2021 Cannes Marathon: Okja

 

(Played in Competition for the Palme d’Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival)

Directed by Bong Joon-ho and screenplay by Joon-ho and Jon Ronson from a story by Joon-ho, Okja is the story of a young girl who tries to retrieve a massive animal from a corporation that wants to kill it for profit as she’s aided by an animal activist group. The film is an exploration of a young girl whose grandfather raised the animal for farming until this corporation come in to kill it for a big celebration to end world hunger. Starring Ahn Seo-hyun, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Lily Collins, Steven Yeun, Byun Hee-bong, Yoon Je-moon, Devon Bostick, Giancarlo Esposito, Shirley Henderson, and Tilda Swinton. Okja is a riveting and whimsical film from Bong Joon-ho.

The film revolves around an environmentalist who becomes the new CEO of a beef manufacturing company as she announces the breeding of a new super-pig where 26 specimens are sent to various places all over the world and to see what would be the outcome of those pigs in 10 years in the hope to end world hunger. Yet, the film is more about the bond between a young girl and a pig living in the mountains in South Korea as the pig Okja is discovered by this corporation hoping to use it for a special presentation and then kill it for profit. It is a film that explores not just animal rights but also a corporate CEO wanting to do something right despite the fact that she’s doing the wrong thing in covering up lies with the aid of a zoologist/TV show host who has become emotionally and mentally unstable. Add a group of animal activists and other corporate interests as this young girl is pulled in different directions over her beloved Okja.

The film’s screenplay by Bong Joon-ho and Jon Ronson explore the many complexities of the cattle industry and its war with animal rights activists with this pig in the middle and a young girl in Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun) just trying to save it and bring it back home. Still, the characters that Joon-Ho and Ronson create aren’t typical of what is expected as the CEO of the Mirando corporation in Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) is trying to clean up the company’s image and to make it do good despite the fact that she’s covering up lies and remove the troubled legacy that her father and twin sister Nancy have created. The corporate face of the company in zoologist/TV host in Dr. Johnny Wilcox (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a wacky eccentric who has become troubled as well as guilt-ridden for the role he’s playing when Mirando makes some drastic decisions. The animal rights activist group known as ALF lead by Jay (Paul Dano) is trying to maintain some dignity in helping Mija but also doesn’t want to lie to her even though one of his fellow activist in K (Steven Yeun) lies in order to get the mission to save Okja when the pig is sent to New York City for this presentation with Mija also being an unwilling participant from the Mirando corporation.

Joon-ho’s direction is quite grand in the way he presents this world of corporate interests and their need to exploit an animal for profit as it is set in New York City and nearby areas as well as Seoul, South Korea and mountains near the city though much of the film is shot in parts of Seoul and Vancouver. The film opens with a scene in a factory where Lucy Mirando is trying to get people to see that her family’s past is going to be removed for a new future as it is presented in grand fashion with wide and medium shots. Still, Joon-ho maintains a simplicity in the scenes set in the mountains with its small ponds, waterfalls, and forests that Mija and Okja like to play in as it is this world of peace while they live with Mija’s grandfather in this simple home though they have access to TV and internet. When Okja is given to the corporation with Mija’s grandfather given a big payout for raising the super-pig, Joon-ho showcases Mija’s determination to retrieve Okja in Seoul as it has these unique tracking shots in some elaborate chase scenes inside a building, an underground mall next to a subway, and in a highway are among these moments where Joon-ho infuses action, suspense, and humor.

With the character of Okja being a major sense of importance to the film thanks in part to work of one of the film’s visual effects supervisors in Erik de Boer, who did the character design, where the actors not only get to interact with this creature but also play into the stakes of the film. Notably where Joon-ho brings the character to New York City as there’s a chilling scene with Okja and Dr. Wilcox at a lab that is disturbing with ALF watching in another location as it play into Dr. Wilcox’s guilt in the corporate role he plays but also in how disturbed he is in doing his job. There is also this sense of disconnect that Joon-ho showcases as it relates to Lucy Mirando about how she approaches business and how her sister Nancy did thinks as the latter is all about money and getting shit done while the former is about image. The sense of humanity also comes into play into its third act with Okja and Mija in the middle as it play into Lucy’s own desire for hope despite the lies she’s hidden yet is followed by a much darker reality that is closer to Nancy’s vision. Yet, there is something hopeful through Mija’s own simple actions but also her own understand about how the world works. Overall, Joon-ho crafts a witty yet heartfelt film about a farm girl trying to save her super-pig from a corporation that wants to kill it for profit.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of naturalistic lighting and lush colors for the scenes in the mountain with low-key lights for the scenes at night while aiming for something a little bit more stylish for the scenes set in New York City in terms of its lighting including the scenes at the factory at night. Editor Yang Jin-mo does excellent work with the editing as it does have some unique fast-cuts for some of the chase and action scenes while also being straightforward in its approach to drama and suspense. Production designers Ha-jun Lee and Kevin Thompson, with art directors Jung-yoon Bae, Deborah Jensen, and Gwendolyn Margetson plus set decorators Susan Bode, Won-Woo Cho, Louise Roper, Yeonghee Seo, and Suk-ki Song, do amazing work with the look of the places in New York City including the Mirando logo and the factory where the super-pigs are forced to stay in the third act as well as the little home Mija and her grandfather live in. Costume designers Se-yeon Choi and Catherine George do fantastic work with the stylish clothes that Lucy Mirando wears as well as the wacky clothing of Dr. Wilcox, the guerilla-inspired gear of ALF, and the simplistic look of Mija.

Hair/makeup designers Hyunkyu Hwang and Sharon Martin do nice work with the look of Lucy Mirando in her quirky presentation from the braces on her teeth in the first scene to her hairstyle that is different from the look of her sister. Special effects supervisor Kyung-soo Park, along with visual effects supervisors Erik de Boer, Angela Ji, Jun Hyoung Kim, and Jeon Hyoung Lee, do terrific work with not just the design of Okja but also some set-dressing for some scenes in the film as well as the presentation of the chase sequence. Sound editor Tae-young Choi and sound designer Dave Whitehead do superb work with the sound in the way Okja sounds, with voice work from Lee Jeong-eun, as well as how certain objects sound including the cattle prod. The film’s music by Jaeil Jung is incredible for its unique mixture of flamenco, classical, and electronic pieces as it adds to the suspense and drama while music supervisor Jemma Burns cultivates a fun soundtrack that features music from the Isley Brothers, John Denver, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Osvaldo Pugliese.

The casting by Jenny Jue is phenomenal as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Lee Jeong-eun as the voice of Okja and a woman in a wheelchair, Lee Bong-ryun as a Mirando receptionist at the Seoul office building, Choi Woo-shik as an indifferent Mirando driver in Seoul, Yoon Je-moon as a Mirando representative who checks on Okja’s health, Byun Hee-bong as Mija’s well-meaning grandfather who is reluctant to give Okja away, Devon Bostick and Daniel Henshall as two activists for ALF in their respective names in Silver and Blond, and Shirley Henderson in a funny performance as Lucy’s assistant Jennifer who oversees some of the publicity detail involving Mija and Lucy for the big event. Giancarlo Esposito is superb as a Mirando executive in Frank Dawson who keeps an eye on Lucy for Nancy while trying to understand what she’s trying to do as well as see if she can succeed. Steven Yeun and Lily Collins are fantastic in their respective roles as ALF activists K and Red with the former being a tech genius who is also Korean as he helps translate for Mija while the latter is a weapon experts of sorts though she has no intentions in harming anyone while also having some funny things to say.

Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as the wacky Dr. Johnny Wilcox as a zoologist/TV host who is the face of Mirando as someone who speaks in a somewhat high-pitched voice as he is also disturbed in his love for animals to the point that he becomes consumed with guilt and troubling behavior. Paul Dano is brilliant as Jay as a leader of ALF who is trying to do things the right way and help Mija while not wanting to make her uncomfortable as he’s a well-meaning activist that is aware of the compromises that he has to make. Tilda Swinton is amazing in a dual role as twin sisters Lucy and Nancy Mirando as she provides a lot of quirks and upbeat energy into the former as someone trying to reinvent the company’s image while the latter is only seen briefly as someone that is more of a pessimist and a better understanding of business. Finally, there’s Ahn Seo-hyun in an incredible performance as Mija as a young farm girl who cares for this massive super-pig as she deals with Mirando’s intentions for the pig as she does what she can to save him as it is this understated and somber performance from Seo-hyun who provides a lot of the heart in the film.

Okja is a phenomenal film from Bong Joon-ho. Featuring an incredible ensemble cast, themes of activism and animal rights, dazzling visuals, a sumptuous music score, and mixture of genres. The film is definitely a witty and compelling film that explores a young girl trying to retrieve her pet and her understanding about a world that is just trying to clean itself up despite their dirty methods. In the end, Okja is a sensational film from Bong Joon-ho.

