa town to perform surgery, he catches the eye of a waitress named Tereza (Juliette Binoche) who shares his love for books and such. She had dreamed of going to Prague to make it as a photographer as she joins him. Knowing that Sabina has connections with the art world, she manages to give Tereza a job working for the press which she was happy though she noticed the chemistry between Sabina and Tomas. Thanks to Sabina, Tereza's work as a photographer makes her a success as they go to a party where Tereza makes Tomas jealous when he dances with his colleague Jiri (Tomek Bork) while making speeches about morality and insults towards the Russian politicians. During that night, they're at a club with the politicians where one of them told the band to play the Russian anthem that then becomes a rock n' roll number.
When Tomas writes an article to the press about the Russians, it unfortunately attracted the attention of the Russians. Despite just being married to Tereza, Tereza's knowledge of Tomas' love of sex and women makes her insecure as she tries to walk out only to catch a glimpse of the Russian tanks arriving.The Russian invasion in Prague is captured by Tereza’s camera as she sees Sabina leave for Switzerland. The two later join when Tereza has been caught photographing the event, even when she sends film rolls to foreigners. In Switzerland, Sabina caught the attention of a university professor named Franz (Derek de Lint). The two fall in love as they have their own affair that is great except for the fact that he's married. Tomas and Tereza arrive as Tomas gets a new job though Tereza finds that her love of photography is being stifled by having to do nude photographs for money and attention. She contacts Sabina for some nude photography and vice versa as for a moment, they briefly bonded until Franz's arrival to tell Sabina the news that he's leaving his wife. Sabina, unsure of wanting a relationship with Franz since she also adores Tomas and Tereza, chose to leave Switzerland and Franz. Tereza also leaves the country to return to Prague with their dog Karenin as Tomas realizes he needs her as he returns to Czechoslovakia but with his passport now confiscated.
Now in a new Czechoslovakia, Tomas tries to get his old job but his boss (Donald Moffat) told him that he couldn't unless he sign documents over the article he wrote. After an Interior Ministry official (Daniel Olbrychski) tries to get him to sign, Tomas ends up cleaning windows for a living while Tereza becomes a waitress at a bar. Befriending an engineer (Stellan Skarsgard), Tereza finds herself increasingly insecure with Tomas returning to old habits with women.
In response, she meets with the engineer but suspects something is wrong. Turning to a former ambassador (Erland Josephson) about what had happened, Tereza's guilt forces she and Tomas to leave Prague for good to live in the country with their friend Pavel (Pavel Landovsky) his pig Mephisto, and his nephew (Pavel Slaby). It is there Tomas is forced to confront his demons, his life with Tereza, and his old affairs with Sabina.
While it's obvious that Kaufman, co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, and producer Saul Zaentz made some changes from the book in their adaptation to add eroticism to the story. The result is a fascinating drama about a doctor whose life and love for two women collide with his own reality in the backdrop of the Russian invasion in 1968. The film is really about a love triangle where all three characters love each other yet have troubling sharing one another. It's also the heart of film and story where they all have trouble sharing each other yet one when two bonds with one forced to watch, there's a sense of jealousy and confusion. It's the characters of Tomas, Tereza, and Sabina that drive the story.
The script by Kaufman and Carriere works in its structure and how the relationships are perceived. The first act is really about Sabina and Tomas with Tereza having to watch while marrying Tomas in a relationship where sex is something mysterious to her. In the second act, there's a scene that's really about Sabina and Tereza and their brief bond. Yet, with Tomas not really aware of what's going on, another observer appears in the form of Franz who doesn't really understand Sabina's role in the love triangle she appears in with Tomas and Tereza. When the third act arrives, Sabina is gone as the film becomes more about the fragile yet tender relationship of Tomas and Tereza and all of their faults. Essentially, the film is about relationships and how fragile they are with each character carrying a different trait.
