The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

 

***The Following is a Review of the 208-minute Extended Version of the Film***

Based on the novel series by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first in a trilogy of stories of different creatures who go on a journey to destroy the one ring created by the dark figure in Sauron by going to Mordor and destroying it. Directed by Peter Jackson and screenplay by Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, the first story explore how the ring is rediscovered where nine individuals travel through Middle Earth on a quest to destroy Sauron’s ring. Starring Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Sean Bean, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, and Christopher Lee as Saruman. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a grand and majestic film by Peter Jackson.

Set in a fictional ancient world known as Middle Earth, the film revolves around a young hobbit who inherits a ring from his uncle where a wizard realizes it is the ring created by the dark demon known as Sauron. There, the wizard, a hobbit along with three other hobbits, a dwarf, an elf, and two men go on a journey to Sauron’s homeland of Mordor to bring the ring to its land and destroy it. It is a story that is part of an immense epic that follows different creatures who venture on a quest to vanquish evil finally just as Sauron is set to return and destroy everything that is good. The first story is about a hobbit who is given this ring as he would accidentally wear the ring as he realizes its power and why so many want it. Yet, there are those who would become part of the fellowship who have their own reasons for not wanting to carry this ring as well as his own reasons for why he has abandoned his role in becoming king for one of the last free countries of Middle Earth.

The film’s screenplay by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens opens with a prologue about life in Middle Earth where rings of power were given to the races of men, elves, and dwarves only to realize that the dark lord Sauron (Sala Baker) has created one ring to rule over everyone in Middle Earth. It would lead into a war where men and elves formed an alliance to fight Sauron and his forces where a prince in Isildur (Harry Sinclair) severs Sauron’s hand but chooses to keep Sauron’s ring until it would be lost following an ambush years after the battle. Then it would be in the hands of a creature known as Gollum (Andy Serkis) who would keep it for centuries until it abandoned him where it would be in the hands of a hobbit in Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). The prologue sets up the stakes as well as what Bilbo’s nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood) must destroy by going to Mordor and its volcano in Mount Doom where the ring was created. The first act is set 60 years after the events in which Bilbo found the ring as there is a birthday celebration for him where the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan) visits him. The celebration would be notable for Bilbo disappearing where Gandalf discovered that Bilbo has a ring that Bilbo found many years ago where Bilbo reluctantly gives the ring to Frodo. Gandalf would then discover that the ring is the one ring created by Sauron after Frodo reads the inscriptions after it was on fire.

Part of the first act has Frodo being accompanied by his best friend Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) and later joined by hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) as they to evade Sauron’s rangers in the Nazgul. After meeting a ranger named Strider (Viggo Mortensen) who takes them to Rivendell where the fellowship is formed that would include Gandalf, the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and Boromir (Sean Bean) of Gondor to go to Mordor and destroy the ring. The fellowship would be challenged by many forces including a new army of orcs in the Uruk-hai created by the wizard Saruman who had turned on Gandalf and aligned himself with Sauron. Even as Frodo becomes tempted by the power of the ring as is Boromir who wants the ring for his home of Gondor that is threatened by Mordor. Yet, the fellowship would go through obstacles with Strider revealed to be Aragorn who is a descendant of Isildur and the rightful heir to Gondor’s throne.

Jackson’s direction is grand as it is shot on location in New Zealand along with some scenes shot in studios in New Zealand. Jackson goes for a varying degree of styles in the direction through some wide and medium shots for a scope of the locations. Notably in scenes involving the mountains, rivers, and valleys as they function as characters into the film where it plays into the richness of Middle Earth with the Shire as this peaceful and isolated world of hobbits that very few outsiders visit. It is a direct contrast to other parts of Middle Earth such as the world of the elves in the forest where the elf-queen Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) lives in a Mordor where orcs and other dark creatures settle in as they get ready for war. The usage of aerial shots of the locations along with some intimate moments where Gandalf interacts with hobbits are unique as the usage of trick photography and visual effects do add a sense of wonderment into the film. Jackson also puts in some humor as it relates to the adventure that balances the suspense and drama throughout the film.

Jackson’s approach to some of the intimate moments such as a sequence where the fellowship of the ring are in the Mines of Moria as Frodo copes with being the one to carry the ring as the dialogue plays into Tolkien’s words about the choices everyone must make. Even choices that are the most difficult to endure as it would lead to some intense fight and action scenes. The usage of wide and crane shots are immense in its scale that includes the fellowship running from a demonic monster in Balrog. The third act in which the fellowship go to the elvish land of Lothlorien as they deal with their own struggles and encounters with the orcs. In the extended version of the film, in its 208-minute running time that expands 30 additional minutes from the theatrical release, where characters are fleshed out more such as Boromir who struggles with wanting to fulfill the wishes of his father as well as the need for something better where he sees Aragorn as the leader Gondor needs. Overall, Jackson crafts an astonishing and riveting film about a group of different creatures going on a quest to destroy a ring of evil to its land of darkness.

Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its unique color grading and look for some of the exterior scenes at the Shire and Lothlorien as well as some of the usage of light for the scenes in the mines and caves as well as the usage of blue light for scenes set at night. Editor John Gilbert does excellent work with the editing in the usage of slow-motion cuts as well as fast-cuts for some of the action along with moments in the drama and suspense where shots are allowed to last more than a minute. Production designer Grant Major, with set decorator/supervising art director Dan Hennah and set decorator/conceptual designer Alan Lee, does amazing work with the look of the sets, with additional help from co-conceptual designer John Howe, in how the homes at the Shire are presented as well as the world of the elves and Mordor including Saurman’s tower at Isengard. Costume designers Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor do brilliant work with the costumes in the clothes the elves wear as well as the armor that Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli wear, and the look of the armor that the orcs wear.

Hair and makeup designers Peter Swords King and Peter Owen do fantastic work with the look of the characters, with additional help from John Howe and Alan Lee, as well as the design and look of the orcs including the Uruk-hai. Visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel does great work with the visual effects in the mixture of practical effects in the look of the orcs as well as the look of the demonic figure Balrog and the motion-capture look of Gollum. Sound designers David Farmer, Michael Semanick, and Ethan Van der Ryn, along with sound editor Michael Hopkins, do superb work in the sound as the way swords and flying arrows sound as well as the way monsters sound as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Howard Shore is phenomenal for its orchestral score that is filled with unique themes through woodwinds as well as bombastic orchestral themes for some of the action and suspense as it is an absolute highlight of the film.