Bong Joon-ho Films: Barking Dogs Never Bite - Memories of Murder - The Host (2006 film) - Tokyo!-Shaking Tokyo - Mother (2009 film) - Snowpiercer - Parasite - Mickey 17 - The Auteurs #44: Bong Joon-ho

© thevoid99 2021

In Secret

Based on the novel Therese Raquin by Emile Zola and its stage play by Neal Bell, In Secret is the story of a young woman who has an affair with a friend of husband as they conspire to get rid of her husband whom she is forced into marriage by her aunt. Written for the screen and directed by Charlie Stratton, the film is an exploration of a woman trying to fulfill her sexual and emotional desires in an affair as well as the actions that would occur to maintain this affair. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Oscar Isaac, Tom Felton, Matt Lucas, Shirley Henderson, Mackenzie Crook, and Jessica Lange. In Secret is a riveting and haunting film from Charlie Stratton.

Set in 19th Century France, the film revolves around a young woman who lives with her aunt and her ailing cousin as she is forced to marry the latter upon moving to Paris where she begins an affair with her cousin’s best friend in the city. It’s a film with a simple premise as it play into a woman’s own sexual desires and feeling repressed in her family home but the move to Paris would bring a lot but also trouble when she and her lover decide to kill her cousin/husband. Charlie Stratton’s screenplay does have a straightforward narrative as it play into repression that Therese Raquin (Elizabeth Olsen) is dealing as she was sent to live with her aunt (Jessica Lange) when she was a child and had to share the room with her sickly cousin Camille (Tom Felton).

The move to Paris would mark a change for Therese except that she would be forced to marry Camille for the move to happen as she accepts the decision only to find herself falling for his friend Laurent LeClaire (Oscar Isaac). The affair would fulfill Therese sexually and emotionally but it would also lead to troubles that include the film’s second half where there isn’t just this element of guilt looming but also this air of grief that starts to loom throughout the characters.

Stratton’s direction is straightforward in terms of the compositions that are created as much of the film is shot on location in Belgrade, Serbia and some of the city locations at Budapest, Hungary. While there aren’t a lot of wide shots in the compositions, Stratton would use medium shots and close-ups to play into the drama as well as characters dealing with their environment and situations. Notably in scenes that play into Therese’s attraction with Laurent as they keep their affair a secret while they also conspire in getting rid of Camille though he’s never did anything wrong other than be dependent on due to his ailments. It would add Therese’s own anguish as even though doesn’t like Camille much, she still cares about him and his mother who would succumb to grief in the most extreme way during its third act. Stratton’s direction would create elements of surrealism as well as playing up to this idea of guilt and torment along with the possibility of the actions that Therese and Laurent have committed. Overall, Stratton creates a compelling and eerie film about a woman and her lover trying to maintain an affair by committing a horrible crime.

Cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it does play into some of the dark colors and low-key lights for some of the interior scenes at night as well as the look of some of the daytime exteriors including the scenes at the forests and rivers. Editors Celia Haining, Leslie Jones, and Paul Tothill does nice work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama. Production designer Uli Hanisch, with set decorator Michael Fechner and supervising art director Kai Koch, does brilliant work with the look of the shop Therese and her aunt would run as well as the clerk station that Camille and Laurent would work at and the apartment above the shop. Costume designer Pierre-Yves Gayraud does fantastic work with the costumes as it play into the period of mid-19th Century France that includes the gorgeous dresses that Therese wears.

Makeup designer Erika Okvist does amazing work with the sideburns that Laurent sports as well as the oily look of Camille. Visual effects supervisor Robert Pik does terrific work with the visual effects as it largely play into bits of set-dressing as well as a few surreal moments in the film. Sound designer Paul Carter and sound editor Michael Maroussas do superb work with the sound as it play into some of the dramatic moments that goes on at the apartment as well as at some of the film’s locations. The film’s music by Gabriel Yared is wonderful for its orchestral score that ranges from being serene for the romantic scenes to ominous themes for the dramatic and suspenseful moments in the film.

The casting by Katalin Baranyi, Deanna Brigidi, and Elaine Grainger is marvelous as it features some notable small roles from Dimitrjie Bogdanov as the young Camille, Lily Laight as the young Therese, Matt Devere as Therese’s father, John Kavanagh as Inspector Michaud who is a family friend of the Raquins that would later try to investigate matters in the film, Matt Lucas as the inspector’s son Olivier who provides some humor while he along with his wife and father and a friend would play dominoes with the Raquins, and Mackenzie Crook as Grivet as a family friend who is befuddled by the events during the film’s second half. Shirley Henderson is fantastic as Olivier’s wife Suzanne who suspects something is up between Therese and Laurent while becoming concerned for both Therese and Madame Raquin during the film’s third act.

Tom Felton is excellent as Camille as an ailing young man that at times selfish and demanding yet is also someone who wants to impress Therese and be a good man for her despite his many shortcomings as it has Felton play a role of humility. Oscar Isaacs is brilliant as Laurent LeClaire as a childhood friend of Camille who falls for Therese where he begins an affair with her only to bring dark ideas that he would share with Camille only to act out through cruel ways in its aftermath. Jessica Lange is amazing as Madame Raquin as this woman who doesn’t like the idea of being alone where she is a bit cruel but also is understanding as Lange shows her best work in the way she copes with grief but also anger through a sense of physicality as it is a master at work. Finally, there’s Elizabeth Olsen in an incredible performance as Therese Raquin as a young woman who is forced into a marriage with her cousin as she deals with being in a one-sided marriage despite her efforts to make it work while falling for Laurent that fulfills her sexual desires only to later deal with guilt and unhappiness in the aftermath of the actions she and Laurent had committed.

In Secret is a marvelous film from Charlie Stratton that features great performances from Elizabeth Olsen, Oscar Isaac, and Jessica Lange. Along with its gorgeous locations and setting as well as its emphasis on suspense and romantic drama. It’s a film that explore the idea of desire and sexual fulfillment but also what some will do to maintain that desire to great extremes. In the end, In Secret is a remarkable film from Charlie Stratton.

Related: Thirst

© thevoid99 2018

T2 Trainspotting

Based on novels Trainspotting and Porno by Irvine Welsh, T2 Trainspotting is the sequel to the 1996 film in which a former heroin addict returns to Edinburgh, Scotland to meet with old friends as they deal with changing times and attitudes as well as things from the past. Directed by Danny Boyle and screenplay by John Hodge, the film is an unconventional sequel that follows four men dealing with the new world as Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, and Ewen Bremner return playing their roles from the previous films with special appearances from Shirley Henderson and Kelly MacDonald in their old roles. Also starring Anjela Nedyalkova. T2 Trainspotting is an enthralling and exhilarating film from Danny Boyle.

The film follows four different men who have each gone separate paths in life more than 20 years after a deal that was supposed to make them rich only for one of them to leave with the money and bring ruin to their lives. Yet, Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to Edinburgh after his long 20-year exile where not only does he want to make amends but also deal with the fact that he’s returned to a world that has changed with some things that hasn’t changed. John Lodge’s screenplay doesn’t just explore Renton’s return to Edinburgh but also the fates and fortunes of his friends Simon “Sick Boy” Williamson (Jonny Lee Miller), Daniel “Spud” Murphy (Ewen Bremner), and Francis Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Sick Boy runs a failing pub while tries to blackmail top Scottish officials by filming their sexual encounters with a prostitute named Veronika (Anjela Nedyalkova) who is also Sick Boy’s girlfriend. Spud’s life is in a freefall after a failed marriage to Gail (Shirley Henderson) and being an absentee father to his son Fergus forcing him to return to heroin. Begbie is serving a 25-year prison sentence where he would escape prison.

Renton’s fortunes also haven’t gone well since he exiled himself in Amsterdam where he would also endure a fail marriage, an accounting firm that is forcing him out, and a heart attack. His return to Edinburgh forces him to deal with the fact that he not only fucked over Sick Boy and Begbie but also realize what is happening to Spud. Sick Boy decides to get revenge on Renton, despite getting back the share of the money they stole 20 years ago, with Veronika’s help but eventually realizes that there’s still some love towards his old friend as they also help out Spud. Begbie meanwhile, has a huge grudge towards Renton upon his escape from prison where the script also reveal that he has a family and does care about them despite being so brutal into everything he’s done. Renton and Sick Boy would work together to create a brothel with the involvement of Veronika and Spud but the two would know something would give as they’re bound to betray each other.

