The House That Jack Built

Written and directed by Lars von Trier from an idea by von Trier and Jenle Hallund, The House That Jack Built is the story of the life of a serial killer in the course of 12 years as he kills various people from the 1970s to the 1980s in the state of Washington. The film is a psychological horror film that explores a man’s love of killing people through five moments in his life as he sees his killings as works of art as the titular character is portrayed by Matt Dillon. Also starring Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Riley Keough, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Sofie Grabol, and Jeremy Davies. The House That Jack Built is a discomforting yet intense film from Lars von Trier.

Set in the 1970s and 1980s in the state of Washington through five events and an epilogue, the film is the simple story of the life of a failed architect who becomes a serial killer as he would kill a lot of people during the course of his life. It’s a film that explores a man’s life through the people he killed with many of the victims being women as he would talk about his exploits to another man off screen as well as view his murders as art. Lars von Trier’s screenplay is told through five chapters as it relates to life of its titular character (Matt Dillon) as he would have these off-screen conversations with a man named Verge (Bruno Ganz) such as the first time he killed someone to how his murders would get more sophisticated during the years as he becomes less compulsive and more refined. It also showcases his growing sense of disdain towards aspects of humanity as well as seeing his killings as works of art where he is determined to be more artistic. Yet, he would also cope in trying to create a house for himself as another form of artistic expression.

The direction of von Trier is stylish in its approach to telling a man’s life story yet it draws upon many ideas of artistry with inter-cut images of stock footage and such to play into Jack’s psyche and pursuit of artistic glory. Shot on various locations in Sweden and parts of Denmark including Copenhagen, the film does play into this small town world where Jack drives a shiny red-colored van as von Trier would shoot much of the film on different formats with much of the narrative presented in the 2:39:1 aspect ratio with some stock footage shot in the 1:37:1 full-frame aspect ratio. Much of von Trier’s usage of close-ups and medium shots are presented with hand-held cameras to get a sense into Jack’s own emotions as well as those he terrorizes during the course of the film. There are some wide shots as a few of them pay homage to Carl Theodor Dreyer’s film Master of the House in a sequence where Jack carries a body to his home in a darkly-comical speedy presentation. The direction also has von Trier borrow images from not just various pieces of art including footage from shorts and such along with von Trier’s own films but also paintings, sculptures, and designs of houses, churches, and other places to play into Jack’s fascination with art.

Even as it play into Jack’s obsession in creating the perfect house with the best materials he can find as his frustrations for perfection only fuels his desire to kill. The violence in the film is emphasized more on impact rather than gore and anything outrageous as von Trier shows these acts of violence to play into Jack’s obsession with its culture and how much control he can bring while becoming more sadistic in his pursuit of artistic triumphs. The film’s final incident and its epilogue play into Jack’s obsession as well as this individual he had been talking to throughout the film off-screen in Verge. The final incident would also reveal a room that Jack had been trying to get into in the ice locker he owned where he would store many of his victims as it would play into Jack’s desire of his own dream house but also a chilling epilogue that is more about Jack’s fate and the decision he makes as a man. Overall, von Trier creates a disturbing yet evocative film about the life of a serial killer and his pursuit of artistic glory.

Cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of colors and low-key lights for scenes at the night and in some of the interior scenes add to the stark visual tone of the film. Editors Molly Malene Stensgaard and Jacob Secher Schulsinger do excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, montages, and other stylish cuts to play into Jack’s journey. Production designer Simone Grau Roney and art director Cecilia Hellner do fantastic work with the apartment that Jack lives in as well as the ice house that he owns with boxes of frozen pizzas where he would store the body while von Trier would serve as art director for the film’s final scene. Costume designer Manon Rasmussen does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward in what Jack wears with the exception of a red bathrobe he would wear late in the film.

Prosthetics makeup effects designer Love Larson does terrific work with the look of the corpses that Jack has collected in his storage ice room. Visual effects supervisors Pierre Buffin and Peter Hjorth do amazing work with the visual effects for some sequences during the epilogue that includes recreations of a few paintings. Sound designer Kristian Eidnes Andersen does superb work with the sound where it emphasizes on natural elements and sparse textures to play into the realism of the film. The film’s music by Victor Reyes is wonderful for its low-key approach to ambient music which is only used sparingly for its climatic epilogue while music supervisor Mikkel Maltha provide a music soundtrack that adds a lot of punch to Jack’s journey from classical pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and Richard Wagner as a Bach piece is performed by Glenn Gould with the rest of the soundtrack features Louis Armstrong’s rendition of St. James Infirmary Blues, a cover of Ray Charles’ Hit the Road Jack by David Johansen in his Buster Poindexter persona, and David Bowie’s Fame.

The casting by Des Hamilton, Avy Kaufman, and Lara Manwaring is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Osy Ikhile as a victim of Jack’s late in the film, David Bailie as a friend of Jack’s in S.P., Jeremy Davies as an ammunitions salesman in Al, Jack McKenzie as a blacksmith in Sonny, Emil Tholstrup as a young Jack, Marijana Jankovic and Carina Skenhede as a couple of victims of Jack’s, Rocco and Cohen Day in their respective roles as the boys Grumpy and George, and Edward Spleers as a policeman during the film’s second incident. In the performances of some of the women that Jack would encounter, Uma Thurman as the annoying hitchhiking lady, Siobhan Fallon Hogan as a widowed neighbor, Sofie Grabol as a mother of two boys, and Riley Keough as a young girlfriend of Jack’s in Simple are excellent in their roles as the women in Jack’s life who would play into his evolution as a serial killer and his growing fascination in being an artist.

Bruno Ganz is phenomenal as Verge as this mysterious man who appears off-screen for much of the film as he converses with Jack about his killings and such where he is appalled by his actions but also intrigued as his appearance in the film’s final moments reveal something much bigger as someone who observes all of Jack’s exploits. Finally, there’s Matt Dillon in an incredible performance as the titular character as this architect whose desire to create a home for himself is troubled by his desire for perfection as his frustrations with humanity leads him to killing people where he sees it as an expression of art where Dillon displays some charm but also a manic energy into his role as it is a career-defining performance for Dillon.

The House That Jack Built is a spectacular film from Lars von Trier that features a sensational performance from Matt Dillon. Along with its ensemble cast that includes a great supporting performance from Bruno Ganz as well as its ravishing visuals, offbeat music soundtrack, and study of humanity, murder, and art. It’s a film that is definitely not for the faint of heart as it shows von Trier at his most carnal but also with a level of restraint into the acts of violence as well as studying the mind of a man who kills for the pleasure of it as well as to fill the void of his own artistic satisfaction. In the end, The House That Jack Built is a tremendous film from Lars von Trier.

