Die My Love

 

Based on the novel Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, Die My Love is the story of a couple who travel to Montana for a quieter life as a woman deals with post-partum depression as she starts to unravel mentally and emotionally. Directed by Lynne Ramsay and screenplay by Ramsay, Edna Walsh, and Alice Birch, the film is an exploration of a couple dealing with new changes in their lives only for the changes to not live up to what it seems as a woman struggles with motherhood and all its expectations. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Nick Nolte, and Sissy Spacek. Die My Love is an enthralling and uncompromising film by Lynne Ramsay.

The film is about a woman who unravels after the birth of her child as she descends into madness putting strain into her relationship with her boyfriend months after they move to Montana. It is a film that is an exploration of post-partum depression as well as a woman coming to terms with the reality of this new change in her life. The film’s screenplay by Lynne Ramsay, Edna Walsh, and Alice Birch does not have a conventional narrative as there is a flashback scene as well as elements of surrealism. It is more of a character study where the script explores the couple in Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattinson) as they arrive in rural Montana away from New York City to start a new life at the latter’s childhood home near where his parents live. When Grace becomes pregnant, there is a lot of excitement but its aftermath in which they have a baby born with a name to be determined. Things start to fall apart with Jackson often away at work and not understanding her mental and emotional state.

Even as Grace begins to suspect that Jackson is cheating on her after finding condoms in the glove compartment of their car where he often arriving home late. Jackson would attempt to smooth things over in buying a dog, which would prove to be a poor decision considering they have a baby to take care of. It only adds to the tension and Grace’s own mental issues as she turns to Jackson’s mother Pam (Sissy Spacek) who is also going through own issues including sleepwalking with a shotgun. The script also play into elements of surrealism as it relates to a mysterious man in a motorcycle named Karl (Lakeith Stanfield) that Grace is aware of to deal with Jackson’s affairs with other women. Grace’s encounters with Karl play into her own sexual desires, which is not getting at home to the point that she would act in a feral manner while struggling to raise her newborn son.

Ramsay’s direction is entrancing in the way it captures a woman succumbing to madness as it opens with a long shot of Grace and Jackson entering the latter’s childhood that once belonged to his uncle as it is this simple static medium-wide shot that goes on for a few minutes. Shot on a 1:33:1 aspect ratio and on location in province of Alberta in Canada as Montana, Ramsay uses the aspect ratio to create this sense of claustrophobia that help play into Grace’s madness as she become suffocated by the changes in her life as well as the lack of control in being a new mother. While there are some wide shots that are presented in the film including scenes in a car whenever she and Jackson are on the road. Much of Ramsay’s direction is emphasized on close-ups and medium shots to play into Grace’s mental deterioration and her relationship with Jackson falling apart. Even as there are montages where Grace would be alone at the house with her baby as music would blare loudly and it is the same song.

Ramsay also delves into elements of surrealism that includes a strange meeting with Jackson’s late father Harry (Nick Nolte) whom she is dancing with in the forest at night as he is seen previously in a flashback as he has dementia. Some of these scenes at night are surreal, including a shot that followed the film’s opening shot of a forest fire. It is among these moments in the film that play into Grace’s own descent while a few scenes in which Grace and Jackson are in a gathering show the sense of discomfort the former begins to have where she would slowly unravel. There are also these abrupt and shocking moments of violence that play into Grace’s descent into madness as the third act forces Jackson to realize that she needs help. The third act is not just about the realization of what Grace is dealing with but also an understanding about a world that expects too much from her. Whether it is in being a writer, a wife, a mother, a lover, or anything else as it becomes overwhelming to the point that there is only one path to go. Overall, Ramsay crafts a visceral and unflinching film about a woman’s descent into madness following the birth of her child.

Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its colorful and stylish photography for many of the daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as the usage of bluish filters for the exterior scenes at night. Editor Toni Froschhammer, along with additional work by Adam Biskupski, does excellent work with the editing as her usage of montages, jump-cuts, and other stylish cuts help play into sense of mania that looms throughout the film. Production designer Tim Grimes, along with set decorator Amber Humphries and art director Amanda Nicholson, does amazing work with the look of Jackson’s home as well as a place made for a party in the film’s third act. Costume designer Catherine George does terrific work with costumes where it is casual apart from a party scene where they wear stylish clothing.

The special effects work of Lindsey Dietz, along with visual effects supervisors James Frislev, Koray Guzey, Victor Tomi, and Mehmet Kurtulus Tuncer, is fantastic for some of the visuals such as the forest fire and a few other bits to play into Grace’s encounter with surrealism. Sound designer Tim Burns does incredible work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere that include sparse sounds of flies flying around the house as well as how music is presented on location as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Lynne Ramsay, George Vjestica, Ben Frost, and music supervisor Raife Burchell is superb as it features original music from Ramsay, Vjestica, and Frost who provide a mixture of score music ranging from ambient music to noisy rock along with a cover of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart. The soundtrack supervised by Frost features a diverse music soundtrack from Toni Basil, Billie Holiday, Eels, the Cocteau Twins, Cream, David Bowie, Raffi, Tom Philips & D.T.S., Peggy Lipton, Elvis Presley, Shirley Ellis, Pinky and Perky, and an inspired usage of the John Prine & Iris Dement duet of In Spite of Ourselves.

The casting by Lucy Pardee is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Sarah McPherson as a cashier who annoys Grace, Gabrielle Rose and Debs Howard as a couple of old ladies who are friends of Pam, Sarah Lind as an acquaintance of Jackson and Grace in Jen who does share Grace’s own issues with motherhood, and the duo of Kennedy and Victoria Calderwood as Grace and Jackson’s unnamed baby. Lakeith Stanfield is superb as the mysterious man named Karl who rides a motorcycle as he is drawn to Grace leading to an affair at a farm. Nick Nolte is brilliant as Jackson’s father Harry as he only appears in 3 scenes such as a flashback of a man dealing with dementia and in a couple of surreal moments where he is the one man who really understands Grace. Sissy Spacek is amazing as Jackson’s mother Pam as a woman dealing with grief as well as her own issues as a woman where she is wise as well as eccentric considering she sleepwalks with a shotgun.

Robert Pattinson is excellent as Jackson as a man that is trying to deal with Grace’s depression the best way he can though he makes some awful decision where Pattinson brings some great facial expressions to showcase his anger as he is a man that clueless at times but also frustrated in his ability to understand what his partner is going through. Finally, there is Jennifer Lawrence in a performance for the ages as Grace as a writer who is struggling with post-partum depression where Lawrence goes all out in terms of her physicality and in displaying the sense of rage and madness her character goes through. It is a performance that can be described as raw and primal in terms of the ferality her character starts to act where she even becomes indifferent in some stages as it relates to her relationship with Jackson where Lawrence has this air of danger and fragility that play into a woman coming undone.

Die My Love is a magnificent film by Lynne Ramsay that features a tremendous leading performance from Jennifer Lawrence. Along with its ensemble cast, eerie visuals, its raw take on post-partum depression and madness, stylish presentation, and a blistering music soundtrack. It is a film that does not play it safe in its depiction of post-partum depression and madness while also being this study of a woman lost in a reality that does not understand her pain. In the end, Die My Love is an outstanding film by Lynne Ramsay.

Lynne Ramsay Films: Ratcatcher - Morvern Callar - We Need to Talk About Kevin - You Were Never Really Here - (Polaris)

Related: The Auteurs #6: Lynne Ramsay - Favorite Films #9: Morvern Callar

© thevoid99 2025

Affliction

Based on the novel by Russell Banks, Affliction is the story of a small-town policeman who investigate a fatal hunting accident as he deals with his own issues in his family including his ex-wife and his domineering father. Written for the screen and directed by Paul Schrader, the film is the study of a man becoming obsessed with trying to solve an accident while dealing with the history of violence from his family including his own troubled relationship with his father. Starring Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, Willem Dafoe, Jim True-Frost, Mary Beth Hurt, and James Coburn. Affliction is a harrowing yet mesmerizing film from Paul Schrader.