Danny Boyle’s direction is definitely stylish as it owes a lot to not just the 1996 film in terms of its visual style but also in showcasing how much Edinburgh has changed as it is a character in the film. Boyle’s usage of wide shots would capture how much the city has changed where Sick Boy lives next to a dump of destroyed cars as if a new housing development is about to emerge. Even in the usage of slanted angles where Boyle would showcase that sense of direction of where the characters are going as if their destined to go up or down. At the same time, Boyle would create compositions and shots of certain locations to match it with images of the previous film as it would evoke elements of nostalgia which is a key theme of the film visually and literally. Notably in a sequence where Renton has dinner with Veronika where he talks about the downsides of conformity and modernism in a dizzying montage where he talks about the idea of “choose life” in the 21st Century as it showcases why he, Spud, and Sick Boy are more fond of simpler times.

The film also play into the sense of melancholia as it relate to their late friend Tommy (Kevin McKidd via archival footage) in the same area where Tommy was trying to get his friends to walk to the Scottish Highlands. It’s a moment where Renton would accept the fact that he was responsible for Tommy’s descent as he would force Sick Boy to face his own tragedy and faults. It would culminate with Spud finally coming to terms with his addiction as he would channel his energy into something new as well as face Begbie who would see what Spud has created where it is this rare glimpse of humanity that seems to be lost in Begbie. Still, it does play into four men facing their own sins of the past as well as try to create something that does harken to simpler times and a balance of the past and present. Overall, Boyle crafts an evocative yet wild film about four men coming to terms with the past and their encounter with their modern environment in their search for nostalgia.

Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle does brilliant work with the film’s colorful cinematography with its stylish approach to scenes set in the day with its lighting and how Edinburgh would look on a sunny day as well as the scenes set at night where it play into a stylish look to emphasize the manic ride the characters would embark on. Editor Jon Harris does excellent work with the editing as its usage of jump-cuts, montages, match cuts with the original film, and other stylized cuts play into the sense of nostalgia as well as the characters dealing with the past. Production designer Patrick Rolfe and Mark Tildesley, with set decorators Orlin Grozdanov and Veronique Melery, do fantastic work with the look of Sick Boy’s apartment and pub as well as the apartment that Spud lives in to play into their lack of stability. Costume designers Rachel Fleming and Steven Noble do terrific work with the costumes as it play into the look of the characters including some of the more youthful clothes that Veronika wears.

Hair/makeup designer Ivana Primorac does nice work with the look of the characters from Sick Boy’s hair to the look of Veronika. Visual effects supervisor Adam Gascoyne does amazing work with the visual effects as it play into the air of nostalgia in the way some of the footage that the characters talk about are shown on objects and such. Sound designers Glenn Freemantle and Niv Adiri do incredible work with the sound in creating an array of sounds to play into the chaos that the characters endure in their environment as well as some of the locations they would go to. The film’s phenomenal soundtrack is a mixture of hip-hop, new wave, alternative rock, Brit-pop, ambient, drum n’ bass, rock, punk, and other types of music that features contributions from the Clash, Blondie, Underworld, Queen, Wolf Alice, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins, Fat White Family, Young Fathers, High Contrast, and Iggy Pop.

The casting by Gail Stevens is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Scot Greenan as Begbie’s son Frank Jr., Kyle Patrick as Spud’s teenage son Fergus, Charlie Hardie as the nine-year old Fergus, Pauline Turner as Begbie’s wife, Steve Robertson as a prison official who invokes Begbie’s wrath, Bradley Welsh as a rival brother owner in Doyle, Michael Shaw and Elijah Wolf in their respective roles as the 20-year old and nine-year old versions of Tommy, the trio of Christopher Mullen, Daniel Smith, and Daniel Jackson as younger versions of Begbie, James McElvar and Logan Gilles as the younger versions of Sick Boy, Aiden Haggarty and John Bell as the younger versions of Spud, the trio of Connor McIndoe, Ben Skelton, and Hamish Haggerty as the younger versions of Renton, and novelist Irvine Welsh reprising his role as Mikey Forrester who has become a black markets dealer. James Cosmo and Shirley Henderson are terrific in their brief appearances in their respective roles as Renton’s father and Spud’s former girlfriend Gail.

Kelly Macdonald is fantastic in her brief appearance as Renton’s former girlfriend Diane who has become a solicitor as she tries to help Renton and Veronika over Sick Boy’s legal and financial troubles while seeing what Renton had become. Anjela Nedyalkova is wonderful as Veronika as a Bulgarian prostitute who is Sick Boy’s girlfriend that becomes concerned with Sick Boy’s schemes while having an affair with Renton and befriending Spud whom she sees as someone that has a lot more to offer as a person in need of help. Robert Carlyle is brilliant as Francis Begbie as a psychopath who is hell-bent in getting out of prison to continue his life as a criminal where he also seeks revenge on Renton for putting him in prison where Carlyle also show a bit of vulnerability into the character as he would also briefly play a dual role as drunken man he met many years ago.

Ewan Bremner is amazing as Spud as a man who endured a lot of misfortune to the point that he’s hit bottom as he struggles to be clean and find a new outlet which he would eventually find as a way to come to terms with his faults and a new promise in his life. Jonny Lee Miller is remarkable as Sick Boy as a man who continuously schemes to get what he wants as well as deal with a cocaine addiction and his anger towards Renton where he tries to find a way to get even with him only to realize how much he needs Renton to get things done. Finally, there’s Ewan McGregor in an incredible performance as Mark Renton as a man who returns to Edinburgh following a 20-year exile where he deals with his own brush with death as he tries to figure out what to do with the remaining years of his life as well as make amends for his past sins in the hope he can redeem himself and find some idea of life he can live in.

T2 Trainspotting is a sensational film from Danny Boyle that features great performances from Ewan McGregor, Ewan Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, and Robert Carlyle. Along with its supporting cast, dazzling visuals, approach to nostalgia, and a killer soundtrack, it’s a film that manages to capture the spirit of its predecessor while not being afraid to use that film as a reference point in order to explore its characters who are still hung on to the past. In the end, T2 Trainspotting is a phenomenal film from Danny Boyle.

Danny Boyle Films: Shallow Grave – Trainspotting - A Life Less Ordinary - The Beach - 28 Days Later - Millions - Sunshine (2007 film) - Slumdog Millionaire - 127 Hours - Trance (2013 film) - Steve Jobs (2015 film) - (Yesterday (2019 film)

Related: Trainspotting OST - Favorite Films #10: Trainspotting

© thevoid99 2017

2017 Cannes Marathon: Tale of Tales

(Played in Competition for the Palme d’Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival)

Based on the collection of tales Pentamerone by Giambattista Basile, Tale of Tales is a collection of stories that would become the basis for many different fairy tales that are told in a surrealistic presentation. Directed by Matteo Garrone and screenplay by Garone, Edoardo Albinati, Ugo Chiti, and Massimo Guadioso, the film follows three different stories that mixes elements of realism and surrealism. Starring Salma Hayek, John C. Reilly, Toby Jones, Kathryn Hunter, Shirley Henderson, Stacy Martin, Hayley Carmichael, Alba Rohrwacher, Jessie Cave, and Vincent Cassel. Tale of Tales is a rich yet offbeat film from Matteo Garrone.

Based on three different stories by Giambattista Basile, the film revolves around the fate of three different kingdoms and their encounter with something mysterious and unique. The first of which involves a barren queen whose husband sacrifices himself to get the heart of a sea monster for a virgin to prepare where both women would give birth to an albino boy who become friends much to the queen’s dismay. The second story involves a king who becomes fascinated by a flea in his hand during a performance from his daughter as he keeps it as a pet until its passing where an ogre identifies its skin and takes the princess. The third and final story involve two old women who enchant a womanizing king with an operatic voice as one of them tries her best to look young as she later meets a witch who would do that leaving the other sister behind wanting to be young.

The film’s screenplay would crisscross through each different story though the characters from all three different stories would rarely meet as it play into a world where these character all want something. Each narrative would build up into something such as the Queen of Longtrellis (Salma Hayek) is keen on winning the affection of her son Elias (Christian Lees) but he’s more concerned in maintaining his close friendship with the peasant boy Jonah (Jonah Lees). The story of the King of Highhills (Toby Jones) and his love for the flea would be a story about neglect as it relates to his daughter in the Princess Violet (Bebe Cave) whom he unknowingly gives her away to an ogre (Guillaume Delauanay) because he correctly guessed the skin of the king’s dead pet. The story about the King of Strongcliff (Vincent Cassel) and the two old women in Dora (Hayley Carmichael) and Imma (Shirley Henderson) relates to Dora’s desire to be young and become the object of desire for this lustful king. All of these stories share the common theme of selfishness as well as neglect and sin.

