The Birdcage

Based on the 1978 film La Cage aux Folles by Edouard Molinaro that was based on the play by Jean Poiret and Francis Verber, The Birdcage is the story of a gay nightclub owner and his partner who both pretend to be straight in meeting the family of their son’s fiancee whose father is an ultra-conservative Senator caught up in a scandal that he’s not involved in. Directed by Mike Nichols and screenplay by Elaine May, the film marks a twenty-five year reunion between Nichols and May who were a famous comedy duo in the late 50s as they explore two gay men struggling with meeting a man who might not approve of their lifestyle. Starring Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest, Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria, Tom McGowan, Grant Heslov, and Christine Baranski. The Birdcage is a dazzling and witty film from Mike Nichols.

The film revolves around an openly gay couple in a nightclub owner and his partner who is the star of the show where they learn that their son is going to marry the daughter of a powerful, ultra-conservative senator who is embroiled in a scandal that involved the death of a colleague. When the son learns that his fiancee’s family wants to meet them, trouble brews forcing Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) to pretend to be straight as well as trying to get his partner in the effeminate Albert (Nathan Lane) to act straight so that they would make a good impression for Senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman). Along the way, hilarity ensues which leads to a crazy night of confusion, chaos, and amazement while Keeley is trying to shield himself from the press.

Elaine May’s screenplay isn’t just filled with some funny dialogue and situations that add so much to the chaotic tone of the story. It’s also in the fact that Armand and Albert are portrayed as a loving couple that has been through ups-and-downs where Armand is a man that organize things as well as be the one to direct Albert for a performance. Albert is the maternal figure who deeply cares for Armand’s son Val (Dan Futterman) though Val’s real mother in Katherine Archer (Christine Baranski) had never seen her son until she is later asked by Armand to aid them in dealing with the Keeleys. Though Senator Keeley and his wife Louise (Dianne Wiest) aren’t bad people as the latter is the more sensible of the two, the senator is overwhelmed by the fact that one of his colleagues who had helped found this moral coalition was found dead with an underage, African-American prostitute.

When it is time for the two families to meet that would include Val’s fiancee Barbara (Calista Flockhart), it is one of the most tense moments in the film as it relates to what role Albert would play despite the many attempts to include him or to have him act straight. It plays into the fact that he is sort of a liability as Val doesn’t want to see him get chewed on for who he is but it also showcases that he really does underestimate exactly what kind of man Albert is. Especially where he pulls a surprising stunt that makes Armand and Val extremely nervous while displaying some revelations of his own in how views things into the world that would even amaze someone as conservative as Senator Keeley. All of which showcases that despite these lifestyle differences that both gays and straights can share similar views. Then there’s the subplot as it relates to Keeley being hounded by a tabloid reporter Harry Radman (Tom McGowan) who is eager to make Keeley’s life a living hell though Keeley isn’t doing anything wrong or scandalous but it does play into the viciousness of the American press who are more interested in headlines rather than the truth.

Mike Nichols’ direction is definitely exquisite for not just capturing that sense of intimacy and realness to the life of a gay couple but also in finding the humor of the situations Albert and Armand have to go through. Shot largely on location in Miami, notably the South Beach section of the city and some shots in California as part of the American Northeast, the film does have this sense of vibrancy that play into who Armand and Albert are as well as a world that is very in tune with the times as it is something that Senator Keeley would have a hard time understanding. While Nichols would create some unique compositions including medium shots and close-ups to play up the intimacy and interaction between multiple characters to showcase some similarities on the concept of family values. He also uses some wide shots to play into the world of South Beach but also in a key scene where Armand and Albert are on a bench together which then cuts to a medium shot as it play more into the idea of why they’re meant for each other.

Nichols’ approach to humor is definitely lively in the way it just camps up the element of gay stereotypes as well as make fun of tabloid media in how ruthless they are in getting the story. There are also these moments that are just naturally funny in a scene where Armand is directing a performance that Albert is planning to do along with the scene where Albert tries to walk straight. By the time the film reaches its third act where the Goldmans meet the Keeleys, there is that sense of tension and uncertainty that looms until Albert makes an appearance in only a way that he can make an appearance. It is as if Nichols decides to cut that unease and let things become funny and natural all over again though there is still that sense of danger of how it could go wrong as well as what is happening outside of the home that would lead to one of the most hilarious payoffs in film. Overall, Nichols creates a dazzling, touching, and extremely funny film about a gay couple pretending to be straight for an ultra-conservative Senator.

Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki does incredible work with the film‘s very lush and colorful cinematography with the vibrant look of Miami and South Beach in its exteriors to the usage of low-key lighting schemes for some of its interiors in the day as well as some stylish lighting for the scenes inside the club. Editor Arthur Schmidt does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward to play into some of the humor as well as the film‘s climax with the families meeting each other. Production designer Bo Welch, with set decorator Cheryl Carasik and art director Tom Duffield, does amazing work with the look of the nightclub that Armand runs as well as the home that is next to the club that is quite stylish while the look of it when it is being changed is quite rich in its humor. Costume designer Ann Roth does fantastic work with the costumes from the stylish costumes that Albert wears in his performances to the colorful clothes of Armand and Albert to the more conservative clothes of the Keeleys.

Hair/makeup designers J. Roy Helland and Peter Owen do nice work with the wigs that Albert would wear as well as some of the makeup he sports for his performances onstage. Sound editor Ron Bachar does superb work with the sound to play into the atmosphere in the clubs as well as a few moments in the background during the tense meeting between the Goldmans and the Keeleys. The film’s music by Stephen Sondheim is brilliant for its mixture of show tunes, Latin-based music, and a few orchestral pieces to play into the different tones and landscape of the locations while music supervisor Steve Goldstein would maintain that mixture of styles of music featuring not just show tunes but also contemporary music from Sister Sledge and Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine.

