Goodfellas

Based on the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas is the story of mob associate Henry Hill who is part of a crew as they would rise high and later fall low once he gets himself in trouble and become a target by his own crew. Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by Scorsese and Pileggi, the film is a dramatization of Hill’s life as he lived a life of luxury as part of the mob while watching his world fall apart through his own faults and everything else as he is portrayed by Ray Liotta. Also starring Robert de Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Sorvino. Goodfellas is an exhilarating and wild film from Martin Scorsese.

Spanning nearly three decades, the film follows the life of a young man who becomes an associate for a mob boss doing small things and later rising up the ranks as a wise guy where he gets involved with a lot of things and live a nice life only to fall big through his own faults and other activities. It’s a film with a simple rise-and-fall scenario from screenwriters Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi where Henry Hill was this teenager who is fascinated by the local mob in his neighborhood as he offers to help them and manages to win their respect and trust. The script is largely told from Hill’s perspective as he worked for the mob boss Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino) and later befriends a truck hijacker in Jimmy Conway (Robert de Niro) and a fellow juvenile delinquent in Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). The first act is about Hill’s young life as he would befriend Cicero and become part of his crew doing small favors and such where he would meet Conway and DeVito. It is also the moment he meets Karen (Lorraine Bracco) would become his wife as she would also have some voice-over narration as it relates to her experience being the wife of a wise guy.

The film’s second act begins in 1970 as it relates to a violent encounter with the Gambino family member Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) over an insult he made towards DeVito. It would lead to all sorts of things relating to Hill’s own affairs with other women, a brief incarceration in prison during the 70s, the Lufthansa vault heist that was organized by Morrie Kessler (Chuck Low), and drugs. It all play into this lifestyle of getting whatever you want and be given special privileges that allow them to get away with what they want but also manage to get some things in prison that would make their stay more comfortable. The second act both begins and ends with a major death as it would lead to this third act that is the fall of Hill and his friends. Notably as it play into the severity of Hill’s drug problems and other aspects in the business that would eventually get him in trouble.

Martin Scorsese’s direction definitely has a flair for style from the opening credits sequence designed by Saul Bass as well as the way the film opens with Hill, Conway, and DeVito driving onto a highway as they hear something bumping in the trunk as it would relate to an incident during the film’s second act. Much of the film is shot on various locations in New York, New Jersey, and parts of Long Island in New York as it play into this culture of Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, and Jewish-Italian Americans who are part of this world that is working-class but these wise guys live a life that can get them whatever they want. There are some wide shots that Scorsese would use to get a scope of the locations yet much of his direction emphasizes on close-ups and medium shots. Even as Scorsese would use these intricate tracking shots to play into some locations such as a nightclub along with some stylistic shots that play into the violence and drama. Scorsese also infuse elements of humor as it relates to DeVito and the stories he tells as well as his own violent outbursts after he shoots someone who wouldn’t take shit from him.

The Billy Batts scene is one filled with dark humor and some confrontational dialogue that would be followed by a comical moment at the home of DeVito’s mother (Catherine Scorsese) as she, her son, Conway, and Hill eat breakfast as it play into Scorsese’s offbeat tone as Scorsese would focus some attention on the car knowing something is up. The scenes of decadence and excess are heightened that includes this fiery sequence early in the third act where Hill’s cocaine addiction finally catches up with him as he believes someone is watching him with shots of helicopters and all sorts of things. Scorsese also play into this sense of drama that looms during the third act as well as some moments late in the second act that relates to Lufthansa and the players involved where there is a melancholia that would be prominent into its third act and what happens in the end. Overall, Scorsese creates a riveting yet outrageous film about the life of a mob hood and the craziness he endures as part of a crew.

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography where Ballhaus maintains a straightforward look for many of the daytime exterior scenes along with some stylish lights for some scenes set at night. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker does incredible work with the editing with its stylish usage of freeze-frames, slow-motion shots, jump-cuts, and other stylistic editing techniques as it help play into the action and suspense as it is one of the film’s major highlights. Production designer Kristi Zea, with set decorator Leslie Bloom and art director Maher Ahmad, does excellent work with the look of the homes that Hill lived in as well as the homes of friends and the places he, Conway, and DeVito go to as well as the prison cell he and Cicero shared.