Matteo Garrone’s direction is definitely very stylish as it has elements of surrealism as well as references to classic fairytales. Shot on various locations in Italy, the film does play into that world of medieval times as it is the right setting for where these fairytales were created as it also borders into the world of the absurd. Garrone would use a lot of wide shots to capture not just the scope of the locations including the different kingdoms but also in the castles themselves as they all display a different personality into the people who rule them. There are also usages of close-ups and medium shots to establish the characters and their situation as Garrone would infuse moments that are very dark but also have this odd sense of surrealism where it is obvious that Garrone is taking some of his ideas from the works of Federico Fellini. Still, Garrone would provide his own ideas of style as it relates to some of the violence that Elias and Jonah would encounter as would Princess Violet and Imma in their own stories. Overall, Garrone creates a chilling yet whimsical film about three royal leaders and their selfishness.

Cinematographer Peter Suschitzky does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of unique lighting schemes for some of the interiors including the scenes at night as well as the naturalistic look for some of the daytime exteriors. Editor Marco Spoletini does nice work with the editing as it is quite straightforward with some stylish cuts to play into some of the offbeat humor and drama as well as in some of the transitions. Production designer Dimitri Capuani, with set decorator Alessia Anfuso and supervising art director Gianpaolo Rifino, does amazing work with the look of the castle interiors as well as some of the look of the caves and places the characters encounter. Costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini does incredible work with the costumes from the lavish gowns some of the women wear to the clothes of the man including the ragged look of some of the characters including Imma and Dora.

Hair designer Francesco Pegoretti and makeup designer Gino Tamagnini, with special makeup effects and creature supervisor Luigi D’Andrea, do fantastic work with the look of Imma and Dora as old women as well as the wigs of some of the characters as well as the look of the sea monster. Special effects supervisor Leonardo Cruciano, along with visual effects supervisors Bruno Albi Marini and Nicola Sganga, does terrific work with the visual effects as it’s mainly some set dressing as well as in the design of the flea and its movements. Sound designer Leslie Shatz does superb work with the sound in creating some sound effects as well as capture much of the atmosphere in the recorded sounds at the different locations in the film. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is great as it is one of the film’s major highlights with its rich orchestral-based score as well as in the string and piano arrangements.

The casting by Jina Jay is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Kathryn Hunter as a witch that Dora meets, Franco Pistoni as a necromancer who gives the Queen of Longtrellis instructions on what she has to do to get a baby, Guillaume Delaunay as the ogre who takes Princess Violet as his bride, Massimo Ceccherini as a circus performer who would save Princess Violet, Alba Rohrwacher as a circus performer who would see Princess Violet and plan her rescue, Jessie Cave as a sweetheart of Jonah, and John C. Reilly in a small but superb performance as the King of Longtrellis as the man who would hunt down the sea monster and get his heart for his wife. Christian and Jonah Lees are terrific in their respective roles as Elias and Jonah as two albino young men who have a strange connection to each other as if they’re brothers as they try to hold on to their friendship against the demands of Elias’ mother. Hayley Carmichael is wonderful as the older Dora as a woman with an angelic voice who craves to be with the lustful King of Strongcliff while Stacy Martin is fantastic as the young yet more vain version of Dora.

Shirley Henderson is excellent as Dora’s sister Imma as an old woman who would help her sister woo the King of Strongcliff as she would be left behind as she is desperate to try and find a way to become young again. Bebe Cave is brilliant as Princess Violet as a young woman eager to get the attention of her father as she is suddenly put into a situation that she didn’t want to be in forcing her to deal with matters by herself. Toby Jones is amazing as the King of Highhills as a king who becomes attentive towards a flea he would keep as a pet as he would put his daughter into a contest unwilling to go against his word as king. Vincent Cassel is remarkable as the King of Strongcliff as a man who lusts over beautiful women as he is someone that is quite vain as well as eager to fulfill his own desires. Finally, there’s Salma Hayek in a phenomenal performance as the Queen of Longtrellis as a woman eager to have a child and hold on to it as it’s a performance filled with anguish but also a determination of someone who is selfish in her love for her son and refusing to think what is best for him.

Tale of Tales is a sensational film from Matteo Garrone. Featuring a great ensemble cast, an inventive screenplay with very compelling themes, dazzling visuals, and a sumptuous score by Alexandre Desplat. The film is definitely a strange yet intriguing film that explores the fallacies of desires and power in the hands of people who are consumed with their own bullshit. In the end, Tale of Tales is an enchanting and exhilarating film from Matteo Garrone.

Matteo Garrone Films: (Terra di mezzo) - (Guests) - (Roman Summer) - (The Embalmer (2002 film)) - (First Love (2004 film)) - (Gomorrah) - (Reality (2012 film))

© thevoid99 2017

The Look of Love

Directed by Michael Winterbottom and written by Matt Greenhalgh, The Look of Love is the story about British pornographer and real estate entrepreneur Paul Raymond as he brings the world of sex and strip clubs to London’s Soho section where he gains notoriety and such in his tumultuous life. Winterbottom collaborator Steve Coogan plays the role of Raymond as it explores the man’s rise and fall where he would endure lots of highs and some incredible lows. Also starring Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, and Tamsin Egerton. The Look of Love is a pretty good though messy film from Michael Winterbottom.

Paul Raymond was famous for bringing sex into the Soho section of London as he created the softcore porn magazine Men Only and staged lavish shows with naked women as the center of attraction. Yet, the film is about Raymond’s rise to notoriety where he is attacked left and right from all sorts of people for his exploitation of women. Still, Raymond is a man who wants to have fun but also struggled with keeping up with the times and trying to help his daughter Debbie (Imogen Poots) to gain a career despite her lack of talent as she would tragically die of a heroin overdose in November of 1992. The film is largely told from Raymond’s perspective as he looks back on his life just after the death of his daughter as the film is told from the late 1950s to Debbie’s death.

Matt Greenhalgh’s screenplay does have a narrative that is straightforward though it is very messy at times while it tries to be both a comedy and a drama where it ends up being uneven. There’s also some stuff that relates to the illegitimate son that Paul had many years ago that his siblings didn’t know about as it’s only shown in one scene but it’s a scene that feels very awkward with the rest of the narrative. Still, Greenhalgh does create some unique characters in not just Paul and Debbie Raymond but also the two wives that Paul married as the first in Jean (Anna Friel) and the second in a young dancer/model in Fiona Richmond (Tamsin Egerton). Jean was this woman that supported Paul from the late 1950s to the early 1970s where she left him following his affair with Fiona.

The film’s strongest point for much of the second half is Paul’s relationship with his daughter as he wanted to support her in every way where they party together and also do drugs together. While Paul does drugs for fun where his affairs with other women would drive Fiona out of the way. Debbie’s drug use becomes something bigger as she did it to numb the pain over her lack of progress to make it as her father would be the only other thing to comfort her. Even as Paul would lay his hopes on Debbie to take over his empire unaware of the tragedy that is to come.

Michael Winterbottom’s direction is pretty stylish in the way he presents the film from the 1950s to the early 1990s where much of the film’s 1950s sequence is presented in black-and-white to showcase the air of sophistication in the film. Notably as the nudity is presented with a sense of class and nothing really overt while some of the direction is still intimate with hand-held cameras and such to play into that craziness. Even as the film returns to color in much more lavish ways for the scenes set in the 1960s and 1970s where it was a time of hedonism as the nudity itself becomes outrageous. Winterbottom does find time to give the audience a break from the decadence of the film while infusing it with some style in some montages on the way Men Only is created and re-invented as the years go by along with some of the stage shows that Raymond would present in his career.

Things do slow down for the film’s third act as it concerns Paul and Debbie’s relationship where much of the camera work is straightforward with bits of style as the scenes in the late 80s and early 90s rely less on visuals and more about the story. Even as it plays into the tragedy that is evident in the first scene of the film as Paul watches an interview that Debbie did for TV as it prompts him to look back at his entire life. Despite some of issues with the script, Michael Winterbottom crafts a very compelling film about the life of Paul Raymond.

Cinematographer Hubert Taczanowski does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the black-and-white look of the scenes set in the 1950s to the lavish colors and vibrant lights for the scenes set in the 1960s and beyond. Editor Mags Arnold does brilliant work with the film‘s editing with its approach to montages and arrays of stylish cuts to play into that world of hedonism. Production designer Jacqueline Abrahams and art director Carly Reddin do fantastic work with the set pieces from the loft that Paul lives in to the clubs and such that he runs in Soho. Costume designer Stephanie Collie does fabulous work with array of costumes that were displayed on film from the hot-pants that Fiona wore to the dresses that Jean wore as well as the clothes that Debbie wore in the film.

