Directed by Irvin Kershner and screenplay by John Carpenter and David Zelag Goodman from a story by John Carpenter, Eyes of Laura Mars is the story of a fashion photographer who is known for shooting violent images starts to see things through the eyes of a killer. The film is a suspense-thriller that play into the mind of a woman who is dealing with what she is seeing as her own life starts to unravel. Starring Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, Raul Julia, Michael Tucker, and Rene Auberjonois. Eyes of Laura Mars is a thrilling but underwhelming film from Irvin Kershner.
A controversial yet revered fashion photographer known for creating macabre images in her work finds herself seeing murders happening through the eyes of a killer who are targeting those that she knows. With the help of a detective, she would try and find the killer while falling for the man who is protecting her. It’s a premise that is intriguing and simple yet it would fall apart due to its screenplay as would play into the things that the titular character (Faye Dunaway) would see as there are suspects on who could be the killer. The script unfortunately doesn’t do enough to maintain that intrigue where the audience can get an idea on who it might be while there is also this love story between Laura Mars and the detective Lieutenant John Neville (Tommy Lee Jones) that occurs in the middle of the film that feels tacked on and brings a lot of ideas about who is killing her as he is first introduced at one of her galleries criticizing her work to her unaware of who she is.
Irvin Kershner’s direction does have its moments in terms of the visuals and establishing the locations into what Laura sees through her strange psychic visions. Shot on location in New York City and parts of New Jersey, Kershner’s direction does have some unique compositions such as the photoshoots that Laura creates with some unique wide and medium shots along with the usage of close-ups to play into the visions that she sees. There are some visual tricks that Kershner would use to play into Laura’s visions that are blurry as it plays from the point-of-view of the killer yet it becomes repetitive as the story progresses. The film’s screenplay definitely hinders Kershner’s approach to the suspense as it includes a third act where Lt. Neville finds a suspect but had also fallen for Laura which complicates things as it tries to be thrilling but it doesn’t do enough to be ambiguous. Even in the reveal where it doesn’t have the impact it should’ve had as it is over-the-top and ridiculous that includes a monologue that reveals too much. Overall, Kershner crafts a film that starts off well only to fumble big time in its second half in a half-baked film about a woman who sees murders through the eyes of a killer.
Cinematographer Victor J. Kemper does excellent work with the cinematography to play into some of the visuals in the way the gallery looks along with some of the exteriors for scenes set in the day and night. Editor Michael Kahn does nice work with the editing as it does have bits of style to play into the suspense with its cuts of what Laura sees from the killer’s point of view. Production designer Gene Callahan, with set decorator John Godfrey and art director Robert Gundlach, does fantastic work with the look of the gallery as well as Laura’s home and the studio where she does some of her photo shoots.
Costume designer Theoni V. Alderedge does brilliant work with the costumes in the clothes that Laura wears along with the models and her friends wear. Sound editor Charles L. Campbell does terrific work with the sound as it does play into the atmosphere of the suspense including scenes in some of the film’s locations. The film’s music by Artie Kane is good for its orchestral score that play into the film’s suspense and drama while music supervisor Charles Koppelman provides a fun soundtrack that is filled with some disco music but also a lame and overwrought love ballad sung by Barbra Streisand.
The film’s superb cast include some notable small roles and appearances from Michael Tucker as an associate of Mars in Bert, Lisa Taylor and Darlanne Fluegel as a couple of models of Mars in their respective roles as Michelle and Lulu, Meg Mundy as a friend of Mars in Doris Spenser, Rose Gregorio as another friend of Mars in Elaine, and Frank Adonis as a detective who helps Lt. Neville in the case in Sal Volpe. Raul Julia is terrific in a brief yet memorable performance as Mars’ ex-husband Michael Reisler as a man who is an initial suspect of the murders though he had been dating one of Mars’ friends and is dealing with failure of his work as a writer. Rene Auberjonois is fantastic as the flamboyant Donald Phelps as a friend of Mars who also handles her business as well as try to figure out how to deal with the presence of the killer.
Brad Dourif is superb as Tommy as Mars’ driver who definitely has the look of being a suspect as he is someone that doesn’t like Phelps while always carrying a knife as he has the many obvious traits in being the killer. Tommy Lee Jones is pretty good in the film whenever he’s being charming and cunning in the role of the Lt. John Neville yet it is the moments where Neville and Mars fall for each other that doesn’t work as Jones is just miscast as the romantic. Finally, there’s Faye Dunaway in an excellent performance as the titular character as it’s a performance that has Dunaway display the anguish and fear of what she’s seeing though there’s moments that the script doesn’t do her any favors where she doesn’t do enough to break out of the conventions of suspense while she and Jones don’t really have any chemistry in the romantic scenes.
Despite its ensemble cast, some gorgeous visuals, and an intriguing premise, Eyes of Laura Mars is a film that starts off well only to falter by its conventions in the genre and not enough trust into unveiling the killer in the end. Even as its attempt to be this giallo-inspired film from someone like John Carpenter who understands the genre only to have his script play into cheap scares and a stupid ending. In the end, Eyes of Laura Mars is just a hackneyed and disappointing film from Irvin Kershner.
