The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

A woman who works within the Hollywood system yet marches to the beat of her own drum. Kathryn Bigelow is the kind of filmmaker that most filmmakers in the action film world wish they could be as she displays not just a sense of style into her films but pump them up with strong actions and compelling characters that are above the norm of what is expected in the genre. In 2010, Bigelow made history as the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for her 2008 film The Hurt Locker. Though her win doesn’t change much for women’s role in the film industry nor level the playing field of having women taking control on the set of films. Bigelow has managed to be part of a small group of women filmmakers who can say something in an industry often plagued by sexism.

Born on November 27, 1951 in San Carlos, California, Bigelow was the daughter of Ronald Elliot and Gertrude Kathryn Bigelow. Though film wasn’t among her early interests, it was in painting where she found her creative outlet early on where she enrolled at the San Francisco Art Institute in late 1970. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree two years later, she moved to New York where she was part of the Whitney Museum’s Independent Art studies where she met avant-garde composer Philip Glass. Her friendship with Glass through renovating apartments for real estate ventures introduced her to film where she studied at Columbia University under the tutelage of such figures as Susan Sontag, Vito Acconci, Lawrence Weiner, and Sylvere Lotringer.

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© thevoid99 2014

K-19: The Widowmaker

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and screenplay by Christopher Kyle from a story by Louis Nowra, K-19: The Widowmaker is the story of a Soviet nuclear submarine crew dealing with reactor leak in the sub as a captain and officer try to deal with the situation and each other. Based on a real-life incident set in 1961 during the Cold War, the film is an exploration into the inner-politics between two officers and how they try to defuse an incident that would nearly spark World War III. Starring Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, and Peter Sarsgaard. K-19: The Widowmaker is an engaging film from Kathryn Bigelow.

The film is a simple story about a Soviet submarine crew in 1961 during the Cold War as it revolves around a new nuclear submarine where its crew and captain are under the command of a new captain who is trying to fulfill the duties of the state as he puts himself and crew at great risk during a test run. When its nuclear reactor starts to leak and radiation emerging into the submarine, two captains begin to figure out what to do as tension emerges between the two captains as well as its crew. It’s not just a film about the submarine crew trying to defuse a situation that spark World War III but also the idea of duty as Captain Alexei Vostrikov (Harrison Ford) and Captain Mikhail “Misha” Polenin (Liam Neeson) try to find a balance over who they should be loyal to.

Christopher Kyle’s screenplay, with additional work from Tom Stoppard, does have a traditional structure as well as a study into the personalities of the two captains. Polenin treats his crew as if they’re his children and always help them in whatever as he will make sure they get the job done. Vostrikov is a more by-the-books individual who uses his rank to maintain control as he holds drills to see if the crew meets his expectations. This would add tension between Vostrikov and his crew who are loyal to Polenin as things get more complicated when the original doctor is killed as he’s replaced by a base doctor who knows nothing about radiation sickness. Another troubling circumstance is the addition of a new nuclear reactor officer in Lt. Vadim Radtchenko (Peter Sarsgaard) who had just graduated from the academy.

The mission was supposed to be a test run which was successful but Vostrikov’s ideas to test the submarine would have some serious repercussions when the radiator leaks. This would cause Vostrikov to be lost as two of Polenin’s officers plot a mutiny in order to get Polenin in control which would add to the drama of the film. Yet, it would create some major complications as it’s clear that Polenin isn’t just the film’s conscience but also a man who knows the importance of duty no how much he disagrees with Vostrikov. Especially since Vostrikov is under a lot of pressure from his superiors to deliver as he was given little time to get the ship ready as he tries to gain the trust of his crew.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction doesn’t really do anything new as far as what’s been expected in a film set mostly in a submarine. Yet, she does manage to infuse a lot of style into the claustrophobic setting of the submarine which is still very engaging as it’s often cramped and there’s a lot that goes on. Bigelow’s use of tracking shots, hand-held cameras, and steadicams to capture the movements of a submarine as well as the sense of chaos showcase the pressure that isn’t just mounting on Captain Vostrikov but also his entire crew. Even as there’s a nuclear reactor in that submarine as it’s the most fragile thing on the submarine where Bigelow reveals how it would leak through some visual effects as it’s one of the few sequences that requires visual effects along with some scenes in the submarine. A lot of these moments not only showcase the submarine as a character in the film but a very fragile character that is being pushed too the limits as it serves a symbol of world that is in the cusp of complete terror.

Bigelow also knows when to give the suspense and drama a bit of a break for a scene where the crew play football outside of the sub and on an ice block along with a scene where the sub is stopped as they’re seen by an American helicopter where the crew moons it. The film also includes an epilogue which not only plays into the fall of communism but also what the two captains and its surviving crew have lost as they ponder the sacrifice of those who saved them. Overall, Bigelow crafts a very compelling film about two captains dealing with the idea of duty during the Cold War.

Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the use of lights in the submarine as well as the blue lights inside the reactor room along with some naturalistic shots of some exterior scenes in the day and night. Editor Walter Murch does fantastic work with the editing with its use of rhythmic cuts to play into some of the action as well as some jump-cuts and some slow-motion moments to play into the drama. Production designers Karl Juliusson and Michael Novotny do amazing work with the look of the submarine and its many compartments as well as its port and some of the base buildings where the superiors are at work.

Costume designer Marit Allen does nice work with the look of the uniforms the crew wears to play into the sense of importance as well as who they are as they‘re loyal to each other. Visual effects supervisors Bruce Jones and John Nelson do terrific work with some of the visual effects such as the submarine under the sea as well as the scene where it breaks into the ice. Sound designer Pat Jackson and co-sound editor Larry Schalit do superb work with sound to play into the atmosphere of the submarine as well as its sirens and such inside the sub. The film’s music by Klaus Badelt is wonderful for its Russian-based orchestral score filled with vocal choirs and heavy string arrangements along with some pieces of traditional Russian folk music and the Soviet anthem that is played in the film.

The casting by Ross Clydesdale, Mali Finn, and Mary Selway is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small performances from Joss Ackland as the defense minister Marshal Zolentov, John Shrapnel as Admiral Bratyeev, Christian Camargo as the senior reactor technician Loktev, and Donald Sumpter as the submarine’s new medical officer Gennadi Savran who has no clue what he’s dealing with as he was a last-minute replacement. Steve Nicolson and Ravil Isyanov are terrific in their respective roles as torpedo officer Yuri Demichev and political officer Igor Suslov as they would be the one to plot the mutiny against Vostrikov. Peter Sarsgaard is excellent as the reactor officer Lt. Vadim Radtchenko who comes in at the last minute unaware of the situation he’s facing as he deals with his inexperience and inability to help his crew.

Liam Neeson is amazing as Captain Mishna Polenin as he is the film’s conscience as a man who is beloved by his crew as he deals with Vostrikov and the chaos of the submarine. Finally, there’s Harrison Ford in a superb performance as Captain Alexei Vostrikov as a man who has to ensure the success of his mission at great risk as he becomes torn between his duty to his superiors and doing what is right for himself and his crew.