Tomas is a man filled with charm and bravado who succumbs to habits with women that makes him unfulfilled emotionally. Tereza is a woman who is essentially a woman filled with innocence as she offers love but when it comes to sex, she doesn't really know anything while not wanting to expose herself physically. When she is forced to confront those demons, she becomes confused forcing Tomas to confront his own flaws. Then there's Sabina, she kind of represents the observer of the entire relationship. She’s the only one who understands Tomas' desire for women and Tereza’s insecurities as she tries to help her be confident. Yet, when she is confronted with things like love and security in the form of Franz, it's a world she's not used to since she prefers her own individuality. Therefore, she doesn't appear much in the third act until the end of the film.
Kaufman’s direction is top-notch for its observation and subtle approach towards the film's erotic moments. Whereas nudity is used to titillate or shock the audience, Kaufman does it with emotions where the most erotic moment doesn't have to be a naked woman but rather other body parts like the eyes or what's going on in that scene. In the more politically-driven scenes, the recreation of the invasion isn't shot in Czechoslovakia (due to its political climate at the time) but in France. Yet, the mix of stock footage and real-life footage shot in black-and-white almost made the film documentary-like. While a lot of the film was shot on location in France along with French soundstages and parts of Geneva, Switzerland. The film managed to give that feeling of oppression both physically and psychologically. Credit must go to Kaufman for not overplaying or under-emphasize the drama. Instead, he brings the characters to life and the story itself in what is definitely one of his strongest efforts.
Cinematographer Sven Nykvist brings some gorgeously shot sequences with his mastery craft with wonderful interior shots done with great intimacy. The exteriors are also notable from the lively look of Lyon as Prague in the first act along with the countryside that includes a shot on magic-hour in the third act. Editor Walter Murch also brings his mastery with his wonderful cutting style that plays like a camera capturing the action. Murch's use of stock footage mixed in with recreated shots of the Russian invasion is also genius to convey the chaos as Murch's work is brilliant. Production designer Pierre Guffroy definitely creates wonderful interior designs for the film including his recreation of Prague in the soundstages. Featuring paintings by another artist and a look that is very spacious yet intimate in the first half of the film, the look definitely changes to something more claustrophobic until in the later part of the third act where everything's natural.
Costume designer Ann Roth helps with the film's differing look with the dark clothes that Tomas wears to the exotic lingerie Sabina wears, and the country-like dresses and city-like clothes that Tereza wears. Sound designer Alan Splet does wonderful work with the sound, notably the Russian invasion sequence to bring the layering of sounds from sirens, tanks, and everything that goes on. Music composer Mark Adler brings a soft film score to convey the drama of the Russian Invasion. The rest of the music is flourishing, lyrical piano music by Janacek that soars throughout the entire film.
Then there's the film's cast that is wonderfully superb with small performances from Anne Lonnberg as a Swiss photographer, Clovis Cornillac as a young man who harasses Tereza at a bar, Pascale Kalensky as Nurse Katja, Pavel Slaby as Pavel's nephew, and Bruce Myers as a Czech editor. Other minor performances from Tomek Bork, Daniel Olbrychski, and Erland Josephson as the ambassador are very memorable including Stellan Skarsgard as a shady yet charming engineer and Donald Moffat as the chief surgeon. Pavel Landovsky is excellent as Tomas' friend Pavel, a man who loves his pet pig Mephisto while giving Tomas and Tereza a home late in the film as he muses on the changing times. Derek de Lint is great as a Franz, a university professor who falls for Sabina but isn't sure about her quirks as he doesn't realize what kind of life she leads.
