Thursday, January 16, 2025

David Lynch (1946-2025)

 

There are few giants of cinema here today as there are filmmakers that people will name as an influence. John Ford. Stanley Kubrick. Orson Welles. Ingmar Bergman. Agnes Varda. Federico Fellini. Akira Kurosawa. There are certain names that redefine what cinema is as cinephiles would often have collections of these filmmakers because of the kind of films they have made. They were more than just filmmakers. They were artists. David Lynch is one of them as he is the most original American filmmaker cinema has had since the likes of Ford, Kubrick, and Welles. What set him apart was his approach to surrealism and how he views something that can be considered ordinary. Yet, there was nothing ordinary in what David Lynch did as there was an element of darkness and danger about him that entranced audiences whether it was through film or television or even music.

I first heard of David Lynch in the early 1990s though I had no clue who he was as all I have ever heard was, he was this guy who made weird movies. I heard of things like Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks, but this was before I understood what cinema is as I did not know what this guy was about or what his films were about. Then in 1997 as I was starting to get an idea that movies were not these high-budget blockbusters, or these laugh-out comedies. I realized there was so much more through indie films but also late-night softcore porn films, but David Lynch was still this weird anomaly that I was unsure about. At the same time, I was a few years into my obsession for Nine Inch Nails and heard there is a new song from them as it is for a film by David Lynch called Lost Highway. I bought the soundtrack when it came out since it was curated by Trent Reznor and there is this famous Rolling Stone magazine cover featuring both Lynch and Reznor that I never got but it was cool as fuck.
I saw commercials for the film as I wanted to see it, but it wasn’t playing at a movie theater near me as the one place I knew that was playing there was a movie theater between the areas of Buckhead and Buford Highway as my parents didn’t want me to go there. Not surprisingly, the theater is gone as it is an area I rarely go to although I have not been there in a long time. I ended up waiting a year to see Lost Highway when it arrived on HBO as I saw it late one night and thought it was a cool movie even though I had no idea what it was about. Even though I just got the film on Blu-Ray more than a year ago from Criterion, I still do not have an idea of what the whole film was trying to say but that did not matter because it was an awesome film.

I would watch a few more of Lynch’s films around this time such as Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Dune, and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me as I did like the first two films, but I didn’t like the other two though Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me did grow on me. This was all before Mulholland Dr. came out as I waited a year to see it when it arrived on TV through Starz! That would end up being my all-time favorite film of his as it is one of those films that I fell in love with, and it made me a fan of his work though there was so much of his that I have not seen. By the late 2000s, I had seen all his feature films, but I felt like I had barely scratched the surface knowing that he also made a lot of short films and TV projects with Twin Peaks being the one thing of his that I wanted to see but I heard there wasn’t a proper release of the series on DVD until years later. After leaving Epinions.com in 2010 and going on my own, I would refine myself more as a writer and doing the Auteurs series. The specter of Lynch still loomed as I knew he was a subject I wanted to cover but I waited till I could get access to every short and TV series that was available at the time.

He was the perfect choice to be my 50th subject where I did a lot to cover his body of work up till that point while I was also awaiting for the return of Twin Peaks. I had subscribed to his YouTube channel while I also learned he also acted in Seth McFarlane’s animated spin-off of The Family Guy in the much-more superior The Cleveland Show as Gus the Bartender.



It is one of the things about Lynch that is always surprising as he often does the unexpected and have fun with it. His music is not for everyone, but it is awesome that he can do something for his own enjoyment, and he has an audience to share in that enjoyment. He is also a damn good actor as one of the last things he did recently, that is the coolest cameo ever is him playing John Ford in the ending of Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans. That is meta in a way where you have a legendary filmmaker playing a highly-revered legendary filmmaker in a film about the early life of a legendary filmmaker who is telling his own story. Lynch as John Ford is perfect casting he is the only person that could do Ford justice.



Given that today is a sad day as we also lost another revered figure in Mr. Baseball himself in Bob Uecker, nothing will loom as large as what David Lynch has done for cinema and television. He made it okay for the weirdos to make art that not everyone will get. He made it okay for those who live in an ordinary world to be weird. He was also someone that did not take himself seriously while also allowing us to be raptured by darkness. There is never going to be another David Lynch as there will be a hole in cinema that will never be filled. Still, he left an incredible legacy that will continuously be unmatched as there is always going to be an audience that will see these tremendous films, shorts, TV projects, and other things that he did that gave them something. To Mr. David Lynch. Thank you for all the things you gave us. We will miss you.

R.I.P. David Keith Lynch (January 20, 1946-January 16, 2025)

© thevoid99 2025

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Summertime (1955 film)

 

Based on the play The Time of the Cuckoo by Arthur Laurents, Summertime is the story of a middle-aged American tourist who falls for an Italian shopkeeper while traveling to Venice where she deals with her own issues in her life. Directed by David Lean and screenplay by Lean and H.E. Bates, the film is a romantic story that explores a woman’s infatuation with this man while dealing with herself and her life. Starring Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi, Darren McGavin, Jane Rose, Mari Aldon, MacDonald Parke, Gaetano Autiero, Jeremy Spenser, and Isa Miranda. Summertime is a majestically rich and evocative film by David Lean.