The casting by Victoria Burrows, Amy Hubbard, John Hubbard, Liz Mullane, and Ann Robinson is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Sarah McLeod as a hobbit barmaid in Rosie Cotton whom Sam has a crush on, Bret McKenzie as an elf escort in Figwit, Marton Csokas as an elvish elder in Celebron, Craig Parker as an elvish military leader in Haldir, Sala Baker as the dark lord Sauron, Alan Howard as the voice of the ring and Sauron, Bret McIntyre as the head Nazgul leader in the Witch King of Angmar, Harry Sinclair as Isildur, Lawrence Makoare as the Uruk-hai leader Lurtz, and Andy Serkis in a brief appearance as the creature Gollum and the voice of the Witch King of Angmar. Ian Holm is terrific as Frodo’s uncle Bilbo Baggins who had possession of the ring as he dealt with wanting a chance to leave the Shire for an adventure and complete his book while expressing regret about what Frodo must endure in destroying the ring. Liv Tyler is fantastic as Elrond’s daughter Arwen, who is Aragorn’s lover, as she would help Frodo go to Rivendell following his encounter with the Nazgul as she also gives Aragorn a gift for the journey he will take.

Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett are excellent in their respective roles as the elvish leaders Elrond and Galadriel as the former is an elf leader who saw what Isildur did in keeping the ring while he laments over Aragorn and Arwen’s relationship. Blanchett’s performance as Galadriel is graceful as a woman who admits to be tempted by the ring during her conversation with Frodo as she is aware of its powers and would give Frodo a gift for the journey. Christopher Lee is brilliant as the wizard Saruman who has turned evil and aligned himself with Sauron where he would create a new race of orcs that are more powerful than the orcs at Mordor. Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd are amazing in their respective roles as Merry and Pippin as two mischievous hobbits who join Frodo and Sam in the quest as they deal with the danger of the quest while learning how to fight with swords. John Rhys-Davies and Orlando Bloom are incredible in their respective roles as the dwarf Gimli and the elf Legolas as two mismatched members of the fellowship with Rhys-Davies providing a lot of wit as a dwarf who is strong and cunning while Bloom brings a level of finesse and expert marksmanship as an elf who is the straight man of the two.

Sean Bean is marvelous as Boromir as the son of Gondor’s steward who joins the fellowship where he is tempted by the ring where he struggles to do what is right while becoming protective of Merry and Pippin whom he would befriend as well as Aragorn whom he hopes would take on the role as King of Gondor. Sean Astin is remarkable as Samwise Gamgee, who is Frodo’s best friend and the film’s conscience, where Gandalf asks him not to leave Frodo where he helps Frodo on the journey while providing some witty comments during the film. Ian McKellan is great as the wizard Gandalf the Grey who learns about the ring Bilbo had been carrying for years as he also joins the fellowship as a magical figure who can deal with Saruman from afar. Viggo Mortensen is phenomenal as Strider/Aragorn as a ranger, who is also Isildur’s heir, who helps the hobbits in dealing with the Nazgul as he would join the fellowship where he also deals with the temptation of the ring that plays into his own reluctance to be King of Gondor. Finally, there’s Elijah Wood in a sensational performance as Frodo Baggins as a hobbit who is given the ring where he would accidentally wear the ring as he struggles with its powers and the task he must play.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a spectacular film by Peter Jackson. Featuring a great ensemble cast, rich visuals, a gripping story of temptation and the need to bring good into the world, Howard Shore’s majestic music score, and top-notch technical work. It is a film that is not just this exhilarating fantasy-adventure film but also a film that explores different people going on a quest to vanquish evil and bring good to the world. In the end, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a tremendous film by Peter Jackson.

Peter Jackson Films: (Bad Taste) – (Meet the Feebles) – (Braindead) – (Heavenly Creatures) – (Forgotten Silver) – (The Frighteners) – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – (King Kong (2005 film)) – (The Lovely Bones) – (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) – (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) – (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) – (They Shall Grow Old Together) – The Beatles: Get Back

© thevoid99 2026

Kafka

Directed and edited by Steven Soderbergh and written by Lem Dobbs, Kafka is the story of an insurance worker who finds himself in the middle of a secret war involving two underground organizations who are wreaking havoc in 1919 Prague. Inspired by the works of Franz Kafka, the film is a mixture of a mystery thriller mixed in with elements of the bio-pic as it explores the life of Franz Kafka as he is played by Jeremy Irons. Also starring Theresa Russell, Ian Holm, Jeroen Krabbe, Joel Grey, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Alec Guinness. Kafka is a mesmerizing yet very odd film from Steven Soderbergh.

The film is a very weird story where an insurance office drone finds himself in the middle of a conflict between two underground organizations in 1919 Prague. All of which plays into a world that Franz Kafka is in as he struggles to maintain a low profile and live his life only to be sucked in towards a group of anarchists trying to stop a secret organization following the disappearance of a co-worker of Kafka’s. Lem Dobbs’ screenplay uses a lot of references to the works of Kafka that adds a unique narrative that blurs the line between reality and fiction. Much of it plays into ideas of man going against the ideas of conformity as Kafka struggles with not bringing attention to himself despite getting a promotion and endure many expectations of being part of society. Yet, Kafka’s encounters with people being killed and all sorts of strange occurrences lead to questions about what is going and why there is this effort to control things.

Steven Soderbergh’s direction is very stylish as it serves as a homage to German Expressionism in terms of its look and feel. Much of it would feature slanted camera angles as well as some unique compositions to play into the sense of style that would also recall something that is visually-enthralling its look and setting. Shot partially on location in Prague, the film has this feel of something that feels like a world in transition where a new world order is emerging but with elements of the old world where there are still rules. The film opens with a chilling scene of a man being chased by this crazed psychopath as it would set the tone of what is to come. Much of Soderbergh’s compositions include some unique close-ups and medium shots while his approach to wide shots for some of its interior settings are entrancing to watch.

While there’s a few elements in the film that don’t work such as the bumbling assistants who work for Kafka following his promotion. It’s Soderbergh trying to inject bits of humor in a film that is quite serious though some parts of that humor involving a friend of Kafka in Mr. Bizzlebek (Jeroen Krabbe) does work as he is a very effective character. Serving as his own editor, Soderbergh does play into the Expressionist style in a few of the dissolves along with some jump-cuts to play into the drama and suspense. The film’s climax involves a brief sequence where it adds to this element of surrealism where the film is shot in color to showcase the world that Kafka has to penetrate as he sees what they’re about. Overall, Soderbergh creates a very stylish yet evocative film about a man dealing with the constraints of society.

Cinematographer Walt Lloyd does amazing work with the film‘s black-and-white cinematography with its use of lightings and shadows for many of the interior and scenes at night while the brief use of color in its climax is very potent. Production designer Gavin Bocquet, with set decorator Joanne Woollard and art director Leslie Tomkins, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the file rooms as well as the bar that Kafka goes to as well as the strange world inside the mysterious castle. Costume designer Michael Jeffrey does excellent work with the period costumes to play into that look of German Expressionism with its suits and hats for the men as well as the dresses that the women wear

Sound editor Larry Blake and sound designer Mark A. Mangini do superb work with the sound from some of the sound effects that occur in the anarchists‘ secret base to the underground lair that is the secret castle. The film’s music by Cliff Martinez is great as it features bits of electronic music with its low-key synthesizers along with some offbeat pieces with the use of pianos and instruments that play into the sense of the times.