The casting by Ellen Lewis and Juliet Taylor are phenomenal as it features some notable appearances from Kirby Mitchell as the Keeleys’ chauffer who will reveal anything to the press for money, Grant Heslov as a photographer for the National Enquirer, and Tom McGowan in a terrific role as the opportunistic tabloid journalist Harry Radman. Christine Baranski is wonderful as Val’s biological mother Katherine who was a former lover of Armand as she agrees to help them while admitting she still has some feelings for Armand. Hank Azaria is hilarious as Armand and Albert’s housekeeper Agador Spartacus who always wear very little clothing while his attempts to act like a straight butler are just a riot. Calista Flockhart is fantastic as Barbara Keeley as Val’s fiancee who is trying to protect Val and his family by lying to her parents in who they are where she realized that she and Val just only caused more trouble. Dan Futterman is excellent as Val as 20-year old man who is in love and wants to marry Barbara but becomes worried about what Barbara’s father would think of the two men who raised him as he copes with the chaos of what his father is trying to do to help.

Dianne Wiest is amazing as Barbara’s mother Louise as the most sensible one in the family who believes that Barbara’s wedding to Val would help her husband while being unaware of the truth of who Val’s family are. Gene Hackman is incredible as Senator Kevin Keeley as an ultraconservative political leader overwhelmed by scandal as he ponders what good will come of this union between Barbara and Val where Hackman would have some funny moments later in the film. Nathan Lane is brilliant as Albert Goldman as an effeminate performer who is really Val’s mother as he copes with what is going on while trying to act straight and such only to come with a plan of his own that is just hilarious. Finally, there’s Robin Williams in a remarkable performance as Armand Goldman as a club owner/performance director who does whatever he can to help his son as well as his partner Albert as Williams largely plays it straight while displaying some great comedic timing in a scene where he is directing Albert as well as some moments in the way he reacts to Albert’s stunt at the dinner meeting with the Keeleys.

The Birdcage is a magnificent film from Mike Nichols that features great performances from Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, and Dianne Wiest. It’s a film that isn’t just one of the funniest and most engaging stories about gay-and-lesbian relationships but also displaying how to different views can meet and find some common ground. Especially as it is told with such wit by screenwriter Elaine May and presented with such beauty by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. In the end, The Birdcage is a spectacular film from Mike Nichols.

Related: La Cage aux Folles

Mike Nichols Films: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - (The Graduate) - (Catch-22) - Carnal Knowledge - (The Day of the Dolphin) - (The Fortune) - (Gilda Live) - (Silkwood) - (Heartburn) - (Biloxi Blues) - Working Girl - Postcards from the Edge - (Regarding Henry) - (Wolf (1994 film)) - (Primary Colors) - (What Planet Are You From?) - (Wit) - (Angels in America) - Closer - (Charlie Wilson’s War)

© thevoid99 2016

Altman (2014 film)

Directed by Ron Mann and written by Len Blum, Altman is a documentary that explores the life and career of one of American cinema’s great artists in Robert Altman. Featuring audio interviews with his widow Kathryn Reed Altman, their children, and the people who had worked with him. The film plays into Altman and his peculiar approach to filmmaking and storytelling along with rare footage of behind-the-scenes footage and rare home movies provided by his family. The result is an enchanting and exhilarating portrait of one of American cinema’s great voices.

The term “Altmanesque” is something that best describes the style of the kind of films that Robert Altman makes which are based on real things that are happening with overlapping dialogue while refusing to play by traditional and conventional aesthetics that usually happens in mainstream cinema. For those that had worked with him and those like Paul Thomas Anderson who was inspired by him, it’s a term that means many thing. Especially to a man that didn’t live his life by conventional means as he was someone that liked to have a good time and treat his actors and collaborators as part of his family. It’s a film that isn’t just a tribute to Altman but also to his body of work which were all defined by its refusal to play by the rules whether they were successful or not.

Each chapter opens with a collaborator of Altman such as Lily Tomlin, Lyle Lovett, Sally Kellerman, Elliott Gould, Michael Murphy, Paul Thomas Anderson, Keith Carradine, Robin Williams, and several others to each define the term “Altmanesque” in their own way. These chapters would play into Altman’s early life where he served in the U.S. Air Force in World War II and later found his way into the film industry when he co-wrote the screen story for a film called Bodyguard in 1948 for RKO Pictures. The film would also play into Altman’s time doing industrial films and documentaries during the 1950s, his work on various TV series where he would meet his third wife Kathryn Reed, and his first films as a feature-film director where he would clash with studio heads about how to tell a story.

By the time he broke through with M.A.S.H. in 1970, things would definitely go up as Altman would often have his own family on the set where director Ron Mann would reveal not just a few rare short films but also some rare behind-the-scenes moments and such to show how Altman’s children were part of the set. Notably as his son Stephen would start out as a props man and later be his father’s production designer while Matthew Reed Altman would become a camera operator for much of his father’s films. The success that Altman would have for much of the 1970s where he was able to remain independent while working with studios gave him the chance to create a studio of his own in Lion’s Gate Films (not the US/Canada studio of the same name) that launched the career of Alan Rudolph and several others.

The film would play into Altman’s own innovations as a filmmaker where he would find new ways to record a lot of overlapping dialogue through little microphones on the actors while Altman and a sound mixer would find out which dialogue to use and how to mix it right the way to make it feel natural. While his innovations would be used for a lot of films by other filmmakers including Hollywood, the film also played into Altman’s own exile from Hollywood until 1992’s The Player where he made a big comeback. Some of the scenes that Mann would create would be presented through the work of art directors/animators Matthew Badiali and Craig Small who would create some background images of what Altman might’ve been doing during those times.

With the aid of cinematographer Simon Ennis in shooting some of the testimonies from Altman’s collaborators and Kathryn Reed Altman for its ending along with editor Robert Kennedy to compile footage of Altman’s earlier work and rare home films. Even as the sound work of John Laing would help play into Altman’s innovations in capturing overlapping dialogue while the music of Phil Dwyer and Guido Luciani is playful with its jazz-based score. Music supervisor Mike Rosnick would maintain that sense of playfulness with the music to play into the different periods of time.

Altman is a phenomenal documentary film from Ron Mann. It’s a film that anyone who loves the work of Robert Altman must see this not just for some of the rare home movies and interviews he does but also into a study of his methods. For anyone new to Altman might think of the film as a nice place to start though his own work is the best way to look into the man and his work. In the end, Altman is a remarkable film from Ron Mann.