Costume designer Richard Bruno does fantastic work with the costumes from the stylish suits the men wear as well as the clothes and fur coats the women wear to play into the evolving period of the times. Sound editor Skip Lievsay does amazing work with the sound in the way sound effects are presented as well as gunfire, the atmosphere of a club or a restaurant, and other textures as it play into the suspense and drama as it’s a highlight of the film. The film’s tremendous music soundtrack is a highlight of the film as it help play into the evolving period of the times as well as some of the craziness that occurs as it features contributions from Tony Bennett, the Moonglows, the Cadillacs, Billy Ward and His Dominoes, the Chantels, the Harptones, Otis Williams and the Charms, Mina, Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Darin, the Rolling Stones, Harry Nilsson, Derek and the Dominos, Muddy Waters, Cream, the Shangri-Las, Bobby Vinton, Betty Curtis, the Crystals, Dean Martin, Donovan, the Who, George Harrison, and Sid Vicious.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Tony Sirico as a member of Cicero’s gang in Tony Stacks, Michael Imperioli as a young man handing out drinks during a poker game in Spider, Mike Starr as a trucker friend of Conway in Frenchy, Frank Sivero as an associate of Conway in Frankie Carbone, Samuel L. Jackson as a musician/trucker named Stacks who was part of the Lufthansa heist, Catherine Scorsese as DeVito’s mother, Charles Scorsese as one of Cicero’s cellmates in Vinnie who likes to put a lot of onions in the tomato sauce, Gina Mastrogiacomo as one of Hill’s mistresses in Janice Rossi, Welker White as the Hills’ babysitter Lois who also does drug deal for them, Debi Mazar as another of Hill’s mistress in Sandy who would help him with the cocaine, Illeana Douglas as a mob girlfriend in Rosie, Joseph D’Onofrio as the young Tommy, Christopher Sirrone as the young Henry, Margo Winkler as Morrie’s wife, Vincent Pastore as a coatrack man, Kevin Corrigan as Henry’s younger brother Michael, and Chuck Low as the salesman Morrie Kessler who helps organize the Lufthansa heist.

Frank Vincent is brilliant in his one-scene performance as Billy Batts as a revered mob figure who insults DeVito at a bar on the night he returns to Jersey as he is just trying to have fun and relax. Paul Sorvino is fantastic as Paulie Cicero as a mob boss who is trying to run his crew as he also ensures that Hill gets his shit together while they also share a prison cell together while disapproving about Hill’s fascination with drugs. Lorraine Bracco is excellent as Karen as Hill’s wife who meets him at a blind date and then confronts him when he stands her up for a second date as she becomes bewildered by the mob culture yet also enjoys the lifestyle and its perks only to realize the dangers of the lifestyle that includes a terrible cocaine addiction.

Joe Pesci is marvelous as Tommy DeVito as a fast-talking, confrontational mob figure who says a lot of shit but has a short fuse where he can get really violent as it’s Pesci being extremely funny but also scary at times as it’s really one of his most iconic performances. Robert de Niro is remarkable as Jimmy Conway as a mob hood who works for Cicero yet is someone who can get things done and make more money while running small operations including the Lufthansa heist as he helped run that heist and ensure that no one gets way over their heads with the success of the heist. Finally, there’s Ray Liotta in a phenomenal performance as Henry Hill as a Jewish-Italian man who becomes fascinated by the world of the wise guys as a kid as he later becomes a man that gets things done but never kills anyone yet doesn’t mind giving someone beatings or live a good life only to endure a terrible cocaine addiction as it’s Liotta displaying a ferocity and vulnerability as a man who puts himself and his family in great danger only to realize what he must do to save himself but a terrible price.

Goodfellas is a magnificent film from Martin Scorsese. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a compelling rise-and-fall story, striking visuals, top-notch editing, and gripping music soundtrack. It's a film that explores the life of a mob hood trying to live a lifestyle of excess and vast riches only to get caught up in some bad shit as it’s told in an offbeat yet exhilarating fashion. In the end, Goodfellas is an outstanding film from Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) – (Street Scenes) – Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) – Italianamerican - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) – Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hours - The Color of Money - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Cape Fear (1991 film) - The Age of Innocence (1993 film) - (A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies) – (Casino) – (Kundun) – (My Voyage to Italy) – Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues-Feel Like Going Home) – Gangs of New York - (The Aviator) – No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - (A Letter to Elia) – (Public Speaking) - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The Fifty Year Argument) – The Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman (2019 film)) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2019

Reds (1981 film)

Based on the novel Ten Days That Shook the World by John Reed, Reds is the story of John Reed’s account of the Russian Revolution as he begins an affair with socialite Louise Bryant who joins him in taking part of the revolution. Directed by Warren Beatty and screenplay by Beatty and Trevor Griffiths, the film is an exploration into the world of the Russian Revolution as it is told by those who survived the Revolution as well as dramatic accounts of Reed’s coverage as he is played by Beatty with Diane Keaton as Bryant. Also starring Edward Herrmann, Maureen Stapleton, Jerzy Kosinski, Paul Sorvino, Nicolas Coster, Gene Hackman, and Jack Nicholson as Eugene O’Neill. Reds is an enthralling yet evocative film from Warren Beatty.