K-19: The Widowmaker is an excellent film from Kathryn Bigelow that features top-notch performances from Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. While it may not have a lot of originality, it is still a captivating film about a submarine crew and its two captains trying to prevent World War III from happening as well as delving into the theme of duty. In the end, K-19: The Widowmaker is a superb film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2014

Strange Days

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and screenplay by James Cameron and Jay Cocks from a story by James Cameron, Strange Days is the story of a former cop turned black marketer who finds himself in trouble due to a device that records memories where a user had witnessed a killing by two corrupt cops. Set in 1999 Los Angeles just two days before the millennium, the film is a cyberpunk thriller that explores the world of technologies and memories as a man deals with his past as well as his friendship with a female bodyguard. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Vincent D’Onofrio, William Fichtner, and Michael Wincott. Strange Days is a phenomenal yet gripping film from Kathryn Bigelow.

It’s 1999 just two days before the new millennium as the film is about these last two days where a black marketer discovers about a conspiracy involving two police officers in the death of a renowned rapper through a recorded memory from a hooker. With the help of a female bodyguard and a private investigator, Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) tries to find out what these cops are doing as well as who has been killing not just the witness of these murders but also who has been stalking Lenny’s former girlfriend in rock singer Faith (Juliette Lewis). It’s a film that has a lot of elements of suspense and intrigue as it’s set in futuristic 1999 where Los Angeles is in chaos over tension between the people and the police. Even as it also features a man struggling with his past over his lost love while the only true friend he has is this no-nonsense bodyguard named Mace (Angela Bassett) who doesn’t like his work as she always bails him out.

The film’s screenplay by James Cameron and Jay Cocks is very intriguing not for its mystery but also in the drama where Lenny is still pining for Faith. Even as he watches old tapes in his head of the good times they had before she left him for the music impresario Philo Grant (Michael Wincott) who also manages the controversial rapper Jeriko One (Glenn Plummer) who has become a voice of the people. One’s murder by these two corrupt cops in Steckler (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Engelman (William Fichtner) that was witnessed by a friend of Lenny in the hooker Iris (Brigitte Bako) through her SQUID memory recorder that she wears on her head would trigger the events in the film. The film does become this suspense-thriller through its script yet there’s much more to it as it concerns the relationship between Lenny and Mace.

Mace is easily one of the film’s most interesting characters as she was this former waitress who met Lenny when he was just a cop comforting her son following an incident. Their friendship has Mace being not just a mother of sorts for Lenny but one where she tries to maintain some control as she has no interest in seeing other people’s memories through his device nor does she approve Lenny’s line of work. Once she realize what is going on and the trouble that Lenny is in, she reluctantly helps out as she is this commanding presence that is really unlike a lot of characters in film. There’s no bullshit about her which makes Mace so intriguing in comparison to Faith as she is this rock singer yearning to make her break but hangs out with the wrong people. The characterization of Lenny and Mace isn’t just the highlight of the script but also some of the dialogue where it’s very direct but also has some moments of humor.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is definitely intoxicating from the first moment of the film which explores a gang trying to rob a restaurant and evade the cops in a chase as it’s mostly shown in two takes all from the perspective of a robber. All of it is shot in a shaky steadicam as if someone is watching this moment as if they’re that person. It’s among these elements of style that Bigelow would incorporate as it does play into this idea of the future where people put on a headgear and be near a recorder in their hand so they can record these memories. It’s not just these steadicam shots that are among the finer moments of the film but also the presentation that Bigelow has in the way she explores Los Angeles in this period of turmoil and tension in the last days of the 20th Century.

The direction also has Bigelow use her slow-motion visual trademark to not just play into the action and suspense but also some of the drama in order to explore some of the tension and stakes in the film. Even as it plays into that world of reality and memories where it’s all about someone re-living an old memory or looking into someone else’s memory. The action scenes which involve a few fights and such are very engaging as it includes the film’s climax where Mace deals with the corrupt cops and Lenny dealing with the mysterious killer. Overall, Bigelow crafts a very fluid and enthralling film about a man uncovering a mysterious murder that could spell doom for the world.

Cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography where it mostly takes place at night with a few scenes set in the day as it has an air of style in its lighting as well as the way it presents Los Angeles in its most chaotic. Editor Howard E Smith, with additional work from James Cameron, does excellent work with the editing in not just creating a feel in the steadicam shots where it feels like it is presented in one take but also in its use of jump-cuts and rhythmic cuts to play with some of the film‘s action. Production designer Lily Kilvert, along with set decorator Kara Lindstrom and art director John Warnke, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the New Year‘s Eve party in the middle of Los Angeles to the clubs and hotels that the characters go to. Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick does nice work with some of the film‘s costumes from the suits that Lenny wears as well as the clothes that Mace wears the slinky, revealing dresses that Faith wears.

Visual effects supervisor James Lima does terrific work with some of the film‘s visual effects such as the fuzzy visuals that a person wears when wearing the SQUID device. Sound editor Gloria S. Borders and sound designer Brian Williams do brilliant work with the film‘s sound from the atmospheres of the parties to the way some of the flashback memories and such sound like as they‘re recorded. The film’s music by Graeme Revell is superb for its ambient-based score with elements of rock and electronic music while music supervisor Randy Gerston brings in a sprawling soundtrack filled with all sorts of music ranging from metal/hard rock, alt-rock, electronic music, world music, and hip-hop from acts like Marilyn Manson, Skunk Anansie, Lords of Acid, Bob Marley, Deep Forest w/ Peter Gabriel, Me Phi Me w/ Glenn Plummer, Tricky, Prong and the Doors’ Ray Manzarek, and Juliette Lewis doing two covers of songs by PJ Harvey.

The casting by Sharon Baily, Debi Manwiller, Richard Pagano, and Melissa M. Thomas is incredible for the ensemble that is used which includes some notable small performances from Louise LeCavalier, Joe Urla, and Nicky Katt as a trio of Philo’s bodyguards, Michael Jace as a former pro footballer who becomes a bodyguard of Philo, Richard Edson as Lenny’s supplier Tick, and Josef Sommer as LAPD deputy commissioner Palmer Strickland who Lenny knows is the most incorruptible person on the force despite his issues with him. Brigitte Bako is wonderful as Lenny’s hooker friend Iris who witnesses Jeriko’s murder while Glenn Plummer is terrific as the outspoken rapper Jeriko. William Fichtner and Vincent D’Onofrio are excellent in their respective roles as the corrupt cops Engelman and Steckler as two loose cannons who take the laws into their own hands.

Michael Wincott is superb as Faith’s manager Philo who is a slimy individual that likes to take control of everything while being addicted to watching people’s memories. Tom Sizemore is amazing as Lenny’s private investigator friend Max who is this very eccentric guy who doesn’t do things conventionally while helping Lenny and Mace figure out the murders and such. Juliette Lewis is fantastic as Faith as Lenny’s former lover who is trying to make it as a rock singer who cares about Lenny but doesn’t love him anymore as she is trying to hide something that Lenny doesn’t want to know.

Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as Lenny Nero as this former cop turned black marketer who finds himself in trouble when one of his machines has uncovered a major conspiracy as he also deals with his feelings for Faith and clinging to the past as it’s one of Fiennes’ more underrated performances. Finally, there’s Angela Bassett in an outstanding performance as Mace as she is this no-bullshit bodyguard/chauffer who just wants to get paid and do what is right for her son while dealing with Lenny’s troubles. Bassett also proves to be a formidable badass as she is one woman not to fuck with while she has some amazing chemistry with Fiennes as they become this very unlikely yet engaging pair that is fun to watch.