Lars von Trier Films: The Element of Crime - Epidemic - Medea (1988 TV film) - Europa - The Kingdom I - Breaking the Waves - The Kingdom II - Dogme #2: Idioterne - Dancer in the Dark - Dogville - The Five Obstructions - Manderlay - The Boss of It All - Antichrist - Dimension (2010 short) - Melancholia - Nymphomaniac - The Kingdom: Exodus - (Etudes)

Related: Favorite Films #3: Breaking the Waves - The Auteurs #7: Lars von Trier

© thevoid99 2019

It's Kind of a Funny Story

Based on the novel by Ned Vizzini, It’s Kind of a Funny Story is about a teenage boy who checks into a hospital following an attempted suicide jump where he is hospitalized for depression as he meet other individuals struggling with their own mental illnesses. Written for the screen and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the film is an exploration of a teenage boy dealing with the pressures of society and his own shortcomings as he would try to understand himself as well as those suffering from anxieties. Starring Keir Gilchrist, Emma Roberts, Lauren Graham, Jim Gaffigan, Jeremy Davies, Zoe Kravitz, Thomas Mann, Aasif Mandvi, Bernard White, Laverne Cox, Viola Davis, and Zach Galifianakis. It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a witty and engrossing film from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

With the pressure to succeed both in school and in life just before it’s really about to start, the film is about a teenage boy who checks into a hospital following a suicide attempt where he would stay for nearly a week as he meets various people with similar struggles as well as other forms of mental illness. It’s a film that explores the anxieties of a sixteen-year old kid where he would meet people around his age who also deal with problems as well as adults who are also coping with some form of illness. The film’s screenplay by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck is told mainly by its protagonist Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist) who attends a prestigious high school in Brooklyn as he’s due to finish an application for a prestigious summer school as his father George (Jim Gaffigan) expects him to do so while he is also in the shadow of his friend Aaron Fitzcarraldo (Thomas Mann) who is dating his longtime crush Nia (Zoe Kravitz). After imagining the idea of jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge where he would think about how his family would think, it would force Gilner to check into a hospital thinking he would stay for a short period of time.

Yet, the stay would be for a week for observation and therapy where Gilner meets an adult patient in Bobby (Zach Galifianakis) who is dealing with his own issues as well as trying to get a home to stay after he gets discharged. Gilner would also befriend another teenage patient in Noelle (Emma Roberts) as all of the teenage patients are staying at the adult ward due to renovations for the teenage ward. Noelle is there for self-harm as Gilner deals with the fact that he’s got a lot going for him but the pressure to succeed eventually got to him where he is able to gain sympathy from the other patients and the hospital’s therapist Dr. Minerva (Viola Davis) who is aware of his troubled thoughts.

The direction of Boden and Fleck is largely straightforward in terms of its compositions and setting while it does have some stylistic elements in the film as it relates to the drawings that Gilner would create. Shot on location in Brooklyn as well as parts of New York City, Boden and Fleck would use some wide shots but maintain an intimacy into the hospital setting such as its hallways, rooms, and common rooms for patients to socialize at. The usage of close-ups and medium shots as well as stylish moments of fantasy help play into the film’s quirky and offbeat tone while Boden and Fleck would know when to keep the film grounded in reality. Even in the group therapy sessions, simple conversations between Gilner, Bobby, and Noelle, and other moments where Gilner has to deal with elements of reality including small meetings with his family.

With Boden also serving as the film’s editor, she and Fleck would also create some stylish montages that play into the anxieties in Gilner’s life as well as some surreal sequences about the idea of what his future might be. Much of Boden’s editing would have some stylistic flair in the montages and in some jump-cuts that include a dream sequence of Gilner and other patients playing Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie. With the aid of animation director Brian Drucker, the animated backgrounds would play into this idea of fantasy but also hope for Gilner. The sense of realism does occur for its third act but there is also this element of hope as it relates to the time Gilner spent as well as realize that there’s nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to depression and mental illness. Overall, Boden and Fleck craft a touching and heartfelt film about a teenage boy seeking help at hospital where he learns about those that are also in need of help.

Cinematographer Andrij Parekh does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward for many of the interior scenes at the hospital and at Gilner’s school while there’s some low-key lighting for a few interior/exterior scenes set at night. Production designer Beth Mickle, with set decorator Carrie Stewart and art director Michael Ahern, does fantastic work with the look of the rooms, common rooms, and hallways at the hospital as well as the homes of Gilner’s family and friends. Costume designers Kurt and Bart do nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with the exception of the glam-inspired costumes for the fantasy sequence.

Special effects makeup artist Michael Marino does terrific work with the makeup for the fantasy sequence as well as the look of the scars that Noelle is sporting on her body. Visual effects supervisor Anthony Luigi Santoro does brilliant work with the visual effects in bringing the animation to life as well as be used as an element of hope in the real world. Sound editor Paul Hsu does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the hospital and some of the sparse sounds that are made throughout the film. The film’s music by Broken Social Scene is wonderful for its indie-folk approach with melodic guitars and offbeat rhythms while music supervisor Andrea von Foerster provide a mixture of different musical genres from indie, punk, rock, hip-hop, and pop as it includes some songs by Broken Social Scene as well as the xx, Drum, Queen and David Bowie, the Damned, the Wowz, Pink Mountaintops, White Hinterland, Kurtis Blow, the Tom Robinson Band, Pharoah Sanders, Method Man and Redman, Common, Rachid Taha, and Black Sabbath.

The casting by Cindy Tolan is amazing as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from novelist Ned Vizzini as the hospital’s music teacher, Laverne Cox as a transgender patient, Ethan Herschenfeld as a Hasidic Jewish patient named Solomon, Mary Birdsong as Bobby’s ex-wife, Aasif Mandvi as Dr. Mahmoud who would be the first to analyze Gilner’s problems, Matthew Maher and Adrian Martinez as a couple of adult patients in their respective roles as Humble and Johnny, Morgan Murphy as a young patient in Joanie, Dana DeVestern as Gilner’s young sister Alissa, Bernard White as an Egyptian patient named Muqtada, and Jeremy Davies as a hospital monitor named Smitty who watches over everyone as he makes sure everyone is fine.

Thomas Mann and Zoe Kravitz are terrific in their respective roles as Gilner’s friends Aaron Fitzcarraldo and Nia with Mann as an overachiever who always get what he wants and Kravitz as Gilner’s crush who becomes interested in him during his time at the hospital. Lauren Graham and Jim Gaffigan are fantastic in their respective roles as Gilner’s parents in Lynn and George with the former being more concerned about her son’s well-being while the latter is hoping his son will get better and get back on track unaware of the pressure he’s putting towards his son. Viola Davis is excellent as Dr. Minerva as the hospital’s therapist who analyzes Gilner as well as be someone who is understanding and willing to listen as it’s a low-key yet somber performance from Davis.

Emma Roberts is brilliant as Noelle as a teenage patient with issues of self-harm as someone who is intrigued by Gilner as well as being also witty and aware of her own situation. Zach Galifianakis is incredible as Bobby as an adult patient who is going through issues of his own but also offers a lot of wisdom to Gilner about life as well as the fact that things do get more complicated in adulthood but there’s also hope. Finally, there’s Keir Gilchrist in a remarkable performance as Craig Gilner as a teenage boy with a lot going for him as he copes with the pressure to succeed as well as a lot of the anxieties where he learns how to cope as well as not be afraid of seeking help.

It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a marvelous film from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a superb music soundtrack, touching study of mental illness and depression, and the desire for hope in a complicated world. It’s a film that manages to showcase a young man trying to deal with his own anxieties and demands of the world where he finds solace through people who are also going through similar struggles. In the end, It’s Kind of a Funny Story is an exhilaratingly rich film from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck Films: Half Nelson - Sugar (2008 film) - Mississippi Grind – Captain Marvel - The Auteurs #71: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck

© thevoid99 2019

Spanking the Monkey

Written and directed by David O. Russell, Spanking the Monkey is the story of a medical student who is forced to stay home to take care of his injured mother as time spent with his mother lead to a troubling incest relationship. The film is an incest comedy of sorts of a young man who is trying to gain an internship as he is forced to return home by his father leading to all sorts of trouble. Starring Jeremy Davies, Alberta Watson, Carla Gallo, and Benjamin Hendrickson. Spanking the Monkey is a witty and offbeat film from David O. Russell.