The film is the simple story of a middle-aged American woman who travels to Venice on a vacation where she meets and falls for a shopkeeper. It is a film with a simple premise as it shows a secretary taking this trip to Venice as she has saved all her money as she films and photographs everything, she sees but copes with her own loneliness and the unfamiliarity of her surroundings. The film’s screenplay by David Lean and H.E. Bates is straightforward in its narrative yet it is an exploration of a woman going to a city she has always dreamed of going to and be amazed by its wonders but is troubled by her own loneliness while staying at a hotel with two couples of American tourists visiting the city.

The protagonist in Jane Hudson (Katharine Hepburn) is fascinated by her surroundings but remains troubled by her own loneliness until she meets a local antiques shopkeeper in Renato de Rossi (Rossano Brazzi) who sells her a rare 18th Century Venetian glass goblet. Hudson would often meet a young boy in Mauro (Gaetano Autiero) during her trip while also conversing with her fellow travelers and the hotel owner Signora Fiorini (Isa Miranda) as she tries to make sense of her surroundings with Renato being someone who can bring her some joy.

Lean’s direction is exquisite in its scenery as it is shot in and around Venice including the island of Burano near Venice. Lean’s usage of the wide and medium shots does not just capture the scope of the city but also in its canals, bridges, and the town square where Lean makes the city a key character in the film. Lean also play into the sense of isolation and confusion that Hudson goes through where he would shoot her in a close-up, or a medium shot as she sits in a cafĂ© near the town square and then zoom out into a medium or wide shot. The usage of the locations help play into Hudson’s own fascination with her surroundings, including a famous shot of her falling onto a canal when she was trying to film something. Lean also maintains an intimacy in scenes set in and outside of the hotel that Hudson stays in where she meets her fellow tourists and its owner Signora Fiorini.

Lean also plays into many of the dramatic tropes that Hudson goes through as well as Renato’s own issues as he is someone that has a life of his own yet prefers to keep private and not hurt anyone. Lean also play into the different ideas of how Americans and Italians view relationships including sex as Hudson is more conservative on her views including her reaction towards the lifestyle of Signora Fiorini though Renato’s response is that it is no one’s business but Signora Fiorini. The film’s third act is about Hudson’s growing relationship with Renato and the idea of a possible new life but reality kicks in as it relates to the fact that Hudson’s time in Venice is limited. Still, Lean manages to create a lot of dramatic stakes in the third function as well as an ending that is incredibly powerful in all its complexities. Overall, Lean crafts a rapturous and exhilarating film about an American woman traveling to Venice and be enamored by a kind shopkeeper.

Cinematographer Jack Hildyard does brilliant work with the film’s colorful cinematography with the usage of the Eastman negative film stock that is processed and printed by Technicolor as it captures the beauty of Venice in its exteriors along with some gorgeous lighting for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Peter Taylor does excellent work with the editing with its usage of dissolves and rhythmic cuts to play into the sense of adventure as well as some of the film’s dramatic moments. Production designer Vincent Korda does amazing work with the interiors of the hotel that Hudson and other American tourists stay in as well as the shop that Renato runs. Costume designer Rosa Gori does tremendous work with the costumes in the suits that the men wear as well as the gorgeous designer gowns, shoes, and such that the women wear including a dress Hudson wears on her night with Renato.

Sound editors Winston Ryder and Jacqueline Thiedot do superb work with the sound in the natural quality that is presented on location as well as the way music is presented live as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Alessandro Cicognini is incredible for its lush orchestral score filled with rich string arrangements in its usage of traditional Italian string instruments as well as its accordions along with other music pieces that play into its locations and in some of the dramatic moments of the film as it is a major technical highlight.

The film’s phenomenal ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Gino Cavaleri as a train porter, Andre Morell as a train passenger that Hudson meets early in the film, Virginia Simion as the hotel maid Giovanna, and Jeremy Spenser as a young man who works at Renato’s shop. Gaetano Autiero is terrific as a young boy named Mauro who guides Hudson through some locations as well as help her take photographs though he claims to be an orphan who lives in the streets of the city. MacDonald Parke and Jane Rose are superb in their respective roles as Lloyd and Edith McIlhenny as an elderly American couple traveling through Europe with the former being annoyed and often saying the wrong things while the latter is excited by her surroundings. Darren McGavin and Mari Aldon are fantastic in their respective roles as the younger American couple in Eddie and Phyl Yaeger with the former being a painter who likes to delve into the city’s decadence with the latter also having fun but becomes concerned if her marriage would survive. Isa Miranda is excellent as the hotel owner Signora Fiorini as a woman who runs the hotel that Hudson stays in as she knows about the city as well as having a different attitude about love and relationships in comparison to Hudson’s view.

Rossano Brazzi is amazing as Renato de Rossi as a local antiques shopkeeper who is enamored with Hudson as he helps her in finding her way in Venice while also being someone that is willing to reason with her about her views on sex and relationships while admitting to having his own flaws as it is a charismatic performance from Brazzi. Finally, there’s Katharine Hepburn in a spectacular performance as Jane Hudson as an American tourist who finally reaches her dream destination where she is wowed by what the city offers yet is troubled by her own loneliness until she meets Renato. Hepburn’s performance is truly radiant in the way she expresses her disappointment with herself and the way things are as well as coping with that disappointment until meeting Renato broadens her views of the world and in people as it is one of Hepburn’s iconic performances.

Summertime is a magnificent film by David Lean that features top-notch leading performances from Katharine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous photography, a great film soundtrack, its story of love and the yearning to connect, and Venice itself. It is a film that isn’t just this witty romantic comedy but also a film that explore adult themes on what it means to connect with not just people but also in its surroundings. In the end, Summertime is an outstanding film by David Lean.

