Titus (1999 film)

Based on the play Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare, Titus is the story of a general who tries to seek vengeance against a queen as it would play into his own downfall. Written for the screen and directed by Julie Taymor, the film is a radicalized interpretation of the Shakespeare play where the Roman Empire is set in the mid-20th Century in a world that is very anachronistic and chaotic as it plays to this general’s downfall as the titular character is played by Anthony Hopkins. Also starring Jessica Lange, Harry Lennix, Alan Cumming, Laura Fraser, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Colm Feore, James Frain, Matthew Rhys, Angus MacFayden, and Geraldine McEwan. Titus is a sprawling and rapturous film from Julie Taymor.

Set in a world that mixes Fascist-era Italy and Ancient Rome into an anachronistic world, the film revolves the downfall of a general in the hands of a queen whose life he had destroyed as she would seek vengeance for the death of her son in the most graphic way. There, Titus Andronicus copes with the decisions he has made in his life as well as the decision of who would be Rome’s new emperor as it would come back to haunt him as he faces dishonor and ruin in himself and his own family. Much of it involving a plot by the Queen of the Goths in Tamora (Jessica Lange) who sways the mind of Rome’s new emperor Saturninus (Alan Cumming) while conspiring with her moor lover Aaron (Harry Lenix).

Julie Taymor’s script does explore the world of vengeance in all of its fallacies where Titus would descend to madness not only by his own hands but also in the way his own family would be affected. Much of it is observed by his young grandson in young Lucius (Osheen Jones) who is mostly silent for much of the film. The script also involves commentary by Aaron who would break the fourth wall to unveil many of his plans to destroy Andronicus and his family. Even as Aaron becomes an integral part into playing both sides for his own gain until he would become vulnerable in his attempt to play into observing Titus’ own fragile state of mind.

Taymor’s direction is definitely grand in not just the way he tells the story but in how she would fuse to different periods of Roman history into a story where it could’ve been told in any time frame. Shooting on location in various areas in Rome and nearby as well as a few of its ancient monuments. Taymor definitely aims for something that mixes decadence and surrealism in her approach to telling the story as she goes for all sorts of dazzling visuals in her compositions. Even as she isn’t afraid to put in things like video game arcades or pool floats into the film as it is obvious they weren’t around during Fascist-era Italy. Using a lot of wide and medium shots as well as some low camera angles, Taymor goes for a film that plays into a man coping with a world that is changing as the decisions he made for this next era of Rome would have some serious repercussions.

Taymor also infuses a lot of these lavish moments about the way some of the parties emerge as well as some of the film’s violence. The latter of which involves rape and other graphic moments where it is told in a very stylistic manner. Even as the impact of what Titus would see are shown in some very eerie close-ups as while Taymor would use wide shots and some unique framing devices to play into his own confusion and the need to comprehend about what had happened. All of which would lead to some definite extremes into Titus’ own plot for vengeance as it played into its fallacies as well as the cost of what one man did for vengeance as well as Tamora’s own quest as it led to tragedy. Overall, Taymor creates a very extravagant yet harrowing film about the fallacy of revenge.

Cinematographer Luciano Tovoli does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful and lavish cinematography with its use of stylish lights and shades for some of its nighttime interior/exterior scenes along with vibrant colors for the daytime scenes. Editor Francoise Bonnot does amazing work with the editing as it is very stylized with its jump-cuts and dissolves to play into some the craziness that goes on in the film as well as in some of the drama. Production designer Dante Ferretti, with set decorator Carlo Gervasi and supervising art director Pier Luigi Basile, does fantastic work with some of the film‘s set pieces from the palace where Saturninus lives in with Tamora to the home of Andronicus. Costume designer Milena Canonero does excellent work with the costumes as they’re lavish from the gowns that Tamora wears as well as the design of the uniforms and clothes that the men wear.

Special makeup effects artist Tony Gardner does superb work with the makeup for some of the characters in their look as well as some of things they wear to play into Andronicus‘ troubled mind. Visual effects supervisor Kent Houston does terrific work with the visual effects with its emphasis on surrealism for the dream sequences as well as some of the key elements that drive the story. Sound designer Blake Leyh does nice work with the sound to play into some of the sound effects as well as the sense of terror that occurs in the film in terms of its plotting and in Titus‘ mad state of mind. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is wonderful for its orchestral-based score that features elements of bombast to play into the drama as well as some comical moments as the score features elements of electronic music and rock with contributions by Page Hamilton of the alternative-metal band Helmet.