The film revolves around a medical student whose plan to attend an internship in Washington is shattered when his mother is injured in an accident forcing him to take care of her for the summer while his father is away on business. The day-to-day routine of taking care of his mother and dog as well as doing household chores and lack of contact with others with the exception of a high school student lead to an unexpected incest relationship with his mother. David O. Russell’s screenplay explores the troubled summer of Raymond Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) whose chance to gain this important internship comes to question as he’s being forced to take care of his mother Susan (Alberta Watson) while his dad is away on business at the last minute.

Susan becomes needy not just because of her injury but also due to depression as it adds to Raymond’s frustration just as he met a young high school student in Toni Peck (Carla Gallo) who is interested in going to M.I.T. The chances to get his internship would be complicated by his father’s absence and mother’s neediness as it would lead to some events that Raymond wouldn’t expect as Russell would tell it in a darkly-comic presentation. Notably as the second half of the film is about the aftermath of this incest-driven affair and Raymond struggling with what had happened as it relates to his parents’ marriage which is becoming strained and filled with indifference.

Russell’s direction is largely simple in terms of its presentation as it is shot largely on location in Pawling, New York. While there’s some wide shots in the film, much of Russell’s direction is emphasized on close-ups and medium shots to get a look into the characters as well as using simple compositions to play into Raymond’s relationship with his mother as the close-ups also add to this sexual tension between the two as well as Raymond’s sexual attraction towards Toni. The approach to comedy is low-key as well as emphasizing on the awkward as it relates to the film’s second half in which Raymond discovers what he did with his mother and revelations about his relationship with his father. Even as he is forced to come to the fact that his father’s absence and selfishness has played a part in his mother’s emotional state and neediness that becomes too much for Raymond to handle who is in need to fend for himself and find his own path. Overall, Russell crafts a provocative and whimsical comedy about a medical student being forced to take care of his injured mother only to end up in a strange incest relationship.

Cinematographer Michael Mayers does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward in terms of its low-budget approach with some low-key lighting for some of the exterior scenes at night. Editor Pamela Martin does nice work with the editing as it include a few montages for some of the daily activities Raymond does as well as rhythmic cuts to play into its humor. Production designer Susan Block does fantastic work with the look of the home Raymond and his family live in as well as a few places he and his mother go to in the film’s second half.

Costume designer Carolyn Greco does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward without anything stylish. Sound editor Steve Visscher does superb work with some of the sparse moments of the sound in the locations as well as what is heard from a TV as well as some of the noises from the inside. The film’s music by David Carbonara is wonderful for its folk-based score that is largely driven by acoustic guitars to play up the film’s humor while music supervisor Bonnie Greenberg provides a fun soundtrack that largely consists of music by the alternative-jazz band Morphine from their 1993 album Cure for Pain.

The casting by Ellen Parks is brilliant as it feature some notable small roles from Nancy Fields as a doctor, the trio of Josh Philip Weinstein, Zak Orth, and Matthew Puckett as friends of Raymond, and Judette Jones as Aunt Helen who briefly helps Raymond taking care of his mother. Benjamin Hendrickson is superb as Raymond’s father Tom who is a traveling salesman that goes away on business for the last minute as he’s bossy and demanding while is also hiding things that he doesn’t want Raymond nor Susan to know. Carla Gallo is fantastic as Toni Peck as a high school student who is intrigued by the idea of college while falling for Raymond prompting an unexpected relationship.

Alberta Watson is excellent as Susan as a woman with an injured leg who is depressed and needy as it play into someone that feels lost and unimportant using Raymond as someone who can fulfill her emotional needs. Finally, there’s Jeremy Davies in an amazing performance as Raymond Aibelli as a medical student who is forced to skip an important internship to stay home where he deals with taking care of his mother as well as his own sexual frustrations as it include a gag of him masturbating in the bathroom only to be interrupted by the dog.

Spanking the Monkey is a marvelous film from David O. Russell. Featuring a great cast and a disturbing yet riveting story of incest, sexual frustration, and emotional neediness. It’s a film that approaches a taboo subject with some offbeat humor as it play into a young man having to be there for his troubled mother only to get more than he bargained for. In the end, Spanking the Monkey is a remarkable film from David O. Russell.

David O. Russell Films: Flirting with Disaster - Three Kings - I Heart Huckabees - The Fighter - Silver Linings Playbook - American Hustle - Accidental Love - Joy (2015 film) - The Auteurs #70: David O. Russell

© thevoid99 2019

2015 Cannes Marathon: CQ

(Played Out of Competition at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival)

Written and directed by Roman Coppola, CQ is the story of a young filmmaker/editor who is asked by producers to finish a sci-fi film for them as he would fall in love with the film’s leading lady. It’s a film where a young man is given the chance to make a movie while he copes with his own personal life and his own desires to make personal films. Starring Jeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, Elodie Bouchez, Giancarlo Giannini, Massimo Ghini, Jason Schwartzman, Billy Zane, and Gerard Depardieu. CQ is a stylish yet exuberant film from Roman Coppola.

Set in late 1960s France, the film revolves around a young American filmmaker who is working as an editor/second unit director for a revered filmmaker into sci-fi story until he is eventually asked to take over and finish the film once the original director is fired. There, he becomes fascinated by the film’s leading lady while trying to make his own personal films based on his own confessions about his life as his relationship with his French girlfriend starts to fall apart. It’s a film that sort of spoofs sci-fi films but also plays into the world of 1960s film culture and studio politics as some of it is based on real-life incidents and battles of the film’s writer/director Roman Coppola’s father Francis Ford Coppola.

Coppola’s screenplay plays into the conflicts and desires of its lead Paul Ballard (Jeremy Davies) who is happy in taking the chance to work for the director Andrezej (Gerard Depardieu) on this sci-fi film called Codename: Dragonfly that is starring an American newcomer by the name of Valentine (Angela Lindvall). Yet, when Andrezej is fired from the production by producer Enzo (Giancarlo Giannini), Paul ponders about what to do as the film stock and cameras he borrows to make his own film which is a documentary about himself. Even as he is eventually asked to take over for Andrezej to finish the film as it would be the moment where he is given the chance to make a film. Yet, the script plays into Paul’s conflict about what he wants to do as well as honor the intentions of the man whom he has replaced. Even as he copes with studio politics and his own personal life along with a saboteur who is trying to stop Paul from finishing the film.

Coppola’s direction is quite stylish not just in his varied approach to the films that were being made at the time but also in displaying the idea of what it was like in the world of films in the late 1960s. Notably as he would model much of the ideas of the sci-fi movie based on other film as it does pay tribute to films like Barbarella while Paul’s own film is definitely inspired by the French New Wave. Coppola brings in a lot of unique camera angles and compositions to the film while much of it is shot in Paris with some of it shot on location in Rome. Coppola’s usage of close-ups and medium shots are evident with a few wide shots that is used as he plays into the world of filmmaking as well as a man coming to grips with his own life. Even as his relationship with his stewardess girlfriend Marlene (Elodie Bouchez) is at a crossroads as she would raise questions about the film he’s making. It plays into Paul coming to terms with what he wants as a filmmaker but also as a person as he also deals with the blurring between reality and fantasy. Overall, Coppola creates a very witty yet engaging film about a young man getting the chance to make a film.