© thevoid99 2015

The Zero Theorem

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Pat Rushin, The Zero Theorem is the story of a reclusive computer genius who tries to see if there’s any meaning to life through a formula where he endures a series of surreal misadventures. The film is a dystopian film of sorts set in the future as it recalls many of Gilliam’s films from the past while going into a man dealing with his own identity and his place in the world. Starring Christoph Waltz, Melanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges, Tilda Swinton, David Thewlis, and Matt Damon as the Management. The Zero Theorem is a dazzling yet whimsical film from Terry Gilliam.

Set in a futuristic world, the film explores the troubled life of an eccentric computer programmer whose job is to find the meaning of life through a theory as he ponders about his own existence where he encounters a series of oddball characters during his journey. Yet, it all plays into this programmer who is also very reclusive as he await a phone call that he thinks could have some meaning. During his time in his home where he works continuously to find answers, Qohen Leth (Christoph Waltz) deals with his own loneliness as he often refers to himself as “we” where he starts to fall for a young woman in Bainsley (Melanie Thierry) as well as gain the aid of his boss’ son Bob (Lucas Hedges) where they would get him to showcase a world outside of his work and obsession to find answers.

Pat Rushin’s screenplay does create some unique ideas about existentialism as well as faith where Qohen is a man who seeks answers that are beyond the world he works for as he often crunch numbers to see if there are any answers. Qohen is a man that often dreams about being sucked into a black hole in his feeling that there’s nothing in the world as he is asked by the mysterious known as Management to find these impossible answers. Qohen takes the job because he has nothing to live for where his meetings with Management would be very strange. While he spends a year working to prove this theory in his home, he rarely has human contacts where the odd visits he receives from Bob, Bainsley, and his supervisor Joby (David Thewlis) would be very strange. Even as he learns what Bainsley does as it would complicate things as she would be the one person who shows him that there’s more to life than nothingness.

Terry Gilliam’s direction is quite extravagant in some ways in not just the world that Qohen lives but also the idea of dystopia where it’s more offbeat rather than oppressive. Yet, it does have some satirical comedy about the way technology drives the world such as a party scene where everyone is holding tablets rather than communicate with words. Gilliam’s direction has him utilizing not just close-ups and medium shots but these intricate crane shots to play into Qohen’s sense of loneliness. Especially as he rarely goes outside as he prefers to stay home to await a phone call where there’s an intimacy that Gilliam creates. The artificial world that Qohen would encounter would display his own lack of humanity and struggles along with the idea of what it could be once the fear is gone. Overall, Gilliam creates a very sensational yet compelling film about a man seeking answers in a very troubled world.

Cinematographer Nicola Pecorini does excellent work with the many of the film‘s stylized interior lighting schemes for the party scenes and the main base of where Qohen works at plus an offbeat look to some of the film‘s exterior settings. Editor Mick Audsley does fantastic work with the editing with its rhythmic approach to play into the film‘s humor as well as in some of the dramatic moments. Production designer David Warren, with art director Adrian Curelea and set decorators Jille Azis and Gina Stancu, does amazing work with the set design from the home that Qohen lives in to the look of the city and the place where Qohen works at. Costume designer Carlo Poggioli does brilliant work with the stylized costumes that includes some of the camouflage suits that Management wears in his surroundings as well as the clothes that Bainsley wears.

Hair/makeup designer Kristin Chalmers does terrific work with the hairstyle that Qohen would wear in his fantasy as well as the wig that Bainsley wears in one of her visits. Visual effects supervisors Felix Lepadatu, Jonah Loop, and Fredrik Nord do superb work with the visual effects where it is minimal in some respects from the fantasy world that Qohen and Bainsley live in to the image of the black hole. Sound designer Andre Jacquemin does nice work with the sound work from the sound effects of the cameras that are watching Qohen to the scenes that occur that play into Qohen‘s troubled state of mind. The film’s music by George Fenton is wonderful for its mixture of eerie orchestral music with some offbeat electronic music with the soundtrack featuring electronic dance music and a jazz cover of Radiohead’s Creep.

The casting by Irene Lamb is incredible as it features an array of offbeat cameos from Gwendoline Christie, Ray Cooper, Lily Cole, and Rupert Friend as people seen on commercials, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Peter Stormare, and Ben Whishaw as a trio of oddball doctors, and Robin Williams in an un-credited appearance as televangelist. Other notable small roles include Emil Hostana and Pavlic Nemes as a couple of clones, Dana Rogoz as a sexy pizza girl, and Tilda Swinton in a very hilarious performance as Dr. Shrink-Rom as an artificial shrink who can bust some mad rhymes. Matt Damon is excellent in a small but very memorable performance as the boss known as Management as he appears in the oddest circumstances as it’s Damon playing it very straight.

David Thewlis is amazing as the supervisor Joby who tries to get Qohen to be more outgoing while also being a friend of sorts as he tries to prepare Qohen for what he will endure. Lucas Hedges is fantastic as Bob as this whiz-kid who helps Qohen in uncovering the theory as well as dealing with Qohen’s reclusive behavior. Melanie Thierry is brilliant as Bainsley as this mysterious young woman who meets Qohen at a party as she is intrigued by his personality while getting him to be more open as she would fall for him. Finally, there’s Christoph Waltz in a remarkable performance as Qohen Leth as this very reclusive man who deals with his own existence as well as faith as he tries to uncover a mystery as it’s a performance that features Waltz at his most vulnerable as well as his restrained approach to humor.

The Zero Theorem is an extraordinarily fun and exhilarating film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great cast led by Christoph Waltz as well as some amazing technical work and some compelling themes on faith and existentialism. The film is definitely one of Gilliam’s finest works as it proves that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. In the end, The Zero Theorem is a marvelous film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

© thevoid99 2014

Dead Poets Society

Directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman, Dead Poets Society is about a former prep school student who returns to his old prep school as a teacher to a new group of young students. Breaking away from the conservative world of the school, the teacher gives his young students a chance to find their own individuality through poetry as a couple of students get a chance to live their dreams while dealing with the conservative world of their school and the expectations from their parents. With Robin Williams in a leading performance as the English teacher John Keating, he is accompanied by a young cast that includes Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Dylan Kussman, Allelon Ruggerio, Gale Hansen, and James Waterson, along with appearances from Norman Lloyd and Kurtwood Smith. Dead Poets Society is an inspiring yet majestic film from Peter Weir.

