The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film)

Based on the novel by James Fenimore Cooper and the 1936 film by George B. Seitz and screenwriter Philip Dunne, The Last of the Mohicans is the story of two sisters who are accompanied by a major during the French and Indian War where they’re saved by a white Mohican warrior who accompanies them to a fort where their father is stationed at. Directed by Michael Mann and screenplay by Mann and Christopher Crowe from an adaptation by John L. Balderston, Paul Perez, and Daniel Moore, the film is a thrilling adventure film set during the French and Indian War in the Adirondack Mountains in the then-British colony of New York where a man tries to help two sisters reach their father while dealing with all sorts of foes. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Jodhi May, Russell Means, Wes Studi, Eric Schweig, and Steven Waddington. The Last of the Mohicans is an exhilarating and gripping film from Michael Mann.

It’s 1757 during the French and Indian War between the British and American colonials against the French and various Native American factions where a trio of Native Americans save a major and two women following an ambush by Huron warriors on their way to a fort that is the home of the women’s officer father. It’s a film that play into three men who live a life of peace and generosity as they decide to help these two women to be with their father yet things would get complicated once they arrive at their destination during this conflict that is happening. The film’s screenplay by Michael Mann and Christopher Crowe that was also based on Philip Dunne’s screenplay for the 1936 film by George B. Seitz does play into the world that its protagonist Nathaniel Poe/Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) lives in with his adopted father Chingachgook and adopted brother Uncas (Eric Schweig) as they live to hunt and be good company to other colonial settlers.

The first act is largely about Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) wanting to accompany his lover Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and her younger sister Alice (Jodhi May) as their father Colonel Edmund Munro (Maurice Roeves) who is stationed at Fort William Henry. Major Heyward and his entourage is accompanied by the Huron warrior Magua (Wes Studi) unaware that he’s leading them an ambush by his own tribe as he has a hatred towards Colonel Munro over events from the past that related to his family. It would be Hawkeye and his family that would save the Munro sisters and Major Heyward where Cora isn’t sure about trusting Hawkeye yet realizes what is at stake. The film’s second act that takes place at Fort William Henry during a battle with the French army led by General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm (Patrice Chereau) where the Munro sisters learn that from their father that they weren’t supposed to come.

The screenplay wouldn’t just play into this developing relationship between Hawkeye and Cora but also revelations that would plant the seeds of what is to come in this shaky alliance between the British forces and the colonial militia. After witnessing what happened to a family that Hawkeye and his family knew and Colonel Munro’s dismissal over the incidents due to lack of evidence. Cora realizes that even someone like her father is more concerned with maintaining his position rather than have the militia return to defend their home and families. The film’s third act which has everyone leaving the fort is about survival as well as the ideas of war where one group of people want to do what is honorable but another has personal reasons to wage war.

Mann’s direction is definitely astonishing in terms of its visual presentation and intense approach to action. Shot on location largely on the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina as well as various locations in the state as upstate New York and the Adirondack Mountains. Mann would use the locations as characters in the film as it play into a world that is peaceful only to be ravaged by war as it opens with Hawkeye and his family hunting and bringing food to eat and share with a family. The simplicity in Mann’s direction is key to the relationship Hawkeye would have with Cora later in the film with its usage of close-ups and medium shots as well as the brief moments between Alice and Uncas with the latter being protective of her from danger. The usage of hand-held cameras would play into the action as well as Hawkeye and his entourage trying to get to the fort and later hide from Magua and his tribe.

Mann’s usage of the wide shots would play into the scope of the battle scenes as well as the attention to detail of the French digging trenches and getting closer to the fort as well as the distance of cannons firing toward their target. Mann’s usage of tracking and dolly shots add to the detail of the landscape and chaos of war while he would also aim for precise compositions to play into the suspense as it relates to Magua ambushing the British army. Mann knows when to break from the action and suspense as its climax where Hawkeye meets with the Huron sachem Ongewasgone (Dennis Banks) in a plea for peace and mercy despite Magua’s need for revenge. Mann would know when to keep things engaging but also play into the drama. Overall, Mann crafts a riveting and adventurous film about a white Mohican who help two British women and officer find safety during the French and Indian War.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography with its natural approach to lighting for many of the daytime exterior scenes as well as some scenes at night including one beautiful scene in a cave with the waterfalls and the usage of fire as it is a major highlight of the film. Editors Dov Hoenig and Arthur Schmidt do brilliant work with the editing as it has elements of style with its usage of slow-motion and rhythmic cuts as well as some other stylistic moments that play into the action, suspense, and drama. Production designer Wolf Kroeger, with set decorators Jim Erickson and James V. Kent plus art directors Robert Guerra and Richard Holland, does excellent work with the look of the homes of some of the characters as well as the interior of the fort and tents as well as the design of the Huron tribe camp. Costume designer Elsa Zamparelli does fantastic work with the costumes from the rugged look of Hawkeye and his family as well as the militia to the period dresses that Cora and Alice wear as well as the uniforms of the soldiers and officers from both the French and British.

Special makeup effects/prosthetics designer Vincent J. Guastini does amazing work with the look of the Huron tribe through its makeup as well as their Mohawks and other hairstyles of the times. Sound designer Lon E. Bender does superb work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as the sounds of guns and cannons that help play into the action and its impact. The film’s music by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman is incredible for its bombastic music score with its usage of heavy percussions, woodwind arrangements, and other instruments that play into the drama and suspense while music supervisor David Kershenbaum would use a traditional Scottish piece performed by Dougie MacLean as one of the film’s music themes along with a piece performed by Clannad as it’s a highlight of the film.

The casting by Bonnie Timmerman is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Jared Harris as British lieutenant early in the film talking with militia, Colm Meaney as an officer in Major Ambrose, Pete Postlethwaite as one of Colonel Munro’s officer in Captain Beams, Dennis Banks as the Huron sachem Ongewasgone, Tracey Ellis and Terry Kinney as a couple in the Camerons that Hawkeye and his family are friends with, and Patrice Cheraeau in a terrific performance as General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm as the French general who is a man of principle as he is also someone that cares about the rules of engagement and humanity as he tries to get Magua to honor these ideas of war.

Maurice Roeves is superb as Colonel Edmund Munro as a British officer who is the father of Cora and Alice as he is dealing with being trapped as well as trying to maintain his position only to be indifferent towards the situations that colonial militia are dealing with. Steven Waddington is fantastic as Major Duncan Heyward as an officer who is hoping to marry Cora as a man trying to protect them as well as maintain his own position in rank while dealing with the chaos of the ambush from the Huron. Russell Means and Eric Schweig are brilliant in their respective roles as the father-son duo of Chingachgook and Uncas as two Mohican warriors who are family to Hawkeye as they help the Munro sisters find safety with the former being a master warrior while the latter becomes a source of comfort for Alice. Jodhi May is excellent as Alice Munro as Cora’s younger sister who is dealing with the ambush and terror of war where she befriends Uncas whom she becomes close to.

Wes Studi is amazing as Magua as a Huron warrior who harbors deep hatred towards Colonel Munro as he is revealed to be a double-agent for the French where he is hoping to get his revenge and bring honor back to his tribe. Madeleine Stowe is incredible as Cora Munro as a woman who deals with the ambush and situation that she and her sister are encountering while getting an understanding about Hawkeye and what she sees as she would gain a completely different perspective from what her father sees about what is really happening in the war. Finally, there’s Daniel Day-Lewis in a phenomenal performance as Nathaniel Poe/Hawkeye as a white man raised by the Mohicans since he was a boy as he is someone that knows what is happening as he is doing what he can to protect the Munro sisters while falling for Cora as it’s a charismatic and thrilling performance from Day-Lewis who proves he can be tough and heroic.

The Last of the Mohicans is a tremendous film from Michael Mann that features a great performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. Along with its ensemble cast, Dante Spinotti’s gorgeous cinematography, its immense music score, beautiful locations, and themes of war and honor. It’s a film that play into a group of people caught up in a deadly conflict as well as see things that would complicate the ideas of war forcing them to survive and evade the horrors of war. In the end, The Last of the Mohicans is a magnificent film from Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: The Jericho Mile – Thief - The Keep – Manhunter – L.A. Takedown – Heat – The Insider – Ali – Collateral – Miami Vice – Public Enemies (2009 film) – Blackhat - Blackhat - Ferrari - (Heat 2) - The Auteurs #73: Michael Mann Pt.1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2019

Phantom Thread

Written, directed, and shot by Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread is the story of a fashion designer who finds his muse in his need to design clothes for women during period of couture in 1950s London. The film is an exploration into the world of fashion and a man’s desire to create the perfect clothing for women as well as dealing with the women in his life who want what is best for him. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, and Lesley Manville. Phantom Thread is a ravishing and evocative film from Paul Thomas Anderson.