Cinematographer Robert Yeoman does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography as it is very colorful for some of the scenes made for the film-within-the-film as well as its usage of lights for some of the interiors and nighttime exterior scenes. Editors Leslie Jones does brilliant work with the editing as it is very stylish with its jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, and other moments that play into Paul‘s point-of-view as an editor. Production designer Dean Tavoularis, with art directors Luc Chalon and Oshin Yeghiazariantz and set decorator Philippe Tulure, does fantastic work with the design of the Dragonfly character‘s spaceship and the set of the film as well as the apartment Paul and Marlene live in and other sets to play into the world of film.

Costume designer Judy Shrewsbury does excellent work with the costumes to create that look of late 1960s cinema as well as the clothes of the Dragonfly character. Sound designer Richard Beggs and sound editor Michael Kirchberger do superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects created for the film-within-a-film as well as what goes on during a production as well as the sound of old cameras. The film’s music by the French electronic band Mellow is wonderful for its playful and 60s-based score with elements of electronic and pop music in the mix while music supervisor Brian Reitzell brings in a fun soundtrack consisting of Euro-pop songs from Claude Francois, Jacques Dutronc, Paul Piot, Francesco Pennino, and Antonello Paliotti.

The casting by Blythe Cappello, Beatrice Kruger, and Juliette Menager is great as it features small appearances from Romain Duris as a young filmmaker, production designer Dean Tavoularis as a viewer of the unfinished film Andrezej is making, Sofia Coppola as Enzo’s mistress in Rome, L.M. Kit Carson as a fantasy critic observing what Paul is making, Natalia Vodianova as a model-girlfriend of filmmaker Felix de Marco, Silvio Muccino as an editor friend of Paul in Pippo, and Dean Stockwell in a terrific one-scene performance as Paul’s father who visits him at an airport where he talks about a dream that would relate to a possible doppelganger of Paul. John Phillip Law is wonderful as a corporate figurehead in the movie as he would hire Dragonfly to retrieve a weapon while Billy Zane is superb as that movie’s antagonist Mr. E as a revolutionary trying to bring peace and love back to the world.

Jason Schwartzman is hilarious as the kitsch filmmaker Felix de Marco as he is a character that is sort of based on Roger Corman as a young filmmaker who makes cheesy B-movies. Massimo Ghini is excellent as the producer Fabrizio who is convinced that Paul can save the movie as he is the more reasonable producer who knows talent. Giancarlo Giannini is fantastic as the producer Enzo who is not happy with Andrezej’s initial rough cut as he is full of life as he is based on the producer Dino De Laurentiis. Gerard Depardieu is amazing as the filmmaker Andrezej who believes that his film will be revolutionary until his ideas of how he wants to end it has him fired as some of his antics is based on other filmmakers including Roman Coppola’s father Francis Ford Coppola.

Elodie Bouchez is brilliant as Paul’s girlfriend Marlene who copes with Paul’s obsession with his own film as well as feeling neglected due to Paul’s work. Angela Lindvall is radiant as the actress Valentine who plays the lead role of Dragonfly in the film as she has a striking sensuality for the role while showing someone who is really just a normal American woman. Finally, there’s Jeremy Davies in a remarkable performance as Paul Ballard as a young filmmaker trying to make his own personal film while given the chance to become a filmmaker in finishing this sci-fi film as he copes with his own personal issues and desires as Davies brings a quiet humility into his role.

CQ is a phenomenal film from Roman Coppola that features a great cast led by Jeremy Davies and an ode to the world of 60s cinema. It’s a film that isn’t just exciting and full of humor but it’s also a film that showcases cinema at a crucial time as it goes from the world of studio-based films to the more personal work that would occur in the 1970s. In the end, CQ is a spectacular film from Roman Coppola.

© thevoid99 2015

Saving Private Ryan

Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat, Saving Private Ryan is the story of an Army captain and his squad who trek through World War II-era France to find a lost paratrooper as he is the last-surviving brother of a group of servicemen. The film is a World War II story where a man and his team trek through treacherous battlefields and events to get a young man back home during a very tense moment during the war. Starring Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Vin Diesel, Jeremy Davies, Giovanni Ribisi, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, and Matt Damon as Private James Ryan. Saving Private Ryan is a thrilling yet visceral film from Steven Spielberg.

The film is a simple story set in World War II in France in the aftermath of D-Day where an Army captain is assigned to retrieve a young private whose brothers had already been killed as he is to return home. Joined by his squad, Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) treks through war-torn France to find Private James Ryan as they travel by foot. During this treacherous journey, the men endure many chilling events as well as false discoveries where they would eventually find Private Ryan who is bewildered into why he has to go home and not everyone else. Robert Rodat’s screenplay definitely plays into the scary themes of war and the sacrifices men make as Captain Miller and his men are just normal men that also want to go home but know they have a duty to their country. Even as not everyone is on board to sacrifice their lives to bring one man home as does Captain Miller but knows he has a duty to get Private Ryan home.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t start off with the actual story but opens with a present-day scene of an old man (Harrison Young) in modern-day France as he looks into the Normandy American Cemetery Memorial as it would then shift to the actual battle that Captain Miller and his squad were fighting in. The main story comes in when Captain Miller is asked by his superior in Lt. Col. Anderson (Dennis Farina) to retrieve Pvt. Ryan after three of his older brothers had been killed in different parts of the war as the orders are from General George C. Marshall (Harve Presnell). Though it’s a big deal, Captain Miller takes the mission with his small squad as it would include a newcomer in Corporal Upham (Jeremy Davies) who is an accomplished interpreter but lacks combat experience as he is treated with some disdain by the squad he joins in because of his inexperience. Still, they all have to work together as they would encounter some horrible moments in battle as they would fight Germans through dark parts of France where not everyone is able to cope with.

Steven Spielberg’s direction is definitely intense in terms of his depiction of the battles and war scenes. Though it does start off in a somber manner, it then shifts into what is truly one of the most visceral sequences ever that is the battle at Omaha Beach in Normandy where Captain Miller and various soldiers go into battle. It’s 23 minutes that is definitely uneasy to watch as it is war at its most horrific as Spielberg definitely makes no qualms into how gruesome it is in terms of the impact of its violence. One of the aspects of the film that is interesting is how he is able to shift tones into one sequence into another yet maintain a balance as he does shoot many scenes in very different ways. The scenes of war and engagement are shot with hand-held cameras and frenetic cuts to play into its sense of terror and uncertainty. Spielberg’s usage of close-ups and wide shots into that sequence and other moments of battles with some slanted camera angles definitely add something that feels real where it does imply that war is indeed hell. While much of the film is shot partially in Normandy, much of the battle scenes including the Omaha Beach sequence were shot in Ireland yet Spielberg does manage to make it feel like it’s the actual battle.

While it is a war film, Spielberg does balance that aspect of war’s horror with elements of sentimentality as it plays to what is at stake in Captain Miller’s mission. Notably as Spielberg isn’t afraid to create something intimate whether it’s scenes set in the U.S. involving Private Ryan and his family to the moments where Captain Miller and his squad are walking through France. Spielberg’s approach to close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots definitely add to this feeling that it’s a film about brothers but men who are willing to put their lives for one another. Even as that bond becomes intense in its third act where the men eventually find Private Ryan who is also trying to do his own duty in this band of brothers as he and Captain Miller would have to work together to fight against the German in a climatic battle. Overall, Spielberg creates a very exhilarating yet rapturous film about war and a man trying to fight for his life to bring a young man back home.

Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski does incredible work with the film‘s cinematography as Kaminski brings a desaturated look to its colors from its very harrowing Omaha Beach sequence to some striking lighting for some nighttime interior scenes where the men rest during their journey to find Private Ryan. Editor Michael Kahn does phenomenal work with the film‘s editing with its frenetic approach to cutting for some of the battle scenes including the Omaha sequence as well as some more methodical and straightforward cuts for the dramatic moments including a montage which plays into the decision to bring Private Ryan home. Production designer Thomas E. Sanders, with set decorator Lisa Dean and supervising art director Daniel Dorrance, does brilliant work with the look of destroyed buildings in France as well as the battle trenches for the Omaha Beach sequence. Costume designer Joanna Johnston does excellent work with the costumes from the design of the uniforms as well as the officer uniforms for the scenes in the U.S.

Makeup work by Lois Burwell, Conor O’Sullivan, and Daniel C. Striepeke do amazing work with the look of war in terms of its chaos where soldiers would lose limbs or have major wounds to play into its horror. Visual effects supervisors Stefen Fangmeier and Roger Guyett do fantastic work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects in terms of the battle sequences including the very gruesome look of the Omaha Beach sequence. Sound designer Gary Rydstrom and sound editor Richard Hymns do spectacular work with the film‘s sound to create that horrific atmosphere of war from the sound of gunfire, cannons, and grenades to play into its chaos while going for more low-key sound effects in the non-battle scenes. The film’s music by John Williams is superb for its triumphant yet melancholic score as it features some lush string arrangements as well as drum cadences to play into the sense of war and duty as it’s one of his finest scores.

The casting by Denise Chamain is wonderful as it features notable small roles from Amanda Boxer as Pvt. Ryan’s mother, Dale Dye and Bryan Cranston as two officers from the war department, Harve Presnell as General George C. Marshall, Joerg Stadler as a German soldier the men would capture whom Cpl. Upham would converse with, Leland Orser as a glider pilot Miller meets during his journey, and Nathan Fillion as a young soldier who also has the same surname in Ryan. Other noteworthy small roles include Dennis Farina as Captain Miller’s superior in Lt. Col. Anderson and Ted Danson as a captain whom Captain Miller meets during a battle as two men who understands the severity of what Captain Miller has to endure, Max Martini is terrific as a corporal in Ramelle that Pvt. Ryan fights with while Paul Giamatti in a funny performance as a staff sergeant who also fights in a battle as he complains about his feet. Harrison Young is excellent as the old man in the beginning of the film and Kathleen Byron is radiant as that old man’s wife.

Giovanni Ribisi is fantastic as the medic Wade who is trying to make sure all of his band of brothers stay alive as he has a great scene involving a mother he meets in a church. Vin Diesel is superb as Pvt. FC Carpazo as an Italian-American rifleman who looks tough and is quite funny but also display some sensitivity as he is someone that is loyal to his squad. Adam Goldberg is amazing as Jewish rifleman Private Mellish who takes Corporal Upham under his wing to show him what to do in battle as he also has some very big reasons to keep on fighting. Barry Pepper is brilliant as the sharpshooter Private Jackson who is a man of faith as he always prays before he shoots as he’s a skilled marksman that does whatever it takes to protect his band of brothers. Edward Burns is great as the cynical Pvt FC Reiben as he is a BAR gunner that isn’t happy about taking on the mission as he definitely gets the ire of Captain Miller yet does have some valid reasons into why they shouldn’t do the mission.

Tom Sizemore is incredible as Sergeant Horvath as Captain Miller’s second-in-command as someone who had been through all sorts of battle with a massive collection of dirt as he is seen by the squad as the older brother. Jeremy Davies is phenomenal as Cpl. Upham as an interpreter/cartographer who may outrank most of the squad but his inexperience in combat showcases someone who is scared of fighting as he copes with the horrors of being in the battlefield as it’s a really chilling performance of someone who displays the sense of fear in war. Matt Damon is marvelous as Private James Ryan as the young man Captain Miller and his squad had to retrieve as Damon displays some charm as well as a stubbornness as someone that wants to keep on fighting and do his duty as a soldier. Finally, there’s Tom Hanks in an outstanding performance as Captain Miller as this man who is tasked to bring a young private home as he copes with the severity of his mission and wonders if he will get to go home. Hanks also displays a sense of leadership in his role where he manages to be the big guy but also one that carries respect and cares for those in his squad as it’s one of his most iconic performances.

Saving Private Ryan is a magnificent film from Steven Spielberg. Armed with a great ensemble cast as well as some amazing technical achievements, the film is undoubtedly one of the finest war films ever created in terms of displaying its sense of duty and the fear of being in a war. It’s also a film that displays the concept of brotherhood as soldiers do whatever to fight for each other in a war. In the end, Saving Private Ryan is a triumphantly powerful and riveting film from Steven Spielberg.

Steven Spielberg Films: (Duel (1971 film)) - (The Sugarland Express) - (Jaws) - (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) - (1941) - (Raiders of the Lost Ark) - (E.T. the Extraterrestrial) - (Twilight Zone: the Movie-Kick the Can) - (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) - (The Color Purple) - (Empire of the Sun) - (Always) - (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) - (Hook) - (Jurassic Park) - Schindler’s List - (The Lost World: Jurassic Park) - (Amistad) - (A.I. Artificial Intelligence) - (Minority Report) - Catch Me If You Can - (The Terminal) - (War of the Worlds (2005 film)) - (Munich) - (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) - (The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn) - (War Horse) - (Lincoln) - (Bridge of Spies) - (The BFG)

© thevoid99 2014

Rescue Dawn

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/27/07 w/ Additional Edits.

Based on a true story about Dieter Dengler's escape from a Laos prison during the Vietnam War, Rescue Dawn is a dramatic version of a story that German filmmaker Werner Herzog made back in 1997 in a documentary entitled Little Dieter Needs to Fly about Dengler and his escape. Playing the role of Dieter Dengler is Christian Bale. Also starring Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies. Rescue Dawn is a thrilling yet engrossing film from Werner Herzog.

It's 1965 at the Gulf of Tonkin as Dieter Dengler and a few pilots are to take part in a classified mission to bomb a secret bases in Laos. For Dieter, it's his first mission as a flight lieutenant as the German-born man has dreamed of flying ever since seeing planes bombing his German village up above back in World War II when he was a child. Just as he arrived into Laos for the bombing, Dieter's plane is suddenly hit and crashes as he wanders around into the jungle. Trying to evade Vietcong troops and Laotian farmers, Dieter eventually gets captured as he endures a series of tortures and such. After being interrogated, Dieter refuses to sign a document that would've guaranteed his freedom as he's sent into a prison in the middle of the jungle.

He meets six prisoners from Air America that included Duane Martin (Steve Zahn), Eugene DeBruin (Jeremy Davies) and four Thai prisoners. After enduring months of imprisonment, Dieter plans an escape but Duane and Eugene tell him that outside the prison is the jungle that's a prison in itself. Despite the harsh times he stayed in the prison, he befriends Duane while making his plans slowly to try and escape. Finally, with the rain season starting to come, Dieter and his fellow prisoners prepare for their escape as they immediately succeed. With Eugene and the Thai prisoners splitting up to escape, Dieter and Duane make their way to the treacherous jungle as they battle a physical, mental, and emotional journey against the harsh world of nature. Yet, Dieter's optimism would be the catalyst for the journey as he hopes to come home.