Strange Days is a remarkable film from Kathryn Bigelow that is highlighted by the spectacular performances of Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett. The film is definitely not just a fascinating cyberpunk, dystopian film but also a thriller that is very captivating and adventurous. Even as it’s armed with a cool soundtrack and some pretty funny dialogue. In the end, Strange Days is a kick-ass yet tremendous film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2014

The Loveless (1982 film)

Written and directed by Kathryn Bigelow and Monty Montgomery, The Loveless is the story about a motorcycle gang who arrives in a small Southern town where they find themselves in a strange world where one of the bikers deals with this strange sense of loneliness. It’s a film that plays into a world of culture clash between wild yet cool bikers and conservatives in this remote Southern town. Starring Willem Dafoe, Robert Gordon, Marin Kanter, and J. Don Ferguson. The Loveless is an excellent film from Kathryn Bigelow and Monty Montgomery.

The film has this simple story about a motorcycle gang stranded in a small remote town in Florida on their way to a race in Daytona. It’s a film that has a scenario where it is typical in some respects where these bikers are staying at this small town in Florida for a couple of days where they get a snide attitude from the conservative locals. Yet, Kathryn Bigelow and Monty Montgomery manage to inject some substance into the story where the bikers are just there so they can fix one of the bikes while drinking and pondering what they’re going to. Most notably as it’s told from the perspective of a man named Vance (Willem Dafoe) who is this loner that deals with his role while he meets a young woman named Telena (Marin Kanter) who wants to leave town and her abusive father (J. Don Ferguson). Through some stylish dialogue as well as a tone where it feels like a place out of time, it is a story that manages to do more than what is expected.

The direction of Bigelow and Montgomery is also very simple yet there are some very striking compositions to play into a world where it might feel like it’s set in the early 1960s but something still feels off once the bikers arrive into town. There is still some element of style in the wide shots and close-ups that is created as well as the sense of macho aesthetics that would later become a part of the visual style that Bigelow would craft in her later films. There’s also some moments where the direction has Bigelow and Montgomery create tension such as a scene at a bar where the bikers and locals converge where it’s more about Vance and his feelings about his place in the world. Overall, Bigelow and Montgomery craft a very engaging and stylish film about bikers stranded in a strange small town that seems to be stuck in time.

Cinematographer Doyle Smith does amazing work with the film‘s very colorful and entrancing cinematography for much of the film‘s daytime scenes and the lights set at night. Editor Nancy Kanter does fantastic work with the editing with its emphasis on style including jump-cuts and montages. Production designer Lily Kilvert does nice work with the look of the garage where the bikers stay to fix a bike as well as the look of the diner and bar they go to. Sound editors Ron Kalish and Sandy Tung do superb work with the film‘s sound from the way the engines sound on the bike to the smaller moments in the places the bikers go to. The film’s music by Robert Gordon is brilliant for its mostly rockabilly score with elements of country and salsa music that includes some additional pieces by John Lurie.

The film’s cast includes some noteworthy small roles from Elizabeth Gans as the friendly waitress Augusta, Jane Berman as a lady Vance meets early in the film, Margaret Jo Lee as the snotty waitress Evie, and Bob Hannah as Telena’s dim-witted uncle Sid. In the role of the bikers, there’s Phillip Kimbrough as the quiet biker Hurley who is trying to fix his bike, Danny Rosen as the young yet energetic Ricky, Lawrence Matarese as the low-key La Ville, and Tina L’Hotsky as biker babe Sportster Debbie. J. Don Ferguson is terrific as Tarver as a local town leader who bullies his way to get what he wants while abusing his daughter Telena.

Marin Kanter is wonderful as Telena as a young woman with a cool car who is eager to get out of town as she meets and falls for Vance. Robert Gordon is excellent as the biker leader Davis as a wild guy who likes to have fun as he deals with the snotty attitude of the town. Finally, there’s Willem Dafoe in a marvelous performance as Vance as a biker who deals with his role in life as he’s in this small town as he tries to be cool only to deal with trouble.

The Loveless is a fantastic film from Kathryn Bigelow and Monty Montgomery that features a superb performance from Willem Dafoe. While it doesn’t have much of a plot or story, it does make up for those shortcomings through its vibrant visuals and eerie tension as it’s a film that fans of Bigelow and Dafoe should seek out. In the end, The Loveless is a terrific film from Kathryn Bigelow and Monty Montgomery.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2014

The Weight of Water

Based on the novel by Anita Shreve, The Weight of Water is the story of a newspaper photographer doing research on the murder of two immigrant women in 1873 while on a boating trip with her husband, his brother, and his brother’s girlfriend. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and screenplay by Alice Arlen and Christopher Kyle, the film is an exploration of women dealing with the relationships they’re in with men as a woman in the modern world tries to sort out the mystery of a murder that happened more than a century ago. Starring Sean Penn, Catherine McCormack, Josh Lucas, Elizabeth Hurley, Sarah Polley, Katrin Cartlidge, and Ciaran Hinds. The Weight of Water is a messy although interesting film from Kathryn Bigelow.

The film is about the mysterious murders of two women at the Isles of Shoals in 1873 where a German immigrant named Louis Wagner (Ciaran Hinds) is accused of the murders. The film is about this investigation set in modern times where a photojournalist goes to the Isles of Shoals with her novelist husband, his brother, and his brother’s new girlfriend during a vacation. There, Jean Janes (Catherine McCormack) wonders if Wagner really did kill those women while reading the memoirs and notes about the survivor of those attacks in Maren Hontvedt (Sarah Polley) who would be the one to claim that Wagner killed her sister and sister-in-law. While Janes reads about Hontvedt, she deals with her troubled marriage as she’s convinced her husband and her brother-in-law’s girlfriend might’ve had an affair that leads to jealousy and other things.

The film’s screenplay by Alice Arlen and Christopher Kyle does have an interesting premise but one that is very uneven. The stuff about Maren and the actual murders is the most interesting portion of the story where it plays into her life as a Norwegian immigrant who arrives to the Isle of Shoals in New Hampshire with her husband John (Ulrich Thomsen). Notably as it plays into the life that Maren lead and the eventual arrival of her brother Evan (Anders W. Berthelsen) and his new wife Anethe (Vinessa Shaw). A lot of it is told from Maren’s perspective as it’s read by Jean who is fascinated by her discovery yet is dealing with her marriage. The scenes involving Jean, her husband, and the boating vacation they’re having with her brother-in-law and his girlfriend isn’t as interesting. Notably as Jean’s husband Thomas (Sean Penn) spends much of the film drunk and ogling over his brother’s girlfriend Adaline (Elizabeth Hurley) as the dramatic tension that occurs feels flat.

Another problem with the film’s screenplay that would greatly affect the film as a whole would be is lack of suspense where it does lead to a major reveal about who really killed Anethe and Maren’s sister Karen (Katrin Cartlidge). Once Jean figures out who did kill them, it does affect the suspense where it does slowly reveal many of the motivations behind why the killer did those things. It would play into Jean’s jealousy over Thomas’ infatuation with Adaline but also the sense of loneliness that is prevalent about her.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction definitely has a lot of interesting images that sort of does makeup for much of the script’s shortcomings. Yet, it’s narrative doesn’t allow Bigelow to keep things interesting for the scenes set in the present where not much really does happen with the exception of Jean’s investigation to try and uncover the story. Bigelow does infuse a lot of style into the visuals where her best work is in the scenes set in the 19th Century as the compositions are stylized but also very engaging in the way she presents the drama and such. The way the narrative moves back and forth doesn’t give Bigelow the chance to really find ways to make things cohesive where there’s two different movies being played out. One of them is very interesting and the other is pretty flat. Overall, Bigelow creates a film that does have moments that are interesting but the result is a very troubled and in cohesive film that doesn’t do much to create any major suspense.

