Eating Raoul

Directed and co-starring Paul Bartel and written by Bartel and Richard Blackburn, Eating Raoul is the story of a prudish couple whose lifestyle is threatened by swingers living in their apartment building until an accident gives them an idea to get rid of them and realize their dream to open a restaurant. The film is a dark comedy that explore different lifestyles and what a couple would do to maintain their safe and calm lifestyle. Also starring Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, Susan Saiger, and Buck Henry. Eating Raoul is a witty and whimsical film from Paul Bartel.

The film is the simple story of this couple who are considered snobbish and prudish due to their lack of interest towards sex as they try to raise money to buy a house for a restaurant they want to create yet they are threatened by the antics of swingers who live in their apartment building. It’s a film that sort of makes fun of the world of swinging and some of the silliness of the lifestyle while there’s this couple who are totally square and find themselves with an idea of killing swingers and stealing money to fund their restaurant as it happened by accident. The film’s screenplay by Paul Bartel and Richard Blackburn follows the lives of Paul and Mary Bland (Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov respectively) as the former just got fired from a liquor store for refusing to sell awful cheap wine while the latter is a nurse often sexually harassed by horny patients.

Their problems are worsen by horny swingers in their building as one of them who is a patient of Mary breaks into their apartment and tries to have his way with Mary until Paul hits him with a frying pan and the guy is dead. Upon realizing how much money swingers have, they turn to Doris the Dominatrix (Susan Saiger) who gives them advice on what to do as she isn’t entirely fond of swingers either while the film’s second act begins with the arrival of a locksmith named Raoul (Robert Beltran) who is also a burglar as he gets wind of what the Bland are doing as he helps them in favor of a cut. Yet, their alliance with Raoul would cause trouble where Paul would learn what Raoul does with the bodies but also something much more.

Bartel’s direction does have elements of style in terms of its approach to absurdist humor while much of the compositions he creates are straightforward. Shot on location in Los Angeles, Bartel play into the world of sex shops and the swinging lifestyle in a comical manner while presenting the Blands as a couple who sleep in separate beds yet they do love each other. There are some wide shots in a few scenes yet much of Bartel’s direction involves close-ups and medium shots that include a few long shots to play out the drama and some of the humor. Notably in scenes that play into the Blands trying to kill some swingers with Mary playing some form of fantasy as it is played for laughs with some dark humor. Once Raoul gets involved, the film’s mayhem does increase but it also lead to some chilling and dark moments about what Raoul does with the bodies but also some of the money he makes though it lead to some funny moments of Paul trying to figure out what he’s doing with help from Doris. The humor as well as some of the approach to suspense and comedy play into the third act as it play into Raoul’s activities as well as the Blands taking extra steps to reach their dreams of opening a restaurant. Overall, Bartel crafts a weird yet delightfully fun film about a prudish couple who kill swingers for money to fund their own dreams of a healthy restaurant.

Cinematographer Gary Thieltges does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward in terms of its visuals with some low-key yet colorful lighting for some of the swinger parties. Editor Alan Toomayan does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the humor and suspense. Production designer Robert Schulenberg does fantastic work with the look of the Blands’ apartment with their collectables and rack of fine wine as well as the more outrageous look of the swingers’ party. Sound editors Val Kulowsky and Christopher T. Welch do terrific work with the sound as it is largely straightforward along with the way music is heard on a location or in another room. The film’s music by Arlon Ober is wonderful for its playful and kitsch-like score that feature some humorous moments in the film while its soundtrack features an array of music ranging from easy listening to a Spanish cover of Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels’ Devil with a Blue Dress On by Los Lobos.

The film’s marvelous casting feature some notable small roles from co-writer Richard Blackburn as the real estate agent James, John Paragon as a sex shop owner who gives Paul a hard time, John Shearin as a patient of Mary who would later try to harass her at her home, Edie McClurg as a woman in fur at a swingers party, Richard Paul as the liquor store owner who wants to sell shitty cheap wine, Ed Begley Jr. as a perverse hippie, and Buck Henry in a terrific small role as a horny bank manager in Mr. Leech who wants to have his way with Mary. Susan Saiger is excellent in a dual role as Doris the Dominatrix and as a receptionist nurse at the hospital where she is full of personality as the former who isn’t fond of swingers while helps Paul find out more about Raoul to see what he does while Saiger’s role in the latter as a nurse is more low-key.

Robert Beltran is excellent as Raoul Mendoza as a locksmith who is also a house burglar that helps the Blands make more money while also making some money on the side as he also has a keen interest in Mary for sexual pleasure. Finally, there’s Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov in amazing performances in their respective roles as Paul and Mary Bland as a prudish and snobbish couple with love for wine and nutritious food who are dealing with horny swingers in their apartment building. Bartel displays that curiosity and frustration as a man that just cares about giving people good wine but later is filled with jealousy for Raoul later in the film as he provides a low-key approach to comedy. Woronov provides some charm into her role as well as someone who is curious about sex and pot although she is conflicted as it relates to her encounters with Raoul.

Eating Raoul is a marvelous film from Paul Bartel that features enjoyable performances from Bartel, Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, and Susan Saiger. Along with its offbeat look at the world of swingers, the film is a strange yet exuberant comedy that isn’t afraid to get dark while also finding a way to keep on bringing in the laughs. In the end, Eating Raoul is a remarkable film from Paul Bartel.

© thevoid99 2019

Gloria (1980 film)

Written and directed by John Cassavetes, Gloria is the story about a gangster’s ex-girlfriend who is protecting a boy who carries crucial information that can bring down the mob as she and the boy are in pursuit. The film is a simple story in which a woman is forced to protect a boy as she comes into conflict into either saving the boy or herself. Starring Gena Rowlands, Julie Carmen, Buck Henry, and John Adames. Gloria is a captivating suspense-drama from John Cassavetes.

The film revolves around this titular character (Gena Rowlands) who is asked by a woman and her husband to protect their son Phil (John Adames) as the husband is already in trouble for leaking information to the FBI as he works as a mob accountant. Though Gloria is a woman who has connections to the mob and was once the girlfriend of a famed gangster. She is reluctant to help take care of Phil as she wanted no involvement in the matter as the people who are going after the boy are her friends. Eventually, Gloria has to deal with various conflicts in her situation as she admittedly doesn’t like kids while she realizes that having this kid killed because of some money figures isn’t the honorable thing to do. Especially as this six-year old Puerto Rican kid is having a hard time understanding the situation as he isn’t sure what side to turn as he and Gloria have to stick together.

John Cassavetes’ screenplay doesn’t really do much to flesh out the plot by focusing more on a woman trying to protect a boy as well as deal with her loyalties to the mob. While the script is filled with dialogue that is intense and frenetic to showcase the tension between Gloria and Phil as the latter is already ravaged by the fact that he is in the care of a very tough woman. Gloria is someone who isn’t afraid to get shot as she always carries a gun and is always ready yet she doesn’t like the fact that she’s being put into a dangerous situation by taking care of a kid as she’s not really a very maternal person. Still, the fact that this kid is in danger because of his father’s actions makes Gloria realize that the mob are doing things that are really cruel where she eventually realizes what she must do for Phil. Though Phil has reservations about Gloria, he does realize that she’s the only person he has right now as the two have to work together to survive.

Cassavetes’ direction is quite intriguing in not just the way he maintains an air of realism in the drama but also in creating an air of suspense where Gloria and Phil are trapped in the middle of New York City and the borough of the Bronx. Cassavetes uses the city as a character in the film where it plays to the idea that Gloria and Phil have to go into places where they can’t hide or go into an area that is dangerous as they’re constantly on the run. Still, Cassavetes maintains that atmosphere where there is this air of uncertainty about the two being captured while taking its time to give the characters a breather as they get to know each other. Particularly as it plays to the idea that the boy needs a mother and the woman has to be there for that boy. By using some wide shots and other stylized moments to play out the element of suspense without getting into any kind of gory violence. Cassavetes creates a very engrossing yet mesmerizing suspense-drama about a woman protecting a boy from the mob.