While most films about the Vietnam War were often filled with grim themes and subject matters that were always cynical. A film like Rescue Dawn proved to be different since it's the story of an individual and his experience as a prisoner-of-war and his escape. For Werner Herzog, it's not a war film but a tribute to a friend whom he profiled back in 1997 for the documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly. While he made dramatic changes for the story, Herzog is really paying tribute to a man whose lack of views about the war is overshadowed by his innocence and optimism that is rarely seen in a lot of war films.

The script by Herzog is told very simply with the first act being about Dieter's plane crash and his journey to prison with the second act being about his imprisonment and eventual escape. The third act is really about Dieter and Duane escaping through the treacherous jungle that becomes a part of Herzog's continuing theme of man vs. nature. While some audiences, particularly Herzog's more art-house film crowd, might complain about the film's ending which was dramatized. The ending works in ways for Herzog to pay tribute to Dengler, who died in 2001, by celebrating him as this great man whose optimism proved to be inspirational. Particularly in a war like the Vietnam War that was always filled with cynicism and unpopular.

The film isn't about the Vietnam War but a man maintaining this sense of optimism and hope in a moment that is harsh and cruel. Through his direction, Herzog goes deep into the jungles of Thailand and all of its landscape including treacherous rivers filled with snakes and such. Still, Herzog is willing to walk into the snake-infested rivers that are also filled with leeches to tell the story. More importantly, Herzog like his main actors was willing to shed pounds for the project in order to gain their trust. Through his observant camera and unconventional style, the film has a bit of cinema verite in conveying the action and drama of the film as if he makes it up along the way just for the story. Overall, Werner Herzog's work in both the writing and directing is his strongest feature-film work to date since 1982's Fitzcarraldo with Klaus Kinski.

Cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger does some amazing, evocative camera work to convey the beauty of the Thailand jungle with little style for a more documentary-like feel that is beautiful. Zeitlinger also uses a lot of hand-held camera for the action and dramatic sequences to maintain the verite style as he and his camera operator would go deep into the rivers and in the rain for the action of what is to come. Editor Joe Bini is superb for its meditative, elliptical style, even in the film's second act to convey the sense of boredom that goes on while a lot of the cutting in the film's plane crash in the first act doesn't fall into traditional, action-film style edits. Bini also uses stock footage from the original Laos bombing to open the film that works to convey when the film is taking place.

Art director Arin "Aoi" Pinijvararak and set decorator Peter Mayer do great work in creating the bamboo prison that Dengler and his fellow prisoners were staying including the houses and such. Costume designer Annie Dunn does great work in creating the look of fighter-pilot clothing as well as their decayed look throughout the entire film. Sound editor Peter Austin does some great work for the film's sound to convey the sense of violence in some scenes as well as the atmosphere of the jungle throughout the film. Music composer Klaus Badelt brings a contemplative, subtle score led by piano to convey the film’s drama without any kind of dramatic arrangements and such for the entire film until the end as Badlet's score is very memorable through and through.

The film's cast is wonderfully assembled with Abhijati "Meuk" Jusakul and Lek Chaiyan Chunsuttiwat as Dengler's fellow Thai prisoners, Francois Chau as the interrogator before Dengler's sent to prison, and as the prison guards, Teerawat Mulvilai, Mr. Yuttana Muenwaja, Mr. Kriangsak Ming-olo, and Somkuan "Kuan" Siroon as the quirky yet violent guards who each have a distinctive personality. Other notable small performances from GQ, Pat Healy, and Toby Huss are great as Dengler's fellow pilots while character actors Zach Grenier and Marshall Bell play Dengler's superiors. Jeremy Davies gives a phenomenal performance as the creepy yet cautious Eugene DeBruin who is hoping for the Americans to save him while not wanting to risk himself into the jungle. Davies' performance is superb for being a cynical, antagonist-of-sorts to Bale's unwavering optimism.

Steve Zahn delivers what has to be one of his best performances to date as Duane Martin. Zahn, known to many for his comedic performances, does bring a bit of humor to his character but his range as a dramatic actor is indeed a revelation. Notably for a man who no longer could take his imprisonment and becomes Dengler's friend in this horrific experience as Zahn captures his despair in the jungles as represents the struggles that soldiers go through as prisoners-of-war. Christian Bale delivers another solid performance that is no doubt inspiring as the late Dieter Dengler. While sporting a North American accent instead of a heavy, German-American accent, Bale proves his range as an innocent, optimistic fighter pilot who isn't wanting to give up. Bale, who is often criticized for his lack of humor, brings some humor to the character while his eerie performance as well as his look shows that he's an actor willing to take risks into any character he plays. It's a performance that will hopefully, won’t be overlooked by the end of the year.

Rescue Dawn is a sobering yet inspiring from Werner Herzog helmed by Christian Bale's exhilarating performance. With a great supporting cast, haunting imagery and locations, it's a film that fans of Herzog will enjoy. While the film would make a great companion piece to Herzog's 1997 documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly. While it doesn't come close to Herzog's other feature-film classics like Aguirre, the Wrath of God or Fitzcarraldo, Rescue Dawn proves to an unforgettable film that shows that even through dark times and the treacherous jungles that there is hope. For a film that is inspiring and filled with hope, Rescue Dawn is the film to go see.

Werner Herzog Films: Feature Films: (Signs of Life) - (Even the Dwarfs Started Small) - (Fatana Morgana) - Aguirre, the Wrath of God - - (The Enigma of Kasper Hauer) - (Heart of Glass) - Stroszek - Nosferatu, the Vampyre - Woyzeck - Fitzcarraldo - (Where the Green Ants Dream) - Cobra Verde - (Scream of Stone) - (Lessons of Darkness) - (Invincible (2001 film)) - (The Wild Blue Yonder) - (Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans) - (My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?) - Queen of the Desert

Documentaries: (The Flying Doctors of East Africa) - (Handicapped Future) - (Land of Silence and Darkness) - (The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner) - (How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck) - (La Soufrière) - (Huie's Sermon) - (God's Angry Man) - (Ballad of the Little Soldier) - (The Dark Glow of the Mountains) - (Wodaabe – Herdsmen of the Sun) - (Echoes from a Somber Empire) - (Jag Mandir) - (Bells from the Deep) - (The Transformation of the World into Music) - (Death for Five Voices) - (Little Dieter Needs to Fly) - My Best Fiend - - (Wings of Hope) - (Pilgrimage) - (Ten Thousand Years Older) - (Wheel of Time) - (The White Diamond) - Grizzly Man - Encounters at the End of the World - Cave of Forgotten Dreams - (Into the Abyss) - (On Death Row) - From One Second to the Next

© thevoid99 2012

Dogville

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/21/04 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Written and directed by Lars von Trier, Dogville is about a young woman named Grace in 1930s Great Depression running away from the mob as she hides in a quiet town in the Rocky Mountains where she befriends a man who helps her. Seeking refuge in the town where the locals give her labor work, things start out fine until it escalates where Grace becomes mistreated by the locals. Playing the role of Grace is Nicole Kidman who leads a rich ensemble cast that includes von Trier veterans Sioban Fallon-Hogan, Stellan Skarsgard, Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier, and Zeljko Ivanek, as well as film veterans Phillip Baker Hall, James Caan, Lauren Bacall, and Ben Gazzara plus Paul Bettany, Jeremy Davies, Chloe Sevigny, Patricia Clarkson, Blair Brown, and narration by John Hurt. Dogville is a haunting yet provocative film from Lars von Trier.