David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - This Happy Breed - Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) - Oliver Twist (1948 film) - The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) - The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)

© thevoid99 2025

Wednesday, January 08, 2025

Happy Elvis Bowie Day!!!!

 



It's Elvis Bowie Day! A day that should become a holiday to celebrate the Gods who were born on that day. The King in Elvis Presley and David Bowie.



It is also the birthday of such notable figures such as Graham Chapman of Monty Python, Dame Shirley Bassey, Sarah Polley, Gaby Hoffman, Cynthia Erivo, and Dr. Stephen Hawking.



© thevoid99 2025

Sunday, January 05, 2025

Nosferatu (2024 film)

 

Based on Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula and the 1922 silent film Nosferatu by F.W. Murnau and screenplay by Henrik Galeen, Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 film in which a man travels for work where he meets a mysterious count who would haunt the man’s wife. Written and directed for the screen by Robert Eggers, the film is a different take on the vampire story as it explores a vampire fascinated and obsessed with this man’s wife as she would also endure her own exploration of herself and sexual desires. Starring Bill Skarsgard, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe. Nosferatu is an intoxicating and terrifying film by Robert Eggers.

Set in 1838, the film revolves around a young woman who has been haunted by a mysterious demon as he would make his presence known after meeting her husband who traveled from Wisborg, Germany to the Carpathian Mountains over a real estate deal. It is a film that does follow many of the schematics told in previous adaptations of the story that is based on Bram Stoker’s novel about a vampire yet Robert Eggers creates a story that is more about a young woman’s trauma and the anguish she deals with about herself and her own sexual repression that she is dealing with in a society that doesn’t allow women to be more expressive. Even as they must deal with something darker that is lurking and threatening the happiness that they have gained through marriage or even family. Eggers’ screenplay is straightforward in its narrative though it opens with a young Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) being hypnotized by a mysterious figure as it would be a nightmare that she would deal with for much of her life as she had just gotten married to the real estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult).

Sent by his boss in Herr Knock (Simon McBurney) to the Carpathian Mountains, Thomas travels while Ellen stays with Thomas’ friend Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his wife Anna (Emma Corrin). Thomas would travel further despite warnings from Romani people and locals living near Transylvania to not enter the castle that is inhabited by the mysterious Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard) as he is a figure that is monstrous with a face that that is odd. His intention in buying a house in Wisborg is to wreak havoc and bring a plague until he sees a picture of Ellen where he hopes to seduce her and have her become his companion. Even as he would eventually meet Ellen upon his own arrival where he makes her an offer to spare those she cares about as well as the town if she gives herself to him. Her mysterious behavior would get the attention of Dr. Wilhem Sievers (Ralph Ineson) who at first thinks Ellen is going through some form of hysteria where he later turns to his mentor in the eccentric occult expert in Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) who knows what is happening to Ellen.

Eggers’ direction is stylish in not just paying tribute to the previous adaptations but also in maintaining a tone that is unsettling as well as intense in its physicality. Shot on location in the Czech Republic with interiors shot at the Barrandov Studios in Prague and a few exteriors of the Corvin Castle in Romania. Eggers creates a film that plays into a period before the emergence of the industrial age as people still believed in myths and superstitions though the idea of a plague has been long in the past. Eggers’ usage of wide and medium shots does not just capture the scope of the environment that the characters encounter but also the atmosphere of a room in a castle or at a house where Eggers adds a lot of personality to these environments. Eggers’ direction also emphasizes on close-ups as it plays into Ellen’s own spasms and seizures that she would endure including the film’s opening scene where she prays for the horror to end.

Eggers’ direction also plays into the severity of Count Orlok’s cruelty as the scene where Thomas explores the castle and finds his coffin as it is among the scariest scenes in the film. There are also some surreal moments that are nightmarish as it relates to Ellen’s own behavior where there is a lot of physicality involved as it is a key element in the film’s second act. Upon Thomas’ return in the film’s third act, there is this sense of dread that looms with the sight of rats roaming around the town bringing on this plague. The violence becomes more severe with characters going mad, yet it is Ellen who becomes sane as she realizes what she must do with Professor Von Franz who also understands what must be done. It has Ellen taking control of what must be done to Count Orlok as well as unleashing a side of herself that she has been repressing. Overall, Eggers crafts a gripping yet evocative film about a woman being haunted by a mysterious vampire.

Cinematographer Jarin Blaschke does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its stylish usage of blue and low-key lights for some of the nighttime exterior scenes along with a grey-like look for some of the daytime exteriors and the usage of fire as available light as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Louise Ford does excellent work with the editing in using rhythmic and jump-cuts to play into the suspense as well as know when to allow shots to linger for an amount of time to build up the suspense. Production designer Craig Lathrop, along with set decorator Beatrice Brentnerova plus senior art director Robert Cowper and supervising art director Paul Ghirardani, does amazing work with the look of the interiors of Count Orlok’s castle as well as the homes of the Hardings and the small apartment that Professor Von Franz lives in. Costume designer Linda Muir does fantastic work with the costumes in the design of the suits that the men wear from the refined look of Friedrich to the ragged look of Professor Von Franz while the dresses that the women wear are also stylish to the period as it would express the personalities of both Ellen and Anna Harding.