The casting by Irene Lamb and Ellen Lewis is incredible as it features some notable small performances from Raz Degan as Tamora’s eldest son Alarbus, Geraldine McEwan as a nurse who would bring Aaron his son, and as the trio of Titus’ youngest sons, there’s Kenny Doughty, Blake Ritson, and Colin Wells as the men who become victimized in Aaron and Tamora’s plot. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Matthew Rhys are superb as Tamora’s son in Chiron and Demetrius, respectively, who create chaos and cause trouble while James Frain is terrific as Saturninus’ brother Bassianus who is love with Lavinia as he tries to bring peace only to be a source of ire for Saturninus. Osheen Jones is wonderful as the young Lucius who is the film’s observer while Angus MacFayden is excellent as Titus’ eldest son Lucius who tries to see reason for everything while coping with the chaos that is emerging. Colm Feore is fantastic as Titus’ brother Marcus who is sort of the film’s conscious as he copes with the decisions his brother has made as well as the sense of chaos that has loomed over his entire family.

Laura Fraser is amazing as Titus’ daughter Lavinia who becomes victimized by Chiron and Demetrius in the worst way where she spends much of the film in silence to display the loss of innocence that she once represented. Harry Lennix is great as Tamora’s lover Aaron who would be the architect of the conspiracy as he often breaks the fourth wall to create elements of chaos. Alan Cumming is brilliant as Saturninus as the new emperor who is this man that represents a form of chaos as he becomes drunk with power. Jessica Lange is remarkable as Tamora as Lange brings a lot of theatricality and ferocity to her performance as a woman who felt wronged as she plots the ultimate revenge. Finally, there’s Anthony Hopkins in a tremendous performance as the titular character as a general whose decisions that he makes would come back to haunt him as he descends into madness where Hopkins brings a lot of energy to his role as well as not afraid to ham it up.

Titus is a phenomenal film from Julie Taymor. Armed with a great cast as well as dazzling visuals and sprawling set pieces. It’s a film that plays into the fallacy of revenge as it’s told with such style that pays true to the works of William Shakespeare. In the end, Titus is a spectacular film from Julie Taymor.

Julie Taymor Films: Frida - Across the Universe - The Tempest - The Auteurs #42: Julie Taymor

© thevoid99 2015

The Five Obstructions Blog-a-Thon #3: Match Point

In the third part of Nostra’s Five Obstructions Blog-a-Thon here is that next obstruction:

Since I’ve been watching a lot of films by Woody Allen this past summer, I recently revisited one of Allen’s great films in Match Point. I have a review that I wrote back in 2006 where my recent re-watch had me wanting to do another review as I decided to do this other one where I share the same views with various other critics about the film. Here is that review:

Woody Allen’s 2005 film Match Point is considered a return-to-form for the filmmaker after a period of films that were either received poorly or got mixed reviews. Yet, it is this drama about a former tennis pro who marries the daughter of a rich businessman who later engages into an affair with his brother-in-law’s American girlfriend that later gets complicated as it’s a film that mixes romance, drama, and suspense. Conceptually, it covers familiar territory for the romantic drama, but it reaches to be like Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. This solid, well-observed and cerebral presentation signifies that Woody is back in full stride after some recent so-so works. Though laden with thematic references to Strindberg's plays, Verdi's opera, modern art and tennis, it overall comes closest in narrative to his Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Allen opens Match Point with the image of a tennis ball hitting the net, and after a lot of casual conversations about the role that luck plays in shaping a life, the movie simplifies in its second half, becoming about one simple question: On which side of the net is that ball going to fall? The image repeats later—this time with a ring that hits a guardrail—and at that point, the movie really could've ended with a hard ironic twist. Yet, Allen is far smarter than that where it plays into the idea of luck and how luck can seal a man’s fate in the decisions he makes including in the most despicable actions such as infidelity and much more.

The lead role of Chris played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is a very interesting character as someone who was once a gifted tennis pro but life after tennis has left him little opportunities. Yet, he still manages to find ways to navigate into places that is foreign to him to see how he can thrive in that world. In fact, as played by Meyers, Chris always is aware of his opportunities and always is playing a kind of mental tennis with people. He may not have a grand design, but he always knows where he is placing the ball and what he hopes to achieve. There, he allows the mentality to get him a job at the club where he meets Tom Hewett, played by Matthew Goode, whose father is a rich businessman.

The handsome Chris is quickly taken into the Hewett family fold. Not as easily absorbed into the posh family's good graces is Nola (Scarlett Johansson), Tom's fiancée. Nola, the daughter of an alcoholic single mother, is heatedly disliked by Tom's controlling mother (Penelope Wilton). When Chris first encounters the sexy Nola, he develops a strong attraction to her but embarks on a relationship with Chloe, Tom's sunny sister (a superb Emily Mortimer). Tom breaks up with Nola and marries someone else. Chris marries Chloe, who enlists the aid of her affable father (Brian Cox) to get Chris a job and help him up the corporate ladder. Still, Chris is entranced by Nola as he wouldn’t see her for months until she shows up at an art gallery where he was supposed to meet Chloe.