The hair and makeup design work of Fiona Leech and Laura Schiavo is amazing for the array of looks that were created in the film to play with the craziness of the times. Visual effects supervisor Marc Knapton does nice work with the minimal visual effects for the set dressing of London in those times as well as the roof of Raymond‘s loft. Sound editor Joakim Sundstrom does terrific work with the sound to play into the sound effects that occurs on stage as well as some of the craziness in some of the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Antony Genn and Martin Slattery is superb as it’s mostly a mixture of playful jazz music with some orchestral pieces to play into some of the drama while music supervisor John Coyne brings in a fun soundtrack that plays with those times from the music of the 60s and 70s that includes pieces by David Bowie, T. Rex, Hot Chocolate, and other acts.

The casting by Jina Jay is wonderful for the ensemble that is created as it features some cameo appearances from such Winterbottom regulars as Keiran O’Brien and Shirley Henderson as a couple of friends of Raymond from the 50s/60s, Mark Williams as a Follies stage director, David Walliams as the outgoing Vicar Edwyn Young, Stephen Fry as a barrister, Matt Lucas as the famed drag actor Divine, and Liam Boyle as Paul’s illegitimate long-lost son Derry. Other notable small roles include Matthew Beard as Paul’s son Howard, James Lance as Paul’s lawyer Carl Snitcher, and Chris Addison as Men Only editor/photography Tony Power who would introduce Debbie to cocaine. Tamsin Egerton is excellent as Fiona Richmond as an aspiring model who would become Paul’s muse in the late 60s/early 70s as well as a controversial columnist who later leaves Paul after too much partying.

Anna Friel is fantastic as Paul’s first wife Jean as a woman who had been supportive of his ventures only to leave him after his affair with Fiona as she later returns to him when Debbie gets married as she would be involved in a lavish nude spread for his magazine. Imogen Poots is remarkable as Paul’s daughter Debbie as a young woman eager to make it as a singer/actress only to succumb to addiction as she clings to her father where Poots is really the star of the film. Finally, there’s Steve Coogan in a marvelous performance as Paul Raymond as the man who would bring sex to London as someone that wants to give people a good time while he loses himself in his hedonism while becoming troubled by the losses he suffers where Coogan proves to be strong as a dramatic actor while still being very funny.

The Look of Love is a very good film from Michael Winterbottom that is highlighted by the performances of Steve Coogan and Imogen Poots. While it’s a flawed film that has issues with the tone of the screenplay. It is still an engaging film for the way it explores the life of Paul Raymond and how he brought sex to London in the late 1950s making him one of Britain’s richest men. In the end, The Look of Love is a stellar film from Michael Winterbottom.

Michael Winterbottom Films: (Rosie the Great) - (Forget About Me) - (Under the Sun) - (Love Lies Bleeding) - (The Family (1993 TV film)) - (Butterfly Kiss) - (Go Now) - (Jude) - Welcome to Sarajevo - I Want You - (With or Without You) - Wonderland (1999 film) - The Claim - 24 Hour Party People - In This World - Code 46 - 9 Songs - Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - Genova - The Shock Doctrine - The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday) - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of An Angel)

© thevoid99 2014

Trainspotting

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/23/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting is the story about a group of heroin addicts living in the economically-depressed world of Edinburgh, Scotland as one of the addicts is struggling to find a life outside of heroin addiction. Directed by Danny Boyle and screenplay by John Hodge, the film is an exploration into the life of a young man dealing with his own heroin addiction as well as trying to maintain his friendship with those are addicts and those who aren't. Starring Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Kevin McKidd, Kelly MacDonald, Peter Mullan, Shirley Henderson, and Robert Carlyle. Trainspotting is an outstanding yet harrowing film from Danny Boyle.

Drug addiction is often used as a way to escape from the world of reality no matter how bad it is. For Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), he uses it as a way to get away from the real world as well as what it offers as he has friends who use it as well as those who don't do it. Still, Renton is eager to try to withdraw himself from the drug in an attempt to live a clean life as well as trying to get out more socially. Though he would eventually form a relationship with an underage woman in Diane (Kelly MacDonald), it wouldn't be enough as he is often drawn back to the world of addiction as he even gets one of his friends in Tommy (Kevin McKidd) to be part of this troubled world. After a series of circumstances and an encounter with Diane, Renton attempts to start a new life in London but old friends would only bring trouble as he is suddenly drawn into an even darker world involving crime as he tries to maintain something that would allow him to live a good life.

John Hodge's screenplay is unique for the way it explores the life of a young man and his struggles as it's told largely from his perspective with a lot of voice-over narration. While it's a film with a very grim subject matter, there's humor in the script that is filled with some stylish dialogue as well as scenes that are just terrifying to watch such as Renton trying to retrieve suppositories in the most disgusting toilet in Scotland. Still, Hodge's script has a structure where the first act is about his attempts to withdraw from heroin. The second act is his return to heroin and a near-death experience while the third is his life in London where he tries to start a new life only for his old friends to arrive and nearly ruin things. Through this narration, Renton allows himself to explain the unique world of heroin as well as his everything he's going through as well as his later life being a clean young man trying to make it in London where it's an entirely new world.

Danny Boyle's direction is very stylish as it's filled with lots of dark and funny moments through his unique compositions and scene staging. Yet, some compositions include references to the Beatles and scenes that can be a mix of beauty and ugly. Even in how Boyle would shoot a scene, notably Renton's near-overdose as he tells the film from Renton's perspective. Yet when Boyle creates funny moments, he creates something that can be disgusting to watch yet finds the right note of humor to create that scene. For the film's scenes in Edinburgh, the whole look seems a bit depressing and grey in contrast to the sunnier, colorful world of London. Boyle maintains a look and style to the film as he creates an energetic, fun, harrowing, yet sensational film that is repeatedly watchable.

Cinematographer Brian Tufano creates a unique look to the film with its grey, colorless look of exterior Edinburgh in the daytime with the smoky nighttime scenes at the club. Even some of the interior shots have a unique look to convey the troubled, hazy moods of Renton on dope. The look of London Tufano creates is more colorful in its exterior and interior scenes. Notably the nightclub rave scene to reveal the contrast world of retro-driven Edinburgh and the electronica world of London. Editor Masahiro Hirakubo is excellent in its rhythm, speed-cuts to emphasize the emotions of Renton, and transitions to reveal the world that Renton is surrounded by.

Production designer Kave Quinn and art director Tracey Gallacher do an excellent work in the look of some of the dirty, decayed look of Edinburgh in its apartments and other exterior worlds. The look for London is more clean and colorful until Begbie and Sick Boy arrives to make a mess of things. Costume designer Rachael Fleming does excellent work in the decayed look of the street clothes that the men wear while Sick Boy gets to wear nice suits. Yet, it's the sparkly dress that Diane wears that really stands out among the costumes as it looks great. Sound recordist Colin Nicholson and effects editor Jonathan Miller do great work in capturing the sound locations, action, and dance-club scenes.

The film's soundtrack is truly one of the greatest film soundtracks ever made with music legends like Iggy Pop, Brian Eno, and Lou Reed plus tracks by Brit-pop luminaries like Blur, Blur vocalist Damon Albarn, Elastica, Primal Scream, Pulp, and Sleeper. Other tracks ranging from 80s stalwarts like New Order and Heaven 17 to electronic acts like Leftfield, Bedrock, Ice MC, and Underworld provide the idea of new Britain. Orchestral pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach and Georges Bizet are used for comic effect as it's easily one of the greatest film soundtracks ever created.

The casting by Andy Pryor and Gail Stevens is wonderfully assembled with cameo appearances by the book's novelist Irvine Welsh as Mikey Forrester, Dale Winton as a game show host, screenwriter John Hodge as a security officer, producer Andrew MacDonald as a buyer of one of the flats Renton sells, and costume designer Rachael Fleming as a nurse. Small roles like James Cosmo and Eileen Nicholas as Renton's parents are good as is Susan Vidler as Allison, Shirley Henderson as Gail, and Pauline Lynch as Lizzy. Peter Mullan is great in a small but memorable supporting role as Swanney, the dealer who cooks up heroin for Renton and the gang. In her film debut, Kelly MacDonald is great as Diane. The underage young woman who looks older but provides a sense of surprise and wisdom to Renton in making him change his life as MacDonald is funny and charming in her film debut.

Kevin McKidd also does great work in his film debut as Tommy, a clean-cut man who gets dumped by his girlfriend only to succumb to the troubles of heroin addiction. McKidd's performance is excellent to see someone full of life and hope go down only to bring a sense of guilt to the film's protagonist. Ewen Bremner is excellent as Spud, the most innocent and comical member of the group as he's often clueless despite his earnestness and being just a good guy. Jonny Lee Miller is wonderfully slimy and witty as Sick Boy, the Sean Connnery-loving guy who likes to look good while being just as sleazy and untrustworthy. Robert Carlyle is amazing as the psychopathic Begbie, a guy who likes to intimidate people and be the leader. Carlyle's performance is fun to watch in every scene he's in as he's just one of cinema's most unlikely badasses. Finally, there's Ewan McGregor in a breakout performance as Renton. The protagonist trying to leave the world of heroin addiction while struggling with his addiction. McGregor's performance is really the heart of the film as he provides the sense of struggle and hopefulness in his performance.

