A Knight's Tale

Based on the story The Knight’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer, A Knight’s Tale is the story of a squire who decides to become a knight as he becomes a hero to the people while gaining the ire of a tournament champion. Written for the screen and directed by Brian Helgeland, the film plays into a young who comes from nothing and becomes a champion with the help of other peasants as well as those who are from the world of nobility. Starring Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossaman, Alan Tudyk, Laura Fraser, Berenice Bejo, James Purefoy, and Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer. A Knight’s Tale is a gloriously entertaining and engaging film from Brian Helgeland.

The film revolves a young squire who decides to become a knight following the death of his master as he’s aided by a couple of friends in his quest to become a champion despite not being connected to any kind of nobility. With the aid of a broke and naked Geoffrey Chaucer and female blacksmith in Kate (Laura Fraser), William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) would find his way to climb up the ranks as tournament champion while hoping to defeat the great champion Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) and win the heart of a noblewoman in Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossaman). While it’s a story that is quite simple, Brian Helgeland creates something that manages to be universal in this young man who was born a peasant squire who does these joust tournaments and becomes a champion of the people.

Helgeland’s script plays into William’s determination to become a knight in the hopes that he can get out of his hardened upbringing and go for something more. Yet, he would share it with his friends as well as intrigue Jocelyn who sees him as someone that is very different from the knights that often court her. To the film’s antagonist in Count Adhemar, he sees William as someone that doesn’t play by the rules nor is someone that behaves a certain way as his jousting style is one that Ademar replies as no style at all. It adds to this conflict of sorts of old world ideals vs. new world ideals as William represents the latter in his pseudonym Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland.

Helgeland’s direction is filled with not just an air of simplicity in the compositions but also something that is very offbeat in the way he fuses 20th/21st Century ideas into the film such as music and product placement logos. Notably as Helgeland discards the idea of anachronisms in scenes where songs by Queen or David Bowie are played in parties or jousting events as it makes sense in the scenes he creates. Many of the compositions in wide and medium shots play into the many locations set in the film as much of it is shot in the Czech Republic near Prague. Helgeland’s usage of close-ups add to some of the drama as well as the humor including some scenes where William looks back into his life as a child and the dreams that are instilled in him wanting to make his own destiny. Even as it plays into that determination of a man from a poor background giving people from his world hope in becoming champion as well as defying the odds. Overall, Helgeland creates a riveting and exciting film about a poor squire who becomes a champion for the people.

Cinematographer Richard Greatrex does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with some naturalistic lighting for some of the daytime exterior scenes while creating some unique lighting schemes and moods for scenes set at night. Editor Kevin Stitt does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts, montages, and dissolves to play into some of the action and humor in the film. Production designer Tony Burrough, with set decorators Dominic Smithers and Jiri Zureck and art directors John Hill and Grant Armstrong, does amazing work with the set pieces from the jousting arenas and castle halls as well as the tents in that period of medieval times. Costume designer Caroline Harris does fantastic work with the costumes from the gowns that the noblewomen wear including the dazzling clothes of Jocelyn to the armors and robes the knights wore.

Hair/makeup artist Pebbles does nice work with some of the designs for Jocelyn‘s hairstyle and some of the makeup she would wear. Visual effects supervisor Tim Burke does terrific work with the minimal visual effects that include a few set dressing scenery including one shot of the old London Bridge. Sound editor Jon Johnson does superb work with the sound from the way the spears sound against the armor to the sounds of swords clanging. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral flourishes and folk pieces to play into the periods of the time as it is mixed in with late 20th Century music from Queen, David Bowie, War, Thin Lizzy, Rare Earth, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Sly and the Family Stone, AC/DC, and Eric Clapton.

The casting by Francine Maisler is phenomenal as it features some notable small roles from Steven O’Donnell and Jonathan Slinger as men Chaucer owes money to, Nick Brimble as William’s old master Sir Ector, Leagh Conwell as the young William, Christopher Cazenove as William’s father who encouraged him to go after his dreams, Scott Handy as Adhemar’s assistant, and James Purefoy as the knight Sir Colville whom William befriends. Berenice Bejo is wonderful as Jocelyn’s lady-in-waiting Christiana who would be Jocelyn’s conscience and liaison. Laura Fraser is terrific as William’s blacksmith who would create a new armor for him while showing him how to dance with a woman for a ball. Alan Tudyk is fantastic as William’s friend Wat as this very tempered squire that always throw a fit while hoping to eat again. Mark Addy is excellent as Roland as another of William’s friend who is also a squire as he is also a conscience of sorts for William.