Emily Mortimer and Scarlett Johansson show different faces of womankind. Mortimer's Chloe is the nurturing, supportive female: one who takes her husband's denial of an affair at face value and whose primary goal in marriage is to give her parents grandchildren. It's a role that Mortimer slides into without difficulty. Johansson, on the other hand, is simultaneously self-sufficient and needy. It’s the flaws of Nola as well as her background that has Chris feel attracted towards her. What passes between Chris and Nola is not only desire, but also recognition, which makes their connection especially volatile.

Notably in the third act where Nola drops a bombshell that would affect Chris’ family life as he tries to keep things a secret. Rhys-Meyers - an underrated actor - takes time to warm to Woody's ways, but ultimately delivers a subtle, affecting portrait of a man torn between two women and ways of life as he realizes the decision that he has to make. One of which would involve Chris taking on drastic measures that would be extreme. Allen has, however, stuck with his recent nasty streak, and underneath its lovely, icy cinematography, Match Point is a noir supreme; Fritz Lang would have loved it. Yet no matter how dark things get, the characters still behave in a rational, believable way. Unlike most Hollywood films, no one does anything stupid out of sheer stupidity. Here, the missteps occur because of misdirected passion.

It’s a film that is more about the idea of luck and how it can drive a man’s fate. The movie is more about plot and moral vacancy than about characters, and so Allen uses type-casting to quickly establish the characters and set them to their tasks of seduction, deception, lying and worse. It’s one of the reasons why this film is considered one of Allen’s finest though it doesn’t rank with some of the great films of his career like Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah & Her Sisters, and Crimes & Misdemeanors depending on one’s taste of what someone thinks of Allen’s overall career. Still, Match Point is sexy, mysterious, suspense-driven, eventful and essentially quite unforgettable that shows that Woody Allen still has it.

The quotes in bold are from the following in the exact order:

Dennis Schwartz, Ozu’s World Movie Reviews
Noel Murray, AV Club
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Claudia Puig, USA Today
James Beradinelli, ReelViews
AO Scott, New York Times
Andy Jacobs, BBC
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Gary W. Tooze, DVD Beaver

© thevoid99 2013

Match Point

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/27/06 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Match Point returns to the dramatic theme of morality and murder that he discussed in 1989's Crimes & Misdemeanors. This time, the setting for Allen's new film is in the upper-class world of London society where an ex-Irish tennis pro found himself climbing up the world of upper-class British society as he meets a client's sister and their family only to be tempted by his client's American fiancee. The film discusses on how luck can do things for a young man as he is forced to choose between a modest lifestyle or a safe, secure lifestyle with all the works. Starring Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode, Penelope Wilton, James Nesbitt, Ewen Bremner, and Brian Cox. Match Point is an excellent, return-to-form feat from Woody Allen.

After a period of playing professional tennis, Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) is searching for a new life after being bored from playing tennis. After taking a job working as a tennis instructor for a posh country club, he meets a young man named Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode) who becomes a tennis student. After a conversation about opera, Tom invites Chris to watch an opera with his family including Tom's sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer), his father Alec (Brian Cox), and mother Eleanor (Penelope Wilton). After being invited frequently to the Hewett home, Chris becomes attracted to Chloe while being in awe of the hard work Alec has done with his life. During a party, Chris meets Tom's American fiancee Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson) as Chris finds himself attracted to Nola's sensuality.

After a series of double dates and dinners, Chris learns of Nola's background as he meets her again when she's up for an audition that fails as she continues to struggle as an actress. While Chris feels happy with Chloe, he's surprised at the generosity he's been getting from Alec who accepts him immediately into the family as is Eleanor who doesn't have the same feelings towards Nola. During a day at the Hewett home, Eleanor's suggestions and criticism about Nola's failed desire to become an actress gets to her as she walks out upset as Chris comes after her where they begin a fling. The affair only becomes brief as Nola wants to move on and after she broke up with Tom, she leaves the U.S. With Tom marrying a woman named Carol (Rose Keegan), Chris marries Chloe but his obsession with Nola troubles him.

The result of his obsession only troubles Chloe's desire to want a child as Chris' new job working in his father-in-law's firm leaves him a bit unfulfilled. Then one day at a museum, Nola appears as he asks her phone number. Immediately, a secretive affair happens as Chris finds his fulfillment with Nola but a secure future with Chloe though their attempts to create a child only troubles them. Then when the affair gets more intense, Nola doesn't want the affair to be secretive anymore. Chris finds himself in a bind as he learns some distressing news from Nola as she demands that he should leave Chloe. Chris turns to an old friend in Henry (Rupert-Penry Jones) about his situation where a life with Nola could be modest but there's no future but with Chloe, he is secure and can get anything. While Chloe becomes suspicious of what's going on, Chris goes to a drastic decision that will haunt him.