The casting by Susie Figgis is brilliant for the ensemble that is created that includes notable small roles from David Jensen as the psychotic killer, Brian Glover as a henchman in the castle, Maria Miles as a former fiancee of Kafka, Robert Flemyng as keeper of the files, Keith Allen and Simon McBurney as the idiotic assistants of Kafka, and Ian Holm in a terrific small role as the mysterious Dr. Murnau who is seen at the film’s climax. Joel Grey is wonderful as the office supervisor Mr. Burgel who often looms over Kafka to do his work while Alec Guinness is excellent as the insurance director who often asks Kafka about his social life and lack of determination to rise up the corporate ladder.

Armin Mueller-Stahl is superb as Inspector Grubach who investigates the mysterious disappearances as he often asks Kafka about the case and what he thinks happened. Jeroen Krabbe is fantastic as Mr. Bizzlebek as this bar patron who always has some very funny theories as he is likely the only real friend that Kafka has. Theresa Russell is amazing as Gabriela as a co-worker who was the lover of the man who was killed as she is a secret member of the anarchist group as she tries to get Kafka to take part because of his non-conforming persona. Finally, there’s Jeremy Irons in a remarkable performance as Franz Kafka where he plays it straight as someone who is very reserved while dealing with this secret conflict he didn’t want to take part in as it’s a role filled with humility as well as someone who is aware of what it means to be human.

Kafka is an excellent film from Steven Soderbergh that features a fantastic performance from Jeremy Irons. While it’s a film that refuses to define itself into any genre, it is quite compelling in its visual style as well as theme of conformity and individuality. In the end, Kafka is an extraordinarily odd yet rapturous film from Steven Soderbergh.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray's Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-The Equilibrium - Ocean's Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean's Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird)

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

Another Woman

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Another Woman is the story about a philosophy professor whose life unravels after listening to a private psychoanalyst on another woman as she starts to question about her own life. The film is an exploration into the world of identity as well as the choices one makes in a person’s life. Starring Gena Rowlands, Mia Farrow, Ian Holm, Gene Hackman, Harris Yulin, Frances Conroy, Betty Buckley, Blythe Danner, Martha Plimpton, John Houseman, and Philip Bosco. Another Woman is an engrossing yet mesmerizing film from Woody Allen.

What happens when a woman accidentally listens to another woman talking about her own problems leading for this woman to deal with her own life? That’s essentially the premise of the film where a philosophy professor named Marion (Gena Rowlands) finds herself questioning about not just herself but the way she treated the people in her life as she‘s always been judgmental and at times, quite cruel. The revelations that Marion faces about herself and the people in her life forces her to reflect on her past while continually listen to the psychiatric sessions of this pregnant yet troubled woman (Mia Farrow). What Woody Allen does with the script is create a story about a woman’s life being told where Marion often narrates to play into her feelings as well as thinking about the people in her life such as her brother Paul (Harris Yulin) and father (John Houseman) as well as her own marriage to Ken (Ian Holm).

Allen’s direction definitely recalls the work of Ingmar Bergman, most notably Wild Strawberries, in terms of its visual language and its intimacy towards drama. Notably as it plays into the idea of memory and fantasy where this woman has to look back in parts of her life including the way she realizes how complicated things are. Allen’s direction is straightforward though there is a sense of style in terms of close-ups and compositions where Allen goes to Bergman for inspiration. Still, Allen does instill some of his own ideas such as a scene where Marion watches a recreation of a conversation she had with Ken as Marion is being played by her former friend Claire (Sandy Dennis) to establish some ideas about not just who Marion but also a look into her own marriage. Notably as it would force Marion to see her life and what can she do to regain some sense of who she is. Overall, Allen creates a very engaging yet captivating film about a woman reflecting on her life.

Cinematographer Sven Nykvist does brilliant work with the film‘s photography as it recalls many of his work with Ingmar Bergman from the lush look of some of its exterior scenes in the flashbacks to the more colorful look of the locations in New York City. Editor Susan E. Morse does excellent work with the editing to help create seamless transitions from reality to fantasy while keeping things straightforward without any overly-stylized cuts. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with set decorator George DeTitta Jr. and art director Speed Hopkins, does nice work with the look of the NYC apartments and homes the characters live including the look of an antiques shop where Marion meets the woman she‘s been listening to.

Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly sort of colorless and bland to represent the world of the characters and their sort of lack of emotions. Sound editor Robert Hein does wonderful work with the sound from the way Marion listens to the other woman in a session to some of the scenes set in New York City. The film’s music soundtrack is mostly a mix of jazz and classical music that includes a piece Erik Satie that often dominates the film.

The casting by Juliet Taylor is fantastic for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Fred Melamed as a guest at an engagement party for Ken and Marion in a flashback, Josh Hamilton as the boyfriend of Ken’s daughter, David Odgen Stiers as the younger version of Marion and Paul’s father, Stephen Mailer and Margaret Marx in their respective roles as the young Paul and Marion, Philip Bosco as Marion’s first husband Sam, Frances Conroy as Marion’s sister-in-law Lynn, and Betty Buckley as Ken’s ex-wife Kathy whose sole appearance at Ken and Marion’s engagement party is chilling to watch. Martha Plimpton is excellent as Ken’s daughter Laura who always turn to Marion for advice while Blythe Danner is very good as Marion’s friend Lydia who always likes to socialize with her and Ken. Harris Yulin is terrific as Marion’s brother Paul who is a man that lacks ambition but wants to do right for his family.

Gene Hackman is great in a small but memorable performance as Ken’s friend Larry who admits to having feelings for Marion as he would play a key part into Marion’s own revelations about her life. John Houseman is amazing as Marion and Paul’s father as a man who also thinks about his life while appearing in a fantasy where he expresses his own regrets. Sandy Dennis is wonderful as Marion’s old friend Claire who expresses her own bitterness towards Marion about their friendship as she later plays Marion in a recreation of a conversation scene. Mia Farrow is superb as the mysterious woman Marion discovers as she is a woman anguished by her own problems in life as she would play a key role into Marion’s own discovery.

Ian Holm is brilliant as Marion’s husband Ken as a man who seems to be content with his life but is sort of aloof in the fact that he and Marion don’t spend a lot of alone time together. Finally, there’s Gena Rowlands in a remarkable performance as Marion where Rowlands display a sense of restraint to a woman who becomes unaware of the life she’s leading. Notably as Rowlands adds that sense of distance to her character as someone who is sort of cruel as well as judgmental as she starts to realize some of the trouble aspects of her life as it’s a very mesmerizing performance from Rowlands.