Set in a small town in New Hampshire, the film revolves around a man who investigates a hunting accident at the woods nearby where it raises questions about what happened just as the man is starting to unravel through his theories as well as his own behavior in relation to his father. It’s a film that is really the study of a man who is extremely flawed in what he does as a local cop as well as a father and as a man who is having a hard time trying to be a good person while bearing the dark persona of his father. Paul Schrader’s screenplay follows the life of Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte) who is a local police officer that works for the local town selectman in Gordon LaRiviere (Holmes Osborne) as he is divorced and dealing with this detachment from the fact that he carries some of the abusive behavior of his father Glen (James Coburn) which he is in denial of.

While the narrative follows many of the activities of Wade, it is told partially through his younger brother Rolfe (Willem Dafoe) who doesn’t appear in the film until its second act. Rolfe is aware of the abuse that his father instilled on Wade, himself, and their other siblings as he is the one who only appears briefly during its second act as his character lives in another town and having a life completely different from his father and older brother. Still, Rolfe’s narration does provide some insight into Wade and coming to terms with the abuse their father had done as it would seep into Wade as it relates to his relationship with his daughter Jill (Brigid Tierney) whom he unknowingly neglects and tries to win over as he has a lot of bitterness towards his ex-wife Lillian (Mary Beth Hurt). While Wade tries to attempt to create a normal life with girlfriend Margie Fogg (Sissy Spacek), he would unfortunately introduce her to his father as she would watch over him as it becomes overwhelming just as Wade’s attempt to investigate the hunting accidents starts to become troubling.

Schrader’s direction is understated in its presentation as he aims to capture life in a small town in New Hampshire during the Halloween period though it’s snowy as it is shot mainly on location in Quebec. While Schrader would use some wide shots for some of the locations including a few of the mountains in the background as well as the intimacy of the small town. Much of Schrader’s direction emphasizes on close-ups and medium shots as it play into the way Wade would interact with other characters as well as scenes with his father where it is clear there is still a sense of fear whenever Wade is being seen from his father’s perspective. The direction also would have Schrader create different perspectives of what Wade is thinking about as it relates to the accident that involved his friend Jack Hewitt (Jim True-Frost) who was accompanying one of the rich locals in Nick Wickham (Wayne Robson) for a deer hunt. Even as Rolfe would provide Wade an idea of what might’ve happened as it add to Wade’s sense of paranoia.

Schrader also uses these haunting flashback scenes shot in grainy film stock that show Wade and Rolfe as kids and the terror they endured around their father who is a full-blown alcoholic with a lot of disdain for the world. Even during the film’s second act following an event that would bring Rolfe back to town along with his other siblings as it shows a man who could care less about what just happened as well as how he presents himself in front of his children. The third act has Schrader play into this man unraveling and dealing with the fact that he is like his father in the way he drinks heavily as well as becoming unruly towards those he works for and those he is friendly with. The film’s final moments isn’t just this revelation for Wade about his father but also in the fact that he will never escape his father’s cruelty as well as the actions he would later commit that would hurt those who are close to him. Overall, Schrader crafts an eerie yet riveting film about a man coming to terms with himself and his father’s abuse towards him.

Cinematographer Paul Sarossy does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the usage of snow and naturalistic photography for many of the daytime exterior scenes to the usage of low-key lights for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Jay Rabinowitz does excellent work with the editing as it include a few montages in the flashbacks as well as what Wade sees in the hunting accident along with some stylish rhythmic cuts to play into the drama. Production designer Anne Pritchard and art director Michel Beaudet do fantastic work with the look of the place where Wade works at as well as the diner her frequents and the home where his father lives in its messy look.

Costume designer Francois Laplante does terrific work with the costumes as it is largely casual to play into the look of the winter with its heavy coats as well as the Halloween costumes the kids wear early in the film. Sound editor Tony Martinez does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations including the sounds of winds and cars on the snow. The film’s music by Michael Brook is wonderful for its mixture of folk and ambient music to play into the drama as well as some of the intense moments of the film.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth and Kathleen Chopin is great as it feature small roles from Marian Seldes as a local who keeps track of financial records as she revealed some things to Wade about LaRiviere, Wayne Robson as Nick Wickham who would go on a hunt that lead to a horrible accident, Joanna Noyes as Wade and Rolfe’s mother in the flashbacks, Brawley Nolte as the young Wade, Michael Caloz as the young Rolfe, Christopher Heyerdahl as the diner owner Frankie, and Brigid Tierney as Wade’s daughter Jill who is often unhappy around her father due to his neglect and not really being there for her. Jim True-Frost is terrific as the local hunting guide Jack Hewitt who would guide Wickham for a hunt that would turn tragic. Holmes Osborne is superb as Gordon LaRiviere as the town selectman who is trying to run things while is also doing some business that would make him rich much to Wade’s suspicions.

Mary Beth Hurt is fantastic as Wade’s ex-wife Lillian who still has issues with Wade as she is aware of his neglect towards their daughter while reluctant in having Wade be around her. Willem Dafoe is excellent in his brief performance as Wade’s younger brother Rolfe as a man who briefly returns home to deal with a family matter as he is aware of what is going on as it’s an understated performance that has Dafoe be aware of the abuse he’s endured but also with an acceptance over the persona of his father. Sissy Spacek is brilliant as Margie Fogg as the diner waitress who is also Wade’s girlfriend as she is aware of Wade’s issues while getting to know Glen closer than she expected which makes her uncomfortable as she is trying to get Wade to get away from his father.

James Coburn is phenomenal in a monstrous performance as Glen Whitehouse as Wade and Rolfe’s alcoholic and abusive father. Coburn displays this physicality as someone who lords over those who he feels are weak as there is an element of him that is filled with hate but also seems to have a dark glee in the way he conveys this idea of masculinity and power as it is a career-defining performance from Coburn. Finally, there’s Nick Nolte in an incredible performance as Wade Whitehouse as a local cop who is investigating a hunting accident thinking it’s not an accident where he would later unravel into his own thoughts as well as his relationship with his father that is complicated and filled with fear as it’s an eerie and chilling performance Nolte in one of his career-best roles to date.

Affliction is a tremendous film from Paul Schrader that features great performances from Nick Nolte and James Coburn. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, haunting music, and study of abuse and identity. It’s a film that explore a man unraveling as he deals with the fact that he inherits some of his father’s dark attributes as well as the dark history of his family. In the end, Affliction is an outstanding film from Paul Schrader.

Paul Schrader Films: Blue Collar - Hardcore – American Gigolo - Cat People (1982 film) - Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters – (Light of Day) – (Patty Hearst) – (The Comfort of Strangers) – (Light Sleeper) – (Witch Hunt) – (Touch) – (Forever Mine) – (Auto Focus) – (Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist) – (The Walker) – (Adam Resurrected) – (The Canyons) – Dying of the Light – (Dog Eat Dog) – First Reformed - (The Card Counter)

© thevoid99 2018

Hot Rod

Directed by Akiva Schaffer and written by Pam Brady (with additional re-writes by Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone), Hot Rod is the story of an amateur stuntman who tries to raise money to pay for his stepfather’s heart transplant and later kick his ass just to earn his respect. The film is an unconventional comedy that plays into a young man trying to find himself with the aid of his half-brother and their misfit friends. Starring Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Isla Fisher, Will Arnett, Sissy Spacek, Chris Parnell, and Ian McShane. Hot Rod is an idiotic yet hilarious film from Akiva Schaffer.