While the story of Match Point isn't anything groundbreaking, particularly in the third act which resembles the dramatic situation in Allen's 1989 masterpiece Crimes & Misdemeanors. What is new is where Allen goes to where originally, it was supposed to be in Long Island, New York but due to financial situations, London becomes a new background where everything works. Not only does Allen explore the posh world of London but he uses the city as a new world that he never has been to by delving into Alfred Hitchcock for his script. The story does reference the idea of luck but in a more realistic yet cynical point of view where Allen comes to the conclusion that the world isn't very happy. Particularly when the third act is explored by two detectives in Inspector Dowd (Ewen Bremner) and Detective Banner (James Nesbitt).

While Allen's direction is his most entrancing since Husbands & Wives, it's because he aims for an observant view of how these characters live and how they behave. By the third act, it begins to deconstruct itself from this study of a man trying to work his way into the upper class only to find a way to mess with it. In that third act, not only does Allen rip himself off but also Hitchcock on how he plots things and how he uses elements of mystery where the conclusion overall becomes a bit more cynical and nihilistic. In many ways, this is Allen at his most bleakest. His strength as a director is only topped more in his role as a writer. The script is by far is most inspiring and solid since Crimes & Misdemeanors where in the previous film, he explores the morals and in Match Point, he goes into the idea of trying to get away with it without any moral consent.

Both stories have certain parallels in the way Nola is a bit like Anjelica Huston's character Dolores and Chris is a bit like Martin Landau's Judah Rosenthal. The difference is that the characters in Match Point aren't just younger but are in entirely different situations of sympathy and where their characters stand. What is similar is in the situations they're in terms of where they're at in their lives where both Chris and Judah are living in respected, posh lifestyles and how their affairs would threaten their positions and the people around them. Both men not only could find ways to reason with their lovers but choose crime to deal with it. The only difference is the moral aftermath and the situations that result. The Nola/Dolores characters are both desperate, neurotic, and passionate but only the Dolores character seems to be more in sympathy since she's the one more ridden with guilt while Nola really has nothing to offer. In many ways, this is Woody Allen reaching into old territory and finding something new to say.

Helping Allen in his observant vision is cinematographer Remi Adefarasin who does a wonderful job in capturing the beauty world of posh London with his lighting techniques of the interiors and exteriors in its grey skies. Production designer Jim Clay and set decorator Caroline Smith do a great job in not capturing the locations of the rich world of London but finding every way where this world does feel a sense of comfort as opposed to the more simplistic world of Nola. The costumes by Jill Taylor also reveal the posh world, particularly the suits of Chris and Tom and the dresses for Chloe and Nola. Alisa Lepselter, who has been Allen's editor since 1999's Sweet & Lowdown, does a wonderful job in giving the film a leisurely pace in its near two-hour running time which makes it Allen’s longest film to date.

Then there is the music where in previous films, Allen goes for jazz pieces but in this film he goes for opera. The opera music uses it as a dramatic crutch while bringing the emotional tension and drama where Allen plays the film as if it was an opera where tragedy is to come. His choice of music by Guiseppe Verdi, Gioacchino Rossini, Carlo Gomes, Georges Bizet, Gaetano Donizetti, and Andrew Lloyd Webber definitely creates a wonderful film soundtrack and a nice introduction mix-tape for opera music.

Finally, we have the cast which includes nice, small performances from Rose Keegan, Rupert-Penry Jones, Geoffrey Streatfield as Chris' boss at the firm, and Margaret Tyzack as Nola's neighbor. Ewen Bremner and James Nesbitt are excellent in their roles as detectives with differing views on things where Bremner seems more cynical while Nesbitt is more imaginative in his ideas of how crime is committed. Penelope Wilton is wonderful in his role as Eleanor whose views can be hurtful but is a woman who only wants the best for her children despite her own ideals. Brian Cox is perfect as this generous, warm man who has accomplished everything while wanting to give Chris a shot for his own hard work and providing comfort for everyone around him, including Nola. Matthew Goode is also excellent as the charming Tom who likes to show off while being friendly to Chris while his own actions for Nola on their break-up reveals a flaw about his own reputation in front of his family.

Of the supporting cast, Emily Mortimer is the real star as a naive, scorned woman who may live a posh life but has at least some knowledge of the world outside her. Mortimer displays a sweetness and restraint as a scorned woman who becomes suspicious while feeling she might not be enough for Chris as Mortimer really gives a masterful, truly sympathetic performance as she tries to give everything for her husband. Scarlett Johansson is also excellent in her performance as Nola where she starts off as this fragile, neurotic young woman who has trouble trying to start a career while getting into an affair. By the third act, Johansson makes her character to be very unlikable although it doesn't entirely work since it's more of a caricature of Anjelica Huston's character in Crimes & Misdemeanors where Nola has no motivation for what she can do with her life with Chris.