Cinematographer Fred Schuler does fantastic work with the cinematography to maintain that sense of realism while using some low-key lighting schemes for some of the film‘s interior settings. Editor George C. Villasenor does brilliant work with the editing to create some rhythmic cuts to play out some of its suspenseful moments. Art director Rende D’Auriac and set decorator John Godfrey do terrific work with the set pieces from the secret apartment that Gloria lived in to some of the hotel rooms she and Phil hide out at.

Costume designer Peggy Farrell does wonderful work with the costumes in the way many of the suits the men wear in the film while Emanuel Ungaro creates more stylish clothing that Gloria wears. The sound work of Stan Gordon is superb for the atmosphere that is created including the smaller moments to help build up the suspense. The film’s music by Bill Conti is amazing for its soaring orchestral score that is mixed in with plaintive folk guitars and jazz arrangements to capture the atmosphere of New York City.

The casting by Vic Ramos is great as it features an interesting ensemble that features appearances from Tom Noonan as a henchman, Lawrence Tierney as a bartender, Basilio Franchina as Gloria’s former boyfriend in mob boss Tony Tanzini, Lupe Garnica as Phil’s grandmother, Jessica Castillo as Phil’s sister, Julie Carmen as Phil’s worried mother, and Buck Henry as Phil’s troubled father who puts the family in danger. John Adames is wonderful as the young Phil as a boy who has to endure the new reality he’s in as he is forced to grow up at a very young age and survive against the mob. Finally, there’s Gena Rowlands in a remarkable performance as the titular character as a woman conflicted in her loyalties to the mob while trying to protect a young boy as it’s a riveting performance that allows Rowlands to portray a character that is tough and not willing to back down no matter how grim the situation is.

Gloria is a marvelous film from John Cassavetes that features a brilliant leading performance from Gena Rowlands. While it is a film that is different from Cassavetes’ previous films in terms of a more tightened filmmaking style. It is still a film that is engaging especially as it’s a thriller that is engrossing over its situations and the drama that is presented. In the end, Gloria is a phenomenal film from John Cassavetes.

John Cassavetes Films: (Shadows (1959 film)) - (Too Late Blues) - (A Child is Waiting) - (Faces) - Husbands - (Minnie and Moskowitz) - A Woman Under the Influence - (The Killing of a Chinese Bookie) - (Opening Night) - Love Streams - (Big Trouble)

© thevoid99 2013

Short Cuts

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/23/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver, Short Cuts is a multi-layered story involving 22 characters dealing with their lives in the course of a few days in California. Directed by Robert Altman and screenplay by Altman and Frank Barhydt, the film is an ensemble piece that explores the lives of various people some of whom are connected and those that aren't. With an all-star cast that includes Lily Tomlin, Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianne Moore, Buck Henry, Peter Gallagher, Fred Ward, Anne Archer, Chris Penn, Robert Downey Jr., Huey Lewis, Jack Lemmon, Lyle Lovett, Andie MacDowell, Madeleine Stowe, Bruce Davison, Frances McDormand, Tom Waits, Annie Ross, Lori Singer, Lili Taylor, Dirk Blocker, Zane Cassidy, and Jarrett Lennon. Short Cuts is a sprawling yet exuberant film from Robert Altman.

Stormy Weathers (Peter Gallagher) is a helicopter pilot who is dropping off pesticides all over the suburban home and valleys in California while Dr. Ralph Wyman (Matthew Modine) and his wife/artist Marian (Julianne Moore) are watching a string quartet that features the cellist Zoe (Lori Singer) with their friends Stuart (Fred Ward) and Claire Kane (Anne Archer). Zoe's mother Tess Trainer (Annie Ross) is a nightclub jazz singer where Bill (Robert Downey Jr.) and Honey Bush (Lili Taylor) are watching the show. Honey's mother Doreen (Lily Tomlin) is a diner waitress who gets a visit from her limo driver husband Earl (Tom Waits) while Howard Finnigan (Bruce Davison) is making a report about the pesticide drops while his wife Ann (Andie MacDowell) and their son Casey (Zane Cassidy) watch him on TV. Meanwhile, an angry cop named Gene Shepard (Tim Robbins) leaves his wife Sherri (Madeleine Stowe) claiming he's going to a meeting when he's really having an affair with a realtor named Betty (Frances McDormand) whose ex-husband is Stormy who had just called their son Chad (Jarrett Lennon) about Betty's birthday.

With Finnigans planning a birthday party for Casey, a pool cleaner named Jerry Kaiser (Chris Penn) arrives to clean the pool while getting a call to clean Tess' pool. Stuart goes on a fishing trip with Vern Miller (Huey Lewis) and Gordon Johnson (Buck Henry) where they make a chilling discovery at the river where they're fishing at. Tired by Earl's drunk appearances, Doreen leaves in a huff where she accidentally hits Casey with her car only for Casey to recover quickly where he walks back home. After returning home from the bakery, Ann finds her son in a state of shock unaware of what's happened to him as she takes him to the hospital where Dr. Wyman checks up on him. With Howard also at the hospital to hear about Casey, he gets an unexpected visit from his estranged father Paul (Jack Lemmon) who makes a startling confession about his own infidelities. Earl goes to the jazz club to see Tess singing as she is dealing with her own issues with Zoe who is in a state of depression.

Jerry and his wife Lois (Jennifer Jason Leigh) goes on a trip with Bill and Honey as Jerry is having issues with Lois while Sherri visits her sister Marian where they talk about infidelity where Sherri learns about Marian and Ralph's marital problems. After a tense visit from Stormy, Betty tells Gene that she's going out for the weekend with her son though Gene thinks she's lying where he later spies on her. On the day of the Wymans' barbeque party where Stuart and Claire attend unaware of Ralph and Marian's issues. With everyone upset and unhappy about their lives, everyone would come together in a moment of clarity as well as deal with tragedy.

Whereas most ensemble features, especially as ambitious as this one, tend to connect characters with one another and at times, tend to be contrived. For this film, Altman chooses to throw away the idea of a plot and just let a story or some scene tell itself. Definitely inspired by the works of Raymond Carver, Short Cuts is a film that doesn't have a lot of themes or any sense of morality or judgement. The whole film is really about people, ordinary people living their life through the disappointments, the daily struggles, and frustrations of what goes on. The characters are people that audiences can relate to in every way and form. It's the many characters that drive the film's stories and how each group of characters relate to another group. It's all done in the Altman spirit of improvisation, overlapping dialogue, and intertwining moments that allows the audience to get to know the characters and the situations.

While some audiences might find some of the stories and characters' situation hard to follow, the payoff over what happens is fulfilling. From the story of Jerry being neglected by his wife to the story of a disgruntled baker being left with an expensive cake. Neglect is a small theme from a booze-drinking jazz singer who is unaware of her daughter's depression to a phone-sex operator not wanting to talk dirty to her husband. The characters of Tess and Lois aren't totally bad since Lois is trying to make money for her family while Tess is just depressed over environment. Infidelity is another issue whether it's Marian and Ralph in a very high-octane emotional scene, Gene's cheating and his awful lies that often entertain his wife, and the heartbreaking confession from Paul Finnigan telling his son what happened. All of these scenes through the script that Altman co-wrote and his direction is very observant. Even in some of the film's intense, emotional moments where Altman moves his camera to convey something that is powerful and not taking it too close to capture this emotional moment.

Cinematographer Walt Lloyd does an excellent job in capturing Los Angeles with his intimate, sprawling photography while making several scenes in the film's interior settings to be intimate and observant. Altman's late editor Geraldine Peroni does an amazing job in shifting the differing stories from one to another and connecting characters to another without making it too confusing. It's also very rhythmic to the energy and style of the film. Production designer Stephen Altman and art director Jerry Fleming do an excellent job in creating the look of the homes of the different characters and the personalities to represent each group. Costume designer John Hay also plays to the different atmosphere of the characters in the costumes from the hippie-like clothing of Honey Bush to the posh look that Marian wears. Sound editor Eliza Paley also goes for atmosphere in the film's opening sequences the sounds of helicopters flying over Los Angeles and in the places where people get together. Music composer Mark Isham brings a melodic, jazz driven score to play to the character of Tess while also doing some subtle, orchestral score work to convey the film's drama.