The film follows a fashion designer who creates clothes for some of richest and most powerful women in London during the 1950s as he finds a muse in a waitress from the British countryside as he has her modeling clothes for her as well as have help create these dresses. Along the way, the character of Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) deals with his need to create the perfect dresses with his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) looking over the business and ensuring everything goes well. Even as they deal with the new presence in their house in Alma (Vicky Krieps) who would work sewing these dresses as well as be a model. Yet, Alma wants to do more not knowing about Woodcock’s routines as it’s something he needs in his time to create. Paul Thomas Anderson’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the obsession and need to create perfection in these dresses but also the need to feel appreciated for his work as he often works for some of the most important women in Europe.

While much of the film’s narrative is told from Alma’s perspective as she tells the story of how she met Woodcock one day when he goes to the country. It also establishes the world that Woodcock lives in as he spends much of his time during breakfast sketching ideas for dresses with Cyril sitting by silently knowing not to make any noise during that time. It’s something Alma would eventually understand as she would also realize she isn’t the first person to become a muse for Woodcock as they come and go. Her simple beauty and naiveté is what would attract Woodcock to her as he takes her to his country home after dinner to have her try on a dress with Cyril making notes of her measurements. She wouldn’t just be a muse/seamstress for Woodcock while working with other seamstresses but also someone who appreciates what he does when a dress he makes for one of his rich clients is treated with disrespect that angers Woodcock.

While much of the film’s narrative is straightforward, it’s Anderson’s study of the characters that are unique where he establishes them as who they are and the role they play into this very demanding world of high fashion. Woodcock is the artist who takes his time trying to create these gorgeous dresses as he would spend days to weeks trying to figure out the right material and measurements. Cyril’s role is in the business as well as making sure everything is in place where her brother isn’t distracted though she has to remind him of the people he’s working for as they pay for the house they live in. Though Cyril is a bit wary of Alma’s presence, she is welcoming to it to ensure that her brother can get ideas but warns Alma of disrupting routines and to not create any kind of chaos that could be surprising. Alma is someone who does follow the beat of her own drum as she wants to be more than just a collaborator to Woodcock. Yet, she would become frustrated as it would occur late in the second act through a simple act as it would play with Woodcock’s own state of mind and later his own emotions that would come to play in the film’s third act.

Anderson’s direction does bear elements of style in terms of the compositions he creates but also display an air of simplicity in the way he presents this very posh world of couture fashion. Shot largely on location in London and various parts of Great Britain along with bits of Switzerland, Anderson would display this world with a meticulous approach to his close-ups in how dresses are sewn as well as the great attention to detail in the measurements as well as the type of fabric that is needed. While there are also some wide shots for some of the film’s locations and a few of the dramatic scenes in the film. Much of Anderson’s direction emphasizes on close-ups and medium shots to play into the interaction with the characters as well as these elements of precise movements of how people come into the Woodcock house. Even as Anderson establishes the importance of Woodcock’s routine from the moment he gets out of bed, the clothes he decides to wear for the day, doing his sketches during breakfast, and working with his seamstresses on the dresses as he treats them quite fairly.

Also serving as the film’s cinematography, Anderson would try to capture every bit of detail into the look of the film including the way dresses are presented under natural lighting as the photography kind of harkens back to the days of Technicolor of the late 1940s/early 1950s. For the scenes in the countryside, it is presented in a much more different light where Anderson goes for something that is more natural as it would emphasize the growing tension between Woodcock and Alma. Notably in the third act where despite their fondness for each other, their differences in age and social backgrounds would come into play such as a New Year’s Eve party sequence is where Alma fits totally right in with Woodcock feeling out of sorts. Anderson’s usage of wide shots and tracking camera shots play into Woodcock’s own confusion that would eventually force him to contend with changing times that would emerge in fashion during the 1950s. Still, Anderson focuses on the relationship between the creator and his muse and the role they play for each other with Alma playing a role that is bigger than she realized. Overall, Anderson crafts an intoxicating and rapturous film about the mind of a fashion designer and the muse who inspires him.

Editor Dylan Tichenor does brilliant work with the editing as it display elements of style in its approach to jump-cuts and dissolves while knowing when not to cut during some of the film’s dramatic moments that includes some tense scenes in the third act. Production designer Mark Tildesley, with set decorator Veronique Melery and supervising art director Denis Schnegg, does amazing work with the look of the Woodcock home in London as well as the house in the country and some of the places he, Alma, and Cyril go to. Costume designer Mark Bridges does incredible work with the costumes from the look of Woodcock’s suits and clothes that he wears to the gorgeous dresses that he creates as it looks and breathes color where they act as characters of their own as it’s a major highlight of the film. Makeup designer Paul Engelen does fantastic work with much of the film’s minimal makeup that play into the style that women wore during the 1950s.

Special effects supervisor Chris Reynolds and visual effects supervisor Marc Massicotte do terrific work with a few of the film’s visual effects as it mainly consists of set-dressing for a few of the film’s locations. Sound designer Christopher Scarabosio and sound editor Matthew Wood do excellent work with the sound from the sparse approach to how objects sound during breakfast which would annoy Woodcock to some of the quieter moments in the film. The film’s music by Jonny Greenwood is phenomenal for its rich orchestral score with elements of lush string and piano pieces in the film that add to the elegance of the times while the music would include some classical pieces as well as some of the pop standards of the time before the arrival of rock n’ roll.

The casting by Cassandra Kulukundis is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Camilla Rutherford as Woodcock’s muse early in the film, Lujza Richter as the Belgium royal Princess Mona Braganza, Gina McKee as one of the Woodcock’s rich clients in Countess Henrietta Harding, Silas Carson as a rich man in Rubio Guerrero, Harriet Sansom Harris as a rich woman that is marrying Guerrero only to take poor care of the dress that Woodcock created, Emma Clandon as the picture of Woodcock’s mother, and Brian Gleeson as Dr. Robert Hardy as a young doctor who comes in to look over Woodcock as he befriends Alma. Lesley Manville is remarkable as Cyril as Woodcock’s sister and business manager who runs everything as well as ensuring that her brother’s routine keeps on going while being sympathetic to Alma’s needs in wanting to loosen things in his life.

Vicky Krieps is radiant as Alma as a young waitress who becomes Woodcock’s new muse/collaborator as she helps run bits of the household and does what she needs to be done as it’s a performance that has this mixture of naiveté and curiosity of a simple woman in a world that she’s new to but understands her role but wants to do more. Finally, there’s Daniel Day-Lewis in a tremendous performance as Reynolds Woodcock as this fashion designer that is intent on creating the best dresses for some of the most important women in the world. It’s a performance that has Day-Lewis provide bits of humor into his performance but also this air of obsession to achieve perfection with great care as well as displaying something has him be aloof in small moments. Day-Lewis would display amazing chemistry with Krieps and Manville in the way he deals with them while also showing vulnerability in the scene where Woodcock talks to Alma about his mother and her wedding dress which is something he cares so much about. If this performance is to be the last performance that he ever does. At least he is going on top.

Phantom Thread is a spectacular film from Paul Thomas Anderson that features great performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, and Lesley Manville. Along with its gorgeous visuals, breathtaking costumes, intricate sound design, and Jonny Greenwood’s sumptuous score. It’s a film that explores a world that is unique in its time and a man’s willingness to create something special with the help of a young woman from another world. In the end, Phantom Thread is a magnificent film from Paul Thomas Anderson.

P.T. Anderson Films: Hard Eight/Sydney - Boogie Nights - Magnolia - Punch-Drunk Love - There Will Be Blood - The Master - Inherent Vice - Junun - Licorice Pizza - One Battle After Another

Related: The Short Films & Videos of P.T. Anderson - The Auteurs #15: Paul Thomas Anderson

© thevoid99 2018

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/20/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the novel by Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is the story of a Czech surgeon who deals with two relationships involving an innocent photographer and an artist as they both represent different ideas of what he wants. Directed by Philip Kaufuman and screenplay by Kaufman, Jean-Claude Carriere, and Saul Zaentz, the film is an exploration into a love triangle that occurs during the 1960s where they also endure political and social changes in the former Czechoslovakia. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Derek de Lint, Donald Moffat, Pavel Landovsky, Erland Josephson, and Stellan Skarsgard. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a harrowing yet mesmerizing film from Philip Kaufman.