Another Woman is a marvelous film from Woody Allen that features tremendous performance from Gena Rowlands. Armed with a great ensemble cast as well as themes of regrets and identity, the film isn’t just a fantastic tribute to the works of Ingmar Bergman. It’s also a drama that explores a woman searching for herself in a crucial period in her life as she ponders about the choices she’s made. In the end, Another Woman is a phenomenal film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money & Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows & Fog - Husbands & Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Don’t Drink the Water - Bullets Over Broadway - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2013

A Life Less Ordinary

Directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge, A Life Less Ordinary is the story about a disgruntled Scottish janitor who kidnaps his boss’ daughter as they conspire to get a ransom unaware that angels are trying to get them to fall in love. The film is a romantic-comedy of sorts with a bit of an edge that revels in a bit of violence but also fantasy. Starring Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz, Delroy Lindo, Holly Hunter, Dan Hedaya, Tony Shalhoub, Maury Chaykin, Stanley Tucci, and Ian Holm. A Life Less Ordinary is a witty yet off-the-wall film from Danny Boyle.

When true love is involved, fate comes into play to ensure that true love does happen while anything else that prevents that from happening have to be pushed aside. The film is about a couple of angels who arrive to Earth to make sure that an enraged Scottish janitor named Robert (Ewan McGregor) and a spoiled rich girl named Celine (Cameron Diaz) get together where if they don’t succeed, the angels will be forced to stay on Earth forever. Yet, the angels in O’Reilly (Holly Hunter) and Jackson (Delroy Lindo) do whatever it takes to make sure Robert and Celine together as the former decides to kidnap Celine for a ransom after he was fired by her father (Ian Holm) who replaced him for a robot. Though Robert is inexperienced in the idea of kidnapping, Celine helps him so she can collect some of the ransom money after realizing that her father decides to cut her off.

John Hodge’s screenplay definitely plays to the schematics of love where Robert and Celine are two people with very different views as the former is a dreamer who wants to write a novel as he’s going through a string of bad luck. The latter is a rich young woman who likes to do dangerous things and live a certain lifestyle as she had been through too many bad relationships to even consider the idea that there’s such a thing as true love. Because of the idea that true love is hokey, it causes problems up in Heaven where Gabriel (Dan Hedaya) is overwhelmed as God told him that he’s making new rules about to deal with the failure of love not happening. Hodge’s script isn’t just filled with some elements of black comedy as well as a bit of satire into the idea of the rom-com. He also allows the script to have some funny dialogue that plays into the idea of love while giving Robert and Celine reasons into why they should be with each other.

Danny Boyle’s direction is definitely engaging as well as stylized in some of the framing he creates as well as just letting things be much looser. Notably as Boyle incorporates a bit of the musical in the form of a duet between Robert and Celine to Bobby Darin’s Beyond the Sea. While it is a romantic comedy, Boyle is also aware that he wants to infuse the film with other genres such as crime and black comedy. Though the results can be a bit of a mess, Boyle does enough to make sure that the story is still there where he adds some suspense and moments to keep things light-hearted and fun. Overall, Boyle creates a very exciting and heartfelt film about love and fate.

Cinematographer Brian Tufano does excellent work with the film‘s photography where a lot of it is straightforward for the exteriors set in Los Angeles and parts of Utah while using some more stylish lights in some of the film‘s interior scenes. Editor Masahiro Hirakubo does nice work with the editing as it‘s very stylized to play up some of the humor and action as well as some dazzling moments in Robert‘s fantasy scenes. Production designer Kave Quinn, with set decorator Marcia Calosio and art director Tracey Gallacher, do great work with the look of Heaven where it’s all white and looks like a police station while keeping things more simpler for the scenes set on Earth. Costume designer Rachael Fleming does terrific work with the costumes from the more casual clothing of Robert to the more stylish clothes of Celine to display their personalities as well as bringing some styles to the clothes of O‘Reilly and Jackson.

Animation director Michael Mort does fantastic work with a claymation epilogue that reveals more into the fate of the film‘s characters. Sound editor Andy Kennedy does terrific work with the sound to capture some of the funnier moments of the film as well as some of its action scenes. The film’s music by David Arnold is superb for its playful use of electronic music to capture some of its humor and romantic elements. Music supervisor Randall Poster creates a very fun soundtrack that features music from Diana Ross & the Supremes, R.E.M., Ash, Elastica, Underworld, Oasis, Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Sneaker Pimps, the Prodigy, Beck, Orbital, the Shirelles, Gladys Knight, Luscious Jackson, Faithless, the Folk Implosion, and the Cardigans.

The casting by Donna Isaacson is brilliant as it features some notable small roles from K.K. Dobbs as Robert’s former girlfriend, Timothy Olyphant as a hitchhiker, Ian McNiece as Celine’s father’s bodyguard, Tony Shalhoub as a bar owner Robert later works for, Maury Chaykin as a cabin neighbor Robert and Celine befriends, and Stanley Tucci as a former prospect of Celine who would briefly help them out only to try to flirt with Celine. Dan Hedaya is excellent as the archangel Gabriel who gives O’Reilly and Jackson the mission while realizing that he might have the power to play into the fates of Robert and Celine. Ian Holm is superb as Celine’s very greedy and smarmy father who would rather keep the money than pay Robert’s ransom causing more dissent from his daughter.

Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo are great in their respective roles as O’Reilly and Jackson as two angels who pose as bounty hunters who are doing whatever it takes to get Robert and Celine together even if it hurts or kills them. Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz are remarkable in their roles as Robert and Celine as two people brought together by circumstances as they deal with their differences. Notably as McGregor brings a comical approach to his character who is sort of a dimwitted dreamer while Diaz is more cool as a jaded spoiled rich girl who doesn’t believe in love where the two are also very fun to watch.

A Life Less Ordinary is a stellar yet enjoyable film from Danny Boyle that features top-notch performances from Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz. Armed with a wonderful supporting cast and a kick-ass soundtrack, it’s a film that doesn’t take itself seriously while wanting to give the audience something that is something different and fun in comparison to some of the more darker and intense films of Boyle’s other work. In the end, A Life Less Ordinary is a fantastic film from Danny Boyle.

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

© thevoid99 2013

Time Bandits

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Michael Palin, Time Bandits is the story of a boy who goes on an adventure with a group of time-traveling dwarves where he travels to different periods in time. The film is an exploration into the world of fantasy and man trying to fight the impossible as it is the first part of a trilogy of films about dreamers. Starring John Cleese, Sean Connery, Michael Palin, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Peter Vaughn, and David Warner. Time Bandits is a funny yet enjoyable fantasy film from Terry Gilliam.

A young boy named Kevin (Craig Warnock) enjoys reading adventures about all sorts of things while his parents (David Daker and Sheila Fearn) are more obsessed with household appliances and TV shows. One day, a gang of time traveling dwarf bandits come out of his closet looking for a time hole as they carry a map that get them through each time hole in order to steal riches from different periods of time. Leading the pack is Randall (David Rappaport) as he admits to stealing the map from the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson and the voice of Tony Jay) as Kevin finds himself being part of the adventure. There, Kevin and the bandits land in the Napoleonic wars where the bandits find themselves having to entertain Napoleon Bonaparte (Ian Holm) where they successfully steal some treasure.