Set in a prep school in 1959 in the American Northeast, the film is a simple story where a new teacher arrives at the school to teach poetry and literature as he would bring new ideas to his young students that breaks away from the traditional ethics of the school. It’s a film that in some respects is about times that are changing where this school is trying to maintain these ideas of wisdom in tradition, honor, excellence, and disciple in a world that is starting to change as its new teacher is part of that new world. At the same time, it is about a group of students who are amazed by this new teacher and his ideas as they’re inspired to read poetry as some of these students have the desire to do something else rather than what is expected from them. Especially as a few would endure the pressures of their parents to uphold certain standards and ideas rather than pursue their own ambitions and desire.

Tom Schulman’s screenplay is very broad in the way it explores the life of a prep school in the late 1950s where a new year is about to begin for a group of students while a newcomer to the school is a shy aspiring writer in Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) whose older brother was a student at the school. Anderson’s roommate in Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) is being pressured by his father to become a doctor as he would eventually become interested in acting. Anderson and Perry would eventually find inspiration through the teachings of John Keating who was a student at the school years ago as he traveled through Europe to become a teacher as he would teach his students new ideas about living life. Even as he discards the traditional ideas of poetry as he feels that everything he had been taught about is tired and irrelevant as he would allow students to find themselves and their passion where many of them would reform an old poetry that Keating was a part of called the Dead Poets Society.

The script doesn’t just explore a group of young men coming together to read poetry but also find something in themselves where Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles) would use poetry to woo a girl from a nearby public school while Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen) would find individuality and challenge the school’s old school ethics. Though Keating’s intentions were noble, he isn’t interested in challenging anything but rather expand the ideas as it would get him into some trouble with the school’s headmaster Gale Nolan (Norman Lloyd) who is trying to ensure the school’s ethics refusing to believe that times are changing. Especially where Perry’s desires to become an actor starts to get the attention of his father (Kurtwood Smith) as it would play into events that would effect the film tonally as well as the decisions some of the characters would make.

Peter Weir’s direction is very mesmerizing in the way he portrays the world of late 1950s prep schools set in the American Northeast where it’s very posh and has this air of elegance that stood for the ethics that the school is about. Yet, everything outside of that school represents a world that is ever-changing where it is shot largely at the St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware which definitely feels like the perfect setting of a world that is long and gone. Weir’s direction is quite simple in terms of the many compositions he creates but has this air of richness in every image he creates as well as an energy that plays into this feeling of a new world emerging into this school by this very passionate and charming teacher. The direction also has Weir find elements of humor and exuberance to play into a world that is changing where Keating brings something that is very worldly in the art of poetry.

Through some unique close-ups and medium shots, Weir maintains that sense of intimacy inside the classroom but also something much looser outside of the classroom. Even as the students would find ways to express themselves such as Perry who would get a chance to do Shakespeare while Anderson would have this great scene where he would create a poem of his own in the classroom in a way that comes off very naturally. It’s among the key aspects in Weir’s direction that is compelling as it does become more dramatic in its third act where it plays into some of the fallback of Keating’s teachings and how the old world wants to instill its ideals against the new world. All of which is set in a classroom about poetry and one teacher who would get a group of students to feel inspired for the world that is ahead of them. Overall, Weir crafts a very touching and riveting film about a teacher and the students who inspired him.

Cinematographer John Seale does amazing work with the film‘s rich and colorful cinematography to play into the exterior settings from the fall and winter seasons as well as some of the low-key lighting schemes for some scenes set at night. Editor William M. Anderson does brilliant work with the editing with its unique approach to rhythmic cuts and other stylized cuts to capture the sense of energy in the film as well as some of the more haunting moments in the film. Production designer Wendy Stites, with set decorator John H. Anderson and art director Sandy Veneziano, does fantastic work with the look of the classrooms and dining halls as well as some of the places nearby the school. Sound editor Alan Splet does superb work with the sound from the sense of chaos that goes on in the school to some of the sparse sound textures in some of Keating‘s teachings. The film’s music by Maurice Jarre is tremendous for its very low-key yet somber score with some unique string arrangements and some soothing orchestral themes as it is one of the film’s highlights.

The casting by Howard Feuer is just excellent as it features some notable small roles from Alexandra Powers as Knox’s crush Chris Noel, Leon Pownall as the teacher McAllister, and Debra Mooney as Neil’s mother. Kurtwood Smith is terrific as Neil’s very strict father who wants him to become a doctor while Norman Lloyd is excellent as the school headmaster Gale Nolan who tries to maintain a sense of order and idea of tradition in the school. Allen Ruggiero is superb as the nerdy Meeks who becomes much looser through poetry while James Waterston is wonderful as the more awkward Pitts who finds some confidence through poetry. Gale Hansen is fantastic as Charlie Dalton who is the first to be amazed by Keating’s teachings as he finds individuality and the desire to make difference. Josh Charles is amazing as Knox Overstreet who would find confidence in poetry to woo a girl who comes from another school.

Dylan Kussman is brilliant as Richard Cameron as a student who is the most reluctant to follow Keating’s ideals as he would later look out for himself and think of what is best for the school. Ethan Hawke is phenomenal as Todd Anderson as this aspiring writer who is very shy and extremely insecure only to get a push and some encouragement through Keating as he would find his way towards happiness. Robert Sean Leonard is marvelous as Neil Perry as this young man who is trying to find himself as he falls in love with the world of acting as he struggles with his own desires and what his father wants from him. Finally, there’s Robin Williams in one of his most iconic performance as John Keating. It’s a performance that has Williams display humor and exuberance but also one that is very sensitive and nurturing as it displays many of what he can do as an actor and how inspiring he can be.

Dead Poets Society is a magnificent film from Peter Weir that features an exhilarating and passionate performance from Robin Williams. Armed with a great supporting cast that includes Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard as well as captivating themes on individuality and changing the world through art. It’s a film that goes beyond the ideas of inspiration as it is also a film in how one teacher can change the lives of a group of young kids. In the end, Dead Poets Society is an outstanding film from Peter Weir.