It's 1968 in Prague, Czechoslovakia as a surgeon named Tomas (Daniel Day-Lewis) spends his life flirting and sleeping with other woman including a nurse named Katja (Pascale Kalensky). Tomas also has a mistress named Sabina (Lena Olin) who works as an artist as she is the only real friend he has and understands him better than anyone. Then one day as Tomas goes to a country spa town to perform surgery, he catches the eye of a waitress named Tereza (Juliette Binoche) who shares his love for books and such. She had dreamed of going to Prague to make it as a photographer as she joins him. Knowing that Sabina has connections with the art world, she manages to give Tereza a job working for the press which she was happy though she noticed the chemistry between Sabina and Tomas. Thanks to Sabina, Tereza's work as a photographer makes her a success as they go to a party where Tereza makes Tomas jealous when he dances with his colleague Jiri (Tomek Bork) while making speeches about morality and insults towards the Russian politicians. During that night, they're at a club with the politicians where one of them told the band to play the Russian anthem that then becomes a rock n' roll number.

When Tomas writes an article to the press about the Russians, it unfortunately attracted the attention of the Russians. Despite just being married to Tereza, Tereza's knowledge of Tomas' love of sex and women makes her insecure as she tries to walk out only to catch a glimpse of the Russian tanks arriving.The Russian invasion in Prague is captured by Tereza’s camera as she sees Sabina leave for Switzerland. The two later join when Tereza has been caught photographing the event, even when she sends film rolls to foreigners. In Switzerland, Sabina caught the attention of a university professor named Franz (Derek de Lint). The two fall in love as they have their own affair that is great except for the fact that he's married. Tomas and Tereza arrive as Tomas gets a new job though Tereza finds that her love of photography is being stifled by having to do nude photographs for money and attention.  She contacts Sabina for some nude photography and vice versa as for a moment, they briefly bonded until Franz's arrival to tell Sabina the news that he's leaving his wife. Sabina, unsure of wanting a relationship with Franz since she also adores Tomas and Tereza, chose to leave Switzerland and Franz. Tereza also leaves the country to return to Prague with their dog Karenin as Tomas realizes he needs her as he returns to Czechoslovakia but with his passport now confiscated. 

Now in a new Czechoslovakia, Tomas tries to get his old job but his boss (Donald Moffat) told him that he couldn't unless he sign documents over the article he wrote. After an Interior Ministry official (Daniel Olbrychski) tries to get him to sign, Tomas ends up cleaning windows for a living while Tereza becomes a waitress at a bar. Befriending an engineer (Stellan Skarsgard), Tereza finds herself increasingly insecure with Tomas returning to old habits with women. In response, she meets with the engineer but suspects something is wrong. Turning to a former ambassador (Erland Josephson) about what had happened, Tereza's guilt forces she and Tomas to leave Prague for good to live in the country with their friend Pavel (Pavel Landovsky) his pig Mephisto, and his nephew (Pavel Slaby). It is there Tomas is forced to confront his demons, his life with Tereza, and his old affairs with Sabina.

While it's obvious that Kaufman, co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, and producer Saul Zaentz made some changes from the book in their adaptation to add eroticism to the story. The result is a fascinating drama about a doctor whose life and love for two women collide with his own reality in the backdrop of the Russian invasion in 1968. The film is really about a love triangle where all three characters love each other yet have troubling sharing one another. It's also the heart of film and story where they all have trouble sharing each other yet one when two bonds with one forced to watch, there's a sense of jealousy and confusion. It's the characters of Tomas, Tereza, and Sabina that drive the story.

The script by Kaufman and Carriere works in its structure and how the relationships are perceived. The first act is really about Sabina and Tomas with Tereza having to watch while marrying Tomas in a relationship where sex is something mysterious to her. In the second act, there's a scene that's really about Sabina and Tereza and their brief bond. Yet, with Tomas not really aware of what's going on, another observer appears in the form of Franz who doesn't really understand Sabina's role in the love triangle she appears in with Tomas and Tereza. When the third act arrives, Sabina is gone as the film becomes more about the fragile yet tender relationship of Tomas and Tereza and all of their faults. Essentially, the film is about relationships and how fragile they are with each character carrying a different trait.

Tomas is a man filled with charm and bravado who succumbs to habits with women that makes him unfulfilled emotionally. Tereza is a woman who is essentially a woman filled with innocence as she offers love but when it comes to sex, she doesn't really know anything while not wanting to expose herself physically. When she is forced to confront those demons, she becomes confused forcing Tomas to confront his own flaws. Then there's Sabina, she kind of represents the observer of the entire relationship. She’s the only one who understands Tomas' desire for women and Tereza’s insecurities as she tries to help her be confident. Yet, when she is confronted with things like love and security in the form of Franz, it's a world she's not used to since she prefers her own individuality. Therefore, she doesn't appear much in the third act until the end of the film.

Kaufman’s direction is top-notch for its observation and subtle approach towards the film's erotic moments. Whereas nudity is used to titillate or shock the audience, Kaufman does it with emotions where the most erotic moment doesn't have to be a naked woman but rather other body parts like the eyes or what's going on in that scene. In the more politically-driven scenes, the recreation of the invasion isn't shot in Czechoslovakia (due to its political climate at the time) but in France. Yet, the mix of stock footage and real-life footage shot in black-and-white almost made the film documentary-like. While a lot of the film was shot on location in France along with French soundstages and parts of Geneva, Switzerland. The film managed to give that feeling of oppression both physically and psychologically. Credit must go to Kaufman for not overplaying or under-emphasize the drama. Instead, he brings the characters to life and the story itself in what is definitely one of his strongest efforts.

Cinematographer Sven Nykvist brings some gorgeously shot sequences with his mastery craft with wonderful interior shots done with great intimacy. The exteriors are also notable from the lively look of Lyon as Prague in the first act along with the countryside that includes a shot on magic-hour in the third act.  Editor Walter Murch also brings his mastery with his wonderful cutting style that plays like a camera capturing the action. Murch's use of stock footage mixed in with recreated shots of the Russian invasion is also genius to convey the chaos as Murch's work is brilliant.  Production designer Pierre Guffroy definitely creates wonderful interior designs for the film including his recreation of Prague in the soundstages. Featuring paintings by another artist and a look that is very spacious yet intimate in the first half of the film, the look definitely changes to something more claustrophobic until in the later part of the third act where everything's natural. 

Costume designer Ann Roth helps with the film's differing look with the dark clothes that Tomas wears to the exotic lingerie Sabina wears, and the country-like dresses and city-like clothes that Tereza wears. Sound designer Alan Splet does wonderful work with the sound, notably the Russian invasion sequence to bring the layering of sounds from sirens, tanks, and everything that goes on. Music composer Mark Adler brings a soft film score to convey the drama of the Russian Invasion. The rest of the music is flourishing, lyrical piano music by Janacek that soars throughout the entire film.

Then there's the film's cast that is wonderfully superb with small performances from Anne Lonnberg as a Swiss photographer, Clovis Cornillac as a young man who harasses Tereza at a bar, Pascale Kalensky as Nurse Katja, Pavel Slaby as Pavel's nephew, and Bruce Myers as a Czech editor. Other minor performances from Tomek Bork, Daniel Olbrychski, and Erland Josephson as the ambassador are very memorable including Stellan Skarsgard as a shady yet charming engineer and Donald Moffat as the chief surgeon. Pavel Landovsky is excellent as Tomas' friend Pavel, a man who loves his pet pig Mephisto while giving Tomas and Tereza a home late in the film as he muses on the changing times. Derek de Lint is great as a Franz, a university professor who falls for Sabina but isn't sure about her quirks as he doesn't realize what kind of life she leads.

In her first American film, Swedish actress Lena Olin gives a magnificent, sensual performance as Sabina. Though her character is kind of a sexpot of sorts, Olin brings depth to the character as some of her more seductive appearance isn’t what she's not wearing but rather what she's showing. It's a brilliant performance from the actress who is truly a joy to watch. Juliette Binoche is amazing as the more introverted Tereza. Binoche displays an innocence and fragility to the character that is unsure about love and sex while being forced to confront her own failures and her relationship with Tomas. Binoche's performance is very strong and engaging while her scene with Olin with the camera is truly one of the most seductive and jaw-dropping for their emotional responses. Daniel Day-Lewis is in great form as Tomas, a charming, womanizing surgeon who seems to love women more than anything. It's also his downfall yet Day-Lewis brings a lot of wit and a sly face to the character that is a joy to watch. His scenes with Binoche and Olin, whether separate or together, are amazing to watch in how he manages to act with them. Even using a Czech accent, Day-Lewis brings a lot of authenticity to the character while remaining witty in his situations.