After finding themselves in the Middle Ages where they meet Robin Hood (John Cleese) where they end up having their take being given to the poor, Randall and the bandits ponder where to go next. Unaware that a sorcerer known as Evil (David Warner) is watching them, the bandits continue their journey where they’re being chased by the Supreme Being as Kevin finds himself in Mycenaean Greece where he saved the life of King Agamemnon (Sean Connery). Being happy around King Agamemnon, Kevin hopes to stay there until the bandits finally appear to steal more riches and take Kevin where they find themselves in the 20th Century on a ship. Randall believes that through the map that there’s a place into the unknown that can lead them to something that is considered to be the most fantastic object of the world. Kevin reluctantly joins them where they encounter more trouble where Kevin realizes what is going on forcing he and the bandits to fight Evil.

The film is essentially the story about a young boy who joins a group of time-traveling dwarves into an adventure into different periods of time where they steal riches while going after something that is to be even better than riches unaware that they’re watched by an evil sorcerer. That’s pretty much what the story is about though it is a film that is about a boy trying to find a place where he belongs as he feels out of place with the modern world as his parents are just obsessed with the technologies of the times. Throughout this adventure with this gang of dwarves that likes to steal and do things, this young boy would encounter worlds that are very different from the modern world as he feels like he belongs there.

The screenplay by Terry Gilliam and his Monty Python cohort Michael Palin does have a traditional structure into the motivations of how young Kevin sees things throughout his journey. Notably as the journeys he takes would play into his development and understanding of the world itself. He enjoys going back in time but he doesn’t like what the dwarves do as things get more complicated in the third act when the dwarves begin to doubt Randall over his obsession with going into this mysterious world. Particularly as they’re all unaware that they’re being watched by this evil sorcerer who wants the map they can carry to spread evil into the world. While the script is essentially a fantasy story, it’s also very comical since a lot of the situations are absurd and things do very silly such as the fact that the characters often drop in on a couple (Michael Palin and Shelley Duvall) and ruining their moment.

Terry Gilliam’s direction is definitely big in terms of its presentation where it is all about these elaborate set pieces, different locations, and all sorts of hi-jinks the characters encounter. Through some amazing compositions where Gilliam puts a lot into the frame in order to establish the world the characters encounter. He also makes sure that it’s about this group of dwarves and this young boy while he does take his time to establish what the evil sorcerer wants to do. The direction also includes some vast wide shots of some of these elaborate set pieces where things often feel offbeat such as the climatic world in the third act. Still, Gilliam manages to find a way to keep things offbeat in its humor and intentions while creating something that can appeal to a young audience. Overall, Gilliam creates a fantastic film that plays up to world of imagination and the yearn to escape from the doldrums of the modern world.

Cinematographer Peter Bizou does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the very sunny and vast look of the King Agamemnon sequence to the more dreary look of the dark world that the sorcerer lives in. Editor Julian Doyle does wonderful work with the editing by creating some unique rhythms for the film’s action scenes along with some stylish slow-motion cuts for some of its intense moments. Production designer Milly Burns and art director Norman Garwood do amazing work with the vast set design that is created from the look of King Agamemnon’s palace, the castle where Napoleon is being entertained, and the dark underworld where the sorcerer lives in.

Costume designer James Acheson, with additional work from Hazel Cote, does terrific work with the costumes to capture the many different periods from the robes of King Agamemnon, the look of Robin Hood, and uniform worn by Napoleon. Hair and makeup work by Maggie Weston and Elaine Carew is superb for the look of some of the characters including the evil sorcerer that is over the top. The sound work of Allen Hurd is very good for the atmosphere that is created in parts of the films including the party scene at King Agamemnon’s hall. The music by Mike Moran is a delight to hear not just for its bombastic orchestral score but also for its playfulness as it serves as a great accompaniment to the film’s humorous moments. The music also includes a song by one of the film’s executives producers in George Harrison that plays up to the film’s whimsical charm.

The film’s cast is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some noteworthy small roles from Jim Broadbent as a game show host, Peter Vaughn as an ogre named Winston, Katherine Helmond as the ogre’s wife, David Daker and Sheila Fearn as Kevin’s parents, and Michael Palin and Shelley Duvall as a loving couple often interrupted by the appearances of the dwarves. Other appearances that are definitely played for laughs include Ian Holm as Napoleon Bonaparte and John Cleese as a somewhat dim-witted Robin Hood. Sean Connery is superb as King Agamemnon where he displays a great sense of prestige in his role. David Warner is terrific as the sorcerer Evil who is very over-the-top while Ralph Richardson is wonderful as the very witty Supreme Being.

The performances by the dwarves in Tiny Ross, Mike Edmonds, Jack Purvis, Malcolm Dixon, and Kenny Baker are definitely amazing to watch as well as Jack Rappaport as the conniving leader of the gang in Randall. Finally, there’s Craig Warnock in a marvelous performance as Kevin who is intrigued by the world of adventure and imagination as he deals with his journey as well as the evil forces that he later has to fight.

Time Bandits is an extraordinary yet witty film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great ensemble cast and amazing set pieces, the film is definitely among one of Gilliam’s best films. Notably as it’s also a very accessible film that offers something more to a wide audience including children. In the end, Time Bandits is a whimsical yet adventurous film from Terry Gilliam.

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

© thevoid99 2013

Alien

Directed by Ridley Scott, Alien is the story of a crew from outer space who encounter an alien that’s trying to kill its crew as they’re trying to return to Earth. From an original story by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett with a screenplay by O’Bannon and additional work from David Giler and Walter Hill. The film is a sci-fi horror film where a space crew tries to fight a mysterious creature. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright, Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ian Holm. Alien is a chilling yet engrossing sci-fi horror film from Ridley Scott.

On their way home to Earth, the commercial ship Nostromo is carrying 20 million tones of mineral ore and refinery with a crew of seven led by Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt). With a crew that includes executive officer Kane (John Hurt), navigator Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), senior science officer Ash (Ian Holm), engineers Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) and Parker (Yaphet Kotto), and warrant officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). The crew receive a transmission to discover a nearby planet as the crew board a shuttle though not everyone thinks it’s a good idea. Dallas, Kane, and Lambert investigate the planet where they find a ship while Brett and Parker try to repair the shuttle due to its shaky landing where Ripley decodes the transmission message realize that something isn’t right.