Cinematographer Adrian Biddle does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of black-and-white in some of Jean‘s photographs to the use of colors and lights for much of the exterior setting in New Hampshire and places nearby in the different period settings. Editor Howard E. Smith does nice work with the editing with the use of montages and slow-motion shots to play into some of the drama and suspense that occurs in the film. Production designer Karl Juliusson, with art director Mark Laing and set decorators Laura Cuthill and Patricia Larman, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the 1870s home that Maren lived in as well as the bits of the town and trial she had to be part of.

Costume designer Marit Allen does fantastic work with the period costumes for the scenes set in the 1870s that include the different dresses that Maren wears. Sound mixer Mike Smith and sound editor Anne Slack do superb work with the film‘s sound from the calm atmosphere of the scenes in the sea to some of the chilling moments for the film‘s climax. The film’s music by David Hirschfelder is wonderful for its jazz-like score that mixes somber string arrangements with bits of piano and saxophones to play into the film’s lingering mood.

The casting by Mali Finn is brilliant for the ensemble that is created for the film as it includes some noteworthy performances from Ulrich Thomsen as Maren’s husband John and Anders W. Berthelsen as Maren’s brother Evan. Katrin Cartlidge is pretty good as Maren’s sister Karen while Vinessa Shaw is wonderful as Evan’s kind wife Anethe. Ciaran Hinds is terrific as Louis Wagner as this German immigrant who is proven to be a really nice man that may have not been the killer after all. Elizabeth Hurley is pretty much a waste in the film as Adaline as this very sexual being who spends her time in a bikini and topless for a bit as she doesn’t really do much except recite some literature and look hot.

Josh Lucas is excellent as Thomas’ brother Rich who tries to ensure that everyone is having a good time as he would show concern for Jean. Sean Penn is pretty fine as Thomas as this pretentious writer who deals with some demons though Penn doesn’t really do much other than drink and stare at Elizabeth Hurley. Sarah Polley is amazing as Maren as this young Norwegian woman who arrives to America trying to start a new life only to deal with Louis and the presence of her new sister-in-law. Finally, there’s Catherine McCormick in a radiant performance as Jean as this photojournalist trying to solve the mystery of the murders as she also deals with her issues with her husband as well as the demons that are lurking into that marriage.

Despite its cast and some amazing visual flair, The Weight of Water is an incomprehensible yet lackluster film from Kathryn Bigelow. Due to its messy script and two different storylines that never finds its balance. It’s a film that has a unique premise but falls flat due to its lack of suspense and emphasis on heavy drama. In the end, The Weight of Water is a very disappointing film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2014

Blue Steel

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Bigelow and Eric Red, Blue Steel is the story about a rookie police officer who falls for a man who she thinks might be her stalker. The film is an exploration of a woman who finds herself in a strange love affair while investigating a series of gruesome murders by someone with .44 Magnum. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Ron Silver, Clancy Brown, Elizabeth Pena, Kevin Dunn, Richard Jenkins, Philip Bosco, and Louise Fletcher. Blue Steel is a chilling yet mesmerizing film from Kathryn Bigelow.

The film is about a rookie New York police officer who loses her badge following a robbery in which she kills a robber who had a gun pointed at her as the robber’s weapon wasn’t found in the crime scene. During her suspension, she meets a commodities broker where they have a relationship as she is unaware that he has the gun from the robbery and is a psychopath who has been killing people all over the city. When one of the bullet shells features her name, Megan Turner (Jamie Lee Curtis) is re-instated as a detective where she aids in the investigation where she makes some chilling discoveries about her new boyfriend Eugene Hunt (Ron Silver). Particularly as she discovers about his troubled state of mind as he continues to evade the police in this strange cat-and-mouse game.

It’s a film that is definitely a thriller of sorts but with an antagonist who could be mentally ill but also has this strange obsession towards Megan and the robbery she was in as he becomes entranced by the power of killing someone. The film’s screenplay does play into some of the aspects that is expected in a suspense film. Notably in Megan becoming involved in the investigation of these murders as she is baffled by why a bullet shell has her name. Though she is new to her role as a cop, she is still determined to do what is right though her encounter with the robber early in the film showcases not just her inexperience but also how dangerous she could be. She also has to deal with the fact that her father (Philip Bosco) isn’t fond of her being a cop while Megan is often very cagey about why she wanted to be one.

The character of Eugene isn’t a conventional antagonist as he is someone who seems like a nice guy but there’s something about him that is off. Since he witnessed the robbery that Megan was involved in and became entranced by the 44. Magnum. He is this man who is amazed by the power of killing someone as he shoots random people for kicks as he would struggle with his identity which could play to the fact that he is mentally ill. After his encounters with Megan and their relationship suddenly takes on a creepy turn, it becomes clear that Eugene is much smarter and more dangerous than Megan and the police force realize as he is unpredictable in his movements. Even as he would go to places that would play into Megan’s emotions as she is someone with a lot of emotional and mental scars forcing Megan to deal with Eugene at the risk of breaking the law.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is truly hypnotic in not just the way she presents late 80s New York City where it is still this unpredictable city but also from the perspective of a police officer and the man she would later deal with. Much of the dramatic compositions that Bigelow would create are very simple with its use of close-ups and medium shots as well as infusing some humor into a few scenes. Yet, she is still emphasizing on its suspense to build up some of the terror that occurs such as the film’s robbery scene where it is all about Megan confronting the robber and the impact that it would have where Eugene would see the gun and later hide it. The usage of montages and dream-like sequences would play into some of the emotional state of Megan as it would also add some suspense into the hideous actions that Eugene would use.

While some of the violence that Bigelow presents are quite gruesome including the scenes of Eugene just killing someone. It’s the intimate moments such as Eugene’s surprise appearance at the home of Megan’s parents that is just uncomfortable to watch. It’s a scene in the third act where Megan is already aware of how dangerous and unpredictable Eugene is as he is there to watch TV with the parents about the killings where Megan knows that one wrong move and everything can go to shit. It’s one of these moments where Bigelow can infuse a sense of psychological wits and play with the rhythms of the suspense where its climax is similar to a Western shootout. Overall, Bigelow crafts a very powerful and rapturous suspense film about a cop going after a psychotic killer.

Cinematographer Amir Mokri does excellent work with the film‘s stylish cinematography with its use of lights and shades for some of the film‘s interior settings while giving some of its exterior scenes a look ranging from grimy to chilling in some of its scenes at night. Editor Lee Percy does brilliant work with the editing with its use of montages, rhythmic cuts, and some slow-motion moments to play up some of the film‘s action and suspense. Production designer Toby Corbett and set decorator Susan Kaufman do nice work with some of the set pieces such as the precinct building that Megan works at to the restaurants and such where she and Eugene go to in the film‘s first half.

Costume designer Richard Shissler does terrific work with the costumes where much of it is pretty casual. Sound editor Richard King does amazing work with the film‘s sound to play into some of the tension that occurs in the suspenseful moments as well as the moments of violence. The film’s music by Brad Fiedel is fantastic for its largely ambient score to play into some of the drama and suspense.