Finally, there's Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in his best performance to date as Chris Wilton. What Rhys-Meyers did which was a wise decision for a Woody Allen film was being a Woody Allen protagonist but without acting like Allen. Rhys-Meyers definitely brings a performance that is brilliant in terms of trying to protect himself while delving into bad deeds. When it comes to the situation and decisions he's in, Rhys-Meyers shows the morality and anguish his character is in as he plays it perfectly while having great chemistry with both Johansson and Mortimer.

While it's not a groundbreaking film, Match Point is truly a superb effort from Woody Allen who definitely has made his best film since Crimes & Misdemeanors. Thanks to a great cast led by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Brian Cox, Matthew Goode, and Penelope Wilton, Allen has finally got his mojo back. Though it's unclear if he can keep it going, this film does prove in why Woody Allen is one of the best as he delves into some new territory of cynicism and justice. While new fans could find something attractive about the film, old fans will definitely be pleased as Woody Allen scores with Match Point.

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 & Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - 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 - 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 2011

Ride with the Devil

Based on the novel Woe to Live On, Ride with the Devil tells the story of a couple of young Southern men who join a Missouri-based guerilla group during the Civil War as they seek refuge by protecting a family with a slave helping them. Directed by Ang Lee with a script by longtime collaborator James Schamus, Ride with the Devil is an epic drama that chronicles the journey of young men who face terror in a troubled war while finding a life outside of conflict and vengeance. Starring Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, Jeffrey Wright, Simon Baker, Jewel, Jonathan Brandis, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Mark Ruffalo, James Caviezel, Zach Grenier, and Tom Wilkinson. Ride with the Devil is an extraordinary yet sweeping Civil War drama from Ang Lee.

The German-born Jake Roedel (Tobey Maguire) and his friend Jack Bull Chiles (Skeet Ulrich) are young Southern men from Missouri that have just joined a group of local irregular soldiers known as the Bushwhackers. Chiles gains vengeance for his father’s death during an ambush with their leader Black John Ambrose (James Caviezel) and a wild young man named Pitt Mackeson (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers). Roedel and Chiles meet up with other bushwhackers including George Clyde (Simon Baker) who is accompanied by his slave Holt (Jeffrey Wright) where the four decide to hide out nearby the home of Mr. Evans (Zach Grenier) who offers them tools to create a cave to hide in.

While Clyde goes out and hide at another nearby home leaving Holt to help Roedel and Chiles, they meet Evans’ widowed daughter-in-law Sue Lee Shelley (Jewel) whom Chiles falls for. During the period of hiding, Roedel befriends Holt as Holt reveals his loyalty for Clyde while hoping to reach his mother who had been sold somewhere to Texas. During an attack on Evans’ home, Roedel, Holt, Clyde, and Chiles lead an attack on the Union soldiers who attacked Evans only to have things go wrong. With the Evans’ family seeking refuge at another house along with Sue, the remaining Bushwhackers had to regroup with their gang. With William Quantrill (John Ales) leading a group of Bushwhackers to attack and raid Lawrence, Kansas, Holt and Roedel take part of it with Clyde as a supervisor.

During the raid, Roedel has a confrontation with Mackeson as Union soldiers make their way to attack the Bushwhackers where everything falls apart. Holt and Roedel get wounded during the battle as they’re accompanied by Cave Wyatt (Jonathan Brandis) to take them to the Brown family where Sue had been living for several months. Living with Mr. and Mrs. Brown (Tom Wilkinson and Margo Martindale), Roedel and Holt recover from their wounds as they ponder what to do next. Even as Sue had just had a baby as the two men ponder life after a war that they know is already at a loss.

The film is about a young man and his friend joining a guerilla group to fight off Union soldiers and protect their family. Yet during the journey, Jake Roedel would face things as a Bushwhacker that would change his views on war and on himself. Jake, like the African-American Holt, faces a similar prejudice towards some Southerners but as a German whose father supports the Union. Jake is a very flawed character as he meets a captured Union soldier (Mark Ruffalo) whom he knew as he made him sent a message that would later haunt him. Roedel’s development is crucial as he starts out as a young innocent man loyal to his home only to become a weary man filled with grief pondering what to do next.

James Schamus’ script is superb in its character study as well as setting a mood for the story as it all takes place during the Civil War. The script does a have a few flaws as far as when some of the events happen while it’s also a bit uneven in tone. The latter of which is due to the fact that it’s a war film with a bit of romance and drama that at times, doesn’t really mesh. Still, it does have a narrative that is engaging and keeps the story going as it’s all driven by Jake Roedel’s fascination with his surroundings along with the friendships he have with Jack Bull, Holt, and later Sue. Despite the few flaws the script has, Schamus does create a script that is compelling and filled with fully-fleshed characters that people can enjoy.