Set in the span of five years with interviews from those who lived during a tumultuous period in world history, the film is the story about the life of the journalist John Reed who tries to make a difference where he and his then-wife Louise Bryant would witness the Russian Revolution in 1917 where he would later try to create a similar revolution in the U.S. It’s a film that is sort of a rise-and-fall story where John Reed wants to do something in the world of socialism as he and several intellects want to do something for the workers while living a carefree lifestyle with Bryant who would later join him and become part of his world. Yet, it’s also a love story between these two from the moment they meet in his hometown of Portland, Oregon in 1915 where she aspires to be a journalist to his death in 1920 in Russia. All of which plays into two people wanting to make a difference for a better world where they eventually realize that it’s not as easy as they think it is.

The film’s screenplay by Warren Beatty and Trevor Griffiths, with additional contributions by Elaine May and Robert Towne, explores how Bryant and Reed met where it was merely by accident as Bryant heard of Reed through his work as a journalist as she is a socialite married to a dentist that has become bored of her world. After a series of gatherings, Bryant goes to New York City where she is introduced to Reed’s circle of friends and intellects that include the playwright Eugene O’Neill, Max Eastman (Edward Herrmann), and the renowned anarchist Emma Goldman (Maureen Stapleton). Bryant would be overwhelmed by these people but eventually would come into her own despite some issues with Reed as she feels like she doesn’t fit in. While their relationship had complications often due to Reed’s willingness to do something for the socialist movement in America with Bryant often being on her own where she would have an affair with O’Neill.

The first act would be about Bryant and Reed’s affair and their marriage where they try to have a normal life but things get troubled because of Reed’s frequent absences to cover things like the 1916 election and taking part in activist meetings. The second act would be about their time in Russia where Reed would write his seminal book as Bryant would find a role in giving lectures as the two believe they’ve done something where Reed goes from being a successful writer to trying to succeed in the world of politics where he tries to do something for an American communist party. Even as he would find himself sparing with other members about motives where he goes to Russia in the hope to get some endorsement. Instead, the third act represents Reed’s fall where he is stuck in Russia as he goes to the country illegally while unaware of the tension that is going on between Russia and Finland over ideals as well as the former’s own view of what communism should be prompting Bryant to make her journey to enter Russia illegally that would add a lot of the drama that occurs in the third act.

Beatty’s direction is quite vast as he would create something that is very offbeat in terms of its narrative structure as well as how he would dramatize these events and the real people involved. While his presentation with the interviews of the people such as the novelist Henry Miller, Roger Nash Baldwin, and many other people who were witnesses to these events that Reed and Bryant are simple. Even as they help set up certain stories about the two along with some gossip about what Reed and Bryant were doing as many of Beatty’s images sort of create images that look like paintings but also compositions that are rich and intoxicating. Most notably the scenes in New York and parts of Great Britain as the east coast to play into a time of innocence but also the desire for change as there’s some Americans who oppose going into World War I as they believe it’s all about profit.

For the scenes set in Russia, much of it is shot in Finland as well as a few locations in Spain and Sweden where it plays into a world that is quite big. Notably as Beatty takes great usage of the wide shots for a few scenes of conflict along with large images of rallies and marches that went on in Russia. There is something that feels grand in these scenes but once the film returns to Russia amidst a fallout over American communists disagreeing about what to do. The film does change where it is not just about the fallacies of revolutions but also why communism in America would never work as it would force Reed to see that as well as deal about what is more important as it relates to Bryant. Even as Bryant would go into her own journey to travel to Russia which would be just as adventurous as Reed’s which shows how much they love each other and why that love is more important than some revolution. Overall, Beatty creates an absolutely sensational and entrancing film about John Reed’s life and his love for Louise Bryant.

Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro does incredible work with the film‘s photography as it plays into a sense of naturalistic lighting schemes for some of the interiors and some of the daytime scenes along with its lush usage of lights for some scenes and some stylish filter shots to play into some of the exteriors set at night as it is one of the film‘s major highlights. Editors Dede Allen and Craig McKay do excellent work with the editing with its back-and-forth cutting style with the interviews and the dramatization as well as some rhythmic cuts for the action and dramatic moments in the film. Production designer Richard Sylbert, with set decorator Michael Sierton and art director Simon Holland, does amazing work with the design of some of the places in Russia from the palaces in its pre-revolution settings to the look of the apartments in its post-revolution as well as the homes in America where Reed and Bryant lived in.

Costume designer Shirley Ann Russell does fantastic work with the costumes to display what American socialites wore in the late 1910s as well as the more ragged look of the Russians during the post-revolution days. Sound editor Richard P. Cirincione does superb work with the sound to capture some of the sound work that goes on at the meetings as well as quieter moments though the highlight of the sound editing is in the way the recollections of the people interviewed are used in some of the scenes in the film. The film’s music by Stephen Sondheim and Dave Grusin is brilliant with Sondheim providing some old-school rag-time and jazz music to play into the period of the times while Grusin would bring in some orchestral pieces to play into the drama and action.