Peter Weir Films: (3 to Go-Michael) – (Homesdale) – (Whatever Happened to Green Valley?) - (The Car That Ate Paris) - Picnic at Hanging Rock - (The Last Wave) - The Plumber (1979 TV film) - Gallipoli - The Year of Living Dangerously - (Witness) - (Mosquito Coast) - (Green Card) - (Fearless) - (The Truman Show) - Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World - The Way Back

© thevoid99 2014

The Fisher King

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Richard LaGravenese, The Fisher King is the story of a once famous radio shock-jock who seeks to find redemption when he meets a man whose life he ruined and tries to help him. The film is the first of an unofficial trilogy set in America from Gilliam as it explores not just the world of fantasy but also in finding hope in the bleakest forms of reality. Starring Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, and Michael Jeter. The Fisher King is a dazzling yet heartfelt film from Terry Gilliam.

Three years after being responsible for the deaths of a group of people by a madman who later killed himself, a radio shock jock meets a strange man whose wife was killed at that restaurant who seeks the Holy Grail and the love of a shy woman as the shock jock decides to help him in an act of redemption. While it is a simple tale of redemption, the film is also a mixture of adventure, fantasy, and romance as it would play into the world of Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) who lost so much through his own actions as his encounter with this homeless man named Parry (Robin Williams) would play into the chance to become a better person while help this lost man regain something that he had lost following his wife’s death. In the process, Jack would also reluctantly help Parry in his quest to find the Holy Grail in the home of a rich architect as Parry believes in this legend of the Grail.

Richard LaGravenese’s screenplay definitely has this air of fantasy and romance but it is also balanced by this world of cynicism as the film opens with Jack as this very arrogant and snide radio shock-jock who talks a lot of shit and has everything until he is responsible for prompting a man to go after a waitress that unfortunately led to a killing spree where Parry’s wife was among the people who were killed. Jack loses his fame as he is wracked with guilt where he would live with a video store owner in Anne (Mercedes Ruehl) who would prompt Jack to do something as she would also help him to Parry back on track. Especially as it relates to Parry’s attraction to this shy publishing accountant in Lydia (Amanda Plummer) through the craziest means.

One aspect of the script that definitely succeeds isn’t just the stories but how fully-realized the characters are as Parry was also a man who had everything only to lose it because of a tragedy as those reminders would come to him in the form of a red knight that only he can see. Especially as it would prompt Jack to realize the greater task that he needs to retrieve the Grail with Parry as well as getting the chance to prove that he can be redeemed no matter how many times he says that he is a fuck-up. The unlikely teaming of Jack and Parry isn’t just one aspect of the story that is so compelling but it’s also one where a man tries to help another and vice versa as they both would try to deal with the demons that had been haunting them.

Terry Gilliam’s direction is truly astonishing not just in its sense of style but also in the fact that he is able to mix a sense of realism with fantasy as it’s set entirely in New York City. The film has Gilliam infusing a lot of unique camera angles including some slanted shots and elaborate crane shots. Even in some of the intimate moments where the sense of style is very evident but not very distracting. Gilliam does go for something simple in the way he presents the drama as it relates to Jack’s own life as he struggles with his guilt and what his life has become despite the support of Anne. There are scenes that do feel quite unsettling and real such as the homeless places near the Brooklyn Bridge as well as some very exhilarating scenes at Central Park where Parry tries to convince Jack to lie naked in the middle of the park to watch the moonlight.

The direction also has Gilliam play with the world of fantasy though it’s more restrained in comparison to his other films such as this lavish waltz scene in the middle of Grand Central Terminal as it plays to Parry’s own sense of fantasy. The scenes involving the Red Knight also play into that sense of fantasy but as a form of reality that Parry wants to avoid as Gilliam would go for something that feels very dizzying. Even as some of the wide shots and compositions would have something that feels like a world that is very different. All of which would play into this climax in this very odd journey to get the Holy Grail as it seems like this strange task but one that would help Jack and Parry find hope in their troubled lives. Overall, Gilliam creates a sensational yet touching film about a man finding redemption in helping another man who was destroyed by tragedy.

Cinematographer Roger Pratt does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography as it is very straightforward but also stylish in some of the lighting schemes that Pratt creates for some of the nighttime exteriors as well as some of the interior scenes. Editor Lesley Walker does incredible work with the editing as it‘s very stylized with some jump-cuts, montages, and a stylish use of transition wipes for a dinner scene with the four principle characters. Production designer Mel Bourne, with set decorator Cindy Carr and art director P. Michael Johnston, does amazing work with the set pieces from the video store that Anne runs to the accounting firm and hospital rooms as well as the castle where the Grail is.

Costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor does terrific work with the costumes from the ragged look of Parry in his homeless clothes to the white suit he would wear in his date with Lydia. The visual effects work of William Cruse and Kent Houston do nice work with some of the effects as it’s very minimal including the design of the Red Knight. Sound editor Peter Pennell and sound designer Bill Kates do superb work with the film‘s sound in some of the sound textures to play into the sense of terror that Parry would endure as well as the sounds of radio broadcasts that Jack used to do. The film’s music by George Fenton is excellent for its broad and operatic score as it has some very lush orchestral themes to play into the sense of romance as well as bombastic pieces for the adventurous moments. The film’s music soundtrack includes a mix of music ranging from pop standards and modern music like Ray Charles, Chill Rob G, and Harry Nilsson.

The casting by Howard Feuer is great as it features notable small roles from Kathy Najimy as a crazed video store customer, Tom Waits as a disabled veteran, Harry Shearer as a TV star that Jack despises, Lara Harris as Jack’s girlfriend when he was famous, and David Hyde Pierce as Jack’s agent Lou. Michael Jeter is fantastic as a homeless cabaret singer Jack and Parry would meet as they would help him to reach a message to Lydia. Amanda Plummer is amazing as the very shy and socially-awkward Lydia who has her own quirks and insecurities where her date with Parry would bring her hope about her own life. Mercedes Ruehl is phenomenal as Anne as this no-nonsense woman who hopes to be more than a friend to Jack as she would also help Lydia and Parry as it’s a truly touching and powerful supporting performance.