© thevoid99 2018
Written, directed, and narrated by Woody Allen, Radio Days is about the life of an American family during the Golden Age of Radio where a man recalls his childhood during the late 1930s. The film explores the world of nostalgia and childhood innocence as it plays to a period in time when people gathered to find an escape from their dreary lives. Also starring Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Seth Green, Michael Tucker, Tony Roberts, Julie Kavner, Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, and a special appearance from Diane Keaton. Radio Days is a ravishing yet heartfelt film from Woody Allen.
The film is about a man named Joe recalling his life as a child (Seth Green) in the late 1930s and early 1940s during the Golden Age of Radio. Notably as he thinks about a time when families gathered to listen to the radio for different programs as he was one of those families living in Rockaway Beach in New Jersey with his parents (Michael Tucker and Julie Kavner) and relatives including his aunt Bea (Dianne Wiest). During these years, young Joe would go through many moments in his life impacted by the radio including the attacks on Pearl Harbor and all sorts of things while the older Joe would also talk about the tumultuous life of a woman named Sally White (Mia Farrow) who would eventually become a star in the radio.
Woody Allen’s screenplay is told in a reflective manner as he does the voice of the older Joe as a man who is fascinated by that period when he was a kid. Notably as he recalls the many different programs the people in his family listen to whether it’s sports, soap operas, or comedies that they listen to while Joe’s favorite program is the Masked Avenger. Allen moves the narrative back-and-forth from Joe’s childhood adventures to the story of Sally White as she goes from working at a nightclub to becoming a radio star in the span of a few years. Both narratives would play into major developments where Joe would deal with a lot of the changes in his life as would Sally who starts off as this dim-witted woman into an actress of the radio.
Allen’s direction definitely recalls some of the visual ideas but also the sensibility of Federico Fellini. Notably in capturing the idea of nostalgia and the innocence of youth as it is told from the perspective of a man thinking about a special moment in time. A lot of contains moments of great humor including a scene where young Joe and some friends try to look for Nazi planes and U-boats only to get a glimpse at a naked woman. There’s also moments where there’s some suspense but also in a comical moment involving Sally and a mob hitman (Danny Aiello) where she witnesses a murder as she pleas to not kill her where a lot of sweet moments happen. There’s also a sequence involving a moment of tragedy through the radio where it would play into an entire family coming together despite all of their dysfunctional aspects.
It all plays to something that Allen wanted to recapture in that period where people gathered to listen to something and talk about with friends and family. Especially in a period where technology was primitive and wasn’t as distracting. There’s a sadness that is prevalent in Allen’s narration over the fact that everything he’s telling are based on what his character remembers as it plays into that moment that will never be replicated. Even in scenes set in New York City where it is grand and full of life that carries a similarity to the moment Joe’s family are in this little house as they’re also having fun. Overall, Allen creates a very majestic and exhilarating film about nostalgia and the innocence of childhood.
Cinematographer Carlo Di Palma does fantastic work with the film‘s gorgeous cinematography from many of the colorless yet vibrant cinematography of the New Jersey exteriors to more exquisite lighting schemes for some of the posh interior settings. Editor Susan E. Morse does brilliant work with the editing to find ways to help the narrative move back and forth while using some rhythmic cuts to play out its humor. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with art director Speed Hopkins and set decorators Carol Joffe, Leslie Bloom, and George DeTitta Jr., does fabulous work with the set pieces from the cramped intimacy of Joe’s home as well as the look of Rockaway Beach, New Jersey to some scenes in New York City including the nightclub rooftop.
Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland does excellent work with the costumes to create that period in time from the fashionable clothes that Bea wears to the many different dresses that Sally wears. Sound editor Robert Hein does terrific work with the sound to create layers of mixing for the way the radio sounds from its soundstage to the people listening to it. Music supervisor Dick Hyman creates a very dazzling soundtrack that features a lot of the music of the times from Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and many others.
The casting by Juliet Taylor is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from William H. Macy as a radio actor, Todd Field as a crooner, Don Pardo and Tony Roberts as radio hosts, Wallace Shawn as the voice of the Masked Avenger, Kenneth Mars as Joe’s rabbi, Larry David as a Communist neighbor, Jeff Daniels as revered radio actor Biff Baxter, Danny Aiello as mob hitman Rocco, Sydney Blake as the naked woman Joe and his friends saw, and Diane Keaton as the New Year’s Eve singer in the film’s final moments. Other notable performances include Zero Mostel as Joe’s uncle Abe, Renee Lipin as his aunt Ceil, Leah Carey and William Magerman as Joe’s grandparents, and Dianne Wiest in a wonderful performance as the dreamy Aunt Bea who is always searching for love.
Michael Tucker and Julie Kavner are great as Joe’s parents as a couple who often bicker towards each other as they also love each other no matter how much they get on each other’s nerves. Seth Green is excellent as the young Joe as a kid who is amazed by his surroundings as Green brings a sense of charm and energy to his role. Finally, there’s Mia Farrow in a remarkable performance as Sally White as an aspiring actress who starts at the bottom being a mistress for a radio star to finally becoming one as Farrow brings a lot of humor and strange voice accents to her character.
Radio Days is a magnificent film from Woody Allen. Armed with a great cast and an engaging yet touching theme on nostalgia, it is a film that is definitely one of Allen’s most entertaining and heartfelt films. Notably as it showcases a place in time where the radio brought people together. In the end, Radio Days is a triumphant film from Woody Allen.
Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money & Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows & Fog - Husbands & Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Don’t Drink the Water - Bullets Over Broadway - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)
The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4
© thevoid99 2013