What happens when a goofball that wants to become a stuntman decides to create a fundraiser for his stepfather’s heart transplant by pulling off the craziest stunt ever? That is what the film is about as it revolves around a delusional yet kind-hearted young man that is eager to gain the respect of his stepfather who often disrespects him verbally and physically because the young man is such a goofball. With the help of his half-brother, a couple of friends, and a grad student whom he has feelings for, Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) hopes to succeed and later give his stepfather the ass-kicking he deserves. Along the way, hilarity ensues as the film’s screenplay doesn’t just kind of spoof a few films of the 80s as it relates to BMX biker films and such but also all sorts of things.

Especially as Rod tries to do whatever to create stunts where it often becomes a disaster as he wouldn’t give up despite how bad the outcome is. Even as the film’s second half would force him to find out the truth about his father who he thought was a stuntman working for Evel Knievel. Still, Rod would eventually realize what he must do as it is part of him trying to become a man which is what his stepfather Frank (Ian McShane) has been trying to do to Rod though he is still convinced that Rod couldn’t kick his ass.

Akiva Schaffer’s direction is quite simple for most of the film in terms of its approach to comedy as well in the compositions. Shot on location in Vancouver and parts of British Columbia in Canada, the film is presented as this simple story set in the suburbs where Rod and his friends are trying to have fun. The usage of wide and medium shots help play into that sense of enjoyment including a weird but silly scene of Rod’s friends and his half-brother Kevin (Jorma Taccone) dancing to Stacey Q’s Two of Hearts with Rod and Denise (Isla Fisher) watching. There are also these weird moments in the film that are very off-the-wall and surreal as it plays into the film’s offbeat humor. Notably a moment where this character named Richardson (Chester Tam) is there just dancing for no fucking reason whatsoever. It’s among these quirks that are baffling but also fun such as a homage to Footloose as well as a scene of inspiration that goes horribly wrong. All of which plays into this young man wanting to pull off the ultimate stunt so he can save his stepfather and then kick his ass. Overall, Schaffer creates a silly yet exhilarating film about an amateur stuntman.

Cinematographer Andrew Dunn does excellent work with the cinematography from the colorful and sunny look of the daytime exterior scenes as well as some unique lighting for some of the interiors. Editor Malcolm Campbell does amazing work with the editing as it is straightforward but also playful in its usage of rhythmic cuts in the humorous and very silly moments. Production designer Stephen Altman, with set decorator Mary-Lou Storey and supervising art director Chris August, does fantastic work with the look of the home Rod lives with the family as well as some of the props that are made for the stunts. Costume designer Tish Monaghan does nice work with the costumes from the jumpsuit and cape that Rod wears to some of slacker-like clothing his friends wear.

Visual effects supervisor Charlene Eberle Douglas does terrific work with some of the minimal visual effects as it include some of the stunts that Rod tries to do as well as some of the crazier moments in the film. Sound designer Sean Garnhart does superb work with the sound in capturing some of the livelier moments of the film as well as the impact or lack of impact in the stunts. The film’s music by Trevor Rabin is wonderful for its mixture of rock and orchestral music to play into moments that are inspirational or comedic while music supervisor Steven Baker creates a fun soundtrack that largely consists of music from one of Rod’s favorite bands in Europe as well as music from acts like Stacey Q, Moving Pictures, Cutting Crew, The Lonely Island, Giorgio Moroder, John Farnham, and Queens of the Stone Age who make a cameo as glam metal band called Gown.

The casting by Susan Taylor Brouse, Lynne Carrow, and Allison Jones is great as it features some notable small roles from director Akiva Schaffer as a guy giving Dave acid, Brittany Tiplady as Dave’s younger sister, Alvin Sanders as furious boss upset over one of Rod’s stunts, Mark Acheson as a homeless dude giving Rod’s friends instruction during a montage, Britt Irvin as a fast-food cashier Rod tries to go out with to impress Denise, and Chester Tam as a guy named Richardson who likes to dance erotically for no reason other than just be cool. Chris Parnell is terrific as an AM radio host Barry Pasternak who wants to host the stunt event as he dislikes color TV and FM radio while Will Arnett is superb as Denise’s dick-head boyfriend Jonathan who thinks Rod and his buddies are uncool. Sissy Spacek is excellent as Rod and Kevin’s mother Marie who understands what Rod is trying to do but also tell him the truth about who his father really is.

Ian McShane is fantastic as Frank as Rod’s stepfather who doesn’t think highly of Rod as just this immature goofball and a loser as it’s a very comical performance from McShane. Danny McBride is amazing as Rico as Rod’s friend who helps build ramps and such while being the tough guy with a heart of gold. Bill Hader is brilliant as Dave as Rod’s friend who helps in organizing as well as get people ready for the stunts while having a moment where he would trip on acid as it’s major plot point in the film. Jorma Taccone is marvelous as Rod’s half-brother Kevin as the nerdy yet kind-hearted guy who helps films and edit all of Rod’s videos. Isla Fisher is remarkable as Denise as a grad student who joins Rod’s team as she helps him with the stunts as well as give him confidence seeing that he is at least doing something he loves instead of the people she’s met in college. Finally, there’s Andy Samberg who is awesome as Rod Kimble as this dim-witted, delusional, and gutsy young guy who likes to put on a fake mustache to think he’s a man when he is really still a kid at heart as it’s a very funny performance to watch.

Hot Rod is a spectacular film from Akiva Schaffer. Featuring a great cast, a fun soundtrack, and a hilarious premise that is filled with a lot of offbeat and quirky humor. It’s a film that doesn’t take itself seriously while also proving that it can be stupid fun no matter how idiotic things are. In the end, Hot Rod is a phenomenal film from Akiva Schaffer.

© thevoid99 2016

Carrie

Based on the novel by Stephen King, Carrie is the story of a tormented high school student whose troubled life finally comes to ahead when she later becomes the victim of a prank led by a group of her classmates. Directed by Brian de Palma and screenplay by Lawrence D. Cohen, the film is an exploration into the world of bullying as well as the life of a young girl who is also abused at home by her very religious mother as the titular character is played by Sissy Spacek. Also starring Amy Irving, Nancy Alley, William Katt, John Travolta, P.J. Soles, Betty Buckley, and Piper Laurie. Carrie is a tremendously chilling and mesmerizing film from Brian de Palma.

After a young high school student is bullied and tormented prompting the school’s gym teacher to take action, the film revolves around a few students who decide to play a prank on this troubled young woman named Carrie White for the upcoming senior prom just as Carrie is discovering about her telekinetic powers. It’s a film that plays into this young woman who lives a very troubled life due to the fact that she is often abused by her very religious mother Margaret White (Piper Laurie) who believes that the world around Carrie is full of sin. Once Carrie’s classmates are forced to serve detention led by their gym teacher Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), one of them in Chris (Nancy Allen) conspires a plan to humiliate Carrie at the senior prom. It would play into this event at the prom where Carrie is asked by the school’s quarterback who is unaware of the prank where all things go to hell.