In her first American film, Swedish actress Lena Olin gives a magnificent, sensual performance as Sabina. Though her character is kind of a sexpot of sorts, Olin brings depth to the character as some of her more seductive appearance isn’t what she's not wearing but rather what she's showing. It's a brilliant performance from the actress who is truly a joy to watch. Juliette Binoche is amazing as the more introverted Tereza. Binoche displays an innocence and fragility to the character that is unsure about love and sex while being forced to confront her own failures and her relationship with Tomas. Binoche's performance is very strong and engaging while her scene with Olin with the camera is truly one of the most seductive and jaw-dropping for their emotional responses. Daniel Day-Lewis is in great form as Tomas, a charming, womanizing surgeon who seems to love women more than anything. It's also his downfall yet Day-Lewis brings a lot of wit and a sly face to the character that is a joy to watch. His scenes with Binoche and Olin, whether separate or together, are amazing to watch in how he manages to act with them. Even using a Czech accent, Day-Lewis brings a lot of authenticity to the character while remaining witty in his situations.
The 2006 2-disc, Region 1 DVD from Warner Brothers presents the film with a new, superior transfer that is an improvement over its previous DVD releases including the 1999 Criterion DVD. Presented on widescreen and newly superior sound. The only real negative of the DVD is that due to the remastering and superior film transfer, the three-hour film is split in two. After the first two hours are in the first disc. The film ends in a fade-out with the third hour opening very abruptly. Despite that huge flaw, the film definitely works to its original theatrical presentation. The audio commentary track by director Philip Kaufman, co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, Lena Olin, and Walter Murch is the same commentary from the original 1999 Criterion DVD. While all the tracks are done separately, they're all very informative. Kaufman, who dedicates his commentary to sound designer Alan Splet who died a few years prior, discusses a lot of the film's themes, the difficulty of trying to be faithful to the book while fawning over Juliette Binoche's performance. Jean-Claude Carriere discusses his friendship with Milan Kundera, the themes of the book, and the difficulty of the adaptation.
Olin's commentary is often on many of her scenes as she talks about some of the costumes, her friendship with cinematographer Sven Nykvist and the brief scenes that Erland Josephson had whom she had worked with in a couple of films for Ingmar Bergman. Walter Murch discusses a lot of the film's more technical pointers as he reveals he never goes to a film set during production and some of the editing techniques he did for the film in using two different editing machines before the age of computers. Along with the film's theatrical trailer in the 2nd disc, a 30-minute featurette entitled Emotional History: The Making of The Unbearable Lightness of Being features interviews with Philip Kaufman, Jean-Claude Carriere, Walter Murch, and producer Saul Zaentz. Kaufman talks about discovering the novel in 1984 and turning to Saul Zaentz to make it into a project. Bringing Jean-Claude Carriere to help write the script where they added some more erotic elements to the story with Kundera's permission.
Murch discusses the editing of stock footage intercut with recreated footage shot during production. He would later talk briefly about his friendship with Kaufman whom he knew during the early days of American Zoetrope in the early 70s with founders George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. Zaentz discusses the film's release in 1988 where in the U.S., it did OK despite rave reviews from critics while it was a bigger hit in Europe. Particularly a screening in Russia at the time Communism fell down where Kaufman is convinced the film took a small role in helping end Communism in Eastern Europe.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a phenomenal film from Philip Kaufman that features great performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, and Lena Olin. Armed with a great supporting cast as well as some amazing technical work, the film is truly an intriguing and compelling film about a love triangle that occurred during some intense moments involving events in history. In the end, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is an exquisitely rich and sensational film from Philip Kaufman.
Philip Kaufman Films: (Goldstein) - (Fearless Frank) - (The Great Northfield Raid) - (The White Dawn) - (Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)) - (The Wanderers) - (The Right Stuff) - (Henry & June) - (Rising Sun) - (Quills) - (Twisted (2004 film)) - (Hemingway & Gellhorn)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Robert Altman and written by Anne Rapp, Cookie’s Fortune is the story about a small town in Mississippi where relatives of a wealthy dowager try to cover up her suicide as murder. The film is an exploration into small town life as well as a group of people coming together to help out. Starring Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, Liv Tyler, Chris O’Donnell, Charles S. Dutton, and Patricia Neal. Cookie’s Fortune is a strange yet whimsical film from Robert Altman.