Makeup designer Traci Loader, along with special effects makeup supervisor Sacha Carter and prosthetics makeup effects designer David White, does tremendous work with the makeup with the special effects makeup work being a major highlight in the look of Count Orlok. Special effects supervisors Pavel Sagner and Jiri Vater, along with visual effects supervisor Angela Barson, do terrific work with the visual effects with the usage of practical effects for some of the scenes involving Orlok as well as a scene that is a homage to the 1922 film by Murnau when Orlok uses his shadow to wreak havoc on Wisborg. Sound designer Damian Volpe does superb work with sound in creating an atmosphere into the locations with the usage of natural sound and textures to help build up the sense of horror and suspense. The film’s music by Robin Carolan is incredible for its bombastic orchestral score that is filled with soaring themes in its usage of strings and percussions along with some offbeat folk-based instruments to add to the sense of folklore. Even with pieces that play into the atmosphere of a scene as well as help build up suspense and terror as it is a major highlight of the film.

The casting by Kharmel Cochrane is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Adele Hesova and Milena Konstantinova as the Hardings’ daughters with Ella Bernstein and Meredith Diggs providing the voices for the girls, Claudiu Trandafir as the innkeeper who lives near Transylvania, Karel Dobry as a ship captain, Liana Navrot as an Orthodox nun, Mihai Verbintschi as an Orthodox priest, and Stacy Thunes as a head nurse who helps run the hospital with Dr. Sievers. Simon McBurney is superb as Herr Knock as an estate firm broker boss who sends Thomas to Transylvania as well as being a disciple of Count Orlok where he has this crazed energy as this unhinged man that is willing to do anything for his master. Ralph Ineson is fantastic as Dr. Wilhelm Sievers as a doctor who is asked to treat Ellen where he is baffled by what is happening to her while also dealing with a plague where he realizes this is beyond his own expertise.

Emma Corrin is excellent as Anna Harding as Friedrich’s pregnant wife who expresses concern for Ellen’s illness while also sympathetic towards her where she does what she can to be her friend. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is brilliant as Friedrich Harding as a rich friend of Thomas who invites Ellen to stay at his home where he is baffled by what is happening to Ellen as he later becomes frustrated with Professor Von Franz’s theories and methods. Willem Dafoe is incredible as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz as an occult expert who is Dr. Sievers’ mentor as he makes a discovery of what is happening to Ellen with theories about the plague where Dafoe has this air of eccentricity to his performance but also a man who has a better understanding of evil. Nicholas Hoult is remarkable as Ellen’s husband Thomas Hutter as a real estate agent who is sent by Herr Knock to Transylvania where he deals with his encounter with Count Orlok as well as the things he had seen where he is desperate to save Ellen and be there for her.

Bill Skarsgard is great as Count Orlok as this monstrous vampire who has a large figure and a mustache as he is this eerie creature that wants to wreak havoc on Wisborg as well as have Ellen as his companion where Skarsgard uses a low register in his voice and a physicality to play into the terror that he brings as it is a career-defining performance for Skarsgard. Finally, there’s Lily-Rose Depp in a phenomenal break-out performance as Ellen Hutter as this young woman haunted by her own encounter with a demon as she copes with Thomas being away as well as some unexpected behaviors to emerge. Depp brings a physicality and anguish to her performance that is scary in the way she gets possessed as well as scenes where she is aware of what Ellen must do to stop Count Orlok as it is a true revelatory performance from Depp.

Nosferatu is a tremendous film by Robert Eggers that features great leading performances from Bill Skarsgard and Lily-Rose Depp. Along with its supporting cast, ravishing visuals, study of fear and repression, and an intense music score. It is a horror film that doesn’t just pay tribute to its past adaptations but also find new ways to tell an old story and maintain its fear. Even as it explores the horrors of within with its emphasis on what women deal with in those times and how they had to confront that horror. In the end, Nosferatu is an outstanding film by Robert Eggers.

Related: Nosferatu (1922 film) - Nosferatu, the Vampyre - Bram Stoker's Dracula - (The Auteurs #75: Robert Eggers)

Robert Eggers Films: The VVitch - The Lighthouse (2019 film) - The Northman

© thevoid99 2025

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Films That I Saw: December 2024

 

The year is nearly ending as everyone is making year-end lists, or some have started early as it has been a crazy year. This month has been chaotic as well as my washing machine went through some problems in late November as I had to spend some money to get that fixed and just around Christmas. The dryer started getting into trouble as I had to cough up more money. I am glad I had some money left over though the one thing I really needed for Christmas in a new bookshelf did not happen as I am still re-organizing my room and cleaning out my closet which is more than half-done so far. Still, there is a lot of work that needs to be done while I have been spending most of this month watching Berlin Alexanderplatz which has taken up a lot of my time. I think this will be the last Blind Spot that I will do for a while when it comes to projects longer than 5-6 hours.
In the month of December 2024, I saw a total of 18 films in 7 first-timers and 11 re-watches with three first-timers being films directed or co-directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge as I have failed to finish my quota. The obvious highlight of the month is Berlin Alexanderplatz as my final Blind Spot film for the year. Here is the top 5 first-timers that I saw for December 2024:

1. An Urban Allegory
2. The World to Come
3. The Making of Wild God
4. Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham
5. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I’m Watching

Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham



With the recent passing of Sony’s shitty Spider-Man spin-off cinematic universe that yielded some of the worst films ever made as its CEO claims that the films were unfairly maligned. It is a good thing that Sony’s animation department has created something great in relation to the Spider-Man in the form of a short film as it relates to Spider-Ham in an animated adventure. It is a simple story when all Spider-Ham wanted to do was eat a hot dog only to get into some trouble leading into the events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as it is necessary for anyone who loves Spider-Man.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
This was a good film although flawed in terms of its story as well in some of the execution as it is helmed by a different director in Gil Kenan who did a fine job but it isn’t as good as what Jason Reitman did though Reitman is on board as a producer in a film dedicated to Reitman’s father Ivan. McKenna Grace remains the big standout in the film as Phoebe Spengler who knows what she wants to do but is forced to sit things out because she is a minor while befriending a ghost as it relates to a mysterious deity that nearly caused an ice age to emerge in New York City. It is a fine sequel that has its moments, but it falls short of its predecessor.

The Making of Wild God



Megan Cullen’s 13-minute documentary short on the making of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ 18th studio album is a fascinating look into a band that still has something to say. Even when they brought in Dave Fridmann to help mix the album as well as Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood to play bass on some tracks as he would join the live band to fill in for regular bassist Martyn P. Casey who is sitting out due to illness. Fans of Nick Cave will enjoy this where they get to see the creative process with members of the band having a say though the record is written and produced by Cave and Warren Ellis. It is one of the best records of 2024 proving that there are bands who have been around for a long time and can still provide the goods.

‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’-The Story of the Official Band Aid Video



This documentary released in 1985 is a companion piece to the recent documentary short that was released earlier this month as it highlights the making of the song and filming the video. There is a bit of humor in the documentary as it relates to Nigel Planer playing the role of Neil from The Young Ones jamming with a couple of the guys from Status Quo. It is something fans of the song would like to see or revisit if they had not seen it in years as it has been given a nice restoration for its 40th anniversary.

An Urban Allegory
In her second collaboration with the artist JR, Alice Rohrwacher creates a short film based on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is a short film starring Lyna Khoudri and Naim El Kaladoui as a ballerina and her son where the former is late for an audition in a ballet staged by Leos Carax. It is a tremendous film that explores art and a boy’s fascination with his surroundings where he makes a major discovery as does the people in Paris. The artwork by JR is a key factor of the film with Rohrwacher doing amazing visuals in her presentation as this is a short film that people need to seek out.

The World to Come
Given the praise and awards for Brady Corbet and his film The Brutalist, people tend to overlook that the film was written with his wife Mona Fastvold who is a unique voice herself. Notably as her 2020 period drama about two women living in mid-19th Century upstate New York as they deal with not just unhappy marriages but also isolation where they would fall in love. Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby are great in this film as is Casey Affleck as the former’s husband as he is a kind-hearted man that does know what is going on and does not approve of it but does not say anything. Christopher Abbott’s performance as Kirby’s husband is more of a monster who spouts religious ideals as he is suspicious about his wife and her time with Waterston. It is a great film that features a chilling score by Daniel Blumberg as it is a film that audiences need to seek out.

The Story of Top of the Pops: 1991



The Story of Top of the Pops: 1992



I am a sucker for BBC documentaries as the British has better taste than us stupid Americans (most of the time). Top of the Pops is a show that the British were lucky to have (minus the presence of Jimmy Saville) as I found two episodes about the years of 1991 and 1992 as it marked a serious change for the show in not just a new location but also to explore a sense of change emerging. Yet, for all the good stuff that was coming out such as the Orb, Seal, Take That (that is right, Take That is awesome), Stereo MCs, and what was emerging at the time. There was also some awful shit such the Wonder Stuff and fucking Bryan Adams. It also explored what was happening in Britain as there was a recession and how music was helping to reflect what was happening as well as provide an escape from those hard times.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (episodes 1-5)
Five episodes so far and this is already an amazing show. Way better than The Acolyte in terms of the writing and acting as well as the visuals where it is about these four kids living on a remote planet that is part of the New Republic as they find a spaceship and are suddenly taken to a galaxy. On their journey so far, the show also explores the world of space piracy with Jude Law as a mysterious figure as he is simply great to watch where you do not know whether to trust him or not. Already, the show has had cameos and appearances from Kelly MacDonald, Jaleel White, Mathieu Kassovitz, and Alia Shawkat that aren’t too distracting as they do provide weight to the story while the four actors who play the kids in the show are great to watch as they have a lot of depth as it is a show that bears reminders of some of the best things to come out of the 80s such as Indiana Jones and The Goonies.

Top 10 Re-Watches

1. Days of Heaven
2. Safe
3. Barbie
4. Party Girl
5. Home Alone
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas
7. Mickey’s Christmas Carol
8. The Good Dinosaur
9. Home Alone 2
10. Cars
Well, that is all for December and for 2024 with a grand total of 267 films in 151 first-timers and 116 re-watches with 45 first-timers directed or co-directed by women. Not a good year overall although it could have been worse with only 5 films that I saw in the theaters, which is disappointing. Here is the final ranking of films for the 2024 Blind Spot Series as I have no plans to do a year-end thing mainly because I don’t really want to do one as I think this was an underwhelming year as I will not post an unofficial best of 2024 list because I didn’t see too many movies and I think the whole year fucking sucked. What is ahead for next month other than finishing my Auteurs piece on David Lean and watching Nosferatu to start work on my Auteurs piece on Robert Eggers. Along with my first Blind Spot for the New Year, I have no idea what I will watch though I now have more access to various streaming services including MAX while I am also keeping my options open to whatever services that have something strong to offer.