The film’s screenplay by Lawrence D. Cohen plays into not just Chris’ plan to humiliate Carrie with the aid of her boyfriend Billy Nolan (John Travolta) but also Carrie discovering about her own unique powers. Even as Carrie is someone who is very naïve about herself as the film begins with a shower scene where she notices blood is coming out of her genitals unaware of the concept of menstruation due to the fact that her mother would shield a lot of things from her. While one of her tormentors in Sue Snell (Amy Irving) would express remorse as she asks her boyfriend Tommy Ross (William Katt) to ask Carrie to the prom. It is Chris that wants to take action as she would eventually get the help from her friend Norma (P.J. Soles) who also despises Carrie. The sense of momentum which helps build the suspense would be key to the story as is some of Cohen’s dialogue. Especially the chilling words that Margaret would say to her daughter including some off-the-wall humor including a scene where Margaret looks at the dress Carrie wears and how she refers to Carrie’s breasts.

Brian de Palma’s direction is very stylish from the way he presents the film’s opening credits with this slow gazing tracking shot of young women at the girl’s locker room where some of them are naked. In fact, much of de Palma’s direction is stylish in his usage of close-ups and medium shots to the way he can create moments of suspense at an instance which relates to Carrie’s telekinetic powers. The usage of tracking shots and long takes also add to de Palma’s sense of style including the way he circles Carrie and Tommy’s dance on a low angle as it showcases something that can be innocent and fun though something bad will happen to Carrie.

While there are elements of suspense and terror that looms in the film, de Palma does balance that with humor such as the detention sequence where Sue, Norma, Chris, and the rest of the girls who made fun of Carrie are forced to do exercise activities. Yet, it would add to some of the terror in what Chris and Billy would do as the climatic prom scene where de Palma’s usage of split-screens and other compositions would play into full-on horror at its most visceral. Even in its aftermath which involves Carrie and her mother where it relates to the idea of good vs. evil. Overall, de Palma creates a powerful and terrifying film about a tormented and sheltered young girl who gets pushed to the edge.

Cinematographer Mario Tosi does brilliant work with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the naturalistic yet dream-like look of the daytime exterior scenes to the stylish usage of lighting for some of the scenes at night and the scenes set at the prom. Editor Paul Hirsch does amazing work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts, split-screens, and other cutting styles to play into the film‘s humor and the element of suspense and terror. Art directors Jack Fisk and Bill Kenney, with set decorator Robert Gould, do excellent work with some of the set design from the school gym and the look of the prom to the home where Carrie and her mother lives in.

Costume designer Rosanna Norton does nice work with the costumes from the red cap that Norma wears as well as some the plain clothes that Carrie wears. Sound editors Dan Sable and Ron Kalish do superb work with the sound in creating sound textures to play into Carrie‘s own troubled state of mind as well as some scenes of terror that are key to the story. The film’s music by Pino Donaggio is phenomenal for its orchestral-based score that ranges from being somber and ethereal with its lush string arrangements to sounds of terror with screeching strings as well as some low-key pieces while music supervisor Michael Arciaga bring in a mixture of songs ranging from and pop music plus a couple of songs written by Donaggio.

The casting by Harriet B. Helberg is wonderful as it features some notable small roles from Priscilla Pointer as Sue’s mother, Edie McClurg as the classmate Helen, Cameron de Palma as a young kid taunting Carrie early in the film, Sydney Lassick and Stefan Gierasch as a couple of faculty members, and Michael Talbott as a friend of Billy who would help be involved with the prank. P.J. Soles is terrific as Chris’ friend Norma as tomboy of sorts who always wears a red cap and braids in her hair as she too shares a hatred for Carrie. John Travolta is fantastic as Chris’ delinquent boyfriend Billy Nolan who is a troublemaker and master prankster that doesn’t like to be insulted though he is an idiot. William Katt is superb as Tommy Ross as the most popular guy in school who is asked to take Carrie to the prom by Sue as he befriends her as he becomes one of the few who are really genuine towards her.

Betty Buckley is excellent as Miss Collins as the school’s gym teacher who knows about Carrie’s sheltered life as she tries to help her as well as make the girls who tormented her show the error of their ways. Amy Irving is brilliant as Sue Snell as one of Carrie’s tormentors who would later express remorse for her actions as she tries to stop the prank from happening. Piper Laurie is remarkable as Carrie’s very religious mother Margaret as this very crazy woman who sees evil all over as she tries to make sure her daughter stays in the straight and narrow as it’s a very scary performance. Finally, there’s Sissy Spacek in an incredible performance as the titular role as this young high school student who is this oddball that has no clue about some of the ways of the world as she copes with her powers and the presence of her mother as it is just a performance for the ages.

Carrie is a spectacular film from Brian de Palma that features great performances from Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. Along with an amazing supporting cast, top-notch technical work, and a brilliant score by Pino Donaggio, the film is definitely one of the finest films in horrors. Even as it is told with such style and wit by de Palma as it is one of his essential films. In the end, Carrie is a magnificent film from Brian de Palma.

Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito’s Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))

© thevoid99 2015

The Straight Story

Directed by David Lynch and written by Mary Sweeney and John E. Roach, The Straight Story is a simple story about an elderly man who heard about his estranged brother’s stroke as he decides to visit him by driving 240 miles by using a John Deere lawnmower. The film is a change of pace from Lynch who strays from his world of surrealism in favor of something low-key but engrossing as it is based on a true story about an event that happened in 1994. Starring Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, and Harry Dean Stanton. The Straight Story is an exhilarating yet touching film from David Lynch.

The film is a simple story in which an old man drives a lawnmower, with a homemade trailer towed behind the mower, just to see his ailing brother whom he hadn’t seen or spoken to in a decade. Yet, it is a story of not just about forgiveness but also perseverance in which a man wants to do what he feels is right by not just seeing his brother but also to make amends for whatever bad things they said to another that split them apart. Though Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) could’ve asked someone to drive him from Laurens, Iowa to Mount Zion, Wisconsin. It’s a journey that Alvin needed to make on his own while his stammering yet sort of mentally-disabled daughter Rose (Sissy Spacek) stays home as she couldn’t drive her father as well. With bad eyesight, walking on two canes, and is very stubborn, Alvin will do whatever it takes to see his brother Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton).

The film’s screenplay by Mary Sweeney and John E. Roach does play to a traditional structure though it’s told in a very loose form. The first act is about Alvin preparing for his journey where he would use his old lawnmower which doesn’t last as he would get a new one to use for the journey from Iowa to Wisconsin. It’s in the second act where the story really takes shape as Alvin would drive his mower and trailer in the day at a very slow speed and stop at night. Along the way, he would encounter many people including a young hitchhiker, cyclists, and other sorts of people in small towns. Many of which display the sense of decency and generosity that is often encountered in small towns. Especially where Alvin would talk to people about the things he experienced as well as his daughter Rose and brother Lyle where he doesn’t talk much about the latter until later in the film. It is Lyle where it adds weight to the journey that Alvin is taking and the reason into why he needs to see him.

David Lynch’s direction maintains that air of simplicity in terms of compositions as well as shooting the film on location from Laurens, Iowa to Mount Zion, Wisconsin as it was shot largely on chronological order which rarely happens in film. Yet, it does play into Alvin’s determination to reach his destination no matter how long he takes as well as having to endure big trucks and such. Lynch’s usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into not just Alvin’s struggle to get to where he needed to go but also his age as he’s walking with two canes and knows he’s getting older. Lynch would also go for close-ups and shots that play into the feel of the road as if the audience is a passenger in Alvin’s journey.

There are also wide shots of the many locations that is used in the film as it plays into a sense of Americana that is rarely seen in films as it plays into a world where there is still a sense of good and generosity that people need in a world that is often troubled. Though it’s climax is inevitable, it does have something that is still powerful not just about a man’s journey but also a man just wanting to see his brother. Overall, Lynch creates a very evocative yet touching film about a man driving more than 200 miles on a lawnmower to see his ailing brother.