The casting by Risa Bramon Garcia and Billy Hopkins is great as it includes some notable small yet memorable performances from Tom Sizemore as the robber that Megan confronts early in the film and Richard Jenkins as Eugene’s lawyer who tries to stop the investigation. Elizabeth Pena is terrific as Megan’s friend Tracy who tries to assure Megan over her issues as a cop while Kevin Dunn is superb as Megan’s superior who is a hard-ass authority figure but becomes aware that Megan might be right about Eugene. Philip Bosco and Louise Fletcher are excellent as Megan’s parents with Bosco as the disapproving father and Fletcher as the more supportive mother who Megan knows is being abused by her husband which adds to Megan’s emotional issues. Clancy Brown is brilliant as Detective Nick Mann who leads the investigation over the mysterious murders where he would also believe Megan about Eugene as he would later become a target.

Ron Silver is fantastic as Eugene Hunt as this very disturbing individual who has a charming and nice side when he’s with Megan early in the film but is matched by this very dark and unpredictable side of him that allows him to kill people while doing things that he might be unaware of what he’s doing as it’s a very chilling performance from Silver. Finally, there’s Jamie Lee Curtis in an astonishing performance as Megan Turner. Curtis brings a lot of intensity and emotional weight to her role as a rookie cop dealing with her inexperience while realizing that the man she’s dating is a killer as it’s one where Curtis allows herself to be a badass as well as being someone who can navigate this strange cat-and-mouse game.

Blue Steel is a remarkable film from Kathryn Bigelow that features an incredible leading performance from Jamie Lee Curtis. Along with a strong supporting cast and a captivating take on the idea of stalkers and a look into the mind of a killer. The film is definitely one of Bigelow’s finest work to showcase her knack for suspense and action. In the end, Blue Steel is a spectacular film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Point Break - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2013

Point Break

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and screenplay by W. Peter Iliff from a story by Iliff and Rick King, Point Break is the story of a rookie FBI agent who goes undercover as a surfer where he suspects that the group of surfers he befriends are the notorious bank robbers he’s after. The film is an exploration into loyalty and one man’s fascination with the surfing culture as he is intrigued by this group’s ideals. Starring Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey, Lori Petty, James LeGros, and John C. McGinley. Point Break is a wild yet thrilling film from Kathryn Bigelow.

The film is a simple story about a former college football star who has become a FBI agent as he investigates a series of bank robberies held by four men wearing masks of former U.S. presidents. Taking on a theory about his partner who claims that the robbers are surfers, Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) goes into the surfing scene where he learns to surf as he befriends some surfers while trying to find out who are the bank robbers. It’s a film where this young agent becomes a surfer to find some bank robbers where one of them in this free-spirited man named Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) could be one of those men. Eventually, there comes this conflict between the two men not just towards each other but also internal conflict as they have this respect for each other but are also men who could be something else.

W. Peter Iliff’s screenplay explores this complexity between these two different men where Utah is this straight-laced young man who was once a top quarterback for Ohio State whose knee injury has him doing something else by becoming a FBI agent. Teaming with the eccentric veteran Angelo Pappas (Gary Busey) who is convinced the robbers are surfers, Utah uses his youth to infiltrate the surfer scene despite his inexperience where he is aided by Tyler (Lori Petty) who teaches him the basics as they later become lovers. Though Utah’s inexperience in the field including a raid that seemed to go well until some truths emerge where Pappas has to defend him against their hard-ass superior Ben Harp (John C. McGinley). When Utah befriends Bodhi, he sees someone who lives on the fringes of the world as he is this outsider who lives by his own rules while he is extremely free on the wave with his fellow surfers.

Bodhi is a very complex individual where he is a man that lives a certain lifestyle while there’s also something about him that raises Utah’s suspicions. Even as Utah learns more about these bank robbers who only do their jobs in the summer and only take money out of the cash registers instead of the vaults while throwing the dye-pack money into the air. Among these theories that Pappas presented to Utah has him thinking that Bodhi could be one of the robbers where an encounter with one of the robbers wearing a Ronald Reagan mask creates this internal conflict in not just Utah but also the man in the mask. The third act does play into Utah finally meeting the robbers who are proven to be these thrill-seekers who aren’t robbing banks for money but to fight against the system that Utah stands for prompting him to prove that he isn’t some typical FBI agent.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is very high-octane in not just the scenes involving surfing and sky diving but also in some of the moments involving the robberies and raids. Much of it is presented with a sense of style as the robberies are shown with some hand-held cameras and a frenetic energy that makes the audience aware of what is going on and how they’re doing it in the span of just 90 seconds. Though it is an action film, Bigelow knows when to slow things down for the dramatic moments where it’s mostly low-key and to the point so that the characters can get to know one another as it includes this amazing tracking shot of Utah’s arrival into the FBI building where he is being briefed by Harp which last about a few minutes.

The surfing scenes are just truly exhilarating to look at in not just its use of slow-motion but also the atmosphere it is presented to showcase a sense of thrill and peacefulness that occurs when one is riding on a wave. The direction has Bigelow be on the water and at the waves to showcase the intensity of the surfing where Utah finds some freedom there but also that sense of danger. Even in the skydiving scene where Utah has to take part of it as the camera is right on the air where there is that sense of the unknown. Especially in the way Utah and Bodhi sort of bond through these adventures as Bigelow isn’t afraid to hint an air of homoeroticism that is lurking towards these two men which adds that complexity to the film. Overall, Bigelow creates a very exciting and fun film about a young FBI agent who befriends a free-spirited thrill-seeker.

Cinematographer Donald Peterman does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with its sunny look of the exterior scenes in the beaches and locations in Los Angeles to some of the scenes set at night including the nighttime surfing sequence. Editor Howard L. Smith does brilliant work with the film‘s stylized editing with its jump-cuts for some of the film‘s action scenes to its usage of slow-motion for much of the film‘s surfing scenes. Production designer Peter Jamison, along with art directors Pamela Marcotte and John Huke and set decorator Linda Spheeris, does fantastic work with the look of the homes that Bodhi lives in as well as the FBI building that Utah and Pappas work at.

The sound work of Michael “Gonzo” Gandsey is superb for its mixing and layering of sounds from the way waves sound to the moments in the robberies and shootouts. The film’s music by Mark Isham is wonderful for its mixture of rock and ambient music to play into some of the excitement of the surf as well as some of the film‘s action scenes while music supervisors Sharon Boyle, Gary Goetzman, and Kathy Nelson create a wild mix of music ranging from rock and hip-hop with music from acts like Ice-T, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Concrete Blonde, Ratt, Sheryl Crow, Love, Public Image Ltd., L.A. Guns, and several others.

The casting by Sharon Bialy and Richard Pagano is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small appearances from Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Keidis, Chris Pedersen, Dave Olson, and Vincent Klyn as a surfer group that Utah suspects whom Bohdi also dislikes, Julian Reyes and Daniel Beer as a couple of fellow FBI agents, Lee Tergesen as a non-surfing friend of Bodhi in the mysterious Rosie, and Tom Sizemore in a cameo appearance as an undercover DEA agent. The trio of Bojesse Christopher, John Philbin, and James LeGros as Bodhi’s fellow surfer friends are terrific with LeGros as the real standout as the more reserved member of the group in Roach. John C. McGinley is fantastic as Utah and Pappa’s head Ben Harp as this very by-the-books leader who is also a fucking asshole who doesn’t really like Utah and Pappa over their unconventional tactics.