The casting by Noel Davis and Patsy Pollock is wonderful as it features notable small appearances from M. Emmet Walsh as a liberal party speaker, Roger Sloman as Vladimir Lenin, Oleg Kerensky as Alexander Kerensky, Stuart Richman as Leon Trotsky, George Plimpton as newspaper editor Horace Whigham, Nicholas Coster as Louise’s first husband Paul Trullinger, Harry Ditson as the political artist Maurice Becker, Max Wright as the literary critic Floyd Dell, William Daniels as a socialist party leader in Julius Gerber, and Gene Hackman in a small yet terrific performance as newspaper editor Peter Van Wherry. Paul Sorvino is excellent as an Italian founder of the American Communist party in Louis C. Fraina who wants to do something for the party but has a hard time trying to get things in order due to the demands of others including Reed.

Jerzy Kosinski is superb as Bolshevik leader Grigory Zinoviev who is trying to instill his idea of socialism as he would have conflicts with Reed over how loyal he is towards the revolution. Edward Herrmann is fantastic as Max Eastman as a friend of Reed who also is part of a socialist movement until things go a little too far as he decides to walk away from the movement. Maureen Stapleton is amazing as Emma Goldman as the renowned and outspoken anarchist who is against America’s participation in World War I as she wants socialism to come to America where she is later exiled to Russia where she becomes disillusioned with their ideas of socialism. Jack Nicholson is brilliant as Eugene O’Neill as the playwright who begins an affair with Bryant as he is a man of passion and care while he copes with wanting to be something for Bryant that Reed couldn’t be as he would later help her in the third act.

Diane Keaton is phenomenal as Louise Bryant as a socialite who aspires to write as she befriends Reed and later becomes his wife where she gets caught up in his world where Keaton brings a lot of weight and charisma to her performance. Finally, there’s Warren Beatty in a remarkable performance as John Reed as a journalist who is eager to do something in the hopes he can do good for the workers of America as he would cover the Russian Revolution and later deal with illness and disillusionment over the way the Russians would run things in its aftermath. Beatty and Keaton have some great chemistry in their scenes together in the way they argue as well as in tender moments as they both provide moments that are truly among the highlights of the film.

Reds is a tremendously sprawling and rich film from Warren Beatty that features great performances from Beatty, Diane Keaton, Maureen Stapleton, Edward Herrmann, Paul Sorvino, and Jack Nicholson. Along with Vittorio Storaro’s gorgeous cinematography as well as some amazing technical work and interviews from those who lived during that period. It’s a film that isn’t just an interesting historical film that explores America’s brief flirtation with socialism and the Russian Revolution but also an insight into a man’s attempt for change nearly cost him everything including the woman he loves. In the end, Reds is an outstanding film from Warren Beatty.

Warren Beatty Films: (Heaven Can Wait) - (Dick Tracy) - (Bulworth) - (Untitled Howard Hughes Project)

© thevoid99 2015

Cruising (1980 film)

Based on the novel by Gerald Walker, Cruising is the story of an undercover New York City cop who is tracking down a serial killer through the S&M gay nightclubs as gay men are the targets of the deaths. Written for the screen and directed by William Friedkin, the film is an exploration into the world of the gay subculture of leather bars during the late 1970s/early 1980s before the AIDS crisis would emerge. Starring Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, and Don Scardino. Cruising is a chilling although uneven thriller from William Friedkin.

The film is set into the sub-culture of the gay leather bars and sadomasochistic clubs in New York City where a New York City cop goes undercover to find a serial killer who had been killing gay men. Along the way, the cop deals with the growing homophobia among his fellow policemen while struggling with his role as an undercover cop as his personal life starts to fall apart. It’s a film that plays into a man going into a world that he doesn’t really know much about as he gets extremely close to this world. Even as he begins to wonder who the killer is as William Friedkin’s screenplay takes its time for the film’s protagonist in Steve Burns (Al Pacino) to study this gay subculture he’s in as he has to pretend to be gay by the way they walk and how they act.

Yet, he would struggle with his job and being undercover as his sporadic visits with his girlfriend Nancy (Karen Allen) are limited as the only person he can talk to his superior Captain Edelson (Paul Sorvino). Upon trying to find evidence and such about the world and who the killer might be, things do get more complicated where the film’s third act does become a mess. Even as the narrative reveals not just who the killer is and his motivations but it’s one that is never developed as Friedkin seems to try and make the killer a complex character but it never really gets fleshed out. Friedkin does also explore the world of homophobia from the way a couple of patrol officers harass two men in drag in one scene as well as the beating of a suspect from cops that would disgust Burns.