Cinematographer Freddie Francis does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography to capture the beauty of the American Midwest in its daytime settings while going for something more natural and low-key for scenes set at night including the campfires that Alvin would make. Editor Mary Sweeney does excellent work in the editing as it is straightforward with its rhythmic cuts with a few stylish usage of dissolves and fade-to-black cuts. Production designer Jack Fisk and set decorator Barbara Haberecht do fantastic work with not just the look of the home that Alvin and Rose live in but also the small trailer that Alvin would live in during his journey.

Costume designer Patricia Norris does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual for what Alvin and Rose wear. Sound editor Ronald Eng and sound designer David Lynch do superb work with the sound in not just creating naturalistic sound for everything that happens on location but also in some of the layering of sound to play into some of the surroundings including a scene where Alvin talks to another elderly man about World War II. The film’s music by Angelo Badalamenti is brilliant as it is this mix of ambient-based music with elements of traditional and folk-based music to play into the world of the American Midwest as it is one of Badalamenti’s finest scores.

The casting by Jane Alderman and Lynn Blumenthal is great for its usage of professional and non-professional actors as there’s appearances from John P. Farley and Kevin Farley as a couple of bickering twin mechanics and Everett McGill as a friend of Alvin who would sell him a new lawnmower to use. Other notable small roles include James Cada as a man who would let Alvin sleep in his backyard and arrange things to continue Alvin’s trip, Barbara E. Robinson as a woman with bad luck, Anastasia Webb as young hitchhiker, and John Lordan as a priest Alvin would meet late in the film. Harry Dean Stanton is fantastic as Alvin’s brother Lyle who appears in the film’s ending as it’s just this brief yet mesmerizing appearance.

Sissy Spacek is brilliant as Alvin’s stammering but capable daughter Rose who helps her father prepare for the trip while being the one to tell him the news about Lyle. Finally, there’s Richard Farnsworth in an incredible performance as he brings this sense of weariness but determination to a man that just wants to see his brother as there is also a sense of wisdom and charm to a man that is really full of life as his simple journey is one that is just extraordinary.

The Straight Story is a phenomenal film from David Lynch that features a magnificent performance from the late Richard Farnsworth. While it is considered an anomaly of sorts in comparison to the darker and more surreal films that Lynch is known for. It is still a Lynch film in terms of its restrained quirky humor and the simplicity of small town American life that isn’t seen much in American cinema. In the end, The Straight Story is a majestically rich and sensational film from David Lynch.

David Lynch Films: Eraserhead - The Elephant Man - Dune - Blue Velvet - Wild at Heart - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - Lost Highway - Mulholland Dr. - Inland Empire

The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 1 - The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 2 - The Music Videos of David Lynch

The Auteurs #50: David Lynch: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2015

2012 Cannes Marathon: 3 Women

(Winner of the Best Actress Prize to Shelley Duvall at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival)

Written and Directed by Robert Altman, 3 Women is the story of a young woman who moves to California where she becomes attached to her new roommate while hanging out with a pregnant artist and her cowboy husband. The film is essentially Altman exploring the world of identity as it is inspired by Ingmar Bergman‘s 1966 classic Persona. Starring Sissy Spacek, Shelley Duvall, Janice Rule, and Robert Fortier. 3 Women is a mesmerizing yet haunting film from Robert Altman.

Arriving from a small town in Texas is a young woman named Pinky Rose (Sissy Spacek) who gets a job working at a health facility for elderly people where she meets a vivacious, chatty woman named Millie Lammoreaux (Shelley Duvall). Pinky is intrigued by Millie as she shows her around as Millie is often talkative about her life while the shy Pinky is drawn to her. When Millie’s old roommate Deidre (Beverly Ross) has moved out to live with her boyfriend, Pinky answers the ad where Millie takes her to a saloon that is run by a former stuntman named Edgar Hart (Robert Fortier) while his wife Willie (Janice Rule) is a silent mural painter who is currently pregnant. While Pinky is amazed by this new world and by Millie, things eventually start to crumble as Millie becomes annoyed by the naïve Pinky who is secretly reading Millie’s diaries.

On one particular night when Millie wants to have a dinner party with Deidre and some friends, things go bad when Pinky makes a mess of herself as she later meets Deidre who couldn’t come to the party due to an engagement. Millie decides to go out on her own where she returns with a man at the apartment leaving Pinky in distress where she does something that would shock everyone at the apartment. Feeling guilty, Millie calls Pinky’s parents (Ruth Nelson and John Cromwell) where Pinky eventually wakes up from her coma where her behavior shocks Millie. Notably as Pinky starts to refer to herself as Millie as she becomes quite dominant as she flirts with Edgar leaving Millie confused about what had just happened. Yet, it would be an event that would force the two to get back together where things become more confusing on who these women are.

The film is about two different women who become roommates in a Californian apartment where they each display very different personalities. In the course of the film, one is entranced by her while the other starts to feel annoyed by her presence. An incident based on one woman’s desire to be with a man where her roommate would do something that would nearly kill her. Suddenly, behaviors change where the two women’s personalities start to change through elements of surrealism and drastic events that would have these two women collide while there’s another woman wandering around in the background who is truly alone in this strange world.

Since this is a film about identity, Robert Altman is more concerned about who these two women are and why there’s this other woman who is always in the background painting murals or looking at the ones she already made. Both protagonists are women named Mildred though it’s a name Pinky hates until she decides to call herself Millie in the second half to annoy the other Millie. The screenplay that Altman creates is very loose in its storytelling though it has the approach to dialogue and over-lapping dialogue that he’s known for. Yet, he changes gears from the first half to the second half where they very chatty Millie becomes more silent while Pinky becomes less caring and crueler the same way Millie was. Then there’s Willie who is this silent woman in the background as she rarely speaks where she creates this art that seems to say a lot about the world of identity.

Altman’s direction is a wide mix of styles ranging from very straightforward yet wandering compositions to surreal images such as the film’s opening credits where water seems to wade around the camera as the shot is focused on these murals. A lot of these surreal moments with the camera wading in the water in these strange montages is obviously a nod to Ingmar Bergman’s Persona for the way these two women named Mildred are linked. The direction has Altman creating some amazing close-ups and two-shots where one character is in focus while another is in the background either blurred or looking at that other person. Altman is always fixated on these two women where the travel around the Californian desert to go to this ruined saloon where there’s men having target practice or Willie doing her art all by herself.

The direction also has Altman trying to create an intimacy with the two women where he would find ways for one character to dominate another as he is also interested in what’s going on outside of this apartment where there’s always something going on. There’s a lot of shots in these apartments yet he remains focused on these three women. The film’s climatic ending where all three women become the focus of the story reveal a lot of character changes that happens. Notably the film’s ending where the women become one in the same but all have different personalities and such where it’s an ending that is very strange and almost anti-climatic. Yet, it’s effective for where these women where early in the film to what they become at the end. Overall, Altman creates a truly dazzling yet hypnotically-ravishing drama about the world of identity.

Cinematographer Chuck Roscher does a superb job with the film‘s very dream-like yet colorful cinematography to play out the sunny Californian deserts to the nighttime exteriors in the apartment scenes. Editor Dennis Hill does excellent work with the editing by creating surrealistic montages filled with dissolves and jump-cuts to play out these strange dreams while a lot of the film is quite straightforward in its approach to cutting. Art director James D. Vance does great work with the design of the apartment Millie and Pinky stay along with the spa they work and the saloon that they hang out at. The mural design by Bohdi Wind is incredible for the way it plays out the surrealism of the film as well as the idea of three women being linked to one another.

Sound editors David M. Horton and Bill Phillips do wonderful work with the sound to play out the intimacy of the apartments as well as some of chaotic nature of some of the parties and target practices that the characters encounter. The film’s score by Gerald Busby is brilliant for its woodwind-driven score led by a flute to play out some of the film’s dramatic and surreal moments.