Finally, there's the film's huge ensemble cast. Included in the cast are some small yet memorable performances from comedian Charles Rocket, Michael Beach and Andi Chapman as a couple who asks Honey Bush to watch over her house, Susie Cusack and Deborah Falconer as a couple of bicyclists, Margery Bond, and Nashville actor Robert DoQui. Jarrett Lennon is excellent as the Captain Planet-obsessed Chad Weathers and Zane Cassidy is great as Casey Finnigan. Lyle Lovett is wonderful as the disgruntled baker Bitkower while 80s pop singer Huey Lewis and writer Buck Henry are great as the fishing buddies Vern and Gordon, respectively.

Robert Downey Jr. is funny as the quirky, horny Bill Bush with Lily Taylor as the eccentric yet concerned Honey, who seems troubled by her own relationship towards her stepfather. Jennifer Jason Leigh is excellent as the phone-sex operator Lois who tries to maintain her family's security with the late Chris Penn giving a great performance as the neglected, sexually-frustrated Jerry.

Penn's Footloose co-star Lori Singer is great as the depressed, neglected Zoe who channels all of her emotions through her cello playing. Annie Ross is wonderful as the drunk jazz singer whose drinking is caused by her hatred for her dead husband while being unkind towards her daughter. Andie MacDowell is excellent in her role as Ann Finnigan whose life is in chaos over her son's life hanging by a thread and the strange phone calls she's getting. Bruce Davison is also excellent as Howard Finnigan whose misguided anger over his son's accident leads him into trouble while having to face his own demons.

The late yet legendary Jack Lemmon gives an amazing, scene-stealing performance as Paul Finnigan with a heartbreaking performance in which he tells his son about his infidelity and the anticipation of meeting his grandson for the first time. Anne Archer is wonderful as the loving wife Claire who is in shock over her husband's reaction towards a dead body while Fred Ward is great as Stuart who is unsure of what to do in seeing a dead body. Matthew Modine is excellent as the conservative yet consumed Dr. Ralph Wyman whose work and home life has been in conflict.

Julianne Moore delivers a knock-out performance as Marian Wyman who is forced to reveal her own dark secret to her husband in a very powerful scene that also required her to do it in very naked way. It's a great performance from Moore. Madeleine Stowe is funny as Marian's sister Sherri who is amused by her husband's lies and awareness that he cheats on her knowing it'll get the best of him. Tim Robbins is excellent as the mean, cheating Gene Shepard who is forced to question his own infidelity which starts to go nowhere.

Frances McDormand gives a fine yet angst-ridden performance as a woman whose affairs start to crumble with the appearance of her ex-husband as McDormand shows the kind of selfishness and loneliness her character brings. Peter Gallagher is very funny as Stormy Weathers who learns of his ex-wife's affairs and decides to take some funny actions towards it. Singer Tom Waits is wonderfully touching as the verbally-abusive alcoholic Earl whose own life has taken a turn while trying to deal with his marriage. Lily Tomlin is great as Doreen whose own life is in a change of direction after an incident that forces her to re-examine things while dealing with her own tumultuous life with Earl.

Short Cuts is a magnificent film from Robert Altman. Armed with a spectacular array of actors and ideas about family and doing what is right. While it's a big film with lots of characters and storylines, it's a film that does lose itself in the sense of chaos that is prevalent in the film while it is also a showcase for the actors. In the end, Short Cuts is a towering achievement from Robert Altman.

Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple) - (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie’s Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion

© thevoid99 2013

To Die For

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/22/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Before the age of the Internet and the overwhelming presence of the paparazzi that helped spawn tabloid TV, the media in the 1990s was just starting to get crazy due to incidents involving the OJ Simpson trial and other strange incidents including the Nancy Kerrigan-Tanya Harding feud prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics. The mid-90s was an era of craziness as media coverage made unknowns into celebrities for 15 minutes. In 1995, a film was made and released just at the time when media coverage of these events were at an all-time high. The film isn't just a satirical view of the media but what one person would do to become famous in the film entitled To Die For.

Based on Joyce Maynard's novel, To Die For tells the story of an ambitious TV weather girl who wants to have fame and a huge TV career who decides to have her husband killed with the help of a few teenagers she profiled for a documentary. With an adapted screenplay by noted humorist and writer Buck Henry and directed by indie auteur Gus Van Sant, the film is made into a style of mockumentary as characters tell the story through interviews and flashbacks as it's all centered around this ambitious woman and her marriage to a simple, Italian restaurant co-owner whose simple ideas get in the way of her desire to be a news reporter. With an all-star cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, Illeana Douglas, Joaquin Phoenix, Allison Folland, Casey Affleck, Dan Hedaya, Kurtwood Smith, Holland Taylor, Wayne Knight, Susan Traylor, Maria Tucci, Mike Rispoli, Tim Hopper, and special appearances from Buck Henry, George Segal, and Canadian auteur David Cronenberg. To Die For is a witty, entertaining, and provocative masterpiece from the duo of Gus Van Sant and Buck Henry.

A woman named Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) is being interviewed about the murder of her husband Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon) as she talks about her story of meeting Larry years ago at his restaurant that's run by his family. Larry is a simple, young man with simple dreams who comes from a loving, Italian family that included father Joe (Dan Hedaya), mother Angela (Maria Tucci) and his ice-skating sister Janice (Illeana Douglas). Larry catches Suzanne's attention as he tries to win her over including getting a little dog named Walter as Janice recalls her dislike towards Suzanne. Even when Larry and Suzanne wedded, she felt Larry changed from a guy who wore heavy-metal t-shirts to something more conservative. Joe and Angela Maretto are also recalling Larry's marriage in a talk show interview with Suzanne's parents Earl (Kurtwood Smith) and Carol Stone (Holland Taylor along with Suzanne's sister Faye (Susan Traylor).

During Suzanne and Larry's honeymoon in Florida, Suzanne goes to a media convention where she catches the attention of a speaker (George Segal). He gives her advice on how to get attention by telling her story about an unnamed reporter who became famous. Suzanne and Larry return to their home in New Hampshire as she pushes her way to get a job at a local cable channel where she convinces the station's manager Ed Grant (Wayne Knight) to give her a job as she eventually became the weather girl. Though being on TV has given her satisfaction, Suzanne wants more as she decides to make a documentary about teens as she discussed the projects with some students as three of them join the documentary, Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), Lydia (Allison Folland) and Russell (Casey Affleck).

Immediately, Jimmy and Lydia befriend Suzanne as Jimmy begins to have a crush on her while Lydia feels like she finally has another woman to talk to. Yet with Suzanne's ambitions to become famous, Larry wants to have a family and have Suzanne more involved with the family business since he is set to run his father's restaurant business. Though Suzanne told Larry she'd think about it, but in reality, she decides that he must go. Getting into an affair with Jimmy, the young man is manipulated by Suzanne to have Larry killed. With Lydia providing the gun and Russell going along for the plan, the murder finally happens but evidence and suspicion occurs as Suzanne despite all of her planning let her own ambitions get the best of her.

Mockumentaries are a form of fictional documentaries where characters and such are interviewed in conjunction with the story. The film's story is really about a woman who is willing to become famous by any means necessary. Even if she has to kill her loving husband just to become famous. Told in a style of memories and interviews, screenwriter Buck Henry creates a story that is filled with a lot of dark humor, witty dialogue, and satire as his take on media coverage, tabloid TV, and ambition is truly one of the best script adaptations ever written. Even the characters like Suzanne, Larry, Jimmy, Lydia, and Janice prove to be more than just one-dimensional caricatures. Janice is a sister who like her brother, has simple ambitions while remaining devoted to her family while really being one of the few people who saw Suzanne as a phony. Jimmy may seem like a dumb, stoner character but his own naivete provides an innocence as a young man who finds some self-respect for the first time since Suzanne is one of the rare people to call him James.