The 2006 2-disc, Region 1 DVD from Warner Brothers presents the film with a new, superior transfer that is an improvement over its previous DVD releases including the 1999 Criterion DVD. Presented on widescreen and newly superior sound. The only real negative of the DVD is that due to the remastering and superior film transfer, the three-hour film is split in two. After the first two hours are in the first disc. The film ends in a fade-out with the third hour opening very abruptly. Despite that huge flaw, the film definitely works to its original theatrical presentation. The audio commentary track by director Philip Kaufman, co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, Lena Olin, and Walter Murch is the same commentary from the original 1999 Criterion DVD. While all the tracks are done separately, they're all very informative. Kaufman, who dedicates his commentary to sound designer Alan Splet who died a few years prior, discusses a lot of the film's themes, the difficulty of trying to be faithful to the book while fawning over Juliette Binoche's performance. Jean-Claude Carriere discusses his friendship with Milan Kundera, the themes of the book, and the difficulty of the adaptation.

Olin's commentary is often on many of her scenes as she talks about some of the costumes, her friendship with cinematographer Sven Nykvist and the brief scenes that Erland Josephson had whom she had worked with in a couple of films for Ingmar Bergman. Walter Murch discusses a lot of the film's more technical pointers as he reveals he never goes to a film set during production and some of the editing techniques he did for the film in using two different editing machines before the age of computers. Along with the film's theatrical trailer in the 2nd disc, a 30-minute featurette entitled Emotional History: The Making of The Unbearable Lightness of Being features interviews with Philip Kaufman, Jean-Claude Carriere, Walter Murch, and producer Saul Zaentz. Kaufman talks about discovering the novel in 1984 and turning to Saul Zaentz to make it into a project. Bringing Jean-Claude Carriere to help write the script where they added some more erotic elements to the story with Kundera's permission.

Murch discusses the editing of stock footage intercut with recreated footage shot during production. He would later talk briefly about his friendship with Kaufman whom he knew during the early days of American Zoetrope in the early 70s with founders George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. Zaentz discusses the film's release in 1988 where in the U.S., it did OK despite rave reviews from critics while it was a bigger hit in Europe. Particularly a screening in Russia at the time Communism fell down where Kaufman is convinced the film took a small role in helping end Communism in Eastern Europe.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a phenomenal film from Philip Kaufman that features great performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, and Lena Olin. Armed with a great supporting cast as well as some amazing technical work, the film is truly an intriguing and compelling film about a love triangle that occurred during some intense moments involving events in history. In the end, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is an exquisitely rich and sensational film from Philip Kaufman.

Philip Kaufman Films: (Goldstein) - (Fearless Frank) - (The Great Northfield Raid) - (The White Dawn) - (Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)) - (The Wanderers) - (The Right Stuff) - (Henry & June) - (Rising Sun) - (Quills) - (Twisted (2004 film)) - (Hemingway & Gellhorn)

© thevoid99 2015

The Age of Innocence (1993 film)

Based on the novel by Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence is the story of a man who is about to get married only to fall for his fiancee’s cousin as it causes a lot of problems in the world of upper-class New York City in the 1870s. Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by Scorsese and Jay Cocks, the film is an exploration of a love triangle where man falls for a woman who is known for having a very bad reputation as it is told by Joanne Woodward who serves as the film‘s narrator. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Michael Gough, Robert Sean Leonard, Norman Lloyd, Richard E. Grant, Mary Beth Hurt, Stuart Wilson, Miriam Margoyles, and Geraldine Chaplin. The Age of Innocence is a ravishing and evocative film from Martin Scorsese.

Set in 1870s New York City, the film plays into the life of a lawyer who is engaged to a woman who is prim and proper as her cousin makes a return to the city as the man falls for her and sense of individuality. It’s a film that does play into ideas of a love triangle but it’s also a film that explores a world that is changing as certain behaviors and ideas that is part of the norm of society forces this man to wonder if that’s the way to live. Even as this woman he falls for is a woman with an already scandalous reputation as she is seeking to divorce a count she is married to. It’s a film that plays into a lot of things as it’s told by this unseen narrator who often comments about the behavior and feelings of Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his relationship with May Welland (Winona Ryder) as well as his feelings for May’s cousin Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer).

The film’s screenplay by Martin Scorsese and Jay Cocks definitely explores a world where there are expectations to fit in to the conventions of upper-class New York City society. It’s something that May has been doing and seems comfortable with as she never really has an opinion about anything but rather maintain that idea of conformity. Archer definitely loves May as he knows that she is a woman that can be a great wife but upon meeting Ellen, he begins to question about what he wants in his life. Especially as Ellen is someone that is quite opinionated and doesn’t play into the idea of conventionality as she knows she is the subject of gossip due to her relationship with a count. That individuality is what attracts Archer to Ellen as it has him looking at the world in a different way but also has him obsessing about Ellen who is trying to lead her own life.

The script also explores that sense of two people wanting to be in love as Archer and Ellen are aware that May is in the middle as she is someone they don’t want to hurt. Even as there’s moments where Archer and Ellen want to say something but there’s many other things that happen which often has Ellen leaving Archer for different reasons. Plus, they’re hiding the relationship around people that are close to them as there’s other characters involved in the story such as Ellen’s grandmother Mrs. Mingott (Miriam Margoyles) who is a powerful woman of New York society with very strong opinions as she is admired by nearly everyone. Even as she would be an influence to May and several other characters as well as Archer where he would have to make a major decision on what he wants to do with his life and who to be with.

Martin Scorsese’s direction is definitely exquisite in terms of is total attention to detail in the way he captures 1870s New York City as it’s shot mostly in the city itself with scenes shot in Paris and other locations in Philadelphia. Much of it plays into a world that is very refined with a set of rules about how to live in upper-class New York society where everyone goes to the opera and are sitting in seats as the men are in one booth and their wives are in another booth. The usage of wide and medium shots play into that vast world while Scorsese also uses some stylish camera movements such as tracking shots and cranes to play into a world that sort of feels constrained by its rules only for someone like Ellen to come in and kind of break things down bit by bit. Even as Scorsese goes for close-ups to capture the sense of desire that looms between Archer and Ellen as well as extreme close-ups of their faces and hands.

The direction also has Scorsese utilizing many elements that are very stylistic in his approach to framing in the way he would light certain moments or to capture something where Archer and Ellen are in their own world that is detached from everything else. It adds to something that plays to a world that is changing though the people in Archer and Ellen’s world are quite oblivious to it because they’re protected by their environment. Yet, things would crash down once reality starts to come in for Archer and Ellen where Archer would have to make a decision as it also relates to May who does start to display elements of her own self to emerge late in the film. Overall, Scorsese creates a very intoxicating yet heart-wrenching film about a man caught in a complicated love triangle.

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful and lush cinematography to capture the many layers of colors that is in display for some of the film‘s interior scenes while using some low-key lights for scenes at night. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker does incredible work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, flourishing montages, dissolves, and other stylish cuts to play into the sense of dramatic tension as well as longing between Archer and Ellen. Production designer Dante Ferreti, with art director Speed Hopkins and set decorators Robert J. Franco and Amy Marshall, does amazing work with the set design from the look of the houses and rooms where the characters are in to the ballrooms and opera houses as it displays great attention to detail to capture a period in time.