Paul Bettany is brilliant as Geoffrey Chaucer as a writer who becomes William’s herald as well as speak for him before the matches where Bettany also provides humor from the way he’s introduced as he’s walking on the road completely naked. Shannyn Sossaman is amazing as Jocelyn as a noblewoman who copes with her status and being seen as a prize until she meets William and realizes that he just cares about her as an equal as it’s a very delightful performance to watch. Rufus Sewell is incredible as Count Adhemar as jousting champion and nobleman who tries to woo Jocelyn while dealing with William’s presence which he sees as a threat as he’s a fun antagonist to watch. Finally, there’s Heath Ledger in a spectacular performance as William Thatcher as a young peasant squire who dreams of becoming a knight as he seizes the chance to become one while trying to do what is right as well as be humble as it’s one of Ledger’s definitive performances.

A Knight’s Tale is a remarkable film from Brian Helgeland that features a phenomenal performance from the late Heath Ledger. Along with a strong ensemble, a compelling story, and a fun soundtrack. It’s a film that manages to be a story that is entertaining with characters audiences can care for. In the end, A Knight’s Tale is a sensational film from Brian Helgeland.

Brian Helgeland Films: (Payback) - (The Order (2003 film) - (42) - Legend (2015 film)

© thevoid99 2016

Barney's Version

Based on the novel by Mordecai Richler, Barney’s Version is the story of a man telling his own life story that includes three marriages where it also involves the disappearance of his best friend. Directed by Richard J. Lewis and adapted into script by Michael Konyves, the film explores a man’s life through different time periods as he tries to recall what happened in those years. Starring Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, Rachelle Leferve, Bruce Greenwood, Scott Speedman, and Dustin Hoffman. Barney’s Version is a charming yet mesmerizing film from Richard J. Lewis.

TV producer Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti) has just learned a book about his life and his involvement in the disappearance of his best friend/novelist Bernard “Boogie” Moskovitch (Scott Speedman) had just came out. Going into his favorite bar in Montreal, Barney deals with retired police investigator O’Hearne (Mark Addy) who remains convinced that Barney killed Boogie. For Barney, he recalls about his life dating back to the early 70s when he and Boogie were in Rome as Barney was to marry a young hippie woman named Clara (Rachelle Laferve) whom he had just impregnated. Things got crazy when Clara turns out not to be the person she claims to be as he returns to Montreal to work for his uncle in the TV business where he would meet the woman (Minnie Driver) who would become his second wife.

After meeting her more uptight and wealthy family and introduce his father Izzy (Dustin Hoffman) to her family, Barney seems to be ready for another marriage he realizes he’s not in love with this woman. At the wedding, Barney sees a woman named Miriam (Rosamund Pike) as he falls for her as they briefly meet as she returns to New York City. Stuck in a horrible marriage with his second wife, Barney takes the strung-out Boogie to a weekend in the cabin where the wife also shows up. The weekend turns out to be a disaster as Barney is hung up on Miriam as he seeks advice from his father. After a drunken argument with Boogie that would lead to Boogie’s disappearance, Barney tries to deal with what happened as he gets divorced and then pursues Miriam as the two fall in love, get married, and gain two kids in Michael (Jake Hoffman) and Kate (Anna Hopkins).

During a trip to the country, Barney meets a man named Blair (Bruce Greenwood) who would eventually get Miriam a job working at a radio station interviewing authors including Barney’s old friend Leo (Thomas Trabacchi). Barney becomes suspicious of Miriam’s friendship with Blair as she goes away to visit Jake in New York where he would endure loss as well as his own screw-up. Just as the continuing investigation of Boogie’s death some more than 30 years after it happened, Barney tries to come to terms with everything he had dealt with in his life.