Friedkin’s direction is very interesting in the way he maintains an air of suspense in the film while the killings that are presented are quite brutal and gory. The film does open with a scene on the Hudson River where crew members on a barge ship find a severed arm. Friedkin’s use of close-ups and medium shots are very prevalent while he also infuses some very strange moments such as Burns at a leather bar dancing and getting high as it plays into his own descent. Friedkin maintains that sense of paranoia as well as terror in the way Burns deals with these murders as some of the violence is quite gruesome. The scenes at the leather bars and S&M clubs are quite provocative to showcase a world that is quite dangerous as well as foreign to a mainstream audience. Yet, some of it does play to stereotypes with the exception of a few characters who are fleshed out. Overall, Friedkin creates a very engaging yet messy thriller about a man going undercover into the world of gay leather bars and S&M clubs.

Cinematographer James A. Contner does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the grimy look of the seedy New York City streets where many of the clubs happen as well as some of its low-key lighting in its interiors and other dazzling shots in those clubs. Editor Bud S. Smith, with additional editing by M. Scott Smith for its 2007 reissue, does amazing work in the editing to capture the air of suspense and terror in the killing scenes as well as some straightforward cuts for the dramatic moments. Production designer Bruce Weintraub, with set decorator Robert Drumheller and art director Edward Posini, does fantastic work with the look of the nightclubs that Burns would go to as well as the apartment that he would live in.

Costume designer Robert De Mora does nice work with the costumes that features a lot of stylish clothes and leather gear that many of the gay men would wear. Sound editor Charles L. Campbell, with additional remixing by Aaron Levy for its 2007 reissue, does superb work with the sound from the way the parties at the clubs sound to the moments in many of the locations in New York City. The film’s music by Jack Nitzsche is brilliant for its very eerie classical guitar score that plays into its suspense while the soundtrack features music by the Germs, Willy DeVille, John Hiatt, Mutiny, and other underground punk and dance-rock acts of the times.

The casting by Louis DiGiamo is terrific as it features some notable small roles from James Remar as a roommate of Burns’ gay neighbor, Ed O’Neill as a detective, Mike Starr and Joe Spinell as a couple of patrolmen who harass two men in drag, Powers Boothe as a hanky salesman, Allan Miller as a chief of detectives, and Gene Davis as one of those men in drag who is also an informant for Captain Edelson. Jay Acovone is superb as a young hustler who is a suspect in the case as Burns sees him as a victim while Richard Cox is excellent as another suspect in the case who is actually really troubled. Karen Allen is pretty good in a somewhat thankless role as Burns’ girlfriend as she is often concerned about him.

Don Scardino is wonderful as Burns’ neighbor Ted whom Burns befriends as he brings a nice complexity to a character that could’ve been a stereotype but manages to be so much more. Paul Sorvino is amazing as Captain Edelson who is the one contact that Burns has as he is concerned with Burns’ well-being as well as see gays as real people rather than the stereotypes his homophobic officers act towards him. Finally, there’s Al Pacino in a marvelous performance as Steve Burns as an undercover cop who takes his first undercover assignment as he struggles with his new surroundings as he tries to find the killer while dealing with the homophobia that surrounds the police department as it’s one of Pacino’s more underrated performances.

Cruising is a stellar yet flawed film from William Friedkin that features an excellent performance from Al Pacino. While it’s a film that is very controversial in the way it explores a part of a gay subculture that was taboo at its time. It is still interesting as it navigates into a dark world where gays are the victims where a man tries to find their killer. In the end, Cruising is a very good film from William Friedkin.

William Friedkin Films: (Good Times) - (The Birthday Party) - (The Night They Raided Minsky’s) - (The Boys in the Band) - The French Connection - The Exorcist- Sorcerer - (Brink’s Job) - ((Deal of the Century) - To Live and Die in L.A. - (Rampage (1987 film)) - (The Guardian (1990 film)) - (Blue Chips) - (Jailbreakers) - (Jade) - (12 Angry Men (1997 TV film)) - (Rules of Engagement) - (The Hunted (2003 film)) - Bug - Killer Joe

© thevoid99 2014

William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet

Directed by Baz Luhrmann, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a modern take on the famed tragic love story involving two young people from feuding families falling in love with each other. With a screenplay Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, the film is the chance to redefine the famed Shakespeare story in a modern setting while retaining Shakespeare’s dialogue to maintain his language. Starring Leonardo diCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Brian Dennehy, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, Diane Venora, Harold Perrineau, Miriam Margoyles, Paul Rudd, and Vondie Curtis-Hall. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a dazzling film from Baz Luhrmann.