Trainspotting is an exciting, funny, yet harrowing film from Danny Boyle. Thanks to Boyle's stylish direction, John Hodge's witty screenplay, a superb soundtrack, and an amazing ensemble cast led by Ewan McGregor. It remains one of Britain's beloved films as well as one of the best films ever made. With a lot of memorable scenes both funny and horrifying, it's a film that remains unforgettable in whatever scene that is shown. In the end, for a film that is witty, dark, yet mesmerizing, Trainspotting is the film to go check out.

Danny Boyle Films: Shallow Grave - A Life Less Ordinary - The Beach - 28 Days Later - Millions - Sunshine - Slumdog Millionaire - 127 Hours - Trance - Steve Jobs (2015 film) - T2 Trainspotting - (Yesterday (2019 film))

Related: Trainspotting OST - Favorite Films #10: Trainspotting

© thevoid99 2013

The Claim

Based on The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, The Claim is the story about a young surveyor who comes across a town in California during the late 1860s figuring out where to put a railroad while its mayor deals with demons from the past as a woman and her daughter arrives to town. Directed by Michael Winterbottom and screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the film is an exploration into the world of the American West in the aftermath of the Gold Rush and the changing times that is to emerge with the arrival of the railroad. Starring Peter Mullan, Milla Jovovich, Nastassja Kinski, Sarah Polley, Shirley Henderson, and Wes Bentley. The Claim is a mesmerizing yet haunting film from Michael Winterbottom.

Arriving to the town of Kingdom Come is a young surveyor named Donald Dalglish (Wes Bentley) where he works for the Central Pacific Railroad company to find a site where he can put a railroad through California. Accompanied by a group of men who work for the company, Dalglish has to ask the town’s founder and mayor Daniel Dillon (Peter Mullan) for permission to survey the land as Dillon grants it as he’s hoping that a railroad through town can increase the business. Meanwhile at the same time, a woman named Elena Burn (Nastassja Kinski) and her daughter Hope (Sarah Polley) arrive asking for Dillon as Hope gives Dillon a cross where Dillon realizes who they are as he’s haunted by memories of how he got the gold in which he traded his wife and baby daughter for gold.

Hope befriends Dalglish as he continues to survey the land around Kingdom Come while Dillon hopes to meet the ailing Elena who is suffering from tuberculosis. While Dillon has a lover in the saloon/brothel owner in the Portuguese-born Lucia (Milla Jovovich), Dillon wants to be with Elena as he tries to give Lucia the deeds to the places she owns as well as some gold bricks but she refuses. Dillon marries Elena as hopes to help her beat her tuberculosis as he also gets to know Hope as her relationship with Dalglish blossoms. After some major setbacks and issues over the land, Dalglish makes the decision to leave town to move the route somewhere nearby and easier leaving Kingdom Come without a promising future. Things get worse for Dillon and the town that would force Dillon to do something in response to what is happening around him.

The film is essentially the story about a mayor who learns about a surveyor who is trying to find a path for a railroad in the hopes that it will bring a lot of things to the town. Yet, he is haunted by the arrival of an ailing woman and her daughter which forces him to confront his past when he first found gold and became rich that led to him finding a town where he became its mayor. Upon their arrival, the mayor hopes to redeem himself and do right for this woman as she’s ill from tuberculosis as well as her daughter. Yet, he faces complications from his lover who owns and runs a saloon and a brothel who is in love with him as well as changing times when it becomes clear that the land near might not be suitable enough to have a railroad nearby or right on his town.

Frank Cottrell Boyce’s screenplay is very multi-layered in the way he presents a world that is changing during the late 1860s just as the arrival of the railroad is happening around the American West. The character of Dalglish is a young man who works for a prestigious railroad company who wants to see where a railroad can be placed in northern California near Sacramento. He becomes the man that places the fate of the town to see if a railroad can help this small town be more well-known as a lot is already happening. At the center of this is a mayor who is hoping for the railroad to come to the town as he is dealing with how he became rich and is hoping to redeem himself to this woman he knew from his past. While it is obvious who this woman and her daughter are to this man based on the flashbacks but Boyce doesn’t dwell on exposition as he just lets the flashback tells the story.

For Daniel Dillon, the arrival of Elena and Hope Burns can give him the chance to not just find redemption but also do right for both of these women but he would alienate his current lover who is also in love with him. Lucia would definitely play part to not just Dillon’s downfall but in unexpected ways since things become more complicated in the third act when Dalglish makes his decision that would be uneasy for Dillon in what he would face. A showdown would occur but since this is not a conventional Western, the showdown would only serve little to what would happen in the third act.

Michael Winterbottom’s direction is definitely ambitious in terms of the world that he recreates though it is shot largely in Canada with some parts in Colorado. Since the story takes place in the winter and in a small town that is in the middle of the mountains. Winterbottom creates a film that is filled with lots of broad images where it takes place in this land as a young surveyor tries to see where to put the railroad and see if he can help this little town. The direction is also big in lots of ways that includes a very memorable scene of a house being pulled down a hill by men and horses. Still, Winterbottom maintains an air of intimacy with his close-ups and in the interior scenes to showcase a world that is thriving but also changing.

Notably as it is about the possibility of a greater future yet Daniel Dillon would face things that he is unprepared for that would make him deal with everything he had been through. Winterbottom’s use of the flashbacks only pop up once in a while though it would tell enough of what is needed without too much exposition. By the time the third act occurs, things definitely get grim where there are aspects of the Western but it’s not a conventional manner. It’s about a whole lot of things but also loss in a grand way. Overall, Winterbottom creates a truly majestic yet harrowing film about changing times and loss set in the American West.

Cinematographer Alwin H. Kuchler does brilliant work with the film‘s vast cinematography from the look of the exterior settings to the more evocative lighting schemes for the scenes at night as well as the use of candle lights in the nighttime interior scenes. Editor Trevor Waite does excellent work with editing to play up the intensity of the drama as well as using jump-cuts for certain scenes as it has an air of style throughout the film. Production designers Ken Rempel and Mark Tildesley, along with set decorator Paul Healey, do amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the saloons and homes in the town as they are very elaborate in their presentation to present a world of the American West.

Costume designer Joanna Hansen does superb work with the costumes from the ragged clothes the men wear to the more stylish dresses the women wear during that period. Sound editor Ian Wilson does wonderful work with the sound to capture the raucous atmosphere of the saloons to the harsh sounds of the cold winds. The film’s music by Michael Nyman is truly a highlight of the film as it’s a very low-key yet sweeping operatic orchestral score that plays up to the sense of drama and uncertainty that is prevalent throughout the film.

The casting by Kerry Barden, Wendy Brazington, Billy Hopkins, and Suzanne Smith is terrific for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable small roles from Shirley Henderson as a prostitute named Annie, Julian Richings as one of Dalglish’s friends in Frank Bellanger, and Barry Ward as the young Dillon. Nastassja Kinski is excellent as the ailing Elena Burn who deals with her illness and her past with Dillon as she hopes that he does the right thing. Milla Jovovich is wonderful as Lucia who deals with the presence of Hope as she tries to hold on to Dillon while being intrigued by Dalglish’s arrival.

Wes Bentley is excellent as Donald Dalglish who deals with the fate he’s carrying as well as what is going on in the town where he would make some drastic decisions in his life. Sarah Polley is superb as Hope Burn who deals with her mother’s illness while falling for Dalglish as she sees a town going through changes. Finally, there’s Peter Mullan in a marvelous performance as Daniel Dillon who deals with his demons and a possible future while hoping to find redemption for his past sins in a world that is changing around him.

The Claim is a remarkable film from Michael Winterbottom and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce. Featuring a great ensemble cast that includes Peter Mullan, Sarah Polley, Wes Bentley, Milla Jovovich, and Nastassja Kinski. It’s a film that definitely showcases a bit of realism into what was happening in the American West. Notably as it’s very different from most films about the West without delving too much into conventions. In the end, The Claim is an extraordinary film from Michael Winterbottom.