Ang Lee’s direction is truly magnificent in its presentation and willingness to be engaged by the story and the characters in the film. While Lee does manage to take his time with the story by opening the film with a wedding that Roedel and Chiles attend to reveal their lives. He also lets the story move forward by having this terrifying scene of Roedel and Chiles forcing to flee following an attack and then move the story a year later for a great ambush scene involving the two characters. Then slows it down for scenes where Roedel and Chiles meet up with their fellow Bushwhackers that includes a wonderful poignant yet simple scene of Roedel reading a letter that brings ease to the soldiers.

Lee’s direction for many of the film’s intimate settings such as the cave and the interior houses are very intimate in his use of close-ups for the characters. For the battle scenes, Lee definitely takes a wide scope to allow the film to be big as if he is making an epic. Lee knows how to frame these wide shots such as the horses coming down a hill or to capture the chaos of the battle. The overall work in the direction is truly amazing in its framing but also maintain an intimacy for the film’s dramatic moments as Lee creates a dazzling yet engaging war-drama.

Cinematographer Frederick Elmes does a phenomenal job with the film‘s gorgeous photography from the very green look of the Missouri-Kansas forests in the spring and fall to the white cold of the wintertime. Elmes’ work in the exteriors are just as beautiful in its intimacy and the mood it creates for the characters in their situations. Longtime Lee collaborator in editor Tim Squyres does an excellent job with the film’s editing in creating a tight yet leisured pace for the film. Particularly when he utilizes jump-cuts for some of the film’s action along with transitional dissolves and fade-outs to help move the film forward for its 138-minute running time in its theatrical cut.

Production designer Mark Friedberg, along with art director Steve Arnold and set decorators Stephanie Carroll and Bryan E. Jordan, does an incredible job with the set design for the film such as the houses the characters live in to the cave home they create in the first half of the film. Since it’s shot largely on location in a town in Missouri, Friedberg and his team were able to recreate the look of the town in its Civil War setting to maintain its authenticity. Costume designer Marit Allen does a wonderful job with the costumes from the ragged soldiers clothing the men wear in combat to the suits they wore along with the big dresses that the women wear.

Sound editor Phil Stockton does a superb job with the sound to capture the calmness of the forest to the raucous chaos of the battle scenes to showcase the world the characters are in. The film’s score by Mychael Danna is brilliant for its array of traditional, folk-driven pieces that is played to set the mood of the times. Danna also provides some lush, orchestral flourishes for the dramatic and sweeping epic scenes to enhance the ambition of the film. Along with some traditional pieces of that era, the soundtrack includes a song by Jewel that is played in the final credits of the film.

The casting by Avy Kaufman is truly sensational as Kaufman creates what is undoubtedly an amazing ensemble. Numerous small but notable performances include David Darlow and Kathleen Warfel as Jack Bull’s parents, John Judd as Jake’s father, Celia Weston as a woman who brings in the Bushwhackers, John Ales as the famous Confederate guerilla leader William Quantrill, T. Max Graham as a reverend, and Mark Ruffalo as a captured Union soldier sent to bring a message to the Union. Other notable small roles as fellow Bushwhackers include Matthew Faber as Mackeson’s friend Turner, Thomas Guiry as the young Riley Crawford, James Caviezel as the local leader Black John, Stephen Mailer as the cautious Babe Hudspeth, and the late Jonathan Brandis in an outstanding performance as helpful Cave Wyatt.

Zach Grenier is very good as Mr. Evans, a local Confederate supporter who helps out the Bushwhackers while Simon Baker is also good as the experienced George Clyde who has a very warm friendship to his slave Holt. Margo Martindale is excellent as Mrs. Brown while Tom Wilkinson is amazing as the no-nonsense but sympathetic Mr. Brown. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is great in a terrifying role as the wild Pitt Mackeson, a soldier with outlaw tendencies who despises Roedel over his German ancestry. Jewel is wonderful as Sue Lee Shelley, a widow who falls for Jack Bull while helping the rest of the men by feeding them as she has some funny lines in a subtle yet charming performance.

Skeet Ulrich is brilliant as Jack Bull Chiles, a wild soldier with a conscience as he often leads his small band to battle while trying to fight for what is left of the Southern lifestyle he grew up with. Jeffrey Wright is great in what is definitely the best performance of the film as Daniel Holt. Wright brings an eerie quietness to his character who has a fierce loyalty to George Clyde while taking Roedel as a friend in their shared struggle with prejudice. Tobey Maguire is amazing as Jake Roedel, a young guerilla soldier who deals with prejudice and the consequences of war while fighting what’s left of a war he realize he is going to lose. It’s a remarkable role for the actor who definitely shows a real weariness with a sense of humor to a character that goes into a journey that would change his view on the world.