Before I bid adieu, this month saw the passing of many famous people including our former American president Jimmy Carter at the age of 100 as he was a great humanitarian who did a lot of things in his post-presidency and survived a battle with a killer rabbit. He was among those that passed this month that include Olivia Hussey, Marisa Parades, Linda Lavin, Charles Dolan, British radio DJ Johnnie Walker, Greg Gumbel, Maltese singer Joe Grech, Eric Carlson of the Mentors, film producer George Folsey Jr., Dayle Haddon, Charles Shyer, wrestler Jax Dane, music producer Richard Perry, Burt from Crocodile Dundee, Angus MacInnes of Star Wars, Rickey Henderson, Rey Misterio Sr., Slim Dunlap of the Replacements, Alfa Anderson of Chic, Ruth McArdle of Lords of Acid, George Cummings of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, Wolfgang Becker, Jill Jacobson, film producer Paul Maslansky, Niels Arestrup, Zakir Hussain, and Hudson Meek of Baby Driver. We will miss you all. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…

© thevoid99 2024

Monday, December 30, 2024

2024 Blind Spot Series: Berlin Alexanderplatz

 

Based on the novel by Alfred Doblin, Berlin Alexanderplatz is the story of a former criminal who tries to become a better person during the chaotic Weimar-era of Germany. Written for the screen, co-edited, designed, directed, and narrated by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, the 15-hour miniseries with 14 episodes explore a man’s attempt to redeem himself and start a new life as he struggles to adjust to a new society that overwhelms him. Starring Gunter Lamprecht, Gottfried John, Barbara Sukowa, Hanna Schygulla, Karin Baal, Annemarie Duringer, Elisabeth Trissenaar, Helen Vita, Barbara Valentin, Brigitte Mira, Roger Fritz, Ivan Desny, Buchriser Franz, Hark Bohm, Gerhard Zwarenz, and Volker Spengler. Berlin Alexanderplatz is an audacious and chilling miniseries by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Set in 1928 Germany during Weimar Republic era, the film follows a man who has just been released in prison hoping to become a decent man unaware that he is living in a world where decency is hard to find. It is a sprawling film that explore the life of Franz Biberkopf (Gunter Lamprecht) as he was a former pimp that was put into prison for killing his girlfriend Ida (Barbara Valentin) in an act of rage. Upon his release, Biberkopf re-enters society with a promise that he will become a decent person only to encounter a world that is on the brink of collapse. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s screenplay that includes his own narration that include events happening around Berlin during that year as it plays into the decline of the Weimar Republic is broken in thirteen episodes with the first episode with an 82-minute running time and the other 12 at around an hour. The script plays into Biberkopf’s willingness to become a good man and not get into trouble although he is an extremely flawed individual who is also naĂŻve about the ways of the world as he also has a childlike demeanor in his facial expressions and drinks a lot to the point that he would descend into alcoholism numerous times.

Each episode opens with an operatic song with images of the Weimar Republic era where it plays into Biberkopf’s encounter with the new world as he has a few friends in a former lover in Eva (Hanna Schygulla) and Meck (Buchrieser Franz) as the former would often give him money and other things to help him out every once in a while, with the latter trying to help Biberkopf in getting a honest job. Biberkopf and Meck would often frequent at a bar run by Max (Claus Hom) who often observes a lot while also giving the former some advice on things. The first five episodes has Biberkopf struggling to find honest work while also beginning a relationship with a Polish woman in Lina (Elisabeth Trissenaar) as well as work with a friend of Lina’s father in Luders (Hark Bohm) in selling shoelaces where things go wrong leading to a mental breakdown for Biberkopf until he is helped by a man in Baumann (Gerhard Zwerenz) to get back on track. It is there where he would meet a businessman in Pums (Ivan Desny) who runs an illegal markets operation where Biberkopf would befriend one of his men in Reinhold (Gottfried John).

The two would go into a woman-swapping scheme to help curb Reinhold’s dependence on women where Biberkopf would engage into another relationship with another of Reinhold’s former girlfriends in Cilly (Annemarie Duringer). The happiness would be brief in the seventh episode where Biberkopf is asked to fill in for one of Pums’ men where some revelations occur and would leave Biberkopf dead and losing his right arm. Once Eva and her lover Herbert (Roger Fritz) learn what happened, Herbert decides to use his connections to bring problems to Pums though Pums eventually decides to pay for Biberkopf’s medical bills with contributions from his men minus Reinhold. After meeting Willy (Fritz Schediwy) at a cabaret club where Cilly was performing having not seen or heard about Biberkopf believing he had died from the accident. Biberkopf goes into business with Willy through dishonest means just as Eva would introduce Biberkopf to Mieze (Barbara Sukowa) who would become the love of his life.

Despite learning that she is a prostitute and going to political meetings that has him relapsing into alcoholism, he would still enjoy his time with Mieze though would get despondent over her job prompting him to go Pums for help despite reservations from people working for Pums. The script has Fassbinder often highlighting things where Biberkopf going into situations including bad ones where he would be too forgiving through those close to him are aghast over this. Even in the last two episodes where Biberkopf would go insane over a major incident leading to a two-hour epilogue as the 14th and final episode. It is an episode of its own where it is surreal in its overall presentation as it plays into Biberkopf’s own faults, naivete, refusal to see reality, and his lack of judgement towards those who are truly the worst.