Michael Winterbottom Films: (Rosie the Great) - (Forget About Me) - (Under the Sun) - (Love Lies Bleeding) - (Family (1993 TV film)) - (Butterfly Kiss) - (Go Now) - (Jude) - Welcome to Sarajevo - I Want You - (With or Without You) - Wonderland (1999 film) - 24 Hour Party People - In This World - Code 46 - 9 Songs - Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - Genova - The Shock Doctrine (2009 film) -The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday (2012 film)) - The Look of Love - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of an Angel)

© thevoid99 2012

Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com 12/26/06 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the novel Tristram Shandy by Laurence Stern, Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story is about the making of a film adaptation of Tristram Shandy where cast and crew deal with the impossible task of filming a novel that is deemed un-filmable. Directed by Michael Winterbottom and screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce (under the Martin Hardy pseudonym), the film explores the story of Tristram Shandy as well as film's crew attempt to try and make this impossible film told by its lead actor Steve Coogan who plays the titular character along with Tristram's father and as a version of himself. Also starring Rob Brydon, Jeremy Northam, Ian Hart, Gillian Anderson, Kelly MacDonald, Naomie Harris, David Walliams, Dylan Moran, Keeley Hawes, James Fleet, Mark Williams, Stephen Fry, Kieran O'Brien, and Winterbottom regular Shirley Henderson. Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story is a witty satire from Michael Winterbottom.

Tristam Shandy talks about his own life and how his uncle Toby (Rob Brydon) got wounded where Tristam later received a similar injury when he was a child (Joe Williams). After discussing his birth and how he was conceived, the birth scene becomes a disaster as its director Mark (Jeremy Northam) is unsatisfied by the results. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon (as himself) go on break they argue over shoe sizes and height while the assistant director Ingoldsby (Mark Williams) frets over historical accuracy. Often accompanied by production assistant Jennie (Naomie Harris) and trying to be attentive to his girlfriend Jenny (Kelly MacDonald) and their baby, Steve works with Mark and screenwriter Joe (Ian Hart) try to figure out how to tell the story as they realize the difficulty in leaving things out. After an interview with Tony Wilson where Steve reveals what won't be covered, Wilson is enraged over the Widow Wadman story not being filled as Steve later deals with a journalist named Gary (Kieran O'Brien).

Dealing with his attraction towards Jennie, who reveals about a drunken affair they had the previous night, Steve tries to deal with all of the chaos of filming as the rushes for the battle scenes turned out not to be very good. Finally deciding to put the Widow Wadman story in the film, Steve suggests to producer Simon (James Fleet) to get Gillian Anderson for the part. Anderson accepts the role much to Rob Brydon's anxieties as he has a crush on Anderson. Everyone becomes nervous about Anderson's involvement while Rob learns his part is being expanded as Steve is fretting over that as well as Jennie's flirtations. More importantly, everyone else wonders how will this impossible story will be received as the final film.

It's true that adaptations and even biographies are hard to make into films, especially since they feature stories and subplots that readers seem to love. What Michael Winterbottom and his longtime screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce tried to do was make two different films. The first act being about Tristram Shandy and then the second act about making the film and the third is about the business of trying to make Tristram Shandy. While Boyce's structure is interesting along with its knack for British humor, the structure and humor isn't for everyone though Winterbottom brings a lot of satire to the film's second and third act. While the first act is an interesting yet funny film about a man's life, during the second and third act, it reveals that the life of this man is filled with so many stories. Especially in a 94-minute film is impossible to tell where it's hard to make the story of a man like Tristram Shandy where the film becomes a satire of where everything in the world of filmmaking goes wrong due to the egos of actors, the accuracy of costumes, and everything in between. The result is a funny, witty satire from Winterbottom and Boyce.

Cinematographer Marcel Zyskind does wonderful work with varied styles of photography to the arty, artificial style of Tristram sequences and scenes to the more documentary, hand-held approach towards the rest of the film. Production designer John-Paul Kelly and art director Emma MacDevitt do wonderful work in creating the period style of the 18th Century for the Tristram sequences while costume designer Charlotte Walter also does fine work in the look of the costumes where it's purposely is made to look foolish. Editor Peter Christelis does excellent work in playing with the film's structure while giving it a leisurely-pacing feel. Sound recordist Stuart Wilson does some excellent work in creating the sound to convey the atmosphere of the times and the documentary-style of the making-of stuff. The film's music is filled with an array of classical pieces from Antonio Vivaldi, Nino Rota, and Johann Sebastian Bach along with additional pieces from Michael Nyman and Edward Nogria.

The film's cast is wonderfully assembled with several actors playing themselves or caricatures of the film crew and producers. Featuring small yet notable and funny performances from Mark Williams as a historically-accurate assistant director, Keeley Hawes as Elizabeth Shandy/herself, Shirley Henderson as Susannah/herself, David Walliams as the hilarious parson, Stephen Fry as an eccentric historian, Paul Kynman as Shandy's assistant Obidiah, Dylan Moran as the dim Dr. Slop, Raymond Waring as cousin Trim, and Kieran O'Brien as the journalist Gary. Ian Hart is pretty funny as the screenwriter Joe who tries to re-write everything while Mark Hadfield is also good as another journalist named Leo. James Fleet and Jeremy Northam are excellent in their respectful roles as the producer and director Mark where Northam is really making fun of Michael Winterbottom. Tony Wilson and Gillian Anderson are excellent in their cameos as themselves with Anderson doing a great job as Widow Wadman. Joe Williams and Conal Murphy are really good as the child Tristram with their arrogant personality in believing that they're better actors than Steve Coogan.

Kelly MacDonald is wonderfully sweet as Coogan's girlfriend Jenny while Naomie Harris is witty as Coogan's assistant Jennie. The film's best supporting performance goes to Rob Brydon as Uncle Toby and himself. Brydon is the best comedic foil to Coogan as a supporting actor who suddenly is getting more attention to Coogan while dealing with the upcoming appearance of Gillian Anderson. Brydon steals every scene he's in as he also does some hilarious impressions of American actors. Finally, there's Steve Coogan in one of his funny roles as Tristram, his father, and himself. Coogan is truly a comedic genius with his straight-manner in how he narrates and tells the story while allowing himself to be humiliated in strange situations. This is truly Coogan's film as he brings the same kind of energy and wit that he did in 24 Hour Party People.

Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story is a fascinating, witty film from Michael Winterbottom and company. Though some might not get the film's British humor, fans of British comedy and the satire of filmmaking will indeed enjoy this. Thanks in large parts to the comedic talents of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon along with their supporting cast, it's a film that no doubt has the Winterbottom wit. Sadly, this film also marked the end of Winterbottom's collaboration with screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce where the two fell out during the making in which Boyce chose the Martin Hardy pseudonym. Still, Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story reminds them of their talent and great collaboration as writer and director.

Michael Winterbottom Films: (Rosie the Great) - (Forget About Me) - (Under the Sun) - (Love Lies Bleeding) - (Family (1993 TV film)) - (Butterfly Kiss) - (Go Now) - (Jude) - Welcome to Sarajevo - I Want You - (With or Without You (1998 film)) - Wonderland (1999 film)) - The Claim - 24 Hour Party People - In This World - Code 46 - 9 Songs - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - Genova - The Shock Doctrine (2009 film) - The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday) - The Look of Love - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of An Angel)

© thevoid99 2012

24 Hour Party People

Directed by Michael Winterbottom and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce, 24 Hour Party People is the story about the rise and fall of Factory Records from the late 1970s to the early 1990s told by its founder in a Granada TV reporter named Tony Wilson. The film explores Wilson’s desire to showcase something new in the advent of punk as he would launch the careers of acts Joy Division/New Order and the Happy Mondays all hailing from the city of Manchester. Starring Steve Coogan, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, Paddy Considine, Danny Cunningham, Paul Popplewell, Sean Harris, and Andy Serkis. 24 Hour Party People is a whimsical yet truly original docu-drama from Michael Winterbottom.

Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan) is an unhappy reporter for Granada TV as he attends a local concert with his wife Lindsay (Shirley Henderson) and friend Alan Erasmus (Lennie James) where playing at the show were the Sex Pistols. Along with many soon-to-be-famous figures attending this legendary concert, Wilson creates a show called So It Goes that becomes a hit in Manchester as it explored this new wave of artists emerging from the punk scene. Tony decides to end the show in order to create a showcase for local bands as it would include Joy Division managed by Rob Gretton (Paddy Considine). Though Tony would later have a liasons with a couple of hookers, Lindsay would in turn have sex with the Buzzcocks’ Howard Devoto (Martin Hancock). With the help of Erasmus and Gretton, Tony decides to form his own label called Factory Records as he signs Joy Division to the label.

Joy Division becomes a success, with the help of its troubled producer Martin Hannett (Andy Serkis), but the health issues of its singer Ian Curtis (Sean Harris) nearly derails everything as a tour to the U.S. is about to happen. Instead, Curtis’ suicide would end things as Lindsay leaves Tony who forges ahead with the label’s next venture in a club called the Hacienda. With Hannett gone from the Factory Records label and Tony unsure about the label’s future as well as the future of the Hacienda. Joy Division is revived as New Order where their song Blue Monday becomes a hit despite the expensive packaging by Peter Saville (Enzo Cilenti). Then a new local band emerged in the mid-1980s called the Happy Mondays would arrive with a new sound as Tony signs them to the label.