The film’s cast is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable small performances from Beverly Ross as Millie’s former roommate Deidre, Craig Richard Nelson and Sierra Pecheur as Millie and Pinky’s bosses, Leslie Ann and Patricia Ann Hudson as twin spa workers, Maysie Hoyt and Belita Moreno as a couple of spa workers, and as Pinky’s parents, John Cromwell and Ruth Nelson. Robert Fortier is excellent as the ex-stuntman turned cowboy who tries to woo Millie and Pinky with his cowboy ways. Janice Rule is great in a small but very entrancing role as the artist Willie who often wanders around painting or looking at her murals as she rarely speaks in the film.

Finally, there’s the duo of Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall in fantastic performances in their respective roles of Pinky and Millie. Spacek brings a wonderful innocence to her character as Pinky in the film’s first half in the way she displays herself physically or how she often looks at Millie. In the second half, Spacek brings a much wilder performance as a woman who is loose and confrontational in the way she deals with Millie. Duvall has a great sense of charm to the way she presents Millie as she starts off as this talkative yet absorbed woman who likes to have fun without any care for anyone. Then in the film’s second half, she’s grounded back to Earth where she acts kindly to Pinky’s parents and deal with much wilder Pinky. Spacek and Duvall have amazing chemistry in the way they act together as two opposites where they each bring the best in each other as they’re the highlight of the film.

3 Women is a marvelous yet captivating drama from Robert Altman that features remarkable performances from Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall. The film might not be one of Altman’s most accessible films but it is certainly one of his most imaginative for the way he explores the world of identity and how women try to create other personas for themselves. In the end, 3 Women is a truly evocative yet intoxicating film from Robert Altman.

Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple) - (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Short Cuts - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie’s Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion

© thevoid99 2012

2012 Cannes Marathon: Missing (1982 film)

(Winner of the Palme D’or & Best Actor Prize to Jack Lemmon at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival)

Based on Thomas Hauer’s book, Missing is the story of a man and his daughter-in-law trying to American journalist Charles Horman during 1973 coup in Chile. Directed by Costas-Gavras and screenplay by Costas-Gavras and Donald E. Stewart, the film explores the search of a man from his own wife and father as they also encounter a world ravaged by chaos following the fall of Salvador Allende. Starring Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Melanie Mayron, Charles Cioffi, Janice Rule, and John Shea as Charles Horman. Missing is an intense suspense-drama from Costas-Gavras.

Days after Pinochet’s coup against Salvador Allende in 1973 Chile, left-wing journalist Charles Horman and his friend Terry Simon (Melanie Mayron) has just returned from Vina del Mar as they have a scoop about what’s been happening. With Horman’s wife Beth (Sissy Spacek) living in Santiago as she is helping out other people in the city, Charles believes something is happening as he suddenly disappears. With Beth trying to find her husband, her father-in-law Ed (Jack Lemmon) arrives to help out though he believes that it’s Charles’ fault due to his own political idealism. While Ed asks some American officials in the U.S. Ambassador (Richard Venture), its consul Phil Putnam (David Clennon), and a naval captain in Ray Tower (Charles Cioffi) to help out, Beth remains unsure.

While Terry reveals what Charles was looking for and why they were at the Vina del Mar, Beth and Ed look for clues as Ed wondering what is taking so long. With Beth frustrated with the government as she and Ed talk to locals about what might’ve happened, Ed starts to believe that the Americans might be covering something up as he confronts them over what is taking so long. He and Beth decide to take matters into their own hands as they read Charles’ notes over what he found in Vina del Mar as it reveals that the man he and Terry met in a naval engineer named Andrew Babcock (Richard Bradford) might’ve played a role in the coup. After talking to one of Charles’ colleagues in David Holloway (Keith Szarabajka) who had been taken away and interrogated with another journalist in Frank Teruggi (Joe Regalbuto).

Ed and Beth continue their investigation with the help of freelance journalist Kate Newman (Janice Rule) as they reveal that Charles also met a colonel in Sean Patrick (Jerry Hardin) at Vina del Mar where they also meet Tower at a party. Ed and Beth make a discovery about what probably did happen to Charles as Ed would search for answers on his own. What happens would force Ed to confront the people he trusted with finding his son.

The film is about a man and his daughter-in-law trying to find his son during the 1973 coup of Chile where two different political views of young and old are shaken by a troubled world as they’re just wanting find out what happened to this man that has disappeared. While it’s a film that is essentially a mystery of sorts with a lot of political drama set in the mix against this backdrop, it’s a film that also raises questions about the role of the American government in this military coup that is led by Pinochet. Yet, it’s the human drama that Costas-Gavras and co-writer Donald E. Stewart, with additional contributions from John Nichols, are interested in as a father is just trying to figure out what his son and daughter-in-law were doing in Chile and why did his son suddenly disappear like that. While the government would make claims that the disappearance is staged where Charles’ wife would rebuke that it’s bullshit.

Driving the story is this tumultuous relationship between a man and his daughter-in-law where neither seems to agree with each other politically or socially yet their relationship grows once they take matters into their own hands in the investigation. Part of the film is told in flashbacks as Ed and Beth Horman is talking to people about what happened while reading some of Charles’ notes. For Ed, it gives him the chance to understand the son he often has differences with as he also learns that Charles might have done nothing wrong. This would have him and Beth questioning their own government as they also have to seek forces outside. The screenplay that Costas-Garvas and Donald. E. Stewart does play up the suspense with these flashbacks and chilling scenes where Ed and Beth have to encounter places that is brutal and have an air of death.

Costas-Gavras’ direction is truly entrancing for the way he captures a world that is en-ravaged in chaos as it is told from the perspective of its main characters. Shot on location in Mexico to avoid controversy in Chile, the film does have this very realistic portrayal of a country where people are taken away by soldiers as the camera doesn’t shy away from what Charles Horman, his father, and his wife are seeing. With a lot of startling shots as the camera moves around to capture the locations or to follow the characters as they walking towards the hallway. The direction is always making sure that is something is happening as it includes some intimate moments in the room where meetings happen.

One notable scene is a meeting where Ed questions the government as Costas-Gavras keeps the camera still to let the drama unfold in a very understated yet engaging manner. The way he lets the actors play things out while framing them in a scene is also among one of the film’s highlights. Notably in the third act where things do cool down for the film’s big revelation as Costas-Gavras doesn’t have to do a lot for the audience to side with the Hormans. He just lets the actors play out their emotions as the film’s ending reveals troubling aftermaths about what the American government didn’t want people to know. Overall, Costas-Gavras creates a truly incredible yet haunting film about a man trying to find his son with the help of his daughter-in-law.

Cinematographer Ricardo Aronovich does superb work with the film‘s cinematography from the sunny locations of the city and beaches to some of the more entrancing interior and exterior nighttime scenes to play up stark mood of the film. Editor Francoise Bonnot does excellent work with the editing to maintain a mostly straightforward approach to the editing while it includes a wonderful use of dissolves to play out Charles‘ abduction scene. Production designer Peter Jamison, with set decorator Linda Spheeris and art directors Lucero Isaac and Agustin Ituarte, does nice work with the recreation of the chaos of Santiago including the stadium and the scenes at the morgue.

Costume designer Joe I. Tompkins does very good work with the costumes from the more casual, lively clothes that Beth wears to the more business-like suits that Ed wears to differentiate their characters. Sound effects editor Michele Boehm does fantastic work with the sound from the way helicopters are heard to the array of gunfire and explosions that play out in the tense atmosphere that Beth and Ed are in. The film’s score by Vangelis is wonderful for its brooding yet intense synthesizer-driven score for some of the film’s suspense scenes as well as more low-key pieces in the film’s less-dramatic scenes.