When Dallas, Kane, and Lambert go inside the ship, Kane discovers eggs inside a chamber where a creature becomes attached to his helmet. After recovering Kane from the chamber, Dallas and Lambert try to re-enter the shuttle but Ripley refuses due to quarantine protocol until Ash opens the door against Ripley’s word. With the creature attached to Kane’s head, Ash tries to dissect the thing only to realize that its blood is filled with acid bringing more problems to everyone. Though the creature was eventually detached and dead, Ash still wants to dissect as Kane seems to have recovered only for something to go wrong. With an alien creature now on the loose and there’s no conventional weapons on board the main ship, Dallas and the crew decides to go after and kill the alien. Eventually, things get worse where Ripley makes a discovery that challenges everything that’s happening as she and remaining survivors decide to flee and fight off the alien.

The film is essentially a sci-fi horror story where a crew answer a distress call only to discover something wrong as an alien is on board their ship as they have to kill the damn thing. That’s pretty much it in the schematics of a horror-suspense film set in space where characters are eventually killed off one-by-one. Still, it’s a film that is about a crew that is very diverse as they would do things that would threaten their livelihood. Leading all of this is Ellen Ripley, a protagonist that is not many others before her as she is this headstrong woman that knows what to do and is willing to follow rules but knows that they can be broken if necessary.

Though she isn’t the head of this commercial ship, she is the film’s conscience of sorts following the events where they land on this planet after she decodes the warning. When one of its member is attacked by some alien life form early in the film, she knows that decision is made since she fears that bringing something alien would risk everything. Yet, it would the Ash character that would drive everything that would happen afterwards. Ash is a very complex character who is driven more by science though his motives become much more mysterious as the film progress. Notably as his actions would eventually cost the lives of the crew who are trying to kill the alien.

Dan O’Bannon’s screenplay definitely creates a lot of chilling suspense and stakes that occur throughout the film. Notably as it would involve individuals who are all quite flawed as they’re facing an alien that is going to kill them. All they want to do by the film’s second half is to just kill this alien and go home. In the schematics of horror, it becomes more complicated due to the actions of one character as well as a computer that would further raise the stakes. O’Bannon’s script is truly amazing for the way it plays things out that would lead to a climatic battle between the alien and whoever is left.

Ridley Scott’s direction is truly mesmerizing from the way he films the scenes in outer space with the stars and planets to the intensity of the suspense in these claustrophobic vents and hallways inside the space station. With these engaging compositions of the way he opens the film to introduce the characters with this simple yet wide shot of the pods opening. He lets the audience soak up the world they live inside this space station with amazing rooms including this one room where the mother computer runs everything as Captain Dallas tries to figure out the destination and such where he would find this distress call. By the time the film goes into this mysterious planet where crew members enter this very strange spaceship.

The way the art direction helps set the mood as well as the creature effects that would reveal the alien, that is designed by H.R. Giger, to help move the story forward from this entrancing sci-fi suspense into a horror film where the characters are trying to kill this alien. The horror isn’t as gory as one would expect but the way the alien would pick off a character and why things go out of their control adds to the stakes of survival. What Scott creates in the end is a masterfully-crafted and entrancing film that definitely adds a lot of nuance and ideas to what a sci-fi film should be.

Cinematographer Derek Vanlit does excellent work with the film‘s evocative cinematography that is filled with dark colors and lighting shades to play up the brooding tone of the film in its many interior scenes. Editors Terry Rawlings and Peter Weatherly, with additional work by David Crowther for its 2003 director’s cut, do fantastic work with the editing by utilizing rhythmic cuts to play up the suspense as well as stylish dissolves for the film‘s sleeping pod scenes to introduce the characters. Production designers Michael Seymour and Roger Christian, with set decorator Ian Whittaker and art director Leslie Dilley, do brilliant work with the amazing set pieces created such as the interior of the alien ship as well as the look of the Nostromo space ship in its exterior along with its interior sets including the mother room.

Costume designer John Mollo does nice work with the costumes from the underwear the crew wear in the sleeping pods to the different array of uniforms and casual clothing that expresses each character along with the look of the astronaut suits. Special effects supervisors Nick Allder and Brian Johnson do amazing work with the special effects such as the Nostromo miniature look as well as the exterior look of outer space and the movement of the alien and creature design. Sound editor Jim Shields and mixer (for its 2003 director’s cut) Andrew I. King do superb work with the sound from the way the alien creature screams to the noises of computers and engines inside the space station. The music score of Jerry Goldsmith is wonderful for its orchestral flourishes to play out the drama and suspense that occurs throughout the film.

The casting by Mary Goldberg and Mary Selway is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it includes some small work from Helen Horton as the voice of the mother computer and Bolaji Badejo as the alien. Notable performances include Yaphet Kotto as the cynical yet humorous Parker and Harry Dean Stanton as the witty Brett. Veronica Cartwright is very good as the highly-emotional Lambert who is overwhelmed by the situation that is happening though is more in control as a navigator. John Hurt is excellent as the executive officer Kane whose discovery of the alien eggs would have awful repercussions for him. Tom Skerritt is superb as Nostromo captain Dallas who tries to maintain control of everything while dealing with the alien creature.

Ian Holm is great as the science officer Ash whose desire to explore the alien as well as undermining protocol for mysterious reasons adds to a very complex performance to his character. Finally, there’s Sigourney Weaver in her breakthrough performance as Ellen Ripley. In the first of four films where she would play the character, Weaver brings a real sense of control as a woman that is trying to make sure things don’t go wrong while having to deal with the implications of all that is happened. It’s a truly spectacular performance for the actress as it’s also one of the greatest female protagonists ever played on film.

Alien is an outstanding and intensely-mesmerizing sci-fi horror film from Ridley Scott led by an incredible performance from Sigourney Weaver. The film is definitely not just one of Ridley Scott’s great films but also one of the definitive films of the sci-fi genre in terms of its ambition and suspense. Notably as it’s a film that creates tension and chills where a space crew tries to fight off an alien where everything is on the line. In the end, Alien is a stunning yet ravishing film from Ridley Scott.

Ridley Scott Films: (The Duellists) - Blade Runner - (Legend) - (Someone to Watch Over Me) - (Black Rain) - (Thelma & Louise) - (1492: Conquest of Discovery) - (White Squall) - (G.I. Jane) - (Gladiator (2000 film)) - (Hannibal) - (Matchstick Men) - (Kingdom of Heaven) - (A Good Year) - (American Gangster) - (Body of Lies) - (Robin Hood (2010 film)) - Prometheus - (The Counselor) - (Exodus) - The Martian - (Alien: Covenant) - All the Money in the World

Alien Films: Aliens - Alien 3 - Alien Resurrection

© thevoid99 2012

eXistenZ

Written and directed by David Cronenberg, eXistenZ is about a video game designer whose new virtual reality game is the talk of the video game world only to be targeted by assassins. With a security guard to help her, the two go on the run while trying to save the game that she creates. The film is among of Cronenberg’s themes with new technology and its implications that recalls such earlier films as Videodrome. Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Ian Holm, Don McKellar, Sarah Polley, Callum Keith Rennie, Christopher Eccleston, and Willem Dafoe. eXistenZ is a mind-bending yet thrilling film from David Cronenberg.