The film explores a man’s life as he recalls his memories of the past 35 years of his life as he would be married to three different women where his third wife would be the love of his life. Also told is a man’s friendship with a strung-out writer who is trying to catch a break where he would suddenly disappear leading to all sorts of questions. All of this told via long flashback sequences as an aging Barney deals with the past following the release of a new book about what happened on that day as he comes to terms with loss and everything else he’s dealt with. Michael Konyves’ script revolves around that narrative structure where it moves back and forth from the past to the present to dwell into Barney Panofsky’s life.

The script reveals Barney as a guy who is willing to fall in love with any kind of woman as he deals with the heartbreak over his first marriage that involves a lies and horrifying circumstances. In his second marriage, he thought he would find someone to be with only to find out that his second wife is a vapid and greedy woman who comes from a rich family as she turns out to be demanding. Notably as she would play part into the disappearance of his best friend Boogie who was in need of help due to his own substance abuse. Then there’s Miriam, the love of his life as she is a woman that represents everything Barney wants and more. She is kind, unselfish, and intelligent as she is also her own woman who doesn’t fall for Barney immediately but she is this woman that would ground and care for him.

Another relationship that is key to the film is Barney’s relationship with his father Israel who is also called Izzy. Izzy is a guy who provides a lot of humor to the film while hoping to get laid as he has already lost his wife. Yet, he would be the one person to guide Barney into the tribulations of his life until the third act when he’s not around and Barney becomes lost leading to a breakdown of his marriage as well as his entire life. While the third act is a bit drawn out than it should’ve been as it would also involve a very dramatic plot device. The script is still superb for the way it fleshes out its characters as well as playing to its narrative structure.

Richard J. Lewis’ direction is superb for the way it explores the drama as it includes some great scenes where Lewis would have the actors be placed into a frame or how he would direct a key dramatic moment without going overboard. With a lot of the film set in Canada along with a few scenes in Rome, Lewis manages to invest into getting inside this man’s life. While a lot of the direction is straightforward, it is still engaging in these subtle dramatic moments such as Barney and Izzy’s visit to the grave of Barney’s mother where it would also involve some light-humorous moments. Overall, Lewis creates a very solid and dramatic film tracing a man’s life and the loves he had in his life.

Cinematographer Guy Dufaux does an excellent job with the film‘s stylish cinematography from the lush look of Rome to the more straightforward yet entrancing exteriors for the nighttime scenes in Montreal. Editor Susan Shipton does a nice job with the editing as she emphasize in mostly straightforward cuts to play up the film’s drama and humor. Production designer Claude Pare, along with set decorator Elise de Blois and art director Michele Laliberte, does an incredible job with the set pieces such as the posh apartment that Barney and Miriam lived in to the quaint cabin Barney owns in the Canadian countryside. Costume designer Nicoletta Massone does a fantastic job with the costumes to play up the different periods of the time from the hippie clothing of Barney’s first wife Carla to the more calm yet stylish clothing of Miriam.

The film’s makeup by Adrien Mort and Micheline Trepanier is superb for the way the characters age without making it too fake. Visual effects supervisor Louis Morin does a good job with some of the minor visual effects for backdrops of 1970s NYC and other location spots. Sound editor Fred Brennan does a terrific job with the sound work from the raucous atmosphere of the 2nd wedding and bar scenes to the intimate moments involving Barney and Miriam. The film’s music by Pasquale Catalano is wonderful for its plaintive piano pieces to swelling orchestral cuts to play up the drama that occurs in the film. Additional music pieces include songs ranging from 60s rock and 70s disco along with cuts by Dusty Springfield and Leonard Cohen.

The casting by Deirdre Bowen, Pam Dixon, and Nina Gold is truly the film’s highlight for the ensemble that is created for the film. Among the people who make appearances for the film include filmmakers Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg as a couple of TV show directors plus Denys Arcand as a waiter, Ted Kotcheff as a train conductor, and Paul Gross as an actor on Barney’s TV show. Other notable supporting roles include Macha Grenon as an aging actress on Barney’s TV show, Harvey Atkin as Barney’s disapproving second father-in-law, Saul Rubinek as Barney’s cruel first father-in-law, Cle Bennett and Thomas Trabacchi in their respective roles as two of Barney’s longtime friends Cedric and Leo, Paula Jean Hixson as the bartender at the bar Barney frequents at, and Mark Addy as the pushy detective O’Heare.