The casting by Wally Nicita is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it includes appearances from Richard Bradford as the naval engineer Andrew Babcock, Joe Regalbuto and Keith Szarabajka as a couple of Charles’ journalist friends, Jerry Hardin as a colonel that Charles and Terry befriends in their investigation, and Richard Venture as a U.S. ambassador who is hiding secrets that makes Ed unsure of what is happening. Janice Rule is excellent as a freelance reporter who aids Ed and Beth in uncovering Charles’ notes while Melanie Mayron is very good as Charles’ friend Terry who also gives Ed and Beth insight into what they’re trying to find. David Clennon is quite fine as a young U.S. consul who tries to hide the truth from Beth and Ed while Charles Cioffi is superb as a slimy naval captain who makes Beth uncomfortable during a stay at his home in a flashback.

John Shea is terrific as the idealistic Charles Horman who is trying to discover what is happening around him as he would end up disappearing over what he might’ve uncovered. Sissy Spacek is great as Charles’ wife Beth who is intent on trying to find her husband while aiding her father-in-law as Spacek definitely holds her own as she has some amazing chemistry with a legend like Jack Lemmon.

Lemmon’s performance in the film is truly the highlight as Lemmon displays a true sense of mastery in the art of acting. From the way he tries to impose his ideas towards his daughter-in-law to the way he reacts to the things around him as he becomes more disillusioned with his own government. The scenes where Lemmon has these intense monologues about what the U.S. government should be doing is very engaging over what Lemmon could do. The scene where he’s in a stadium as he tries to talk to his son among this group of people is heartbreaking to watch. Notably in the physicality in how he reacts to startling news as his performance is a true master class in what acting should be.

Missing is a phenomenal film from Costas-Gavras that features magnificent performances from Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek. The film is definitely one of the great suspense-dramas that allows the audience to follow a couple of people in search of a man against a period that is crucial. It’s also a film that reveals the way the American government can play a role in creating tense situations like this forcing those to question their government. In the end, Missing is a marvelous yet provocative film from Costas-Gavras.

Costas-Gavras Films: (The Sleeping Car Murders) - (Shock Troops) - Z - The Confession (1970 film) - (State of Siege) - (Special Section) - (Womanlight) - (Hanna K.) - (Family Business) - (Betrayed (1988 film)) - (Music Box) - (The Little Apocalypse) - (Mad City) - (Amen.) - (Le Couperet) - (Eden is West)

© thevoid99 2012

Badlands

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/17/05 w/ Additional Edits.

1970s American cinema had their share of heroes in the directors. Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Altman, Peter Bogonovich, Martin Scorsese, Sidney Lumet, and many more. Then there was one director whose visual style filled with poetry of doom, love, and irony who stood out among them all. Though he would only make two films in that decade before disappearing for 20 years, his work remained to be highly influential in the years to come and since. His name was Terrence Malick, a Texas-born, Harvard-grad student in philosophy.

After attending and exiting Oxford, Malick became a freelance journalist and taught philosophy at another college before finally getting a chance to become a screenwriter after doing re-writes for such films as Deadhead Miles, Drive, He Said, and an uncredited re-write for Dirty Harry (none of the material he wrote was used). After helming a short called Lanton Hills for his American Film Institute studies, he got his first official writing credit for co-writing Pocket Money that starred Paul Newman & Lee Marvin. Then, through independent investors and a non-union crew, Malick unleashed his talents in 1973 with his debut feature Badlands.

Written and directed by Malick, Badlands is a story inspired by the Starkweather-Fugate murder spree of the 1950s about a couple who go on a killing spree across the U.S. Using a voice-over narrative style from the perspective of a young teenage girl running away with a 20-something garbage man inspired by James Dean. Malick brings an elliptical, visual-poetic style to his story while shooting the film with a trio of cameraman and a small crew on a budget that was less than $350,000. Starring Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates, Alan Vint, and Ramon Bieri. Badlands is a brilliant, seminal crime debut from one of American cinema's most enduring yet mysterious directors.

It's 1959 in South Texas as a garbage man named Kit (Martin Sheen) wanders around town where he meets a young teenage girl named Holly (Sissy Spacek) who both seem out of place with the rest of the world around them. After quitting his job and working in a cattle ranch, Kit and Holly immediately become a couple much to the chagrin of her father (Warren Oates). Disapproving the relationship, Holly’s father tries to end it by several means, which included a conversation with Kit. Then one day, Kit breaks into their house and get her things when he is caught by her father. Carrying a gun, Kit kills Holly's father as tries to figure out what to do while confessing something on record as he burns the home and goes on the run with Holly.

Deciding to hide out near a river in the woods, the two decide to make homes while living off fish and live animals while making traps for intruders. When intruders finally came as Kit kills three hunters and he and Holly go on the run where they decided to stay at a friend of Kit named Cato (Ramon Bieri). Things go fine only that Kit's paranoia gets the best of him as Cato lays dying. Now knowing that he is in big trouble, Kit plans to make headway to Canada with Holly in tow. After putting a couple in a cellar near Cato's home, he and Holly leave where they've now become a big threat in Middle America.

After hiding out briefly in the home of a rich man (John N. Carter) with his deaf maid (Dona Baldwin), Holly ponders what would've happened if she never met Kit as the two leave the house and make their way towards North. Often turning to her collection of media magazines and dreaming of a better world, Holly wonders if Kit does have it all planned out. Even through the plains of the mid-west through South Dakota, Holly wonders if Kit's got the brains to hold a job down. After attempts to try other means of transportation, they continue on the road where after a gas stop, a helicopter catches them. Holly has had enough as Kit makes a run for it only to wonder if he has any time left till a deputy (Alan Vint) finally captures him.

Though it's only an interpretive view on Starkweather-Fugate murders, Malick's view on making the central characters more human while being indifferent to their actions is truly remarkable for its originality. They’re definitely alienated by some form of society whereas Kit has a desire to be some kind of icon and couldn't relate to the trappings of holding down a job or doing something that isn't adventurous. Holly meanwhile, is also bored in her own existence where she only lives at home with her father and escapes through her world of celebrity. Still, it's not a film about killers but dreamers who have no way of fitting into the world only to find themselves doing bad things and realize their own flaws right to the end.

One of the unique ideas of Malick's approach to storytelling is his approach to voice-over narration where it's in the perspective of Holly. Her narration is very reminiscing about how she remembered things while not displaying any kind of moral judgment though she's aware of the bad things Kit is doing. Still, there's a nice humanity and innocence to that narrative approach where in the ending for their downfall, there's an acceptance from those two characters about their own fates. Even though their actions will damn them, it's the acceptance that kind of redeems them. Even in one scene where they hide out in the rich man's house where Kit does something that becomes a development of his character. The development of characters is something that makes the audience seem to like Kit and Holly. It's also something that is part of Malick's genius as a writer along with his unique approach to structure.

On the directing front, Malick takes advantage of the low budget funding he uses by shooting entirely on location. From the quaint, idyllic towns in South Texas and South Dakota to the more broad, plain fields of the deserts and rivers. While his approach in telling the story might be elliptical only to build up momentum, it works since he goes for landscapes and whatever houses Kit and Holly to create whatever situation they're in. The camera movements and shooting is very observant to some scenes where Malick is shooting from feet away while giving the characters time to have fun and be themselves. The use of camera that Malick brings is very poetic in terms of capturing the true look of the American Heartland right, smack in the middle of it. It's truly a down-home American film.