The film revolves around a group of people who deal with the death of a wealthy widow who kills herself in order to reunite with her late husband. When one of her nieces decides to cover up the woman’s death as a murder in hopes to attain the woman’s home, things get crazy as a caretaker is accused of murder only for the woman’s granddaughter coming to his aid to help him. Things eventually get complicated though some of the cops believe that the caretaker didn’t do anything as questions are raised into what really happened.
Screenwriter Anne Rapp creates a film that is about a collection of oddballs that live in this small Mississippi town where they all know each other. When this wealthy woman known as Cookie (Patricia Neal) dies and suspicion of murder arises, a lot of questions are raised as it would take an outsider to finally piece everything together. Though the plot schematics does have an air of predictability, there are moments that does make up for it due to the characters that are created for this film.
Robert Altman’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of the way he presents life in a small town in Mississippi by actually shooting on location in that town. Yet, he does maintain that improvisational style that he’s known for in the way he approaches the characters. Notably as it includes a lot of mystery into not just all of these entanglements involving the relatives of this old woman but also her caretaker Willis Richland (Charles S. Dutton) who many people knew as this very kind man who always helped Cookie out. Still, there’s people like Cookie’s niece Camille (Glenn Close) who is intent on getting her house believing that she earned it and such. Altman does make sure that it’s about the characters and the way they interact as he’s able to do things to make up for some of the screenplay’s shortcomings. Overall, Altman creates a very engaging yet offbeat comedy-mystery about a group of oddballs in a small Mississippi town.
Cinematographer Toyomichi Kurita does excellent work with the film‘s very colorful photography to capture the beauty of small town Southern life with its natural lighting schemes along with more stylish work for scenes at night. Editor Abraham Lim does nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward while utilizing a few rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s comical moments. Production designer Stephen Altman, along with set decorator Susan Emshwiller and art director Richard L. Johnson, does wonderful work with the set pieces from the staging of Camille‘s play to the home of Cookie.
Costume supervisor Susan Kaufmann does terrific work with the costumes to capture the more casual look of the characters as well as the more stylish clothes of Camille along with the costumes for the Salome play. Sound editor Frederick Howard does wonderful work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of church rehearsals to the intimacy of the bar. The film’s music by David A. Stewart is a real delight at it’s mostly blues-based music to play out the world that is the American South.
The casting by Pam Dixon is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features notable small roles from Niecey Nash as a deputy, Rufus Thomas as a bar owner, Lyle Lovett as a catfish salesman, Donald Moffat as the town’s local attorney, Matt Malloy as a forensics expert, and Courtney B. Vance as an out-of-town investigator who tries to piece everything that’s happened. Ned Beatty is very funny in a small yet wonderful role as deputy Lester Boyle who believes that Willis is innocent while Patricia Neal is superb as the aging widow Cookie who longs to reunite with her late husband Buck. Chris O’Donnell is very good as the young deputy Jason Brown who tries to help out everyone as well as deal with his feelings for Emma. Liv Tyler is amazing as Emma Duvall as she is the granddaughter of Cookie as she returns to her small town to try and start over while helping out Cookie’s old caretaker Willis.
Charles S. Dutton is great as the kind caretaker Willis who is a very close friend of Cookie as he deals with loss as well as being accused of killing her as he and many know that he didn’t do it as it’s a very low-key yet charming performance from the actor. Julianne Moore is excellent as the very shy and childlike Cora who is often under Camille’s control while also carries a sense of ambiguity as she might know a lot more than Camille believes. Finally, there’s Glenn Close in a superb performance as Camille who tries to change the fate over Cookie’s death in order to gain Cookie’s home as she thinks she’s doing it for the greater good.
Cookie’s Fortune is a stellar yet entertaining film from Robert Altman. Featuring an amazing ensemble cast and an intriguing look into small town life in the American South. The film offers something that is unique while carrying that spirit of looseness that Altman is known for. In the end, Cookie’s Fortune is a very good film from Robert Altman.
Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Short Cuts - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion
© thevoid99 2013
Based on E.C. Segar’s comic strip, Popeye is the story about a sailor with big forearms who fights off against foes while helping a skinny woman known as Olive Oyl. Directed by Robert Altman and screenplay by Jules Feiffer from a screen story by Altman, the film is a live-action take on the famed comic strip character that was later popularized as a cartoon as Robin Williams plays the titular role. Also starring Shelley Duvall, Ray Walston, Paul L. Smith, Paul Dooley, and Richard Libertini. Popeye is a funny yet whimsical comedy-musical from Robert Altman.
The film is the story about a sailor named Popeye with big forearms who arrives to the port city of Sweethaven looking for his father. There, he befriends a young skinny woman known as Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall) who was supposed to be engaged to a bullish captain named Bluto (Paul L. Smith) who runs the town in the name of the mysterious commodore. When he and Olive find an abandoned baby they name Swee’Pea (Wesley Ivan Hurt), their love for another starts to grow much to Bluto’s dismay until he learns that Swee’Pea can predict the future in the hopes to get a mysterious treasure and rule the town. It’s a premise that is simple yet the presentation in its screenplay by Jules Feiffer is anything but due to the fact that a lot happens in the story.
The screenplay is an origin story of sorts of how Popeye meets Olive Oyl and becomes a local hero in Sweethaven as he arrives as an outsider. Popeye becomes the one guy who can not only stand up for the people but also Bluto who has taken control of the town. Bluto is a brutish individual who is very mean and destructive as he feels like he can do whatever he wants while he watches the whole town from his boat. In Popeye, Bluto realizes there is someone who can be a challenge as they also fight for the heart of Olive Oyl. Olive is someone who wants to have a good life as she thinks marrying Bluto would do that. Once Popeye arrives, she realizes here is someone who can offer her something more and with a child in tow. Even as Popeye hopes to do right for this baby as he is still looking for his father that he hadn’t seen since the age of 2.
Robert Altman’s direction is definitely full of amazing imagery from the way he presents the port town of Sweethaven with wide camera shots to some of the intimate moments that occurs throughout the film. Yet, it is filled with lots of improvisation that he is known for as it is a huge ensemble piece with lots of overlapping dialogue. The sense of improvisation does create a looseness in the film in terms of the comedy that happens where there is a lot going on in the background. Even as it involves some of the film’s minor characters who often look around or are part of the scene.
Since the film is also a musical, it’s an element where Altman seems to have a bit of difficulty in finding that looseness in the musical performances. Though there are a few moments where Altman can get something special there, it does put the film into some silly places. Notably in the film’s climax in the final confrontation between Popeye and Bluto that would involve an octopus that looks very fake. Despite the flaws that it has, the film is still an engaging and entertaining film from Robert Altman.
Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno does excellent work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography to capture the beauty of Sweethaven for many of its day and nighttime exterior scenes. Editors John W. Holmes and David A. Simmons do nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward in its presentation to play out the humor and musical numbers. Production designer Wolf Kroeger and set decorator Jack Stephens do amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the Sweethaven town to the floating boxing ring and boats in the film.
Costume designer Scott Bushnell does terrific work with the costumes from the sailor uniform of Popeye to the clothes that Olive Oyl wears. Sound editor Sam Gemette does wonderful work with the sound to capture the overlapping dialogue and raucous atmosphere of the big crowd scenes. The film’s music by Harry Nilsson, with additional work by Tom Pierson, is a major highlight of the film for the songs that are used to convey the sense of adventure and atmosphere of the film that includes a major highlight in the upbeat ballad He Needs Me that Olive Oyl sings.