Lori Petty is wonderful as Tyler as an experienced surfer who is a friend of Bodhi who falls for Utah as she starts to question into what he really does. Gary Busey is marvelous as Angelo Pappas as this old-school yet eccentric FBI agent who is very unconventional in his tactics while not wanting to take shit from anyone. Keanu Reeves is brilliant as Johnny Utah as this very smart and determined FBI agent who finds himself intrigued by the world of surfing as he is unsure whether to stop a free-spirit like Bodhi or do his job where Reeves has a sense of charisma and humor to his role that makes it very engaging to watch. Finally, there’s Patrick Swayze in a remarkable performance as Bodhi as this very cool and wild man who likes to live on the edge whether it’s in surfing or doing some skydiving. It’s really one of his most iconic performances that has Swayze be the guy you can’t help but like no matter how dark he can be.

Point Break is a phenomenal film from Kathryn Bigelow that features incredible performances from Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. The film is definitely one of the most fun and thrilling films about surfing and action while not being afraid to infuse a bit of cheese in terms of the bromance between Swayze and Reeves. In the end, Point Break is a sensational film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2013

Zero Dark Thirty

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty is the story about a CIA officer who goes on a long search for Osama Bin Laden as it takes many years until he is finally captured. The film is an exploration into one of the great manhunts in American history and what it took to finally bring down the man who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks. Starring Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Edgar Ramirez, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, and James Gandolfini. Zero Dark Thirty is a haunting yet gripping film from Kathryn Bigelow.

The film is essentially the story about one of the greatest manhunts in American history concerning Osama Bin Laden as it the story spans eight years into the search for the man who orchestrated the attacks on 9/11. Leading the pack is a CIA officer named Maya (Jessica Chastain) as she arrives to Pakistan in 2003 where she witness interrogation tortures and all sorts of things while being part of a team trying to find out where Bin Laden is. Through some trials and tribulations where she sees people come and go. Maya becomes intent on finding Bin Laden after a prisoner she interrogates reveals information about a courier. It is through this courier known as Abu Ahmed where Maya believes that he is the link to finding Bin Laden where it would take some guess work and determination to finally find and kill Bin Laden.

Mark Boal’s screenplay doesn’t play to a lot of conventions in terms of what is expected in a thriller with some action as a lot of the story takes place inside embassies, interrogation rooms, and military bases. While the story does take place largely from 2003 to the night Bin Laden was finally killed in May of 2011, the narrative does jump from one year to another to establish the long work it took for Maya and many to find Bin Laden. Even as the narrative plays to key moments in history such as the London bombing in 2005, the Islamabad Marriot Hotel bombing in 2008 that Maya and her friend Jessica (Jennifer Ehle) survived, and the 2009 Camp Chapman attack.

These events as well as the departure of friends and colleagues would eventually drive the very timid and naïve Maya into a determined woman who is willing to do whatever it takes to find Bin Laden and have him killed. While she does become a target where she survives a shooting in Pakistan, she doesn’t give up easily as she becomes obsessed with finding the courier. While her determination does have those questioning whether they’ll find something or just feel like they’re wasting their time. After the first two acts approached the narrative slowly where it does like they’re not going anywhere due to false information and such. It’s the film’s third act that becomes the payoff as it’s momentum is heightened as it leads to the film’s climatic moment where a group of Navy SEALs raid Bin Laden’s compound.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way she explores a world where it is about what is happening behind the scenes where a group of American officials are trying to find out where Bin Laden is. Notably as she maintains an air of intimacy in many of the scenes that take place in the board room while it’s also tense at times due to the fact that information is unveiled or something bad is happening. While part of the film does take place in embassies and buildings where Bigelow always have a camera moving around whenever characters are walking. She always stop to create some fantastic images that includes a scene where the American embassy in Pakistan is surrounded by protestors as officials watch from the inside.

With a few second unit shots around parts of the Middle East including Kuwait, many of the film’s exteriors were shot in India including its deserts in order to not gain issues from shooting on actual locations. Yet, it does manage to present a world that doesn’t seem to enjoy the idea of Americans prying into their world. There’s some intense action scenes involving a few bombings where Bigelow knows how to stage something that is intense while the torture scenes reveal how graphic things are without going over the top. One part of the film that is really interesting is the way Bigelow opens the film where it’s just a blank screen where audio recordings of the 9/11 attacks are happening to establish why people were intent on this manhunt for Bin Laden.

For the film’s climatic raid that would unveil the death of Bin Laden, the action is definitely gripping from the use of night vision footage and hand-held cameras without being overly shaky. There’s definitely an element of suspense and terror over the fact that anything could go wrong as the soldiers themselves act very cautiously. Notably as they don’t want to kill innocent people while a few outside of the compound are aware that neighbors are looking at them. It is truly a moment in film that is just entrancing due to what will happen and its result. Overall, Bigelow creates a provocative yet captivating film about the greatest manhunt in American history.

Cinematographer Greig Fraser does brilliant work with the film‘s photography from the sunny look of some of the film‘s exteriors and interior settings to the more stylish array of lights for scenes at night including a key moment at Area 51. Editors William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor do incredible work with the editing by employing lots of methodical cuts for some of the film‘s suspense along with a few montages to display moments of news and such in some of the more chilling moments. Production designer Jeremy Hindle, along with supervising art director Rod McLean and set decorators Lisa Chugg and Onkar Khot, does amazing work with the design of the embassies and its offices to the look of the military camps.

Costume designer George L. Little does nice work with the costumes as a lot of it is casual though the officials wear suits as well as veils for the women. Visual effects supervisors Chris Harvey and Mike Uguccioni do terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects that includes the film‘s climatic raid involving the helicopters riding over the mountains. Sound designer Paul N.J. Ottosson does excellent work with the sound from the film‘s opening moments through the layers of mixing of phone taps and other intimate moments as well as the action scenes. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is superb for its low-key yet ominous orchestral score to play up the suspense and drama that occurs throughout the film while incorporating Middle Eastern music to help establish the world the characters are living in.

The casting by Mark Bennett, Richard Hicks, and Gail Stevens is fantastic for the ensemble that is created specifically for this film. In small but memorable roles, there’s Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Frank Grillo, and Taylor Kinney as the Navy SEALs who hunt down Bin Laden, Reda Kateb as a man interrogated and tortured early in the film, Fares Fares as an Arabian CIA specialist who helps track down the courier, Edgar Ramirez as a CIA specialist operator who goes on the look out for the courier in Pakistan, Harold Perrineau as a CIA official Maya works with, and James Gandolfini in a small but amazing performance as then-CIA director Leon Panetta. Kyle Chandler is excellent as Islamabad CIA chief Joseph Bradley while Mark Strong is great as CIA official George who is furious over the lack of progress.

Jennifer Ehle is amazing as Maya’s colleague Jessica who helps Maya with finding out the mysteries while being her friend as they go out together. Jason Clarke is superb as the CIA officer Dan who specializes in tortures while helping Maya out in her search as he would do unconventional things to get information. Finally, there’s Jessica Chastain in an outstanding performance as CIA officer Maya. Chastain’s performance is truly eerie to watch as a woman who starts out as this CIA officer who is new to her job as she later becomes determined and obsessed with capturing Bin Laden where she is willing to display her confidence in the belief that he is there somewhere as it’s definitely one of the year’s best performances.