Ride with the Devil is a grand yet glorious film from Ang Lee featuring exhilarating performances from Tobey Maguire and Jeffrey Wright. While it’s not a perfect film due to a few flaws in the script, the film definitely overcomes those flaws with a sweeping vision and engaging characters. Fans of American Civil War films will see this film as something a bit different in terms of storytelling but at least has the big visuals needed for a film like this. In the end, Ride with the Devil is a thrilling yet captivating Civil War drama from Ang Lee and company.

Ang Lee Films: Pushing Hands - The Wedding Banquet - Eat Drink Man Woman - Sense & Sensibility (1995 film) - The Ice Storm - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - The Hire: Chosen - Hulk - Brokeback Mountain - Lust, Caution - Taking Woodstock - Life of Pi - Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk - The Auteurs #19: Ang Lee

© thevoid99 2011

Velvet Goldmine

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/16/05.

The early 1970s was an era where the whole counterculture, hippie movement was finally burning itself out. Replacing that whole era for a while but huge in Britain was the glam-rock scene filled with glitter clothing, platform shoes, glamourous tastes, and an openness to sexuality. Leading that wave during that time were the likes of David Bowie, Lou Reed, T. Rex, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Gary Glitter, Iggy Pop & the Stooges, Slade, Mott the Hoople, and many more. When glam rock ended, so did many of its stars while some like Bowie, Reed, Pop, Roxy Music, and Brian Eno moved on to make influential music from the years to come. In the early 90s in Britain, a glam revival of sorts came around that would reach to the American underground. Finally, a film on glam rock was ready to be made from American director Todd Haynes with his 1998 film Velvet Goldmine.

Named after the David Bowie B-side, Velvet Goldmine is based on the glam rock scene of the 1970s about a pop singer named Brian Slade who faked an assassination that ruined his career. Ten years later, a journalist investigates what has happened as he looks into Slade's rise and fall and his many cohorts including an American rocker named Curt Wild. The story by Haynes and his editor James Lyon that was later scripted by Haynes, many of the stories of Velvet Goldmine was based on the lives of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Brian Eno. While the film’s intention was to capture the glam rock scene, its result is an uneven and excessive film that has several moments but doesn't gel. With a cast that includes Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard, Emily Woof, and Michael Feast. Velvet Goldmine is a film that glitters with its stylization but fails to deliver fully in its intentions.

The film begins with a narration by Janet McTeer as she talks about the arrival of Oscar Wilde into the world with a pin he had when he was a baby coming down from outer space. After proclaiming to the world that he wants to be a pop idol, the green-marble pin he had came into the hands more than 100 years later into a child who would reinvent himself as a glam rocker named Jack Fairy (Micko Westmoreland). It's 1974 at the height of the movement as fans run to the stage to see their hero Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) in his Maxwell Demon persona. With rumors that Slade was going to be assassinated at the show, witnessing the concert was a young man named Arthur Stuart (Christian Bale) who sees Slade get shot.

Ten years later, Arthur is now a journalist in New York City who has been asked by his editor (Don Fellows) to do a piece on the tenth anniversary of Slade's shooting stunt that turned out to be a hoax. For Arthur, he had to go back to his memory as an adolescent, something he wants to forget since he was a huge fan of Slade while feeling sexually confused during the 1970s in Britain. He remembers the movement very well as kids acted bisexual as part of a trend and he often gotten scolded for buying Slade albums because it's for pansies. He meets up with Slade’s first and former manager Cecil (Michael Feast) who talks about how he met Brian Slade during a concert at the top club in Britain during the late 60s/early 70s called the Sombrero. He met Slade and his American wife Mandy (Toni Collette) who was a socialite that talked in a British accent.

Cecil talked about how talented Brian was but at a festival show with a hippie audience, Slade's personal and cosmic songs were trashed. Brian's wardrobe of wearing a dress also gave him trouble as he complained about being slagged until he saw wild American rocker Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor) performing with glitter and rubbing baby oil while flicking off the angry audience as he exposes himself. Slade was shocked but in awe of Curt's uncompromising approach to rock. Cecil knew that Curt Wild had given him something, especially with Curt's troubled background of shock therapy and claims that he was raised by wolves. Brian changed his presentation in front of a new management group where he meets a flamboyant manager in Jerry Devine (Eddie Izzard) who decides to manage Brian with Cecil now in the lurch as Devine makes Brian a star.

Arthur then meets up with Mandy who gives him her story of how she met Brian and his first meeting with Jack Fairy, where he stole Fairy's pin and became a star. With Brian on the rise with his band Venus in Furs, a new assistant arrives in Shannon (Emily Woof) as Brian wants to use his success to meet and revitalize the career of Curt Wild. He and Jerry go to America where they offered Curt a new deal where Jerry wants to make him a star for publicity while Brian has fallen for Curt. Amidst the chaos and excess of the era, Arthur remembers that while masturbating to a record back in the 70s forced him to be kicked out of his home. Arthur finds a new home with a band named the Flaming Creatures (the band Placebo) as the scene begins to decline while Curt and Brian's relationship falters.