Jeff Bridges is brilliant as Jack Lucas as this man who had it all only to be undone by a tragedy that he unknowingly caused as he tries to find redemption where it’s Bridges showing some humility as well as an ugliness but also a role that has him be sympathetic as he wants to right the wrongs in his life. Finally, there’s Robin Williams in a magnificent performance as Parry as this very troubled man who has lost himself as he becomes homeless and seeks the Holy Grail as Williams brings a sense of energy in his humor as well as sense of warmth and vulnerability. Especially in his moving monologue to Lydia about what he wants to do as it showcases Williams’ power as an actor where he can blend comedy and drama and do it so easily.

The Fisher King is a remarkable film from Terry Gilliam that features great performances from Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, and Mercedes Ruehl. The film is definitely Gilliam’s most accessible work in its blend of romance and fantasy as well as a compelling story on redemption. Even as it features moments that are quite crazy that is balanced with stories about characters trying to find hope again. In the end, The Fisher King is an outstanding film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - 12 Monkeys - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

© thevoid99 2014

Mrs. Doubtfire

Based on the novel Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine, Mrs. Doubtfire is the story of an out-of-work actor who poses as an elderly British nanny so he can see his kids following the divorce from his wife. Directed by Chris Columbus and screenplay by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, the film is a light-hearted comedy where a man tries to be with his children as well as deal with the dissolution of his own marriage as the titular character and the role of Daniel Hiller is played by Robin Williams. Also starring Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, Mara Wilson, Harvey Fierstein, and Robert Prosky. Mrs. Doubtfire is a charming and entertaining film from Chris Columbus.

The film is a simple story of an out-of-work voice actor who gets divorced from his wife as he couldn’t see his three children as he decides to take on the role of a British nanny by the name of Mrs. Doubtfire when his wife needed a nanny to watch over the children. It’s a film that explores not just the concept of divorce where the children are caught in the middle but also a man who is put into a corner where he is only allowed to see his children for a small amount of time and has to get a steady job and a new home. By becoming Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel Hiller not only becomes a better person but also realizes the mistakes he made in the way his marriage ended. At the same time, he finds himself having to contend with the presence of his ex-wife’s new boyfriend Stuart Dunmire (Pierce Brosnan).

The film’s screenplay creates not just a story that is compelling with bits of realism but also has a sense of charm and characters that audiences can relate to. While Daniel maybe sort of a man-child who never disciplines his children nor orders them around as he likes to have fun with them. It would be in the form of a birthday party for his son Chris (Matthew Lawrence) that would be the catalyst for the breakdown of his marriage to Miranda (Sally Field) who constantly works as she realizes how chaotic Daniel makes things prompting her to file for divorce. Upon the things he had to do in order to see his kids, Daniel would work at a TV station and live in an apartment that isn’t suitable for anyone at the time being as he can only see his kids for a few hours on a Saturday. At the same time, he would have to receive visits from a court supervisor (Anne Haney) to see if he can create a suitable home for his children. With the help of his makeup artist brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein), Daniel would take on the role of Mrs. Doubtfire.

One aspect of the script that makes it very interesting is how complex the characters are where Mrs. Doubtfire is this very unconventional British nanny as she maybe this big woman but also full of warmth and understanding as she would win over the kids including the eldest Lydie (Lisa Jakub). In this role, Daniel would find ways to better himself as he would eventually surprise Miranda during one visit late in the film. At the same time, Daniel would get a big job opportunity when he meets the TV station boss in Jonathan Lundy (Robert Prosky). The character of Miranda might seem like a woman who is just this workaholic who decided to end her marriage and create problems for her children. Yet, she is really just someone who wants to be happy as she has this great conversation with Doubtfire about what happened with her and Daniel where she does become more sympathetic. The character of Stuart could’ve been a villain but he is someone who manages to be a really nice guy that adores Miranda and the children as he would be an antagonist for Daniel.

Chris Columbus’ direction is very simple in terms of the compositions he creates as he would shoot the film largely in San Francisco. Much of it would include some close-ups and unique medium shots while Columbus would also create moments that play into a sense of energy of who Hiller is as an actor. Some of it would involve some crazy montages as well as lively moments that definitely crossed the line between innocent humor with a bit of bawdiness. One aspect of the film that Columbus succeeds is balancing humor with some drama as it relates to the concept of divorce. Though there are elements of sentimentality, Columbus manages to not overdo it and know to hit the right notes. Especially towards the end as it plays into what children have to deal whenever parents divorce. Overall, Columbus crafts a very entertaining and heartwarming film about a man trying to spend time with his children by pretending to be a British nanny.

Cinematographer Donald McAlpine does nice work with the film’s cinematography as it is very simple in the way many of the locations in San Francisco is presented along with the lighting in some of the film’s interior scenes. Editor Raja Gosnell does terrific work with the editing as it is straightforward with some inventive montages of Daniel’s voice impressions. Production designer Angelo P. Graham, with set decorator Garrett Lewis and art director W. Stewart Graham, does wonderful work with the look of the home Miranda and the kids lived as well as the apartment were Daniel would live in. Costume designer Marit Allen does excellent work with the costume design from the many different clothes that Mrs. Doubtfire would wear.

The makeup work of Greg Cannom, Ve Neill, and Yolanda Toussieng are phenomenal in the way they would create the look of Mrs. Doubtfire in every bit of detail. Sound editor Gloria S. Borders and sound designer Gary Rydstrom do superb work with the sound from the way some of the parts of the film‘s locations sound as well as some moments in the climatic restaurant scene. The film’s music by Howard Shore is amazing for its very light-hearted and low-key score with its orchestral arrangements that would also include some somber pieces while its soundtrack would feature music from James Brown, the Four Seasons, Frank Sinatra, House of Pain, B.B. King and Albert Collins, and Aerosmith.

The casting by Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins is excellent as it features some notable small performances from Martin Mull as Miranda’s co-worker Justin, William Newman as a tired and dull TV show host, Scott Carpuro as Frank’s partner Jack, and Anne Haney as a court supervisor who would make a visit for Daniel’s apartment as she would meet Mrs. Doubtfire in a humorous scene. Robert Prosky is superb as a TV station boss whom Daniel meets as he catches Daniel’s act and realize that his station could be saved. Harvey Fierstein is fantastic as Daniel’s brother Frank who would create the mask and look of Mrs. Doubtfire. In the role of the children, Lisa Jakub is brilliant as the eldest child Lydie who deals with not seeing her father as she would warm up to Mrs. Doubtfire. Matthew Lawrence is amazing as Chris as a teenage boy who enjoys playing soccer with Mrs. Doubtfire while Mara Wilson is a total delight as the youngest Nattie who loves to be around Mrs. Doubtfire because she reads stories to her.