The film’s ensemble cast is incredible as it features some notable small appearances from Klaus Voorman as a band leader, Van Dykes Park as the band pianist, Bill Irwin as the eccentric Ham Gravy, Dennis Franz as a bully Popeye beats up, Peter Bray as the boxer Oxblood Oxheart, Linda Hunt as Oxblood’s mother, and Donald Moffat as the taxman who annoys the town by making them pay taxes every minute. Other memorable small roles include Wesley Ivan Hurt as the baby Swee’Pea, Richard Libertini as the Oyl family friend George W. Geezil, MacIntyre Dixon and Roberta Maxwell as Olive’s parents, and Donovan Scott as Olive Oyl’s brother Castor. Paul Dooley is very funny as the burger-loving Wimpy who is willing to do anything to get a burger. Ray Walston is excellent as the mysterious Poopdeck Pappy who shares the same characteristics as Popeye.
Paul L. Smith is terrific as Bluto who is the big bully of Sweethaven who hopes to strike it rich and gain total control while being threatened by Popeye. Shelley Duvall is great as Olive Oyl as she not only captures her strange physicality but also her unique personality as she also has wonderful chemistry with the lead in Robin Williams. Williams is wonderful in his first leading role as Popeye the Sailor Man where Williams get to display a lot of charisma into the role in which he is funny but also energetic though it doesn’t reach the heights of his other great performances in the years to come.
While it is kind of a mess of a film, Popeye is still a fun film to watch from Robert Altman thanks to the leading performances of Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall as well as Harry Nilsson’s music. While it’s a film that is considered to be minor Altman, it still has some of the elements that he’s known for that does make the film a bit above most ensemble-based pieces. Fans of the Popeye cartoons and comic strip will see this film as a faithful piece to the story despite flaws it has. In the end, Popeye is a very good film from Robert Altman.
Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple (HealtH) - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Short Cuts - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie’s Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr., The Thing is the story about a group of mysterious life form that infiltrates an Antarctic research station where a group of men to defend themselves from the creature who can imitate these men as paranoia ensues. Directed by John Carpenter and screenplay by Bill Lancaster, the film explores the world of men trying to deal with something they don’t know as they eventually start to distrust each other. Starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, T.K. Carter, Donald Moffat, and Charles Hallahan. The Thing is a chilling yet harrowing film from John Carpenter.
A group of American Antarctic researchers witness a Norwegian helicopter team trying to kill a dog as it later shoots at them only to kill the shooter and save the dog. Suspicion arises as a helicopter pilot named R.J. McCready (Kurt Russell) and Dr. Copper (Richard Dysart) go to the Norwegian camp where they find the place in ruins as well as a strange body. Upon bringing the body and video documentation at the camp, something strange happens where an autopsy is made where a man named Blair (Wilford Brimley) makes a discovery about this strange thing as it starts to imitate various life forms and kill those around the area as many struggle to survive against this strange alien being. Yet, distrust and paranoia starts to play in as the residents in the camp try to figure out what to do just as their numbers start to dwindle.
The film is essentially a story of survival and paranoia that revolves around a team of American Antarctic researchers trying to kill a strange alien who can imitate all sorts of life forms including themselves. During the course of the film, these men realize that the monsters can turn into humans and is willing to kill at any length leaving to all sorts of mistrust among many. Leading the pack is a helicopter pilot who is trying to maintain his cool and get everyone in tact where everyone becomes afraid or starts to act erratic leading to them being suspicious around one another.
Bill Lancaster’s screenplay definitely plays to a lot of the schematics of horror in which characters get picked off one-by-one and whoever are left are all trying to deal with the monster. The script does manage to invest a lot of time with the characters as they’re all just normal guys who do their job and such as they try to live their life in the extremely cold Antarctic. There’s not much plot in the story but it doesn’t need one since it’s just simply about a group of men fighting a monster and eventually themselves just as distrust starts to arrive. Even as they all realize that if they need to survive, they have to trust one another through some strange tests and such where there’s also the feeling that they might not make it all.