Helping Malick is his poetic, stark vision of the American Heartland is a trio of cinematographers in Tak Fujimoto, Steve Larner, and Brian Probyn. Many of the film's photography has many of what visual elements Malick would have where all the lighting is real with its enormous backdrop of sunlight, moons, and headlights bringing many of the film's exterior scenes to come away with its evocative imagery. The film's interior scenes are also shot with natural lighting with either the sun or lamps to provide the lighting. In many ways, the film's look is truly American where its almost reminiscent of the paintings of those times as it provides one of the greatest technical moments of the film. Helping out in the visual department is art director Jack Fisk, who would become Malick's longtime collaborator, who does a great job in designing many of the film's down-home antiques for the houses, especially Cato's home along with the house that Kit and Holly built near the river.

With its 95-minute running time, the film could've felt or been longer but it's tightly edited by Robert L. Estrin while using a lot of wonderful fade-out cuts for the film's unique approach to storytelling. Sound designer James Nelson also does great work in the sound in terms of capturing the natural sounds of helicopters, guns, and everything around the film. Finally, there is the music of the film that features a couple of songs where they're both used for memorable dance scenes. One song is the very upbeat Love Is Strange by Mickey & Sylvia that provides a very happy moment with that cowbell in tow. Another great music moment is another dance scene at night in front of a car where Kit & Holly slow dance to Nat King Cole's A Blossom Fell. With other score cuts from Erik Satie, James Taylor, and composers Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman, the most memorable score piece that's been used relentlessly is a xylophone-like score cut by George Aliceson Tipton that opens and closes the movie while being played in the middle somewhere. It's one of the best pieces of music ever heard.

Then we have the film's cast that includes some small, memorable appearances from John N. Carter as the rich man who is taken hostage and Dona Baldwin as the deaf maid. Other small roles including Bryan Montgomery and Gail Threlkeld as the couple who gets put into a cellar; Charles Fitzpatrick as a employment clerk for Kit in the film's early scenes; Alan Vint as a deputy who captures Kit and the elusive Terrence Malick in a cameo as a salesman in the scene when Kit is at the rich man's home. Ramon Bieri is excellent in a small, memorable role as Kit's friend Cato who has some great lines in an early scene while his motives later on after what Kit has done becomes questionable as he gives a great performance in his final moments. Warren Oates is also great in his role as Holly's protective, strict father who isn't really a bad guy although he is the reason for her own alienation as Oates brings a memorable performance.

The best performances easily goes to the leading actors in Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. The two together brings a natural, innocent kind of chemistry where despite their bad deeds are entirely likeable and human. There's never a dull moment when those two are together while separately they have great individual moments. Martin Sheen brings a performance that if described in one word, it would be... cool. While his actions as a killer brings an edge to him, Sheen becomes totally laid back after killing someone or morally upset while in the film's final moments, he accepts his role and just acts cool throughout the entire film. Sissy Spacek brings a dreamy innocence to her role while adding a calmness to everything around her, especially Kit while being the more mature person of sorts in the relationship. It's truly a remarkable performance from one of American cinema's finest actresses, who would later marry the film's art director Jack Fisk.

***Additional DVD Content Written from 12/17/12-7/23/13***

When Badlands was first released on the then-new DVD format in 1999 by Warner Brothers, the film was presented with a remastered 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound in English as well as being presented in both full-screen and the widescreen format. It was a decent release for its time but in the years since, the bare-bones edition felt pale in comparison to the subsequent DVD/Blu-Ray releases the Criterion Collection had done for Terrence Malick’s two subsequent features in Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line. After years of waiting, Badlands finally arrives in the presentation the film deserves.

The 2013 Region 1 DVD/Region A Blu-Ray presents the film in a new 4k digital transfer by its auteur Terrence Malick with additional help from cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki who has been Malick’s regular collaborator since The New World. The DVD is presented in 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio in the widescreen format with Dolby Digital Mono. The DVD set includes various features relating to the film.

The first is a 41-and-a-half minute interview with actors Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek as well as longtime Malick collaborator/Spacek’s husband in art director Jack Fisk. Sheen and Spacek talk about Malick’s approach to acting where he lets them find the characters in the performance as both of them also reveal their hesitations in playing the role. Sheen for the fact that he was 31 when the film was made while Spacek wasn’t sure about using her Texan accent as she had been told for years to drop the accent. Jack Fisk talks about his collaboration with Malick and how Fisk was very helpful to Malick’s vision as Malick was very new to the world of filmmaking. Spacek talks about Fisk’s contributions as she felt helped her be more in tune with her character as they also talk about Malick’s approach to voice-over narration as it’s a very engrossing piece about the film and how it was made as well as Malick’s approach to filmmaking.

The 22-minute interview with longtime Malick collaborator Billy Weber has the editor talking about not just Malick’s approach to editing but also in the way he uses voice-overs and music in film. Weber who was an associate editor in the film talked Malick’s unique style as well as how Francois Truffaut’s 1970 film The Wild Child would be influential in Malick’s approach to voice-over narration. Weber also talks about how this film is different from the films Malick would do later on as this film had more dialogue and more written voice-over as opposed to the looseness that would be prevalent in later films.

The 12-and-a-half minute interview with producer Edward Pressman has him talking about not just the making of the film but also the difficulties of working on a low-budget film. Pressman reveals how he and Malick had met as they were both fans of the French New Wave as well as auteur-driven films as Pressman was in total support of Malick despite the fact that he was a first-time filmmaker. Pressman also talked about the film’s official theatrical release where it didn’t do well as it was first presented in a double feature with Mel Brooks’ comedy classic Blazing Saddles where it got a poor reception. After its theatrical run, Pressman revealed that it took subsequent TV airings and such for the film to find its footing.

The 21-minute excerpt of the TV program American Justice on a 1993 episode about Charles Starkweather discusses the murder spree that would inspire Badlands. The 1958 murder spree that Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate would take part in where eleven people including Fugate’s family were killed in the span of eight days until their capture. The special plays into the infamy of the murders as well as Starkweather’s peculiar behavior as he had confessed to the killings. The special also shows excerpts of Fugate’s interviews in the 1970s and 1990s as she expressed remorse for her actions.

The DVD also includes the film’s trailer and a booklet that features an essay by filmmaker Michael Almereyda entitled Misfits. The essay discusses the film and why it stood out from a lot of the crime-dramas that was coming out of the late 60s and early 70s while reflecting a moment in time that seemed to have this warped idea of innocence as the film was released during a tumultuous period in America. Almereyda uses a lot of text from Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find as well as other quotes of O’Connor to convey the world that the film’s characters live in and why they’re misfits in some ways. Almereyda also noted the contrast the film had with Martin Scorsese’s 1973 breakthrough film Mean Streets where both films premiered at the New York Film Festival that year as both filmmakers made very different cameos in their respective films. It’s a wonderful essay that accompanies a truly amazing DVD/Blu-Ray release.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

Badlands is truly one of the greatest directorial debuts ever created from one of cinema's most enduring visionaries in Terrence Malick.  Featuring phenomenal performances from Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, it is a film that takes the crime genre and adding a sense of Romanticism through its story and visual images.  In comparison to the films he would do later on, this is Malick's most accessible as it's a film driven by characters going on the run.  It's also his most entertaining in terms of what is expected in a crime, road-film genre like this.  In the end, Badlands is a superb debut film from Terrence Malick and company.

Terrence Malick Films: Days of Heaven - The Thin Red Line - The New World - The Tree of Life - To the Wonder - Knight of Cups - Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience - (Voyage of Time: Life's Journey) - Song to Song - A Hidden Life - (The Way of the Wind)

© thevoid99 2011