Lydia is another character who is filled with character development as this chubby, insecure young woman who finds a friend in Suzanne and like Jimmy, becomes manipulated as she is one of the more real characters in the film as she is also one of the film's main storytellers. Larry at first glance might seem like a typical, Italian-American man with little ambitions but his love for simpler things and family makes him into a well-meaning man. Yet, when he is about to die, one would've expected him to fight back but the shocking behavior of his murder from Jimmy's point of view realized what the two men really are. Yet, the real arc of the film is Suzanne, a woman who doesn't really like to use her husband's last name for professional reasons. Yet, she's a very complex character who uses her sex appeal and charm to get what she wants while at the same time, she isn't a very smart woman when a camera or a media figure is involved.

A lot of the film's humor and satire should go to Buck Henry for his sharp, witty screenplay while helming this story into a kinetic visual style is Gus Van Sant. Van Sant's direction is extremely superb and hypnotic. The use of style and compositions that Van Sant presents gives a film that is enamored with the idea of a mockumentary. Suzanne's interview is shown through her talking behind a white background as she is talking to a camera. There's a few great scenes where Van Sant conveys a mood, particularly in the lighting as it plays to Suzanne's eerie ambitions where things go from light to dark. Even the use where the camera becomes a hole to target Larry's head confirms Suzanne's state of mind. Van Sant's approach to the ending is comical that involves a cameo by revered Canadian director David Cronenberg that is followed by an ironic ending. The overall direction of Van Sant is truly superb as his use of wit and humor creates a film that is entertaining and provocative.

Longtime cinematographer Eric Alan Edwards creates a wonderful, stylish photography with a sheer, bright look to many of the film's daytime exteriors with Ontario, Canada playing New Hampshire with its great shots of the snowy town. Edwards' interior work is wonderful to convey the sense of style and lighting moods as the film has a strange, noir-like feel to convey the mood of Suzanne. Editor Curtiss Clayton brings a wonderful style to the film's editing that has a somewhat, non-linear feel with the use of jump-cuts, slow-motion, and transitions. Even through the jump-cuts, there's moment of what the audience might've thought happened as the film plays through like a puzzle with Clayton's superb editing.

Production designer Missy Stewart and art director Vlasta Svoboda does a wonderful job in creating the suburban home of Larry and Suzanne with wonderful colors in the furniture and appliances while creating the poor homes of the teens she's profiled. Costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor does an amazing job in the look of Suzanne's clothes where it's all in style from the colorful power suits and blouses she wears to her colorful underwear, dresses, and tight pants. The costumes that Kidman wears is extraordinary and fun to watch. Sound editors Kelley Baker and J. Paul Huntsman do excellent work in the sound to convey the suspense and atmosphere in the dramatic scenes of the film.

Music composer Danny Elfman creates a fun, hypnotic score that is reminiscent of the classic scores from the films of Alfred Hitchcock. With a mix of screeching, metal guitars, the score underplay the film's humor while adding a saucy sense of terror of what is to come. Elfman's score is truly superb as the soundtrack features memorable cuts from Eric Carmen, Billy Preston, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Strawpeople, Nailbomb, Donovan, and in the film's promos, Don Henley's Dirty Laundry.

The casting by Deirdre Bowen and Howard Feuer is wonderfully assembled with cameos and small appearances from Rain Phoenix, Buck Henry as high school teacher Mr. Finlayson, George Segal as a conference speaker, the film's novelist Joyce Maynard as Suzanne's lawyer, and David Cronenberg in a great cameo as a man at a lake. Notable small roles from Gerry Quigley as Ed's associate George, Michael Rispoli and Tim Hopper as two detectives investigating Larry's murder while having a funny scene with Joaquin Phoenix in his interrogation as the two actors also appear in scenes as the Maretto's restaurant regulars. Holland Taylor is fine as Suzanne's mother along with Susan Traylor as Suzanne’s sister. Kurtwood Smith has a memorable appearance as Suzanne's father who doesn't approve of Larry at first due to his background. Maria Tucci is great as Angela Maretto who is concerned about Suzanne's lack of desire to become a mother while Dan Hedaya is great as Joe Maretto, the father who helps Larry in the importance of family.

Wayne Knight is wonderfully entertaining as station manager Ed Grant as Knight's straightforward, comedic performance is fun as he plays a foil of sorts for Kidman while calling her character "gangbusters". Illeana Douglas is amazing as Janice Maretto whose quick-witted remarks about Suzanne is filled with a lot of humor while in some ways, plays the film's conscience as she is baffled by Larry's choice in wanting Suzanne as his wife. In his film debut, Casey Affleck is great as the trouble-making Russell who is more than willing to do crazy things while annoying Mr. Finlayson. Allison Folland is extremely superb as Lydia, a young insecure girl who is easily manipulated by Suzanne as she is often given advice about losing weight while for a moment, feels like she's fitting in as Folland's performance is truly memorable, which is also her film debut.

Joaquin Phoenix delivers a breakthrough performance as the dim-witted but sweet Jimmy who falls for Suzanne while finally getting some self-respect and confidence despite his own insecurities. Phoenix's laconic, subtle performance is amazing as the actor proved he can step into the shadows of his late older brother, River while proving to be one of the best actors of his generation. Matt Dillon is amazingly low-key as the charming, street-smart Larry Maretto. Dillon's engaging performance is fun to watch as he plays a man with simple ideas of family and love who is truly unaware of his wife's ambitions as Dillon is great in playing a character who eventually becomes a victim.

The film's best performance truly goes to Nicole Kidman in what is really her breakout role to American audiences. In the role of Suzanne Stone, Kidman brings a lot of layers to the performance as she is mean, conniving, manipulative, and cold whenever she's not getting what she wants or trying to control the situation. Yet, when she is at work or being part of some media event, Kidman adds a lot of energy and humor to the character that is sometimes heighten by the presence of the little dog Walter played by Misha. The whole film is Kidman through and through as it's a wonderful, star-making term for the Australian beauty.

When it was released in 1995, the film drew rave reviews and box office as Nicole Kidman received lots of acclaim including a Golden Globe win for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical. The film proved to be Kidman's breakout role as she finally stepped out of the shadow of her then-husband Tom Cruise. The film also introduced the public to Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck in which the latter would become one of Van Sant's key collaborators as his older brother Ben and friend Matt Damon would help bring Van Sant his biggest success with their own screenplay entitled Good Will Hunting.

To Die For is an extraordinary, witty, and entertaining masterpiece from Gus Van Sant and screenwriter Buck Henry helmed by a phenomenal performance from Nicole Kidman. Fans of black comedies and satires no doubt will enjoy this film while fans of Kidman will no doubt consider this her most essential performance. While fans of Gus Van Sant will consider this film to be his most accessible in comparison to art-house fares like My Own Private Idaho and Drugstore Cowboy to more experimental films like his recent Death Trilogy. The film is still one of Van Sant's quintessential films. In the end, for a film that is sexy, a great soundtrack, look, and witty commentary on the media, To Die For is the film that lives up to its title.

Gus Van Sant Films: Mala Noche - Drugstore Cowboy - My Own Private Idaho - Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - Good Will Hunting - Psycho (1998 film) - Finding Forrester - Gerry - Elephant - Last Days - Paranoid Park - Milk - Restless - Promised Land

The Shorts & Videos of Gus Van Sant - Auteurs #4: Gus Van Sant

(C) thevoid99 2011

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/10/08 w/ Additional Edits.