Allegra Gellar (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a revered though reclusive game designer who is at a focus group to premiere her new virtual reality game. With help from a seminar leader (Christopher Eccleston) and a security guard named Ted Pikul (Jude Law) watching, things seem to go well until an assassin (Kris Lemche) tries to kill Allegra. With Ted saving her and taking her away from the place, the two go on the run as Allegra is worried about her game pod that she’s been working on for five years. Needing Ted to be in the game so she can check its status, she realizes that he doesn’t have a bio-port on his back. Turning to a black-market bio-port installer named Gas (Willem Dafoe) for help, Gas puts a bio-port hole in Ted’s back where things don’t work out.

Hiding out at the home of her mentor Kiri Vinokur (Ian Holm), Kiri fixes Allegra’s pod as she and Ted begin to play the game. With Ted realizing he is in a very different world, he learns that in order to play the game. He had to abide by their rules and talk in cheesy dialogue to advance the story as he and Allegra get close. Meeting such characters like the strange Yevgeny Nourish (Don McKellar) and a resistance leader (Callum Keith Rennie), things get blurred as Ted wants to stop playing. Instead, things become more complicated and violent as Allegra believes something is up about her pod. In the game world, she encounters another pod which turns out to be very bad as it’s up to Ted to get her back only to realize they’re in the middle of a battle between anti-reality game groups and pro-realist groups that wants Allegra dead.

The film can be described as a strange, multi-layered film about a game designer whose life is in danger because of the work she’s created that further blurs the line between reality and fiction. During this journey, she goes on the run with a man that is sworn to protect her as he steps into a world that he doesn’t know about at all. In turn, they take on roles and say awful dialogue in order to play a game where only the designer knows what to do and there’s a guy who has never played a game before.

David Cronenberg creates a film where it’s about reality vs. fiction and technology being part of something organic where it can be connected to a body. The pod and other objects such as guns have a strange, organic look that acts less like a machine rather than something very real. Throughout the film, Cronenberg creates a lot of exposition in order for the Ted Pikul character to figure out what is going on. Exposition is fine though it does overwhelm the plot a bit as complex as a film like this due to its reality vs. fiction narrative. The script is truly fascinating for its development of characters as well as motives over why Allegra is being targeted. At the same time, Cronenberg understands the world of video games as he does create cheesy dialogue that is intended to help move the story.

Cronenberg’s direction definitely plays up to what is expected of him in terms of creating a world that is surreal but also fascinating. Though he sets it at a not-so-distant future, many of the objects that are made has this organic look and feel to them where the guns shoot out teeth as bullets while the pod looks like a body organ. Still, Cronenberg makes the real world and the video game world seem almost realistic as he often keeps the film straight in terms of camera work and compositions. It’s Cronenberg keeping a controlled approach to the filmmaking while using his odd, surreal ideas to help add a quirky element to the film. Cronenberg also likes to play with the idea of reality and fiction that becomes much more complex with a strange twist in the last 10 minutes of the film. While it’s not a perfect film due to the overuse of exposition at times, it is still one of Cronenberg’s enjoyable films.

Cinematographer Peter Suschitzky does a wonderful job with the cinematography from the grimy yet colorful lighting schemes in many of the film‘s interiors to the naturalistic camera work for some of the exterior scenes. Editor Ronald Sanders does an excellent job with the editing as he creates a mostly straightforward style to the film while maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Production designer Carol Spier, along with set decorator Elinor Rose Galbraith and art director Tamara Deverell, does some fine work with the set pieces such as Vinokur‘s home and the factory that Ted and Allegra work at in the game world.

Costume designer Denise Cronenberg does a very good job with the costumes such as the colorless yet stylish clothing of Allegra to the more casual look of Ted as it’s mostly very low key. Visual effects supervisor James Issac does an amazing job with the visual effects such as the mutant amphibians Allegra comes across to some of the creatures that is made in the world outside of the factory. The sound work of Ryan Shore and Glen Gauthier is pretty stellar for the atmosphere that is created from the suspenseful scenes to the intimate moments when the pod is making strange sounds. The film’s score by Howard Shore is superb for its sweeping orchestral arrangements to play up the film’s suspense as well as some low-key yet heavy scores to help underplay the drama.

The casting by Deirdre Bowen is brilliant for the appearances and people she put into the film such as Vik Sahay as Vinokur’s assistant, Kris Lemche as the assassin, Oscar Hsu as a waiter at a Chinese restaurant, Robert A. Silverman as a game character Allegra and Ted interacts with, Christopher Eccleston as seminar leader, and Sarah Polley in cameo as a mysterious woman towards the end of the film. Other notable appearances include Don McKellar as a mysterious pro-game leader named Yevgeny Nourish, Callum Keith Rennie as a resistance leader, Ian Holm as Allegra’s eccentric mentor, and Willem Dafoe as a creepy gas station owner/black market salesman.

Finally, there’s the duo of Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh who each give superb performances for the film. Law brings a wonderful sense of energy and naiveté as a security guard new to the world of virtual reality games. Law also brings a determination and drive to his character as it’s definitely one of his most overlooked performances. Leigh gives a gritty yet troubled performance as a gifted game designer who is desperate to save her game while showing Law’s character the ropes of playing and living the game. It is also one of Leigh’s darker performances as she also add a bit of sexiness to a strange character as she and Law have amazing chemistry together.

eXistenZ is a remarkable yet provocative film from David Cronenberg featuring terrific performances from Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law. While it’s a film that doesn’t live up to some of Cronenberg’s great films, it is still a pretty original yet daring film that plays to his themes about the dangers of technology. Particularly as some of the ideas in the film about reality and fiction would have audiences thinking about Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film Inception. In the end, eXistenZ is an excellent yet suspenseful film from David Cronenberg.

David Cronenberg Films: Stereo - Crimes of the Future - Shivers - Rabid - Fast Company - The Brood - Scanners - Videodrome - The Dead Zone - The Fly (1986 film) - Dead Ringers - Naked Lunch - M. Butterfly - Crash - Spider - A History of Violence - Eastern Promises - A Dangerous Method - Cosmopolis - Maps to the Stars - Crimes of the Future (2022 film)

The Auteurs #26: David Cronenberg Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011

Naked Lunch

Based on the famed William S. Burroughs novel, Naked Lunch tells the story of an exterminator whose addiction to a mysterious substance has him becoming a spy at an Islamic port called Interzone. Written for the screen and directed by David Cronenberg, the film is more a mixture of Burroughs’ own novel and Cronenberg’s own ideas with surrealism. Starring Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, and Roy Scheider. Naked Lunch is a stylish yet strange film from David Cronenberg.