The story of Romeo & Juliet is often told in many variations as it is about the tragedy of two young people who fall in love in the middle of a war between their families. By setting it in present time where guns replace swords and cars instead of horses, Baz Luhrmann and co-screenwriter Craig Pearce allow the story to be told for a new audience who might not be able to understand William Shakespeare’s story. As a result, not only does Luhrmann and Pearce were able to be faithful to Shakespeare’s tragedy as well as retain his language but also find a way to make it relevant for a teenage audience as well as be engaging enough for older audiences.

While the script does make some alterations for the story in order to make it more dramatic, Luhrmann and Pearce do maintain that sense of faithfulness in the story while not using exposition to explain the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues other than they’re just two businessmen who hate each other. Caught in the middle of this feud are their children Juliet Capulet (Claire Danes) and Romeo Montague (Leonardo diCaprio) who prefer not to be involved as Juliet is already set to marry a governor’s son in Dave Paris (Paul Rudd) while Romeo is reeling from a break-up. Meeting at party at the Capulets mansion, the two fall in love as they have no idea who they are yet realize what families they’re from. Still, neither Romeo nor Juliet have a care in the world of what their families would think as they hope their union would bring peace to their feuding families though there are those like Juliet’s cousin Tybalt (John Leguizamo) who sees Romeo and the Montagues as villains.

Characters like Juliet’s nurse (Miriam Margoyle) and Father Lawrence (Pete Postlethwaite) would play their roles as those who would try to create the peace between the two families yet events would shatter this peace leading to Romeo’s banishment from Verona Beach and Juliet’s own despair. Even as Father Lawrence would try to do things to get the two together in the film’s third act yet the schematics of what Shakespeare would do to convey the tragedy that is to come.

Luhrmann’s direction is definitely stylish in its presentation as he shoots the film largely in Mexico with bits of Miami as Verona Beach. Filled with an array of dazzling shots and some gorgeous scenery of the locations, the direction is definitely off-kilter in the way the modern world is presented where it’s a mixture of rich and poor where both feuding families go into these locations. While Luhrmann is known for creating images that can be very dazzling and often over-the-top at times. There are also moments where Luhrmann knows when to slow down and create something that is simple and understated such as the scene of Romeo and Juliet seeing each other for the very first time through a fish tank. The way Luhrmann presents this meeting has images that are just beautiful in the way the faces reflect in the glass as there’s a lush musical accompaniment in the background.

It’s one of those moments that shows Luhrmann’s skills as a filmmaker and as a storyteller while he finds a way to inject bits of light humor in the romance while letting Shakespeare’s dialogue flow naturally through the young actors. Even in the way he frames some of the scenes such as the scenes in the church where Luhrmann creates a lot of colorful imagery and maintain that sense of beauty and tragedy that is to happen. The use of TV news footage also helps maintain an air of suspense to establish the chaos of the feud as well as the film’s climax while both films open and end with an anchorwoman (Edwina Moore) reciting the opening and closing text of Shakespeare’s words. Overall, Luhrmann creates a sensational yet entrancing take on William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy.

Cinematographer Donald M. McAlpine does amazing work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with the use of lights in some of the film‘s interior settings as well as the nighttime exterior scenes along with some lush camera work in the daytime exterior scenes such as the trailer park Romeo was banished to. Editor Jill Bilcock does brilliant work with the film‘s hyper-stylized editing with some of the fast-cutting in the party and confrontation scenes along with some slow yet methodical cuts in some of the film‘s romantic and dramatic moments. Production designer Catherine Martin, with set decorator Brigitte Broch and art director Doug Hardwick, does great work with the look of the Verona Beach with its location dressing and places that Romeo often hangs out as well as some of the interiors of the church and Capulet mansion.

Costume designer Kym Barrett does fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes at the costume party many of the characters wear to some of the colorful casual clothing that Romeo wears and the dresses of Juliet as well as some of the design of the guns the characters carry. Visual effects supervisor Rebecca Marie does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the minor backdrops of some of the exterior scenes. Sound editor Tim Holland and sound designer Gareth Vanderhope do wonderful work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the parties as well as the chaos of some of the film‘s violent moments.

The film’s music by Nellee Hooper, Marius de Vries, and Craig Armstrong is superb for its mixture of lush orchestration and low-key electronic music to convey the sense of action and romance with Armstrong‘s string arrangements playing out the sense of romance. The film’s music soundtrack contains an array of pieces ranging from alternative rock, pop, dance, and soul music that is an intoxicating mix to play out the sense of romance and tragedy. Songs by Garbage, Everclear, the Butthole Surfers, Gavin Friday, Des’ree, Radiohead, Kym Mazelle, the Cardigans, and many others are just some of the reasons into why the film is so full of life as it helps elevate the film’s sense of drama.