Fassbinder’s direction is immense not just in its grand presentation but also in creating a world that is on the verge of collapse where it is dirty yet exciting. Shot on location at Bavaria Film Studios in Munich, Fassbinder creates a world that plays into a period as Fassbinder would also be the film’s production designer. The sets such as the apartment that Biberkopf lives in as well as the bar he often goes to are key set pieces in the film where Fassbinder’s usage of wide and medium shots cover a lot of space as there are a lot of scenes where Fassbinder shoots on a wide shot to play into Biberkopf’s disconnection with reality. There are also shots that would last longer than a few minutes in some of these wide shots where Fassbinder showcase something happening where Fassbinder would also narrate whatever a character is thinking about or an offscreen event that is happening outside of the scene.

Fassbinder would also maintain an intimacy in some of the settings where he would use some close-ups to play into some of the moments where Biberkopf would gain a semblance of happiness or engage into something hopeful. Even as it also play into moments of suspense such as a scene where Biberkopf fills in for one of Pums’ men as they make a getaway where Reinhold becomes uneasy over Biberkopf’s behavior. The direction would also have this dream-like element as it plays into Biberkopf’s own happiness that is fleeting where is unable to face reality. Yet, he would encounter it through a flashback in which he beats Ida to death as it would appear often as a reminder of him at his most inhumane. Even in a scene late in the eleventh episode where Mieze confesses to Biberkopf leading to a moment of violence that even shocks the sadistic Reinhold where he would intervene.

The film’s final two episodes plus its epilogue would be the emergence of the inhumanity that Biberkopf would be ignorant to where he succumbs to madness over a tragic event while those close to him are trying to make sense of his behavior. The film’s epilogue is where Fassbinder breaks all the rules where he create surrealistic sequences that play into Biberkopf’s troubled mind including his regrets, failures, and inability to see the dark side of humanity. Especially in set pieces where there are a lot of anachronisms in its setting and music soundtrack with a couple of angels (Margit Carstensen and Helmut Griem) commenting on what is happening with even Fassbinder himself making a cameo as an observer. The film’s ending is really about Biberkopf’s fate but also being disconnected from the world that has already fallen into total chaos where he has accepted his fate despite being in Hell on Earth. Overall, Fassbinder crafts an astonishing and visceral 14-part film about a troubled man’s attempt to become decent in an indecent world on the verge of collapse.

Cinematographer Xaver Schwarzenberger does brilliant work with the film’s 16mm photography stock with its emphasis on heightened lights for some of the daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as low-key lights for the scenes set at night with an emphasis on soft lighting in some parts of the film. Editors Julian Lorenz and Rainer Werner Fassbinder (in his Walsch Franz pseudonym) do excellent work in the editing in maintaining straightforward cuts as well as a few jump-cuts in some of the film’s montage sequences. Costume designer Barbara Baum does amazing work with the look of the clothes the men wear as well as the stylish clothing that the women wear during those times.

The visual effects work of Theo Nischwitz is terrific for the film’s epilogue as it adds to the surreal presentation such as a boxing match between Biberkopf and Reinhold. The sound work of Hans R. Weiss, along with sound mixer Milan Bor, is superb for its natural approach to the sound in the way music is presented from a gramophone and the way a pub or a club sounds. Music by Peer Raben is incredible for its music score ranging from brass pieces as well as elements of piano-based music like the late 1920s and some low-key electronic pieces to give the film its odd presentation while its music soundtrack also features many of the music from that period plus an operatic piece that opens each episode while its epilogue would feature some anachronistic music from the likes of the Velvet Underground, Janis Joplin, Donovan, Kraftwerk, Leonard Cohen, and Dean Martin.

The film’s tremendous ensemble cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Udo Kier as a young cabaret club goer, Lilo Pempeit as Pums’ wife Peter Kuiper as a bald man who runs a decadent district full of prostitutes, Margit Carstensen and Helmut Griem as a couple of angels in the film’s epilogue, Karin Baal as Ida’s sister Minna whom Biberkopf meets and later rapes, Herbert Steinmetz as the newspaper seller Eddie that Biberkopf befriends, Axel Bauer as a former friend of Biberkopf in Dreske who is part of a communist group that Biberkopf dislikes, Jurgen Draeger as a Jewish sausage seller who politely asks why Biberkopf would wear the swastika, Helen Vita and Irm Herrmann as a couple of women who would date Reinhold as part of a swapping scheme with Biberkopf, Volker Spengler and Gunther Kaufmann in their respective roles as two of Pums’ men in Bruno and Theo, Gerhard Zwerenz as Baumann who would help Biberkopf recover from alcoholism, and Barbara Valentin as Biberkopf’s lover Ida whom he would kill in an act of rage and jealousy as she would often be seen in flashbacks.

Fritz Schediwy is terrific as Willy as a young criminal that Biberkopf befriends as he would align himself into some political causes that would put Biberkopf in trouble. Brigitte Mira is superb as the landlady Frau Bast whom Biberkopf is fond of as she always takes care of him. Ivan Desny and Hark Bohm are fantastic in their respective roles as the crime boss Pums and the salesman Otto Luders as two men who would give Biberkopf employment with the former being an illegal markets operator and the latter who would put Biberkopf into trouble and a mental breakdown. Elisabeth Trissenaar and Annemarie Duringer are excellent in their respective roles as two of Biberkopf’s lovers in the Polish woman Lina and the cabaret performer Cilly as these two different women who provide Biberkopf with a sense of purpose and care only for certain things to end the relationships abruptly.