Zero Dark Thirty is a magnificent yet chilling film from Kathryn Bigelow that features an incredible performance from Jessica Chastain. Armed with Mark Boal’s eerie script and a strong supporting cast that includes Jason Clarke, Jennifer Ehle, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, and James Gandolfini. The film is definitely an intriguing dramatization into what it took to find Osama Bin Laden. While it’s not an easy film to watch at times due to its unconventional structure and slow build-up. It is still a film that is compelling for the way it reveals how one person was willing to find one of the most wanted men around the world. In the end, Zero Dark Thirty is a tremendous film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2013

Near Dark

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Bigelow and Eric Red, Near Dark is the story of a young farmhand who falls for a young woman only to learn she’s a vampire as he reluctantly becomes part of a vampire cult. The film explores the world of vampires from a newborn vampire’s perspective as he struggles with this new role. Starring Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Bill Paxton, Joshua John Miller, and Tim Thomerson. Near Dark is a visually-entrancing yet chilling film from Kathryn Bigelow.

At a small town in Oklahoma, a farmhand named Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) meets a beautiful young woman named Mae (Jenny Wright) one night as he takes her on a night around the town but she insists on going home. Caleb takes her home but wants to kiss her as they do only for Caleb to be bitten in the neck as he struggles to walk home to his family where he was suddenly abducted by a group of people in a motor home. Caleb learns that Mae is a vampire as she’s part of a group of vampires led by Jesse (Lance Henriksen) as it also consists of Diamondback (Jenette Goldstein), an old man in a boy’s body named Homer (Joshua John Miller), and wild man named Severen (Bill Paxton) as they wonder whether to take Caleb in as he’s about to turn into a vampire.

Caleb tries to leave in order to return home only to realize that he needs blood as Mae gives him some of her own blood to feed on while everyone else kills people for feeding. Caleb reluctantly joins the band of drifting vampires as they keep moving from city to city to quench their appetite as they all attack a bar and burn it while Caleb almost kills a young man (James LeGros) he was trying to feed on but lets him go. This would eventually lead to trouble when the vampires stay at a motel as they’re ambushed by the police only for Caleb to save them. Just as Caleb is about to accepted, Homer comes across a young girl named Sarah (Marcie Leeds) as he tries to capture her as Caleb realizes its her sister as their father Loy (Tim Thomerson) had been trying to find Caleb. After the vampires decide to target Caleb’s family, Caleb decides to do something that would save his family from Jesse and the vampires.

The film is essentially the story of a bored farmhand from a small Oklahoma town who comes across a band of drifting vampires as he reluctantly becomes part of their group only to realize what they need to do to survive as he eventually becomes more unsure once his family is targeted. It’s a story that explores a man trying to deal with being a newborn vampire and all of its consequences as well as his feelings for this beautiful woman who is also a vampire. Yet, this woman is also reluctant about her role as she’s more willing to accept but she becomes more unsure once it involves that man’s family while the rest of the vampires are just looking for people to feed on no matter who they are.

The screenplay is a different take on the myth of the vampires by setting them in a modern time where they’re moving from place to place in order to evade the law. A lot of the film is told from the perspective of Caleb who is just this very simple farmhand who knows nothing about the world of vampires as he is forced to give into survival mode as well as realizing that he’s no longer human. Still, he wants to return home to his family as they would see him be abducted as they would play a key part in the film’s plot in their search for Caleb. This would lead to a climatic third act in which Caleb has to fight off Jesse and this band of vampires who are really unmerciful with anything they come across to.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is very stylish in terms of the presentation that she creates as she often sets her scenes at night where the look has this very entrancing visual style that is somewhat reminiscent of film noir. Particularly in setting moods that marks the arrival of the vampires and Caleb’s struggle in this new world where the vampires rule and can do whatever they want. For the daytime scenes, a lot of it is set inside whether it’s in a car or wherever they stay in order to hide from the sun. Bigelow maintains a sense of intimacy in those scenes while also creating some broad yet intense shots for scenes outside whether it’s day or night as includes some very explosive action sequences that is mixed with some dark humor. Notably as the climax is this great mix of action and suspense with a bit of the western mixed around. Overall, Bigelow creates a very exciting and engaging thriller that plays around the myth of the vampires.

Cinematographer Adam Greenberg does amazing work with the film‘s stylish photography to play out the dark mood of the film with amazing lighting schemes for many of the film‘s nighttime exterior scenes as well as police raid sequence in the day with all of those wholes as it‘s a real highlight of the film. Editor Howard E. Smith does superb work with the film‘s editing by employing lots of stylish cuts for the film‘s action and suspense scenes as well as transition wipes to help the film move at a brisk pace. Production designer Stephen Altman and art director Dian Perryman do fantastic work with the set pieces from the motor home the vampires drive in early in the film to the motel room during the police raid with all of its holes and such.

Costume designer Joseph A. Porro does some nice work with costumes as it plays to the different personalities the characters wear from the more leather-cowboy look of Severin to the more ragged look of the other vampires. Sound designer David Lewis Yewdall and sound editor R.J. Palmer do terrific work with the sound to convey the sense of horror that occurs as well as some of the film‘s intense action scenes. The film’s music score by Tangerine Dream is phenomenal for its electronic score to play out the dark mood of the film as it also features some guitars for some of the more intense scenes. The soundtrack features a wide of music from acts like John Parr, Jools Holland, the Cramps, and George Strait as most of it features in the film’s bar scene.

The casting by Karen Rea is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some small appearances by Theresa Randle as a woman in a truck, Roger Aaron Brown as a Cajun truck driver, and James LeGros as a teenage cowboy who is almost killed at the bar scene. Marcie Leeds is pretty good as Caleb’s adolescent sister Sarah who is pursued by Homer while Tim Thomerson is great as Caleb’s father Loy who goes on a search to track down his son’s abductors. Jenette Goldstein is excellent as low-key vicious Diamondhead who will always attack when unexpected while Joshua John Miller is superb as the devious childlike vampire Homer. Lance Henrikson is wonderful as the very chilling leader Jesse who ensures everything that vampires are supposed to do as he also deals with the very naïve Caleb.

Bill Paxton is amazing as the very wild Severen as Paxton brings everything to this crazed character who has no qualms about killing anybody while displaying a dark charm and sense of humor as it’s character that is truly unforgettable to watch as it’s also one of Paxton’s great performances. Jenny Wright is terrific as Mae where she brings an innocence to a character who is very dark as she goes into conflict about whether to help Caleb or the rest of the vampires. Finally, there’s Adrian Pasdar in a brilliant performance as Caleb where he displays a sense of naivete` as a man dealing with his new powers while pondering about what to do as a vampire as it’s really an engaging performance from Pasdar.

Near Dark is an outstanding vampire thriller from Kathryn Bigelow that features top-notch performances from Adrian Pasdar, Lance Henriksen, Jenny Wright, and Bill Paxton. The film is quite different from Bigelow’s more action-driven work yet it does have a lot of intensity that will entertain audiences. It’s also a film that plays true to what vampires are as it doesn’t feature mopey pussies who won’t kill or any kind of gooey love story that involves constipated werewolves. The bottom line is that Near Dark is a vampire film that is fun and action-packed that is geared to give audiences a good time as it comes from the wondrous mind of Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2012

The Hurt Locker

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/9/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker tells the story of a bomb squad working on the streets of Iraq defusing bombs during the war. Leading the team is a man who loves doing the job for the hell of it while trying to deal with the chaos surrounding him with members of his team watching him. A part war-drama, part-psychological film, it's a movie that delves into the mind of what a bomb squad goes through in defusing bombs and being a soldier at war. Starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly, and David Morse. The Hurt Locker is a mesmerizing yet haunting war drama from Kathryn Bigelow and company.