After scoring a critical hit with 1991's My Own Private Idaho, that also became a hit in art-house film circuits, Gus Van Sant had become the leading voice of the emerging New Queer Cinema movement. Hoping to make a bid in going mainstream, Van Sant decided to make his first big-budgeted film that had the full financial backing and support of a major studio. For this project, Gus Van Sant turned to an obscure yet celebrated novel by Tom Robbins about a young woman with large thumbs who travels around the country while exploring free love and homosexuality. The novel entitled Even Cowgirls Get the Blues was beloved in the gay community that it comes as no surprise than to have Gus Van Sant to do the film. The resulting film would have repercussions for Gus Van Sant's career as he struggled to find mainstream acceptance.

Written for the screen and directed by Gus Van Sant, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is a road film about a woman with large, mutated thumbs who travels around the country while trying to find love in a world that's rapidly changing. During this journey, she encounters many strange people while going through transformations politically and sexually. With the novelist Tom Robbins serving as narrator, the film explores Van Sant's themes of homosexuality and desperate love that echoes such earlier work as My Own Private Idaho and his 1985 debut film Mala Noche. Starring Uma Thurman, Lorraine Bracco, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Angie Dickinson, Keanu Reeves, John Hurt, Sean Young, Crispin Glover, Udo Kier, Buck Henry, Ken Kesey, Roseanne Barr, Ed Begley Jr., Carol Kane, Heather Graham, Lin Shaye, Edward James Olmos, Rain Phoenix, and in one of his final film appearances, River Phoenix in an un-credited role as Pilgrim. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues despite its efforts, is a messy, baffling, and incoherent film from Gus Van Sant.

Ever since she was a child, Sissy Hawkins (Uma Thurman) had always wondered what power her large, mutated thumbs had until the day she hitch-hiked herself into a car. By the early 1970s, Sissy is now a traveler who constantly goes on road journeys with her magic thumbs. Yet, she briefly had success as a model when she got called by her former boss known as the Countess (John Hurt), a transvestite, feminist hygiene product mogul. Traveling through New York City via riding on cars and trucks, Sissy meets the Countess who had hoped to have Sissy meet with Native American water-colorist Julian (Keanu Reeves). The meeting turned into a disaster after Julian had an asthma attack while Sissy got seduced by a couple of Julian's entourage in Howard (Crispin Glover) and Marie (Sean Young).

After that disastrous encounter where her thumbs her due to her anxieties, Sissy is sent on a modeling assignment to a ranch he owns that's ran by Miss Adrian (Angie Dickinson). Going to the ranch, Miss Adrian is dealing with the increasing control from a group of cowgirls led by Bonanza Jellybean (Rain Phoenix). Sissy finds herself attracted to Jellybean and her wild ways which included lesbianism. When the modeling job involves doing something involved with whooping cranes, it doesn't go well due to dueling factions between the Countess and the cowgirls that included the peyote-taking Dolores (Lorraine Bracco). Torn between her love for Jellybean and loyalty to the Countess, Sissy flees to the mountains where she meets a Japanese-American recluse named the Chink (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita). After her strange counter with the Chink, Sissy returns to New York where she had a falling out with the Countess.

Fearing that her thumbs has now caused trouble, she turns to her childhood doctor Dr. Dreyfus (Buck Henry) for help. What happened would change her persona while hearing about the revolt from the cowgirls as they're protecting the whooping cranes from the government. Joining the cowgirls, she helps them in their fight while discovering her own true identity for the first time in her life.

The film is about a young woman's journey to self-discovery yet, with its themes of feminism, social politics, and such. It gets lost in its translation from book to novel but then again, the book is considered to be too strange to be adapted. Robbins story of self-discovery is filled with a lot of characters that often are too eccentric for their own good. Yet, the fault is largely due to Gus Van Sant and his attempts to turn it into a film and the result is very messy. He brings a film where not much makes sense, a lot of it becomes very self-indulgent, and overly pretentious. While the film has themes about homosexuality that were explored in his earlier films. Not much ground is covered in this one because it's often overshadowed by its political leanings towards animal activism which doesn't have much depth either.

Another problem with the film is that with most adaptations, something is missing in the adaptation. The film in its original running time of two hours in its initial premiere at the 1993 Toronto Film Festival received an overwhelming negative response. Therefore, Van Sant and editor Curtiss Clayton were forced to cut thirty-minutes of the film for its official 1994 theatrical release. Yet, something got lost as it's clear that some appearances must've been cut from the original film along with characters who seem to have a much bigger impact. Therefore, if Van Sant was trying to improve the film by shortening it and to simplify the story. He didn't succeed as it's lost in its rambling, incoherent plot while Tom Robbins' narration doesn't really help things either. Some insert shots of Sissy fantasizing and such doesn't feel right and the end result overall is a messy film from Gus Van Sant.

The cinematography of John J. Campbell and Eric Alan Edwards, two of Van Sant's early, regular cinematographers create an interesting look in a lot of the film's exterior shots of sunlight and evening shots. Yet, in comparison to their previous work with My Own Private Idaho, it lacks the atmospheric quality of that film as well as other early Van Sant features. Despite its look, it isn't actually inspiring nor does the editing by Van Sant and Curtiss Clayton that really doesn't have much style with the exception of stock footage of flying whooping cranes. Production designer Missy Stewart along with set decorator Nina Bradford, and art director Dan Self do create an interesting look of the Rubber Road ranch as well as the New York City art scene.

Costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor also does some interesting work with the costumes, notably the cowgirls with their chaps, hats, and shirts to have them look masculine in a cool way. Sound designer Kelley Baker does some nice work in the film's battle sequence and road scenes though it's nothing spectacular in comparison to Van Sant's other films. The film's score by k.d. lang and Ben Mink is a highlight with its smooth, country style score and mix with rock where lang was hot at the time as her score and soundtrack is actually one of the best things in the film.

The casting by Sharon Bialy, Debi Manwiller, and Richard Pagano is interesting but distracting due to its slew of appearances from actors that are really just strange cameos. Appearances from Roseanne as a fortune teller, Grace Zabriskie and Ken Kesey as Sissy's parents, William S. Burroughs as himself, Udo Kier as a commercial director, Edward James Olmos in an un-credited appearance as a musician in a barbeque, Lin Shaye as a ranch maid, Heather Graham and alt-folk musician Victoria Williams as a couple of cowgirls, Ed Begley, Jr. and Carol Kane along with Crispin Glover and Sean Young as Julian's snobby entourage, and the late River Phoenix in one of his final film appearances as a pilgrim. Keanu Reeves makes an extremely bad appearance as Julian with an awful tan to make himself look Native American while sporting an even more wooden performance where he has no clue what he's doing.

Buck Henry is good as a doctor who helps Sissy while Treva Jeffryes is also good as the young Sissy. John Hurt gives a strange, stylish, yet overbearing performance as the Countess with a Southern-British accent that doesn't work while at times, some of his physical performances don't really work. Angie Dickinson isn't very good either as Miss Adrian as she isn't given much to do but complain and act all shocked. Noriyuki "Pat" Morita is pretty good as the Chink, a recluse from the mountains who is very eccentric and fun despite his aversion to politics. Lorraine Bracco is good in a strange yet hilarious role as Dolores, a peyote-taking cowgirl who claims to have all of these weird, psychedelic visions. Rain Phoenix is somewhat decent though not overall brilliant as Bonanza Jellybean as while she is memorable. Her performance doesn't leave much of an impression as she's just there to talk in a drawl and look good in chaps.

Finally, there's Uma Thurman in one of her early leading roles. While it's not a bad performance, it's nothing worth celebrating either. While Thurman can portray being beautiful and naive while having this kind of drawl in her accent. There's not much she's given throughout the film despite being the lead character yet Thurman seems lost and unsure of what to do as the lead. Some of that fault can be due to Van Sant's direction though Thurman does manage to have some fine moments.

Despite its intentions, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is a messy, incoherent failure from Gus Van Sant. While fans of Gus Van Sant might see this for their own interest, it's clear that this isn't one of his great films as he's already becoming one of cinema's premier directors. Yet, for all of his great films that he's made like Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, To Die For, Good Will Hunting, Elephant, Last Days, Paranoid Park, and more recently, Milk. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is an interesting failure showing where someone as revered as Gus Van Sant can stumble. In the end, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is a film that doesn't work despite Gus Van Sant's attempts to bring Tom Robbins' unique, eccentric cult novel to the big screen.