Jake Hoffman and Anna Hopkins are very good in their respective roles as Barney’s adult children Michael and Kate while Bruce Greenwood is excellent as the very nice Blair whom Barney feels annoyed by. Rachelle Leferve is very good as Barney’s unstable yet artistic first wife Clara while Minnie Driver is very funny as the loud and demanding unnamed second wife. Scott Speedman is terrific as Barney’s strung-out yet creative best friend Boogie who helps Barney deal with the second marriage while resenting him for things he had. Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as Barney’s father Izzy who says some very funny things while being the caring father that Barney needs including a moment when Barney is in big trouble.

Rosamund Pike gives what is truly a mesmerizing and radiant performance as Barney’s third wife Miriam. Pike delivers a sense of grace and charm to a woman who is befuddled by Barney’s attempts to win her affections while her strongest moments are in the more dramatic moments where she displays an amazing sense of restraint to act out these emotive moments. Finally, there’s Paul Giamatti in an absolutely powerful performance as Barney Panofsky. Giamatti brings a lot of wit and humility to a character that wears his heart on his sleeve as he looks for love and happiness only to either find it in the wrong places or to become desperate when he feels alone. It’s a performance that allows Giamatti to be the romantic as his scenes with Pike are truly magical to watch in the way they care for each other including a key dramatic moment when no dialogue was really needed.

Barney’s Version is a remarkable film from Richard J. Lewis that features outstanding performances from Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, and Dustin Hoffman. While it’s a film that is a bit flawed and at times, feels overlong due to the overdrawn third act. It is still very engaging in its exploration of a man’s loss and desire to find love. In the end, Barney’s Version is a wonderful film from Richard J. Lewis.

© thevoid99 2012

Red Riding: 1983

Based on David Peace’s Red Riding Quartet novel about the Yorkshire Ripper murders, Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1983 is the concluding film of a trilogy of films about the Yorkshire Ripper murder mysteries. Directed by Anand Tucker with a script by Tony Grisoni, the third film is about a superintendent whose guilt finally haunts him as he tries to solve the crime with help of a public solicitor whose father was part of the corruption within the police. In turn, the two men realize who the real killer is and why was the police and local businessmen were covering it up. Starring Mark Addy, Robert Sheehan, Daniel Mays, Peter Mullan, and David Morrissey. Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1983 is a powerful yet exhilarating film from Anand Tucker.

It’s 1983 as a young girl named Hazel Atkins (Tasmin Mitchell) has disappeared with everyone in Yorkshire realizing it’s happening again. The pressure is on police superintendent Maurice Jobson (David Morrissey) as he and Dick Alderman begin the investigation as they turn to a medium (Saskia Reeves) for help. Realizing that the medium has garnered information concerning the previous crimes as Jobson begins to reflect on memories about the early investigation that involved John Dawson (Sean Bean) who was part of a group of businessman and local officials to create a shopping center where everyone profits.

Meanwhile, John Piggott (Mark Addy) returns home following the funeral of his mother as he is asked by Mrs. Myshkin (Beatrice Kelley) to be a solicitor for her son Michael (Daniel Mays) who remains jailed for the 1974 crimes. Piggott reluctantly does so as a favor only to learn that Michael was forced to claim he did the crimes as he searches for more information about those early murders. When Leonard Cole (Gerard Kearns) is accused of the disappearance of Hazel Atkins, Piggott is asked to represent him only to find something bad has happened as he meets Jobson about Kearns. Jobson remains haunted by his past deeds as he is aware of who really committed the murders as he turns to the medium realizing that his superiors want him to do nothing.

With Piggott trying to solve the mystery of who killed the girls and Jobson dealing with his own guilt. BJ (Robert Sheehan) is released from jail as he reflects on the events that had happened as it leads to a climax as all three men make a discovery of who killed those girls.