It's 2004 in Baghdad as a new member of an elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit named Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) is now part of a new group filled by Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Elridge (Brian Geraghty). With 40 days left in their tour of duty, James has already become an eccentric figure as he refuses to take orders in order to get the job done. Even as he comes across one bomb attached to another which he defuses quite well despite a bit of pressure. Though Sanborn is frustrated over James' no-frills, all thrills attitude and his willing to put himself on the line. Elridge is already going through his own problems following the death of a superior (Guy Pearce) as he is now having psychological sessions with Colonel Cambridge (Christian Camargo). James meanwhile, feels at home in the line of duty and at war as he befriends a 12-year old Iraqi kid named Beckham (Christopher Sayegh) while defusing bombs all for the hell of it.

Then when a bomb site is nearby a United Nations building, James diffuses it quite successfully except bringing lots of anxiety to his team in taking off his bomb suit and refusing to wear headphones to listen to Sanborn's orders. Impressed by James' ability to just diffuse bombs is Colonel Reed (David Morse) who is amazed over James' experience in diffusing bombs. Though James reveals to have a life at home with a wife (Evangeline Lilly) and a baby boy, he prefers to work as a bomb tech without robots and go with his gut. When he, Sanborn, and Elridge encounter a group of contractors led by its leader (Ralph Fiennes), they are ambushed by a group of Iraqi militia where things get tense as Sanborn and Elridge with James' help manages to diffuse the situation. While it was a great day for the three as they all got drunk and beat each other up for fun, it was like all three men has finally clicked. With the days winding down, some traumatic events occur for all three that would shape their minds. With James getting more personal and even putting his own team in danger, everything would crash down for the three men with James starting to unravel over his life as a soldier and at home.

Films about the Iraq war in recent years has been filled with a lot of overwrought melodrama despite its noble intentions to reveal the horrors of war and in the injustice soldiers have to face. What makes this film very different is that it's about three men just doing their job as they all face their own personal turmoil inside of themselves. Of those three, it's William James that is the most compelling as he's a man that loves to take risks in order to get the job done and diffuse situations. Yet, he's also reckless, refusing to take orders, and is always on an adrenaline rush. James is a loose cannon but does have a compassionate side when he befriends an Iraqi kid who sells him DVDs and plays soccer with him though he has a hard time being that person at home despite his noble efforts.

Screenwriter Mark Boal does a superb job in creating a unique structure to the story which begins with a scene involving a bomb about to be diffused by the previous bomb tech. The first act is about Staff Sgt. James arrival to the unit while proving to be a unique figure to his team like the by-the-book Sgt. Sanborn and the young, insecure Specialist Elridge. Both of whom each are given some development and insight into their own characters with Sanborn trying to be in control while Elridge is haunted by his own issues where in some intense moments, he's comforted by James. Boal's screenplay is well-structured in not just introducing the character but providing a strong second act for the characters to finally bond and click with each other while the third act would unveil some harsh truths and situations involving the main three characters.

While Boal's script does manage to delve into the psychological elements of what is going on in battle and in diffusing a bomb along with the soldier's experience. It's Kathryn Bigelow's direction that is really the highlight of the film. Bigelow's engaging approach to the film by getting inside the battlefield, inside the action, and all of the drama that goes on is really what sets this film apart from not just the Iraq war films that came before in the past few years is that it's not melodramatic. At the same time, it is not very stylized, not filled with lots of CGI creations, or anything that is sprawling in its action scenes. Instead, it goes deep into the action with gun battles, explosions, and the tension that goes in diffusing a bomb while the soldiers have to look out to see if the enemy is watching. Utilizing a hand-held approach to the camera work in capturing all of the action and intensity. Bigelow's direction is truly remarkable in just being real, to-the-point, and not overglazing it with fast action, bloated scenery, or lifeless spectacles.

Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd does amazing work with the film's gritty, hand-held photography with elements of grainy shots in some of the nighttime scenes with little light. The action scenes are filled with close-ups of the action with camera blurs to emphasize a point-of-view shot from a sniper. Ackroyd's cinematography is exhilarating in its realism and in not being over-stylized. Editors Chris Innis and Bob Murawski do excellent work in the film's editing in providing some nice jump-cuts for some rhythmic editing along with rhythms to play up to the tension that is going in scenes where bombs are diffused or in the action. While it has a running time of nearly two-hours and fifteen minutes, it does have the feeling or pacing approach of a film that long which is brilliant as Innis and Murawski do some masterful work in the editing.

Production designer Karl Juliusson, along with set decorator Amin Charif El Masri and art director David Bryan, does fine work in the creation of bases and camps that the soldiers live in along with the designs of the bombs and devices. Costume designer George L. Little does good work in the design of the bomb suit that Jeremy Renner wears in order to unveil all of the detail of what bomb technicians have to wear. Sound designer/editor Paul N.J. Ottosson does spectacular work with the film's sound work in its action sequences and moments of suspense to add tension to all that is going on. Music composers Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders provide an excellent score with haunting arrangements from strings and drums to provide the tension and drama that is going on in the war scenes. For the film's soundtrack, three tracks are provided from the legendary industrial-metal band Ministry from their Rio Grande Blood album as it serves as amazing accompaniment for James' state of mind.

The casting by Mark Bennett is superb with appearances from Lost's Evangeline Lilly as Staff Sgt. James' wife, Hasan Darwish as a DVD vendor, Nabil Koni as a professor William visits, and Christopher Sayegh as Beckham, the boy Staff Sgt. James befriends. Christian Camargo is very good as Elridge's psychologist who may know what soldiers go through but has little experience in what goes on when they're on the battlefield. Making appearances in some very small roles include Guy Pearce as a bomb tech, David Morse as a lively colonel, and Ralph Fiennes as a British contractor carrying a sniper rifle. Brian Geraghty is excellent as Elridge, a young soldier who is dealing with the horrors of war as he tries to cope with it the best he can do. Anthony Mackie is superb as Sgt. Sanborn, the straight man of the story as he is the man who does things by the book while trying to deal with James' reckless persona as well as his own horrors about life after war.

Finally, there's Jeremy Renner in what is truly a remarkable performance. In the role of Staff Sgt. William James, Renner displays a swagger and nonchalant attitude to his character as a man who loves his job and is willing to take all the risks. While he has a compassionate side to him, Renner displays all of the conflict his character has to go through when he knows he has to go home. Yet, he couldn't help but be on an adrenaline rush when he knows that there's something wrong and he wants to go out there and fight. It's truly a star-making performance for the actor who has been famous for supporting roles and small parts as he's now an actor to watch out for.

The Hurt Locker is a sensational film from Kathryn Bigelow thanks to an amazing performance from Jeremy Renner. In an era of heavy-handed, melodramatic war films that does nothing but rally around a political message along with action films that are all spectacles and no sense of what is happening. This is the film that corrects all of those things in what is expected from their genres. Fans of smart action films and war films will no doubt enjoy this film for its sheer realism and ideas of what soldiers have to go through. For director Kathryn Bigelow, this film is truly her best work to date while it may not be as entertaining as Point Break or Strange Days. Yet, in a genre that's dominated by men helming action features. This film proves that not only can she do a great action film. It also proves that she's better than the guys in creating great explosions and action scenes. In the end, for a film that is smart, entertaining, and filled with great action sequences. The Hurt Locker is the film to go see.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - The Weight of Water - K-19: The Widowmaker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

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