Costume designer Gabriella Pescucci does excellent work with costumes from the hats and suits the men wear as well as the lavish dresses that the women that plays into that period in time. Hair designer Alan D’Angerio and special effects makeup artist Manilo Rocchetti do fantastic work with the look of the characters from the hairstyles of the women to the beard and sideburns of some of the male characters. Sound editor Skip Lievsay does superb work with the sound to capture some of the atmosphere of the social gatherings along with low-key sound work in the dramatic moments of the film. The film’s music by Elmer Bernstein is wonderful for its lush and orchestral score to play into the period of the times as well as the romantic tension between Archer and Ellen while the soundtrack features music from that period including some opera and classical pieces.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is great as it features notable appearances from Charles and Catherine Scorsese as an old couple walking out of a train station, Martin Scorsese as a wedding photographer, Domenica Scorsese as a young woman Archer meets in Newport when he’s trying to find Ellen, Alexis Smith as Louisa van der Luyden, Sian Phillips as Archer’s mother, Alec McCowen as the Archer family friend Sillerton Jackson, Jonathan Pryce as a Frenchman Archer met in London in Riviere, Robert Sean Leonard as Archer’s adult son Ted in the film’s final moments, and Norman Lloyd as Archer’s mentor Mr. Letterblair who would counsel him about Ellen’s own attempts to divorce her husband. Mary Beth Hurt is wonderful as Regina Beaufort who feels shamed by her husband’s bad real estates deal while Stuart Wilson is terrific as Julius Beaufort who would often visit Ellen which raises suspicions in Archer that he’s one of her lovers. Richard E. Grant is superb as Archer’s friend Larry Lefferts as a man who is known for exquisite tastes as he is wowed by Ellen’s appearance.

Michael Gough is excellent as Archer’s family friend Henry van der Luyden who is giving Archer some advice on life while being very gracious towards May whom he likes a lot. Geraldine Chaplin is brilliant as May’s mother who is always warm towards Ellen while preparing May for the wedding and other family/social gatherings. Miriam Margoyles is amazing as Mrs. Mingott as Ellen’s grandmother who is always on a chair surrounded by little dogs as she is a person of power and influence while not afraid to speak her mind just like her granddaughter. Winona Ryder is remarkable as May Welland as a very kind and warm young woman who represents the form of innocence as she is the kind of woman that Archer should marry but manages to be so much more as Ryder just has this evocative presence that is a joy to watch.

Michelle Pfeiffer is incredible as Countess Ellen Olenska as this woman who is a free-spirit of sorts but is tormented by the mistakes she made in her past while is trying not to be judge as she finds comfort in Archer though she doesn’t want to hurt May. Finally, there’s Daniel Day-Lewis in a phenomenal performance as Newland Archer as a lawyer who is tormented by his love for May but is in love with Ellen as it’s a very restrained yet mesmerizing performance of a man who is torn between two women as well as realizing that the world he’s lived in is a façade of sorts but one that can protect him.

The Age of Innocence is an enchanting and sensational film from Martin Scorsese. Armed with a great cast led by Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder as well as amazing technical contributions from its crew. The film is definitely a period piece that manages to be so much more in its study of characters, motivations, and ideals in late 19th Century New York City. In the end, The Age of Innocence is a tremendously rich and rapturous film from Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) - (Street Scenes) - Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) - Italianamerican - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) - Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hours - The Color of Money - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - Cape Fear (1991 film) - (A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies) - (Casino) - (Kundun) - (My Voyage to Italy) - Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues-Feel Like Going Home) - Gangs of New York - (The Aviator) - No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - (A Letter to Elia) - (Public Speaking) - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The 50 Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2015

2014 Blind Spot Series: A Room with a View

Based on the novel by E.M. Foster, A Room with a View is the story of a young woman who falls for a free-spirited man during a holiday in Italy. Directed by James Ivory and screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, the film is a look into a young woman coming of age in a restrictive time during the Edwardian period in Britain in early 20th Century. Starring Helena Bohnam Carter, Maggie Smith, Denholm Elliott, Daniel-Day Lewis, Julian Sands, Simon Callow, Rosemary Leach, and Judi Dench. A Room with a View is a ravishing and enchanting film from the Merchant-Ivory team.

Set in 1907, the film is an exploration into a young woman coming into her own during the Edwardian period in Britain where she meets a free-spirited man during a holiday in Florence, Italy with her cousin as her chaperone. What would happen upon meeting George Emerson (Julian Sands) is that the young Miss Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bohnam Carter) tries to cope with her feelings for George but also play to what is expected for her as she would later return to England where she would be engaged to a wealthy yet snobbish man named Cecil Vyse (Daniel Day-Lewis). Yet, when George moves nearby with his father (Denholm Elliott), Lucy becomes confused on what she should do as her older cousin Charlotte Bartlett (Maggie Smith) would observe everything as she would also play into Lucy and George’s fate.

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s screenplay has a unique structure where the first half of the film is set in Florence where Lucy and Charlotte are on holiday as it’s Lucy’s first visit to the city. It is there that the two meet the Emersons plus an eccentric group of visitors including the very free-spirited priest the Reverend Beebe (Simon Callow), a lively novelist named Eleanor Lavish, two aging sisters in Catherine and Teresa Alan (Fabia Drake and Joan Henley, respectively), and the more stern Reverend Eager (Patrick Godfrey). Upon this holiday in Florence, they all look at various landmarks and such where Lucy and George sense an attraction but the very prim Lucy is bewildered by George’s sense of free-spirit as he likes to climb trees, jump around, and act wildly. Yet, George is also a man who is very sensitive and is willing to do anything for Lucy which would add to this attraction much to the shock of Charlotte who has been watching Lucy for Lucy’s mother (Rosemary Leach).

The film’s second half would largely be set in Surrey, England where several months has passed and Lucy becomes engaged to Cecil who is a very interesting individual for the fact that he’s a character that audiences would love to hate. Largely because he’s this stuffy twat that really has no formidable opinion for anything as he becomes an opponent for George to deal with as he wants to give Lucy something more than just be a trophy wife for this rich, snobbish twat. Yet, the expectations that Lucy has to play with the rules of society would hinder the decisions she makes as her mother, her younger brother Freddy (Rupert Graves), and Charlotte would notice the restrained anguish that Lucy is carrying. One aspect of the screenplay that is very noticeable is the language in the way the characters talk as there’s a certain rhythm to the dialogue as well as how it can help move the story in such a brisk way.

James Ivory’s direction is truly exotic for not just the simplicity of the images he creates but also in how he makes the locations in Florence, Italy and England characters in the film. Many of the compositions of the locations would be presented in wide and medium shots to play into the beauty of the locations and the way the characters react to their surroundings. Especially in a moment where Lucy and George witness a brawl in a square amidst these surroundings of statues and famous landmarks where it would be a key moment into Lucy and George’s relationship. Much of the locations set in Florence would have this air of beauty as well enchantment where a moment of the two having a picnic in the Italian countryside where the two would have their first kiss to the shock of Charlotte. The scenes set in England would contain a similar presentation but there’s also a tightness that goes on early in that section once Lucy is engaged to Cecil.

The direction is more controlled in its tracking shots and such until George would appear to shake things up as there’s a very comical scene of he, Freddy, and Reverend Beebe enjoying a skinny-dip to the shock of Lucy, her mother, and Cecil. The direction would also have moments of symbolism that would play to Lucy dealing with her feelings for George but also to try and devote herself to Cecil as it would create a sense of drama that becomes intense but in a very restrained form. Especially as Ivory’s approach to melodrama doesn’t play to any kind of theatrics in favor of just letting the drama be played out with a tenderness and sensitivity that makes the story far more engaging. Overall, Ivory crafts a very delicate yet intoxicating film about a young woman coming of age in the early 20th Century where she would meet her soulmate.

Cinematographer Tom Pierce-Roberts does brilliant work with the film‘s photography to display the beauty of many of the film‘s exterior locations in the day while using some low-key lights for some of its interiors in the day and nighttime scenes. Editor Humphrey Dixon does excellent work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward yet has this seamless flow to play into the drama while infusing a few montages and rhythmic cuts to play with some of the film‘s low-key humor. Production designers Brian Ackland-Snow and Gianni Quaranta with art directors Brian Savegar and Elio Altamura, do amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the hotel rooms Lucy and Charlotte stayed in during their time in Florence to the home Lucy lived in as well as the house George‘s father stayed nearby in England.

Costume designers Jenny Beavan and John Bright do fantastic work with the costumes from the look of the dresses the women wear to the suits and clothes the men wear to play into that period. The hairdressing by Carol Hemming is terrific for the look of the hairstyle of the time that plays into the personalities of the women in the film. The sound work of Ray Beckett is superb for its low-key approach to sound by playing up much of the film‘s natural sounds as well some of the things that are captured on location. The film’s music by Richard Robbins is remarkable for its use of low-key orchestral music to play up the drama while the film’s soundtrack also uses an operatic piece by Giacamo Puccini that is sung by Kiri Te Kanawa that serves as a fitting piece in the film.