John Carpenter’s direction is very engaging for the way he builds up suspense and horror as he knows how to maintain a sense of rhythm into creating that sense of momentum in the suspense and horror. From the film’s opening scene that is this amazing wide shot of a helicopter trying to follow a dog through these snowy rocky mountains. It is clear that Carpenter is establishing something that would play a key part in the story with this opening sequence for what these men are to face. Through these vast locations set around British Columbia, Canada and parts of Alaska, Carpenter creates a world where nature is unforgiving in the cold world of the Antarctic. It’s not just this dark creature and themselves that they’re facing but also nature itself.
Carpenter’s direction also has a sense of foreboding intimacy in his framing where it’s clear that everyone is trapped in the rooms they’re in as Carpenter shoots the actors in various group shots and cuts to another small group to see who is the monster and who is not. It’s all part of the world of paranoia that Carpenter is trying to set-up that adds to the suspense where the third act revolves the small group of survivors trying to fight the monster any way they can. Overall, Carpenter creates a truly captivating yet mesmerizing horror film that plays to a lot of its schematics and more.
Cinematographer Dean Cundey does great work with the film‘s exhilarating photography to capture the beauty of the landscapes along with the sense of dread in the film‘s nighttime interior and exterior scenes where the lighting creates an unsettling mood. Editor Todd C. Ramsay does excellent work with the editing to play up the suspense and horror while utilizing dissolves and fade-outs for the film‘s transitions. Production designer John J. Lloyd, along with set decorator John W. Dwyer and art director Henry Larrecq, does amazing work with the set pieces such as the base the characters live in to the ruined Norwegian base and spaceship that is found nearby.
Special creature effects designer Rob Bottin, along with Stan Winston, does brilliant work with the look of the monster as it imitates itself in various forms that also features an element of repulsiveness in its look as it plays a large key to the film‘s horror element. Sound editors Colin C. Mouat and David Lewis Yewdall do superb work with the sound to play up the sense of atmosphere that occurs as it also plays a key part in the film‘s suspense and horror. The film’s music by Ennio Morricone is fantastic for its intense, orchestral-driven score that adds to the film’s drama and suspense as Morricone’s score is a major highlight along with the film’s opening theme by John Carpenter that is this chilling, electronic-driven piece that adds to the film’s darkness.
The casting by Anita Dann is terrific for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Norbert Weisser and Larry J. Franco as the Norwegian men in a helicopter as well as Adrienne Barbeau as the computer chess game that McCready is playing against. Other noteworthy small roles include Thomas G. Waites as the radio operator Windows, T.K. Carter as the cook Nauls, Richard Masur as the kennel operator Clark, Joel Polis as the scientist Fuchs, Richard Dysart as the doctor Copper, Peter Maloney and Charles Hallahan as the researchers Bennings and Norris, David Clennon as the scientist Palmer, and Donald Moffat as the base head Garry. Wilford Brimley is great as the scientist Blair who makes a discovery about the autopsy and his powers as he immediately starts to act erratic. Keith David is superb as the researcher Childs who rallies around everyone while often challenging McCready in the game of distrust. Finally, there’s Kurt Russell in an incredible performance as McCready who leads the team in fighting everyone while is willing to do anything to prove that he’s not the monster as it’s Russell bringing a lot of guts and charisma to his performances.
The Thing is an outstanding horror film from John Carpenter that features an intense performance from Kurt Russell. The film is definitely a horror film that doesn’t try to create any scares by focusing on characters and heavy themes that adds to the element of suspense and horror. Even as it explores the world of paranoia and survival in an unforgiving landscape that adds to the sense of terror in the film. In the end, The Thing is a hypnotic yet engrossing film from John Carpenter.
John Carpenter Films: Dark Star - Assault on Precinct 13 - Halloween - Someone’s Watching Me! - Elvis - The Fog - Escape from New York - Christine - Starman - Big Trouble in Little China - Prince of Darkness - They Live - Memoirs of an Invisible Man - Body Bags - In the Mouth of Madness - Village of the Damned - Escape from L.A. - Vampires - Ghosts of Mars - The Ward
The Auteurs #60: John Carpenter Pt. 1 - Pt. 2
© thevoid99 2012