Gus Van Sant Films: Mala Noche - Drugstore Cowboy - My Own Private Idaho - To Die For - Good Will Hunting - Psycho (1998 film) - Finding Forrester - Gerry - Elephant - Last Days - Paranoid Park - Milk - (Restless)

The Shorts & Videos of Gus Van Sant - The Auteurs #4: Gus Van Sant

(C) thevoid99 2011

The Man Who Fell to Earth

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/29/07.

***Very Special Thanks to the People at Disc-Go Round for Attaining this DVD just before its demise***

When the name David Bowie is uttered in a conversation. The first thing everyone comes to mind is him as an icon in the world of pop music. Whether it's the personas of Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, the Thin White Duke, or the superstar of the 1980s, he's beloved by millions for his music. To fans, he is known more than just an accomplished pop icon as he's ventured into the world of art as an accomplished painter and a board of director in Modern Arts magazine. Then there's another part of Bowie that relates to his brand of performance art since he was a trained mime under the tutorship of Lindsay Kemp.

In 1975, at the time of his commercial success in the U.S. with Young Americans and the #1 smash hit Fame. Bowie was asked by British director Nicolas Roeg to star in his next film. Roeg, whose previous films were 1970's Performance with Mick Jagger and James Fox, 1971's Walkabout with Jenny Agutter, and the 1973 thriller Don't Look Now with Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland, was embarking on his most ambitious project to date. The film would called The Man Who Fell to Earth with David Bowie playing the title role in his feature-film debut.

Based on the novel by Walter Tevis, The Man Who Fell to Earth is a story about an alien who travels to Earth to get water for his drought-surrounding home planet. Upon his trip, he carries patents for inventions that would revolutionize the world as he would be rich with the help of a businessman while meeting a simple-minded small town woman and a cynical professor where his stay would lead to corruptive substances, betrayal, and alienation.

With a screenplay by Paul Mayersberg, Roeg explores the world of an alien who falls into the temptations of Earth as his desperation to save his own family in his home planet would falter by the forces that are trying to stop him. Also starring Candy Clark, Buck Henry, Bernie Casey, Jackson D. Kane, Rick Riccardo, and Rip Torn. The Man Who Fell to Earth is a sprawling, complex sci-fi masterpiece from one of Britain's great directors led by a superb performance from the legendary David Bowie.

Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) falls down to Earth as he walks down a mountain and later into a small town. Claiming to be from England and selling his wedding ring for $20, Newton later finds himself with loads of money as he is drawn by a river as he drinks its water. Newton then comes to New York City where he meets a business lawyer named Oliver Farnsworth (Buck Henry). Newton reveals to Farnsworth several patents that would revolutionize the world. Reluctantly, Farnsworth takes Newton's patents and immediately, the world is shocked by the new innovations that Newton and Farnsworth's new company World Enterprises has been making. One of those people amazed by a camera with film that is developed after its shot (a precursor to digital cameras) is a cynical, college professor named Nathan Bryce (Rip Torn).

Bryce is intrigued by the new technology World Enterprises is making while his own days as a college professor who sleeps with young students are almost done. After a meeting with Professor Canutti (Jackson D. Kane), Bryce leaves college as he successfully attains a job working for Farnsworth. Newton meanwhile, moves to New Mexico only to contact Farnsworth while being accompanied by his driver Arthur (Tony Mascia). Upon arriving to a hotel, Newton meets a simple-minded hotel maid named Mary-Lou (Candy Clark) who carries him to his hotel room after passing out due to the speed of the hotel elevator. They become friends as Newton's newfound attraction towards television increases his clairvoyant mind as he is haunted by the images of his home planet with his family dying from a drought. His friendship with Mary-Lou also introduces Newton to alcohol, which he is now consuming to distract himself from his haunted mind.

With World Enterprises' business and stock booming, Farnsworth is wondering what Newton is planning. Newton moves to a lake house near the place he landed as he and Mary-Lou live quietly despite Newton's newfound madness as he's consumed by alcohol and television. Bryce is sent to Newton's base to work on a space project Newton has been planning. The two meet as Bryce is baffled by Newton's intentions for the project. After learning the truth on who he is, Bryce learns of his intentions. With their own relationship becoming fragile, Mary-Lou learns who Newton really is and is shocked by the outcome.

The success of World Enterprises has captured the attention of the government as Farnsworth finds himself being investigated by Mr. Peters (Bernie Casey). Farnsworth suddenly feels more and more detached by Newton's plans as he and his partner Trevor (Rick Riccardo) are wondering what's going to happen. Finally, after all the money is made and the plans for a spaceship built, Newton is finally on his way to save his dying planet. Unfortunately, betrayal and murder occurs as Newton has become a captive by the government and is forced to learn of the fragile bond he has with Bryce and Mary-Lou.

The novel by Walter Tevis is described in an allegory of Jesus Christ coming down to Earth to be the Savior. The premise of both Tevis' novel and the film version of The Man Who Fell to Earth is similar to Christ's struggle with doing what's right for the world. In the case of its protagonist Thomas Jerome Newton, here's an alien who comes to Earth hoping to bring water back to his dying planet of Anthea. Using his own patents to create new technological innovation for Earth, he hopes to give humans some new wonders. Instead, he becomes corrupted by the planet itself with all of its vices as well as the people around him despite the fact that they have a good heart.

The screenplay by Paul Mayersberg shows a man who is trying to understand Earth itself while seeing the good and bad in the planet he hopes to take some of their water to help his own. Unfortunately, he doesn't expect the bad side of the planet and its in large part by its humanity and some of the technology they had created. Newton's interaction with the likes of Farnsworth, Bryce, and Mary-Lou are all different in how he engages them. The character of Newton is one full of caution. He doesn't like to ride in fast speed, he is somewhat anti-social, he isn't the kind of person who's really into any kind of conversation. Yet, he's an alien. Not just in the physical sense but also emotionally and mentally.

The other characters like Farnsworth, Bryce, and Mary-Lou each have their own role in the plot of the story. Farnsworth is a man who starts off living privately is intrigued by Newton while having to live a secret life as a gay man. Once money and power comes in, he starts to like everything while maintaining his own personal life. Yet, when he and Newton detach themselves, he turns to his lover Trevor for comfort as he hopes to use his own share for personal means. The character of Bryce is particularly complex for the fact that here's a man who is on the way down and is forced to live a life as a college professor who sleeps with very young women. When he stumbles upon World Enterprises, his life changes as he hopes to become the man he aspires to be while befriending Newton.

While the character of Mary-Lou might seem to be this whiny, corruptive individual. She's actually a lot more than that since she's a very simple, lonely young woman who hasn’t seen a lot of the outside world and becomes an unlikely companion for Newton despite what she brings him.

The direction of Nicolas Roeg is amazing in all of its images. Shot mostly on location in New Mexico, the film doesn’t look or act like a science-fiction film but rather a contemporary drama that features sci-fi elements. While the film features some special effects that might seem dated by today’s standards, it does work in bringing the idea of space and technology. There’s no time-line or any idea of where the film takes place. It doesn't really matter since Roeg is more concerned with the story as well as the journey he gives the audience.

It's not an easy journey but it is revealed into the troubled mind of Newton. Roeg's compositions of the Anthea sequences, Newton’s captivity, as well as everything that makes the whole film feel alien really brings a distinctive tone that is rarely seen in a lot of sci-fi related films. Though what Roeg does in his resulting vision isn't easy to watch, the result after the film does leave audiences thinking about not just the idea of alienation but ourselves into the idea of interacting with alien-beings.