The casting by David Rubin is incredible as it includes an outstanding collection of actors for this film. In small roles, there’s M. Emmet Walsh as an apothecary who runs a pool hall, Quindon Tarver as a choir boy, Edwina Moore as the anchorwoman, Vincent Laresca and Carlos Martin Manzo Otolora as a couple of Capulet soldiers, Zak Orth and Jamie Kennedy as a couple of Montague men, and Jesse Bradford as Romeo’s cousin Balthasar. Other notable small roles include Vondie Curtis-Hall as the police authority Captain Prince, Dash Mihok as Romeo’s peaceful cousin Benvolio, and Paul Rudd as the very dorky governor’s son Dave Paris who is set to be Juliet’s husband. Miriam Margoyles is wonderful as the nurse who is sort of a mother figure for Juliet as she also tries to help create the union with Romeo. Pete Postlethwaite is superb as Father Lawrence who sees Romeo and Juliet’s love as a chance to end a feud as well as trying desperately to bring true love to the forefront.

Christina Pickles and Brian Dennehy are excellent as Romeo’s parents who are concerned for Romeo while Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora are great as Juliet’s parents where they add a sense of extravagance to their roles. Harold Perrineau is brilliant as Romeo’s friend Mercutio who is a fun-loving man who tries to defend Romeo against the Capulets and Tybalt. John Leguizamo is amazing as Tybalt as a man who hates all Montagues where Leguizamo definitely goes all out for the role of this very vile man.

Finally, there’s the performances of Leonardo diCaprio and Claire Danes in their respective roles as Romeo and Juliet. Both actors bring in performances that are just phenomenal with diCaprio maintaining that mix of sensitivity and bravura as Romeo while Danes brings a sense of awkward innocence and angst to her role as Juliet. The duo are really the highlight of the film as they have great chemistry together and definitely display chops that they would unveil in the years to come.

William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a spectacular film from Baz Luhrmann that features sensational performances from Leonardo diCaprio and Claire Danes. Along with great technical work, a brilliant soundtrack, and a superb supporting cast. It’s a film that takes William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy to the modern world and make it accessible for a new audience while having something Shakespeare fans can enjoy. In the end, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is an enchantingly rich film from Baz Luhrmann.

Baz Luhrmann Films: Strictly Ballroom - Moulin Rouge! - Australia - The Great Gatsby (2013 film) - The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

© thevoid99 2013

Cheaters (TV film)

Written and directed by John Stockwell, Cheaters is about a working-class high school teacher from Chicago who rallies his students to cheat against a top-city school in an academic decathlon. Based on the real-life events of 1994-1995 decathlon scandal in Chicago, the film is an exploration of what a school teacher and his students try to do for their school. Starring Jeff Daniels, Jena Malone, Blake Heron, Luke Edwards, Dov Tiefenbach, and Paul Sorvino. Cheaters is a smart yet compelling drama from John Stockwell.

Dr. Jerry Plecki (Jeff Daniels) of Steinmetz High School is set to lead the decathlon team for the third year in a row. Yet, many of the students coming from the working class area of Chicago doesn’t seem to care with the exception of the 15-year old junior Jolie Fitch (Jena Malone). Fitch helps Plecki assemble a decathlon team that includes math wiz Darius (Luke Edwards), Matt (Blake Heron), Paul (Dan Warry-Smith), two young Polish kids in Dominik (Dominik Podbielski) and Agnieska (Anna Raj), and a wild-card named Irwin Flickas (Dov Tiefenbach). After a few hard months of studying and hard work, they attend the regional decathlon competition. Despite making it to state at fifth place, they were beaten big by the already successful Whitney Young school that has won the decathlon for nine years straight.

With the realities of their environment as well as the fact that they’ll never beat Whitney Young, the students and Plecki realize that all of their hard work isn’t enough. When a friend of Matt’s was able to get him inside a building where a copy of the upcoming tests are, Matt is able to secure a copy of the tests only to have Irwin take it so he can show it to Plecki. Though Plecki is aware that what he’s doing is wrong, he reveals to his team that he has a copy. While a few reluctantly decide to take part in the plot to cheat, Plecki decides to have the already demoted Irwin to play the role as a spy for the upcoming state decathlon. With Plecki and his team taking on a plan to cheat without getting caught, their plan succeeds as they pull an upset over Whitney Young.

While the victory has caused a great sense of pride for Steinmetz High and its principal Constantine Kiamos (Paul Sorvino), a lot of press attention goes to the school as Irwin feels left out. After writing an essay about cheating, Irwin finds himself in trouble with Kiamos as Irwin later claims it was just fiction. Yet, it would be the first of many problems Plecki and his students would face as the school board accuses them of cheating. With the whole team and Plecki deciding not to return their prizes and claim that they did nothing wrong, a scandal starts to escalate as Plecki becomes the main target of everything that has happened.