In the small mining town of Dogville in the Rocky Mountains, a philosopher named Tom Edison (Paul Bettany) hears a gunshots nearby as a woman named Grace arrives into town seeking refuge. With Grace hiding in the mines, Tom learns that Grace is hiding from a mob led by its leader (James Caan) as they want to know about her whereabouts. While Tom told him that she's not here, he is given a card in case she does arrive as they leave. Tom holds a town meeting with the locals to introduce Grace as she is given a two-week trial run to see if she can fit by doing usual labor work. While she manages to befriend the blind Jack McKay (Ben Gazzara) and help out various locals including the grouchy apple farmer Chuck (Stellan Skarsgard) during the trial-run. Grace is accepted where things seem to go fine as she continued to help out and such.

After a 4th of July picnic when a cop posted posters of Grace being wanted for robbery, things become tense as Grace chooses to work for less wages. Yet, Grace finds herself dealing with all sorts of trouble as she gained the ire of the local women led by Chuck's wife Vera whose young son Jason (Miles Purton) was spanked when he was trying to provoke Grace. After Grace claimed that Chuck had raped her during a visit from the cops, Vera refuses to believe by smashing the little figurines Grace had bought some time ago. Grace decides to leave Dogville with the help of Tom and garage worker Ben (Zeljko Ivanek) that doesn't go well at all when Ben returns to Dogville as Grace had been accused of stealing money from Tom's father (Philip Baker Hall).

Grace is forced into doing slave labor while being a sexual tool for the men in the town as Tom feels that things have gone too far. After some truths were unveiled, Tom decides to call up the mob leader where a bigger shock is revealed about Grace's identity in relation to the mob.

The film presentation of Dogville is clearly one of the most original ideas as the entire movie feels like a play with minimal settings, cars driving in and out of the soundstage while doors are being opened by mimic since there's no doors built, and a fake mountain near the edge of the set. In many respects, Lars von Trier has once again made his mark as a groundbreaking filmmaker by just stripping everything down to the essentials. With help from production designer Peter Grant and set decorator Simone Grau, the film's set plays up to Great Depression-era America as well as the costumes by Manon Rasmussen. The film has this strange look where in the day scenes, there's a white background surrounding and a black for night.

Even when there's weather, leaves, snow, and all sorts of things fall down just to give the film a strange, cinematic feel. Even the film's score from the compositions of Antonio Vivaldi plays up to the innocence of the town as well as its suspense and drama as the film's mood changes. One notable musical piece that is set to the film's disturbing final credits of America in ruins is presented with the musical accompaniment of David Bowie's Young Americans.

With a dizzying, video look from cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, the film has this strange, avant-garde tone to the film as von Trier also plays the role of camera operator as the film has not just a hand held feel. Also a TV-like production feels as if a play is being filmed. The real genius of the film is easily von Trier as he brings in a fluent, storytelling direction that is masterful as he doesn't even let the pacing of the film slow things down or make things fast, especially since the film is 3-hours long.

Even the film's screenplay is filled with brilliance as the story and characters starts off innocently and then evolves into something very ugly. Now for those who found the ending to Dancer in the Dark to be quite sadistic will find the ending in Dogville much more disturbing and ugly. At times, the characters can be sympathetic but as the story evolves, it becomes blurry as the actions of the people of Dogville become more sadistic.

What makes Dogville such a compelling film isn’t just how American society is back then but in relation to today's society. What von Trier does is provide all sorts of ambiguities and symbolism, particularly in the little things in the set like the China figurines that Grace cherishes and Ma Ginger's Gooseberry bushes. There's a fine line in the story at what goes on and when it comes to the ending, it comes with this sense of realization at not just what the people in Dogville are but to America as well. In many aspects, von Trier isn't trying to knock down American society but the politically incorrectness and restriction on what this country has become.

If von Trier has had a great cast before in his previous films, he certainly topped them all with everyone in this film. You can never put a better ensemble cast as better as this. While the roles of Cleo King, Harriet Andersson, Shauna Shims, Jean-Marc Barr, and Udo Kier are small, they were all well-performed and fun to watch as Cleo King plays up to the mood of the African-American housemaid while overcoming the stereotype just as the film evolves since she ends up being treated like a equal. The roles of Chuck and Vera's children are well-performed, particularly Miles Purinton as Jason who probably gets his first S&M lesson from Nicole Kidman in one of the film's most hilarious scenes. While Blair Brown and Bill Raymond are well used as the Henson parents as well as Jeremy Davies as the dimwitted Bill is used, Chloe Sevigny stood out the most among the family as she tries to play up as a rival to Kidman's Grace for the affections of Tom Edison.

Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Zeljko Ivanek also does standout performances in their roles as well as the enigmatic Lauren Bacall as the wise Ma Ginger who ends up becoming a real mean lady to Grace. Stellan Skarsgard is excellent as the grouchy Chuck as he plays up in a very vulnerable role in earlier scenes with Grace as he shines in the rape scene where he reveals his huevos grandes. Phillip Baker Hall is also excellent in his role as Tom Sr. while Ben Gazzara is amazing as the blind Jack McKay, who too becomes a dirty old man.

Of the entire supporting cast, no one stood out better than Patricia Clarkson (who replaces the late Breaking the Waves actress Katrin Cartlidge, who the film was dedicated to) as Vera, who starts out very nice but once she gets mean, she is really mean as the current indie queen gives Kidman a lesson in indie meanness. James Caan, of course is brilliant in the film's final act as he meets with great with a surprise revelation as he doesn's come off as the classic mob criminal by just playing the role charismatically and with subtlety that is very surprising from the film legend.

Of the male cast, no one shines more than Paul Bettany. Bettany brings in an anguished, sympathetic performance as Grace's love interest while he comes up with all of these mindless theories. As the film develops, Bettany's Tom Edison might seem to be the most innocent of all characters but as the film ends, he's not what he seems as well. The narration of John Hurt of course is spoken very elegant as if he plays the lost citizen of Dogville as he watches everything through his own words and it's easily one of the best narrations ever heard in cinema. Finally, there's Nicole Kidman in one of her great performances of her career in the role of Grace. Kidman brings a real vulnerability to a woman just wants to do good though there is also something not right about her as the film progresses giving Kidman a bigger edge to her character.

Dogville is a dark yet extraordinary film from Lars von Trier featuring a brilliant performance from Nicole Kidman. The film is one of von Trier's essential projects as well as one of his most daring in terms of presentation and what von Trier had to say about American intolerance. While it's not an easy film to watch due to its theme and a three-hour length. It is still a film that dares to ask big questions while being powerful enough to be provoking. In the end, Dogville is a magnificent film from Lars von Trier.

Lars von Trier Films: The Element of Crime - Epidemic - Medea - Europa - The Kingdom I - Breaking the Waves - The Kingdom II - Dogme #2-Idioterne - Dancer in the Dark - The Five Obstructions - Manderlay - The Boss of It All - Antichrist - Dimension (2010 short) - Melancholia - Nymphomaniac - The House That Jack Built - The Kingdom: Exodus - (Etudes)

Related: The Auteurs #7: Lars von Trier

© thevoid99 2012

Secretary

Based on Mary Gaitskill’s short story Bad Behavior, Secretary is the story of a troubled young woman who becomes a secretary for a perfectionist lawyer where the two engage into a sadomasochistic relationship. Directed by Steven Shainberg and screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson with story adaptation by Shainberg and Wilson. The film is an exploration of two people who bond through sadomasochism that is filled with romance, humor, and drama. Starring James Spader, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeremy Davies, Stephen McHattie, and Lesley Ann Warren. Secretary is a daring yet unconventional film from Steven Shainberg.