Claus Holm and Roger Fritz are brilliant in their respective roles as the bar owner Max and Eva’s husband Herbert as two men who often bring advice to Biberkopf with the former being more patient while the latter has connections to help Biberkopf. Franz Buchrieser is amazing as Meck as an old longtime friend of Biberkopf who tries to help him find honest work while is a reluctant employee of Pums as he later feels regret for what happened to Biberkopf as he would also deal with a tragic event, he played a part of to his own regret. Gottfried John is incredible as Reinhold as a man Biberkopf befriends who also works for Pums as he is a man with a stutter but also a sadistic man that would take advantage of Biberkopf to the point of extreme measures. Hanna Schygulla is phenomenal as Eva as a former lover of Biberkopf who has become wealthy as she helps him whenever she can while also having some love for him where she also copes with his own views of the world and her concern for Mieze.

Barbara Sukowa is great as Mieze as a prostitute who becomes Biberkopf’s great love as she hopes to give him some hope while is also insecure thinking, she is not good enough for him where she later copes with his own activities and those he surrounds himself with. Finally, there’s Gunter Lamprecht in a spectacular performance as Franz Biberkopf as a former pimp who goes to prison for killing his girlfriend as he is released where he hopes to become a decent man. Lamprecht brings this childlike presentation as someone who is hopeful about starting a new lease on life unaware of the world he is in where he is brought down by his own naivety, lack of judgement, jealousy, and delusions about life as it is an intense performance that is also reserved at times but also dangerous once he goes into a rage as it is a career-defining performance from Lamprecht.

Berlin Alexanderplatz is a magnificent film by Rainer Werner Fassbinder that features a tremendous leading performance from Gunter Lamprecht. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, striking visuals, study of humanity during an inhumane time, an offbeat presentation, and a whimsical music soundtrack. It is a daunting film that is challenging in not just its 902-minute running time but also in its study of a man trying to fit in at a world that is constantly changing but on the verge of collapse during a crucial period in Germany’s history. In the end, Berlin Alexanderplatz is an outstanding film by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Films: Love is Colder Than Death - (Katzelmacher) - (Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?) - (Rio das Mortes) - (The American Soldier) - (Whity) - (Beware of a Holy Whore) – The Merchant of Four Seasons - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant - Eight Hours Don't Make a Day - (Jailbait) - World on a Wire - Ali: Fear Eats the Soul - (Martha (1974 film)) - (Effi Briest) - (Fox and His Friends) - (Mother Kuster’s Trip to Heaven) – (I Only Want You to Love Me) – Satan's Brew - (Chinese Roulette) - (Germany in Autumn) - (Despair) - (In a Year of 13 Moons) – The Marriage of Maria Braun - (Third Generation) - (Lili Marleen) – Lola - Veronika Voss - Querelle

© thevoid99 2024

Friday, December 20, 2024

Blog News: Blog Plans for 2025

2024 is coming to an end although right now I'm struggling to finish projects for the year as of 12/20/24, I've only watched five parts out of the 14 parts in my final Blind Spot in Berlin Alexanderplatz as it's been difficult to find timing while I am nearly half-done with my Auteurs piece on David Lean as it is now likely that it will be done for January 2025. It's been a difficult year as I haven't had a lot of time watching films as I've been dealing with various illnesses throughout the year as well as family and a growing lack of enthusiasm towards films this year as I think 2024 hasn't been a great year in cinema. Mainly because there hasn't really been a lot of exciting films as I've also grown disillusioned with several aspects of mainstream cinema. There has also been delays on projects as I was able to get a new laptop this past May though getting things started has been quite hard as I am also dealing with writer's block as it relates to my book project for Lost in Translation.
Getting back to the Auteurs series ever since I finally finished my piece on Kelly Reichardt the year before and having completed my two-part Auteurs piece on Michael Mann with David Lean still in the works. I have managed to create several lists relating to the Auteurs including a shortlist of future candidates for the Auteurs series as well as a list on the eventual 100th candidate for the Auteurs series. One of my original plans in the series as it relates to J.C. Chandor has been shelved indefinitely mainly because of the poor reception to Kraven the Hunter as well as a lot of uncertainty in what he will do next as I would rather wait for him to do something great as there's still a lot about him that I don't know about given the lack of major resources so he is offically out of the Auteurs series. With Lean set to be finished likely in January, here are the candidates that I will profile for the Auteurs series in 2025:

Robert Eggers-January/February
Damien Chazelle-March/April
Ryan Coogler-May/June
James Gunn-July/August
Rebecca Miller-September/October
Ari Aster-November/December
With the plans for the Auteurs set for 2025 as well as the films I plan to watch for the 2025 Blind Spot Series. There are still a lot of films that I hope to watching recently purchased several film box sets for the holidays as I have made many watchlists of films that I hope to see while I am taking more control of the streaming services I have including some that I plan to buy for the New Year. I still also plan to take part in the 52 Films by Women pledge though it is likely I will fall short for this year but thankfully two of the box sets I have recently purchased include films by two great women filmmakers that I have yet to watch including several short films. I think that is all that I hope to do for 2025 as I hope it will be a better year. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off...

© thevoid99 2024