The TV movie is about a cheating scandal that rocked an entire state but it is more about why did a teacher and a group of kids did what they did? Well, it wasn’t the fact they did it simply to beat some elite high school in the city or to bring pride to the school. Did they do it to expose an already corrupt system where richer schools get more and inner-city public schools to get less? John Stockwell goes into that but he chooses to focus more on the people involved in this real-life cheating scandal.

While the script at times does reach into some heavy-handed idea of moralization about what immigrants and working-class people had to do to get ahead in the third act. John Stockwell does at least make Dr. Plecki and his students into very interesting personalities as they all try to work hard to succeed despite what they have to face. Dr. Plecki knows that cheating is wrong but knowing that his students have worked too hard and make the kind of sacrifices to succeed wouldn’t be enough to beat some elite school. With cheating, he hopes to give these young kids the chance to succeed and feel proud that he’s made some difference.

Yet, he manages to get in trouble with the system while one kid, who was part of the team, feels left out as he gets revenge by writing an essay and expose the story to the press. For those kids, they’re faced into an unwanted situation where they‘re pressured to expose themselves for the gain of an unfair school system. Plecki however, becomes vilified to the point as he ponders about everything he had done.

Stockwell’s direction is very good for the way he presents the film. While the direction is mostly straightforward with some stylized compositions. It does play to the energy of the film of how hard the kids are studying through a series of speedy montages or slow it down a bit for slow-motion walking. By basing the film on location in the Chicago area, Stockwell does manage to maintain a sense of realism in the film while he knows how to frame the camera given that he’s shooting it on full frame. Overall, Stockwell does create a very solid yet engaging TV-movie that explores the world of cheating.

Cinematographer David Hennings does a nice job with the photography to maintain a gritty though polished look for a lot of the exteriors to emphasize the coldness of the Chicago working-class area along with some excellent interior shots for some of the nighttime scenes. Editors Eric A. Sears and Scott K. Wallace do some amazing work with the editing by creating some wonderful montages as well as slowing things down for stylistic scenes as the pacing is presented in a leisured form.

Production designer Craig Lathrop, with set decorator Steven Essam and art director Edward Bonutto, does a fine job with the set pieces created such as Plecki‘s classroom and the homes he and the kids live in. Costume designer Lisa Martin does a very good job with costumes for Plecki and the students to emphasize their working-class world and their more elitist opponents. Sound editor Leonard Marcel and sound designer D. Chris Smith do some wonderful work with the sound to play up the chaos of the locations or to overlap some of the dialogue for the interrogation scene late in the film.

The film’s score by Paul Haslinger is pretty good for its mix of plaintive, piano-driven score and some low-key electronic pieces to maintain the gritty presentation of the film. Music supervisor P.J. Bloom and Evyen Klean does play to the world of the mid-90s with an array of alternative rock music like Cracker and the Cranberries as well as some electronic music from acts like Portishead.

The casting by Randi Hiller and Diane Kerbel is superb as it features some memorable small appearances from Lenka Peterson as Plecki’s mother, Marcia Bennett as a school board member, and Robert Joy as Whitney Young’s decathlon coach. For the roles of the young kids, there’s wonderful performances from Dominik Podbielski as the quiet Polish kid Dominik, Anna Raj as the hard-working Polish student Agnieska, Dan Warry-Smith as the fat but fun Paul, Luke Edwards as the witty Darius, and Blake Heron as the brash Matt. Dov Tiefenbach is very good as abrasive yet smart Irwin who would be the kid that causes a lot of trouble leading to his own departure from the team while plotting revenge against his teammates.

Paul Sorvino is excellent as principal Kiamos who hopes for something for his school to be proud of while trying to help Plecki with the onslaught that is going on late in the film. Jena Malone is fantastic as Jolie, a young junior who hopes to get something from the decathlon while being one of the few kids that wants to learn as Malone’s performance is full of excitement and a real sense of determination. Jeff Daniels is great as Dr. Jerry Plecki who is a good teacher that wants the kids to do their best while going into his own personal conflicts about cheating once he’s targeted as he is trying to do what he feels is right for the kids. Daniels’ performance is remarkable for the way he makes Plecki sympathetic without making him as some martyr.

Cheaters is a stellar TV movie by John Stockwell that includes two excellent performances from Jeff Daniels and Jena Malone. While it’s a film that does asks questions about whether cheating is the right thing to do or not depending on one’s environment. It is an engaging film that doesn’t pander to its audience despite being heavy-handed in the third act about morals. Of the films that Stockwell has done as a director, this is his best as it has a gritty element but also presents itself in an accessible manner. In the end, Cheaters is a wonderful yet engrossing drama from John Stockwell.

John Stockwell Films: (Undercover) - (Crazy/Beautiful) - (Blue Crush) - (Into the Blue) - (Turistas) - (Middle of Nowhere)

© thevoid99 2011