After returning from a mental hospital to attend her sister’s wedding, Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is unsure about returning home which is dysfunctional due to her alcoholic father (Stephen McHattie) and her overprotective mother (Lesley Ann Warren). In an attempt to have a normal life, Lee finds an ad for a secretary as she is interviewed by an attorney named E. Edward Grey (James Spader). Lee gets the job as she works for Mr. Grey in writing letters for him and doing other errands where things are fine until a phone call from her father and an encounter with Mr. Grey’s ex-girlfriend Tricia O’Connor (Jessica Tuck). While Lee’s personal life has her gaining a boyfriend in Peter (Jeremy Davies), her work life starts to become overwhelming due to Mr. Grey’s perfectionist persona.

After an intimate conversation where Mr. Grey tells Lee to stop cutting herself, the relationship improves until Lee’s mistakes in her job lead to a moment where he invites her into his office where he spanks her. For Lee, it becomes a big awakening as she finds herself enjoying her job and begins to have feelings for Mr. Grey. When a personal matter concerning Lee’s family has her wanting to turn to Mr. Grey for help, the sadomasochistic relationship ends as he becomes distant. When Lee decides to make an attempt to connect with Mr. Grey, she starts to learn of his own shame as she tries to help him.

The film is about the strange relationship between two very odd people who engage into this sadomasochistic relationship where the man is turned on by her submissive behavior while the woman finds herself enjoying the submissive role. It’s a strange idea for a film that is a romantic comedy of sorts but also a great character study in how these two people can come together in the most unlikely circumstances. Erin Cressida Wilson’s script is very smart for the way she portrays both Lee and Mr. Grey as this unique couple who seem to enjoy having a sadomasochistic relationship where they’re allowed to be themselves. For Lee Holloway, she goes from this socially-awkward and lonely woman that comes from a very dysfunctional family and turns her into a more aware and open woman that doesn’t mind being the submissive.

Then there’s E. Edward Grey who is this individual where he’s introduced as this very lonely man that is unable to express his own sexual desires until Lee is willing to do anything he says where he is aroused by the fact that she’ll do what he does crawling on her hands and knees while holding a piece of paper on her mouth. While it may be acceptable in the office building that he works in, he’s unable to go beyond that when Lee tried to talk to him at his home but she realized that she was invading the very private home that he lives in. Mr. Grey is just as complicated as Lee because he has been through so many relationships that don’t work out while he is truly more fragile than Lee realized.

Wilson’s script gives director Steven Shainberg the chance to create a film that defies the conventions of a romantic film that has a lot of humor and drama. Through his stylish direction, Shainberg dwells into this world of this entrancing office building filled with plants and a small garden with tracking shots that includes a fantasy scene where Lee dreams about coming out of a flower as Mr. Grey is entranced by her. Shainberg also creates a lot of intimate moments in the conversation scenes between Lee and Mr. Grey while the sexual elements of the film isn’t very racy but still has an element of danger as far as the sadomasochism material handled. The overall work is a truly divine yet entrancing film from Steven Shainberg.

Cinematographer Steven Fierberg does a fantastic job with the film‘s photography from the brooding yet exotic look for the office building scenes to more sunnier and colorful look for many of the film‘s Californian exteriors. Editor Pam Wise, with additional work from Jay Rabinowitz, does an incredible job with the editing to create a wonderful montage of Lee and Mr. Grey’s blooming S&M relationship as well as some stylish dissolves and jump-cuts to play up the dramatic elements of the film. Production designer Amy Danger, along with art director Nick Ralbovsky and set decorators Michael Baker and Michael Murray, does a brilliant job with the very cold yet hypnotic look of the interior office building that Lee and Mr. Grey work at to the more quirky home of Lee and her family.

Costume designer Marjorie Bowers does an excellent job with the clothes that Lee wears from a girlish yet somewhat ragged look early on to a more professional yet sexier look as the film progresses. Visual effects supervisor Randal Balsmeyer does a nice job with the film‘s sole visual effects scene where Lee dreams of a great fantasy world with Mr. Grey. Sound editor Brian Langman does a terrific job with the sound to help capture the intimacy of the scenes between Lee and Mr. Grey.

The film’s score by Angelo Badalamenti is brilliant for its melodic-driven score that plays up to some of the dramatic moments of the film with somber piano pieces and bass-driven cuts. The film’s soundtrack, that is supervised by Beth Amy Rosenblatt, is very good for the music that appears such as cuts by Leonard Cohen and Lizzie West for big dramatic moments while music by acts like Little Richard, Cake, the Seeds, the Faint, Pete Belasco, and War appear in scenes played on location.

The casting by Ellen Parks is superb for the ensemble that is created as it features notable appearances from Patrick Bauchau as Lee’s doctor from the mental hospital, Amy Locane as Lee’s older sister, Oz Perkins as Lee’s new brother-in-law, Mary Joy and Michael Mantle as Peter’s parents, Lily Knight as a paralegal, and Jessica Tuck as Mr. Grey’s ex-girlfriend Tricia O’Connor. Stephen McHattie is very good as Lee’s depressed/alcoholic father while Lesley Ann Warren is also good as Lee’s worrisome yet kind-hearted mother. Jeremy Davies is excellent as Lee’s boyfriend Peter who tries to make her feel welcome only to be confused by her sadomasochistic behavior.

James Spader is phenomenal as E. Edward Grey, a controlling attorney who finds comfort in being the dominant to Lee’s submissive behavior only to realize that he might’ve taken it too far. It’s a very complex and compelling performance from Spader who is a man filled with shame over his sexual desires as it’s definitely one of Spader’s best role. Finally, there’s Maggie Gyllenhaal in her breakthrough performance as Lee Holloway. Gyllenhaal’s performance is definitely the most intriguing as she starts out as this very girlish yet awkward young woman that is truly a mess and then becomes this very professional yet sexually-hypnotic woman that enjoys being a submissive. It’s definitely the performance that put her in the spotlight while she and Spader have an amazing chemistry that is truly astounding to watch.

The 2003 Region 1 DVD (remastered in 2008) presents the film in a 16x9 widescreen with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound along with English and Spanish subtitles. The DVD also includes a few special features for its release that includes a feature-length audio commentary track with director Steven Shainberg and screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson. The commentary is relaxed and fun where the two talk about elements of the production plus the performance of the actors as Shainberg cites Mike Figgis’ Leaving Las Vegas as an influence for the film. The DVD also includes a seven-minute behind the scenes featurette where Shainberg, James Spader, and Maggie Gyllenhaal talk about the film and some of the details that went into the making of Mr. Grey’s office.

The DVD also includes a photo gallery that features still and behind-the-scenes picture of the film plus an ad for the film’s screenplay book and trailers for Secretary and Shainberg’s 1996 debut film Hit Me starring Elias Koteas and William H. Macy.

Secretary is a sexy yet provocative film from Steven Shainberg that features outstanding performances from James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal. For audiences that wants a love story that defies conventions will definitely want to seek this out while find something interesting about the world of sadomasochism. It’s also film that gives voice to oddballs who feel lost in a conventional world that is able to take charge and make something of their own and be cool with it. In the end, Secretary is a glorious film from Steven Shainberg.

Related Reviews: Secretary screenplay book - (Secretary OST) - (Favorite Films #5: Secretary)

© thevoid99 2011