Cinematographer Anthony Richmond brings a unique look to some of the film's scenes by using somewhat, grainy and dream-like images for the Anthea scenes while the use of blue lights in some of the nighttime scenes at the lake-house including Oriental lanterns for the archway port at the house. Editor Graeme Clifford brings a wonderfully stylistic, elliptical-paced approach to the editing to convey the clairvoyant mind of Newton as he sees things in his own life as well as others that also includes jump-cuts in some sequences. Production designer Brian Eatwell create some unique sets for the entire film such as the boat-like ship Newton traveled from Anthea to Earth, the home he and Mary-Lou lived in that includes a wall of 12 TVs in three by-four stacks, and fake autumn-like rooms for Newton's captive mansion.

Costume designer Mary Routh creates some wonderful, 70s-like clothing for the film's entire cast, notably the dresses and clothes that Candy Clark wears to convey her transition from small-town girl to a woman living in a rich life style. Some of the suits David Bowie wears are wonderfully designed by Ola Hudson, the mother of ex-Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash. Make-up artist Linda DeVetta creates a unique-look to the alien look that Bowie wears when he reveals his true identity with Clark playing his alien wife as well as the aging Mary-Lou in the third act. Sound editor Michael Ellis helps create unique sounds to convey the film's sci-fi feel as well as to emphasize Newton’s adjustment to his new world.

The film's music and soundtrack is directed by the late John Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas. Phillips creates a unique score that includes moments of rag-tag country banjos, hypnotic rock-like tracks, and other styles of music to convey the sense of alienation. Japanese composer Stomu Yamashta brings some moody jazz scores that also features the synthesizer on some cuts to give that spacey-feel. The rest of the soundtrack features cuts by Roy Orbison, Bing Crosby with Grace Kelly, Jim Reeves, Hank Snow, Louis Armstrong, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, the Kingston Trio, and a cover of the Gene Pitney-composed, Rick Nelson classic Hello Mary-Lou performed by John Phillips and ex-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor.

The film's cast features some notable cameos from Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell as himself, satirist/screenwriter Terry Southern as a reporter, and late Playboy model Claudia Jennings as Peters' wife. Bernie Casey is good as the shady government agent Mr. Peters while Rick Riccardo is also good as Farnsworth body-building lover Trevor. Jackson D. Kane is excellent in his role as Bryce's former superior Professor Canutti, who despises Bryce while appearing later on in the film as a scholar on corporations. The late Tony Mascia is also good as Newton's driver Arthur where in real-life, he actually is Bowie's driver/security chief in the 70s and throughout the 80s.

Buck Henry is wonderfully low-key in his performance as Oliver Farnsworth. A gay lawyer who hopes to use his newfound wealth to attain more freedom for his lifestyle. Henry is very subdued throughout the film and does an amazing job in playing a man who craves power and tries to evade the attention of the government. Rip Torn is in brilliant form as the cynical, skirt-chasing Nathan Bryce. Torn brings the kind of realism and sympathy to a man who has just been given another chance at greatness only to succumb from pressure by the government. Torn's performance is wonderful to watch as a man who goes up close to see Newton self-destruct. Candy Clark is phenomenal as Mary-Lou with her sweet, caring personality but inside is someone who is lonely and in need of help. Clark sells the despair of her character from the young woman who is seen wearing wigs and such to an old lady who realized how much that relationship has destroyed her emotionally.

Finally, there's David Bowie in his feature film debut and in a role that was supposed to be given to Peter O'Toole. It's no doubt that O'Toole is a great actor but in playing an alien that comes down to Earth and succumb to its vices. Only someone like David Bowie can play that character right from its awkwardness to his own detachment from everyone and everything around him. Bowie plays it straight from the restraint he gives as well as his physicality in being this very thin young man (and it should be noted that he had a terrible cocaine addiction during this time). Bowie brings a maturity in terms of business and economics while being naive in some ways about the Earth and humanity itself. It's a fantastic yet eerie performance from the Thin White Duke.

When the film was issued on DVD for the first time in 1998 by Fox Lorber, it was released with a poor film transfer in its widescreen format along with Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono. That DVD was considered a disappointment to fans, even to those who bought the laserdisc version back in 1994. In 2003, Anchor Bay released a more superior version of the film with different audio mixes in stereo for 5.1 Dolby Digital and 6.1 DTS. The DVD also included a special feature which was a 24-minute featurette on the film along with its original screenplay as a DVD-rom feature. Then in 2005, The Man Who Fell to Earth was finally given the DVD treatment it truly deserve to both fans of the films and those who yearned to discover its brilliance.

The 2-disc Region 1 Criterion DVD of The Man Who Fell to Earth is one of the best highlights from the Criterion Collection. Presented in the anamorphic, widescreen format for 16x9 TVs and in the original theatrical ratio of 2:35:1 that is personally supervised by director Nicolas Roeg. The film is vastly superior in terms of its transfer and look thanks to Roeg and the DVD team. The film itself is in the first disc of the DVD in all of its uncut glory that included 20-minutes cut from the original American release. The film is also presented in English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo that is also supervised by Roeg himself.

The only special feature in the first disc of the film is a commentary track by director Nicolas Roeg along with David Bowie and Buck Henry that was recorded in 1992 for the laserdisc version. While three of the tracks are recorded seperately, one by Roeg and another with Bowie and the other by Henry, they're presented in one full commentary that's a delight to hear. Bowie discusses with Roeg about his interest after seeing two of his films while Roeg wanted to cast him instead of Peter O'Toole through Alan Yentob's 1975 BBC documentary Cracked Actor. Roeg and Bowie talk about the ideas of the film and the locations they were in as Bowie tried to recall about his first arrival into New Mexico and meeting real-life cowboys. While Bowie admits that his own memory of 1974-1975 is hazy due to the fact that he was under the influence of drugs at the time, he does remember stuff about the filming as well as his own social interaction with Rip Torn, whom he enjoyed.

Buck Henry discusses about getting the part and when people asked about the film he was in and who was in it and directed by who. One person replied, "That's a dinner party, not a cast". Henry also discusses his own interaction with Bowie as with the themes of the film and the glasses he wore which he couldn't see in them. Henry emphasizes on the film's brilliance while discussing some of Roeg's work. He also understands why a general American audience will have a hard time watching this.

Roeg discusses a lot of the film's sense of paranoia and alienation while he and Bowie discussed the growing advent of technology and how it could play against man. Bowie briefly discusses about creating a soundtrack for the film that would eventually become some of the music for his 1976 classic album Station to Station but also his 1977 seminal album Low. The overall commentary is one of the most profound and intelligent commentaries by three of the film's prominent figure.

The second disc of the DVD includes a plethora of material and supplements that would be a must-have for any fan of the film. Including interviews, photo galleries, and trailers, it's a collection of material that emphasizes the film's influence. The first interview is with screenwriter Paul Mayersberg who discusses the novel, Roeg, novelist Walter Tevis, and his approach to the screenplay. The 26-minute interview is very informative about the film and why it didn't do well commercially when it was released. He says that it was a film and like the book itself, that didn't pertain to any kind of traditional genre.

He also compares the film and Tevis' novel to another novel that Tevis wrote, The Hustler that was also made into a film starring Paul Newman and Piper Laurie. The comparison emphasizes on the similarities of the protagonists and their relationship with women. Mayersberg also discusses in why a film and story like The Man Who Fell to Earth wouldn't register with a large audience, notably in America, because people want to cheer for winners. Mayersberg also briefly discusses the characters and the actors while giving his own take on the film itself and its legacy.

The second big interview is a 25-minute featurette called Performance that features new interviews with actors Rip Torn and Candy Clark. Featuring some old super-8 footage shot by Torn on location, the two actors discuss their own characters and memories of the film. Torn recalled about having a great time making the film and enjoyed Roeg’s approach to the film despite a lack of improvisation. Clark recalls on her own idea of the lack of improvisation and was due to the fact that the schedule went back and forth into shooting scenes in a non-continuous way. She also discussed about playing Bowie's character at one point because he was ill.

The two actors also discussed the film's American theatrical cut where 20 minutes of scenes from the film were cut by the studio losing some of the film's important plot points. Both actors seem very fond of the film though Clark admits that she and Bowie were not comfortable in their nude scenes and she could barely watch them today. Torn meanwhile, is amazed how much the film remains relevant since its release.