It’s 1953 as William Lee (Peter Weller) is an exterminator whose job hasn’t been going well because his wife Joan (Judy Davis) has been stealing his insecticide for drug use. With Lee starting to hallucinate and see a big bug talking to him about an assignment, Lee starts to question his own drug use as well as his wife. When he turns to a specialist named Dr. Benway (Roy Scheider) for help, Benway gives him a special powder which only increases his hallucinations where something bad has happened. With help from his literary friend Martin (Michael Zelniker), Lee flees the U.S. and ends up at a strange Islamic port called Interzone.

Writing reports for the Interzone company, he would meet various characters including Hans (Robert A. Silverman), Kiki (Joseph Scoren), and a charming man named Yves Cloquet (Julian Sands). With his typewriter that is also the bug he confers to, Lee would create material through the use of powder where he would meet another important writer named Tom Frost whose wife looks like Joan. Lee is intrigued by Frost’s wife, who is also named Joan, as they later have an affair while Frost lends Lee his typewriter. Yet, Lee learns that from his typewriter bug about something where things go wrong after he meets a mysterious woman named Fadela (Monique Mercue). When Joan goes missing and Lee is in trouble with Frost, Martin and Hank (Nicholas Campbell) come to help out reading the material he has written.

With Kiki offering to help Lee by fixing Frost’s typewriter and use it as an exchange to get his own typewriter back. There, Lee learns something is up as well as what Interzone is trying to do as he hopes to save Joan from whoever is running Interzone and its intentions.

While there are elements of William S. Burroughs’ novel in the film as the character of William Lee is writing the titular book. It’s really a surreal yet fictional account about a man in the 1950s trying to write this revered book through strange hallucinations as he deals with his own addictions in a world where it’s about the power of writing. What David Cronenberg does is deconstruct Burrough’s novel by infusing a lot of his own ideas by creating a noir-style film where Lee is Burroughs set into this very dark yet surreal world filled with talking bugs serving as typewriters.

Cronenberg also creates a world that has noir-like feel in the character of Lee who is pretty laid back and always trying to keep himself in check despite his addictions. The Joan characters are essentially a characterization of Burrough’s own wife where Cronenberg brings some of Burrough’s own real-life stories into the film. The complexity of the story that is a mix of noir, drama, surreal comedy, and Cronenberg’s own provocative take on technology is one that isn’t easy to tell. It does start off slowly as audiences who are familiar with the book would realize that this is not going to be a conventional adaptation.

Cronenberg’s direction is truly hypnotic for the way he creates the world of 1950s America as well as the world of Interzone which is really a take on Tangiers. There is a very rich quality to the way Cronenberg made the film which is miles away from his early yet grittier films of the 1970s and early 1980s. The compositions are more striking as the way he allows the surrealistic elements to be more lively and humorous. At the same time, Cronenberg is a filmmaker who is never afraid to get his hands dirty and play with expectations. One key scene is a conversation between Lee and Frost where Frost reveals dialogue that isn’t spoken is that he is saying something while his mouth aren’t saying something much different.

It’s Cronenberg being a trickster in order to play off the ideas of conventional cinema since he is not telling a conventional film. Some of the effects scene such as the typewriters as well as the bugs and such do create something is very creepy. It’s also disturbing but in a fun way because he’s not trying to be absolutely scary but rather make it OK for the audience to laugh at these creatures. Overall, Cronenberg creates a film that isn’t just eerie but also entertaining as it’s a great take on Burroughs’ novel.

Cinematographer Peter Suschitzky does an amazing job with the film‘s stylish cinematography from the more gritty yet dark look of the scenes in the U.S. in both its exterior and interiors to the lush yet vibrant look of the Interzone port scene with its bright, yellow colors for the daytime exterior settings. Editor Ronald Sanders does a great job with the editing as he adds some wonderful, rhythmic cuts for some of the suspenseful moments of the film while keeping it straightforward for a large portion of the film.

Production designer Carol Spier, along with set decorator Elinor Rose Galbraith and art director James McAteer, does a brilliant job with the look of the apartment Lee lives in along with the lavish world that the people at Interzone live in along with the eerie factory towards the end of the film. Costume designer Denise Cronenberg does an excellent job with the costumes to play up the 1950s film noir style with the suits the men wear to the different array of clothing that the two Joans wear. Sound mixer Bryan Day does a fantastic job with the sound work to capture the chaos of the Interzone port as well as the small, cluttering noises of the typewriter bugs.

The music by Howard Shore is phenomenal with its array of eerie orchestral score to play up the film‘s dark mood and suspense. With additional contributions from Ornette Coleman, Shore is able to use Coleman’s music to help play up the feel of the 1950s literary world that is booming at the time. The overall score is among one of the film’s highlights.

The casting by Deirdre Bowen is terrific as the cast includes some notable appearances from Sean McCann as a detective, Robert A. Silverman as the sly Hans, Joseph Scoren as the sensitive Kiki, Michael Zelniker as the bookish Martin, Nicholas Campbell as the fun-going Hank, and Peter Boretski as the voices of the creatures. Other memorable performances include Monique Mercure as the creepy Fadela, Julian Sands as the charming but dangerous Yves Cloquet, and Roy Scheider in a wonderful cameo as Dr. Benway. Ian Holm is great as Tom Frost, a version of novelist Paul Bowles as Holm brings a calm intensity to a dark character who is obsessed about great, foreign typewriters.

Judy Davis is wonderfully captivating in the dual performance as the two Joans. In the role of Lee’s wife Joan, Davis brings a troubling yet stupor physicality to a woman heavily-addicted to insecticide powder. For the role of Frost’s wife, there is a woman who is far more stranger as Davis brings something more entrancing and seductive to a woman who falls for Lee. Finally, there’s Peter Weller in a mesmerizing performance as William Lee. Playing a version of William S. Burroughs, Weller brings a very understated yet chilling performance as an exterminator who is haunted by his own hallucinations. There is a calmness to Weller’s performance in the way he reacts to the situations he’s in while he manages to create a character that is very intriguing over the things that is happening to him.

Naked Lunch is a disturbing yet hypnotic film from David Cronenberg that is led by a exhilarating performance from Peter Weller. Fans of Cronenberg will no doubt see this as one of his finest films for the way he deconstructs William S. Burroughs’ famed novel. Anyone seeking a straight adaptation of that famous novel will be disappointed though could be intrigued by how Cronenberg takes that story into a stylish noir film. Naked Lunch is truly a film that is one-of-a-kind as it could only be made from some as unique and as daring as David Cronenberg.

David Cronenberg Films: Stereo - Crimes of the Future - Shivers - Rabid - Fast Company - The Brood - Scanners - Videodrome - The Dead Zone - The Fly (1986 film) - Dead Ringers - M. Butterfly - Crash - eXistenZ - Spider - A History of Violence - Eastern Promises - A Dangerous Method - Cosmopolis - Maps to the Stars - Crimes of the Future (2022 film)

The Auteurs #26: David Cronenberg Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011