Mandy then recalls the final glam rock concert where Curt performed as Arthur remembers he meets Curt as well as see Brian, who makes one of his final public appearances where he and Mandy had already broken up due to Brian's reliance on drugs. Then as Arthur continues to investigate, he learns of what has happened to Brian Slade and who has become where he tries to reach Curt Wild for information. In the end, Arthur begins to confront his past while pondering his own future.

While the film has some wonderful performance sequences that are done throughout the film, the film does suffer in its exaggeration and uneven script. While many of the film's glam rock sequences have its moments, it loses consistency when it shifts from 1970s glam to the more gray, corporate world of the 1980s when Arthur Stuart investigates his story. The Oscar Wilde subplot in the film also seems to be a distraction from the story and when the film moves into the third act where Arthur begins to recall his memory at the final glam rock show and reveal Brian's aftermath, the film loses momentum. While Haynes continues to bring in some great ideas and camera shots, his film suffers due to its uneven script.

The film's faltering script doesn't effect the film's look thanks to Maryse Alberti's colorful cinematography with its contrasting look of yellowish scenes in the dance hall sequences of Cecil's meeting with Slade along with the glam rock moments filled with color. The film's glam look is helped not just by production designer Christopher Hobbs and art director Andrew Munro for capturing the contrasting look of 70s glam and 80s gray world but also costume designer Sandy Powell for her detailed look of the 70s glam rock clothing. With editor James Lyon giving the film a nicely paced feel for the film's non-linear approach, he couldn't help the momentum that got lost in the third act.

One great aspect of the film that made the movie memorable is the music with a wonderful score from Coen Brothers longtime composer Carter Burwell along with original tracks from Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Gary Glitter, T. Rex, and Iggy Pop. A few of those tracks were performed by various bands that included Placebo, Nathan Larson, Shudder to Think, Pulp, and the Venus in Furs band that included vocal appearances from Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Ewan McGregor, and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers that included several members like Andy Mackay of Roxy Music, Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and Bernard Butler of Suede while other acts included appearances from Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley and Thurston Moore.

The casting is well done with some fine performances from Placebo and many of the musicians who played in the band. Emily Woof is wonderful in her small role as Shannon, the assistant turned confidant for Brian Slade while Michael Feast is excellent in his calm role as Cecil, Brian's first manager. Eddie Izzard gives a wonderfully flamboyant and sleazy performance as the Tony DeFries caricature of Jerry Devine with his big-time obsession and star-making power. Toni Collette also delivers a fabulous performance as Mandy Slade from her vain, elegance in the 70s sequences to the burnout and calm approach of her character in the 80s as Collette brings a complexity and depth to her performance. Ewan McGregor is amazing in his role as Curt Wild, a mix of Iggy Pop/Kurt Cobain with a bit of Lou Reed & Mick Ronson, that shows McGregor's wild side and comedic antics as he not only belt out those great Iggy Pop songs but proves his performing power. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers delivers an excellent performance whenever he is singing and on the stage but when he is acting, Meyers comes off as a bit stiff in the role. Christian Bale really shines in a great supporting role of the anguished Arthur Stuart as a man trying to confront his past and sexuality while bringing an innocence and angst in the 70s sequences while some confusion and weariness to his scenes in the 80s.

While Velvet Goldmine got good reviews including a special Artistic Contribution prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, to the eyes of glam rock purists, the film was trashed. When Haynes originally presented the film to David Bowie, the rock legend was unamused as he refused to have his songs used in the film where as a result, led to Bowie to creating his own musical on his own Ziggy Stardust persona back in the early 70s. While Lou Reed, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, and Iggy Pop lent their music to the film, many (except for Pop, who hasn't seen it) were not happy with the film and Eno and his former Roxy Music mate Bryan Ferry felt the film was overly exaggerated. Glam rock photographer Mick Rock and Bowie's producer Tony Visconti also didn't like the film for its portrayal while 80s pop singer Boy George felt insulted by the film, especially since he was a teen during those times.

Despite its flawed script and lack of momentum in the third act, Velvet Goldmine is still a worthy film from Todd Haynes. With fine performances from Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, and Eddie Izzard, the film has something to offer for glam rock fans but don't count on the purists to like the film. The film does bring in some great moments and scenes that are memorable thanks to Todd Haynes' unconventional approach to storytelling. Though his previous film, Safe and 2002's Far from Heaven show more of his directing talents, Velvet Goldmine is still a worthy film to see.

Todd Haynes Films: Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story - Poison - Dottie Gets Spanked - Safe - Far from Heaven - I'm Not There - Mildred Pierce (TV miniseries) - Carol - Wonderstruck - Dark Waters (2019 film) - The Velvet Underground - The Auteurs #3: Todd Haynes

© thevoid99 2011