Pierce Brosnan is great as Stuart Dunmire as an old friend of Miranda’s who comes back into her life as he proves to be a nice guy that cares about the children though he serves as an antagonistic figure for Daniel. Sally Fields is incredible as Miranda as this frustrated working mom who is trying to find happiness in her life after years of a marriage that didn’t work as it’s Fields being quite calm and also very tender. Finally, there’s Robin Williams in one of his most iconic performances as the titular character and Daniel Hiller. It’s a performance that has Williams be at his funniest where he provides a lot of manic energy and improvisational ideas towards his humor as well as showing a sense of sensitivity and warmth once he plays the role of Mrs. Doubtfire as it’s really a performance for the ages.

Mrs. Doubtfire is a glorious film from Chris Columbus that features a tour-de-force performance from Robin Williams. It’s a film that isn’t just a family film that brings in a lot of laughs and heartwarming moments but also a film that manages to be so much more. Especially as it plays into the idea of family and what people go through with divorce as a man pretends to be a woman just so he can be with his children. In the end, Mrs. Doubtfire is an extraordinarily rich film from Chris Columbus.

© thevoid99 2014

Robin Williams: A Tribute

In the world of entertainment, there are those who can move you. There are those that can make you cry. There are those that can make you think and be engaged. There are those that can make you laugh. Robin Williams was one those people who could do all of those things and more. His passing on August 11, 2014 wasn’t just a major shock but one that I’m sure that many just couldn’t believe. I am beyond sad. I’m more than just devastated. Having been through my own battles with depression, it is a disease and never an easy one to conquer as I’m sure it was incredibly hard for Williams to deal with. I don’t want to talk about his death but what he meant to myself and the world.

One of the great things that I think Williams accomplished is that he was able to cross over from generation to generation. In the late 70s, people grew up watching him in Mork & Mindy and Happy Days. In the 80s, it could’ve been Popeye, The World According to Garp, or through his stand-up comedy work. I am one of those people that was raised by Robin Williams through his work in Comic Relief and films like Moscow on the Hudson, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Dead Poets Society, Aladdin, Club Paradise, The Best of Times, and Mrs. Doubtfire. My parents were big fans of Robin Williams as they loved his comedic work in films like Good Morning Vietnam. Yet, Moscow on the Hudson is a film that I think is very underrated as my parents constantly talked about since they’re immigrants and know that experience while being to laugh at what Williams was doing. It’s a very special film as I think credit should also go to its co-writer/director Paul Mazursky for making that film as he had just recently passed away.

I think there’s kids that grew up Williams through his voice work in Aladdin which is one of the great voice performances as well as films like Jumanji and Nine Months which were the kind of films that lifted you up on a down day. Yet, the film that I loved to watch that my parents loved to watch and sisters loved to watch was Mrs. Doubtfire. We all saw it in the theaters and we loved it because it was funny and it had a very touching story. My late maternal grandmother loved the film as who couldn’t love that scene where Williams realizes he’s on fire and had to stop it with pot tops? It’s one of those rare movies that manages to cross all age groups and do so much.

Of course for every great performance that Williams has done in films like Good Will Hunting, Awakenings, The Birdcage, Baron Munchausen and Dead Poets Society where he can be funny but also be very dramatic. There are films that weren’t very good like Bicentennial Man, Jack, Old Dogs, Toys, Hook, and of course, Patch Adams. I’m sure there were people who were kids when some of those movies were made thought they were great but are now realize that they weren’t any good. I think part of Williams’ genius was bring the child in him so that kids were able to connect with him.

When I was coming of age and discovering new things, Williams would come back but in a very different way. Death to Smoochy may not everyone’s favorite film but I enjoyed it to death because it was different and Williams was playing a bit of a psychopath who kept saying “I’m Rainbow Fuckin’ Randolph”. That streak would continue with a very devious and creepy role as the antagonist in Insomnia which was very surprising while I think his crowning achievement in that year where he decided to go dark was in One Hour Photo which is definitely one his most overlooked performances. Another performance of his that I thought was overlooked is World’s Greatest Dad which is an extremely underrated film. It has him being a dad to a son who is essentially the biggest douche bag in the world who suddenly died due to auto-asphyxiation. The best scene for me was Williams making his confession and freeing himself from the lies he created as he was surrounded by people who were essentially full of shit.

It’s probably what I think is the last great performance of his career though he has a couple of more movies to come out later this year. Yet, I just want to remember those great movies he made and how much it meant to the world. Though he is now gone, his ability to make the world laugh and cry will never be forgotten. Thank you my Captain.

R.I.P. Robin Williams (1951-2014)

© thevoid99 2014

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is the story of a 18th Century German nobleman and his many adventures as it is told in a whimsical fashion where many wonder if they’re true. The third part of a trilogy based on the ideas of imagination, the film is a sprawling tale where a man tries to fight against forces while coming to terms with his own drawbacks as a hero as he is played by John Neville. Also starring Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Uma Thurman, Oliver Reed, and Jonathan Pryce. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a spectacular and absolutely adventurous film from Terry Gilliam.

The film explores the world of a famous German nobleman during the Ottoman Wars of the late 18th Century where he is a man known for his great adventures where he returns to save a town ravaged by war as he felt responsible for being the one that caused all of it. With the help of a young girl named Sally (Sarah Polley), Baron Munchausen would travel through different worlds to retrieve the men who had helped him in his many adventures yet is battling age and the new realities of his quest as it plays into the idea of fantasy vs. reality. Especially as Munchausen is trying to tell this story of his adventures while a young girl wants to know if anything he is saying is true. All of which plays into a man wanting to die as he deals with a world that is becoming more complicated as there are forces who have other ideas about conflict and such.