The casting by Celestia Fox is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Maria Britneva as Cecil’s mother, Mia Fothergill as Lucy and Freddy’s younger sister, Fabia Drake and Joan Henley as the very charming Alan sisters, and Patrick Godfrey in a terrific role as the very annoyed and strict Reverend Eager. Rupert Graves is wonderful as Lucy’s mischievous brother Freddy while Judi Dench is a total delight as the novelist Eleanor Lavish who is so full of charm and provides some witty commentary. Simon Callow is excellent as the very lively and kind-hearted Reverend Beebe who often gives Lucy some advice on how to live life. Denholm Elliot is amazing as George’s father as a man who has such wit and a good heart as he deals with the anguish of his son. Rosemary Leach is superb as Lucy’s mother who deals with Lucy’s engagement to Cecil and George’s presence as she ponders exactly what Lucy is thinking.

Daniel Day-Lewis is great as the very snobbish Cecil as Day-Lewis brings a charm that makes his character so infuriating to watch because he thinks he’s all that as it’s a performance that is funny to watch. Julian Sands is fantastic as George as this free-spirited man who likes to do all sorts of crazy things but there’s a man who is so good as he tries to woo Lucy and help her find her way. Maggie Smith is brilliant as Lucy’s elder cousin Charlotte as a woman who watches over Lucy while noticing her attraction towards George and later find a way to help guide her into the right direction. Finally, there’s Helena Bohnam Carter in a radiant performance as Lucy as this young woman trying to find herself in the early 20th Century as she deals with what is expected of her as well as it’s a performance that is very enchanting to watch.

A Room with a View is a magnificent film from the Merchant-Ivory team that features outstanding performances from Helena Bohnam Carter, Maggie Smith, Denholm Elliott, Julian Sands, and Daniel Day-Lewis. Armed with amazing technical work and a rich soundtrack, it’s a film that definitely showcases what a period film should be without the need to be superficial or stuffy. Especially as it features a truly evocative screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala that adds to the elegance of the film. In the end, A Room with a View is a sensational film from James Ivory.

James Ivory Films: The Householder - (The Dehli Way) - Shakespeare Wallah - (The Guru) - Bombay Talkie - (Adventures of a Brown Man in Search of Civilization) - (Savages (1972 film)) - (Autobiography of a Princess) - (The Wild Party) - (Roseland) - (Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie’s Pictures) - (The Five Forty-Eight) - (The Europeans) - (Jane Austen in Manhattan) - (Quartet (1981 film)) - (Heat and Dust) - (The Bostonians) - Maurice - (Slaves of New York) - (Mr. & Mrs. Bridges) - Howards End - The Remains of the Day - (Jefferson in Paris) - (Surviving Picasso) - (A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries) - (The Golden Bowl) - (Le Divorce) - (The White Countess) - (The City of Your Final Destination)

© thevoid99 2014

There Will Be Blood

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/13/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Based on Upton Sinclair's novel Oil!, There Will Be Blood is the story of a silver miner who goes into the oil business in Texas as he becomes a tycoon while making an uneasy alliance with a young preacher. Written for the screen and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film is a study of greed, family, faith, and morality during the rise of the oil industry in the early 20th Century. The film marks a huge departure from Anderson as he moves away from ensemble-driven stories for something much grander. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Dillon Freasier, Ciaran Hinds, and Kevin J. O'Connor. There Will Be Blood is an epic and grand film from P.T. Anderson.

It's 1898 as a man named Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is mining for silver where in that moment, he succeeded in finding silver in the middle of the desert in the American southwest. Four years later, while mining for more silver, an accident occurs where a man is dead while at the same, a discovery is made when Plainview finds oil. Nine years later in 1911, Plainview has become a rich man as with the help of his son H.W. Plainview (Dillon Freasier) and assistant Fletcher (Ciaran Hinds). After trying to talk to a group of townspeople about drilling oil in their land, confusion arises as Plainview leaves as he tries to seek other opportunities. Later that night, a visit from a young man named Paul Sunday (Paul Dano) arrives to offer Plainview a chance to go into his land of Small Boston in the middle of a desert in California. Paul claims there's oil in his family’s land as Plainview decides to take the offer.

Daniel and H.W. arrive to the Sunday ranch where they meet the Sunday's head Abel (David Willis), they also meet Abel's other son Eli (Paul Dano) who wants to create a church for the town as he claims to be a preacher. While hunting for quail, H.W. discovers oil in the land as Paul's claims turned out to be true. Daniel makes a deal with Abel and Eli for their land as Fletcher arrives to help create an oil field for Small Boston. With Eli becoming the town's preacher, he had hoped to be acknowledge by Daniel in raising the spirits of the town that is suffering from lack of plants and such. Then one day during drilling for oil, another discovery was made at great cost as Daniel and Fletcher learn that there's a lot more oil than they bargain for.

With problems emerging from other competitors and companies including a man named H.M. Tilford (David Warshofsky), Daniel is finding himself becoming more greedier taking more of the Sundays' land as he begins to have problems with Eli. Then came the arrival of a man named Henry (Kevin J. O'Connor) who claims to be half-brother of Daniel. Daniel, reluctantly takes him after sending H.W. away following an accident as Daniel learns about land that he doesn't own that he needs for an oil pipeline. Daniel succeeds but greedy temptations get him in trouble when he meets Bandy (Hans Howes) who offered him a deal to give his land for an oil pipeline but with something money couldn't buy. The result also makes an uneasy alliance with Eli as Daniel becomes rich but troubled as by the time H.W. is an adult (Russell Harvard), he no longer trusts anyone as he reveals more secrets realizing his true nature.

Films about greed and morality often take in a message that sometimes get heavy-handed and will often beat that message to an audience as they start to get it. For a film like There Will Be Blood, there is a message it's very ambiguous since P.T. Anderson is more about telling a story rather saying this is what happens and the result of that. Taking inspiration from films like George Stevens' Giant, Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, and the films of John Huston, Sergio Leone, Stanley Kubrick, Terrence Malick, and the late Robert Altman (whom he dedicates the film to). Here is a movie that is about greed in all of its horror. We have a character named Daniel Plainview, a very unlikeable man who audiences shouldn't root for yet he has wit and charm about him. Here is someone who has very little loyalty to anyone, including business associates, friends, or even family. Instead, he is someone who cares about one thing, himself.

What is surprising is that during a scene with Henry, he reveals that he's not a very good man. He despises humanity, even himself. He's in it for greed and greed alone. He makes Gordon Gecko of Oliver Stone's Wall Street look like a simple paper boy. There are no such thing as regrets, he has no pity for anyone. At times he may love but it's all an act. Then there's the character of Eli. He in some ways is like Daniel Plainview on the way he uses religion. Here is a young man who wants to become a preacher hoping to have a big church. Yet, when business dealings go awry, he attacks his own father claiming that it's his fault for his own stupidity. Yet, there's an irony about Eli, particularly in the film's powerful ending. It's a revelation about him in a scene with him and Daniel that proves to be jaw-dropping. Even in the mention of Eli's brother Paul, who some claim that Paul/Eli are the same person but they're not. Paul Sunday is in only one scene where though it may be brief, what happens much later on is the result about Eli's true nature.

The film is in some ways a study of morality and human nature. Even the fallacy of humanity. The film's opening scene where Daniel breaks his leg to get his silver, an ordinary man would give up but not Daniel. To him, a broken leg means nothing yet when some part of his life becomes impaired and couldn't be fixed. He just moves on to another thing. It's Anderson's screenplay in this study of these themes that is very potent and engaging. While the audiences do have to take time to think about what they saw, it's something Anderson wants them to do. Think about everything they've seen and come to their own question about humanity and morality. Yet, Anderson's focus on the story is centered around Daniel Plainview as his take on Upton Sinclair's Oil! is truly one of the best script adaptations ever helmed.

While Anderson's script his strong, his direction is taken to new heights and restraint. Gone are the stylish tracking shots and lushness of previous films. Instead, Anderson goes for the grand visual style of epic-scope that defined the work of not just Italian director Sergio Leone but also the lushness of Terrence Malick. Anderson's canvas and composition of the scenes he's created are miles away from the films he did in the past as he revels in the drama and let the scenes unfold. The time period of early 20th Century is a total change from Anderson's world of late 20th Century/early 21st Century Los Angeles. His look of the desert is very stark and almost haunting as he taking the audience on a journey to this eerie land.