For this concluding film of the trilogy about the Yorkshire Ripper murders, screenwriter Tony Grisoni and director Anand Tucker create a film that is about redemption in the form of one of the trilogy’s central characters in Maurice Jobson. Jobson’s guilt in playing the role of a man realizing that he could’ve stopped everything but couldn’t because he is an investor to a businessman who has connections with the killer. Then there’s John Piggott, a useless lawyer who isn’t the kind of man that could be a hero becomes the one person who realizes there’s some loose ends as he tries to save a man’s life. Finally, there’s the male hooker BJ who returns as his role is truly revealed in connection with what happened. Grisoni’s screenplay is very multi-layered story filled with multiple narratives and flashbacks where it takes everything in the previous films right back for a fitting conclusion.

Tucker’s direction is truly hypnotic as he shoots the film with the Red One digital camera for a 2:35:1 theatrical aspect ratio that is mixed in with grainy camera work for BJ’s flashback scenes. Mixed in with stock footage and footage from the previous films, Tucker creates a film that is partially based on memories but also allow characters to use the past as motivation for finding the truth. Eventually, it leads to a harrowing climax as everything comes together. Filled with amazing camera work with a mixture of hand-held and tracking shots, Tucker’s direction is very engaging as he creates a solid yet chilling film.

Cinematographer David Higgs does a great job with the de-saturated look of the film with heightened colors for many of the film‘s exterior and interior scenes in the day time. Even with the flashbacks to create something more heightened with dark shadows and light to complement the tone of the film as well as Jobson‘s sense of moral conflict. Editor Trevor Waite does a fantastic job with the editing in creating seamless transitions towards the flashback scenes and 1983 scenes along with rhythmic cuts to present the intensity of conversations with some of its principle characters.

Production designer Alison Dominitz, along with set decorator Alex Marden and art director Katie MacGregor, does an excellent job with the difference of the two periods of 1974 with the look of cars and objects to decayed home of John Piggott in 1983. Costume designer Caroline Harris does a wonderful job with the costumes from the clothing of the 1970s to the more weary yet simpler look of 1983. Sound editor James Harrison does a very good job with the sound from the hollow world of the council rooms to the stark silence of the poor Yorkshire apartments. The music by Barrington Pheloung is very low-key with its orchestral score to play up the drama and suspense of the film. The rest of the soundtrack is dominated by 60s-70s soul music to accompany the emotions of John Piggott.

The casting by Nina Gold is phenomenal as she creates an ensemble that features players from the previous films and the addition of newer ones for the final part of the trilogy. Making small but memorable appearances from previous episodes include John Henshaw, Andrew Garfield, Cara Seymour, Sean Harris, Tony Mooney, and Tony Pitts. Other notable small roles include Michelle Dockery as a former journalist, Gerard Kearns as Leonard Cole, Jim Carter as Harold Angus, Shaun Dooley as Dick Alderman, Chris Walker as Jim Prentice, and Warren Clarke as the slimy Bill Molloy. In other notable supporting roles, there’s Beatrice Kelley as Mrs. Myshkin, Daniel Mays as the mentally-challenged Michael Myshkin, Catherine Tyldesley as Leonard’s girlfriend Tessa, Tasmin Mitchell as the missing girl Hazel, and Saskia Reeves as the medium Jobson turns to for help.

Peter Mullan is great as the quiet but secretive Reverend Laws who has a very strong way to influence people while Sean Bean is superb in an appearance as the deceitful John Dawson. Robert Sheehan is very good as the male prostitute BJ who brings some narration to reflect his own experiences with the Yorkshire murders as well as having a connection with the killer. Mark Addy is brilliant as John Piggott, a solicitor who gets a chance to uncover the truth realizing the corruption that has surrounded the case including the fact that his father was part of that corruption. Finally, there’s David Morrissey in a phenomenal role as Maurice Jobson. Morrissey brings a chilling performance as a man consumed by guilt as he tries to redeem himself for the things he let happen.

Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1983 is a fantastic film from Anand Tucker that features superb performances from David Morrissey and Mark Addy. For a film on its own, it’s a remarkable one that has suspense and drama. In comparison to its predecessors, it is a fitting conclusion that finally allows the first two films to fill in gaps that were supposedly lost. In the end, Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1983 is a mesmerizing film from Anand Tucker.

Red Riding Trilogy: Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 - Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980

© thevoid99 2011