The film’s screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown definitely play into this idea of a man wanting to live a life that no longer exist as the men who had been with him in his adventures now live very different lives without the powers they once had. The film begins with theater actors led by Sally’s father (Bill Paterson) who tell Munchausen’s story until the real Munchausen appears to reveal that the reason this small town is at war is all because of a wager that Munchausen won which upset the Turkish sultan Mahmud I (Peter Jeffrey) who wanted to cut Munchausen’s head off. Once Sally realizes that the man who claims to be Munchausen is real, she would stowaway in his hot-air balloon to help him retrieve his old friends for the film’s second act.

Yet, the fast-running Berthold (Eric Idle), the strongman Albrecht (Winston Dennis), the midget with strong ears and wind-power in Gustavus (Jack Purvis), and the sharpshooter Adolphus (Charles McKeown) aren’t the same as they share a sense of resentment towards Munchausen as they reluctantly join him. Throughout the course of the film, Munchausen would face many challenges that plays into mythical figures of the universe such as a delusional moon-king (Robin Williams), Vulcan (Oliver Reed), and all other things that would tempt Munchausen into believing he’s young and still part of the world until he would anger the wrong people and put himself and Sally into situations that would test their will. Especially as it comes to the climatic confrontation with the Turkish army where Munchausen is still caught up in his idea of defeating the Turkish in such a way that it almost seems unreal and more of a fantasy.

Gilliam’s direction is quite lavish in the way he tells the story as it opens up with scenes of an 18th Century town being destroyed where people are watching a performance of Munchausen’s story in this theater that is on the verge of collapse. It is part of this world that Gilliam sets up where he definitely infuses a lot of dark humor into the film where it’s very offbeat as well as fanatical considering how troubled Munchausen is as he wishes for death due to his old age. Adding to that feeling of death is the presence of the Angel of Death who would appear to reveal that it’s Munchausen’s time to go only to be evaded by many circumstances. Much of Gilliam’s compositions include a lot of wide shots and medium shots plus some stylish usage of some crane shots and visual effects that play into this world that is extremely off-the-wall in terms of what the universe is like.

Gilliam’s approach to set pieces definitely showcase that sense of a world that is quite strange where he plays with the idea of mythological figures like Vulcan and Venus (Uma Thurman) as Munchausen would charm the latter much to the dismay of the former. There is a sense of a world where it does have this idea of nostalgia and fantasy that Munchausen seems to try and hold on to where he becomes oblivious to what is happening in the real world thinking it will be okay for a while. The film’s third act would definitely play into that idea of reality vs. fantasy as it is this constant struggle that Munchausen would face as he would deal with the realities of war and death in a manner that only Munchausen would do no matter how fanatical he can be. Overall, Gilliam crafts a very sensational and whimsical film about a heroic man dealing with aging and living up to the idea of fantasy.

Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography with its usage of lights for some of the war sequences set at night as well as some of the interior settings and a chilling scene inside the body of a sea monster. Editor Peter Hollywood does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and action sequences. Production designer Dante Feretti, with set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo and supervising art director Massimo Razzi, does phenomenal work with the set designs from the lavish staging of the moon city as well as the European town that Munchausen needs to protect as well as the stage play and other sets as it‘s one of the film‘s major highlights.

Costume designer Gabriella Pescucci does fantastic work with the film‘s lavish costumes from the ragged period clothing of the people of the town as well as the costumes made for the stage shows as well as Munchausen‘s uniform. Hair/makeup designer Maggie Weston does superb work with the different aging makeup that Munchausen would endure in his journey as well as the look of the younger versions of his gang. Special effects supervisor Richard Conway does terrific work with some of the film‘s visual effects with the movement of the moon-king‘s floating head as well as some of the shots set in outer space. Sound editor Peter Pennell does superb work with the sound effects as well as the layering of sounds in the battle scenes and other lavish sequences. The film’s music by Michael Kamen is amazing for its bombastic score that is quite triumphant at times in its orchestral setting as well as comical to play into the film’s humor.

The casting by Francesco Cinieri, Irene Lamb, and Margery Simkin is just incredible as the film features some cameo appearances from Sting as a soldier, Terry Gilliam as an irritating singer, Ray Cooper as a functionary for the city official, Alison Steadman as an actress with a baby, and Robin Williams in an un-credited appearance as the delusional yet funny the King of the Moon. Bill Paterson is terrific as the theater company leader who is also Sarah’s father as he struggles to get his play on Munchausen going. Charles McKeown, Jack Purvis, and Winston Dennis are excellent in their respective roles as Adolphus, Gustavus, and Albrecht as well the actors who would play these characters to add to that sense of fantasy vs. reality. Valentina Cortese is wonderful in a dual role as Queen Ariadne who is a former lover of Munchausen as well as a stage actress that is in love with Munchausen. Peter Jeffrey is superb as the Sultan Mahmud I who starts a war only because of a wager he lost to Munchausen.

Uma Thurman is amazing in a dual role as the young actress Violet who is trying get some attention as well as the role of Venus whose beauty is indescribable as she is charmed by Munchausen. Oliver Reed is fantastic as the eccentric yet hot-tempered fire god Vulcan who welcomes Munchausen only to be upset when Munchausen gets to dance with Venus. Jonathan Pryce is great as the very smarmy city official the Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson who wants to maintain order in the city as he is also someone that represents the dark realities of the world. Eric Idle is brilliant in a dual role as Berthold and the actor who played him as a man who can run with great speed as he loses him memory for a short time only to feel resentful towards Munchausen for abandoning him.

Sarah Polley is phenomenal as Sally as this young girl who would join Munchausen in his adventure as she would be this person who would try to ground him into reality and also make him not give up. Finally, there’s John Neville in a remarkable performance as the titular character as an aging hero who is caught up in living in a world that no longer exists while wishing for death due to the harsh realities that he’s dealing with as it is a truly astonishing performance from Neville.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a tremendously extravagant and incredible film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great ensemble cast as well as amazing technical work from its crew, the film is truly a visual feast filled with dazzling set pieces and images. Especially as it’s backed by this compelling story revolving around the ideas of reality vs. fantasy as a man deals with age and death. In the end, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a dazzling and exhilarating film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

© thevoid99 2014

Popeye

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