As the story develops, there's an amazing scene that definitely reveals part of Plainview's nature that involves an accident where the oil is suddenly bursting into the air followed by fire. The composition and presentation that Anderson does is just breathtaking. The scene in some ways represents something biblical similar to the famous locusts & fire sequence in Terrence Malick's 1978 classic film Days of Heaven. The sheer sense of horror and wonderment is what is happening and at the same time, there's something else going wrong that Plainview is oblivious to as he is amazed at this discovery. That presentation Anderson is doing is just superb and miles away from some of the other great moments he's made in previous films. The film opens with very little dialogue while some scenes have no sound at all. Even the film's third act has a different feel as it's set from a different world than Small Boston. The end result in Anderson's direction is that here's a man who has now risen to a new level as a cinematic artist.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit does what is probably his best work on film as he captures the stark look of Small Boston with its colorless look. Still, Elswit's work is exquisitely haunting in the oil-fire scene in the look of the skylines he brings. The look of the film is nearly reminiscent of some of the beauty seen in the films of Terrence Malick from its natural-like interior shots while the exteriors are just wonderful that included the greenery scenes in the forest during the pipeline-beach sequence. Elswit's work is just amazing in every frame shot. More importantly, Elswit's camera is in every sense of dramatic action to capture the intensity of the scene with some wonderful tracking shots, dolly shots, and everything to capture a scene. Elswit's work with Anderson in previous films were great but in this one, he's at his finest.

Editor Dylan Tichenor does some excellent work with the film's editing, even at the long 158-minute running time. Tichenor's use of fade-outs, transitions, and dissolves to convey the state of madness and emotion in the cutting is excellent in conveying the tone of the story. Even in the scene of Daniel and Henry's traveling has a great use of jump-cuts to convey the rhythm of the search with help from the film's music score. Tichenor's work is overall superb.

For the film's period production design, Anderson employs the brilliant Jack Fisk, who is famous for his legendary collaboration with Terrence Malick. Fisk's design of the oil wells, the poor housings of Small Boston, the church house, and Plainview's home at the end is exquisite. With help from set decorator Jim Erickson and art director David Crank, Fisk's work is amazing every design of the sets he built, notably the big oil rig tower early in the film that shows his talents that's also been used greatly by David Lynch. It's the work of Jack Fisk that really deserves a lot of notice. Costume designer Mark Bridges also does excellent work with the period suits and such to convey the period of time where the whole look of clothes aren't very colorful to contrast the film’s bleak look.

Sound designer Christopher Scarabosio and sound editor Matthew Wood do an amazing job in the film's use of sound. The sound work the two did with their team is truly one of 2007's great technical achievements from the sound of cracking bones in the film’s early sequence of Daniel's silver mining. To the sound of the early 20th Century with trains and machinery in the oil drilling. One great sequence where sound is used to great heights is the famous oil explosion that sounds like a cannon out of nowhere. It's nearly deafening and the results has scenes where sound isn't even heard. The atmosphere the sound work has is just amazing to convey the sense of chaos that goes on in the film as it's one of the year's best.

The film's music features classical pieces from Brahms and Avro Part, particularly in the final credits that is almost in the use of style that Stanley Kubrick's been known for. One of the Brahms pieces is played during an oil drilling scene to convey that sense of celebration in that first drill. The rest of the film's music marks the very first time where P.T. Anderson doesn't employ the services of his regular collaborator Jon Brion. Brion, who has been known for more whimsical, melodic pieces of music wouldn't have been the right person for the film. Instead, a more traditional yet intense score is used for the film as Anderson employs Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood.

The orchestral music and arrangements written by Jonny Greenwood is probably one of the best film scores ever heard. The sense of intensity and horror mixed with melancholia and sadness conveys the range of emotions. From the use of eerie strings that would sometimes screech to convey the film's tone. The music of Greenwood packs a punch emotionally and mentally as it captures every sense of horror that is played on film. While Greenwood might be known to some as the brilliant guitarist/multi-instrumentalist for Radiohead, he shows more of what he can do with film scores as he reveals he has a future in scoring films.

The casting by Cassandra Kulukundis doesn't feature any of the regular Anderson players from previous films nor do any of them make one-second cameos. Instead, it's a group of unknown actors playing many parts. While’s there's controversy in the lack of any big female roles. It's largely because this film is mostly about men and their mad obsession with women pushed into the foreground. That may not seem fair but in a world that Anderson is portraying and the time that he's presenting, it's mainly a man-driven film. Though there are a few standout female characters in Kellie Hill and Christine Olejniczak as Ruth and Mother Sunday yet the bigger role goes to Sydney McCallister as Mary Sunday, who plays the role of a childhood friend for H.W. and would later be seen as an adult, played by Colleen Foy.

Other small performances from Colton Woodward as Bandy's grandson William, John Burton as an oil man named L.P. Clair, Tom Doyle as J.J. Carter, and James Downey as a land-man named Al Rose are good. Notable small roles from David Willis as Abel Sunday, Russell Harvard as the older H.W., David Warshofsky as Tilford, and Hans Howes are excellent for their brief yet memorable performances. Kevin J. O'Connor is great as the shady yet kind-hearted Henry, a man claiming to be Daniel's brother who really wants nothing but the simple things in life. Ciaran Hinds is also great as Plainview's associate Fletcher who is also a conscience of sorts who seems to care more about what other people are feeling rather than Daniel's greed.

Dillon Freasier is brilliant as H.W., the young boy who was taken by Daniel as his companion only to be rejected because of an impairment as he tries to deal with it himself. Freasier's performance is a wonderment of innocence and observation as a child who like his father, wasn’t going to let some imperfection keep him down. Yet, unlike his father, he has a conscience and moral that makes him redeeming. Paul Dano gives what has to be his best performance yet, topping his previous big role as Nietzsche-loving mute in Little Miss Sunshine. In the dual role of Paul and Eli Sunday, Dano brings a creepiness in his brief role as Paul but as Eli, he plays the role of a foil of sorts for Daniel while unveiling the manic obsession he is as a preacher wanting power. Dano's energetic performance is just eerie to watch while he's also great in showing his restraint as a man claiming to be a man of God.

Then there's Daniel Day-Lewis in what has to be one of his finest performances yet. Channeling John Huston, Day-Lewis gives a performance full of bravado, energy, and charm. While his character is a dark, hateful man, Day-Lewis gives Daniel Plainview a presence that audiences can't help but watch. The performance is almost in every scene he's in as Day-Lewis just commands the screen with every ounce of energy he puts into the film. It's really Day-Lewis's film in the way he performs while bringing Daniel Plainview to life. Day-Lewis also brings a bit of humor and horror to the film, notably in the film's final, manic 25-minutes that shows the actor going a bit over-the-top but putting a lot of energy and fun into that performance.

While fans of Paul Thomas Anderson might be taken aback at his new cinematic style, There Will Be Blood is still a brilliant, jaw-dropping, and exquisite film from the auteur with a great performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. While doesn't have the entertainment & nostalgia of Boogie Nights nor the existentialism of Magnolia, There Will Be Blood is still a film that has to be seen. With additional praise towards the performances of Paul Dano and Dillon Freasier plus the technical work of Robert Elswit, Jack Fisk, Christopher Scarabosio, Matthew Wood, and  Jonny Greenwood. There Will Be Blood is truly a film for the ages as Paul Thomas Anderson creates something that is unlike anything in film.

Paul Thomas Anderson Films: Hard Eight/Sydney - Boogie Nights - Magnolia - Punch-Drunk Love - The Master - Inherent Vice - Junun - Phantom Thread - Licorice Pizza - One Battle After Another

Related: (There Will Be Blood OST) -The Shorts & Videos of P.T. Anderson - The Auteurs #15: Paul Thomas Anderson

© thevoid99 2012

2012 Cannes Marathon: Gangs of New York

(Played as a 20-Minute Preview Screening at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival)

Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by Jay Cocks, Kenneth Lonegran, and Steve Zaillian from a story by Jay Cocks, Gangs of New York is the story of an Irish-American who returns to New York to find that a Protestant crime boss has ruled New York City as he decides to infiltrate the gang to gain revenge for his father’s death. The film is inspired by Herbert Asbury’s 1928 non-fiction book about the war between Catholic and Protestant Irish immigrants in the late 1840s to the early 1860s. Starring Leonardo diCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, John C. Reilly, Jim Broadbent, Henry Thomas, Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Graham, Cara Seymour, Eddie Marsan, and Liam Neeson. Gangs of New York is a grand yet exhilarating film from Martin Scorsese.