With Hannett returning to produce the Mondays’ second album Bummed, a new culture was emerging as Manchester became the capital of cool while the local music scene became massive. The Hacienda becomes the place to party as Tony becomes enamored with success and gains a new girlfriend in beauty queen Yvette Livesey (Kate Magowan). Yet, things would eventually fall apart due to financial mismanagement, Martin Hannett’s death, and the drug use of Happy Mondays’ vocalist Shaun Ryder (Danny Cunningham). All of this would force Tony to do something that would be against everything he stood for.

Most music bio-pics or stories about a certain music scene/time period often deviates to certain formulas. What made this film stand out from the rest is the fact that it doesn’t play by the rules. Instead, the fourth wall is often broken by its protagonist Tony Wilson as he would comment on everything that is happening in this 16-year period of success and failure. At one point, the real Tony Wilson appears directing a TV show as its doppelganger would point him out to emphasize the absurdity of this film. While Wilson may claim that he’s just a supporting character in this film as it’s about the music and the men who made that music. There is clearly no doubt that he is the most interesting person in that story.

Frank Cottrell Boyce creates a screenplay that plays with the rise-and-fall formula by doing the one thing most music bio-pics or docu-dramas often do which is to take dramatic liberties with the real story. It’s something that is frowned upon by music critics and historians who feel that it takes away from the real story. What Bryce does is that he plays up to these exaggerations by having the audience be aware that some of the moments that is shown on screen is an exaggeration. One key scene is where Tony catches his wife Lindsay having sex with Howard Devoto as there’s a janitor stating “I don’t remember any of this happening”. That person is the real Howard Devoto as Tony would later admit that it never happened but Tony would counter that by stating that he’s sticking to the legend of what happened.

It’s the exaggerations, breaking the fourth wall, and not playing by the rules that allows the story to be more than just what it is expected in its genre. Boyce’s script is filled with lots of humor as well as pretty accurate portrayals of the individuals who would help contribute to the history of British popular music. Ian Curtis is portrayed as a troubled genius. Shaun Ryder is portrayed as a drug-addicted writer that Tony claims is the greatest Poet since Yeats. Rob Gretton is portrayed as a short-tempered man who is willing to get into fights with everyone. Peter Saville is known as a guy who creates these great posters and art work yet would often miss the deadline. Then there’s Tony Wilson who is portrayed as many characters would often call him. A twat. Yet, it’s a very comical character of a man whose principle about giving the artist the freedom to fuck off while just wanting a fair share of whatever profits are made.

Michael Winterbottom’s direction is definitely filled with style as he creates a film that plays up to its off-the-wall story. Shooting on location in Manchester, Winterbottom aims for the authenticity of that city as he would also create a look that is very engaging and vibrant. Notably as all of it shot on digital with elements of grain to heighten the look of the different periods that is displayed in the film. Featuring re-creations of the TV programs that Tony Wilson hosted inter-cut with actual archival footage of those programs. Winterbottom gets a chance to re-create a period in time that is never going to be replicated.

Another key element of Winterbottom’s direction is the comedy as Winterbottom opens the film with Tony Wilson reporting about hang gliding that is presented with Wilson acting like a moron. A lot of the humor is mostly improvised in order to not go for cheap gags while some of it is quite dark. The scene where Shaun Ryder meets Bez (Chris Coghill) for the first time via UFO is among one of the film’s most surreal moments as well as another scene involving Shaun and his brother Paul (Paul Popplewell) who throw bread to pigeons as if it was a war film. The overall work that Winterbottom does is truly phenomenal in terms of its emphasis to re-create a period in time and tell it with great humor.

Cinematographer Robby Mueller does an excellent job with the film‘s grainy digital photography to play up the grimy look of the 1970s and 1980s for its exteriors to the more colorful lighting set-ups in the Hacienda nightclub scenes along with black-and-white shots for some of the musical performances. Editor Trevor Waite does an amazing job with the film’s editing in creating unconventional rhythms for the film’s pacing while utilizing stylish cuts for some of the film’s transition and music scenes. Production designer Mark Tildesley, along with set decorator Lucy Howe and art director Paul Cripps, does great work in the re-creation of the Hacienda club for its interiors as well as the other club in the late 1970s where Tony presented the bands of Manchester.

Costume designers Stephen Noble and Natalie Ward do fantastic work with the costumes made from the bellbottoms of the 1970s to the more baggy clothing of the late 80s/early 90s. Makeup designers Janita Doyle and Jill Sweeney do wonderful work with the hair and makeup design for some of the characters, notably the Martin Hannett character, to emphasize the changing times throughout the film. Sound editor Zane Hayward does amazing work with the sound pieces such as the atmosphere of the Hacienda nightclub to the musical performances that occur in the late 70s set pieces.

Music supervisors Liz Gallacher and Pete Tong create a truly phenomenal soundtrack from start to finish that truly explores the best of what the music scene had to offer from 1976 to the early 90s. With music ranging from punk, house music, Madchester, post-punk, and new wave. It’s a truly intoxicating soundtrack to listen to as it features music from the Sex Pistols, the Durutti Column, A Certain Ratio, Joy Division/New Order, the Happy Mondays, 808 State, the Clash, A Guy Named Gerald, the Buzzcocks, the Jam, and many others. It’s definitely one of the great film soundtracks of the last decade.

The casting by Wendy Brazington does a truly outstanding job with assembling the film’s cast and cameos that appear for this film. Among those making cameos are the real Tony Wilson as a TV director, Happy Mondays bassist Paul Ryder as a drug dealer, Stone Roses bassist Mani, Mark E. Smith of the Fall, Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets, Vini Reilly in a very brief cameo, Keith Allen as London Records executive Roger Ames, Kenny Baker of Star Wars as a zookeeper, Martin Hancock as Howard Devoto, DJ Mike Pickering, Happy Mondays backing vocalist Rowetta, and Howard Devoto as the janitor who calls out on his supposed tryst with Lindsay Wilson. Notable small appearances include Simon Pegg as a guard, Rob Brydon as a journalist, Peter Kay as club owner Don Tonay, Kate Magowan as Tony Wilson’s third wife Yvette, Dave Gorman as local icon John the Postman, and Enzo Cilenti as the always late graphic designer Peter Saville.

Playing the members of Joy Division/New Order, John Simm, Ralf Little, and Tim Horrocks are very good in their respective roles of Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris while Sean Harris gives a very haunting performance as Ian Curtis. In the part of the members of the Happy Mondays, Paul Popplewell and Chris Coghill are funny in their respective roles as Paul Ryder and Bez while Danny Cunningham is hilarious as drug-out sleaze-bag Shaun Ryder. Shirley Henderson is really good as Tony’s first wife Lindsay while Lennie James is terrific as Factory Records co-founder Alan Erasmus.

The film’s best supporting performances go to both Andy Serkis and Paddy Considine in their respective roles as producer Martin Hannett and Joy Division/New Order manager Rob Gretton. Serkis brings a very dark yet comical performance as the very brash Martin Hannett who serves as a fellow troublemaking confidant to the Mondays. Considine brings a wonderful sense of humor to the role as the short-tempered Gretton who is always ready to beat someone up and isn’t afraid to say anything. Finally, there’s Steve Coogan in a truly marvelous performance as the late Tony Wilson. Coogan brings a great sense of wit and swagger to a man that is kind of an idiot while proving to be an ambitious fuck-up. It’s definitely the best performance that Coogan has given in his career.

24 Hour Party People is a truly fun yet ravishing musical docu-drama from Michael Winterbottom. Thanks in part to a truly brilliant ensemble cast led by Steve Coogan along with Frank Cottrell Boyce’s whimsical screenplay. It is definitely one of the great films about a piece of musical history that explores the world that would help shape the British indie scene. Particularly as the film serves as a great introduction to Madchester, punk, post-punk, and house music thanks in part to a top-notch soundtrack. In the end, 24 Hour Party People is an extraordinary film from Michael Winterbottom.

Michael Winterbottom Films: (Rosie the Great) - (Forget About Me) - (Under the Sun) - (Love Lies Bleeding) - (Family (1993 TV film)) - (Butterfly Kiss) - (Go Now) - (Jude) - Welcome to Sarajevo - I Want You - (With or Without You (1998 film)) - Wonderland (1999 film) - The Claim - In This World - Code 46 - 9 Songs - Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - Genova - The Shock Doctrine (2009 film) - The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday) - The Look of Love - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of An Angel)

Related: Control (2007 film) - Favorite Films #8: 24 Hour Party People - Joy Division (2007 film)

© thevoid99 2012