A third interview appears in an audio format with the film's novelist Walter Tevis in 1984. Conducted by Don Swaim for CBS radio, the 24-minute interview is separated into four different tracks. The first track reveals Tevis discussing his background living in Kentucky and his own reaction the success of his first novel The Hustler back in 1959 and the film itself while briefly mentioning the sequel, that would become Martin Scorsese's The Color of Money. The second track reveals Tevis' approach to science-fiction while discussing a novel he was completing at the time which also a sci-fi novel. He revealed his approach as more character driven as opposed to the sci-fi ideas of Star Wars.

The third track of the interview is where Tevis talks about becoming a full-time writing. He was a professor at the University of Ohio back in the early 60s and writing part-time. Yet, it made for a bad lifestyle that led him to alcoholism before finally sobering up in 1975. He also revealed that it was in 1961, he began to write the novel for The Man Who Fell to Earth. The fourth and final track reveals the themes that Tevis writes about, which is alienation, and how he wanted to stray from that in the future.

The fourth featurette of interviews is with the married collaborators of production designer Brian Eatwell and costume designer May Routh. Each individual has an interview where Eatwell's 24-minute interview discusses the locations and design of some of the sets. Eatwell in an audio interview that features stills and super 8 footage of the making of the film. Eatwell reveals stories behind the production such as the lake house that Newton and Mary-Lou lived that is filled with Japanese artifacts to create a sense of authenticity. The spaceship that Newton built that was also shown on the album cover of Bowie's Station to Station was actually filled with coffee cups stapled and the sprayed in black. The home were Newton was held captive was made with different sets to convey the emotion of Newton. The film was cheaper to make in some ways due to the fact that Eatwell and his team were all English and despite being on a limited budget were treated very well with the people of New Mexico.

Costume designer May Routh gives a 19-minute interview discussing the costumes she created for the film. Featuring photos and sketches by Routh, the designer reveals in the first half of the interview the collaboration she had with Bowie on the clothes. Bowie was up for anything as long as it related to the character where she created a lot of sketches. The most difficult that she created was the alien suit he and Candy Clark wore with the tubes, largely because of the material they had to use. With Clark's own clothing, it was mostly found in places like JC Penny's and other places as Routh wanted the clothes to convey her own development from this poor girl to a rich, unhappy woman. With Buck Henry, most of his clothes were bought at a wonderful men's suits store in Albuquerque while his jump-suit was the only thing designed. With Rip Torn and other characters, it was mostly straight-forward in what the character wanted.

Routh's interview is also followed by a gallery of her sketches of the costumes she's designed. There are four more photo galleries in the DVD. The first is from still photographer David James that is preceded by a seven-minute audio intro where James discusses taking the still photography job after a hiatus from trying to produce a German film project. James reveals his love for Bowie and the whole experience of being involved with the film. Most of the photos he reveal are in wonderful black-and-white and are some of the best still photography shown.

A posters film gallery unveils several international film posters of Roeg's work from Performance to 1980's Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession. Roeg contributes his own photos of his own shooting script filled with Polaroids and notes on the book. The final photo gallery comes from executive producer Si Litvinoff that features behind the scenes snapshots of cast and crew on location for the film that also includes Bowie's ex-wife Angela and his longtime assistant Coco Schwab.

Seven trailers appear in the DVD that features various U.S. and international trailers and teasers for The Man Who Fell to Earth that included one U.S. trailer with a voice-over by William Shatner. The two U.S. trailers and teaser definitely promoted the film as a typical sci-fi film that isn't like anything else at the time hyping it as something new. Two international teasers and a trailer definitely use Bowie's name to hype the film considering that he's a bigger star in the U.K. and Europe rather in the U.S. The footage also shows deleted footage featuring Candy Clark that never made it to the final cut. The 30-second TV spot also brings some ambiguity by also hyping the film with Bowie’s name.

Accompanying the entire DVD sets are two essays in a 28-page booklet. The first essay is by film critic Graham Fuller on the film itself. Entitled Loving The Alien after the famed David Bowie single from 1984's Tonight. The essay unveils the film's release back in 1976 where in England and parts of Europe, it was a success. In America however, 20 minutes of the film was cut by the studio that received mixed reviews by critics while not faring very well in the box office. The essay goes into detail about the film and its plot while revealing the 20-minutes that were cut that included an entire sequence to the song Hello, Mary-Lou, Nathan Bryce in a Santa Claus suit and cavorting with his students, a shot of Mary-Lou in shock over Newton in his alien form. The essay also explores the film's comparison with its actual novel and its allegory to Jesus Christ.

The second essay by University of Ohio English professor Jack Matthews entitled The Novels and Confessions of Walter Tevis is an appreciation on the late novelist. Matthews briefly discusses the life of Walter Tevis and the two famous novels that marked his prestige in literature, The Hustler and The Man Who Fell to Earth. Matthews compares both books while also comparing The Man Who Fell to Earth to Mark Twain's famed novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court that also featured similar ideas of new technology threatening the present world the protagonists are in.

Matthews also reveals his own friendship with Tevis as he sees him through good times and bad that included his alcoholism, which was often very private. The final accompaniment to the DVD is the novel itself by Walter Tevis. A book that is hard to find nowadays finally appears to those who've seen the film and have never read the book will finally see the source. The book is indeed a treasure for anyone who loved the film.

Since its release in 1976, The Man Who Fell to Earth has carried a legacy that is unparalleled with most films. In 1985, former Clash singer/guitarist Mick Jones and punk pioneer Don Letts created the group Big Audio Dynamite whose video for their single E=MC^2 featured footage from the film along with other films by Nicolas Roeg. In 1998, Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland's single for Barbarella featured a video that had a similar premise to the film itself. Then in 2001, David Bowie did a spoof on the film's title by falling onto a building from space and to Earth exclaiming "I'll never get used to that" in a commercial for satellite radio.

With The Man Who Fell to Earth now considered one of the touchstones of 1970s cinema, the film's cult following and legacy has spurned upon the legacy of two of its individual. Nicolas Roeg remains a icon of sorts among film directors, including Ridley Scott and Francois Ozon as Roeg continued to make films before taking a hiatus following 1990's The Witches. While he worked on TV films for a brief period, Roeg returned to the cinema with 2006's Puffball starring Kelly Reilly, Miranda Richardson, and Donald Sutherland.

David Bowie meanwhile, continues to balance his highly-acclaimed music career with a string of diverse films. Ranging from cult movies like Tony Scott's The Hunger, Julien Temple's Absolute Beginners, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, and Ben Stiller's Zoolander as himself. While appearing in interesting, auteur-based films like Nagisa Oshima's Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, Martin Scorsese's controversial film The Last Temptation of Christ as Pontius Pilate, David Lynch's Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Julian Schnabel's Basquiat as Andy Warhol, and most recently, Christopher Nolan's The Prestige as Nikola Tesla. Bowie's acting career, unlike most pop stars has been filled with acclaim and admiration among not just actors and director but also his fellow artist and musicians.

The Man Who Fell to Earth is a must-see film from director Nicolas Roeg and his team along with a great cast led by the brilliant David Bowie. Fans of Bowie and Roeg will no doubt consider the film and the Criterion DVD as a must-have. Those new to the work of Nicolas Roeg will see this as a nice starting point. While for general audiences, it's a film that won't be easy to watch yet repeated viewing will make the film more understandable and appreciative. In the end, The Man Who Fell to Earth is a brilliant yet provocative, sci-fi film from director Nicolas Roeg and its star, David Bowie.

Nicolas Roeg Films: Performance - Walkabout - (Glastonbury Fayre) - Don't Look Now - (Bad Timing) - (Eureka) - Insignificance - (Castaway) - (Aria-Un ballo in maschera) - (Track 29) - (The Witches) - (Heart of Darkness) - (Two Deaths) - (Full Body Massage) - (Samson and Delilah) - (Puffball)

© thevoid99 2011