16 years after a territorial battle between a group of so-called natives and a group of Irish-Catholics led by Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson), Vallon’s son Amsterdam (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns from reform school to find that the land has changed as it’s run by his father’s killer Bill “The Butcher” Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis) who has managed to gather a couple of Vallon’s associates like McGloin (Gary Lewis) as a lieutenant in his gang and Happy Jack Mulroney (John C. Reilly) as a corrupt constable. Vallon plans to seek revenge as he joins a small local gang that includes old childhood friend Johnny Sirocco (Henry Thomas), Jimmy Spoils (Larry Gilliard Jr.), and Shang (Stephen Graham). After doing some small jobs to get the attention of Cutting, Amsterdam manages to become part of Cutting’s gang.

While being in Cutting’s gang, Amsterdam meets and falls for pickpocket/grifter Jenny Ever Deane (Cameron Diaz) who is also close to Bill that brings trouble to the relationship. When Amsterdam manages to help Bill out in dealing with politician William M. Tweed (Jim Broadbent), Cutting still has issues with the growing number of Irish immigrants arriving into the city as Tweed insists that things are changing. When Amsterdam saves Bill from an assassination, he gains Bill’s trust where Bill tells him about the legendary fight of 1846 where he killed Priest Vallon in whom he considered a great opponent. When Amsterdam’s identity is later revealed to Bill, things become complicated as Amsterdam nearly dies as Bill spares him to have him fight another day.

With the aid of Jenny and an old friend of his father in Monk McGinn (Brendan Gleeson), Amsterdam recovers where he decides to bring back an old symbol to re-start an old war. With an election brewing as Tweed is trying to figure who he should turn to gain votes, the city starts to unravel amidst new draft laws for men to fight in the Civil War. After a series of incidents, Amsterdam and Bill agree to a traditional battle where winner takes all amidst the turmoil of the New York Draft Riots of 1863.

The film is about a young man who seeks revenge for his father’s death in the early 1860s just as the city of New York was going through a huge transition with the growing rise of Irish immigrants as well as immigrants from Europe that would shape the city. There, it’s a film where a man is trying to keep his old ideals in check about America where he is trying to deal with this growing number of immigrants while taking in this young man who would later become his foe. Screenwriters Jay Cocks, Kenneth Lonegran, and Steve Zaillian create an epic story of how this young man tries to infiltrate this gang of hooligans who claim to be naturalists of the country. Yet, he finds a guy like the Butcher to be far more intriguing as someone who respected his opponent.

Characters like Amsterdam and Bill are truly complex in their motivations and how they eventually decide to do battle. Notably as there’s an element of respect in the way they try to conduct the climatic battle they’re to have towards the end of the film. Yet, there’s a lot that is going on in the film when Amsterdam was working for Bill as it involves Boss Tweed’s attempt to rise in the world of politics. Notably as there this back story involving rich men who are trying to find a way to profit from this battle only to become a target of the poor during the New York Draft Riots. It’s the one part of the story that seems to drive away from the main narrative as it does make the script uneven. Still, the screenplay succeeds in creating fully-fledge characters like Jenny as well as a story that is engaging.

Martin Scorsese’s direction is truly vast in the way he presents mid-19th Century New York City from the way he opens the film as the first battle ensues to the climatic battle between Amsterdam and Bill that would become a key moment in New York City’s history. While a lot of the film is shot inside Cinecetta Studios in Rome, Scorsese manages to recreate the idea of what New York City looked like in the early 1860s where he revealed a great contrast between the rich and the poor. Characters would travel in these two worlds as Scorsese wants to establish what a character like Jenny would do in order to survive by stealing. It’s only because she wants to find a way out of a city as she later tries to convince Amsterdam to join her.

The direction is definitely filled with spectacular images such as a wonderfully choreographed dance that Amsterdam and Jenny has along with amazing camera angles to display the city. Notably the battles as it’s very intense, fast-paced, and truly brutal to emphasize what is happening. Even in the build-up where Scorsese is always following the camera with these great tracking shots and later crane shots to just create an atmosphere that is about to explode. Overall, Scorsese creates a film that lives up to the majestic scale about a small piece of American history.

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus does excellent work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the gorgeous exteriors of the locations to the entrancing interiors filled with amazing lighting set-ups to create the tense mood for the film. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker brings incredible work to her editing by utilizing swift, fast-cuts for some of the film‘s battle scenes and Bill‘s throwing skills while creating lots of stylized cuts to help move the film at a leisured pace as it features some of Schoonmaker‘s best work. Production designer Dante Ferretti, with set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo and art director Stefano Maria Ortolani, does an amazing job with the film’s set pieces such as the look of the upper-class NYC mansions to the look of the Five Points district in NYC to establish the different worlds that is happening around that time.

Costume designer Sandy Powell does great work with the costumes from the suit’s the men wear and the top hats along with the gorgeous dresses that Jenny wears to fit in with the two worlds of the rich and poor. Hair/makeup designers Manilo Rocchetti and Aldo Signoretti do wonderful work with the look of the Butcher with his mustache and hair style along with the red hair for the character of Jenny. Visual effects supervisors Mark Dornfield and Michael Owens do terrific work with some of the visual effects created for some of the city‘s exteriors to present what the city would‘ve looked like back then from far away. Sound editor Phil Stockton does brilliant work with the sound from the way gunshots are fired to the atmosphere of the parties that goes in some of the film’s interior settings.

The film’s score by Howard Shore is superb for the bombast that is created as it features heavy orchestral arrangements mixed in with traditional Irish music to play up the atmosphere as it includes some amazing low-key pieces involving the autoharp and more grand cuts for some of the film‘s battle scenes. Music supervisor Robbie Robertson creates a fantastic soundtrack that is filled with a lot of traditional Irish music and classical music that features contributions from Jocelyn Pook and Linda Thompson along with modern cuts from Peter Gabriel and Afro Celt Sound System for some of the film’s battle scenes. One notable cut that plays in the film’s final credits is a song by U2 that is about the evolution of America from an Irish perspective as it’s a really good song.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it includes some very memorable small appearances from Cara Seymour as the vicious Hell-Cat Maggie, Eddie Marsan as one of Bill’s henchmen in Killoran, David Hemmings as the upper-class businessman John F. Schermerhorn, and director Martin Scorsese in a cameo as a wealthy homeowner eating with his family. Other notable small appearances that stand out include John C. Reilly as the humorous but corruptible Constable Mulraney, Gary Lewis as the very insulting McGloin, Stephen Graham and Larry Gilliard Jr. as two of Amsterdam’s loyal friends with Graham as the more organized Shang and Gilliard as the more dangerous Jimmy Spoils. Henry Thomas is very good as Amsterdam’s old childhood friend Johnny Sirocco who tries to win over Jenny. Liam Neeson is excellent in a small role as Amsterdam’s father Priest Vallon while Cian McCormack is superb as the young Amsterdam in the film’s beginning sequence.

Jim Broadbent is wonderful as the determined politician Boss Tweed who is trying to find his way to garner votes anyway he can while Brendan Gleeson is great as an old friend of Priest Vallon in Monk McGinn who helps Amsterdam get back on his feet to deal with Bill. Cameron Diaz is fantastic as the very cunning yet charming Jenny who is proven to be a capable ally for Amsterdam as she is her own gal where Diaz really gets to shine in playing someone that is quite tough and is able to take care of herself.

Leonardo DiCaprio is superb as Amsterdam Vallon where DiCaprio proves himself to be a very tough individual who has some charm but also a determination of a guy who is just trying to get to know his enemy and make his move for revenge where it’s definitely one of DiCaprio’s finest performances. Finally, there’s Daniel Day-Lewis in an outstanding performance as the Bill “The Butcher” Cutting where Day-Lewis manages to chew up the scenery as a man trying to maintain his old ideals as Day-Lewis makes his character a man that is larger than life as it’s one of his best performances.

Gangs of New York is a magnificent film from Martin Scorsese that features top-notch performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cameron Diaz. Thanks to a great ensemble supporting cast and amazing technical work, the film is definitely an epic that lives to grand staging as well as a strong and ambitious story that tells about a small piece of American history. While the film may not be up there with some of Scorsese’s great films, it is still a film that isn’t seen much in terms of its grand staging. In the end, Gangs of New York is a marvelous film from Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) - (Street Scenes) - Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) - Italianamerican - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) - Raging Bull - The King of New York - After Hours - The Color of Money) - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - Cape Fear (1991 film) - The Age of Innocence - (A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies) - (Casino) - (Kundun) - (My Voyage to Italy) - Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues-Feel Like Going Home) - (The Aviator (2004 film)) - No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - (A Letter to Elia) - (We Live in Public) - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The Fifty Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2012